Eckert AgriMarketing Newsletter

(click here for directory of past newsletters)

April 17, 2006

Have you completed your marketing plan for the season? Have you started one? Are you going to do a marketing plan?

Well, one of the most critical elements that should be part of your plan-but is so often neglected-is writing your press releases to get the media talking about you. Yes, they’ll talk about your farm, and do it FOR FREE.

I’m continually confounded as to why so many farm marketers are not using the cheapest, and most obvious marketing outlet to promote the farm. For a few pennies and a little time, you can write press releases that get you in the papers and on TV!

So why aren’t you writing press releases? Is it because you think it’s difficult? Perhaps, you say “but I’m not a good writer.” Get over it. Farms that are featured in the news attract more visitors. It’s a fact. Research proves that people pay more attention to what they learn from the news (free) than anything you can say through sophisticated paid advertising.

Best of all, the media needs you just as much as you need them. They start each day with a bunch of white paper in columns, and must fill it in with black ink and letters. So getting good publicity costs only the price of a stamp to inform the media about the good story ideas you have that would be of interest to their audiences.

I hope that I’ve at least put that seed of the media idea back in your head. Make it a priority for the season. Go for it. What do you have to lose?

If you are still reluctant to proceed, let me tell you about two opportunities for you to gain more confidence:

#1 Join Us for This Important Teleseminar.

Sign up now for my April 25 – 7 PM (CST) Teleseminar “Creating Press Releases that Get Published.”

We’ll not only cover the basics of developing the media database and the format of the press release, but you’ll hear firsthand from media expert Bill Mauk about how to write that “special hook” that gets your stories published.

Click Here and sign up now. Cost $25.00.

#2 Read the Book.

If you are not available for the teleseminar, may I suggest my simple and straight-forward book, Fresh Grown Publicity, which provides examples and templates for your next press release. Click here to order the book.

Press Releases From the Farm- Survey

Good luck with your media efforts. Even if you don’t feel the need to learn more about writing press releases and working with the media, I’d love to hear more about what you are doing in this important area of your marketing program.

This week we developed a short survey specifically to learn more about the success or failure of farms in obtaining media attention. Everyone who participates in the survey will receive a copy of the results.

Please click here to take short survey on Your Press Relations. (Survey #2, "Press Releases from the Farm.")

Survey on Corporate and Group Events

Two weeks ago, I invited you to participate in another important survey. If you have not responded already, I encourage everyone to participate in our North American Survey of Corporate and Group Events.

You need to know that we have already collected some very interesting data, but I am keeping the survey open for a few more weeks to allow additional farms to participate. Only those who participate in the survey will have access to the final report.

Please click here to participate in the survey on Corporate and Group Events. (Survey #1, "Corporate and Group Events.")

Connecticut News Release Campaign Scheduled

Connecticut's farmers hope to cultivate a bumper crop of tourists by joining forces with state officials in an aggressive marketing campaign to showcase Connecticut agriculture.

"I think the whole push of showing that agriculture is alive in the state and making people interested in coming to Connecticut to see agriculture is the key to sustaining agriculture in the state," Department of Agriculture Commissioner F. Philip Prelli said Tuesday.

As part of the campaign, media outlets can expect to receive monthly news releases on seasonal events promoting everything from strawberries in the spring to pumpkins in the fall.

Read about the Connecticut Agritourism Program

Do You Know
How to Write
Successful Press Releases?

You probably have a very small budget to spend on marketing, right?

But you'd like to have more customers, right?

In the farm business, I know the answer to both of these questions-you've got little or no money for paid advertising, but, yes, of course you would like to have more customers.

Is it possible to get media coverage, without spending media dollars? Yes. And many of you have learned this lesson, either on your own, or by attending one of my seminars or reading my books.

The secret is attracting free publicity, and free publicity starts with writing good press releases.

Next week, we'll have another in our series of teleseminars, and in this one, we will share ideas on how to write press releases that get published, and how to plan your press release campaign. (Find the link below to register.)

In advance of the seminar, we have a prepared a very short survey to find out more about who is writing effective press releases, how you are working with your newspapers, tv and radio stations, and other media, and how effective you have been.

The results will be shared with everyone who participates, and with those who join us for next week's teleseminar.

If you are current writing press releases for your farm, please click here to participate in this short survey on Your Press Relations.