Content Writing Lesson for Food Service: Swap Broad Terms for Specifics

Berries from Brazil
Berries from Brazil

Many companies have jumped on the green bandwagon and for good reason. Consumers favor environmentally friendly brands and companies want to do the right thing. However, as a result of this movement, words like sustainable and organic have been bandied about with increased frequency. But what do these words mean to consumers?

Research conducted by The Hartman Group suggests that the words “sustainable” and “organic” are confusing to consumers. At the Protein Innovation Summit, Tamara Barnett, director, strategic insights,  Hartman Group, advised food suppliers and restaurant operators to scrap words like sustainable and organic in favor of words that consumers can more readily understand. According to Barnett, consumers want to know where food comes from, so information about where a product is sourced from is important. Consumers want to know food comes from a real place. Consumers want to know how your practices impact quality. Educate and explain your practices with specifics rather than generalities.

On the menu and on your website, answer the question of where your food comes from. Explain what it does for the consumer (environmental or health benefits). Showcase your suppliers. “Consumers want to work with a company that is a good neighbor,” said Barnett. It is increasingly important to show a connection to the community that uses your product.

Don’t forget that authenticity can be conveyed not only in words, but in pictures. Photos of real customers, employees and places, build trust.

As content writers we combines words and pictures to impart meaning. We can review your current website copy and edit for clarity and substance. We will scrap confusing words in favor of more descriptive terms and keywords. It is not enough to be sustainable or organic.

Offer Your Brand Perspective on Industry News

TV news readerTo create branded content on topics of interest to your audience look no further than current online industry news. Then offer your brand perspective in a blog post, newsletter article or social media. A search for Industry News will result in lots of listings. But to find current news use Google > News > Past week. Many of the results are press releases published for media and public consumption.

When I google Food Service Industry News I see the National Restaurant Association Launches New ServSafe 6th Edition Food Safety Program. Read the release and create your own original content describing some of the best food safety practices used at your company. How is that important to the integrity of your product?

More examples from search:

US Foodservice: The Future of Foodservice in the US to 2016 – What trends do you see in your foodservice operating environment that will be influential in the next few years?

US Sports & Entertainment Foodservice Market Trends Analyzed in New Study Published at MarketPublishers.com.  For food service providers to sports events, how are you improving the fan experience through food selection? What trends are you seeing?

CareerBuilder and the National Restaurant Association Team Up to Bring More Resources to Industry Employers and Job Seekers. The release states: “Under the two-year agreement, CareerBuilder will become the exclusive provider of recruitment and job search services for National Restaurant Association members as well as its state restaurant association members.” What do you see as the benefits of this? How do you find the best candidates?

US Foods, America’s Second-Largest Food Distributor, Chooses Ai2’s ProSel for an iPad Sales Force Solution Deployment. How do your territory sales managers give presentations to customer? Have you solved challenges in order-taking and content management using mobile apps?

And for those brands sensitive to sustainability issues:  McCormick Achieves Net-Zero Energy Use with Constellation Energy. Their distribution center in Belcamp, Md., now generates more electricity than it uses. What sustainability initiatives have you launched and found to be successful at saving costs or adding benefits?

Trade magazines are a good source of credible industry news. Review your favorite industry magazines for ideas. Yahoo! Directory is an easy search for all types of industry news magazines. My search for food service industry magazines included: Directory > Business and Economy > Business to Business > Food and Beverage > Restaurant and Food Service Management > Trade Magazines.  Or, you can Google [Industry Name] Magazines. Check out the news page, articles, blogs and newsletters from these publications for ideas on how to add your brand’s perspective on the industry news. Look for columnists within a trade magazine who cover the types of topics your audience is interested in. Find bloggers in your industry through Technorati and online trade publications. When you don’t want to write a full article or post you can leave a comment or tweet. On Twitter add an industry hashtag (#foodservice). Don’t let your subject matter expertise go to waste, offer your brand perspective.

This approach to creating branded content can be used by any size company in any industry. Are you running out of ideas to engage your audience?

Find the Best Whitepaper Topics

Generate New Ideas for WhitepapersWhitepapers have proven their worth as lead generation tools, but coming up with the best whitepaper topics for your business can be a marketing challenge. A professional whitepaper writer experienced in your industry can not only complete the writing work, but can also brainstorm fresh topic ideas. Start with a clear understanding of the needs of your audience.

Here are some of the methods we use to generate whitepaper topics:

  1. Conduct customer interviews and visit social media forums to hear problems described firsthand.
  2. Review trade magazines and their websites for potential topic areas.
  3. Look at the agendas of conferences in your industry to see what topics are being covered.
  4. Review current industry research related to audience needs and buying practices.

Professional service firms should consider whitepapers that position their firms as industry thought leaders.

Being the first to delve into a new trend or topic can quickly position your firm as an expert. However, be careful not to write an opinion piece. Whitepaper readers expect objectivity. A professional writer understands how to utilize third party data to present a compelling case.

Construction firms might consider from a whitepaper on sustainable building practices or using new technologies.

Food service suppliers might consider a whitepaper on food safety, sustainability or labor-saving best practices.

Case studies can also be effective whitepapers, particularly when they feature high profile clients.

When it comes to finding the best whitepaper topic, the choices are many, but using a professional writer with industry experience to brainstorm fresh ideas is a smart choice– a professional writer already has a good understanding of what your audience is looking for.

Are whitepapers part of your 2012 B2B marketing plan?

Measuring Social Media Beyond ROI

Measuring tape unravelledMarketing managers want tools for measuring social media ROI but the answer may be found in recognizing patterns, reporting on results and establishing closed-loop business models.

Tools can measure quantities but interpreting patterns may be your best bet in substantiating your efforts. In his four part series on measuring social media, J. Michael Roach at Kimbermedia summarizes ways to obtain information/analytics on social media interactions. He covers Facebook (Insights), Twitter (www.twentyfeet.com), LinkedIn (Page analytics) and Google (Google analytics). Obtaining and understanding the data requires monitoring and evaluation. He writes “…notice how different types of content will generate more interest than others.”

In his recent post, 5 Ways to Measure Results of B2B Social Media, Jeffrey L. Cohen expresses the importance of measuring and reporting on social media results. He says it determines success and shows value. I would add another reason: show where improvement can be made. He advocates measuring followers, conversions, leads & sales, cost savings and ROI to get a clear picture.

Giselle Abramovich celebrates the arrival of social media ROI.  She cites the Link Like Love platform introduced by American Express. The platform is described as a closed-loop business model. Cardmembers can sync their cards with Foursquare, Twitter and Facebook to get deals and offers from partner companies. Accounts are credited after purchases. The purchase can be tracked to the channel it came from.

In order to measure social media ROI marketers need to understand the strength and weakness of metrics, how to report results, and look at the advantages and disadvantages of the business model. What content is generating leads? How many subscriptions have been added? What platforms have the highest conversions? It takes more than numbers to understand the dynamic of social media and its return on investment.

Do you have a plan or process for measuring social media beyond ROI?

Lessons to be Learned from Pinterest’s Success

Lessons Learned from PinterestPinterest is taking the social media world by storm.  The site that allows members to “pin” images, videos and other objects that they love to their pinboard, skyrocketed to No. 3 behind Facebook and Twitter, according to a recent released Experian Marketing report.  With predominantly female members, the site has a different audience profile than other social networks.  The most popular categories on the site include home, arts & crafts, style/fashion, and food.  According to RJ Metrics,  food is the fastest growing category on the site and the most likely topic to be repined. (Take note food service marketers).

The simplicity of sharing Information is key to Pinterest’s success. Pictures communicate quickly and easily.  Organized by topic, rather than social connections, Pinterest makes it easier to share with more people.  There are some lessons B2B marketers can take away from Pinterest’s success.

Add Visual Interest to Your Brand

Work to improve your brand’s visual interest. Photos and graphics draw attention. Look for interesting ways to showcase your products. Photograph products being used in different environments, create a video, or ask customers to share their images. Develop a visual content strategy.  Never miss a photo opportunity. Use professional graphic design to enhance copy and data. If sharing information or a report, create an attractive cover image to promote the contents.

Some shining B2B examples include Constant Contact , which adds visual interest with graphic design and GE, which uses stunning photography.

Make Sharing Easier

Consider adding sharing features to more areas of your website, so visitors can share  all types of content. Place sharing buttons close to content. Ask followers to share your content.

Will you be adding Pinterest to your social media buttons?