As we gear up for one of the biggest tradeshows of the season, we are prompted to think about ways we can help elevate brands and products beyond the show. In any other industry, this might seem simple. But when you are talking about pitching fresh produce, that’s a whole different story.
To pitch a fruit or vegetable in its natural state, or a new packaged product, you must be strategic in your approach to figure out if your brand/product is ready for consumer media outreach. Meaning—will editors be interested in writing about your product for their readers?
Here are a few pitch-worthy points to consider as you plan for 2020 public relations strategy for consumer media.
How to Determine Whether Your Product is “Pitch-Worthy”
- What’s the hook?
What makes your product sexy? Why should consumers care about your product? What makes it stand out from the rest? These are all key questions to consider when deciding if your product is pitch-worthy. In our industry, this can be rather difficult to differentiate. Thankfully, as fresh produce brands continue to emerge, unique voices and stories develop that stand out to consumer media as well as shoppers.
Whether you are now pitching a product or variety, sometimes the hook isn’t so obvious. You cannot rely on the good nature of fresh product alone. It’s the hook that allows you to tell more of the story and really grab the attention of editors and shoppers.
- Is it widely available?
In the consumer media world, editors want to share products that their readers can actually go out and buy. Thus, it’s important to think about the retail availability of whatever it is that you trying to pitch. Can it be found at most national grocery stores? Or is it still in the early stages of pickup? If it’s the latter, you likely still have some work to do with the trade (see below for more info!).
In the fresh produce industry, the reality is that not everything is available nationwide. This is actually a good thing. Unlike certain candy bar brands (“they who-shall-not-be-named”), certain produce is available seasonally and sometimes only in certain regions for a reason—freshness. Thankfully, fresh produce brands can invest in technology now that offers consumers a way to locate their favorite product. We love Destini Locator!
- Can you send samples?
“What is the first question editors ask when interested in your product?” Editors want to be able to try the product firsthand before they can include it in any of their editorial to ensure they actually want to promote it. Before you decide to create a consumer pitch-plan for your brand, be sure you can supply samples that will WOW an editor and make them want to include in a story. This plays along with our first point about the hook—you want to be able to garner as much interest from an editor as possible, so sending polished samples is key.
- Is it new?
If you are launching a brand new product that has never before been seen, it is extremely likely that you brand can be pitched to consumer media. Editors LOVE a good product launch, especially if there is a “sexy” hook (see point #1). Ask yourself the following:
- Is it new / a new varietal?
- Are you rolling out new packaging?
- Is your company investing in new technology in the process?
These are all questions that can help you decide if your product is pitch-worthy for consumer media.
- Have you answered “NO” or “I Don’t Know” to more than one of the above questions?
If you are unsure about any of the points made above, it’s likely that you are not quite ready for consumer media pitching. HAVE NO FEAR! There are still great ways to leverage the power of PR and pitching on and off the tradeshow floor. Utilizing trade PR outreach can help your product gain retail and foodservice traction which in turn can help your brand become pitch-worthy to consumers!
Do you believe your product is pitch-worthy? Do you have a pitch-plan? Do you even know what a pitch-plan is? If you have any questions about the above, leave us a comment below or reach out to us on Twitter @TheCoreBlog and tell us!
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