BEST PRACTICESIN AGRI-MARKETING& COMMUNICATION

POWERFULCONTENT:

4 EDITORIAL CALENDARS: Organizing Content … and making it work harder

6 NEWSLETTERS: Sharing your news … in a format that gets noticed

8 MAGAZINES: Grabbing your customers’ attention … and holding it

10 PHOTOGRAPHY: Capturing the interesting images … and maing them fit for print

12 INFOGRAPHICS: Illustrating your points … and making them easy on the eyes

14 VIDEO: Putting your stories in motion … and making them memorable

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content marketing is a powerful, progressive way to persuade and influence your target market. And it isn’t going away anytime soon.

Marketing and communication in today’s world is more sophisticated and complicated than ever. With web-based ads, billboards, media advertisements, social media and more, your customers are literally bombarded with messages throughout their day. As a result, your business can’t afford to push out redundant, lackluster content. There are just too many organizations competing for your customers’ attention.

If customers lose interest in your message, they may stop paying attention to your content … and that’s never a good thing for your bottom line.

The following six best practices will help you get the most out of your content marketing program.

CONTENT MARKETING:IT’S CLEAR: Creating, publishing and

distributing content for

your target audience with

the goal of attracting

new customers.

3 INTRO

Coming up with consistently fresh and compelling content takes time and commitment. It’s just plain hard work. However, with the right approach, you can generate meaningful, attention-worthy content like a well-oiled machine. It all starts with one task: developing an editorial calendar.

WHAT IS AN EDITORIAL CALENDAR?Your editorial calendar helps you visually organize all of your upcoming content in calendar format. The idea is to ensure that your content gets written and released according to plan. No missed opportunities. No “we’ll try next month” excuses.

AN EASIER WAY TO CREATE AND MANAGE CONTENT.Does your organization write a blog? Publish a newsletter? Send out updates via email? Post on social media? Send out press releases?

With all the new channels that exist to reach your audience, it can be challenging to stay on top of everything. An editorial calendar is the perfect tool to organize upcoming content—and make sure it stays fresh, consistent and relevant.

STRATEGICALLY PLAN CONTENT MONTHS IN ADVANCE.Just because your organization publishes a lot of content on a regular basis doesn’t mean the content is working to grow your business. If you want to reach your goals, your content marketing requires strategy.

Pay close attention to your customers’ purchasing behavior (what they buy, when they buy it and why). Also watch their media preferences, such as print, digital or social. Use that information in your calendar to create and release fresh content at the most opportune times—making sure that you’re capitalizing on every opportunity to grow your business.

VIEW CONTENT IN A “BIG PICTURE” FORMAT.Think of your editorial calendar as a thousand-foot view of your content schedule. It’s also a good way to assess which channels or content gets the best response. If it’s not working, adjust it. Your goal? Publish the best possible content, through the most effective channels, at just the right time.

EDITORIAL CALENDARS:ORGANIZING CONTENT … AND MAKING IT WORK HARDER

4

4 EDITORIAL CALENDARS

… the amount of information

we consume outside of work

on an average day(neomam.com/interactive/13reasons/)COMMUNICATION CHANNELS: FRESH CONTENT NEEDED

Consider all of these channels when creating your editorial calendar.

Digital Channels• Blog posts• Website content• Targeted email campaigns• Infographics• Video

Print Channels• Newsletters• Magazines• Direct mail campaigns• Press releases

Social Media Channels• Facebook®

• Twitter• Pinterest• LinkedIn™• Google+

or 100,500 words

Your content can generate

up to 94% more views if

you add compelling visual

elements and graphics.(blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-infographic#sm.0017ju6f914edfgczua1doqs5630r)

5 EDITORIAL CALENDARS

If anyone tells you print newsletters are dead, don’t believe it. Print newsletters that arrive by mail are opened, physically handled, read and even saved—interactions that are uniquely different from online content.

In fact, new research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals that content delivered in paper form is more stimulating than content delivered in virtual or digital form.1 Apparently, our brains perceive printed items (like newsletters) as more genuine—and engaging.

Cater to skimmers. People tend to skim headlines, subheads, highlighted quotes and call-out boxes. Use these writing devices to motivate readers to dig deeper for the rest of the story.

Write tight. Make each story concise and compelling, while conveying the key points outlined in your editorial calendar.

Make it newsy. It’s called a NEWS-letter for a reason. Short bits of news create impact.

Add photos. Spark readers’ interest with photographs—especially images featuring people. Use photos to enhance articles, or let a stand-alone photomontage tell the story.

Add graphics. Use charts, lists and infographics (see page 12) to draw your reader in and tell your stories more effectively.

Include human-interest stories. Readers love interesting, heartwarming and inspirational stories about customers and employees.

Take a trip back in time. History and anniversary features make for fun reading—especially when you include sidebars with a timeline, “fast facts” or “did you know?” information.

Go behind the scenes. What makes your organization tick? Include a Q&A with board members, or share a “day in the life” of a department in your organization.

Connect with the community. Include photos and stories showing how your company supports the local community.

NEWSLETTERS:SHARING YOUR NEWS … IN A FORMAT THAT GETS NOTICED

CONTENT TIPS:HOW TO MAKE YOUR NEWSLETTER WORK EVEN HARDER.

1. www.millwardbrown.com/docs/default-source/insight-documents/case-studies/MillwardBrown_CaseStudy_Neuroscience.pdf

6 NEWSLETTERS

81%People who indicate they are

most relaxed when reading

print on paper.(www.twosidesna.org/US/Reading-from-Paper-or-Reading-from-Screens--What-do-Consumers-Prefer)

88%People who believe that

they understand and can

retain or use information

better when they read print

on paper, compared to

64% or less when reading

on electronic devices.

7 NEWSLETTERS

USE YOUR EDITORIAL CALENDAR TO GET ORGANIZED.Your magazine needs to capture your customer’s interest again and again. So you’ll need to map out a yearlong strategy—delivering new content with each new issue. Consider linking all of your departments with a single seasonal theme or topic.

MAKE IT MEANINGFUL.In every issue, your magazine should offer readers some each of three basic elements:

Information. This one comes easy. It’s what you’re accustomed to providing in your newsletter, on your website and during customer meetings.

Inspiration. The magazine format was born to accomplish this. Include profiles, tips, customer comments, lots of photos and bigger headlines—so your customers see your company in the best light.

Motivation. A smartly conceived, well-executed magazine story draws your reader into the story. Motivation leads to innovation, which can lead to sales and loyalty.

JUST CAN’T FIND THE WORDS?Bring more people into your process. Ask department heads to suggest inside experts, outside experts or suppliers for information about a particular topic. Just as important, look for a customer with a personal viewpoint.

MAGAZINES:GRABBING YOUR CUSTOMERS’ ATTENTION … AND HOLDING IT

1. National Directory of Magazines/Mediafinder.com, 2015

Even in this digital age, people still read magazines. Lots of them. In fact, there are more than 7,000 print magazine titles in the U.S.—a statistic that has held steady for nearly 10 years.1 By publishing a company magazine, you can share with your customers the bigger story about your organization.

8 MAGAZINES

91% of American adults have read print magazine editions in the last six months.(GfK MRI, Fall 2014, Magazine.org)

People under 35 read more print magazines than people over 35.(GfK MRI, Fall 2014, Magazine.org)

More than 180 print magazines have thrived for more than 50 years. Only 13 TV programs can say the same.(MPA Info Center)

9 MAGAZINES

These days, everyone’s a photographer. If you have a smartphone, you have a camera. That can be great for Facebook®, but not so great for use in your company marketing materials.

The reason? Images that look beautiful on your phone, on Facebook, and even on websites, can look really terrible in print. That’s because the print medium requires large, high-quality digital images.

NO CELL PHONES, PLEASE.We’ve all taken some great pictures with our phones. The problem is, those shots generally won’t work well in print due to: • Poor lens quality. That tiny lens on your smartphone doesn’t come close to

a “real camera.”• Not enough data. A smartphone simply doesn’t capture enough data to be

reproduced in print materials.

But you don’t have to go out and buy a “fancy” professional camera. A decent pocket digital camera—retailing for as little as $100—will do the job.

RECRUIT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER.Ask around. Chances are, there’s someone in your organization who loves taking photos of kids’ sports teams, family gatherings or vacations. Tag them to be the “go-to” person when a photo is needed. Also put them on alert to take photos of important things happening in your organization.

PHOTOGRAPHY:CAPTURING INTERESTING IMAGES … AND MAKING THEM FIT FOR PRINT

If you hear a piece of information,

you’ll remember 10% of it three

days later. Add a picture and

you’ll remember 65%.(www.brainrules.net/vision)

Consumers will take an

estimated 1.3 TRILLION PHOTOS by 2017. The

compound annual growth rate

(CAGR) from 2014 to 2017 will

be 16.2%.(InfoTrend 2014 Worldwide Image Capture Forecast)

10% 65%

10 PHOTOGRAPHY

LIGHTING IS KEYDO shoot subjects

in the full shade.

DO NOT pose subjects

looking directly into

the sun—or they will

have “squinty eyes.

DO NOT pose subjects

with sun at their

backs—or their faces

will be in the shade.

HOW TO CREATE A GREAT PHOTOCHOOSE THE CORRECT FILE SIZE.Digital cameras let you select the file size of the image you’re shooting. Look on the camera menu, and select the largest possible file size.

GET FOCUSED.Almost all cameras focus automatically. Read the camera manual and learn how your focus works.

SET THE STAGE .It’s all about proper placement of your photo’s subject. • Contrary to popular notions, it’s better to shoot your subject outdoors in full

shade, rather than in the sunshine. • If shooting indoors, place your subject near a window—facing the light—to get

outdoor light on their face. • Always try to find a neutral background, or a background that puts subjects in

their everyday environment.• For “head shots” of individuals, get close and/or zoom in until head and

shoulders fill the frame.

PAY ATTENTION TO LIGHTING.If you’re taking a photo of a thing—building, tractor, sprayer, etc.—and the sun is out, take the picture with the sun behind you or, at least, to the side. Avoid taking pictures into the sun. Thismay require returning at a different time of the day to take the shot.

11 PHOTOGRAPHY

Subject with proper lighting

Subject with improper lighting

INFOGRAPHICS:ILLUSTRATING YOUR POINTS … AND MAKING THEM EASY ON THE EYES

1. Ditch the paragraphsTry to make each point with one picture or one sentence. If your idea is too complicated to break down, consider making a series of infographics on the different facets of your subject.

3. Use icons to tell the story 2. Make it “move”Walk your reader through a story and show how things are connected. The brain naturally knows where to go next if the infographic is well organized.

3. Use icons to tell the storyIn place of words, use simple images to get your point across--with one icon per point.

3. Use icons to tell the story 4. Think visuallyChallenge yourself to communicate with visuals, not words.

Simply put, an infographic means taking data or information, organizing it, and making it visually appealing—often using graphs, visual elements and charts. This way, your reader doesn’t have to plow through a mountain of text to get to your point.

Think of it as a sort of “visual shorthand”—allowing you to communicate complex information in a visual format that’s easy to follow.

1. http://www.easel.ly/blog/category/creating-infographics/

4 WAYS TO DRAW YOUR AUDIENCE IN WITH INFOGRAPHICS1

12 INFOGRAPHICS

The brain processes visual information 60,000 TIMES FASTER than the time it takes for the brain to decode text.1

Content with relevant imagesgets 94% MORE VIEWS than than content without relevant images.1

70% of all your sensory receptors are in your eyes.2

Infographics are liked and shared on social media 3X more than other any other type of content.1

We can get the sense of a visual scene in 1/10 OF A SECOND.1

Researchers found that COLORED VISUALS increase people’s willingness to read a piece of content by 80%.1

People following directions with text and illustrastions do 323% BETTER than people following directions without illustrations.1

About 65% OF THE POPULATION are visual learners, and visual content can improve learning up to 400%.3

If you’re intrigued by the idea of communicating your content through infographics—but don’t have a designer

on staff—consider enlisting the help of a content marketing firm. They will be able to bring your story to life.

13 INFOGRAPHICS

1. http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-infographic#sm.0017ju6f914edfgczua1doqs5630r)2. http://neomam.com/interactive/13reasons/3. Mind Tools, 1998

In today’s world, video is a key part of content marketing. Video is everywhere. It’s accessible. It’s engaging. And it’s surprisingly easy to create.

So how do you get started making a video for your organization? First of all, stop thinking about the viral videos you see online. Those are for entertainment value. You want a video with marketing value—something that will engage your customers and prospects, drive them to your website and prompt them to purchase your product or service.

ASK YOURSELF: WHY WOULD PEOPLE WATCH THIS VIDEO?Make sure you’re creating a video with value. Examples include:• Product demonstrations• Interview with experts• Customer stories• Problem/solution • Behind-the-scenes stories• Event promotion

VIDEOS:PUTTING YOUR STORIES IN MOTION … AND MAKING THEM MEMORABLE

14 VIDEOS

HOW TO CREATE YOUR FIRST VIDEO

(Handley, Ann, and C. C. Chapman. “Video: Show Me a Story.” Content Rules. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011.)

ZERO IN ON ONE KEY MESSAGE.• Look at your editorial calendar. What specific content do you want to communicate?

QUIET PLEASE.• It’s not necessary to shoot in a closed office. But try to avoid traffic sounds or other distractions.

SHARE IT.• Use a video sharing site such as Vimeo or YouTube.

SOUND CHECK.• If using camera’s built-in microphone, your subject needs to be fairly close to camera.

WATCH THE LIGHT.• If indoors, make sure light is in front of subject, not behind them.• If outdoors, don’t stand with sun at your back—or you’ll cause your own dark shadow on the subject.

EQUIPMENT CHECK.• Use a high-definition video camera—costs less than $300 and fits in your shirt pocket.

PUT IT ON PAPER FIRST.• Create a rough outline—not a script, but a general flow of the video.

BE STEADY.• Use a tripod if necessary—although most cameras have built-in stabilization.

SMILE.• Some people shy away from being on camera. If you’re relaxed, they will be, too.

FILM, REVIEW, REPEAT. • Review each video clip after shooting it— checking for light and sound..• It’s better to record again on the spot than having to go back later.

FRAME IT.• If videoing a person, frame the shot closely so viewer focuses on the speaker.• If videoing a scene, be aware of what’s in the background.

15 VIDEOS

YOUR CONTENT. OUR EXPERTISE. YOUR SUCCESS.The business of content marketing is growing at a lightning-fast pace. New opportunities pop up every day. It’s a matter of knowing what to do … and getting it done. That’s why some companies choose to use a content marketing expert.

TAKING YOUR AGRIBUSINESS MARKETING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

VistaComm is a marketing firm that helps agribusinesses communicate better and grow faster. It’s your one-stop source for all content marketing practices. We work with 110+ clients nationwide—helping them create and distribute valuable content to customers and prospects.

• Customized tactical plans• Targeted content • Digital, web and mobile solutions• Strategy and branding

It’s all about effective solutions for the right audience, at the right time—turnkey and hassle-free.

Want to talk about maximizing content for your organization? Contact one of our team of experts today today.

1401 North C Avenue | Sioux Falls, SD 57104605.977.2100 | 866.752.7707solutions@vistacomm.com | vistacomm.com