Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Let's grow your business!

It's time. Use content to grow your business!

Do people understand your business or service? If you're like most (92%) of the businesses I surveyed in 2013-2014, the answer is "no."

You can change that by telling the story of your business. That means having content and context to help people understand who you are and what you do. Content helps potential customers understand what makes your business different from your competitors. It gives them reasons to trust you.

I use my writing, photography, video, and social media tolls to create "content" about businesses, organizations, and events. Since 2004 I've been telling the story of BC's Vancouver Island's local food industry. Does it work? Ask Karen Grober. Her sales are up. And that, as she says, is the "bottom line!"

Be in touch.

I'm looking forward to helping you grow your food and beverage business!

-hpm
@hanspetermeyer on Twitter

Monday, June 3, 2013

Is your shellfish business getting the social media love it deserves?

As part of our weekly local food question we asked you to tell us about 5 Vancouver Island region shellfish farmers. The graphic above gives a vivid description of those growers who are in the public eye, and who are being talked about on social media.

Is your business here? If it's not, or it's not as prominent as you'd like it to be you might want to ask if it's getting the social media love it deserves. If you're wanting helping getting that attention, be in touch.

-hpm
Chief Creative Officer
EatDrinkMEDIA.ca
"media + research services for Vancouver Island's local food sector"

Monday, May 27, 2013

Vancouver Island #26QLocalFood Survey - 1 new question a week for 26 weeks

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Got content? You need it. Why? Because it's already happening withoutyou.

Yelp. Twitter. Urbanspoon. TripAdvisor. Facebook. Yellowpages. Google Places. People are talking about your business, whether you want them to or not.

And if you're in the highly competitive, small-margin business, like the food industry, for example, it can be scary to have people telling your story when you don't have one of your own. (Please visit hanspetermeyer.com for the rest of this story).

Content basicsIf you've got a content strategy and are rolling it out, and especially if you're a food or beverage business doing so (because it's what we're about at EatDrinkMEDIA.ca), I want to hear from you. Please tell me about your content strategy here...

If you're wanting help (content creation, coaching, etc), and you've got content delivery mechanism (blog, Facebook page with Notes enabled, YouTube channel), I can help.

If you don't have these basic elements... time's a wasting folks!

-hpmChief Creative Officer
EatDrinkMEDIA.ca
"media + research services for Vancouver Island's local food sector"

21 May 2013

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Our Vancouver Island Farmers' Market Survey

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Organic? Local? Cheapest? What you told us during week 3 of #26Q

Q4 of #26Q asked: Organic? Local? Cheapest? How do you choose your groceries?

At EatDrinkMEDIA.ca we're asking a series of 26 questions (#26QLocalFood) about local food on Vancouver Island. We're asking because there is very little data on the Island's attitudes about food. Without data, it's hard to know where and how to grow our local food economy. For more on #26QLocalFood click here...

On March 11 we asked via Facebook post: Organic? Local? Cheapest? How do you choose your groceries? The static SayZu image (above) shows the results. For the interactive SayZu results, click this link.

We started #26Q because we wanted to generate some intelligence about people's attitudes, and because we thought that just asking the questions would start people thinking about what's important about food in their lives. The results so far have been fun, and they've helped the "story-telling" side of what all socio-economic change and business growth needs. Thanks to Salt Spring Coffee for sponsoring a weekly draw for coffee as an inspiration to participate. Here's why they're on board...

Monday, May 13, 2013

Is your Vancouver Island local food business getting enough attention?

Results of our week 13 question

Our #26QLocalFood series of questions about Vancouver Island local food is about several things. Most of all, it's about getting attention for local food businesses.

But it's also about getting people thinking about the Island's local food and beverage sector. As others post and comment, the "presence" of this sector as part of our food system and as part of our regional economy is elevated. A good thing.

Market research
Secondly, it tells those of us working in the sector – whether as growers/producers, vendors, or in marketing – about the "state of the online conversation." How informed are people? Where are we missing the mark? Where are we hitting the mark? What are the opportunities for growth? What are the obstacles? And so on. Basic market research.

Three, it tells us who is doing a good job of getting their message out, and who's got a devoted volunteer marketing force at work for them. This graphic is an example. We asked you to tell us about 5 Vancouver Island wineries you've visited or are planning to visit. How many wineries are there on Vancouver Island? One of my trusted wine sources says about 46 (the number changes frequently). How many were identified as "places visited or planning to visit?" 18. And at least 2 of these are not wineries but cider producers.

Want to get noticed?
Are Island wineries doing a good job of getting their name "out there" and in front of media-savvy folks? It doesn't look like it.

If you're a Vancouver Island producer and you want to be noticed there is help available. It's what we do at EatDrinkMEDIA.ca via blogs, print, and EatDrinkVancouverIsland.tv. But we're just one option and may not fit what you want to do. There are plenty of writers, photographers, videographers, and skilled social media folks who can help you change your game. Get in touch with them – or us – and get your brand and your flavour on the tips of people's tongues. Once you've convinced them you're worth tasting, they'll be helping sing your song.

-hpm
13 May 2013

ps. one of the easiest ways to raise your profile amongst Island food-savvy folks is to work with us on one of our Island local food campaigns. We're all about growing the local food culture and economy on the Island. Take a look and see if our values are consistent with yours.