The B2B food and nutrition trade media has the potential to aid brands to stand out by helping them foster relationships in the industry, become a thought leader in the space and ultimately, attract customer attention. But is it really worth targeting? How many people really want to read about which plant-based lactase enzymes speed up efficiencies? Or the latest research in Docosahexaenoic acid? If you’re sceptical – you’d be surprised. At BDB, we work with almost 200 dedicated BDB food and nutrition magazines that provide insights to millions of readers combined worldwide.
For any B2B food and nutrition brand, PR offers huge opportunities – when done right; and if you are looking to leverage the vast potential that trade media PR offers, here’s our top recommendations to help your company make its mark in this unique media landscape.
Technical or commercial audience – tailor your content to them
A beautifully written piece of content is worthless if it is not tailored to the right audience. Your editorial content, whether it be a press release or by-lined feature, needs to be targeted to the people you actually want to attract the attention of. For example, if you’re drafting an article for a food technology publication that will mostly be read by technical specialists, your language should be tailored towards them – for example highlighting your innovative factories and processes. At the same time, don’t use overly technical language if your target audience doesn’t work in this field, but instead focus on topics such as market insights and data, which more marketing-focused audiences will appreciate.
On top of this, it’s also important to remember that content has to be adapted to meet the publication’s and editor’s style – be prepared to adjust and flex your content to suit all requirements.
Know the topic area inside out
The readers of your PR content will be experts in their respective fields – so it’s imperative your content is expert, too. And an easy way to do this is for both you and your key spokespeople to keep up to date with the latest industry news, whether that be by reading the trade press yourself or using a media monitoring service. This knowledge can help turn old content into new insights, proving to your readers that your food and nutrition company is a true leader in the space. At the same time, make sure that all of your content is factual and accurate – your readers will know if it isn’t!
Steer clear of promotional material
Your readers want quality insights – not promotional material. Steer clear of copy that overly promotes your solutions or your company, as readers will find this uninteresting. Moreover, if a contribution is too promotional it won’t make the editorial cut – as other companies, including your competitors, will likely be contributing to the same article – and a journalist will value insightful content more. If you want to advertise your services, paid advertorial is the way to go.
Get to know your journalists and give them unique angles to build collaborative relationships with them
Although many of the journalists working in the B2B food and nutrition press may hold science degrees or PhDs – they’re still the same as other journalists, and hugely value friendly communication. So, get to work knowing them, asking personal questions and building a rapport.
But building media relations isn’t just about including a ‘hope you’re well!’ in the email – journalists have deadlines to meet, and the more quality contributions you can provide on time will do wonders to strengthen your relationship and ensure repeat coverage. Specifically for the food & nutrition press, it’s important to tailor your comms to suit their schedule. For example, US nutrition magazines typically work at least a month in advance – so if you’re looking to pitch for a feature, you should be prepared to reach out to them two months before the go-live date.
Another great way to nurture your relationship with the food and nutrition trade media is to offer unique, tailored and exclusive angles when pitching to journalists – this not only increases your chances of securing coverage, but also proves to your contact that you truly want to support their work and publication.
Leverage trade shows
Trade shows can be a great way to highlight your brand’s latest innovations and attract the attention of potential customers – but they also create a platform for PR activities and media relations. Journalists across the food and nutrition trade press attend key events like Vitafoods Europe, SupplySide West and In-Cosmetics to explore the latest trends and interview attending companies. To properly leverage trade shows for PR, it pays to be prepared. Journalists will work at least a month in advance to schedule appointments at shows, and you’ll need to peak their interest with a compelling offering, ideally through a press release or preview.
Food for thought
The B2B food and nutrition PR landscape can be a tricky one to navigate – but done right, it offers huge potential to build and safeguard your brand’s reputation and authority. And working with a specialised trade agency – who are well versed in delivering impactful public relations can make a huge difference.
At BDB, we are a specialist in the B2B food and nutrition PR and trade media space. With over 35 years of experience, we not only know the ins and outs of the trade, we also have the necessary relationships with key members of the media to help your ingredients brand cut through the noise. If you’re looking to achieve more with your PR strategy, get in touch today!