Using social for business: Get personal, in a measured way
Don’t be afraid to get a little personal on social media, even on the business-focused LinkedIn platform.
As marketing and advertising creatives know, personal messaging sells. It establishes an emotional, human connection, which can make your brand or company name stick in the reader's memory and possibly lead to more business. While being positive is usually the way to go in sales, it’s best when authentic.
Sometimes, throw in a challenge, issue or struggle. It makes you and your company more relatable, and your posts more trusted — because none of us are skipping through fields of daisies 24/7, as much as we’d like.
I hope it’s obvious I’m not advising you to air allllll your grievances and deep-rooted issues. Save that for your family, friends, spiritual advisor and/or therapist.
The classic posts remain important, too. Social media is also a great place to dovetail your products with trending recipe ideas and food hacks. Let’s not get too personal, y’all. Balance is the key.
Dorn Wenninger, senior vice president of produce at UNFI, shares his personal perspective in a LinkedIn post as he attended his first International Fresh Produce Association board meeting. A new board member, Wenninger starts off by pointing out his beginnings, which is always a favorite take. He hints at how new beginnings can be overwhelming with all the new names, but then looks forward with excitement to the coming conferences that combine the power of both the old United Fresh Produce and Produce Marketing associations. A couple hashtags and a photo with the leader, Cathy Burns, and done. More than 453 likes, loves and celebrates mean people are feeling what he’s saying.
Find him on LinkedIn by searching for Dorn Wenninger.
This Spring 2022 Foodboard by Acme was eye-catching enough to pause and watch. The time-lapse effect made the viewer want to stay on the post and see what piece of fresh produce landed on the board next and what the final results looked like. This is a smart special effect to use to draw in your audience. The post is also on-trend, as charcuterie and food boards are all the rage. Online searches about charcuterie are up nearly 300% in the past 12 months, according to Aldi in a December 2021 Shelby Report. New and creative charcuterie boards have been extremely popular this year, and Aldi predicted this will continue to grow throughout 2022.
Find them at @acmemarkets.
@boweryfarming Guess who’s back ? #thislookslikeajobforme #guesswhosback #return #comeback #greens #salad #frills ♬ Italian Dinner Party - Italian Restaurant Music of Italy
TikTok
First, I was drawn to the hyperlapsed, fast-forward effect of Bowery Farming’s Mustard Frills growing. Then, the trendy chickpea curry, grain bowl and salad using the Farmer’s Selection, limited-edition leafy green got me. It’s pretty, fast-paced, says all the things it needs to say and is fun in the process. The reel is set to the “Italian Dinner Party” tune, which is appropriate, and the hashtags provide more information, reminding the audience that this isn’t the first rodeo for these spicy frills: #guesswhosback #return #comeback. We look forward to future TikTok reels with the just-introduced Bowery strawberry duo pack, the Wild Berry and Garden Berry. We’d love to see the vertical growing of this berry in action.
Find them on TikTok at @boweryfarming.
