DALLAS, TX - Understanding leads to spending. The most recent retail panel I listened to ranged from Costco to Sprouts, but when asked about the challenge all faced it was not, as I expected, supply-related. It was educating the consumer.

“Every year, Cison and Muck Rack survey thousands of journalists to better understand their unique challenges, needs, and preferences, especially as it relates to working with PR professionals,” Beth Keeton, Founder of Elephant House PR, recently posted. The angle recalled to me that same root challenge of consumer education.

The media are often either a gateway—or gatekeeper—to consumers. Yet the data, Beth shared, reflects a clear communication gap.

“I see how this information is valuable to my fellow comms and marketing professionals, but I also think there is a ton of value in growers and retailers seeing what the media is looking for because they are the subject matter experts that journalists are looking to learn from," Beth shared with me as we discussed her team’s takeaways.

Credibility and staff contacts are top challenges Elephant House PR highlighted in the data, with journalists reporting the importance of validity among “fake news” perceptions.

How can produce companies respond? As Beth and her team shared, suppliers and retailers are already subject matter experts (SME) who can help build credibility within the media. Beyond this, companies can partner with registered dietitians or be sure to have two to three SMEs in the organization to speak on trending and relevant topics. Once established, brands can get ahead of querying journalists and pitch these on-hand SMEs as a knowledgeable resource on ag, nutrition, food trends, and other topics of interest.

Deepen your knowledge by going through the brief, concise pointers here.

With every inch of understanding transforming into a mile of interpretation, these and other tools might just be the key to unlocking the gateway to the consumer-facing media and its audience.