The first time on a dairy farm was an eye-opening experience for Janice Person, founder and CEO of Grounded Communications. She had traveled to a central California farm that had a down cow and as a person who has never been on a dairy, this was hard to wrap her head around. Pearson shared this with a group of dairy producers at a Midwest Dairy event in LeClaire, Iowa, saying “We never know what someone’s knowledge of dairy is before coming to your farm or hearing your dairy story. Did they watch a recent documentary that portrays dairy in a bad way? Did they see something that they can’t quite comprehend?”
Person shares that it seems like there is always noise to contend with when producers are trying to tell their dairy good stories.
“Knowing what message is important can keep the focus where it needs to be,” she says, noting that more and more producers are sharing their stories when they open their barn doors to their local communities, but also at so many other venues – at local festivals, Fun Runs, food pantries and other events.
Joan Maxwell with Cinnamon Ridge Jerseys in Donahue, Iowa, shared that people must hear a message seven times before they comprehend.
“They are getting information from so many places,” she says.
Dairy Producer, Lynn Bolin of New View Dairy in Clarksville, Iowa, told the group she feels it is rewarding to share her farm’s story with others. The Bolin family has a one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast experience where guests can get 24/7 views of cows while staying on their farm.
With farmers being so busy with the daily task of caring for their cattle and land, which is a 24/7, 365-day commitment, why do many carve out time to share their messages with others?
“If only 2% of the population farm, then if we don’t tell our story, who will?” Person asks.
However, engaging with consumers can be easier said than done, as dairy farms are working 24/7. So, we often must compete with the sights and sounds, noise-and-smell and so many other variables.
“Breaking through the challenges that farms bring is essential,” Person says. “That first experience occupies a big space in your head.”
Person shares that storytelling is powerful and can have a huge and lasting impact on people. And farmers have a great story to tell.
The reason why storytelling has such an impact in today’s world is because farmers’ lives are so dramatically different than the other 98% who don’t play a role in producing food.
“Trust has often been broken in the world we now live in. And so for consumers to hear messages that are contrary to what they’ve heard on the internet, no wonder they have to hear a message over and over again before they begin to believe it,” Person says.
The good news is that people love learning and experiencing new things, so they are open to learning more about how farmers care for their cattle and land.
“People love to engage. And when they do, they open up and connect,” she says.
According to Person, storytelling is often easy to understand, as well as retainable, but also easily repeated. She says that sharing stories often creates a sense of wonder and learning.
8 tips that help make a good story
- Define characters
- Vivid images
- Simple morals/theme
- Repeatable moments
- Emotion/feeling
- Challenges/obstacles
- Conflict
- Action with resolution
“You have a great story to tell,” Person says, but shares that thinking through your farm’s messaging and your storytelling is essential to help combat those hard questions and situations that arise when dealing with the public.
For more information on storytelling tips, visit groundedcomms.com.
