People Don't Just Buy Food, They Buy the Story Behind It
Why whole-food brands need more than beautiful photos to connect with their customers.
Our favourite little family ritual on a weekend is to head to our local Newcastle Farmers Market. By 10am, the market is usually buzzing with farmers, makers and producers chatting with customers, while families wander with prams and carts filled with colourful fresh produce exploding like fireworks.
Have you ever stood at a farmers’ market and found yourself buying from one stall over another despite the produce and prices being similar? Maybe the stallholder you purchased from shared their story with you – the season they’d had, the challenges they’d experienced or something as simple as why they continue to get up at 3am every Sunday and drive hundreds of kilometres to attend the market. Suddenly you weren’t just buying their veggies but investing in their story.
Do your customers really know you?
You’ve taken the time to perfect your produce, but have you spent the same amount of time explaining why you do it, where it comes from, who’s behind it and your ethos?
Yes, your produce is high quality, but people can’t taste the sweetness of your strawberries through Instagram, they can’t smell your BBQ’s sausages through your website, and they can’t touch the ripeness of your apricots.
This is why if you’re only sharing photographs on social media and your website, you’re missing an important part of your story.
So, what story angles matter?
The people
Who are you? What’s your background? Who packs the boxes? Who can people expect to meet at the farmers market?
People connect with people.
The why
Why do you choose to do what you do? Why is it important to you? Why do you continue to get up every Sunday morning? Why have you invested so much time into growing the perfect root veggies?
Often people will buy from you because their values align with your why.
The process
How did the product go from paddock to plate? Where are you from? How was it made? How do you achieve such high quality? What are your challenges? What makes your product different?
People care about what’s on their plate and in their bodies and it’s becoming ever more important.
The seasons
How do the seasons impact your product? What’s in season and what’s coming? Are you harvesting, planting or watching something grow? What don’t people know about how your product grows or it is unusual?
Storytelling doesn’t have to be complicated
The best stories are often the ones you live every day. Introduce the people behind your business, share what’s in season, explain your product, share a customer story or give a behind-the-scenes look at a day in your boots.
Consumers are increasingly looking for transparency, trust and authenticity.
Before purchasing they want to know where it came from, who made it and what their ethos is. This is where storytelling matters. Whether through written content, photography or video, it helps people connect with the story behind the product. It might be what differentiates you from the stall next door or better still, why people come along to a farmers’ market rather than their local supermarket chain.
I’m a firm believer that brands who stand out aren’t always the loudest (spoken by a true introvert I know!). They’re often the ones who are consistent, authentic and build connections with the people who support them.
If this has sparked an urge to get your story out into the world, see our services or get in touch. We’re so happy you’re here and look forward to helping you find and tell your unique story!
Comments