this is your time - new zealand plant producers incorporated. amanda...survey: what makes new...
TRANSCRIPT
This is Your TimeDriving your success through story telling27 July 2018
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This is your time
Your industry is booming
The environment & biodiversity
has never been more
valued
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Your industry is facing a world of opportunity. Plant production is one of the fastest growing land-based sectors in New Zealand with growth of 10-15% over the past two years. As some of your speakers have already spoken about this morning, Kiwis value the environment and biodiversity. And politicians are promoting policies such as climate change and regional growth, that put your industry front and centre. Today I want to talk briefly about the opportunity you face. And how you can harness it by telling great stories. Great stories that paint your industry as a positive, thriving industry that is essential to New Zealand’s future. And stories that help you to recruit talented horticulturists and nursery people; to influence local communities to buy your plants; and to ensure decision makers make decisions that allow your business to thrive. Let’s take a brief look at the environment you’re operating in
Survey: what makes New Zealand unique
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This research confirms what most of us already know – the environment matters to consumers. A survey completed by Statistics New Zealand during 2016 and 2017, found natural scenery and environment, is part of what makes New Zealand unique. But Kiwis overestimate the state of our native plants, animals and fish. A Lincoln University study conducted last year found 70 per cent of New Zealanders felt the state of native plants, animals and fish was adequate or doing well, despite more than 900 native species approaching extinction and another 2800 at risk. The Statistics NZ research also revealed a marked divide by age, with older people more likely to rate farming as important in defining our country. The younger you are, typically, the more idealist your views are towards the environment and the tougher you are about farmers and companies behaving responsibly.
Consumers are demanding more
Tailored products
Business practices matter as much as the product
Locally produced, biodiversity, values, transparency all matter
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
As some of the speakers this morning have already mentioned, consumer demands and expectations of all companies are growing. Some of the consumers trends in your sector include: Consumers want more innovative and interesting plants and trees – for example lavender with pink flowers; and fruit and vegetables with enhanced nutrients. Increasingly, they are also concerned about your business practices – for example, the extent to which nurseries you’re using agrichemicals, your employment practices, and your use of plastic containers. Consumers are also demanding transparency – about food safety, the origin of the plant, and proof of its quality and sustainability. They also expect organisations to demonstrate that they are ethical and good employers. Companies that must be able to prove not just the quality of their products but take responsibility for every step. For example, the Pet Centre, which has three retail pet stores in the Wellington region, was accused in 2013 of buying puppies from battery farms. The story prompted pet stores around the country to put in place systems to show consumers that they could be confident their animals were humanely sourced. Five years on, some consumers are still boycotting the Pet Centre, including writing bad reviews about them on Facebook. It’s also a good reminder that consumers do have long memories.
A complex value web
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Consumers
Food manufacturers
Farmers & growers
Research institutions
Retailers & distributors
Community
Government
Processors & exporters
Input providers (media, search engines etc)
KPMG Agri-Business Agenda 2018
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Two decades ago consumers largely relied on the retailer to tell them everything they need to know about a product. As pointed out in KPMG’s Agri-Business Agenda 2018, this has been replaced by much more complex ‘value web’ with the consumer at the centre. Now every participant in this value web is able to connect and communicate with any other participant, including the consumer. If we look at this web we can see… Media and search engines (called ‘input providers’ in KPMG’s model) have enormous power to influence consumer perceptions. A recent survey by a travel company found that 95% of people who book accommodation first read hotel reviews by the likes of Trip Advisor and Yelp. Manufacturers and retailers can also shape perceptions. For example, Icebreaker over a decade ago was one of the first clothing producers to put a unique identifier on their product so consumers could see where their wool was grown. Today, many high-end brands allow consumers to trace where their products come from – including meat, fruit, vegetables and potentially plants and trees. Blockchain technology will make this even easier over the next decade. Farmers and growers can also shape the views of consumers. For example, Silver Fern Farms and Beef&Lamb have all promoted NZ lamb and meat offshore, commanding a high price for their produce. Lobby groups including GreenPeace are very savvy at shaping views of consumers. As you will all be aware, a petition last year called for Bunnings and Woolworths to stop selling Yates Confidor as it killed bees. In January Bunnings announced it would stop selling the product by the end of this year. They acknowledged in their media release that the science on whether it killed bees conflicted but they ”decided to err on the side of caution”. So what does it mean for you? The retailer is no longer the sole provider of product information. For you, that’s an opportunity and a risk. It’s an opportunity because consumers are receiving information from multiple sources – so you have the opportunity to influence that. But it’s a risk – as they won’t necessarily believe just what you tell them. They’ll receive information from multiple sources and they won’t judge all information as equal. Let’s talk a little more about who consumers trust….
Declining trust and confidence
SOURCE: EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER 2018
GROWING TRUST INJournalists CEOsTechnical expertsSuccessful entrepreneurs
DECLINING TRUST INMediaPeople not in our tribeSocial media
7 in 10 worry about fake news or false information being used as a weapon
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Five years ago, social media was being hailed as a tool to democratise information, making it possible for consumers to source the truth. But today trust in social media is declining because people have found that there’s multiple sources of truth online – and many of them are false. A survey by global consulting firm Edelman earlier this year found only 40 percent of global consumers believe that social media platforms will address fake news and hate speech. Sixty percent do not trust social media platforms to behave responsibly with user data. 59 percent say that it is getting harder to tell if a piece of news was produced by a respected media organisation. Who we trust is also changing. For several years, trust in CEOs and technical experts has been declining – because they were in positions of power. But in the past year that has changed, suggesting that people now recognise that people in positions of authority are experts of a kind and should be trusted. People also trust journalists – but not the media outlets themselves. Scarily, we also distrust those who aren’t in our tribe. So we trust our friends and colleagues. But we don’t trust people who are significantly different from us – they might be different by class, race or education – or who they vote for. This is pretty clear in the United States where race relations appears to be breaking down as well as an ‘us vs them’ environment between Republicans and Democrats.
Policies put your industry front and centre
Zero Carbon Bill
Emissions Trading Scheme
1 billion trees / $1 million Auckland trees
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But let’s come back to New Zealand... There is growing awareness that plants and trees are crucial to NZ’s success. Our attitudes towards the environment is shaping how politicians behave. Prime Minister Jacinda Adern and Green Party Leader James Shaw have announced a vision for New Zealand to be carbon neutral by 2050. And Simon Bridges, leader of the National Party, 10 days ago pledged cross-Party support to find solutions to address climate change together. Everyone acknowledges that plants – not just forests but thriving communities with plants – is essential to achieving a greener future. Shane Jones’ 1 billion trees initiative, combined with his regional fund, mean that people are looking closely to the regions for growth.
Your industry has a bright future
…. But it’s fragile
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Your sector is thriving, people believe your industry will: Make New Zealand clean and green once again Make our cities liveable and sustainable Clean our waterways Act as carbon sinks to protect us from the effects of climate change Protect and enhance New Zealand’s biodiversity BUT this is fragile. There’s a growing urban/rural divide The primary sector is losing its social license to operate Minimum wage / living wage Biosecurity
“The need for organisations to ensure their stories are told in a way that satisfies the customer’s requirementsis more critical today than ever before.”
IAN PROUDFOOT, KPMG
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In this environment, story telling is crucial to retain trust and confidence in your product. KPMG in their report called on every organisation operating within the primary sector to focus on understanding their expectations for a product so they deliver a high-end product. Organisations need to provide information to consumers about the product they are being offered. And you must remove any uncertainty around the origin, sustainability, efficacy, safety or quality of product.
“People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.”
SETH GODIN, ENTREPENEUR
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Or to put it another way, people do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic. And your industry does have magic and great stories to tell.
How story-telling can help you
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People buy your products
Your community values you (jobs, community, environment)
Influence decision makers
Attract skilled workers
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Good story telling isn’t just about stories. It’s about helping you to be successful. Story telling can help you Sell products to your consumers Ensure your community values the contribution your organisation makes – in terms of the number of people you employ, the benefits of your plants to the community, and the environment Decision makers understand your sector and make decisions that ensure your businesses and sector flourishes And you attract talented workers who can grow more plants and trees
Who to tell stories to
Everyone you come in contact with!
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Story telling is a way of operating. It’s how you need to operate ALL OF THE TIME. Every interaction you have is an opportunity to tell your story. Consumers – individuals, specific markets Community – schools, local non-profits Local iwi & local government Government – eg Corrections, local MPs
A great story…
Contains a single concept
Is something your audience cares about or helps them achieve an outcome they care about
Is more than facts; an emotional connection
Transparent, proven truths
You can live by your promise
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Presentation Notes
Every step in a production process has the potential to add attributes to a product that consumers may find valuable for example: The cultivar or genetics of a particular plant The soil it is grown in The way water is utilised How the environment is managed Employment conditions of people involved in the process The channels through which a product is exported Technology deployed to verify its provenance (e.g. Blockchain) The impacts of the plant itself – e.g. it can promote biodiversity or is ideal for protecting waterways Which attributes are the most important to your consumers? Focus on these.
The story basics
Choose a couple of stories that illustrate key ideas that matter to you
Keep the ideas (and the number of stories) simple
Repeat, repeat repeat
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
Humans receive by thousands of messages EVERY day. Research shows you need to hear messages 7-10 times from multiple places to remember something. So the key is to keep it simple, and repeat, repeat, repeat. When you’re getting bored, your audience will only starting to be listening. Let’s look at a few examples of companies that are using great stories.
Mother nature made us do it
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Presentation Notes
Allbirds. If you haven’t heard of them, google them. The short story is that a Kiwi entrepreneur began wondering why a sustainable product like wool wasn’t used in footwear. Together with another smart guy, he designed a shoe made of wool. Their ethos is the environment – and they tell the story about how you’re protecting the environment by wearing their shoes. It infilrtrates everything they do – from the natural fibres they use, they’re trialling using natural dyes, and they use recycled packaging.. They are telling a story about the enviornment that people love. Millions of people are wearing their shoes. Even the Prime Minister Jacinda Adern.
EVOLVING THE WAY THE WORLD MOVES
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Uber is a great story for how they failed to stick to their story. Their promise was to change how the world moved. And in doing so, to be fairer. They are exponentially better than any of their competitors in the market. Their customer experience is better than anyone else. But they didn’t treat the people in the wider supply chain, or their competitors, fairly. They developed a reputation for behaving like bullies and being arrogant. Uber is proof that having a flawless product that people love is not enough. Consumers have judged them harshly – and regulators and decision makers have forced them to exit some markets.
Stories about youWe help regenerate forestsWe produce icons of NZWe beautify urban landscapes and backyardsWe boost biodiversity and protect native speciesWe protect and repair land We help address climate changeWe support major export industriesWe’re the keepers of the knowledge about NZ biodiversity
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
You have no end of stories to tell – ranging from the impacts of what you grow for your local communities, through to protecting NZ’s forests, beautifying our cities, supporting our major export industries and protecting NZ from the effects of climate change. Your challenge is to find the right story and then tell it. Let’s turn to how you can tell your story.
Tell your story on your productsWhat can you add, in addition to the labels?
Can you make your pots unique?
Can you trace them?
What do your consumers most care about?
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Presentation Notes
Your biggest opportunity is to tell your story on your products.
Reiterate messages throughall promotionsHow do your consumers get information?Tailor your messages and promotionDo you need an email newsletter to tell better stories?Do you need to boost your social media presence?Is the local or national media of value to your story-telling?Ensure you get heard above the noise
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The specific attributes that are important to: a local community an individual consumer a specific market will vary depending on their particular interests and values. Ensure both your messages and your promotion channels resonate with each of your consumer segments There are so many channels so learn about your customers and how they access information
Use images to tell your story
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You have access to many beautiful images. Use these to help tell your story – as we all know a picture paints a thousand words. Use the imagery that connects your consumers with your products’ attributes A study has shown that visual content is more than 40 times more likely to get shared on social media than other types of content. (Source: HubSpot) Let’s talk more about how to use social media…
Social media
What channels are your consumers using?
What’s easy for you to use, and what do they love?
Remember social media is a conversation…
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
We could have a separate presentation just on social media but to keep it short: Learn about which social media channels your customers are using for product or brand information and use those channels to increase brand engagement and win new customers. This is a constantly changing world so consumers who aren’t using social media right now, may well be doing so in the near future – or they may change their channels. For example Reddit has occasionally passed Twitter as the number three social networking site. Social media is a good forum for two-way engagement with consumers: rather than pushing information to them all the time, you can have conversations. There are traps with social media conversations that companies can fall into but the key points to remember – as with all communication – is to be honest, polite, transparent and timely with your responses. And whatever you do, don’t criticise the customer.
Identify the local influencersThey might by your…StaffMayorMPLocal journalistThe chair of the local gardening societyThe avid gardener who knows everyone
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
All of you will be doing this in your work every day – but you need to identify the local influencers who EVERYONE listens to, to tell your story. I reflect on the local MP in my community, National Party MP Chris Bishop. He knows everyone and he celebrates local businesses. He shares examples of local businesses on his Facebook page and is always talking about them as great case studies to others. The result is that Chris has helped to boost the profile of local businesses and connect them with other organisations doing great work. �The influencers in your community will be unique. Your job is to idnetify who they are and make them LOVE your company and your product. They’ll share your story over and over. And just as importantly, if anything ever goes wrong, you’ll be able to leverage these relationships. They’ll be able to advocate on your behalf when you need help.
Summary
Know your customers i.e.• Their values and priorities• What they want from your products• How they use your products• How they get product information
Connect your great stories with the people who matter to your business
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How NZPPI is supporting your story-tellingShowcasing your industry as a professional, innovative
Advocating publicly on issues you care about
Educating the public on issues
Providing timely information you can share
Providing industry awards, scholarships, leadership programmes you can promote
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Presenter
Presentation Notes
NZPPI has a communications plan in place to support you to tell great stories about your industry. Some of the work NZPPI is doing includes: