4 Reasons Why Desksides Are An Effective Media Tool For Food Brands

In the ever-changing media landscape, it’s critical for brands to adopt the PESO Model (Paid,  Earned, Shared and Owned) as part of their overall communications strategy to ensure they are delivering consistent messaging across all communications channels. With newsrooms shrinking and digital media growing, earned media is becoming the most difficult of the four pillars to secure these days, which is why it’s time to go back to the basics.

One of the core fundamentals of public relations (hint: it says it in the name) is relationship building, and one way to build and cultivate relationships with media is through face-to-face desksides.Click To Tweet

One of the core fundamentals of public relations (hint: it says it in the name) is relationship building, and one way to build and cultivate relationships with media is through face-to-face desksides. For those unfamiliar with the term, a “deskside” is an in-person meeting with media at their office. Some may say that desksides are a thing of the past. But here are four reasons why media desksides are still relevant and useful in today’s media:

It’s all about convenience.

Media are juggling multiple projects and deadlines at any given time with unpredictable schedules, leaving them with limited time to meet outside the office. Media are more likely to take a meeting with you when they don’t have to leave their desk.

Helps build long-term relationships.

A media deskside is an effective tool because it’s less of a hard pitch. You’re not necessarily expecting a story right away. Even if you don’t have a hard news story to share, it gives you a reason to follow up when you do have a story. It allows media to put a face to your pitch or brand in future outreach. It’s more than a faceless press release.

See, taste, touch and smell your brand.

There is no better way for media to get to know your food brand than to experience it firsthand. When engaging in desksides, give the media the opportunity to see, taste, touch and smell your product by bringing samples. This serves as an effective conversation starter and gives the media a tactic that resonates with them.

Allows you to control the messaging.

A media deskside gives you the opportunity to be in control of your messaging. Press releases and pitches can be interpreted different ways and taken out of context. When you are face-to-face with media, you are in the driver’s seat and can lead the discussion and clarify any questions or misconceptions about your messaging.

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