Building trust with the media and consumers

Gen Z prioritizes purpose and social elements and the farmers voice carries a lot of value when sharing that message during media interviews. Experienced communication professional Liz Fitzsimmons of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin shares the impact of farmer media interviews and how to prepare for them. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Liz:

• 1:20: Impact of farmers doing media interviews
• 2:30: Content the public is most interested in
• 4:05: Image farms should be showcasing
• 6:19: What types of media are important to dairy
• 8:07: What types of media DFW focuses on  
• 9:40: Social media presence  
• 10:43: Showcasing dairy during the holidays
• 11:50: When is the best timeframe to do an interview
• 14:15: Building a relationship with local media
• 16:13: How to prepare for an interview
• 18:55: How to handle a difficult question
• 20:53: What to avoid during an interview
• 21:52: Know the media personality
• 25:05: Never off the record
• 26:01: How to end an interview

Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest

• Liz Fitzsimmons
  Liz is an experienced communication professional who has worked on behalf of Wisconsin's dairy farmers for nearly three decades. During her tenure, Liz has worked in almost every aspect of marketing and promotion. She has extensive experience working directly with farmers, grassroots organizations and volunteers across the state in addition to event planning, video production and leading successful campaigns that use a blend of paid and earned media. If you're a national reporter or producer wanting to talk to a Wisconsin dairy farmer, Liz is your gal! She is an expert at media training and coordinating interviews that help tell the story of Wisconsin's dedicated dairy farmers for audiences and outlets of all sizes.

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.