3 Things Foodservice Professionals Want from Thought Leaders

Thought leadership is a valuable tool to influence decisions and shape brand perceptions. But what do foodservice professionals want from thought leaders? To find out, Marriner conducted a series of qualitative interviews with chefs and operators. Our insights team then identified three key themes that foodservice professionals want to see or learn from thought leadership content, and how they want to access it.

Customized Content

Our interviews revealed that chefs and operators want thought leadership content that’s tailored to their specific needs and challenges. One interviewee advised, “Instead of trying to overreach to everybody, try to deep dive into specific niches.” Thought leaders should take the time to understand their target audience and their specific interests.

Three ways to do this are:

1. Conduct surveys and interviews. This research will help you understand your target’s pain points, goals and challenges.
2. Partner with experts who can provide you with insights into the latest trends in the industry.
3. Make sure your sales and marketing teams work together on content development. The sales team often has the inside scoop on industry concerns, and the marketing team can help craft solutions.

Relevant Case Studies

Foodservice professionals want examples of how other businesses have successfully applied learnings from thought leadership content. Sharing case studies that are relevant to their target audience is most likely to engage interest and offer value.

When choosing case studies:

• Be relevant. Highlight case studies featuring operators similar to your target audience so professionals can see how thought leadership could benefit their business.
• Share success stories. Focusing on case studies that show success will help industry folks understand how thought leadership can bring them closer to their goals.
• Be specific. When sharing out these case studies, provide specific details about the results.

Easily Consumed Content

Foodservice folks are busy and need content they can consume quickly and easily, so thought leaders need to create content that is concise, easy to read and available in a variety of formats.

Plan your content and delivery methods with these considerations:

1. Email is still a powerful vehicle, but only if the subject line is attention-grabbing and the content is relevant to the recipient. When writing subject lines, think about what would pique the curiosity of your target audience. For example, instead of writing “The importance of social media for restaurants,” offer specific value by writing, “How to use social media to increase your restaurant’s revenue by 20%.”
2. Video is an ideal medium to demonstrate new products or techniques, share customer success stories or provide insights from industry experts. When creating videos, keep them short and sweet since these viewers have limited time.
3. Podcasts are also a popular way to consume thought leadership content since professionals can listen while commuting, prepping or cooking. When creating podcasts, make sure that the audio quality is good and that the content is engaging.

By creating thought leadership content that is customized, relevant and easily consumed, food brands can position themselves as experts in their field and build trust with their customers.

To learn more about how effective thought leadership content can help boost your brand’s authority, contact David Melnick, EVP of Brand Integration, at [email protected] or 410.336.1000.