Sarah Stierch, food and drink writer for the Sonoma Valley Sun, shares tips of the trade for cheesemakers on how to work with the press.

1. Your not so secret
weapon: marketing,
media & getting the word
out Sarah Stierch
Food+Drink Editor, Sonoma Valley Sun
sarahstierch@gmail.com
Twitter: @sarah_stierch

2. Business card
● Hire a designer (unless you are design savvy)
○ Also have them design your logo, letterhead,
brochures, etc.
If you don’t have a business card...then that’s just plain silly.*
*same goes for a website
● On the front
○ Your name, company name (logo), phone number & email address
○ Physical address, cell, and company website
● On the back
○ Keep it blank or keep it simple (mission, tagline)
● Moo.com

4. Elevator PitchBecause people just don’t pay attention like you wish they did.
● Not a sales pitch
● Keep it simple. Your grandmother
should get it.
● Things to state in 50 seconds:
● What is your product or service?
● Who is your market? (i.e. distribution, direct to
consumer, cheesemakers)
● How do you make your money? (i.e. make
equipment, distribute for cheesemakers, sales, tours)
● Who is behind your business? (your background,
staff)
● What gives you an advantage (i.e. special technique,
flavor, partners, distribution)

5. Elevator PitchBecause people just don’t pay attention like you wish they did.
● Hook
● 150-225 words or less
● Passion
● Ask for something (get a card, set
up a meeting, invite them to visit)
Anyone wanna share their pitch?

6. Who to know
● Make a spreadsheet
● Food/Drink editor
● When you network, add to list
○ include web, social media, email, phone
● Feel free to introduce yourself
● Patience
○ we get a lot of emails/calls
○ be responsive to us - we serve you - including
weekend

7. Press release
● Make your headline irresistible
○ one liner
○ verbs, simple/short, but catchy
○ i get tons of press releases. make it stand out.
get yourself out there in the old school way
● First paragraph
○ Who what where why when and how
← new stuff too
○ I don’t have a lot of time. Make it to the point.
I don’t care about the fluffy details at this point.

8. Press release
● Gimme some quotes
○ Bring your PR to life with quotes from staff,
participants, etc. 1-2 people, tell them they’ll be
quoted in the PR.
get yourself out there in the old school way
● Second paragraph
○ Background information on you
○ History, services, mission, etc. Contact info.
● Have someone proof it before
you send it.
○ If it’s not easy for your friend to read, then I most
likely won’t spend my time on it.

9. Press release get yourself out there in the old school way
● Sending it to me
○ Include a cover letter specific to - Dear Sarah
goes a long way.
○ Don’t make it an attachment. Include the text in
the body of the email.
○ Attach a picture. Print resolution (300dpi)
○ Meet my deadline
■ don’t know what it is? ask.
○ Submit it only once.
○ I will contact you if I need anything else.

10. Invite us to stuff*
● We will write about it.
Often before and after.
● Social media savvy
writers will share it.
● People live through us
and it also educates
us.
*Except restaurant critics

11. Social media + Wikipedia
● Social Media
○ Don’t get accounts unless
you use it.
○ Google “How to use social
media for business”
○ Hire someone
● Wikipedia
○ don’t write about you or your
product on Wikipedia.

12. Events
● Tweetups
○ Twitter geeks unite
○ Live tweeting
● Yelp Elite
○ The most active of Yelp
○ Gets you positive
reviews, social media
attention
get people in the door

13. Image credits
● Spear, Monika Ciapala for the Noun Project
● Cheese, Edward Boatman for the Noun Project
● Cheese grater business card, Gizmodo
● Elevator Pitch for Katie, Marco Wessel, CC BY SA NC
● Elevator, Chris Blakeley, CC BY NC ND 2.0
● Cutting the Cheese, JD Hancock, CC BY 2.0
● Albertson’s cheese department, 1955, Seattle Municipal Archives, CC BY 2.0
● Message to the mail man, gajman, CC BY 2.0
● telephone dial, Leo Reynolds, CC BY NC SA 2.0
● Benziger foraging, Sarah Stierch, CC BY 2.0
● Facebook Cheese, Morgan Davis, CC BY 2.0

14. Your not so secret
weapon: marketing,
media & getting the word
out Sarah Stierch
Food+Drink Editor, Sonoma Valley Sun
sarahstierch@gmail.com
Twitter: @sarah_stierch