September 2023 - 9

40 UNDER 40 PERSPECTIVES
Erica Hernandez wrote a great article titled Social Media
and Horticulture in the April 2023 issue.
Technology now includes content-generating tools such
as artificial intelligence. AI can be a great way to help
clarify certain concepts you might be unfamiliar with and
make them easier to write about. AI can also help you get
a jumpstart on an outline or give you ideas to improve your
writing. But don't just copy and paste; you need to do your
fact-checking and use your own experiences, knowledge
and voice. Think of AI as another tool in your toolbox.
ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
Encourage interaction and engagement, whatever that
looks like for your business. Ask for feedback, answer
questions and acknowledge comments, especially on social
media. If applicable, consider responding to people's
questions directly. Make it personal when you can. People
love a personal touch and it makes them want to keep
working with you or buying your product.
RELEVANCE
Ensure your content is relevant to your target audience.
When I'm summarizing a research article for American
Floral Endowment (AFE), it will be different depending
on whether it's going in our Growing Further newsletter,
being shared with the industry or being communicated to
researchers. When I'm teaching plant ID to undergrads, I'll
often include humorous plant memes or tie-in pop culture
references to different botanical concepts. This builds trust
and rapport with my students and lets them know that I
want to engage with them at their level.
CREDIBILITY
Make sure your information is accurate and up-to-date.
I once read that having an out-of-date website is worse
than having no website at all. Cite your sources where
possible and link to further reading. If you're part of a
business, building trust with your audience can also involve
sharing your company's history, mission and achievements.
STORYTELLING
Use storytelling to engage your audience and make
your content more memorable. This could involve sharing
success stories, case studies or personal experiences.
This helps build a connection and rapport with your target
audience and shows them your human side.
Think about the reasons you decided to join the industry.
Sharing our passion is key in whatever we do. We may all
have different comfort levels in front of a camera or with
writing, but passion is always evident and people always
respond to it. One of my students recently said that she
had never met me in person but felt like she knew me
better than half of her in-person instructors because I was
always willing to show my human side. Building meaningful
connection is possible in the digital world!
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Create or share educational resources like how-to guides
and tutorials. These can be useful for both professional
development within the industry and for educating the
public about horticulture. It also gets your brand out there
as a credible source. Don't hesitate to share resources from
other reputable sources if it enhances your own content.
COLLABORATION
Collaborate with other professionals, institutions or
influencers in the industry to reach a wider audience and
add more credibility to your message. I continue to be
amazed at how willing people are to share knowledge in
this industry, and how even big companies reference one
another in industry publications or presentations.
If you have a communications team on your staff like I do
at AFE, don't hesitate to utilize their expertise in crafting
your message. Showing that you're willing to collaborate
and not just in it for yourself is also another way to build
trust and credibility.
Communication about the horticulture industry is a
multifaceted process. Despite the sector, it's a blend
of education, personal engagement and scientific
storytelling. The ability to successfully communicate
about plants and our businesses on digital platforms
can make the horticulture industry more accessible,
profitable, adaptable and resilient.
GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 9
September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2023
