Hayden-Smith to help with communicating your ANR story

As ANR researchers and educators, outreach is essential to our organization's mission. At our core, humans are storytellers. Stories that resonate can make the information contained in the story more relatable and memorable. While we may have started telling stories to people gathered around a fire, modern communication involves stories told with digital technologies. Whether it is research, programs, advice or activities — or communicating the value of your work or brand — it can be challenging to find the time to create content, to use it effectively, and to understand how your communication is working.

Maybe you have ideas, but aren't sure about the best way to share your story. Penning a blog post for the ANR website? Adapting a blog post for your LinkedIn page? Creating a storymap to illustrate a point? Using social media? Maybe you're already using social media, but want to do more: refine your approach, add a new platform, reach new audiences, etc. Maybe you're affiliated with a program or county office that wants to develop a communications strategy to emphasize your value to stakeholders.

ANR is developing an “educational pipeline” for academics to share timely information for the public via the ANR website and social media. You can submit a story via this online form https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=25898, then Strategic Communications will take it from there to distribute.

I can help! I can help you brainstorm ideas about stories, and make suggestions about how to write and target those stories for maximum effectiveness. Are you looking for practical assistance with writing and editing? I'm happy to help you with that, too. Are you considering beginning to use digital platforms (including writing for one of the ANR blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), but are unsure if you should, how you'd go about it, or when to use those communications tools? Call me! I can also help you use the content you create efficiently and effectively across a range of social platforms.

I'll be co-hosting a webinar on blogging on Dec. 6. The webinar is the first in a series of learning opportunities. If you have an interest in exploring any of these topics now, please feel free to email me at rhsmith@ucop.edu or text/call me at (805) 794-1665.

I'm happy to help.

Sincerely,

Rose Hayden-Smith
Advisor, Digital Communications in Food Systems and Extension Education
Editor, UC Food Observer

805.794.1665
rhsmith@ucop.edu
@ucfoodobserver

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