New Media For Agribusiness

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast99 - Wayne Hurlbert InterviewI was a guest on Blog Business Radio recently with Wayne Hurlbert and decided you might want to hear what he’s got to say about using blogs and podcasts as business marketing tools. Wayne knows a lot about it and has been doing it longer than I have.

So this week’s ZimmCast is a Skype conversation we had late last week. Wayne has some great ideas for ways to use new media tools in agricultural marketing. I think he’d like to have an agribusiness client even!

By the way, the next ZimmCast will be episode 100. What would you like to hear? I’d like your creative ideas on what the centennial episode of the only podcast on agricultural marketing should be about. Send them along.

To listen to my complete interview with Wayne you can download the ZimmCast: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 99 (34 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:

zimmcast99-12-28-06.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes.

Audio, Podcasts, ZimmCast

Family Time For ZimmComm

Chuck Zimmerman

Since this week is such a slow week as far as most business is concerned, ZimmComm is taking it easy too. Cindy and I decided on a trip to see family in multiple states so posting will continue to be light until we get back. It’s interesting to see who’s still working and who’s not based on emails. One thing is for sure, the email spammers are not taking the week off. I’m still getting my full daily amount of spam. In fact, over last weekend it was all spam.

January is going to be a very busy month as most of you know. Road tripping will pick up very shortly after the new year gets started and I think I’ll have some great stuff to bring to your blog and feed reading attention. I’ll still be looking for posting ideas until next week though. Don’t be shy. Send me your thoughts and ideas and I’ll pass them along.

Uncategorized

You’ll Like Lane’s Home Cooking

Chuck Zimmerman

Lane McConnellI remember posting a picture of Lane McConnell here on AgWired and saying, “Lane, now you can really say you’ve been blogged!”

Well not only has she been blogged but she’s a very accomplished blogger. You can find Lane at “Home Cooking is What I Like.” Here’s what Lane’s blog is all about, “I’ll provide recipes from family, friends and cooking shows, plus my own little family specialties. So, hang on for a ride down the only way to truly cook- the Home Cooking Way.” Lane is pictured with her husband Charlie. I’m not sure of the puppies names.

I bring this up since Lane’s blog is getting a lot of attention. She was just featured in an article in Iowa Farmer Today for example. In the article it says that 113 other websites now link to her blog. Lane obviously has a passion for cooking but it’s not the only reason she’s blogging about home cooking.

But, she doesn’t limit her site to recipes. She also writes about rural and personal issues. A driving force behind the blog is McConnell’s desire to pass down the legacy of agriculture and cooking to future generations.

Food

Organic Vegetable Farmers Blogging

Chuck Zimmerman

If you’ve always wondered about organic vegetable farming there’s a farm apprenticeship available at Old Shaw’s Farm in Vermont. The link will take you to the farm blog which was started by the former attorney owners who decided to get away from all that stuff and move out into the country.

It’s also interesting to note how well their blog is doing. According to a newspaper story, farmer Peter Griffin says they receive a couple hundred visits a day and emails from people all over the world. “There are a lot of farmers out there who have blogs,” he said. “For us it is a couple of things. I don’t view it as a marketing tool, but we do have CSA (community supported agriculture) customers, and CSA members read the blog. People send e-mails to us (saying), ‘I’ve always wanted to have a farm and I can live vicariously through you.’ ” Other farmers send them e-mail to inquire about unusual vegetables or how to find seeds.

Of course the story about this was posted onto LexBlog where “real lawyers have blogs.” Thanks to Smays for the alert.

Farming

Camp David Lunch on Christmas

Chuck Zimmerman

I’m not sure how many people really care to know this but the White House Press Office did share the lunch menu at Camp David on Christmas.

Turkey with Giblet Gravy
Cornbread Dressing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Sweet Potato Casserole
Rolls
Ambrosia
Pumpkin and Pecan Pies

Sounds pretty good to me.

Uncategorized

Research Beef Online

Chuck Zimmerman

Beef Research WebsiteAs if the Beef Checkoff doesn’t have enough websites, now there’s one more. I’m really not sure I understand the philosophy behind the whole multiple website strategy. This one focuses on research. You can find a lead-in site to all of them at Beef.org (16 just for the Checkoff).

The topic of research may sound a little academic, yet it has been the cornerstone of nearly every decision that impacts the beef industry. Without research, there wouldn’t be a Flat Iron Steak, or monumental improvements in beef safety or even the unforgettable ad tagline, “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.” A new Web site, www.beefresearch.org, showcases checkoff-funded research in fact sheets and summaries, graphics, extensive resource listings, related Web sites, staff contacts and even glossaries of terms. The site is basically reader-friendly, presenting facts and findings in layman’s terms.

Research presented on the site was managed by the checkoff-funded Center for Research & Knowledge Management (R&KM) at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, in four priority areas: human nutrition, beef safety, market research and product enhancement. Much of the information on the Web site, ranging from ethanol byproducts to anti-carcinogenic activity in beef, has stemmed from cooperative research efforts at some of the country’s leading university agricultural and meat-science programs.

Ag Groups, Beef, Internet

Merry Christmas From ZimmComm

Chuck Zimmerman

I'm an ElfI know this is kind of old at this point but it’s the only holiday picture I’ve got. Cindy and I are going to be spending some time with family and taking a posting vacation starting today and through Christmas.

This doesn’t mean there’s nothing to read here on AgWired if you should visit. So far there’s about 2,700 posts you can browse through. Keep in mind that they’re all categorized too. You can use the categories links in the sidebar to narrow down your browsing search. And there’s a keyword search function as well.

Cindy is an ElfNow just in case you missed it you can still see us do a little holiday dance for you.

All you’ve got to do is check out my moves here thanks to Office Max.

Or if you’d rather, you can see Cindy doing the elf dance here too.

Merry Christmas from ZimmComm New Media.

Uncategorized

New Year Resolution

Chuck Zimmerman

Actually this isn’t about that kind of resolution. Right after the first of the year ZimmComm New Media will have a big announcement for you and I just thought I’d tease you now so you can spend your holiday wondering and speculating. We’re taking another big step forward in the new media world and very excited about it.

So keep your eyes on your in-box when you’ve recovered from your New Year’s celebration. That’s all I can tell you right now. Mysterious I know. It’s meant to be. Let’s just say though that we’ll have more to offer and that’s a good thing for us and I hope for you too.

Yee-haw!

Uncategorized

Give Me Broadband For Christmas

Chuck Zimmerman

eMarketerHow many of you remember when most households didn’t have a television set or even a radio? It wasn’t that long ago. A new estimate by the folks at eMarketer shows that when it comes to broadband internet access we’re fast approaching a saturation level. Are you making sure your communications strategy is geared up for this?

According to eMarketer’s estimates, an important milestone will be reached over the next 12 months — high-speed Internet penetration will surpass 50% of US households, equating to over 60 million residential broadband subscribers.

They also state in this article that “an increasing number of broadband households are utilizing their high-speed connections for value-added services such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), Internet protocol TV (IPTV), paid audio and video content and more.” None of these national studies and estimates breaks out farmers but does anyone really think they’re somehow different from the rest of the population?

Internet

LaBarbera Promoted at Rhea & Kaiser

Chuck Zimmerman

Rhea & KaiserSue LaBarbera has been promoted to management supervisor at Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications.

“Sue is a natural leader who doesn’t shy away from responsibility, which she takes very seriously,” said Steve Rhea, president and chief executive officer of Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications. “She’s of immeasurable value to clients and this agency.”

LaBarbera started at Rhea & Kaiser as an account executive with the Evanston Northwestern Healthcare account. She later took on team leadership responsibilities for the Aurora Healthcare and TechPac accounts. LaBarbera was a member of the Rhea & Kaiser new business team that won the American Academy of Dermatology account in 2002 and she is a part of the agency’s new-business management team.

Agencies