With more than 60 seminars packed into three days during Craft Brewers Conference (CBC), coming up with a game plan is stressful for those of us who suffer from FOMO.
Honestly, picking the sessions I want to attend each year and hoping for little to no overlaps has strong college-freshman-during-registration vibes. Fortunately, seminars are recorded, so you can catch up on whatever you missed. And by now I assume you have your time management and hangover prevention skills down pat, so maybe it’s not really like freshman year at all. But I digress.
As Allagash Brewing founder Rod Tod said on stage during the Brewbound Live business conference in December, “you’ve got to do absolutely everything with excellence just because there is no slack.”
With little room for error, the best strategy to adopt is centering the consumer right from the start. Something that’s stuck with me from classes taken en route to a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication is that your brand isn’t what you say it is – it’s what your consumers say it is.
Below are a few seminars that will help you differentiate yourself in a crowded market by becoming consumer-centric in your portfolio strategy and finding ways to tell your story in your own authentic voice.
Modern Media Relations: Amplifying Your Story and Your Voice
When: 2:15-3:15 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 30
Where: Wabash Ballroom 2
Let’s get the awkward part out of the way first: Yes, one of the seminars I’m telling you to attend is my own. I’m clearly biased, but I know attendees are going to come away from this panel with actionable advice about pitching media of all forms.
Earned media (aka getting written or spoken about through ways you didn’t pay the outlet for) is still the gold standard for garnering buy-in with consumers and your distributor partners. In this session, you’ll learn how to create a media strategy, find relevant journalists, work with content creators and become the consummate podcast guest.
We’ll cover how best to tell your story when working with members of the media in a way that creates a compelling narrative that invites drinkers in.
In addition to yours truly, you’ll be hearing from:
- Helen Anderson, media relations director at Turn It Up Media;
- Kate Bernot, lead analyst at Sightlines, who has also landed bylines in Bon Appetit, the Washington Post and the New York Times;
- And Liz Tarry, creative director at TailGate Brewery.
Increase Sales by Thinking Backwards from Drinker to Brewhouse
When: noon-1 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 30
Where: Sagamore Ballroom 3
“We brew what we drink” was a charming ethos during craft beer’s boom a decade ago. It smacked of dedicated artisans toiling over recipes and vessels in order to offer consumers an elevated drinking experience previously only known to professionals. And consumers back then ate it up.
But today, things are much different. Drinkers have a dizzying array of choices and you only get one shot to connect with them. Using data and insights to build a portfolio and taproom experience with your drinkers’ preferences in mind is a strategy for increased relevance and sales.
Delivering this crucial information will be:
- Kate Bernot, lead analyst at Sightlines (Is this just secretly a Kate appreciation list? Maybe);
- Eeva Redmond, co-founder and creative director of Elder Piper Beer & Cider;
- And Paul Schneider, head of brewing operations and partner at Cinderlands Brewing.
B-ing the Change You Want to See
When: 1:20-2:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, May 1
Where: Wabash Ballroom 2
It’s well documented that consumers, particularly Gen Z, appreciate brands that align with their values, adhere to a purpose-driven mission and donate time and money to charitable causes.
One of the best ways to prove that your brewery does all this is achieving B Corp certification from B Lab. B Corp companies are those that “expand the focus beyond shareholders, balancing purpose and profit while taking into account the best interests of people, communities and the planet.”
Only 17 breweries have obtained the certification, and leaders from three will share their expertise:
- Adeline Druart, CEO of Lawson’s Finest Liquids (hear her discuss the brewery’s B Corp status in a recent Brewbound Podcast episode);
- Max Hayes, growth manager for B Lab U.S. & Canada;
- Jason Perkins, brewmaster and VP of brewing at Allagash Brewing;
- Jason Spaulding, owner and CEO of Brewery Vivant & Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits.