A Marketing Plan

Need anyone who comes with their own personalised Hi-Vis jacket!

Last May I received a present from my cousin. It was the most gorgeous hi-vis jacket (yes stay with me!) embroidered by hand with the logo of Our Plant Stories on the back and my name on the front. It is truly a beautiful high-vis jacket. My husband donned it, when helping my brother-in-law parking cars for a charity concert in Suffolk. His annual bit of fun - directing cars to park in straight lines.

Seeing this, my cousin decided that Andrew too needed a personalised hi-vis jacket and as you can see his is embroidered with the word - staff! I am not sure that the podcast has staff, though as an all round supporter, driver, photographer, and giver of encouragement when things feel a bit tricky - I think he might sometimes feel like staff.

We joke that this is the marketing plan for the podcast. Maybe we could station ourselves around garden centres and hand out postcards for the podcast? If anyone has anymore ideas of suitable locations to wear our hi-vis jackets do let me know. My cousin has said that this is the last one. I’m not surprised, I can’t imagine how long it took. And to be honest even if we did at some point decide to do some merchandise for the podcast - I can’t imagine this would be a big seller - you might prefer a mug.

Marketing series 4 is on my mind a lot at the moment. I read a piece from someone I rate, who writes about the podcast universe, saying that you should spend 50% of your time making the podcast and 50% of your time marketing it. I find this rather daunting if I am honest. There is no doubt I have chosen a format that is quite labour intensive - I think that is the Radio 4 producer in me. I have two trips lined up in the next 2 weeks to interview people for episodes and for me that is a big part of the joy of making the podcast. I am deep in editing and scripting the first two episodes for February at the moment.

So I am wondering about asking Chat GPT to come up with a marketing plan. I’ll let you know how that goes. Asking it to think of gardening journalists, writers, magazines etc to whom I could send a press release and possibly the first episode. I was thinking of the pitch:

Podcast presenter seeking to increase podcast audience. Love of plants helpful, love of stories essential. Podcast can be enjoyed whilst driving, cooking, walking, gardening. Guaranteed access to passionate plant people and the chance to learn how to grow all plants featured in the podcast. (This will include vegetables, flowers, shrubs and trees.)

If you have any other ideas for marketing the podcast do get in touch - sally@ourplantstories.com.  No idea is too small - I’m open to all ideas.  Maybe you know of a gardening club or organisation local to you?  Perhaps another garden writer you follow on substack who writes about plants.  Do you have an allotment or volunteer in a public garden where you could put a postcard in the toolshed? I have postcards but sure I could produce a poster for such use! Sorry there won’t be any prizes of hi-vis jackets just the knowledge that you are part of the Our Plant Stories potting shed crew

Works of art with thanks to Janine Pope for the original design

Have a good weekend

Sally 

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