The trust gap is real

We’ve heard it before. Most folks have no idea how food makes its way to their tables. There are so many players involved in the process – scientists, farmers, food processors, food manufacturers, retailers and the like – and farming and food production just looks different. Farms are bigger; technology and innovation are moving quickly – and because of that, there exists a trust gap.

Combine this with information – and misinformation – about food flying fast and furiously on social channels and in the media, making it a perfect storm for a trust deficit. How do you weather it?

It’s not just about providing more information. There’s plenty of that.

It takes a different approach and Look East’s Navigate suite of trainings equips organizations with the tools to not only meaningfully engage with consumers but to prepare for media interviews and times of crisis – all in ways that earn trust with your most important audiences and enhance your credibility and reputation.    

Share Your Values  

Research shows that shared values are three-to-five times more important to earning trust than simply providing facts. When people understand that you want the same things they do on topics like safe food, the environment and animal care, they’re more likely to trust you and more likely to accept the information you share.

Navigate Shared Values Workshop offers a proven, interactive curriculum designed to produce meaningful conversations with an approach that builds trust in your products, processes, people and brands. Offered in full and half-day sessions, the workshop features:

• Curriculum tailored to your needs
• Research-based insights
• Ready-to-use techniques
• Customized message development and practice

Participants learn the one barrier to meaningful communication, three steps to effectively engaging and techniques for navigating difficult and controversial conversations.

It’s an eye-opening workshop that can be incorporated into existing meetings or conducted as a stand-alone training.

Media Matters

Navigate Media Training is unlike traditional media training. It uses the shared-values approach to provide your team with the skills and confidence to tackle tough questions – with trust-earning messages – when the media comes calling.

Our skilled trainers detail the ins and outs of today’s media landscape, interview best practices and specific techniques to develop and smoothly deliver concise, values-based messages on topics most relevant to you. Participants get plenty of on-camera practice during mock interviews, which are followed by in-depth critiques to refine messages, body language and tone.

This training is designed for smaller groups to provide more individualized instruction. We also offer one-on-one executive coaching. Both help you amplify your messages the right way.

When Crisis Strikes

Crisis can happen to anyone, anytime. A reputation that’s taken years or even decades to build can be ruined in the blink of an eye. Be prepared when crisis strikes with Navigate Crisis Communications Training.

How well a crisis is managed can make the difference between a devastating blow and a short-term setback. Navigate Crisis Communications Training prepares your team to manage crises for the most successful outcome.

Look East has a long history of helping clients in food and agriculture navigate crises. We bring that expertise to you in a training that details the cycle of a crisis, incorporating shared-values responses and messages, identifying key spokespeople and important stakeholders, implementing audience outreach on various channels and developing a comprehensive crisis plan. We can facilitate a mock crisis, too, to put your newfound skills to work.

Don’t assume “it won’t happen to me.” A crisis can put you out of business. Navigate Crisis Communications Training can place you in the driver’s seat so you can act confidently and quickly to minimize the fallout.

There’s never been a more exciting time in our food industry. It’s rapidly evolving and consumers simply need assurances that food and farming are doing the right things for the right reasons in these times of great change.

It’s a new environment that requires a new approach. Navigate trainings provide the necessary tools and guidance – setting a course for your team to grow trust.

Contact us to learn more about the opportunities for your organization.