Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 6836 IF YOU ARE LUCKY, you have one of those friends who “knows some- one” who can help in just about any situation, someone who is a trusted expert or authority and who has built a relationship with them and has proven their expertise on the topic. As a business owner, this is a great position to be in — to be viewed as that expert people turn to when they need help. So how do you position yourself as the authority that customers turn to? 1. Focus on a Niche: Pick a niche that narrowly focuses in on your ideal clients and what they need or want. The upside to being so special- ized is that you can zero in on solv- ing the specific challenges and needs of your ideal clients. 2. Choose the Best Channels: Once you have chosen your niche, you must also select the best chan- nels to share your knowledge and expertise. While you should always have a website full of relevant and insightful content, which can also help build your customer database, Shawn Brook CREATE by Issues Ink President sbrook@issuesink.com Issuesink.com CONTENT MARKETING HOW TO BE AN EXPERT you will need to determine what other channels are being used by your community, including social media. 3. Provide Real Value: Always ask yourself: what’s in it for them? Think about your content from the customer’s perspective. If there is no clear benefit for them, then why will they read it? It also means not holding back. Share your best knowledge with your audience. By establishing yourself as an authority, they will happily recom- mend you to others. 4. Be Consistent: Consistency is a key compo- nent of establishing your reputation as an author- ity and building the trust that comes with that reputation. Start with having a consistent brand and a voice that you use in all of your content and marketing materials. 5. Engage Your Community: Finally, be open and engaging with your industry. Make an effort to celebrate the wins of individuals with your sector as well as share the content that they create when relevant and appropriate. As the trusted expert, you will be the first choice in the minds of your industry when it comes time to invest in the products and services you offer. CANADA'S CURRENT SEED SYSTEM has many strengths, as well as areas that are ripe for improvement. That’s why Canada’s six seed-related industry associations have banded together on the Seed Synergy project and are thinking big about what a new future could look like for the seed industry. You likely already know about the project, but may not have heard why it’s being carried out or what the benefits could be. I hope to offer a little insight, both from within my role at CANTERRA SEEDS and as president of the CSTA. The Seed Synergy project envisions a next- generation Canadian seed system that fosters inno- vation and brings greater value to producers and industry. This process strives to design an indus- try-led and government-enabled system, which encourages choice and supports seed quality. As association leaders, we’ve heard from our members that today’s seed system is a patchwork of measures added to regulations over time to solve issues of the day. This can make the system burdensome, slow to adapt, costly and unpredicta- ble. At the same time, Canadian producers benefit from the commitment to safety that has always been inherent to the seed system. Seed Synergy Brent Derkatch CANTERRA SEEDS Director, Operations & Business Development @CANTERRABD b.derkatch@canterra.com canterra.com CEREAL SEED A VISION FOR A NEXT-GENERATION SEED SYSTEM looks to address these inconsisten- cies without losing the regulatory requirements that are critical to ensuring market access for Canadian producers. Our six organizations are proud to be working together and to be your voice in Ottawa. Our strength is in our diversity and our responsibili- ties across the complete seed sector as we develop, market, produce, process, distribute and sell seed. Seed Synergy is providing opportuni- ties for impact with Ottawa through positive conversations about what the next generation seed system for Canada could be. All six groups are currently get- ting input from their respective mem- bers. It’s a tall task, but hearing from members on their experiences and how the seed system could better work for them is a priority. You’ll hear a lot more about Seed Synergy in the coming months. Stay tuned.