Food trips: How to Get Invited (and How Not To Be a Jerk and Get Blacklisted)

Facebook Envy/Junket Jealousy
You scroll through your friends’ Facebook posts and Instagram feed and see photos of travel to different states, countries and cities, sometimes staying in swanky resorts. You watch as they explore fields and orchards, pet piglets, feed calves, tour food production facilities, get hands on instruction from chefs and dine out at different restaurants. In some cases you may be curious and perhaps even envious and wonder, “How can I get invited?” or “Why wasn’t I invited?”
Making the Cut: Who Gets Invited and Why?
Often food brands and commodities enlist the help of public relations companies and consultants to organize educational trips and invite dietitians, chefs, food and lifestyle bloggers on “junkets”, i.e. sponsored trips, to learn more about food, farming and agriculture. This is a great opportunity for attendees to see aspects of food production, ask questions, learn about food preparation and then disseminate that information to their channels and followers via social media, blogs, articles, TV or radio programs. Many of us don’t have easy access to farms, fisheries, cattle ranches and these trips can be extremely beneficial in increasing our knowledge of food, farming and agriculture. So how do consultants make up the invite list?
I asked for input from a public relations professional that works with food companies, brands and commodities (i.e. sponsors) and sets up these types of trips. I wanted her anonymous input on these types of junkets, how and why certain individuals get invited and why some don’t get invited back (how not to be a jerk).
- Pick the right person for the tour — My PR contact explained, “If we are visiting a meat processing facility we wouldn’t invite a vegan/vegetarian blogger.”
- Narrow Focus — If you have a very specific POV (point of view) it may actually disqualify you from being considered. Example: You only write in your platforms about organic foods — a sponsor may assume you wouldn’t be interested in visiting a non-organic farm or a food brand that is not organic and that may disqualify you from being invited.
- Sponsors specifications — Sponsors may have certain criteria about who to invite. They may want to specifically reach out to school nutrition professionals, or they want to seek out dietitians and bloggers with strong culinary skills that may develop recipes or dietitians and food writers that live in a certain geographic area.
- Metrics — Sponsors may be looking for attendees that have a strong reach ( number of followers) or reach a specific audience. Do you write for newspapers or magazines, appear on TV, host a radio show or podcast? Are you active on social media and do you have a good base of engaged followers? All of these factors may play a role in who gets invited.
- Express interest — In some cases you may be able to contact a food brand or company and express your interest in participating in a tour of farms or facilities and get your name on a list for an upcoming event.
So now you’ve gotten the invite…..
What should you expect about travel, stipends etc.? Often your travel will be arranged by the PR firm and paid for by sponsors, though this may depend on the geographic location, the length of the trip and the sponsors. #Sponsoredtravel will typically include your hotel room (you may be asked to share a room with another attendee), most or all meals (state agencies may not pay for alcoholic beverages), and transport once the junket begins. Most of these types of trips do not offer additional stipends, payments or honorariums to those attending.
How not to be jerk on the trip (Don’t be a diva)
- Read the information that is sent to you. Think of it like a homework assignment so you’re prepared! Check out other participants. Take the initiative to research and follow the brands, sponsors, and locations (farms) you’ll be visiting on social media.
- Review dress codes and the agenda. My PR contact explained, “Dress appropriately…We always send out the dress code requirements and expect bloggers and media to pay attention to this.” (This means not showing up to a farm in brand new white running shoes or for a factory tour in high heels. Don’t laugh, I’ve seen it happen.)
- Respect the agenda and timeline. Set an alarm so you are on time for bus pickups or meetings. Don’t be the one that keeps other attendees and transportation waiting.
- Focus on the trip. “Don’t schedule conference calls or meetings...”, wait until you have free time at the end of the day or until the trip is over. Think of this sponsored trip as a business meeting. Would you schedule a call while meeting with a client or your boss?
- Meet new people and network. Take the opportunity to meet new people, make connections, talk to the sponsors and speakers. If you spend all your time with people you already know, you are missing out. You should view this trip as a business meeting, not a social event to hang out with friends.
- Respect speakers and presenters. Pay attention during talks and presentations. It’s okay to take notes and even tweet but having whispered conversations or spending time taking selfies is disrespectful to the presenters and sponsors. Respect the time that they took to meet with you and the fact that they have invited you to their farm or facility.
- Ask appropriate questions. As we used to say in the Army, make sure your questions are “for the good of the group”. If you don’t agree with presenters or a presentation ask questions respectfully or privately.
How and Why People Get Blacklisted from Tours
Getting “blacklisted” means you are on a real or virtual “no call” or “don’t invite” list. Some of the ways that people won’t be asked again to attend tours are:
- Canceling at the last minute. Family and health emergencies happen and may certainly necessitate cancellations, but once you agree to attend an event you should honor that commitment. Canceling because you failed to plan for the time away or because you’ve changed your mind is just plain uncool. When you cancel after flight and hotel reservations are made it inconveniences the organizers and they may not be able to find someone to replace you. If you can’t attend or change your mind about attending, be sure to notify organizers immediately, apologize and offer to suggest someone who could attend in your place.
- Treating the event like a party or a social mixer rather than a professional and educational opportunity.
- Acting like a diva. Demanding special treatment. Complaining about meals, the agenda, other attendees, speakers…you get the point. It’s one thing to have food allergies that require specific alterations to meals. It’s another thing to expect people to honor a keto/carnivore/paleo/Atkins/Whole30 diet. Be an adult and figure out what you can eat off the plate that is served and if necessary bring your own snacks.
- Failing to disclose sponsorship as directed or ignoring preferred hashtags. Typically organizers will inform attendees of the hashtag they would like you to use. This helps them track social media posts and engagement. Organizers may also remind you to use FTC approved hashtags e.g. #sponsored, #sponsoredtravel, #ad, and/or #client so that you disclose appropriately.
After the event — what you can do to increase the odds you’ll be invited again.
- Write a thank you note. Whether you go “old school” with paper and pen or you send an e-mail, thank the organizers and sponsors and if possible, the speakers/presenters.
- Respond to post-event surveys and questionnaires in a timely manner.
- Post your photos, tweets, etc. and tag the brands/sponsors and use FTC approved hashtags, i.e. #sponsored #sponsoredtravel #ad #client
- Follow up with blogs, articles, posts — after all, that’s why they invited you!