By Tim O’Connor
Communications Manager
If you’ve been keeping up with FEDA’s communications and online presence the past few months, you’ve likely noticed things look a bit different. We’ve been working hard to reevaluate the association’s outreach, not just in terms of the information we share, but how we share it and how it is designed. The result has been the introduction of several new ways of reaching out to members, each of which has a modern layout that makes it easier to find the information and important updates.
The most noticeable change has occurred on FEDA’s primary website, feda.com. The site was overhauled this past fall to feature a fresh look that draws inspiration from current website design trends to give it a cleaner appearance. In addition to a more modern look, the site was fully reorganized to make it easier to navigate.
We also took care to better match the contemporary design to that of our educational website, learn.feda.com. The two websites are now better connected, with links to each other in their headers and other references to each other on the proper pages. With this latest version of the website, we hope members will make even more use of FEDA’s online resources and educational opportunities — especially as we have so many new and exciting programs planned for 2024.
On top of the website update, FEDA continues to enhance the quality of its email communications. In 2023, the association introduced two new newsletters that kept members informed about progress with the critical FEDA Data Portal project. The Data Portal Connection newsletter is written for manufacturers while the Data Portal Download newsletter is designed for dealers. Both newsletters share updates about new FEDA Data Portal features, messages from FEDA’s technology partners, links to how-to videos, and information about upcoming data portal meetings.
Taking inspiration from the design of the new FEDA Data Portal newsletters, members can look forward to a refreshed look for the weekly e-newsletter in early 2024. The next version of the weekly e-newsletter will continue to feature the industry news and announcements members have grown accustomed to seeing in their inboxes 48 weeks a year, but we’ll also be adding even more information about the industry, membership activities and educational opportunities. Finally, we know some news can’t wait until the beginning of the week, so we will share more information on critical legislative updates and advocacy efforts as they occur.
Although written information is the quickest and most efficient way to engage with our members, FEDA is also expanding its capabilities in video. Nearly all of the videos FEDA publishes — from on-demand training webinars to FEDA event marketing — are created in-house, which enables us to craft content that is specific to our industry. In 2023, we expanded that breadth of content with our first-ever video podcast and next year we’ll be launching several new series. This upcoming lineup includes the Ask a CEO videos where members can submit questions to leaders from top companies in our industry, and the Power Series, a program that will explain current issues facing our industry, such as geopolitical risks and technology news, and then provide context for how those issues are affecting the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. These videos are a great example of how FEDA’s communications capabilities work to support its larger strategic goals, such as education.
If you’d like to learn more about how FEDA communicates with its members or be added to our outreach list, please contact me at [email protected].