Alison Mathews is showing how to ditch the jargon, own your story, and finally get noticed online.
Social media and communications expert Alison Mathews starts her social media workshops with an aggressive 10-point plan, delivered at the pace of a podcast host on double speed.
Her style is rapid-fire, self-deprecating, and razor-sharp. She tells the room she got her start in politics — “no one has a stronger brand than a politician” — and cut her communications teeth helping an MP tackle a gopher problem in his riding. “That was my foray into agriculture,” she quips. “And brand building.”
But this isn’t about slogans or logos. This is about storytelling. “Marketing today isn’t just selling,” Mathews says. “It’s connecting. It’s showing up as a real human who happens to run a modern, tech-forward, insanely impressive business.”
Identity Crisis? Start with a Worksheet
Mathews gave attendees of the recent Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) meeting in Victoria a lesson in how to build their online brand. It goes like this.
Participants are handed a worksheet. Not a metaphor — an actual, old-school worksheet. It prompts them to define who they are, what they value, who they serve, and how they talk.
“You are not in therapy,” Mathews warns, “but this might feel like it.”
Some write down “quality,” others circle “family business.” One writes “mini ponies.” It all counts.
This, she says, is the foundation of every communication decision they’ll make — online, in print, or face to face. “You already have a brand,” she adds. “You just haven’t distilled it into language you can use.”
Build a Bio. Pick a Platform. Post or Perish.
Next comes the bio: a 160-character distillation of who you are and why anyone should care. Mathis shows examples from real people — like Doug Miller of CSGA and pollster David Coletto—whose bios differ across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram while still echoing the same tone and message.
“Where should you start?” she asks. “Start with the platform you already use. Facebook. X. LinkedIn. Whatever. Just start. Otherwise, someone else tells your story for you.”
Why does it matter? Because social media, she argues, is the new Yellow Pages — and also the new front porch. “People don’t Google first. They search Instagram. If you’re not there, they don’t know you exist.”
Goodbye Vibes, Hello Buckets
Mathews breaks content planning into two archetypes: the Vibes Method (post what you feel when you feel it) and the Buckets Method (structured categories of content you can return to repeatedly).
She urges participants to pick five “buckets” — themes like quality, innovation, farm life, community — and brainstorm post ideas for each. “If you’re only posting product announcements, you’re boring. Buckets give you balance.”
To demonstrate, she brings up seed grower Tom Greaves of Pitura Seeds, who shares how his family-run business tells its story across platforms like X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Snapchat.
“Our five buckets are quality, expertise, partnerships, family, and doing the right thing even when it’s hard,” he says. “It’s not about followers. It’s about values.”
Climb Cringe Mountain
There’s a point, Mathews says, where you just have to get over yourself. She calls it “Climbing Cringe Mountain.”
“Everyone has that moment,” she says. “You’re about to post and think: This is dumb. This is embarrassing. What if I look like a try-hard? But if you’re not a little uncomfortable, you’re probably not being authentic.”
Her golden rule? Just post. Show, don’t tell. Use your own photos. Speak like a human. Don’t outsource your personality to a Canva template or a robot.
Speaking of robots…
AI Is Your Intern — Not Your Voice
Mathews embraces AI but issues a warning: “ChatGPT can give you a first draft. But if you don’t rewrite it in your own voice, it’s obvious — and boring.”
She shows an example of how AI wrote a post for her fake brand, Maple Lane Seeds. It was technically correct but emotionally flat. So she rewrote it with tone, humour, and context. “Use AI to save time,” she says. “But never let it replace your point of view.”
Action Plan: Make It Real
The session ends with a mission: post something. Anything. Preferably about certified seed, using the “I ❤️ Certified Seed” sticker on every table. A few brave souls share their drafts. One person wins a cooler. Others win a free one-hour consult with Mathews herself.
But the real win? They’ve climbed Cringe Mountain. They’ve scribbled out a bio. They’ve defined their voice. And now, they’re not just growers. They’re storytellers. Thought leaders. Brands.
And no, they didn’t need a slogan. Just a start.
