Alison Teare is probably best known on the Isle of Man for being the owner of Simply Marketing, which specialises in marketing mentorship and social media training. Alison and her husband farm at Ballavair, in Bride, where they run a herd of black Galloway beef cattle and her love of agriculture has sown the seeds for a second business that takes her around the UK, working with rural businesses and organisations.

In 2015 she attended a two-week course in Devon supported by DEFA, which was entitled: The Challenge of Rural Leadership.

Alison says: ’I’m so glad I went. It was an incredible experience, with 16 other agribusiness-focused attendees from around the world.’

Here she met business partner Simon Haley, who owns his own Lancashire agribusiness consultancy. He’s also the founder of Twitter account @FarmersOfTheUK, which features a different farming life each week and has a 37,000-strong following.

In 2017, following rising demand for training, Alison and Simon established Social Jungle and began to speak at conferences as far afield as Canada and the US.

Last year, Social Jungle delivered training to the UK’s agribusiness community, including an eight-county roadshow on behalf of the National Farmers’ Union. They also began a profile-raising project with the New Forest Community, who went from having no social media voice to featuring on TV and in the national press.

So far this year, Alison and Simon have worked with the Ulster Farmers’ Union in Ireland and Southern Farmers, an agricultural buying group in Kent. They will also be working with the British Growers Association.

Farmer, Richard Heady, who trained with Alison last year, said: ’It’s definitely given me a lot of self confidence. Before I didn’t think my opinion was worth hearing but now I am in coversations around the world and chatting to industry leaders as well as the general public.

’It’s also given me a new focus, I was in a period where my progression was stagnating when I went to your workshop and it gave me a new focus and a nudge to progress in the industry.’

Alison also did a training session with Isle of Man Farmers about six months ago and they have since taken Instagram Stories by storm, so much so that the National Organisation chairperson has contacted them to find out more about how they are doing so well.

It has also resulted in members being invited to different clubs in the UK and helping get the Isle of Man Young Farmers more connected in the UK.

Alison said: ’Social media has brought about a revolution in agricultural communications; it has allowed organisations and individuals in this community to be heard, to network and to build friendships.

’Social media has its detractors but it’s here to stay and I hope that, by using it in a positive way, we can bring people together, help with business growth and even reduce loneliness.

’I encourage people in the agriculture and food and drink sectors on the island to use the right platforms proactively to help others understand what feeding the nation is all about.’

Alison’s top tips

â?¢Devise a social media strategy. Who do you want to reach? What do you want to achieve?

â?¢Be on the right platforms. It’s important to choose ones you like - but where is your audience?

â?¢Open your gates: take your audience behind the scenes to see the real life of agriculture and where their food comes from.

â?¢We can all do our bit: we don’t need to influence and educate the world, just our neighbourhood and local environment.