Peas, Profit, & Visuals on LinkedIn: PIP International’s Journey To $7 Million

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Ernie and Bert. Peanut butter and jelly. Visual storytelling and LinkedIn. Although you may not have made the same instant connection between the latter pair as you did the former, the connection does exist. And it’s a strong one. 

LinkedIn: Connecting professionals and brand stories

First, LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the bustling metropolis of professional networking, pulsing with the collective ambition of its 983 million inhabitants. On LinkedIn, the currency of growth isn’t stocks or bonds; it’s the rich tapestry of visual storytelling, where every image, GIF, and infographic acts as a window into a brand's soul​​.

You, as your brand’s architect, can harness this power. Imagine turning your brand into a lighthouse of thought leadership, much like Google, the platform’s most followed organization, or capturing influence the way Bill Gates, its most followed individual, has​​. 

On LinkedIn, your brand’s story has the potential to reach professionals worldwide. Ninety-six percent (96%) of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for organic social marketing, considering it the most effective channel for driving high-quality leads.

Visual content: Communicating messages quickly

Now, let’s add visual storytelling to the mix. The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, and 65% of the population are visual learners. This makes visual content highly effective at capturing attention and communicating your brand’s messages. 

A visual content success story:
PIP International

PIP International's LinkedIn banner PIP INTERNATIONAL

Although I’ve seen many brands attribute growth to visual storytelling on LinkedIn, one particular brand caught my eye recently — PIP International. This agri-tech company that produces a unique pea protein has been posting consistently on LinkedIn since its inception. In the last three months, the brand published 63 posts, which equates to 21 posts per month — not too heavy a lift even for startups and small, established brands.

Founder and CEO Christine Lewington says her content marketing strategy, largely based on social posting and thought-leadership publishing, helped the brand hit $7 million in orders in its first year. The product? Pea protein isolate — a protein extracted from peas. It's made by drying and grinding peas into a fine powder and then removing the fiber and starch, leaving mostly protein with a minimal amount of carbohydrates and fat. This process produces a protein-rich, highly digestible product typically containing 80 to 90% protein.

Pea protein isolate is popular among vegans, vegetarians, and those allergic to dairy and soy. Used in protein shakes, protein bars, and meat substitutes, pea protein isolate is a complete protein containing all essential amino acids. It’s also environmentally friendly because pea cultivation takes less water and land than animal protein sources.

The Pea Queen, Christine Lewington, founder and CEO of PIP International CHRISTINE LEWINGTON, PIP INTERNATIONAL

PIP, led by the Pea Queen — Lewington’s moniker — is on its way to becoming a multi-million dollar company with triple-digit growth. “We’ve rapidly risen from obscurity to a major player in the plant-based protein market,” Lewington says, explaining how the company’s growth speaks volumes about the demand for its product.

Demand is rising because taste is one of the most significant challenges in the plant-based protein market. “Most pea proteins on the market leave a lot to be desired in terms of flavor, Lewington says. “I believe consumers deserve better, so I was determined not to compromise on taste.” The result? PIP’s pea protein is virtually tasteless, setting it apart from the competition.

Differentiation + visual content on LinkedIn for the win

Lewington says that differentiation — plus content marketing — helped her grow the company so rapidly. “Effective content marketing was pivotal in our journey from a niche pea protein product to a mainstream success,” she says, noting that her approach involved showcasing PIP’s pea protein in a unique and positive light through visual storytelling on LinkedIn.

This LinkedIn post on PIP's page shows a healthy drink made with PIP International's pea protein PIP INTERNATIONAL

“Instead of relying on generic stock imagery, we invested in visually appealing and informative content that highlighted the distinct qualities of our product,” she says. “This helped us differentiate and create a more authentic and engaging connection with our target audience.” The emphasis on visual content became a crucial aspect of PIP’s marketing strategy.

One of Lewington’s primary goals was communicating pea protein’s sustainability and affordability. To do so, the PIP team crafted a clear, compelling message emphasizing the product’s most advantageous benefit: A protein like no other - that tastes great every single time. “That phrase became our mantra,” says Lewington. “Repeating it consistently helped us capture and retain the attention of our target audience.”

This image from PIP's LinkedIn page illustrates PIP's use of visuals on LinkedIn PIP INTERNATIONAL

The PIP International blueprint for visual storytelling

On LinkedIn, both PIP’s business and Lewington’s personal pages overflow with exciting images and GIFs that attract, educate, and generate business. Follow her blueprint to do the same for your brand. 

Create a unique visual identity

Develop a distinct visual style that reflects your brand's essence. This could include a consistent color scheme, typeface, and imagery style. Just as PIP International avoided generic imagery, create unique visuals that resonate with your audience.

PIP International uses a distinctive golden-poppy yellow color scheme, which helps viewers associate the brand with the vibrant, natural origins of its pea protein. Similarly, select a color that reflects your brand's key attributes and use it consistently across your visuals.

PIP International's visuals on LinkedIn all carry the brand's signature poppy yellow color. PIP INTERNATIONAL

Also, use LinkedIn’s rich media profile features to establish your brand’s identity with a custom banner, logo, and company page that reflects your chosen color scheme and style.

Create engaging and informative content

Focus on producing content that informs just as well as it captures eyeballs. This type of content could include static images and GIFs — PIP’s focus — as well as infographics, comparison charts, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of your product or service. PIP International's approach to highlighting its product’s distinct qualities can be your model.

For instance, check out this GIF on PIP’s LinkedIn page. Notice how it pulls consumers toward the end product by showing the word “delicious” atop a swirl of yellow pea protein and an exercising woman enjoying a healthy beverage — made from clean, sustainable protein.

PIP creates unique GIFs that promote the brand's identity and message. PIP INTERNATIONAL

Do the same in your brand's content by aiming to create visuals that convey your product's benefits and values in an engaging and informative way.

And take advantage of LinkedIn’s publishing platform to share articles that include your visual content. You could also create thought-leadership pieces with striking visuals to drive engagement and shares.  

Emphasize key brand messages

Use your visuals to reinforce your brand’s core messages. For PIP, it’s about product sustainability and affordability. Identify your brand’s key messages and find creative ways to weave them into narratives for your visual content.

PIP’s visuals include impactful, memorable statements like “Don’t be bitter. Be better” and "We cracked the code and unlocked the potential of plant proteins.” Likewise, pair your visuals with strong messages reinforcing your brand’s mission.

LinkedIn also allows for native video content and document uploads for sharing slideshows, presentations, and GIFs that highlight your brand’s core messages. Just as PIP shows many different ways manufacturers can use its pea protein isolate in this GIF, your brand could create a short slideshow that tells your story in a visually compelling way.

PIP uses this large GIF to showcase different ways manufacturers can use its pea protein isolate. PIP INTERNATIONAL

PIP’s patented Ultimate Pea Protein isolate , UP.P™, can be used across diverse applications for food manufacturers including dairy, cheese, beverages, confections, and specialty foods.

Use multiple visual formats

To tell your brand’s story on LinkedIn, incorporate various formats, like static images, GIFs, short videos, and infographics. This diversity keeps your content fresh and caters to your audience’s preferences. 

The desktop version of LinkedIn supports 36 file formats, including GIF, DOCX, PPT, PDF, XLS, MP3, and WAV. Experiment with your own ideas or replicate PIP’s use of unique static imagery and GIFs that explain complex ideas simply and visually.

Post consistently and repeat your message

Develop a simple yet powerful message like PIP’s mantra and use it consistently across your content. Repetition helps reinforce brand recall and establishes a strong connection with your audience.

On LinkedIn, use sponsored content to promote your most engaging visual stories to a wider or more targeted audience. If PIP were to pursue advertising on LinkedIn, it could use targeted ads to reach professionals in the food industry and those interested in sustainability and plant proteins.

What’s next for PIP International? What’s next for you?

As for Christine Lewington and PIP, the future looks as sunny and bright as the brand’s signature poppy yellow color. Lewington’s more than two decades’ experience in agri-food processing and her drive and determination will support her ambitions far into the future. “We’re just getting ready to open the expansion at our $30 million facility in Alberta, and we have plans to scale up to a massive $250 million operation,” she says. “Our long-term goal is to establish processing facilities in Europe and Korea to meet the global demand for sustainable plant-based proteins.” After starting from a PowerPoint to building a working pilot facility in record time, PIP is primed for international expansion.

Content marketing will help get the company there. “Through targeted content marketing, we’ll continue to get the word out about our product’s eco-friendly and cost-effective aspects,” she says.

Lewington also had a parting word of advice for other CEOs and startup founders looking to take their niche products to the mass market. “Based on my experience, simplicity is key,” she says. “Keep the message straightforward, repeat it often using visual storytelling tactics, and remember that consistency is key.”

Consistency is right. LinkedIn says that companies posting weekly see double the engagement. LinkedIn recommends posting at least once a day, even on weekends. Consistency is more important than frequency, though. Regular, consistent posting keeps your brand on your audience’s radar.

Now, it’s up to you. Create your plan and act on it. Then watch as the growth rolls in.

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This article was originally published on Forbes.com.