Ep 33: Keeping Things Authentic at Honey Baked Ham with Jo Ann Herold

Mar 9

Did you know that there are over 400 Honey Baked Ham stores across the country? We were surprised when we heard this too! Today, we are joined by the CMO of this iconic, family-owned brand, Jo Ann Herold. Jo Ann shares how her first job, as a 16-year-old working at McDonald’s, sparked her interest in the foodservice industry. Except for a brief stint at a sustainable flooring company, she has been working in the sector ever since, with an unwavering passion. We discuss the services that Honey Baked Ham provides for its customers, how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the company, the way they balance the presence of their national brand with the individuality of their local stores, and their commitment to their core value of authenticity. The customer base of Honey Baked Ham has, in the past, been older generations, but Jo Ann explains what it is that now makes them appealing to the younger demographic, and how they are broadening their scope. Jo Ann also offers some excellent advice for anyone pursuing a career in marketing, so be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

Hear about the adventurous sport Jo Ann took part in as a child.
An outline of the Honey Baked Ham company, and what makes them unique.
There are 400 Honey Baked Ham stores across the country!
Jo Ann’s first job and why it instilled her love for the foodservice industry.
The path that Jo Ann’s career has taken, leading to her current position as CMO of Honey Baked Ham.
What authenticity means to Honey Baked Ham, and why it is so important to the company.
How Honey Baked adds value at national and local levels.
The way the pandemic accelerated elements of the company that were in the pipeline.
Changes to their messaging that the company put in place due to the pandemic.
Relational vs convenience marketing and how Honey Baked Ham uses both types.
Some of the ways that individual Honey Baked Ham stores differentiate themselves.
What Honey Baked is doing to expand their customer base to the younger generations.
Advice for those who are pursuing a career in marketing.
Jo Ann shares a story which highlights the benefits of using LinkedIn to its full potential.
The different functions that members of Honey Baked Ham marketing team serve.
Jo Ann’s thoughts on brand loyalty, TikTok, and who she admires in the multi-unit retail space.

Tweetables:

“We operate as a national brand but every location has its personality, and the customers are different in different locations.” — @JoAnnSHerold [0:06:01]

“Our purpose is to be authentic, in all that we do, and authenticity for us has a lot of meaning.” — @JoAnnSHerold [0:12:28]

“It's a great blend of a national brand presence, but being very scrappy at the local level.” — @JoAnnSHerold [0:14:59]

“Because we have a community of great franchise partners, and local operators, somebody would try something in one area, and we'd share the learnings, and so we were in constant communication.” — @JoAnnSHerold [0:17:37]

“A big focus is to continue to have the loyalty with our current customer, but also grow and bring in a whole new customer base of younger customers so that they can enjoy the brand as well.” — @JoAnnSHerold [0:26:03]