| Based on a long history of success, we follow 10 valuable rules for advancing agribusiness. Not every one applies to every situation, but several are always applicable—no matter what the marketing challenge. We use the rules to develop integrated programs that shape perceptions, motivate actions and help our clients achieve success. |
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| AG RULE NO. 1: Make every move count. Intense competition. Tighter margins. Radically changing technology. Succeeding today in the ag marketplace is more difficult than ever for suppliers and for producers. You cannot afford to make mistakes. You cannot afford to waste resources. You cannot afford to miss a single selling opportunity. |
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| AG RULE NO. 2: Emotion takes your product where science cannot. While the snake oil salesman is alive and well in movies and myth, most companies supply good products that work as advertised. Your competitor may very well have science as advanced as yours. That’s when other factors come into play. |
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| AG RULE NO. 3: Agriculture no longer contains a middle class. Our industry derides stereotypical depictions that include bib overalls and pitchforks, yet marketing too often panders to an audience that no longer exists. |
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| AG RULE NO. 4: No matter what ag product you’re marketing, you are in the food production business. Five years ago (maybe two) no one talked about a carbon footprint, much less what it might be for a loaf of bread, a pork chop or a half gallon of milk. Now those and many other concerns are on consumers’ minds. |
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| AG RULE NO. 5: Producers almost never consider your brand(s) to be essential. Rare is the single product that means the difference between success and failure. Most brands provide an incremental benefit that environmental factors, competitive product advances or even a producer’s belief can erase. How do you remain vital? |
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| AG RULE NO. 6: It’s the end-user who really counts. Your sales force matters. Your distribution chain matters. Your employees, competitors and suppliers matter. Do you know what matters most to the person who uses your product? |
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| AG RULE NO. 7: Producers are loyal to anyone who moves their business forward. Smart companies—whether large or small—have become accustomed to how they must change and advance as the ag marketplace continues to evolve. How are you sharing what you learn with customers and prospects? |
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| AG RULE NO. 8: You are only as good as your worst sales rep. Who is your company? Whoever had contact with your customer last. It can be a frightening thought. |
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| AG RULE NO. 9: Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice. While it’s true that the most important part of getting something done is actually doing something, marketers and their agencies too often act on impulse. Strategic forethought doesn’t take time as much as it takes effort. |
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| AG RULE NO. 10: What someone else says about your product is more important than what you say. Of course it’s important to communicate your products’ strong points. What’s essential is to have an army of ambassadors willing to do it for you. |
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Want to learn more? Contact us for more information.
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