Agriculture is much, much different than any other field. (See what I did there?)
While people in the insurance industry are sitting behind their comfortable desks, you’re on a combine in the rain for eight hours. Lawyers walk around in thousand-dollar Italian leather loafers, and you’re sweating in steel-toed boots. Rain or shine, you’re out there, planting and tending to your crops. It’s not easy.
Accordingly, marketing in the agribusiness world requires attracting a unique, niche audience. As people who work in agriculture spend more time online researching their purchases, how can online marketers stay attractive?
Two years into an agriculture-focused marketing role, having gone through a full rebrand of a 100-year-old agriculture service company, I’d like to share a few lessons I’ve learned. Here’s why planting the seed for a new marketing approach now can sprout into something huge for your business.
WHY MARKETING WORKS FOR AGRIBUSINESS
Trust is Integral
In agriculture, business deals are done through handshakes, not through contracts, suitcases, and boardrooms. The person you’re doing business with is likely your neighbor. It’s all based on trust.
The best way for businesses to build their online trust is to share what they know. Building trust through sharing your information online is what digital marketing is all about. Demonstrate you trust your future customers by showing what you know in ebooks, blogs, and more.
Your Audience Has an Obvious Need
Farming requires a large amount of huge, specialized tools that you can’t really do your job without. If your tractor needs tires, your tractor needs tires. There’s no way around it.
When someone comes to your website, they’re probably not just kicking the tires. They’re really interested in learning about what you have to offer. So why not give them what they want?
You’ve Got a Story to Tell
Agriculture is one of the oldest professions in the world. It’s often passed down from father to son, for generations.
Online, storytelling is just as important as brochure-like descriptions of your service or product offerings. The way you tell your stories and share the information that makes your brand unique is crucial. Find stories that make your brand unique and tell the world.
It’s Cost-Effective
Every farmer is concerned about money. Profit margins are razor-thin. So what’s the best way to get the best bang for your buck in agribusiness marketing? Digital, of course!
Compared to the old days of sending salespeople door-to-door or mass-mailing thousands of flyers, the cost per lead for digital marketing is very low.
HOW CAN IT HELP MY BUSINESS?
- Promotes your business as a brand that sets itself apart from the competition
- Increases the quality and number of leads
- Boosts customer engagement
- Builds relationships with leads with content directed at them
- Boosts SEO by targeting precisely what your customers are looking for online
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
- Get planning. What sort of content do you have already? Who is your competition? What marketing have you tried before?
- Think distribution. How are you going to disseminate all this content to the right audience?
- Brainstorm content. What sort of content answers the questions your prospective students, donors, or other audiences are looking for right now?
- Sell it to your team. Everyone’s got a team—are you prepared to discuss how an investment in marketing can work for your organization?
- Find a partner. You can’t be the quarterback, cheerleader, mascot, and radio announcer in the same football game. You’re going to need someone to show you the ropes.
