4 things on how brands can stand out
Breaking through to farmers simply takes focus.
Despite the rise of digital and other media, farmers still love the printed word. But take a look through any ag magazine and you will rarely see anything in there that stands out. Everyone looks the same and says the same things, with little distinction between one brand and another. What can you do to stop farmers in their tracks when they flip through their monthly magazine?
It’s probably a familiar conversation amongst ag marketers…We need to show farmers. Check. They need to be in the field. Check. By their equipment. Check. We need to tell them how good we are. Check.
Problem is everyone does the same thing.
4 things to help your brand stand out
- Be hyper-focused with your message. Be clear on who you really want to engage with. Who are you talking to? Is it the farmer? Their spouse? Their employees? A confused audience likely means you don’t have one.
- Tone of voice is critical. Avoid talking to yourself about how great you are. Be cognizant that there are plenty of other brands fighting for that same piece of brand land. Be honest. Farmers are hard-working, straight-forward people who don’t appreciate BS. Tell it like it is without flowery or obtuse language. You can still capture emotional white space by being clear with the benefit you can bring to their farm business. Nothing resonates better with farmers than truly believing a brand “gets me.”
- Be visually clear on what you are trying to convey, whether it be high-tech machinery or the particular design of durable apparel. Showing a “typical” farmer (or unrealistic talent choice) wearing that apparel to sell it to another who might simply think, “Well that’s not me, so it doesn’t apply to me.” Do you really have to show a corn field for corn-related products?
- What size is your type? Remember the average age of a farmer is still on the rise. In a recent USDA Ag Census, the average age was above 58 years old and climbing. If the amount of words you write means your type size is 10 point, you have probably written too many words. Try editing your copy and increasing the point size to so farmers can actually read without making them use a magnifying glass or just skip the page.
There likely are four or five other brands competing against you to demonstrate that they know their typical customer. Chances are high that they show a farmer in their field using their product and saying how great it is. At this point, it is probably worth remembering Apple’s great positioning of “Think different” and look where are they today. Breaking through to farmers in an environment of “me too” just takes some careful thought and focus.