• Branding and positioning. The branding and positioning of an agricultural enterprise are key to its success in the market, attracting investment, establishing partnerships and developing exports. A strong brand allows an enterprise to stand out among competitors, attract consumers’ attention and create a positive image, which helps to increase sales and increase the value of the brand itself. In addition, a strong brand inspires confidence among potential investors and partners, which helps to attract additional financial resources and develop strategic partnerships. Finally, effective positioning of export opportunities allows an agricultural enterprise to expand the geography of its business, create competitive advantages and ensure stable exports of products outside the country;
• Digital marketing ecosystem. The digital marketing ecosystem is a necessary component of an agricultural company’s marketing strategy in the modern business environment, as it allows for effective interaction with customers, optimization of sales and promotion processes. It includes the integration of all digital platforms of the company to conduct effective marketing campaigns, including the website, social media pages, mobile application, messenger channels, email newsletter and other elements depending on the specifics of the business. Such an ecosystem reflects the company’s professionalism and is functionally used to promote its products in the digital environment, allowing agricultural firms to become more attractive and competitive in the market, increase the effectiveness of marketing efforts and ensure greater interaction with the target audience;
• Content marketing. The digital marketing ecosystem will not be effective if it does not have useful content on issues of concern to market participants. Content marketing is an integral part of an agricultural company’s marketing strategy, as it allows creating and distributing valuable and relevant content that attracts the attention of the target audience and helps to increase their interest in the company’s products. This includes review articles, photos, videos, and infographics that inform and educate potential consumers, highlighting the benefits and characteristics of products, as well as providing useful tips and tricks for using them. Such content helps agricultural firms promote themselves as industry experts, increase consumer awareness of the brand, maintain long-term customer relationships, and create a foundation for sales;
• SEO promotion. SEO promotion for an agricultural company plays an important role in ensuring the presence of its products and services in search engines, which helps to attract the target audience and increase traffic to the website. The agricultural sector is one of those industries where creating interesting content for SEO promotion is not a problem. Review articles using keywords and phrases that are relevant to the industry, internal website optimization, and building an external link mass are the methods that will help you rank in the top of Google’s organic search results. This, in turn, will help to attract more representatives of the target audience and increase the likelihood of conversions;
• Advertising in digital channels. Traditional advertising methods such as TV, radio and print media are not used in the B2B activities of agricultural enterprises, but more and more agricultural companies are switching to digital advertising, which includes advertising on search engines, banner ads on specialized agricultural websites, advertising on social media, etc. Advertising in digital channels is becoming an integral part of B2B marketing for agricultural companies, as it is an effective way to attract attention and interact with potential customers. By using contextual advertising, banners, social media advertising, and other digital tools, agricultural companies can achieve a greater market presence, improve their image, and attract new customers;
• Participation in industry events. Participation in industry events is an important element of the marketing strategy for agricultural enterprises, as it provides an opportunity to meet potential customers and partners in person, demonstrate their products and services, and engage in a dialogue with experts and competitors in the industry. Participation in conferences, seminars, fairs, exhibitions and other events allows agricultural companies to increase their visibility, maintain relationships with current or former customers, attract new partners and improve their image, which contributes to the development and positioning of the company as an expert in the agricultural market;
• Direct marketing. The organization of field days is an important part of the marketing strategy for agricultural enterprises, which provides an opportunity for direct contact with potential customers and partners. This form of direct marketing is extremely effective, as it allows you to demonstrate products and technologies on site, exchange experience and information, dispel fears and uncertainties of the counterparty, as well as receive feedback on the possibility of further cooperation and the overall market reaction to the company’s proposals;
• Cooperation and collaboration. Cooperation with other market participants can be strategically important for the marketing of agricultural enterprises. On the one hand, such initiatives help to increase production efficiency, reduce costs, mitigate risks, and increase market competitiveness. On the other hand, joint activities allow for purely marketing effects, namely expanding the audience and potential market through joint marketing campaigns and integrating each other’s image into their own branding. Cooperation and collaboration help to attract more consumer attention, increase brand awareness, and create a common image that contributes to sales growth and development of agricultural enterprises as participants in cooperation;
• After-sales customer support. After-sales customer support in the agricultural sector is an integral part of a successful marketing strategy by interacting with customers after the purchase, providing advice on product operation and any other issues. This interaction helps to increase customer satisfaction, maintains brand loyalty, and strengthens the company’s reputation, which generally leads to repeat purchases and the ability to recommend the brand to third parties.

These are just some of the key marketing tools. The choice of specific tools depends on the company’s characteristics, business specialization, target audience, market conditions, products, and strategy.

The post General strategies and approaches appeared first on Agchat.

All three types of market participants require a clear marketing strategy and a developed marketing mix to achieve commercial success. However, while the marketing strategies of agricultural enterprises and farms are aimed primarily at large processing companies and exports, the marketing of the second type of market participants, those that process agricultural products into final products, is aimed at the general population. The third type of market participant, the one that provides agricultural enterprises and processing companies with everything they need, directly depends on the worldview of farmers and processing companies. In other words, the third type of participants, i.e. all suppliers of materials and equipment in the agricultural market, should be based on how farmers and processing companies perceive communication channels, how they receive and analyze information, and what factors they use to make decisions about choosing a supplier of seeds, fertilizers, machinery, and everything else.

Until recently, the agricultural sector, especially the part of it that works on the land, was considered a conservative area in terms of marketing, where the latest technologies and methods of marketing promotion of products differ significantly from other sectors of the economy.

This is partly true, but in our opinion, the reality is inevitably changing. After switching to foreign planting material, machinery, equipment and technologies, agricultural enterprises are gradually adopting modern management, commercial and marketing practices. The owners’ mindset is changing, as are their approaches to business processes, ways of obtaining information and making decisions.

EXTERNAL FACTORS

In addition, it is necessary to understand that the agricultural sector is a very complex area of activity where a large number of external factors affecting the business must be taken into account when planning a marketing strategy. Here are some of them:

• Seasonality and weather conditions. Seasonality and weather conditions are key factors for businesses in the agricultural sector, as they directly affect yields and product quality. For example, unfavorable weather conditions, such as prolonged rains, heavy rains, or droughts, can lead to significant quantitative losses in crops or reduce product quality. This may force businesses to look for alternative crops or use technologies that reduce dependence on weather conditions. In turn, marketing strategies need to be adapted to such changes, including marketing activities aimed at restoring consumer confidence and ensuring business resilience in the face of unpredictable weather conditions. In other words, marketing in the agricultural sector should demonstrate to counterparties that the company is ready for any development of events, is resilient to adverse conditions and is a reliable partner;
• International influence. Many countries are exporters and/or importers of agricultural products. Global markets and commodity prices can have a significant impact on the domestic agricultural market. Moreover, the trade policy of most countries with regard to agricultural products is also of great importance for the processes in the industry, directly affecting domestic supply and demand, prices and the overall financial condition of agricultural enterprises. Protectionist measures taken by any country, such as subsidies for farmers or import duties, are both a source of competitive advantage for some and a significant constraint for others. Thus, businesses in the agricultural sector must constantly monitor international trends and political decisions in order to adapt in time and ensure sustainable operation in the domestic and foreign markets;
• Domestic government policies. The agricultural sector is often dependent on government subsidies, financial support, energy and transportation tariffs, customs regulations and other governmental policies. In countries with unstable legislation, there is a risk of rapid changes in the agribusiness environment, which can cause negative consequences and lead to instability and unpredictability for enterprises, making long-term planning and investment difficult. Excessive bureaucracy, corruption, and a lack of clear rules of the game also hinder the development of agribusiness. Agricultural firms can limit the impact of unstable domestic government policies, in particular by diversifying markets and products, building a strong brand, and implementing an effective marketing strategy;
• Long cultivation periods. Most crops and livestock require a significant investment of time and resources. This makes the agricultural sector less flexible than other industries and is reflected in the commercial and marketing practices of agricultural enterprises. Specifically, it affects the need for long-term planning and forecasting of a large number of scenarios. Of course, the marketing component of the business cannot stand aside, but rather the opposite. It is marketing that is responsible for a quick response to any unfavorable scenario to give time for management, production, logistics and other departments to rebuild work processes and ensure maximum efficiency in unforeseen conditions. Thus, marketing plays a key role in maintaining the flexibility and competitiveness of agricultural enterprises in the current economic environment;
• Technological innovations. Technological innovations in the agricultural sector play a key role in increasing productivity, reducing costs and improving product quality. The introduction of modern technologies, such as labor automation, precision farming, the use of drones for monitoring, etc., allows to increase the efficiency of agricultural enterprises and optimize production processes, ensuring more effective management. In the near future, the agricultural sector will also face another wave of technological changes related to the use of artificial intelligence. For example, for soil analysis, crop forecasting, predicting the development of diseases and pests, optimizing irrigation and fertilization, analyzing the ability to grow different crop varieties, optimizing crop rotations, etc. Technological innovations give new life to the marketing of an agricultural enterprise, creating an opportunity to incorporate advanced technologies into the market positioning of companies and emphasize competitive advantages;
• Competition and cooperation. The agricultural sector is characterized by a certain level of competition, where agricultural enterprises compete for market position and market share. However, amidst this competition, there is also the potential for real cooperation between farmers, which distinguishes the agricultural sector from other industries. Joint activities can include joint purchasing, sharing of infrastructure and equipment, borrowing of resources, joint marketing, and other forms of cooperation aimed at reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and increasing the competitiveness of farms;
• Changes in the structure of demand. Demand for organic and natural products in developed countries continues to grow, reflecting consumer preferences for healthy eating. Consumers increasingly value high quality, the absence of chemicals, and are also looking out for ethical and environmental aspects of production. This demand creates new opportunities for farmers growing organic crops and producing natural products, encouraging them to pay special attention to the organic and natural nature of their products, which is reflected in the marketing of agricultural products.

These features are just some of the many factors that define the agricultural market. The agricultural sector is constantly evolving, and in such conditions, management and marketing need to be constantly adapted to changes.

The post Marketing in the agricultural business appeared first on Agchat.

Establishing partnerships with new sponsors and promoting products is more important than ever for agricultural companies.

How to organize an effective advertising campaign at an agricultural event?

Event management in the agricultural sector plays an important role in popularizing and promoting products. Agricultural companies have the opportunity to advertise themselves and their products at special exhibitions, conferences, or forums.

Since this industry is quite specific and operates in both B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to consumer) markets, it is necessary to reach different categories of customers. At the same time, a large number of competitors at such events can make it difficult to capture the attention of visitors.

Classic marketing strategies work quite effectively in the agricultural sector. However, due to the narrow range of customers, companies are forced to look for new approaches to market promotion. They often ask themselves: what should they do at the event to get new connections and make profitable deals?

Identify non-obvious channels of communication with customers

The specificity of agricultural events is that each representative aims to demonstrate their products to the maximum number of visitors. Most companies focus on visual components to attract attention. Since an exhibition is a way to advertise specific equipment or goods, agricultural firms spend their budgets on models, stands, banners, printed advertising materials, and more.

Trying to stand out from the crowd, companies may incur losses due to the financing of large-scale presentations. What if we change and rethink the approach to exhibitions? Of course, we are not saying that the appearance of your stands or models is not important. We mean that reaching the audience is possible not only within the event itself.

Develop a strategic plan

Event marketing in agribusiness is the best way to find new customers and establish business relationships. However, without a well-thought-out plan, there is a risk of losing the attention of visitors, which will lead to wasted costs for participation in the event. Therefore, it is important to clearly understand the goals you plan to achieve. These may include:

Lead generation. By setting up your event website and marketing funnels well, you can collect customer information and add it to CRM systems or databases. In the future, this information will help you engage event participants in repeated interaction to sell them your product. Based on the investment made in the exhibition or conference, determine the required number of potential customers. As a result of achieving this goal, you will be able to cover all the costs of participation.

Concluding deals. Figure out how many leads you need to attract to your sales funnel. Also think about what offers – commercial proposals – you can provide them with to start cooperation.

Promote your own company. Determine what specific product category or unique selling proposition you want to present to an interested audience.

Having a strategic plan for participation in agricultural events, you can allocate funds according to your marketing needs. This way, the return on investment in exhibitions, conferences, or other public events is significantly increased, and the chances of attracting new customers are higher.

The post Promotion of agricultural brands at events appeared first on Agchat.