Before launching a new product, you need to analyse its potential using market research. This involves analysing farmers’ expectations and the competition. Once the diagnosis has been made, you need to think about how to position the brand, range or product in its market.
Given the constant evolution of the farming profession, there are opportunities to be seized in the agricultural market, but there are also threats. Farmers are looking for products and services that will give them a return on their investment, and these need to be evaluated. These elements are the starting point for brand strategy.
A brand universe as close as possible to the target audience
Creativity and relevance are the watchwords of a brand strategy that will reach its target audience in agriculture. It’s all a question of dosage and experience. Every brand has its own identity. Once its positioning has been determined, the next step is to organise the meeting between the product and its target : finding out how to highlight its positioning to its farming customers.
Beyond its products, a brand must embody strong values or ideas such as innovation, ecology, profitability or quality. These values must be adapted to the ideals that the targeted farmers have of their trade or sector. They must also be in line with the values promoted by the company. Finally, it is important to ensure that the brand’s promises actually correspond to the products or services to which it refers.
Embodying values in words and images
Based on these elements, the components of the brand need to be defined: an evocative and easily memorable name, a visual identity and all its variations on product packaging in line with the initial concepts. Advertising hooks and key messages will be based on these foundations to build brand awareness and image. They will be adapted to the segment of the public concerned and the media selected.
Farmers are informed professionals who are used to being approached by advertising. They see it as a genuine source of information. Your media plan must therefore select the media that your target audience is used to consulting. Knowledge of media communication and the agricultural sector will help you make the right choices.
Operational marketing tools
An operational marketing system will be a judicious complement to a sales presence on the ground, which is always appreciated by farmers. There’s no substitute for human contact. Operational marketing is there to enrich this relationship with technical and commercial content.
E-mailings, postal mailings, catalogues – these are all communication tools that contribute to sales support. In this context, written or video testimonials play an important role. They lend credibility to the sales pitch.
