Swanson Russell - Orange Dot

Supporting Local Agriculture

editor — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 22:29:34 +0000

As participants in the Spring/Summer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program through Tomato Tomáto, employees in the Omaha office have received bountiful bags filled with locally-grown food for the past 15 weeks.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It connects consumers with the best of local food. A CSA is a farming model based on relationships. At the beginning of the season, customers purchase a share in the farm's harvest and throughout the season, the farm provides the shareholders with a portion of the harvest.

Standard bags included weekly seasonal fruit and veggies with additional options to get alternating weeks of one dozen eggs and bread add-ons from local bakeries. Produce included asparagus, radishes, arugula, kohlrabi, salad greens, green onions, broccoli, sweet corn, peaches and more! My family also opted to include the dozen eggs every other week, receiving local cheeses on the opposite weeks.

In addition to our own backyard garden, these weekly deliveries of healthy, local food had my family eating fresh all summer. We had asparagus and sweet corn as a side for several meals during the summer months. We also tried new recipes with fresh ingredients, such as Pasta Primavera, Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps and popcorn on the stove — which is so much better than microwave popcorn.

But more than good food, it felt great to support our local farm economy. And I love that my daughter knows where food comes from and how much hard work is invested into having a steady and abundant crop.

Making the Case for Beef

editor — Thu, 14 May 2015 16:46:42 +0000

Perception, misconception and the need to better educate consumers — there are a million scenarios that apply to this, right? As a public relations practitioner who works in agriculture, these are constant challenges. Our industry is always working to better educate consumers to help them make the best dietary choices for themselves and their families. And sometimes, when trends and stereotypes meet “ag”, it feels like even when we’re winning some battles we’re having a tougher time winning the war. I recently read an article that confirmed just that.

In February, the USDA released the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. It’s an advisory report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture that sets nutritional, dietary guidelines, and recommendations reflective of scientific findings and research. According to the report, “dietary patterns with positive health benefits are described as high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, seafood, legumes and nuts; moderate in low-and non-fat dairy products; lower in red and processed meat; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and beverages and refined grains.”

This caught the attention of the beef industry. After the report was released, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) responded, saying the recommendation failed to fully recognize the nutritional benefits of lean beef and encouraged Americans to eat less red meat. The USDA statement also failed to mention the positive role of lean meat as a food source high is zinc, iron and protein. Additionally, it also failed to put emphasis on the 30 lean beef cuts available to consumers today.

NCBA continues to make the case that beef is a nutritional food source. They have a significant challenge in maintaining the reputation of the beef industry while working to rid the misconceptions of beef consumption. I’m impressed with NCBA and their response to the Department of Health and Human Services and Agriculture. They have raised their voice and have gained the attention of the media, encouraging further review of scientific research so that consumers can be accurately informed and make the best choices. Ultimately, in the end, it’s a decision that consumers have to make for themselves — it’s what’s best for them. But we, as an industry, have that responsibility to make sure that science, research and our story is being told.

Our Swanson Russell agri-business teams are members of organizations, advocating for conversation and education of where our food comes from. We understand that this can sometimes be a daunting task, but it’s our responsibility. We need to work hard for those who are in the field working hard for us.

Test Your Ag Knowledge

editor — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 21:10:39 +0000

Agriculture is Nebraska’s top industry, contributing $22.6 billion to the state’s economy each year. But how much does the average person know about this vital industry that touches every one of our lives, every day? We’ve created a fun and challenging quiz about the business that puts food on our tables and clothes on our backs. The quiz is online.

At Swanson Russell, we work with agribusiness clients every day. We’ve made a Real Connection^TM with the people who work tirelessly to put food on our tables and clothes on our backs. We are honored to work in an industry that is proud, strong and humble.

So this year, during National Ag Day, we created a quiz that celebrates the ag industry and educates people about agriculture. The quiz features multiple choice questions about agricultural topics such as animal agriculture, row and specialty crops, geographical facts, equipment and general agricultural terms.

Knowledge is power. The average American is now more than three generations removed from the farm. The more we can help to tell the story of agriculture and get facts out to the general public, the more people will understand how food and fiber products are produced and appreciate the role agriculture plays in our daily lives.

Test your ag knowledge today online at www.AgTrivia.com.

3 Ways to Strengthen Ag Retailer Relationships

editor — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 16:17:28 +0000

If you market products and services through a dealer or retailer channel, you know what a difficult proposition this can be. Here are three strategies that will help strengthen relationships and grow your business with your channel partners:

1. Understand what keeps them up at night.

Focus your message around how you can help them achieve their business goals. Just like any relationship, you have to be invested in their success before they’ll reciprocate. Ask them how their business or store sales are, not just the numbers for your products. Be genuine about your interest in their success (both professionally and personally) so they see you as a trusted partner. With most dealers, their focus is not on marketing your products; it’s on the things that keep them up at night — staff retention, keeping up with new technology, maintaining profit margins, etc. If you demonstrate how you can help address these pain points, your success rate in growing your business with them will increase dramatically.

2. Show respect. Demonstrate loyalty. 

The end-user is their customer, not yours. This was reaffirmed in the 2013 Large Commercial Producer Survey from Purdue University. It showed that growers prefer to get information from their dealer’s technical staff or sales staff above all other sources. It might be a minor detail, but understanding this is critical to strengthening the relationship. In addition, be loyal to your dealers during lean times and provide market intelligence to help them grow market share during a market compression. As a result, they’ll respect your input when you make requests that require an investment in staffing, technology and training.

3. Make decisions with your head, not your heart.

It’s easy to fall in love with potential when it comes to dealer development. In the vast majority of cases, you’ll know if a dealer is going to be star for your organization in the first two years. Continuing to put effort towards dealers that aren’t performing is far less productive than working with successful dealers to continue to grow sales and market share. When you’ve identified those dealers, you need to determine the traits that make them successful, so you can recruit new dealers with similar traits or find existing dealers that can emulate their strategies to grow sales. You also want them to know how important they are to you and your organization, since your competitors are likely to try and flip them over to their channel. Sending a handwritten thank you note, remembering their spouse’s or child’s birthdays, or sending a congratulations text or email when their favorite team does well are all ways to show your appreciation in a genuine and memorable way.

In our more than 40 years of working in agriculture, we understand how dealers and retailers make decisions. Furthermore, we know the role marketing plays in their business and how to develop marketing programs that will engage and incentivize them to ramp up sales of your products at a faster rate. Contact us to learn more.

Let the Agricultural Trade Show Season Begin

editor — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 20:39:46 +0000

It’s trade show season in the agricultural industry. National Farm Machinery Show, Commodity Classic, Mid-South Farm and Gin Show, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention…and list goes on. What an exciting time of year as communities of people with common interests gather in a single location to learn more about the latest products and services in our industry.

If you’ve ever prepared your company to attend a trade show, you know that it takes an enormous amount of time, energy and resources. No doubt a trade show can be an exhausting experience, but it can also be invigorating. And, it can provide lead-generating and relationship building opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to make a meaningful connection with your customers, industry influencers and the media. Here are a few ideas to help you prepare for your time at a trade show.

Develop a plan of expectations ahead of time. Take a moment to define goals and time-specific and measurable objectives. What do you want to get out of the trade show? Who is attending and what product or service do they need to know about? How can you help your audience do their jobs better? How will you track your event participation after the event?

Listen. In the weeks leading up to the trade show, listen to what potential attendees are saying. Review the trade show website and learn about seminars and events that will be taking place. Engage with attendees on social media. Ask them what they want to learn about at the event. Listening and engaging others early will help you develop event plans and messages that resonate with others attending the show.

Prep your company spokespeople. Well before you pack your bags and jet set to the event, be sure to equip your team with talking points and messages about products and services that will be featured on-site. By providing them a list of products and two or three points about each (ahead of time), they will be more prepared to visit with the attending media, customers and potential customers.

Engage the media. Trade shows are a great way to connect with potential buyers and customers, but don’t forget about the media. The media attend trade shows to learn about the latest products and services from leading companies in agriculture. Reach out to media contacts well in advance and invite them to stop by the booth for an interview. Scheduling interviews in advance, or having an idea of who will stop by, will help you better prepare the right information for each media outlet. Develop a media kit for on-site distribution. Kits can include news releases, fact sheets, sell sheets and key spokespeople contact information. Many agricultural trade shows have media rooms where you can display and distribute your media kits. Also, if you have a lunch or dinner free, invite a few media representatives to join you. Developing and fostering relationships with the media is important – especially when it comes to educating them about new and future products and services. Be sure to follow up with the media after the event and gather any placements as a result of your trade show efforts.

Measure the success of each trade show. One of the most important, yet ignored, elements of event planning is evaluation. During or immediately after the trade show, capture your daily thoughts, observations and notes. Did you meet your goals and objectives for the day (or during the show)? How would you improve your interaction with attendees? Is the trade show valuable for you and your team to attend next year? Did you scope out the competition? And if so, what were they doing on-site? How many new media relationships did you gain at the show? After the show, you should prepare a report that evaluates your company’s overall presence and participation. Reflecting back will help you improve future events.

Traveling the Back Roads with "The Minute" Host, Jake Turner

editor — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 21:39:45 +0000

When we launched The Minute (original title: Authority Minute) in 2012, it was to establish FMC as a provider of valuable information to soybean growers to enable them to get more from every acre. In just two years, growers have come to count on the site (www.fmcminute.com) for reliable advice from experts guided by a personable host.

The format is simple. Host Jake Turner invites viewers to “travel” with him across the country’s midsection as he interviews experts about best practices, pest management and other topics of interest to our ag audience. Jake and the featured authority (scientist, agronomist, grower, ag equipment dealer, chemical retailer, etc.) meet in the town café, field, on-farm machine shop or side of the road for a conversation about the subject at hand. The episodes are short and to the point. Knowing that growers want quick hits of information, each episode could be considered a "pit stop."

Host Jake is an integral part of the success of The Minute. From the first episode, Jake established an easy rapport with his guests; his relaxed style is less like an interview and more like a conversation with a friend. In fact, he has developed quite an enthusiastic fan base. Jake is quickly recognized at trade shows where he appears on behalf of The Minute and is always warmly welcomed by locals on his travels for the show.

The first year, the show was called Authority Minute which targeted soybean growers. To launch Authority Minute, we relied on an integrated media mix, including digital ads, direct mail, television, radio, in-store counter cards, public relations and an informational kit for the sales team.

The very first episode featured Chris Mayo, Monsanto Technical Development Representative. Chris and Jake met in Mom’s Café in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, to talk about weed resistance. The relaxed, down-home style of the inaugural show set the stage for subsequent episodes, including these:

In addition to the short video, the site includes “Comments” and “Ask Jake” sections, as well as a poll. These features encourage viewer participation and provide us with welcomed feedback. The following comments are representative of what viewers post to the site:

“Never too old to learn right Jake? Everyone should see episode 28.”
“Thank GOD for chemical control; I remember walking fields and pulling all those weeds.”
“Jake, you just get better.”
“Very informative!”

To encourage viewers to watch each new episode, we conduct major sweepstakes and $100 Visa® gift card drawings. These activities add an element of excitement and give the audience a big reason to visit The Minute site: to see if they’ve won a prize.

We send emails to the account holder database to announce when new episodes launch and remind viewers that they could win a gift card by watching. This is also our opportunity to encourage viewers to enter the sweepstakes.

By year two, we expanded the audience to include corn growers and changed the name to The Minute. In addition to making a minor revision to the title graphics, the new name and emphasis meant an expanded audience, more territory for Jake to cover and a greater variety of experts for Jake to interview.

The second year of the series saw other changes as well. We enriched the viewer experience by adding links to related information.

Jake and his viewers have covered thousands of miles talking to experts, industry professionals and growers. There are many roads left to travel and a lot more information to be gathered along the way. Join Jake for the next trip. All it takes is a minute.

A Stone’s Throw Away from Perfection: Growing Up in the Country

site manager — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 16:00:44 +0000

Our third-generation cow-calf operation lies in the middle of South Dakota, a few short miles from where the Missouri river breaks its steady crawl to bend an elbow westward before heading south again. Here, an endless expanse of buffalo grass runs from horizon to horizon and the only thing disrupting the prairie’s flat plane is the occasional gentle swell of buttes and a few outcroppings of softly rounded hills.

Out here, people are a rare commodity. When you grow up on a ranch separated from the nearest town by 35 miles of poorly maintained dirt and gravel roads, you learn at an early age to cherish the people close to you—your family and neighbors that are few and far between. Your best friend is often a sibling and there are no secrets from your prairie community. Everyone knows family history, local “goings on” are shared around morning coffee and relationships go back generations.

Country kids are a self-reliant bunch. You learn how to fix things out of necessity. There isn’t a corner hardware store you can run to for supplies or a mechanic down the street you can call on for help when equipment or vehicles break down. You learn to improvise and make do with what you have. Baling wire, string, a swift kick, and duct tape go a long way. You would be surprised at how much life you can coax out of an old engine with a pair of Vise-Grips.

A country upbringing prepares you to accept the unexpected with grace. Nothing surprises you. I vividly remember seeing a baby orphaned calf in the bathtub one morning when the last thing I saw there was a big insect with black wings.

Growing up on a farm or ranch means you work. No chore is too menial. No matter how young you are, there is always a task for you, whether it’s gathering eggs or walking down the road to fetch the mail. Need I mention picking giant ticks off the family dog?

Fall round up to wean and process spring calves is a big event for Midwest cattle producers. Every rancher pitches in and helps his neighbors. It’s a country tradition. Sort of like barn raising, only you’re pushing 500 cow-calf pairs over miles of prairie to the corrals for branding, castrating, dehorning, etc. Everybody plays a role. My youngest sister was proud to carry the castration bucket. Years earlier when dad handed me that same bucket, I told him I preferred helping mom bake pies for the noon meal. To this day, pies represent comfort while a castration bucket spells anxiety.

I’m proud to have been raised in the country — and I’m not saying that town kids don’t have the same work ethic, close family ties or resourcefulness. It’s just that, when the only thing disturbing a vast world of silence at night is the subtle rustle of soft wind in the prairie grass and the strongest light comes from a starred-filled sky, you get the feeling that life here is a stone’s throw away from perfection. Except for that bug with the black wings in the bathtub.

Are You Annoying Your Web Users?

editor — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 14:58:40 +0000

I’ve been using the Internet -- and in particular the World Wide Web, which has since become synonymous with the former -- since I was just barely out of diapers. Okay, that’s a lie, but it was definitely a long time ago. Over the last two decades, the information superhighway has evolved and matured into arguably the most critical element of global communications, but like the rest of us, it didn’t get that far without picking up a few bad habits along the way.

Unlike many other mediums, the Internet is permanent but also continually evolving and changing. Because things are always shifting and improving, but at the same time surrounded by content and interfaces designed a decade ago, it can be difficult to create strict, unbreakable rules. Instead, I like to follow two simple rules: first, do users already have an expectation or assumption about a thing and second, will this thing annoy users unnecessarily?

Let’s take these rules and look at a few bad habits the Internet has picked up over the last twenty years, then use our rules to decide if they should continue or be abandoned.

1. Using “click here” as the call-to-action link text. Most likely left over from earlier years, when the concept of a hyperlink was so novel that most users needed a bit of guidance, this is a habit that modern netizens no longer rely on. From a marketing standpoint, linked text is one of the most valuable and important pieces of copy on any web site, and relying on a generic “click here” each time is an unfortunate waste of real estate and opportunity.

2. Any form of auto-playing audio or video content. The last thing you want to do is annoy the end user, and by far the easiest way to do this is immediately begin playing audio when people don’t expect it. Besides, aren’t most of us listening to music, podcasts or something on television while surfing the web, anyway?

3. Hijacking the user’s default controls. One of the more reliable ways to annoy and confuse your users is to get clever and change the way people use their device. That means you shouldn’t hijack the browser's back button, scrolling behavior, or anything else related to how users expect to control their device.

4. Splash and pop-up dialogs on page load. Just like error messages, most users are going to instinctively close the dialog as soon as possible, so any legitimate marketing goal would likely be unmet even if this habit wasn’t already dreadfully annoying.

5. Inconsistent and/or confusing navigation. This might be the only bad habit on the list that is usually *not* intentional, but that doesn’t mean it’s excusable. Any form of site navigation should be clearly labeled and behave consistently throughout the site, which means each tier of navigation needs to point to a unique interior content page -- no external links and no empty tiers that don’t actually link to a relevant content page.

Like the Internet, these rules have evolved over time as we’ve learned our lessons the hard way. Some of them are slowly fading away, and some (especially #4 and #5 due to the rise of new technology like touch screens) have come roaring back with a vengeance. After all, that’s why they are called bad habits: if they were easy to avoid, we wouldn’t need rules and lists and blog posts like this one!

Of course, now that I’ve gone and created an official list of What Not To Do, somebody will point out that we’ve done at least one of these ourselves. That’s actually just fine, as long as it’s done intentionally and with caution! Remember the two rules -- don’t annoy and don’t reinvent the wheel without a good reason -- and the bad habits described above will solve themselves.

Why People Who Eat Food Should Watch Farmland

site manager — Mon, 19 May 2014 20:10:32 +0000

The thought struck James Moll while walking through a supermarket: he had no true concept about the origins of his food. Where did it come from? Who produced it? What kind of lives did they live? The Los Angeles native and Academy Award-winning filmmaker then began a quest to find the answers.

So, what kind of movie does an urbanized, toast-of-Hollywood director make about farming? A pretty darn good one as it turns out. His goal was to give other city dwellers a true glimpse of farmers and ranchers while showcasing a few issues surrounding modern food production. The result is a film that’s surprisingly balanced and heart-felt. To those new to agriculture, it’s a highly educational film. For those who live farming and ranching day in and day out, it’s an affirming look at their life’s work.

Swanson Russell employees who work extensively on agricultural accounts took the opportunity to view Farmland as another way to stay current with the ag industry. As part of our Real Connection philosophy, continual education always helps us forge closer connections between our clients and their customers (view our work). The movie prompted a lot of great conversation, stirred our passions and made us all smile about the industry we represent every day.

Without further ado, here’s our list of highlights and why we think you too should watch Farmland.

Witness a true-to-life depiction of farming and ranching. Every vocation on earth, from ball players to taxi drivers, has been given a proper movie. Finally, the humble, hard working farmer is portrayed in a way that will make everyone proud.

See Old MacDonald smash some stereotypes. Meet the college educated, conservationist, two-million-in-overhead, think-like-an-MBA farmers who are passionate about producing the best possible product.

Contrary to other documentaries, farmers and ranchers do care about the consumer. Everyone wants safe, nutritious food that was produced in a responsible way. So if there are concerns, why not ask a farmer directly? While Farmland doesn’t get into a lengthy debate, the audience receives honest answers about food production without gloss, hidden agendas or Corn-ageddon pretense.

Farmers and ranchers work harder than you do. Mother nature never takes a day off. Animals won’t stop being hungry just because your tired and getting a job done means doing whatever it takes—even if that’s planting throughout the night and shouldering more responsibilities than most can imagine.

Understand that it’s a lifestyle, not a job. There are few occupations where work and life join to become a value system, a way of life, a culture and a deeply loved tradition.

Take a wide tour across agriculture. Farmland journeys from Minnesota and California to Texas and Nebraska to show how two organic farms, two conventional operations, a cattle rancher and a poultry producer go about making our food system run like clockwork.

Reinke gets a cameo! Please excuse a small moment of pride for a wonderful client. Plus it was unpaid, unsolicited product placement—we love that.

Glimpse a few of the challenges facing agriculture. The average age of a farmer is 60+ yet fewer young people are returning to the farm. The business environment is always in flux and a fixed profit is never guaranteed. The current drought is affecting prices and practices everywhere. And you better be good with numbers as an agricultural loan is not for the faint of heart.

Unexpected emotions. There was one moment where there wasn’t a dry eye in the theatre.

You may wonder why we all left the farm in the first place. Despite the obstacles and hours, farming and ranching remain very appealing ways of life. A person gets the satisfaction of using all their creative and analytical skills, of working outside, being close to the land and being part of something bigger than yourself.

Make Remarketing Work for Your Clients

editor — Tue, 13 May 2014 14:50:39 +0000

While planning a trip, have you ever visited a hotel website and then noticed for the next several weeks (or even longer) you keep seeing ads for that same hotel every time you go online? Is it just a coincidence? Probably not. You are likely being “remarketed” to.

What is ‘Remarketing’ exactly?

The simplest definition of remarketing is, “the process of reengaging a visitor or customer based on a recent interaction with your brand.” This reengagement might take the form of a postcard mailed to a potential customer after they have visited your store. It might also be a phone call from you to a customer whose purchases have lapsed. Today, however, the most common way of reengaging with customers is doing so online by serving digital ads to people who have previously visited a company’s website.

Why should I remarket? Won’t my potential customers feel stalked?

Not every visitor to your website is ready to take action. In fact, the majority of site visitors are simply doing research. But because they have already been to your site, they have some kind of awareness of your company or product, and likely have an interest. Giving those visitors a reminder that they have already been to your site will increase the likelihood that they will remember you when they ARE ready to take action. These visitors are much more likely to come back to your site and ultimately covert or make a purchase.

Many times, a visitor that has been remarketed to will not click on your ad at the time it is served to them. However, the likelihood that they will later visit your site and then covert is high — it’s called a “view-through conversion.” Our experience has shown that remarketing can often drive more view-through conversions than those attributed to the initial ad click.

How do I decide to whom to remarket?

Remarketing ads are served to your site visitors while they are visiting other sites on the web. It might be when they are visiting the WallStreetJournal.com, or their local television news site. Specifically who you should target depends on your objectives, but can fall into the following categories:

All site visitors — Do you have a site whose content changes frequently? Is there benefit to you and your site visitors to return again and again? If so, you might want to remarket to ALL visitors to your site, regardless of the action they have taken previously.

Site visitors who have not converted — Do you have an e-commerce site? If so, remarketing to people who have placed items in their shopping cart but did not complete the purchase would be appropriate. These people are much more likely to ultimately make a purchase from you — they just need a little nudge.
Even if you don’t have an e-commerce site, there is still good reason to remarket. Bringing back a site visitor to watch a video or download a sales sheet can move that visitor further down the purchase funnel, even if they have to visit a dealer at their brick and mortar storefront to make the ultimate purchase.

Site visitors who have already converted — Remarketing to visitors who have already converted can be effective if there is opportunity to cross-sell another product or service. These visitors have already engaged with your site, and they are more likely to do so again.

But my customers are professional tradespeople, not general homeowners.
Remarketing can be extremely effective at reaching a business-to-business audience, not just general consumers. One of our clients who sells lawn care equipment to professional landscape contractors drove nearly 1,200 site visits during the past month through their remarketing efforts, with 31 percent of all of those visitors ultimately converting. Another saw 22 percent of remarketing visitors convert, as compared to just six percent of general site visitors.

So, give remarketing a try. It could lead to better engagement with your brand and higher sales down the road.

Infographic courtesy of Internet Ideas LTD

Belonging to NAMA

editor — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 18:05:00 +0000

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is an organization that I hold near and dear to my heart. My involvement with NAMA started when I was a member of the student chapter at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and I have continued my involvement as a professional by joining the Cornhusker Chapter during my time with Swanson Russell.

NAMA provides more than 1,800 professionals with the opportunity to keep a fresh perspective on the fast paced world of agri-marketing. It is an organization comprised of professionals involved in the agri-marketing industry who want to stay connected and learn about the latest industry trends. These marketers are dedicated to the ag industry and understand the importance of their role in the industry. Needless to say, without this group of marketers, the ag industry wouldn’t have the strong presence that is does today in magazines, online, on the radio and in your mailbox. In short, the stories of farmers and ranchers everywhere can be heard by the general public just a little bit louder because of the work NAMA members do every day.

There are many professional organizations to choose from, it is important to find one that you find of interest and see value in joining. Here are a few of the reasons why I stay involved in NAMA:

Networking – Meeting new people is important in every industry. New people teach us new things and it’s vital for marketers to continue to learn and grow. The ag industry is a close-knit community where everyone knows everyone and we value the importance of having strong relationships. On both local and national levels, NAMA allows for professionals to connect with each other and foster new business relationships. These connections are often first made at NAMA events but they last throughout careers.
Cutting edge information – Being an active member of NAMA allows you to have a front row seat to the latest and greatest information in the industry. Monthly and annual meetings are held for members where they can learn from each other and see what is new from industry leaders. Boot-camp experiences allow new members to get a first-hand look at the industry. The annual conference provides members with an opportunity to learn from critically acclaimed marketing experts.
Leadership skills – On a local and national level, executive board members are responsible for planning and coordinating meetings and events. These responsibilities require members to step up, but also give them the opportunity to help the organization meet their goals and ultimately serve members’ needs.
National recognition – Every year, NAMA hosts the “Best of NAMA” awards. These awards honor the best of the best work in agricultural communications. Companies and agencies submit entries that must qualify through regional competition in order to advance to the national level. Awards are judged by other NAMA members and receive recognition for their work at the national conference, which recently took place on April 9 in Jacksonville, Florida.

There are many reasons to be involved in a professional organization. I believe that being a member of NAMA has helped me grow as a professional and allowed me to make long lasting relationships. I challenge everyone to find an organization in your industry that offers these types of opportunities and growing experiences. You’ll be glad you got involved.

Riding the Digital Range

admin — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 20:59:19 +0000

Boots, straight leg jeans, western-cut shirts and broad-brimmed Stetsons, America’s beef and dairy producers still look the part of the rugged cowboy individualist. They may even wear a holster, but these days it’s for a smartphone. Today’s cowboys and cowgirls aren’t so much the lonely figures of iconography as they are sophisticated business people and even when they’re on the range, they’re always connected.

What’s happening with feed prices? Is my equipment ready? When will the cold snap hit and when it does, how do I make sure I’m ready? The questions you used to hear at vets’ offices or across fence lines now go live to a thriving online community of producers, veterinarians, industry leaders and others connected via social media, message boards and text messaging. When it came to building a social media platform for Merck Animal Health, a leader in providing one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services, Swanson Russell helped pare the big conversation down to one specific but vital topic.

“BRD Report: From the Fence Post” focuses on bovine respiratory disease (BRD), the most common health challenge faced by producers, and puts the Merck Animal Health team of veterinary experts at the center of online conversation. There are no sales messages. Instead, the experts focus on strategies and best practices to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease that costs producers an estimated $800 million each year.

The team of contributing authors includes expert veterinarians at Merck Animal Health; 2012 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Educator of the Year Dee Griffin, D.V.M.; and former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Undersecretary for Food Safety Richard Raymond, M.D. In 600 words or less per post, “BRD Report: From the Fence Post” has helped producers understand how BRD can strike at any point in an animal’s life, the bacterial and viral components of BRD, risk factors related to dry or wet environments, the heat of the summer, the cold of winter, the ability for the disease to spread quickly within a herd, and the potential to distract producers from other health threats that only look like BRD. If you think the nearly unlimited access to safe, high quality beef and dairy products just happens, this view into life on the farm will remind you how much thought and work goes into each day.

To date “BRD Report: From the Fence Post” includes 27 blog posts and has received more than 4,000 views. Most importantly, authors have had opportunities to respond to actual questions asked by producers. BRD may be only one part of the cattle business, but we are finding out a small piece is enough to start a big conversation. Even if your audience is known for being the strong, silent-type, valuable content and an understanding of what information they really need will round up attention every time.

Turning the Tables on Ag

site manager — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 15:47:38 +0000

Agriculture has a daily impact on our lives, whether we recognize it or not. At Swanson Russell, we work with those who are involved in agriculture every day. We celebrate with them when they have successes, and we commiserate with them when they struggle. Together, we look for new opportunities to secure a bright future.

Yesterday, on National Ag Day, we turned the tables on ag. Two teams surprised diners in rural Nebraska communities by picking up the tab for their meals. We got to wake up early (although we know that farmers were up hours before us) to share coffee and doughnuts with farmers in Valparaiso. Then, we got to surprise two more groups at lunch, in Valparaiso and in West Point, by paying for their meals.

For diners that came in after we were gone, we left behind placemats with Nebraska agriculture facts. Did you know that our great state ranks first nationally when it comes to commercial red meat production? Also, agricultural exports equate to $9.4 billion in economic activity for our state.

Farmers’ and ranchers’ work is never done. They work from sunup to sundown, and we are honored to work in an industry that takes so much pride in producing food and fiber for the world. Every year, National Ag Day is celebrated during National Ag Week (March 23-29). If you’re a farmer or rancher or involved in agriculture, thank you. If you’re not a farmer, extend a thank you by buying a farmer a meal. Each American Farmer feeds more than 144 people every year. It’s time someone feeds the farmer.

A Chipotle-Spiced Controversy

admin — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 23:12:22 +0000

After the first two days of NAMA Boot Camp, Justin Goldsborough of FleishmanHillard took the podium to commence the conference wrap-up. Goldsborough’s session was entitled, “The Evolution of Social Business,” focusing on the social engagement life cycle of brands and being in the social business of marketing. Using Chipotle’s “Back to the Start" video as an example of social engagement, he sparked a social engagement with the audience.

From the perspective of someone attending boot camp because I was eager to learn more about the ag industry, I simply watched the video and expected the presentation to carry on. An attendee raved about the video saying it is so impactful because “it pulls on your heartstrings.” This began the discussion of a Chipotle-spiced controversy. I think we can all agree that, from a creative stand-point, it is a beautiful piece. This perspective was widely shared online shortly after the video aired. However, my more educated and experienced counterparts felt differently regarding the message of the video and how the agriculture industry was portrayed. Being such a stark contrast to the prior comment, the next remark caught me off-guard. “That video should make anyone in the ag industry boil with anger.”

It is important to remember that one of the most vital factors of a good campaign is connecting with the audience. A piece may not resonate with an audience just because it is good from a creative stand-point; the message also has to be strong and well thought out. It is our job to dig deep and get to know our audience on a personal level. If we can’t relate to them, we cannot justly represent our clients.

As stated on the Swanson Russell website, “we are not all things to all people. We're a marketing communications agency with a few key areas of focus: outdoor recreation, agribusiness, construction, health care, regional brands and the green industry. We help brands grow by understanding the people who live them, and forging a Real Connection^™ between the two.” As long as we remain engaged and passionate about our work in these industries, we will continue building our relationship with the client and their audiences.

In reflection, our final speaker, Gail Calhoun of Calhoun Consulting, said the following regarding the Chipotle-spiced debate, “we need to be able to shift our perspective to be able to connect with real people.” This type of connection is something I look forward to making in the years to come.

How to Win With Trigger Emails

admin — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 21:54:15 +0000

Research from Epsilon and other sources shows that trigger email messages enjoy open and click rates approximately twice as high as other emails. Their superior content relevance to each recipient and optimal timing explain the effectiveness.

Let’s look at a simple example of a trigger email strategy. Assume that a crop protection marketer sends an announcement email message regarding a new pre-emergent herbicide for soybeans to its list of growers. Some of those recipients – hopefully a lot of them – proceed to open the message and click on links in the message to visit the company’s website for more information.

Rather than saying “mission accomplished” and stopping there, the company could capitalize on that interest. A follow-up message could be pre-programmed into the email system to automatically send to each person who clicked on the link. The message might offer further details regarding the herbicide, point the audience to test results, make a special offer or answer questions prospects may have. The trigger email could be programmed to send immediately, a few days or weeks later, or at a particular time. In fact, there is no reason the company would need to stop at one trigger email. A series of messages could be programmed to be sent at particular times leading up to application times. And whether some of those messages are sent can be made conditional on whether a grower has taken or not taken other actions.

Trial of a new herbicide, or most other agricultural products, is likely to be a considered purchase in which the decision to adopt or not adopt likely occurs over a period of weeks, months or years. Prospects need to be nurtured along the path to purchase. Trigger messages help with that task.

If you want to read more about trigger messages or other best practices in email marketing, you can download a copy of Swanson Russell’s, The Marketing and Communications Manager’s Guide to Email Marketing.