Spring is here AgTech: Support, don’t Sell

April 14th, 2023 - My 33rd Edition of Easy Observations in AgTech

Apr 14, 2023

Opening Thoughts:

I’m keeping it general this week as I have a bigger surprise next week. It’s one that’ll highlight near the end.

As for this edition I wanted to highlight a specific thing that happens this time of year and one that I want to warn others in AgTech and beyond about if they don’t know already.

This is the time of year that Ag gets the busiest I’d say, especially when it comes to traditional commodity crops. It’s spring time and everyone is busy either supporting farmers or farmers themselves are beyond busy trying to get things ready to plant.

As you can see, that is the point in what I wanted to say as I’ve always seen some ignorant AgTech groups at times do the wrong this at the wrong time.

The worst thing you can do (for most) right now is to try and sell your AgTech product. It’s too late anyway. There are general exceptions as always, but for the most part it’s true.

What you need to do is concentrate on supporting your clients and showcasing it. Contact is still good, but keep it simple and make sure things are working this time of year as it might be the only time it can.

Let’s dive in a little more…

Simma Don Nah:

First off, I get whatever you’re trying to sell it can be hard to stop or slow down. Most, if you’re smart, have been busy at this since Fall work ended from last year. I get it. Also, I’m still a proponent of the term, “Always be selling!”

I’m not implying to just stop and do nothing. That’s is not a good idea either. What I’m implying is that you really just need to shift your tone and process a little during the growing season.

Many times that is through what I’ll call “Support Mode”. It is different than “Sales Mode” but it can work in much the same way if not even better. This isn’t also to say you haven’t figured this out already either. I’m just a guide.

Support Mode takes a different take on how you showcase yourself and with a calmer demeanor too. Guns blazing isn’t good. It’s also a perfect time to get to know your clients better to and see how they use your tech or help them guide in how to use it best. That is still sales as well since it also allows the opportunity to sort of up sell the future of what you plan to develop, have in the docket, or have already.

More or less, concentrate now on making sure your product works for them or is even applied to their needs in the first place. For instance, if you have a solution like a recommendation via data like a VRA (variable rate application) map for seed, chem, or fertilizer make sure they actually use it. Yes, weather and break downs happen but I can’t tell you how often some don’t follow up with their client to see if they actually used the data.

It’s bound to happen that someone won’t use your service properly, but if you atleast talk to them and understand why while being proactive in their thoughts around it you get a little win at the very least. That’ll also give them confidence going into next year that you care. That’s is what most want. To be listened to and understood. Not chastised for not using your solution.

I could go on and on, but I think you grasp my point. Now is the time to shift your mindset and support not push.

But I need Sales!:

Yeah yeah, we all know many of your are riding the struggle bus right now in AgTech and with grower/service provider adoption. Your investors are likely in a tizzy and you as an owner or salesman are getting hounded and are starting to sweat. I get it, but it’s still in your best interest to calm down and reflect.

If you want to feel doom and gloom or panic I’ll tell you one thing, your clients will hear, see, and feel it. Desperation is easy to detect in this industry if you ask me and there is a large lack of patience. Let’s be honest too, Ag is a slow industry and while many of you are trying to “Distrupt” that timeframe you just can’t. It’s a big reason AgTech has had so many issues. Ag may be stubborn, but typically it is patient and that’s out of necessity.

When people in Ag become so reliant on outside factors such as weather and the markets you naturally sort of become more patient as you can’t do much to control that.

What you can do though is plan ahead and have a strategy to deal with these unknowns. I don’t see that a lot when it comes to AgTech groups as there’s been this montra to go go go! At times, yes that is needed but you have to understand when and where.

There are opportunities to push still during the growing season and you have to understand your clients well enough to know when this is. There are short windows to do this and it’ll be different for each person or group.

Maybe it’s right after spring tillage, during a rain event, right after planting, right before spraying, right before a holiday, when the crop is turning, right before harvest, and so on… Knowing when your clients have extra time to talk or just asking them how their operation typically works is a strategy you can take. Do not assume you know exactly when though, learn and ask politely.

In Closing:

While I think I’ve made my point I know this advice doesn’t apply to all. There are so many moving pieces and needs by all in the Ag industry. It’s complex to say the least. I guess in saying that, understand it and learn about those complexities better so as to know when and how to best sell and support your solutions. Guessing is not going to help you and assuming just makes you look like a fool.

My Big News:

I’m helping sell a small AgTech startup and spreading it out via my social channels and connections to find the right group. I will dive deeper into this with a special newsletter edition next week, but if you are curious and want to learn more just visit this post I made on LinkedIn this last week or make sure to subscribe to my newsletter if you haven’t yet.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nathan-faleide-036b43b5_agtech-precisionagriculture-precisionag-activity-7051600309734821888-w9sE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

More to come…

Thanks for reading Easy Observations! Please Share, Subscribe, and Comment if you would be so kind. I’d also be happy to get together and meet if you’d like to talk more in-depth about AgTech or Earth Observation in Ag. Feel free to contact me at my website. All the best!