No room for shortcuts, in farming or ag marketing
Farmers are already facing steep challenges ahead of the 2025 growing season. From low commodity prices and high input costs, to now a trade war in full swing— profitability feels like a far reach for many. And that effect is not only seen at the farm gate, but ripples across the entire industry, affecting marketing budgets for many businesses who serve agriculture.
And, reduced budgets call for tough decisions at both ends of the spectrum. Farmers are evaluating what inputs or equipment purchases can be avoided this year to save costs, while marketers are determining what outside projects can be reduced or cancelled to create savings by relying more heavily on internal marketing teams for implementation.
And while profitability is dependent on making tough decisions to manage costs for both, Rooster believes there are things that simply cannot be overlooked for the long-term success of both the farm and your company.
Prioritize investments that will pay off.
The Farm: In preparation for planting at the Rooser Farm this spring, we will make investments in our planter to deliver seed properly spaced at uniform depth as this is critical to yield and can boost profitability now and in the future. Similarly, we won’t skip soil tests or SCN tests post-harvest, as these results are critical to input and pest control decisions short and long term.
Your Company: When budgets are tight in marketing, many start with reducing paid media spends. But, being quieter, or absent all together, will reduce your overall share of voice potentially affecting longterm product awareness, sales and industry standings. In times when everyone is scaling back, it’s the perfect time to seize the opportunity to ramp up your paid media efforts to help outpace the competition.
Rely on the experts.
The Farm: We’ll rely on sound research with recommendations from trusted agronomists on practices and products that are proven to work. Relying on guidance from those who know the products that have proven profitable time and time again will help create efficiencies and cost savings.
Your Company: The same is true in marketing– Effective campaigns require a deep level of knowledge and expertise across multiple disciplines to identify and seize the right opportunities to make you successful. Agencies have dedicated teams and subject matter experts in all areas of marketing who excel in their fields and bring collective learnings and best practices from hundreds (even thousands) of campaigns to your brand. You have less room for error when budgets are tight, so expertise that can help you maximize/optimize ROI is even more important now than before.
Keep looking ahead.
The Farm: While these are tough times in agriculture, farmers are resilient. We’ve been here before and we will push ahead again. We believe that being stagnant is akin to giving up. So, we won’t stop looking ahead, implementing practices to improve sulfur fertility and using seed treatments to lower disease risk for future growing seasons. We’re also thinking more about overall soil health and possible benefits of selling carbon credits as we think about the long-term sustainability and profitability of the Rooster Farm.
Your Company: While cost cutting is unavoidable with fluctuating budgets, decisions made now can potentially have long-term effects on your brand and your company’s reputation in the marketplace. Often, internal teams live in the here and now, while consultants can help them see the big picture and look around the corner to bring strategic solutions they didn’t know were possible. Having a partner to look out for the bigger picture, while your team carries out the daily needs of the organization, is beneficial to your short and long term success.
So, what do we recommend when it comes to cutting costs to meet fluctuating marketing budgets in 2025?
Recenter your goals– Don’t let them fall to the wayside as you start cutting back. With a lower budget your original fiscal year goals may not be realistic, but can likely be scaled or more focused. A good partner can help make recommendations on ways to create maximum impact with the dollars you do have available. This often means doing fewer things, but doing them extremely well. Getting laser focused on your priority audience– a specific segment, region, demographic, etc., and going all-in where it matters most to your business.
Don’t overlook internal weaknesses– Marketing leads tend to know what skill gaps their team lacks. Now is not the time to put your reputation at risk by expecting your internal team to take on work they’re not able to effectively execute. This can create overwhelmed internal employees, and underwhelming external execution, leading to potential reputational damage. Rather, examine each expense for impact and profitability, and keep work in-house when you need consistency and speed and rely on an outside partner when you need expertise, scalability or higher-end outputs.
Ask your partners for input– A good partner is not only an executioner, but a consultant with a point of view on your business. They can help you navigate these decisions, guiding you toward the most efficient and effective programs to advance this year’s goals, and identify the right mix of shared responsibilities between their team and yours to create an agile marketing engine that maximizes efficiency and impact.
Interested in learning what a partnership with Rooster could look like for your team this year? Let’s connect.