6 Farmer Buyer Persona Examples for Marketing & Sales

A solid set of buyer personas can dramatically improve your marketing and sales efforts. With them, you can tailor your messaging, products, and services to the specific needs of your individual grower segments.

But one common obstacle to creating buyer personas is figuring out who those personas are in the first place.

Of course, a solid foundation of data is the best place to start when building your buyer personas. But today, we are going to take a look at some sample farmer buyer personas that you and your team can use as a starting point for your own.

We derived these personas from our own statistical predictive model powered by our data. Here’s a breakdown of farmers by each persona:

1. The Numbers-Focused/ROI Farmer

For the Numbers-Focused Farmer, the bottom line is the bottom line. This farmer makes vital decisions based on what will make the most profit and return on investment.
Here are some examples of the Numbers-Focused Farmer’s common day-to-day activities:

• Routinely evaluate the market for the prices of agricultural commodities
• Assess opportunity costs
• Monitor inputs and outputs for measuring the technical efficiency of the farm
• Analyzing and reviewing their financial data

Marketing and selling to a Numbers-Focused Farmer is simple and straightforward. Find the products and services that are going to improve their ROI, and hit that message home with the numbers to back you up.

 

2. The Sustainable Farmer

While the Numbers-Focused Farmer prioritizes financial data, the Sustainable Farmer looks to the land. A Sustainable Farmer is driven by the desire to reduce environmental damage and keep the land in optimal condition.
Here are some of the things are Sustainable Farmer might do:

• Maintaining crop diversity and rotations
• Preventing soil erosion
• Minimizing climate pollution

When it comes down to it, the Sustainable Farmer believes in both their impact on the environment and their own soil health and fertility. As a result, they are more likely to use cover crops or no-farming and use natural nutrients and biological crop protection.

 

3. The Brand Loyalist

Never underestimate the power of a reputable brand. That statement is especially true when working with a Brand Loyalist.
Once you win over a Brand Loyalist, you’ve got their business for the long haul. But, unfortunately, that also means that if they’re doing business with a competitor, getting them to switch to your product can be tricky.
Here are some of the key things a Brand Loyalist believes:

• The personal relationship is as important as the product itself
• Brand loyalty benefits the farm
• Continued business with the same company can provide cost savings and other benefits

If your sales team is up for a challenge, go after the Brand Loyalist and see if you can convince them to switch over to your products. And know that if you do win them over, they won’t be going anywhere for a long time.

 

4. The Frugal Farmer

It’s no secret that being a farmer in today’s economy is challenging. Our following persona example, the Frugal Farmer, is a product of this environment.

Here are some of the attributes of the Frugal Farmer:

• They look for good deals on equipment, seed, crop protection, etc.
• They will keep an eye out to cut unnecessary costs
• If possible, they’ll take a do-it-yourself approach to the bulk of their farm tasks

Frugal farmers are more likely to use generic inputs and look to show prices online. They are likely not early adopters of technology or anything that requires a long-term payback. They are also more likely to be hands-on in farm decisions or activities.

 

5. The AgTech Leader

As an agribusiness leader, you probably think often about the evolution of AgTech and how it’s going to change the industry. But believe us, no one thinks about it more than our following persona example: the AgTech Leader.

This farmer isn’t just reacting to the changes in technology — they’re on the front lines, focusing on using every tool at their disposal to make their operations more efficient and productive. And with the right tech tools, they can save themselves time and headaches in the process.
Here are some things to keep in mind about the AgTech leader:

• They believe that adapting and innovating with new technology is required for a farming business to be successful
• Technology has been a net positive for their farming business and for the industry
• Monitoring climate variables (precipitation levels, soil temperature, etc.) improves productivity and reduces costs

If you have a high-tech product or need a market of farmers that you know are innovative by nature, this is the market to go after.

 

6. The Expansionist

Farmers run their own businesses, and many of them, like any other industry, have their eyes on the horizon. The Expansionist is looking to the operation’s future and wants to expand the farming operation, primarily through obtaining more land.

Here are some key pain points for The Expansionist:

• Both purchasing and renting more land
• Diversifying their agricultural products (e.g., crops, livestock, etc.)
• Growing the farming business and invest profits back into the farm

For The Expansionist, the key marketing message is: all systems GROW. Keep that in mind when you talk to them.

 

Conclusion: Build your personas on a data foundation

Your marketing strategy requires an investment on your part. You have a lot to pay for – copy, content, creative design, ad space, and other typical assets that come with a marketing campaign. But it’s essential not to overlook an investment in specific buyer personas that reflect both current and potential customers.

Once you know who your target audience is, how they think, and what they want, you can better market your products and see better results in your campaigns.