12th Annual Marketing to the Rural Sector

About

Our excellent Farmers Panel is back for another year, promising a quality session of Q&A which will give you an insight into what farmers want.

We’re continuing to show you what concerns farmers with an economic update from Jacqueline Rowarth, Head of Agribusiness, Waikato University

You’ll hear key speakers from:

  • DairyNZ
  • Tracta
  • FMG
  • GEA
  • Gallagher
  • Brian R Richards
  • Ravensdown
  • Dow AgroSciences

Connect with peers through networking drinks, roundtable discussions, and our Boost your creativity mini-workshop

Workshops

2 half day workshops: 30 August 2012


Digital and social media for rural marketers

30 August 2012  |  9.00AM – 12.30PM

The aging population of farmers make digital and social marketing solutions a tricky path to navigate. The next generation of farmers are web savvy and soon will be making financial decisions. Develop your online presence now to effectively build a meaningful relationship with these young farmers and create customer loyalty. This workshop will help you identify why the rural sector access the internet and social media, in order to create your own web presence that is an effective marketing tool. 

  • The online behaviours of farmers and how they interact with peers
  • Building an effective online presence for your brand that appeals and is useful to farmers
  • How do your social media profiles communicate brand values? Keeping messages streamlined and targeted
  • Managing multiple sites, profiles and feedback: efficient management and quick responses for greater connectivity with potential customers

 

Auditing your marketing plans for greater certainty of ROI

30 August 2012  |  1.30PM – 5.00PM 

Spending your marketing dollar wisely mean using it in the right places. Auditing your marketing plans gives you the ability to know where spend has worked in the past, and where it can work best in the future. This workshop will give you tools to efficiently audit your marketing plans and put measures in place to improve best practice.

  • Resource management and getting the most out of people, money and time.
  • Avoid spend on lost customers by improving your Customer Relationship Management
  • Writing effective marketing plans to clearly identify funds needed at each stage
  • Reviewing distribution channels for your market – social media is hot, but is it effective for farmers?
  • Buyer needs, values, decision processes and behaviour: do we really understand our customers?
  • Measures for reviewing the success of campaigns and calculating ROI in terms of Retail and Brand

 

Both workshops presented by Chris Barker, Managing Director, Jumprope

More than 20 years marketing management experience across industries and geographies. Chris has led successful brand & communications programmes for organisations from start-ups to multinationals including co-leading the rebranding of Fonterra. He has a truly market driven approach, helping organisations to see themselves from the eyes of their customers, and then develop programmes to create value with these insights.  Chris is one of the first people in NZ to be professionally accredited as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Agenda

Agenda: Day 1

8.30

Registration & coffee

9.00

Opening remarks from the Chair

Brent Williams, Digital Director, NURVE

9.10

Economic outlook: How are global issues affecting farmers?

In a recent survey, 92% of farmers said they expect to maintain or increase their level of on-farm investment this year, but farmer confidence has decreased overall. How does this affect their spend and the way you market to them?
• Market update and wider impacts on the rural sector
• Looking to invest vs debt reduction
• Effectively marketing products during tight financial times

Jacqueline Rowarth, Professor of Agribusiness, University of Waikato

10.00

Case Study: Fluent in effluent – priming a market for quality services

Through DairyNZ’s sustainability programme a variety of marketing tools are being used to increase investment in quality dairy effluent management services and infrastructure.
• Hear how clarity is being brought to the market on sustainability issues through the establishment of new industry architecture
• See behind the scenes of some of DairyNZ’s creative executions to drive market demand
• Leave with information on the size of the market and how to capture your share

Justin Courtney, Comminications and Marketing – Sustainability, DairyNZ
Dr Theresa Wilson, Development Project Manager – Effluent, DairyNZ

10.50

Morning tea

11.10

Achieving meaningful engagement with farmers

Discover how you can not only connect, but create a worthwhile relationship with rural sector customers. What is the typical NZ farmer really like, and how can you engage with them?
• Rural advertising - the good, the bad & the ugly
• The power of market insights
• Developing and executing effective rural marketing strategies

St John Craner, Business Development Director, Tracta

Speaker has declined permission for his materiel to be online

12.00

Case study: Teaching an old brand new tricks

FMG have been re-branding using print and radio advertising to generate cut through and sales. They also started a YouTube channel which has had thousands of views and have experienced 8% growth in an economic downturn.
• How has refreshed advertising changed customer views of our brand?
• YouTube videos and driving customer connection through social media

Glenn Croasdale, Marketing Manager, FMG

12.40

Lunch

1.40

Opportunities to communicate with rural mobile users

40% of New Zealanders own a smart phone and this increasingly includes the rural sector. In a difficult to reach market, hear how you can get your message right into the pockets of these farmers.
• Apps as a way to drive farmers to your website
• Advertising through smartphones
• Creating, tracking and ensuring ROI

Brent Williams, Digital Director, NURVE

2.30

Measuring campaign success and delivering ROI through analytics

Measuring the results of marketing campaigns can be difficult, especially if results are intangible. But it is vital to ensure that campaigns are proven to be effective to provide a platform for future ventures.
• Tips and tricks to reduce campaign costs
• Developing analytics relevant to your organisation
• Measuring retail or brand success: can you achieve both?

Nicky Bowden, Marketing Manager, GEA

3.10

Afternoon tea

3.30

Case Study: Exhibition showcase – attracting people to your booth

One of the most common ways of marketing to the rural sector is through regular exhibitions. But is it really effective? Why do some booths seem to attract more visitors than others? Hear how Gallaghers got a jump in sales through their booth.
• Creativity as a problem solver and how we came up with our attraction
• Managing on-the-day: getting the most from your ‘pitch’
• Follow-up and conversion: sustaining contact and relationships

Matt Macfie, Marketing Manager NZ, Gallaghers

4.20

Roundtables: pick a topic and join the conversation

4.20

Creating strong marketing plans with measureable outcomes: Challenges and solutions

Good marketing comes with a good plan, and plans can become lost in the midst of campaigns. Discuss how you can simplify and strengthen your plans in order to achieve goals and finish campaigns well, with measured results and proven ROI.

Nicky Bowden, Marketing Manager, GEA

4.20

Face-to-face marketing and exhibition brainstorming

Discuss ways of having positive interactions with farmers through exhibitions. Dissect past exhibition strategy and talk about new ways to attract people to your area. What can you do that’s cost and sales effective?

Matt Macfie, Marketing Manager NZ, Gallagher

5.00

Networking drinks

Agenda: Day 2

9.00

Welcome back from the Chair

Brent Williams, Digital Director, NURVE

9.05

Strike while the iron is hot: Branding that lasts

Create a strong brand that resonates with the rural sector by delivering on emotional connections they associate with your brand. Fire up your brand and improve market perception of the product you provide.
• What do farmers look for in a brand? What do they value?
• Differentiating your product through unavoidable brand identity
• Marketing your brand better: competitions, vehicle branding, giveaways…what can you do to get your brand name out there?

Brian Richards, Director/Strategist, Brian R Richards Ltd

Speaker has declined permission for his material to be online.

9.50

Case study: Lifecycle management and reviving products

Many products have been in the market for a long time, so how do you get people interested in mature brands?
• Leveraging your brand equity
• Reinventing yourself through branding strategy
• Creating new leads and customers

Hugh McDonald, Group Marketing Manager, Ravensdown

Speaker has declined permission for his material to be online.

10.30

Morning tea

10.50

Farmers’ Panel: Digging into the minds of farmers’

Taking a wider perspective, this panel will focus on farmers’ views overall and discuss their likes and dislikes when it comes to marketing. Bring your questions and get an insight into what farmers want.
• Brands we like and why
• Social media and how we use it
• Communication styles: how we want to be spoken to

Pamela Storey, Dairy Farm Owner
Barbara Kuriger, Dairy Farm Owner and Agricultural Industry Director

11.30

Case study: Corporate branding – why it’s important to be a branded company, not just a company of brands

In a market where the number of competitors is rapidly increasing and many product offerings are similar, it’s important to connect customers to your brand story.
• What does the brand mean to your customer?
• Maintaining consistent brand identity

Glen Surgenor, NZ Marketing Manager, Dow AgroSciences

Speaker has declined permission for his material to be online.

12.10

Lunch

1.10

Mini-workshop: Boost your creativity

Capturing your audience’s attention means coming up with novel ways to attract it. Creativity is key in producing work which is fresh and interesting, so increase your creative spark in this mini-workshop which will give you practical tips to help you think outside the box.
• Balance new ideas with the traditional tastes of farmers
• Practicalities in the office: giving yourself space to think and create, and methods for getting into a creative flow
• Gleaning ideas and inspiration from the everyday

Brian Richards, Director/Strategist, Brian R Richards Ltd

Speaker has declined permission for his material to be online.

2.10

Case study: Building loyalty for your brand

Having a solid customer base takes time and constant improvement to your brand. Swazi has strong customer loyalty through keeping core values in place while updating and modernising itself.
• Who really owns your brand?
• Giving your customers a positive and memorable experience
• Keeping in touch with your customers without turning them off

Taygen Hughes, Marketing Manager, Swazi

2.50

Afternoon tea

3.10

Case study: Relationship management and the benefits of good PR

Customer satisfaction and retention need to be kept high through good relationship management. PR is a useful tool in this space, and can deliver strong positive associations with your organisation. Learn the benefits of:
• Using stakeholders and influencers in your PR strategy
• Blending PR and social media strategy as part of the marketing mix
• Discover what people expect from a relationship with you
• Finding the right PR company, getting value for money and achieving goals

Jillian O’Neill, Director, Oomphatic!

3.50

Closing remarks from the Chair and end of conference

Sponsors

Interested in sponsorship?

There are some exclusive opportunities to promote your company, and its products and services, at this leading event. Contact the sponsorship team below to request a prospectus or discuss the options, or view more about event sponsorship.