Good AgTech Marketer/Bad AgTech Marketer

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Good AgTech Marketer/Bad AgTech Marketer

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Good agtech marketers know how to create net new demand. Bad agtech marketers only know how to capture existing demand.

Most marketing leaders in agriculture spend all their time wondering, “How can I own the word fertilizer or seed so that people looking for those products buy mine?” That's capturing existing demand.

While some of that thinking is necessary, being stuck in that mindset is the curse of the bad marketer. The good marketer creates demand by asking, “What idea can I give my customers that influences their search?”

Good agtech marketers define their customer's problems better than anyone else. Bad agtech marketers ask customers and competitors to define the problem for them.

The marketer who defines the problem and designs the solution will dominate the space.

Blackberry was the best smartphone when the definition of a smartphone was a phone that you could safely and securely use for email on the go. Apple didn't just release a better product. Steve Jobs redefined the problem that iPhones solved with the famous “There's An App For That” campaign that highlighted the power of an application ecosystem. Today, Apple builds about 15% of the world’s smartphones but takes in more than 75% of the profits in the category. Everyone else is still using Apple’s definition of what a smartphone is.

Good agtech marketers design and dominate a new market category that matters. Bad agtech marketers only focus on their brand.

Bad marketers mistakenly assume that they are playing the board game Monopoly, where the available real estate is static, and the best you can do is to compete for an outsized share of it. And this is how they build their go-to-market strategies. They unconsciously say, “We are going to compete for existing demand in an existing market category with a better brand and a better product.” So, their marketing message becomes something like, “We’re digitizing agriculture” or “We’re disrupting the industry.” Then they’re shocked when their customers don’t respond or when their sales hit a wall. The reality is that the world and our markets don’t follow the rules of Monopoly. Good marketers don’t just take existing demand off the board or reshuffle the deck, they design an entirely new game through a provocative point of view.

Good agtech marketers create work that elicits a distinct before and after. Bad agtech marketers blend into the noise.

The European company WEED-IT developed an extremely effective precision spray technology many years ago, but they failed to communicate their value to the market, allowing John Deere to own the conversation in the space with “See and Spray.” Some of the farmers I talk to complain about challenges with the quality of Deere’s technology, but even when exploring options, they use the term “See and Spray.” Great marketing curates ideas we can't unsee, they don’t just present a great product, they provide a provocative point of view.

Good agtech marketers move customers to action. Bad agtech marketers focus on winning industry awards.

It’s said that when Aeschines debated Demosthenes in ancient Athens, the crowd marveled at the quality of Aeschines eloquence “what a great speaker!” But when Demosthenes rose to speak, Athens rode to war.

Good marketing doesn't elicit the response, “That's good marketing.” It compels customers to action.

Good agtech marketers cause their competitors to hold emergency board meetings. Bad agtech marketers spend all of their time preparing for their own board meetings.

Most marketing is reactive. It’s arrived at by people asking, “What is everyone else doing?” and attempting to do it better. Good marketers don’t allow themselves or their companies to be compared to what came before or what exists today, they set the tone; they own the narrative. If your marketing team spends a disproportionate amount of their time each quarter working on the board deck - you’re in trouble.

Good agtech marketers defy expectations. Bad agtech marketers meet them.

Bad marketers show up when and where and how they are expected. Boring.

Good marketers show up in ways that make people sit up and take note.

Good marketers know that the opposite of remarkable is not bad, it’s “good.” Bad marketers focus on making products that meet spec.

Once upon a time, it was good enough to make something that was “good enough.” Bad marketers cling to the outdated mantra of “performance,” acting as though product efficacy is still a novelty. But here’s the reality: almost all agricultural products today work. Seeds yield abundantly, fertilizers are efficient, and pesticides deliver on their promises. Simply performing isn’t a differentiator anymore—it's the baseline.

Good marketers recognize that efficacy is just the starting point. They focus on what truly sets their brand apart, crafting narratives, solving unique problems, and creating value beyond the label. They ask the critical question: How are we going to stand out in a market where nearly everyone can perform?

Good agtech marketers have a Point of View. Bad agtech marketers “message” like squirrels getting chased by a BB gun.

You need a meaningful story that is well-told. A true north that does not change. Bad marketers run endless “messaging” projects that conflict with one another and build feature-heavy PowerPoints that no one wants to read. “Stop us when we land on value for you,” they say to their helplessly confused customers.

Good marketers understand how to seed their point of view into the vernacular of their customers so THEY share it. Bad marketers hope that everyone is paying attention to them and their feeds.

Good agtech marketers know how to distinguish between the needs of different customers. Bad marketers treat everyone the same.

Good marketers can speak about specific customers and what they like with intelligence. Bad marketers discuss what “farmers” or “retailers” generally want.

Good agtech marketers understand that not every farmer faces the same challenges, grows the same crops, or shares the same goals. By focusing on someone specific, you’re not just creating a product—you’re solving a problem that truly matters to them.

Saying, “It’s not for you” isn’t exclusionary; it’s a sign of respect for the people you seek to serve. It means you won’t waste their time trying to convince them of something they don’t need or want. Instead, you craft a solution so tailored that it feels made for them and only them.

Good marketers have respect for the customers they serve. Bad marketers resent the people who buy their stuff.

Good agtech marketers know that marketing begins well before a product leaves the manufacturer. Bad agtech marketers set themselves up to be victims of someone else’s bad decision.

The most unhappy and unsuccessful marketers I know are those who can’t stop repeating the mantra, “This is the way it is in agriculture.” Or those who blindly accept the status quo demands of how a product functions or what an ad needs to look like. Good marketers reject the premise.

Good agtech marketers don’t discuss price. Bad agtech marketers are well-known negotiators.

One of my favorite stories the business strategist Roger Martin tells is from his childhood. His father ran an animal feed manufacturing company in rural Canada and he used to send out a list of all his prices every week. Roger would question his father about why he did that. “Won’t someone come in and undercut you?” He would ask. “Well, Roger,” his father would say. “If I list the price, then our sales conversations can be about all the other value we deliver and not about the price.” (This is a quote from memory; sorry to Roger for any discrepancies). Bad marketers have conversations about price. Good marketers have conversations about value.

Good agtech marketers choose their customers. Bad agtech marketers hope that customers choose them.

If you’re not saying no - if you’re not actively turning away business, then you do not have a marketing strategy. You have an arts and crafts department.

Good marketers run leadership departments, not service centers, inside their organizations. The grossest corporate phrase in the English language is “internal customer.”

You have one customer. They exchange what you sell for money. Don’t forget it.

Good agtech marketers plan and execute strategies that create new, enduring value over time. Bad agtech marketers treat their craft like a fire drill and hope that they can hit the quarter.

Good marketers understand that their work is about more than just meeting short-term goals. They plan and execute strategies that create lasting value—value that resonates with employees, customers, investors, and the broader ecosystem. Their efforts go beyond hitting quarterly numbers; they build trust, loyalty, and a foundation for sustained success.

Bad marketers relentlessly chase the clock, rushing to meet immediate targets without considering the long-term impact. Their short-sightedness might win them a quarter, but it fails to inspire stakeholders or position the company for enduring growth.

Good agtech marketers create work that makes a difference inside AND outside of their company. Bad agtech marketers don’t communicate with their colleagues.

Good marketing doesn’t just drive sales; it shapes culture. Good AgTech marketers understand that their work must make a difference both inside and outside their company. They create campaigns that inspire customers to act and employees to excel, forging a unified vision that drives everyone forward.

Good marketing doesn’t start at the customer; it starts with our teams. It’s a rallying cry for everyone in the organization to believe in the mission and strive for excellence.

Good agtech marketers are missionaries with a vision for the future. Bad agtech marketers are mercenaries driven purely by revenue targets.

Bad marketers chase targets without a guiding mission, failing to inspire loyalty or create meaningful change. While they might hit short-term goals, they miss out on the lasting legacy of making a real difference in the world. Aaron Tippin famously sang “You’ve Got to Stand For Something.” Good marketers do. They operate with a clear mission and a vision for the future—building not just profits, but projects that create lasting social and human impact.

Make something different. Make people care. Make fans, not followers.

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