Christian joins the agency with more than 10 years of digital marketing experience with a wide array of national and international brands and businesses. Most recently, he was Director of Digital Services at Nicholson Kovac, Inc., where he supervised the agency’s digital marketing initiatives for its consumer, agriculture and business-to-business clients.

Christian holds a M.A. from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas, and a B.A from Albion College in Albion, Michigan.

As the digital lead for Woodruff Sweitzer, Christian will oversee all client web-based platform architecture, website development and traffic growth, online lead generation, CMS, loyalty and retention programs, mobile and SMS marketing and social media initiatives.

There is nothing wrong with outsourcing the management of your social media channels. I’m speaking directly to agribusinesses and farm groups. I’ve seen some serious growth in this practice lately. This can be a good thing. However . . .

There is a right and a wrong way to go about it. In my opinion the number one “right” way is with the T word = Transparency! Be open and honest about what you’re doing and who is doing it. Or, please don’t do it at all. I’m talking about you companies that outsource your Twitter account and Facebook page to an agency. Why won’t you let your customers or members know this? Afraid to? Why do I care? Because social media is about personal engagement and trust. If you want me to believe that you care enough to join the online conversation then please don’t pretend that what you’re “saying” is you when it’s not you. I would much rather know who I’m listening to. Take Monsanto as an example. They make good use of their Twitter bio to let you know who is tweeting. They are doing it internally but the bio could just as easily have said that the person tweeting worked for an agency. Are you aware of any ag companies who are transparent about this, especially when they outsource it? What is your opinion?

So is the reason companies aren’t open about who is doing their social media because they think it will negatively impact their credibility? If so, what do they think their credibility is like when customers find out it’s not them? And they will find out!

I believe social media is very different than traditional forms of marketing like advertising. When you see an advertisement you aren’t wondering who produced it and you’re not trying to interact with it. However, how many ads do you know where the producer/agency has been news themselves for their creativity? It’s not unheard of. Don’t consumers assume the company outsourced the creation of their advertising?

Enough for now. Coming up soon, I’ll try to move on to right and wrong ways to use your social media channels and how to pick a “social media expert.”

The thirty second ad will air on Morning Joe between September 15th and October 12th in the Washington, DC media market. Nine spots per week. Morning Joe is a show viewed heavily by policy makers and influentials on Capitol Hill, in the White House, and all points in between. Morning Joe airs from 5am – 9am Eastern.

So, my shout-out is for you agencies and media companies to consider adding an AgWired schedule to your marketing budget.  We didn’t accept advertising for years until we believed we had created a product with staying power and an audience you would desire.  I think we have proven that.  The encouragement and support received from so many of you has been overwhelming and it’s what keeps me committed to AgWired.  We’re showing our support by investing in new mechanisms to increase the AgWired community with channels like our text delivered service, AgWired Mobile, and now the AgWired iPhone App.

So, if you want to promote your brand to your current and potential customers then contact me or our sales manager, Dave Larson, and we’ll create a customized schedule.  We’re creative and open to your ideas.

Finally, I’ll issue this additional invitation.  If you’re in an agency or ag media, send me a “guest post” and I’ll use it. For example, maybe your CEO wants to write a post about what sets your company apart from the rest of the industry, or maybe you’ve got a white paper you want to promote, whatever it is, email it to me and I’ll use it.  I’m offering this in addition to the regular releases you send us about adding staff, getting new clients, unveiling a new website, etc.  But I only want one.  If you’d like to write a series then let’s discuss that as a component of a promotional campaign.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope to hear from you!

To wrap up my web remote from Agriculture.com Curt and I talked about what the newly designed website means to advertisers. All of us in the media know how important they are to our success and Successful Farming has some very interesting opportunities for advertisers now and in the future. Curt says they’ve not only included more traditional advertising options like leader boards but also some creative ideas that don’t make an advertiser rely on click through’s only. There are new units available so the messages can stand alone. Additionally, advertisers have an opportunity to own a section. There are also opportunities for sponsored news. Listen to my interview with Curt to hear how your company can take advantage of the new Agriculture.com. Curt Blades Interview

Agriculture.com Public Launch Photo Album

The print advertisements will appear in monthly national magazines with an emphasis on food, health/fitness, parenting, lifestyle and men’s sports. Radio spots on nationally syndicated radio shows and satellite radio, combined with an outdoor advertising campaign in select markets, will follow shortly after the print ads launch. Public relations, health professional outreach, social media and retail promotional efforts round out this integrated effort.

Tender Pepper-Rubbed Strip Steaks with Grilled Vegetable Trio

Total Recipe Time: 40 to 45 minutes

2 boneless beef top loin (strip) steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 10 ounces each)
1 pound baby red-skinned potatoes, cut in half
3-1/2 ounces fresh pearl onions, unpeeled, cut in half
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt

Rub:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground mixed peppercorns (black, white, green and pink)

1. Place potatoes in microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on HIGH 2-1/2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Let stand 5 minutes to cool slightly. Thread potato halves onto 10 to 12-inch metal skewers. Thread onion halves onto separate metal skewers.
2. Combine Rub ingredients; reserve 2 teaspoons for garnish. Press remaining herb mixture evenly onto beef steaks.
3. Place steaks in center of grid over medium, ash-covered coals; arrange potatoes, onions and asparagus around steaks. Grill steaks, uncovered, 15 to 18 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 11 to 15 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Grill potatoes and onions 5 to 10 minutes (gas grill times remain the same) or until golden brown and tender; grill asparagus 6 to 10 minutes (covered, 8 to 12 minutes on gas grill) or until crisp-tender, turning occasionally.
4. Remove potatoes and onions from skewers; peel onions. Combine potatoes, onions, lemon juice, oil and lemon peel in large bowl. Toss to coat. Season with salt, as desired.
5. Carve steaks into slices. Season with salt, as desired; sprinkle with reserved herb mixture. Serve steaks with grilled vegetables.

Makes 4 servings

Cook’s Tip: To make asparagus spears easier to turn on the grill, thread them ladder-style onto two 10 to 12-inch metal skewers. Insert a skewer about 1 inch from each end of spear, leaving small space between spears. Use tongs to turn entire asparagus “ladder” for even cooking.

Nutrition information per serving: 219 calories; 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat); 84 mg cholesterol; 64 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0.4 g fiber; 31 g protein; 8.9 mg niacin; 0.7 mg vitamin B6; 1.8 mcg vitamin B12; 2.2 mg iron; 36.2 mcg selenium; 5.8 mg zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc; and a good source of iron.

Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq:CTAS), North America’s largest uniform supplier, has partnered with Carhartt, a global manufacturer of premium workwear, to offer Carhartt garments for the first time in a Uniform Rental Program.

With Ducks Unlimited® acting as media sponsor, contest organizers will reach out to the American workforce to identify people who are strong, dependable, resilient and rugged.
Beginning on April 30, three finalists will be announced each quarter. After a year’s time, all twelve finalists will be featured on the contest website where the public will be encouraged to cast votes for the toughest of the tough. Two Grand Prize winners will receive either a weekend duck hunt trip designed by Ducks Unlimited® or a trip to The STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series in 2011.

If you think you’re tough enough, submit a short essay and photograph for this contest here.

Violinist beavers and screaming chickens aside, I have two commercials that win the top spot in my eyes. First, the Doritos commercial with the little boy talking to his mom’s boyfriend. He slaps him and says, “You don’t touch my momma, and you don’t touch my Doritos.” My second favorite advertisement was by Google. They played out a love story through a procession of Google searches, starting from a study abroad trip to Paris and ending with “how to assemble a crib,” at the conclusion. Very sweet.

So, just for fun this morning, what was your favorite Super Bowl ad? And, who had the worst?

Here is a description of what my blog is all about: I’m a farm girl at heart, and I feel pretty lucky to have made my passion and hobby into a career that I love. I enjoy a medium rare ribeye steak and a glass of Merlot, with the company of friends or family.

Follow me on Twitter @AmandaNolz or check out the Ag in Action Facebook Page. Thanks for your support in my new endeavor!

Pfizer Animal Health

In other recent news, Pfizer Animal Health unveiled a new look in October after its acquisition of Wyeth, including its subsidiary Fort Dodge Animal Health. The acquisition makes the company the, “world’s leader in the discovery, development, manufacture and sales of veterinary vaccines and medicines for livestock and companion animals.”

In a company press statement, Clint Lewis, president of U.S. Operations for Pfizer Animal Health said of the acquisition, “We’re extremely proud to offer our customers even more best-in-class and innovative products. The products, services and expertise we are gaining strengthen what is already a robust U.S. portfolio and will enhance our leading position in the animal health marketplace.”

The biggest challenge for marketers was integrating Web analytics with other marketing solutions, cited by 46% of respondents. Verifying the accuracy of data was a problem for 41% of marketers, while 32% reported trouble with analytics that were not comprehensive and 29% complained of budgets that were too small.

I take exception to the statement above about analytics proving success. If by analytics they mean just web analytics. By this I mean that just because I can deliver a ton of impressions (visits, visitors, clicks, click throughs, etc.) it doesn’t mean the company sold anything. But how often does an agency or marcomm staff member justify an investment by providing a report that says, “We spent X$’s and got a story that aired on 200 radio stations, a feature in a publication with 100,000 “subscribers” and a web banner or post that had 10,000 visitors.” Wow. Sounds good. But what was the result? Did they sell more? Did that story actually air on those stations? Who listened? Did every subscriber read the feature in that magazine? Did every web visitor see and/or click through on the banner or post? How often do you get that much detail? Ever?

I want to find out how you agrimarketers are tackling this issue. What metrics do you want from the web? What is meaningful? What form do you want it in? Are there certain services or software you prefer? If you place a banner ad, what do you want reported to you? How often do you need to see information? What do you consider reasonable?

This is a very important issue in today’s new media world and one that I have spent countless hours researching and discussing. As ZimmComm has developed online communities that revolve around a blog I don’t think reporting unique website visitors is very helpful for you in evaluating an investment in an advertising order. Why? Because there are over 12 other measurements that have nothing to do with website visitors that need to be considered. Here’s an example:

Let’s look at one day’s traffic on AgWired. It can be as high as 1,000 unique visitors. If I post your story does that mean that only 1,000 people saw it? No way!!!!! Consider that there are almost 1,000 subscribers to the AgWired RSS feed. They may not visit the site. That’s part of the value of the RSS feed. Consider that every post goes to my Twitter account with almost 1,600 followers and that every time one of my tweets is re-tweeted, it is seen by their followers. Consider that Twitter feeds my Facebook profile where I have 350 friends. Consider that this also updates my FriendFeed. Consider that the images or video I’m using in the story may be included in my Flickr or YouTube account. Consider that there are over 40 other websites that have installed the AgWired widget which displays homepage posts on their website. I’m not even counting the other less used social networking mechanisms I’m utilizing like Posterous, MySpace, etc.

But even beyond the above, what about the search engine aspect of all those places on the web that I have posted/distributed content that are now showing up in key word search results or key word news alerts? What about all the people who are re-publishing my information or sending it to their friends, neighbors and colleagues? Of course now you’ll ask the question, “Who are these visitors?” That’s a topic for another post.

Yeah. It adds up and all the sudden the total number of impressions for that one post could grow from the initial 1,000 unique visitor impressions to as many as 5,000 impressions. In fact, this number may only be good for just that one day or point in time. All our stories are archived. We never delete them. How much higher will that number grow within the next week, month and year?

This is what I’m talking about. This is what we do and excel at. This is what we preach and this is what can help grow your brand.

In this low key setting, the cattle women volunteers didn’t have to bring visitors into a booth in the busy streets of Sturgis; instead, the bikers came to them in a stop along the way. There was food, drinks, free horseback rides, photos, beef jerky samples and beef certificates for the rally goers. And, it seemed the bikers were happy to receive the great hospitality that awaited them there at the Stone House Saloon.

The main objective of this promotion was to encourage the bikers to enjoy South Dakota beef during their visit. In addition to free beef samples and certificates, the cattle women passed out surveys and were readily available to answer questions and concerns about beef cattle production.

This was a great opportunity to interact with rally goers about the different beef issues and to reassure them that beef is still a healthy and great tasting choice. The location and atmosphere ended up being a perfect spot because it was out in the middle of a pasture next to a windmill in a relaxed setting where the cattle women could literally sit down and visit with and discuss issues the rally goers may have about beef. Congratulations on a great event!

Of course, these projects take time, and I have to balance these ideas with my writing and speaking duties, as well. Yet, my hope is to help my parents really develop the NOLZ Limousin brand as one that people in the industry will recognize. Today, my questions for AgWired readers include the following: What are you looking for in a good newsletter and website? How long is the newsletter? What topics should it address? What’s the best programs for developing professional online and print materials? How often does a newsletter need to be sent out? Can it easily be sent via email, too?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! I’m learning as I go. I’m definitely not a graphic designer! HELP!

Amanda Nolz
Blogger
Speaker
Daughter
Cowgirl
Student

Sept. 16, 2009 – SDSU Beef Leadership Experience Opening Keynote, Brookings, SD; Address to SDSU animal science freshmen on the importance of getting involved. I will also be speaking to the Block and Bridle group that evening to expand upon the same topic.

Oct. 9-11, 2009 – 2010 National Beef Ambassador Contest, Fort Smith, AR; I will present the inspirational keynote to the ambassador contestants, as well as present a workshop to the CattleWomen on online social networking.

Nov. 21, 2009 – Agriculture Banquet, SD Department of Ag, Pierre, SD; keynote address, “What Happened to the Next Generation of Agriculturalists?”

Jan. 30-31, 2010 – North Dakota Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference, Minot, ND.

Feb. 12-13 – Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference, Frankenmuth, MI.

As we’re well into the dog days of summer, Midwest corn and soybean harvest is looming larger. If you haven’t started combine prep already, it’s time to dust off those owner’s manuals to fine-tune the machine and its data-gathering electronics.

Ag Leader Technology, a sponsor of PrecisionPays.com, offers some good advice in a pre-harvest checklist for owners of their InSight and EDGE displays:

• Create a backup of your spring information.
• Select Copy All Files to save the spring data to the memory card.
• Make sure your display firmware, manual and all connected modules are up-to-date.
• Firmware and manual updates can be found on its website under Support. If you have purchased a new combine or new heads, create new configurations for any setup that is different from last fall. Remove all old configurations.

Combine Inspection
• Check to make sure all cables are properly attached and in good condition.
• Remove flow sensor and inspect for damage.
• Check the elevator deflector and impact plate for wear. Verify you have the proper clearance at the top of the clean grain elevator. Clearance should be between 3/8” and 5/8”.

Other items on the Ag Leader checklist include: sensor calibration, header stop height, distance calibration, temperature and moisture check and grain weight. Consult your manual in all cases. And if you’ve lost it, you can find them on the website.

For more information on pre-harvest preparation, Check out these links:

Yield monitor calibration: Garbage in garbage out – Purdue University.
Yield monitor calibration tips – Ohio State University.
Tips to cut combine breakdowns – Corn & Soybean Digest.

Ag Leader Technology publishes a periodic newsletter called “Insights.” You can subscribe to an rss feed of their news releases and the newsletter with this link.

But a PETA spokeswoman told our news partner Channel 4, it’s not about making people feel bad. “People are bombarded with ads for food that make them fat and unhappy.”

PETA says the billboard is taking a humorous approach to grabbing people’s attention.

What do you think? Another distasteful media attempt by PETA? Here are a few sample comments from the article on WOKV.com…

“Obesity is not linked with eating meat, it’s from lack of exercise. Peta had no right to compare overweight women to whales becuase they eating meat. Meat is GOOD!!! People Eating Tasty Animals! =D” By Kristina

“Keep your laws off my lunch” By ozzzy4444

“I think PETA and other Liberal groups need to stop telling others how to live their own lives, or try dictating what choice they make for themselves.” By Craig

“It’s not about eating too much meat, it’s about eating too many calories.” By Barry

Anyway, in my overnight duties of watching over the 4-H livestock, I spent a lot of time doing several things: drinking coffee and catching up on blogging (two thumbs up for internet access in the barn!) It must have been the caffeine overdose, or the fact that it stormed, or that I was all alone in the dark, but I had a lot of time to reflect on life and write out some goals for the future.

Now, this may not be the direction you thought my ramblings were going to go, but I have some thoughts I wanted to run by you this morning. I need a website asap. Why? Because I want to promote my work as an agriculture speaker. I’m getting new jobs all the time, but I’m hoping to do more than word-of-mouth advertising. I would like a place to showcase my speech topics, workshops and writing highlights to help launch my speaking career.

So, this is where you come in. What makes a good website? What features keep visitors coming back for more? How extensive does a promotional website need to be? Should it tie in with my current blogging somehow? What should the website be called? How often does it need to be updated? Should it include a newsletter? It’s your turn to weigh in; I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! In the meantime, I’m off to catch a catnap between shows. I’ve still got another dose of night duty tomorrow, and I NEED to catch some shuteye!

In 2008, 13% of marketers leveraged social networks in their email marketing strategy. This number is set to explode in 2009 with 46% of marketers planning to use social sharing capabilities in the coming year—representing nearly a fourfold increase (ExactTarget 2009 Email Marketing List Growth Study).

Expanding the Reach of Email Through Social Media contains insights ExactTarget gathered from more than 350 marketers in our 2009 Email Marketing List Growth Study. This whitepaper is a must-read for anyone interested in using social sharing capabilities to extend the reach of your message, drive deeper engagement with customers and their online communities, and build your subscriber list.

PETA plans to have billboards in the Wichita area that promote vegetarianism, prompted by abortion Dr. George Tiller’s murder. The group hopes that the billboards will help pro-life and pro-choice advocates find common ground in support for animal rights.

“People who are pro-choice shouldn’t choose cruelly produced foods, just as pro-life folks shouldn’t support deadly slaughterhouses,” says PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich in a press release. “It’s time for everyone to reject violence and live up to their ideals–if you’re truly acting out of a desire to end suffering, start with what you put on your plate.”

The Wichita Eagle reports that PETA’s campaign manager Lindsay Rajt said while the billboards are not yet up, PETA has no plans to cancel the campaign.

To read the entire article, link here.

According to Facebook, there are several benefits of using Ads for Pages including:

1. Without leaving the page they are viewing, users can become a Fan directly from the ad
2. When a user becomes a Fan of your Page from the ad, a story is published in the user’s Wall
3. This story is eligible to show in Highlights- creating free distribution in the social graph
4. Users will see friends who have become a Fan of your Page in their version of the ad – increasing the relevancy of your ad.

Unfortunately, this application is not free. You will never pay more than your max bid per click (CPC). Cost-per-click includes clicks on your title, image, body and clicks on the “Become a Fan” link. It does not include clicks on the friend actions.

To create a Facebook ad for your page, link here. For more information, link here.

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council today announced an impressive lineup of judges for the Council’s contest to rewrite “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”so that it includes a long-overdue reference to hot dogs.

Judges will include Washington D.C.’s “Man About Town,” Bob Madigan,of WTOP radio; Chicago news and sports personality Bob Sirott of NBC5 ; hot dog historian Bruce Kraig, author of the new book Hot Dog; Agri-talk Radio Host Mike Adams; and Eric Haman, corporate communications manager at Hatfield Quality Meats and star of the YouTube sensation “The Hatfield Hot Dog Launcher.”

Entries must be received by June 12, 2009. Winners will be announced at the start of National Hot Dog Month July 1 and will be featured in an online video on the Hot Dog Council’s YouTube channel.

For details on prizes and how to enter, link to the American Meat Institute.

This was my first half marathon, and I was proud to hear my name called as I crossed the finish line, announcing that I was running in support of beef. My jersey proudly said, “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner,” and it earned me quite a few comments and cheers throughout the race. Although my muscles were sore from the intensity of the race, my heart was proud of myself for finishing the race within my goal time.

If you are a runner or are interested in promoting agriculture in unique ways such as this, I encourage you to check out Team ZIP. There is a great bunch of folks that are a part of that group, and they are not only dedicated to living healthy, but also in protecting the integrity of the agriculture industry. I’m so proud to be a part of this group!

AgClassifieds.com is not just one site , but a growing network of ag related sites. In 2008 this network attracted 3 million visitors and 17 million pageviews looking for ag equipment . Many savvy marketers have been asking us for the ability to promote their inventory to these same farmers and after careful consideration for a long time, our new business model was launched.

Unlike other companies who provide dealer sites or many of the classified sites that offer free ads trying to attract traffic, The Agclassifieds network leverages aggregate traffic that is already viewing the participating websites for ag content and simply gives even more equipment options to these farmers. There will be many more sites added during Q2 of 2009.

For more information please contact Dwayne Leslie at 204-267-2730 or at dwayne@agclassifieds.com

First up is Best of Show, Advertising
(Left to Right)
Tom Bigelow, Bigelow Advertising
Rick Radermacher, Bigelow Advertising
Chris Lund, AGCO Application Equipment

The next ones are Best of Show, Public Relations
(Left to Right)
Paul Durham, Martin/Williams
Kim Dawson, Syngenta
Kerry Henderson, Gibbs & Soell

And then we have Best of Show, Specialty
(Left to Right)
Richard Williams, Archer>Malmo
James Ward, Archer>Malmo
Mike Butler, Archer>Malmo

Congratulations to all winners and finalists!

NAMA Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by:
and .

“Buyers and sellers both are embracing the concept, even though it’s a fairly new idea to the industry,” says Nate DeWald, project manager of the Online Auction feature. The company reports that over $1 million worth of equipment has been auctioned in just the first few weeks since the feature’s introduction.

The company also has the live auction feature available on their MachineryFinder.com website.

So, what are the exciting events at Little International? How do we work to promote and publicize this event? Well, if you have never taken part in an event like this, I will fill you in. To start, there are several judging contests for FFA, 4-H and collegiate students to compete in, including: livestock, dairy, horses, dairy products, floriculture, nursery landscape, land and natural resources, farm business management, crops, meats evaluation and ag sales. Students can also exhibit crops, hay and wool samples for judging. In addition, college students can show livestock and compete for the Round Robin showmanship champion and reserve titles. There is also the High Point Freshman and Upperclassman awards that include a combination of all of these contests. The student that scores the highest and competes in the most contests secures this award. (I won these two awards back-to-back, the first girl in 86 years to do so! It is one of my favorite memories of my college experience!) Finally, there are scholarships awards available to the top showman, highpointers and highschool qualifiers.

To say the least, this is a huge event that celebrates agriculture and the people in it. The staff nominates an annual award called the Honored Agriculturalists, and this year’s award went to the Sharon Odegaard family from Lake Preston, S.D. To bring in a crowd, we have entertainment such as old timers showmanship, ag olympics and the national anthem sang by a featured singer in the community. We place radio spots and newspaper advertisements to help spread the word, along with sending out invitations to parents, sponsors and area legislators. I’m proud to have been a part of the Little International experience during my time at SDSU. Have you ever been to an event like this? What did you like about it? What can we as students do to get a larger crowd next year? Your advice would be greatly appreciated by the incoming staff members! Thanks for your help!

It’s nice to be ahead of the curve don’t you think? Hopefully, a growing number of you agrimarketers out there are jumping onto the online bandwagon. Your customers are already there. Yes, farmers too. But how many of you still can’t grasp the concept of what a blog is or Twitter? Agencies, how are you really serving your client’s needs when you don’t understand the concepts much less the technology? Is pasting a paragraph of text on a web page a blog? No. But I still see some of these weak attempts to “get with it.”

I know that there are many of you who get it. But there are still a lot who don’t. Take a look at this excerpt from a story on AdWeek about an IBM consumer research project.

NEW YORK Ad agencies are years behind in catching up to digitally savvy consumers who are moving their media habits online more quickly than expected, according to new global research from the IBM Institute for Business Value.

The first thing that popped into my mind was, “than who expected?” It has seemed obvious for years that consumers (farmers) were moving media habits online. Even ag industry research like the USDA NASS surveys and NAFB has shown this.

IBM found that between 2007 and 2008, the proportion of consumers saying they used social-networking tools soared to 60 percent from 33 percent; for online and portable music services it more than doubled to 46 percent; mobile Internet nearly tripled to 41 percent; and access to mobile music and video quadrupled to 35 percent.

In contrast, 80 percent of the ad executives interviewed expect the industry to be at least five years away from being able to deliver cross-platform advertising, encompassing sales, delivery, measurement and analysis.

Five years away from being able to effectively place your client advertising dollars? I’m not sure I get that. I think what it means is that social networking and new media channels of communication don’t fit into nice little computer programs with pretty charts and graphs. It would be nice if it did but while we wait for people who are way geekier than me to come up with all that, how about getting started and investing your media dollars where your customers are? Spend a portion of it at least and start to figure it out before someone else does and you’re wondering where all your business went.

Most new media advertising is less expensive than traditional media. Is it possible that the fear that “we won’t make as much money” is keeping some back from investing in it?

You might want to take a look at the IBM research which is available online:

Beyond advertising: Choosing a strategic path to the digital consumer (pdf)
By Saul Berman, Bill Battino and Karen Feldman

Succeeding in the new economic environment: Focus on value, opportunity, speed (pdf)
By Saul Berman, Steven Davidson, Sara Longworth and Amy Blitz

via Steve Rubel (his Twitter feed btw)

As I played tourist for a few days, I read something at Mount Rushmore that had me thinking. Sculptor Gutzom Borglum had a vision to engrave the faces of four great American faces into a granite rock in the legendary Black Hills. The museum exhibit explained Borglum’s efforts to gain public support for this privately funded project. To help earn popularity with the nation’s people, Borglum made posters to advertise the dynamite blasts. Everyone was invited to watch the explosions.

Today, we don’t use homemade posters and dynamite to reach our audiences. Instead, we focus on utilizing social networking tools to enhance our brand, spread the word about our causes and promote our work. I’m wondering what your favorite marketing tools are? In comparing the techniques of the past to the methods of today, it’s quite an impressive change.

However, we now have another new organization. This time it’s the Corn Farmers Coalition.

When corn prices spiked last year, big food manufacturers and oil companies claimed there wasn’t enough corn to feed everyone and make ethanol.

“Washington needs to know that corn farmers are using some of the most advanced technologies on the planet to do more with less — to grow more corn using fewer resources every year,” said Mark K. Lambert, Director of the Corn Farmers Coalition. “American corn farmers, the majority of them small business people, are among the most productive in the world.”

This thought occured to me over the weekend when I attended the 2009 SDSU Alpha Gamma Rho – Block & Bridle Steer Show at the Swiftel Center in Brookings, S.D. With over 120 cattle exhibited representing six different states, it was an exciting time to look at a great number of quality cattle. Aside from looking at livestock and visiting with area beef producers, I had time to ask the show chairpersons how they put on this event every year.

I discovered that this cattle event is run completely by sponsorship dollars and volunteer helpers. A 50/50 raffle helped raise money for the agriculture sorority, Sigma Alpha. Hand-made signs hanging around the ring gave credit to sponsors, 90% of the money coming from ranchers not companies. A radio played and a local commercial came on playing an ad for a bull sale coming up. In all of its simplicity, these marketing and management methods were the ingredients for a successful agriculture event.

As we kick off another week, I want to talk about the marketing strategies you have tried in the past. Are you pursuing advanced technologies to spread the word about your respective product? Are you Tweeting, Facebooking and blogging? Are you sticking with the traditional word-of-mouth approach? Or, are you using the basics of posters, radio spots and television commercials? I’m excited to hear about your marketing strategies!