Agri-Insights Issue 17

TRAFFIC JAMS ON YOUR WEBSITE

MERGER MADNESS

A BLOGGING REVIVAL

IT JUST TAKES A GOOD STORY

ISSUE 2 | 2017

Web & Digital Marketing—and More!

VIDEO ON A PRINTED PAGE? SEE FOR YOURSELF —PAGE 17

IN THIS ISSUE To be young again! Chasing the dream you’ve had since you were little, riding on tractors with your dad. Tromping through fields and foliage in eastern North Dakota along the Red River. Learning all you can about plants and weeds. Not for everyone, you say? It is for Mackenzie Derry, who has a thirst for healthy soil and an appreciation for anything that grows in it.

Mackenzie is used to digging deep to get results. We encourage you to do the same when it comes to your marketing. Our last issue of Agri-Insights provided you with important marketing tools on CONTENT, PLANNING, PHOTOGRAPHY and more—all designed to help take your business to the NEXT LEVEL.

Agri-Insights magazine is published by VistaComm, a marketing firm that helps agribusinesses communicate better and grow faster. With smart and successful clients coast-to-coast, the purpose of Agri-Insights is to provide you with a collection of the most profitable and best business practices.

We’re still on that journey with you. And in this issue, we bring you more strategic tips and tactical trends we’ve learned helping business clients just like you.

The NEXT LEVEL is well within reach thanks to tried and true information on WEB DESIGN, STORYTELLING, ON-PAGE SEO and MEASURABLE MARKETING. Although there’s an ag flavor in some features, the information on the next 22 pages of Agri-Insights is nurturing for any business. DIG IN!

Topics have been selected from VistaComm’s extensive library of solutions and profit-based experiences.

Client names and testimonials are used only when permission is granted.

For more information, visit: www.VistaComm.com Please provide address change to: VistaComm 1401 North C Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104 844.453.9261 Agri-Insights is published by VistaComm and its associates. All materials within are subject to copyrights owned by VistaComm. Any reproduction of all or part of any document found in Agri-Insights is expressly prohibited, unless VistaComm or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, retransmit or republish the material. All other rights reserved.

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AGRI-INSIGHTS ISSUE 2 2017

©2017 VistaComm®• All Rights Reserved.

PHOTO: Mackenzie Derry

Meet Mackenzie: After interning the last two summers with CHS Ag Services in Grand Forks, ND, Mackenzie is now back to the books as a junior at North Dakota State University. HER GOAL: A bachelor’s degree in crop and weed science with an emphasis in soils, and a minor in ag business.

On the Cover: An old yellow truck sits on a section line corner in north central South Dakota. On that same piece of ground, a pioneer schoolhouse used to stand. Today, the old Dodge is all that remains of a piece of prairie where school children learned, lived and played. (Photo by Katie Nold) 844.453.9261

CONTENTS

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4

WATCH DARCY COME to LIFE!

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17

21

PLANNING A NEW WEBSITE? YOUR WEBSITE IS LIKE A 4 12 Tried and true tips to avoid GARDEN.

OUR ANSWER MAY BE: 18 YBLOGGING!

TIMES MAY BE TOUGH. 6 Lowering prices may not be the

STUDY YOU’VE GOT 20 ATOCASE READ.

design disaster.

answer.

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TORYTELLING—THE WAY S TO GO! Get your point across through a story.

OUTREACH …

10 C…OMMUNITY often results in customer loyalty.

Keep it pruned, weeded and always growing!

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T HERE IT IS AGAIN—SEO Make your website work hard for you.

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AKE YOUR NEWSLETTER M A HOT COMMODITY. Produce a publication they can’t wait to read.

A good traffic jam to have.

Sioux Automation Center’s got it goin’ on!

SURE ARE A LOT OF 21 MERGERS LATELY!

DON’T MISS THE CHANCE!

Watch video delivered via the printed page.

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Practical communication advice from start to finish.

w you ca n (T he n, fi nd out ho in your next us e this sa m e tool azin e.) ne w slette r or m ag ISSUE 2 2017 AGRI-INSIGHTS

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WEB DESIGN

By Jamie O’Brien, VistaComm Vice President of Operations Burke Perry, VistaComm Senior Journalist

AVOID WEB DESIGN DISASTER

Developing a website design that’s both visually stunning and effective at meeting business objectives requires a productive collaboration between client and web design team, with both playing a vital role in the outcome. Here are ways you can improve this partnership to ensure a positive, effective outcome.

FOCUS ON PROBLEMS, NOT SOLUTIONS Yes, that sounds wrong. But, to get the most from your designer, that’s where your focus needs to be. For example, if you’re worried the color choices won’t sit well with your audience, tell your designer—along with the reason for your concern. Let the designer come up with a solution. Both you and your designer are then playing to your strengths—you are employing your knowledge of your audience, and your designer is utilizing creativity and knowledge of the medium.

53%

of website site visits are abandoned if pages take longer than three seconds to load.* *DoubleClick by Google, 2016.

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REMEMBER: CENTER YOUR WEB DESIGN ON USER NEEDS AND BUSINESS OBJECTIVES Don’t get bogged down in design details. That’s the designer’s job. Instead, ask yourself two questions. How will users respond to this design? Will it meet my objectives?

ALWAYS ASK, “WHY?” When people tell you what they think of the design, always ask them why they feel the way they do. Why don’t they like the color? Why do they think the logo should be bigger?

Giving the designer more than “I just don’t like it” will help find the most appropriate solution.

RECOGNIZE YOUR PERSONAL BIAS We all have our opinion when it comes to design—a mental list of images, colors and combinations we like (or hate). At the end of the day, it’s not about whether you (or your boss) like the design. The question is, will the prospective user like it?

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ALWAYS TEST If you find yourself unsure about the design direction, test the design.

And if you love the way things are going, test the design. Testing is not time consuming or expensive. Plus, it will give you confidence—and hard evidence—that things are headed in the right direction.

IN THE DIGITAL WORLD, NOTHING IS PERMANENT Unlike print, your website can be changed at any time. If your site goes live and users don’t approve, it can be altered with relative ease.

RESIST THE URGE TO COPY There’s nothing wrong with checking out your competition. We encourage it—for inspiration. However, blindly following what other people do is usually a mistake. Design a site that reflects who you are, what you want to say, and how you plan to do business. Designing a “me-too” site just puts you behind.

CHOOSE YOUR DECISION-MAKERS WISELY Showing your design to too many people can muddy the decision-making process. Instead, keep the number of people involved to a select few, and make sure you thoroughly brief anyone viewing the design so they know the rationale behind what they’re seeing. One last tip: Canvas their opinions individually to avoid the dreaded “design by committee.”

FOR MORE INFO

In developing our new website, we appreciated having someone to work with who had both content and design expertise in web, digital and social media. At Kanza, we need to speak to all generations. VistaComm fit the bill for everything, plus they have extensive experience with ag-based content and marketing for cooperatives. We were happy with the process.

NICHOLAS KREHBIEL | Chief Compliance Officer | Kanza Cooperative Association

If you’re looking for a talented web design team—someone to guide you through the process, look to VistaComm—it’s what we do! Contact us to learn more: 844-453-9261.

3 CRITICAL TESTS FOR YOUR WEBSITE

By Emily Robinson, VistaComm Designer/Project Manager

1. DOES IT LOOK PROFESSIONAL? The average human attention span is now just eight seconds.

That’s how long your site has to make a first impression. So … does your website immediately come across as credible, trustworthy, inviting and solid?

2. DOES IT LOAD QUICKLY? A snazzy website design is worthless if it doesn’t load quickly. Bells and whistles can be a distraction and harm the site’s performance.

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Make sure flashy animation and video are absolutely necessary to communicate your message.

3. CAN A VISITOR FIND WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR? Think of website navigation as a street map. Your visitor wants to know where to go next— it should be obvious. Keep navigation simple, make sure contact information appears on all pages, and add internal links in your text so readers can “jump” to more detail on other pages.

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SERVICE

By Jane Wooldridge VistaComm Journalist

Think VALUE, not just PRICE 2017 is the fourth consecutive year of a downward slide in the ag economy. So what are producers doing to “keep the lights on” during this downturn? For starters, they’re looking for ways to spend less and produce more—not an easy formula to master. And they’re likely pushing for lower prices on input costs.

If you’re an ag marketer, you’re in an awkward position. Do you cut your margins—already razor thin—so you can give price-sensitive customers the breaks they want? Or do you hold steady on prices, and search for ways to add more value for customers?

According to Will Secor, a Purdue University ag economist*, you might see some short-term gains by dropping prices. But it’s a different story in the long run.

EFFECT OF CUTTING PRICES TO GAIN SALES DURING A TOUGH AG ECONOMY: • Erodes value perceptions of your brand.

• Reveals just how much margin is built into your prices.

• Makes it difficult to raise prices in the future.

As an alternative, Secor suggests getting a better understanding of what your customers and prospects find most valuable in the products and services they use. Then adjust your offerings to communicate value during this economic downturn.

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AGRI-INSIGHTS ISSUE 2 2017

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRICE AND VALUE A cheap price focuses on what your customer pays, not what they get. Whereas value focuses on getting more for the money they spend.

In terms of marketing in agriculture, value means more than the seed, chemicals or feed you’re selling. It means everything that goes with it—expertise, delivery, application, grain marketing and more. And it goes even further than that.

• There’s value in working with an ag business your farm customers trust.

• There’s value in doing business with an ag cooperative where farmer members share in profits.

• There’s value in supporting a local business, which in turn supports local employees and the communities in which they all live.

*SeedWorld, December 2016, “Navigating a Tough Ag Economy”

VistaComm has helped farm cooperatives and ag businesses for the last 20 years retain and grow sales numbers ... even during down cycles. Find out what we offer to support your efforts. Visit www.Vistacom.com.

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HOW TO ZERO IN ON WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS VALUE MOST According to an article from Purdue University*, you should find out what your customers value most about your products or services by asking questions like these: 1. How do farmers compare product performance versus price? How do volume or quantity discounts figure in?

2. W hat is important to farm customers in terms of delivery time, financing, technical support and warranties?

3. What does service mean to them?

•D o they see it as traditional services, such as fertilizer applications?

• Do they want data support and analysis?

4. Are they loyal to a brand? Which brand? How loyal?

5. How important are the relationships with their salesperson?

As you face economic challenges, rethink how you position your products and services. From a marketing standpoint, this impacts what you say … and how you say it.

8.7%

According to the USDA’s February 2017 Farm Income Forecast, net farm income will decline by 8.7% this year.

The folks at VistaComm have always been committed to “getting it right.” Whenever we have to revise or even restart a project to get it right, they have risen to the challenge with a positive attitude.

They also understand that our business has budget constraints and they work hard to bring projects in under budget and to communicate openly with us about billing.

Mac Ehrhardt, Owner/President Albert Lea Seed House | Albert Lea, Minn.

*SeedWorld, December 2016, “Navigating a Tough Ag Economy” VISTACOMM.COM

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STORYTELLING

By Darcy Maulsby VistaComm Staff Journalist

A MOST POWERFUL MARKETING TOOL It happens all too often. Well-meaning ag companies are excited to share updates about their grain marketing tools, but a laundry list of every contract available is presented in a newsletter article or online update. Important information, but overwhelming and confusing. It’s like making your clients wander aimlessly through a big-box store, with no assistance in sight, when all they want is a package of AA batteries.

As a VistaComm journalist, it happened to me recently when a client wanted to share a complete list of every grain marketing contract available at his cooperative. I was concerned all this data would be hard for readers to wade through. The biggest risk? Readers might skip the article entirely.

I suggested we try a different approach.

The most compelling stories are often best told through your customers’ own words. When my client decided to focus on Decision Rules Contracts (DRCs) in its newsletter, I asked the grain merchandisers if a client might put in a good word about DRCs.

Instead of detailing every contract available, I encouraged the client to let me tell a story and showcase a different contract in each quarterly newsletter.

They loved the idea and connected me with a helpful corn and soybean grower. While I’ve changed the names for this example, here’s how I started the story:

Storytelling is one of the most powerful content marketing tools available.

It’s an inviting way to inform customers and prospects about your products and services. A story is fun to read, when it’s written right. An effective story positions you as the expert. Best of all, a story isn’t “salesy” yet it can help grow your business.

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YOUR STORY, TOLD IN YOUR CUSTOMERS’ WORDS

AGRI-INSIGHTS ISSUE 2 2017

Farmer Morgan knows how daunting grain marketing can be. “You’ve never heard any farmer say they’ve done the best possible job with their marketing, right?” said the northwest Iowa corn and soybean grower.

Farmer Morgan and his father had traditionally made cash sales at fall delivery and used a little forward selling. “You question your decisions, though,” Farmer Morgan said. “You don’t know when to pull the trigger.”

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CASE STUDY

BY THE BOOK There are five things author Darcy Maulsby, 15-year veteran of VistaComm, knows for sure when it comes to getting a message across in writing:

That’s why Farmer Morgan attended a grain marketing seminar at his co-op. He was intrigued by the co-op’s grain marketing tools and made an appointment with a merchandiser, who helped him tailor a marketing plan for his needs, including DRCs. “He explained that DRCs aren’t a one-and-done, where you’re trying to hit a home run,” Farmer Morgan said. “It’s like hitting a series of doubles and triples, which made a lot of sense to me.”

Instead of talking about the technicalities of bushel enrollments, floor prices, priced bushels and more, this article explains the basics of how DRCs work and solve farmers’ real-world marketing challenges.

The goal? Show what DRCs mean to real farmers, in terms of more effective grain marketing, less stress and greater peace of mind.

Don’t give them 4, give them

1. Focus on your audience and speak their language.

2. W hen interviewing for a story, ask compelling questions.

3. Everyone likes a story—bring it to life with details.

4. Add captivating photos and graphics.

5. Marketing message + story = strong relationships and sales.

Darcy calls these 5 her “Recipe for Success,” and she’s had lots of practice using them in writing several non-fiction books of Iowa history focused on farming, small-town life and food. Check out her latest—Culinary History of Iowa: Sweet Corn, Pork Tenderloins, MaidRites and More.

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MORE FUN, LESS WORRY, BETTER RESULTS At VistaComm, we encourage our clients to think outside the box—to take a more engaging approach they hadn’t thought of, like skipping the data dump of information and opting for a powerful story well told. Take this approach and prepare for more fun, less worry and better results with stories that resonate with your audience.

FOR MORE INFO For helpful, solid story ideas, go to VistaComm.com/content-crisis. This listing is sure to make the job of planning your next publication a whole lot easier.

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(Culinary History of Iowa, Calhoun County and Dallas County are available on Amazon.com.)

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OUTREACH

By Jane Wooldridge VistaComm Journalist

MAYBE YOU SHOULD BUY A BASEBALL TEAM? CUSTOMER LOYALTY = COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Well, maybe not BUY a team, but consider SPONSORING a local club. Think about it. Community involvement has always been a cornerstone of the small town rural business model. And now, with the trend toward fewer large companies serving more communities, it’s important to establish a spirit of goodwill that stretches across your entire service area.

Here are some ways you can showcase your dedication to community involvement. Think about how you can extend community outreach activities to include any newly acquired businesses or locations. This will foster loyalty among your customers in these communities.

The number of co-ops in Kansas has fallen from 350 in the 1950s to approximately 80.* • If your business is a cooperative, start a special promotion at c-stores. For example, “1% Wednesday.” Your cooperative donates 1% of the location’s gross sales on a specific Wednesday

each month to benefit a nonprofit organization. The beneficiary could rotate to include school organizations, food banks and other specific local needs.

• Host get-to-know-us lunches at locations. Invite area members or customers to meet the people they may interact with from headquarters, such as management, accounting, agronomy, marketing and energy staff members.

One co-op sets up a barbecue grill at their C-store and hosts “Harvest Lunches” for camaraderie and convenience during the season.

• Establish school education programs focusing on items such as farm safety or grain marketing.

• Support local student organizations in all area high schools.

• Make scholarships available to all high school students throughout your area.

• Sponsor local events such as parades, festivals and sporting events.

• Adopt a highway in your area.

As the trend toward business mergers and consolidations continues, connecting with customers across a broad trade area will become a natural part of operations.

By starting as soon as possible after a re-structuring, you can set the groundwork for positive communication and acceptance from all your customers—old and new.

* http://www.agweb.com/article/farmer-co-ops-feeling-growing-pressures-to-merge-naa-debra-beachy

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Want help communicating the details of a merger? Call VistaComm at 844-453-9261, and be sure to read Dave Aeilt’s article beginning on Page 21 of this issue of Agri-Insights.

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Making marketing less painful since 1997

Tell your story. Engage your audience. Build your brand.

Brand Development and Strategy • • • •

Discovery and assessment sessions Brand development and design Strategic planning Corporate goal setting

Content • • • • • • •

Newsletters (print & digital) Magazines Visuals: photo journalism, infographics Web and blog content Video Corporate communications Ag newsroom services

Creative • • • • • • •

Logo/brand development Direct mail marketing Advertising Sales literature Annual reports Corporate communication materials Commemorative/special publications

Digital, Web & Mobile Solutions • • • • • •

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Web design Website/conversion optimization Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Heat mapping Pay-Per-Click (PPC)/Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Social media management

WEBSITE PLANNING

By Danny Andrews VistaComm Creative Services Assistant

THE LIFE C

WEB

A WEBSITE IS LIKE A VEGETABLE GARDEN.

It takes constant work—pruning, weeding and cultivating to nurture and produce the results you want. For your website, that translates to simple practices, such as updating content and online catalogs, adding fresh new stories, tips and tools, and linking relevant articles show users a dedication to your business and your customers. There’s another bonus, too. Constant attention to your site can increase your SEO ranking, putting you at the top of every search.

The life cycle of a website basically encompasses four different phases:

THE ANALYSIS PHASE:

YOUR GARDEN PLOT • Visit your existing website as a first-time viewer.

• Can you get to it quickly? Evaluate your load time.

• What are you looking for?

• Can you easily find needed information? (Or are the cucumbers hidden by overgrown tomato plants?)

• Overall, how does your site look?

• Considering these questions, decide what updates and improvements you want.

THE DESIGN PHASE:

MAKE A MAP • It’s time for a map of your website. (Where will you “plant” everything?)

• Get your content (seeds and seedlings) ready. Prepare updates, news articles, photos, charts, images and video.

• Who’s your audience? (Don’t plant beets if no one in the family will eat them!)

• Need the help of a “master gardener” or web design expert?

• How will you present your content? Consider color, graphics and design.

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CYCLE OF A

S IT E 3

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THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE:

TIME TO PLANT • Post your content online, making sure pieces fit and support each other.

• Testing is critical. Get a website developer to test your links, pages and options.

• Make sure your site loads quickly with no issues that might frustrate visitors.

• Does your “garden” look great from every angle—on desktops, laptops, cellphones?

THE OPTIMIZATION PHASE:

WATERING, WEEDING AND FERTILIZING • When compared to other sites, does yours stand out?

• Do you appear at the top of search results?

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ranking is ongoing. Regular changes help you stay relevant.

• Keep your website fresh and updated (Pull dead “plants” and prune others to promote growth.) Replace with new services, products and stories to keep your information “garden fresh” and interesting.

YOUR WEBSITE SHOULD NEVER HAVE A FINAL VERSION. The life cycle of a website continues on and on. Your launch is just the end of the beginning.

Once your website is up and running, the process starts all over again. Where are your site visitors going first? What are they totally missing? Adjustments have to be made. You might discover you must replant tomatoes because they grow best next to the asparagus.

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FOR MORE INFO Download your personal copy of our helpful e-book—Website Know-How: Grow Your Agribusiness with a Hard-Working Website at VistaComm.com/Optimize.

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SEO

PERFECTING ON-PAGE

By Maria Walz VistaComm CEO

When you sit down at your computer to find information on a particular topic, you go to one of many search engines—Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.—and type into a box words or phrases you hope will connect you to the information you want. You receive particular results because they relate to the words you typed in that box.

These keywords took you to the information you were looking for.

WHY KEYWORDS ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUR BUSINESS Now, let’s take a different direction. You are no longer searching. Instead, your company—or what you offer— is being searched for. It’s very important to your business success that searchers can find you. By using the right keywords in your website content, you ensure that potential customers connect with you when they start looking. It’s that simple.

81%

of people perform some type of online search before making a major purchase.* *Pat Ahern, JUNTO, 2017

There are advantages to being a franchise, but when it comes to getting the most out of my website, I need LOCAL resources! From day one, the VistaComm digital team educated me about SEO, web analytics, heat mapping and more—in a language I could understand and appreciate. I’m really looking forward to a steady stream of new customers from website leads that are solid and more regulated throughout the month.

KACIE CAWTHORNE | Office Manager/Marketing One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®, Harrisburg, SD 14

AGRI-INSIGHTS ISSUE 2 2017

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Marketing made measurable

VistaComm grows your business with data-driven strategies that prove your marketing is working.

TO OPTIMIZE MEANS TO IMPROVE, ENHANCE, ELEVATE OR BOOST Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is becoming a little clearer now, right? It’s simply using the BEST keywords in the RIGHT PLACES so search engines will automatically move your site to the top of the list, so the online user will click you first! You’re optimizing—and here are 10 easy and practical on-page SEO rules to follow: 1. Choose a rich, target keyword.

2. Use a short URL, one that includes your target keyword.

3. Start your title with your keyword.

4. Add modifiers—best, valuable, top—to your target keyword.

5. Use header tags and include your target keyword in at least one of your subheads.

6. Use outbound links to related pages on other websites.

7. Insert 2-3 internal links to other areas of your website.

8. Increase your page speed – visitors don’t like to wait.

9. Keep content short and engaging.

10. Use video, great images and infographics to engage the visitor and increase the time they spend on your site.

We can measure your success and you can measure ours!

What we do: • • • • •

Facebook marketing Google AdWords Remarketing Search engine optimization Conversion optimization

Actually, there isn’t enough room to list all the digital marketing services we provide.

Call today to set up a FREE consultation to learn exactly what VistaComm will do for you.

FOR MORE INFO Want to read more about this topic and others related to growing your business online? Visit VistaComm.com/Optimize to get your personal copy of our e-book — Website Know-How: Grow Your Agribusiness with a Hard-Working Website.

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PUBLICATIONS

By David Vanden Hull VistaComm Director of Sales and Inbound Marketing

TO GAIN READERS, IMPROVE YOUR CONTENT

4 5 B2B

Have you ever wondered what happens after your company’s newsletter or magazine hits mailboxes? In a perfect world, your customers or members would read it cover to cover. But more than likely, they just thumb through it looking for articles that interest them.

OUT OF

marketers use content for their lead generation efforts.*

So what can you do to beef up your publication so people will take time to read it? Here are a few helpful tips to increase your readership.

TALK TO CUSTOMERS ABOUT SUBJECTS IMPORTANT TO THEM Focus on information that’s different or newsworthy. Be specific. Make it worthwhile.

Instead of this …

Try this…

“It’s time to think about spring applications …”

Include a list of the three applications especially important this year.

“Count on us for all of your energy needs …”

Talk about the financial advantages of fuel contracts or discounts.

“We’re ready for your grain this harvest …”

Spell out specific steps to get trucks dumped and back to the field faster.

These are ag examples, but you get the idea. Remember, printing a company publication is more than just an obligation every few months. It’s an opportunity to communicate value to your customers. * http://www.searchenginewatch.com, 2017

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AGRI-INSIGHTS ISSUE 2 2017

Looking for help making your business publication even better? It all begins with planning.

VistaComm has an easy-to-use EDITORIAL CALENDAR resource you can download at VistaComm.com/editorial-calendar. Organize your entire communication plan and content in one place.

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Content has been one of the most important reasons we have traffic to our website. Our content works hard for us, thanks to VistaComm.

RICHARD STINSON | Communications & Media Manager ProAg® | Amarillo, Texas

INCLUDE PHOTOS …

ESPECIALLY PEOPLE SHOTS When you pick up a newspaper or magazine, your eyes go right to the photos. By including new and interesting photos, you draw readers in—increasing the chances they’ll read the accompanying article.

• Include people and identify them in a caption.

• Show people in action.

• Bring photos to life on the printed page with the LIVE PORTRAIT app. Download the app on your device and see what we mean. (Details below right.)

• Avoid mobile phone shots that don’t reproduce well in print. A simple pocket camera (less than $100) will give you far better quality.

USE STRONG HEADLINES Like photos, a good headline draws people to your story.

Use this exercise to help you get the best headline: • Write at least 5 headlines for your story.

Anything goes.

• Try a “how to” approach. Use numbers, if possible.

• Walk away … then come back in 30 minutes and look at your headlines again. More often than not, the best headline will jump out at you. If not, write more

will come across as gray matter on the page. Solution? Break up your content.

• Use bulleted lists like this one. Skimmers are drawn to lists.

• Add infographics—visual interpretations of facts or statistics.

• Include sidebars or small, boxed items that provide important bits of information about events, incentives or special offers.

• Try callout quotes to make important messages “pop.”

ASK YOUR READER TO DO SOMETHING This is your “call to action” and can mean ending articles with “call now,” “visit our c-store” or “check with your agronomist.”

And when you suggest those actions, include phone numbers or email addresses. Make it easy for the reader to contact you.

In a broader sense, think of your entire publication as one big “call to action” … asking readers to do more business with you. Make sure each issue demonstrates how you add value to your customers’ operations.

WATCH DARCY COME to LIFE!

MIX IT UP

In today’s world of smart phones and tablets, people are accustomed to short, succinct messages. So if your publication looks like a newspaper—with column after column of words—your content

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Download the Live Portrait app from the App Store or Google Play to your mobile device.

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Open the app and point your device here for a video tip from author Darcy Maulsby!

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BLOGGING

By Justin Brenner VistaComm Digital Marketing Director

A TRAFFIC JAM

COULD BE A GOOD THING— ON YOUR WEBSITE Just make sure all that traffic is MOVING Research shows that when business owners are asked what they’d like most, they respond first: More customers. Following in close second: Drive more traffic to my website.

Both are closely related. Actually, the result of driving more traffic to your website is more customers—the number one “want.”

WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?

164 million blogs

There are 164 million blogs but 71% of these get fewer than 5,000 visitors per month*. What’s the problem?

The first step in marketing is to KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE. Who are you talking to? What makes them tick? What do they care about? Who are their friends and business associates?

GIVE YOUR AUDIENCE “GOOD STUFF” Did you know that of the 164 million online blogs today, 71% get fewer than 5,000 visitors per month? The problem is CONTENT. If you’re not putting information out there that your audience cares about and wants to read, they’ll just click on by.

So, what’s good content? It’s news, data, statistics and facts that position you as an expert in your field—someone people want to buy from. It’s reliable information that generates online traffic, leads and sales. It’s the right content that readers want to share with their business associates. If you have all this, guess what happens next? Your website traffic grows because of all these new visitors. WIN!

* http://backlinko.com/increase-website-traffic, 2016 18

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Once you know your audience and the information they’re looking for, dive in and start creating great content that positions you as the expert. Here’s how: START BLOGGING AND NEVER STOP Blogging works. Wordstream.com recently ran an experiment and increased their blogging from twice per week to over 10 posts per week. The result was a 300% increase in traffic in just two months. Get EVERYONE at your company writing blogs and supplying content ideas.

VARY THE LENGTH AND FORMAT OF YOUR CONTENT There’s no secret recipe for online content. Mix it up. Try different lengths and formats to appeal to different readers. Use video, infographics, news posts, graphs and data, shorter and longer pieces to keep your readers attentive and coming back.

GRAB ‘EM WITH YOUR HEADLINES Without a great headline, even the best blog post will go unread. Master the art of headline writing.

David Vanden Hull outlines a great “headline writing exercise” in the previous article on page 17.

OPTIMIZE, OPTIMIZE SEO is not dead. Optimizing your content for search engines is still valuable. Are you creating internal links to new content? Optimizing for on-page SEO doesn’t have to take a lot of time, and it could help boost traffic to your site. Another Agri-Insights article on pages 14-15 outlines the importance of on-page SEO.

DON’T FORGET EMAIL Good ole email. Traditional, yes, but still powerful.

You might be surprised that even a simple email

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blast can cause an uptick in your traffic. Word of caution: Avoid relentless emails about every single thing that’s new at your business. Email today must be targeted and relevant.

MAKE SURE YOUR SITE IS RESPONSIVE Today, mobile-friendly sites are a necessity.

Make sure your visitors can access your site from whatever device they’re holding in their hands.

RESEARCH YOUR COMPETITION Find out what people are reading (and talking about), and emulate that type of content. Software can give you an at-a-glance view of which content is most popular with readers. Find out what your competition is putting out there, too.

MAKE SURE YOUR SITE IS FAST This cannot be emphasized enough. If your site takes forever to load, your reader will move on. The faster, the better. Technically optimize your site by checking image file sizes, structure of your pages and more.

EXAMINE YOUR ANALYTICS DATA Google Analytics is an invaluable source of data for any company with a website. And you really DO need it. Google Analytics will identify your most popular pages, visitor demographics, when and where your site traffic is coming from, and more.

Pay attention to what it’s telling you and make adjustments.

OK now, everyone in your company is BLOGGING! You need a way to keep all that wonderful content organized. Don’t forget to download VistaComm’s easy-to-use EDITORIAL CALENDAR at VistaComm.com/ editorial-calendar.

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CASE STUDY

ANALYTICS

By Laurie Hoffman VistaComm Vice President of Client Services

From a GOOD GUESS to

MEASURABLE RESULTS A Digital Marketing Case Study

THE CLIENT Established in 1961, Sioux Automation Center, Inc. (SAC), is based in Sioux Center, Iowa. They are a global leader in the agricultural and equipment industries, manufacturing a full line of livestock feed mixers, baggers and manure handling devices to serve the needs of livestock producers.

THE SITUATION When conversations began between SAC and VistaComm, SAC was spending a substantial amount of money on digital marketing and getting no usable reporting, feedback or conversion details. In fact, they had a number of legitimate questions about what they should expect from their digital marketing dollars.

THE PROCESS VistaComm’s digital marketing specialists demonstrated the value of services that could help SAC improve results,

1,757 LEADS

1500

1,267

1000

500

THE SOLUTION The solution for SAC involved several important steps, the most impactful being: • Properly configured analytics • Reconstruction of Google AdWords™ with call and conversion tracking • Systematic recording of live visitor behaviors, with the goal of reducing the number of clicks required to access information

THE RESULTS SAC can now effectively manage and track goals and objectives, making better use of advertising dollars.

So, how do the numbers look? In the first 4 weeks following revisions, SAC tracked 397 responses in the form of phone calls, submitted forms or website visits of five minutes or more. Responses continued to increase through week 16, totaling 1,757 new leads.

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To assist SAC decision makers in better understanding a complicated topic, scenarios from SAC’s own existing website were used via screen share techniques to demonstrate. These scenarios were supported by a wealth of analytical information.

And SAC’s partnership with VistaComm doesn’t stop there. Monthly review sessions are held to discuss outcomes and manage SAC’s digital marketing strategy based on conversions and actual data.

397

0

track with greater detail and contribute conversions to specific keywords used in their marketing content.

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4 wks

10 wks

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MERGER COMMUNICATION

By Dave Aeilts VistaComm Senior Journalist

WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? Does it seem like everyone is involved in an acquisition, consolidation or merger?

The number of U.S. ag co-ops has dropped precipitously over the past four decades. Yet the size and net income of the largest co-ops is growing as the pace of consolidation quickens.

Perhaps you are just beginning to talk with another CEO or your boards have scheduled a meeting to discuss the feasibility of joining. Now is the time to make a plan to communicate with your members, employees and host communities.

THAT PLAN SHOULD INVOLVE: • The Schedule. Detail when you will communicate.

Will you release a statement initially, telling the members and the general public you are involved in talks? Or will you wait until you have substantial evidence of benefit and are ready to schedule a member vote?

• The Content. What will be the substance of your communication?

Most importantly, how will you answer the members’ all-important question, “What is in it for me?” (continued on next page)

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MEMBERS MUST SEE PERSONAL ADVANTAGE Tell members early

Releasing as much truth as you can as soon as you can gives you an advantage. It helps avoid damaging rumors from being invented and passed around the local coffee shop.

Make customers your partners

The most important question

One manager I know encourages his members to take ownership of mergers, acquisitions or expansion of their cooperatively held business.

The bottom line of successful consolidation communication is to keep this question top of mind: “What’s in it for me?”

A proposed union may save money by sharing fixed assets or spreading variable costs over a larger organization. It may provide greater buying power or healthier markets for commodities. But, if you fail to translate that into direct or indirect member/customer benefits, the initiative may not succeed.

“Before we start,” he says, “I tell them what we’re going to do and why we are going to do it.”

“After we start,” he explains, “I tell them what we’re doing and remind them why we’re doing it.”

This manager includes his members and customers in whatever change is occurring. As a result, they are more likely to support it.

For cooperatives, members must see a personal advantage to voting “yes” and continuing to do business with the expanded organization.

DON’T FORGET THE EMPLOYEES Advising you to “keep employees in the loop” during consolidation talks may seem elementary, but I’ll say it anyway. Don’t place so much emphasis on customers that you overlook the very folks who could derail a union.

Employees are closest to the day-to-day operation of any organization. As such, they will most likely be the first to learn that unification talks are underway.

In a consolidation or merger, employees have the most at stake. Members or customers can take their business elsewhere if they don’t like your explanation of benefits, but employees are without a vote and stuck with the results.

If employees perceive a merger will not benefit them, they may decide to leave, creating a costly loss of talent and experience. Even before that, disgruntled employees may contribute to sinking any deal. In frequent contact with members, they have the potential to cast a proposed merger in a negative light, unless convinced otherwise.

The employee of a rural co-op is probably a neighbor to a member. He or she may attend the same church, shop in the same stores and attend the same sporting events. There’s a high likelihood that a member’s attitude towards a proposed merger will be influenced by that of an employee.

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Convince employees of the benefits At the very least, assure employees that little will change— but only if that is true. If it is not, you will face bigger problems when you try to implement the merger.

On the positive side, convincing employees that a proposed consolidation or acquisition will benefit them may increase their allegiance to the process. One VistaComm client makes it a point to remind his employees that “our growth will create greater opportunities for you.”

Make employees your unofficial voice If employees have the most contact with members, why not utilize that fact to your advantage? Keep them well informed. Give them talking points on issues you know the members will ask about. That way, when members or customers talk with an employee, they are more likely to get the straight story instead of a fearfully twisted version of the proposed union.

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TELLING THE STORY AGAIN … AND AGAIN Once the consolidation is official, the need for further communication is over, right? Wrong.

The proposed union may have been ratified, but the success of that union is far from guaranteed. In fact, the crucial blending of systems and culture is still ahead. Much must be accomplished to secure the benefits of this union for members and employees.

Failure of new accounting systems or resignation of key employees can move emotional meters from positive to negative. More talent and sales may be lost if you do not continue to talk about the progress, the challenges and the reasons for the merger.

Remind them why it happened Issue regular progress reports after the vote and the effective date of the union. In these reports, highlight the headway you are making at unifying both systems and cultures.

When a glitch occurs—and it will—apologize to both members and employees. Thank them for their patience, and spell out the steps being taken to correct the problem.

Frequently remind stakeholders why the board of directors backed the consolidation. This reminder should include

benefits to customers, members and employees—which may not materialize for several months or years.

Earlier, I referred to a manager who made his members “partners” to any major change happening within the company.

“Before we start, I tell them what we’re going to do and why we are going to do it,” he stated. “After we start, I tell them what we’re doing and remind them of why we’re doing it.”

This manager, who taught me much about good communication, offered one more piece of advice. “After it’s over,” he said, “I tell the members what we did and I remind them again why we did what we did.”

Even after the vote is taken and all the official papers are signed, keep telling your customers and employees why you did what you did. Don’t assume they remember. This persistence in communication will give you the “honeymoon” you need to get your unified organization on an even keel and growing into the future.

VistaComm helped guide us through the merger process—from our first announcement to members and employees, to a brand new logo and newsletter. They made the process easy and collaborative, while remaining sensitive to our objectives every step of the way.

JOHN PRUSS | General Manager United Farmers Cooperative | Afton, IA

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1401 North C Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104 www.VistaComm.com

By Jane Wooldridge VistaComm Journalist

PACK ‘EM IN AT YOUR ANNUAL MEETING

If your business is a cooperative, your bylaws typically require formal notification for annual meetings—legally, just a statement of date, time and place. But for no additional cost, and very little effort, you can beef up the annual meeting notice to make it more interesting and enticing for members. Here are a few ideas: • Ask a local high school art class to have a poster design contest for your annual meeting. Give the winning design a gift certificate to your c-store. You get a great poster … and you create goodwill with the community when you publicize the winner of the contest.

• Publicize the meeting on your Facebook page.

• Instead of just putting a notice in your newsletter, write an article telling members something interesting and different they can expect at the meeting.

Now, once you have them there, be sure to take photos during your meeting. Think beyond the typical “crowd photos,” and try to capture shots of attendees interacting with each other. Then post the best photos on your Facebook page or Instagram account as a way to continue this interaction online.

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Keep attendees interested before, during and after your annual meeting.

For these and other suggestions on how to increase attendance and make your annual meetings more effective, read the complete story featuring more annual meeting tips at VistaComm.com/annual-meeting-ideas.