Do first impressions matter more in agriculture?

The value of first impressions is legendary, but it's usually geared toward personal interactions or things like appearance. But in an industry where you may find a first time meeting derailed by a farmer's need to get a piece of equipment back to work, do first impressions matter? 

Yes. In fact, they may be more important than in any other business actually. 

Reality is agriculture is an amazingly complex industry. Farmers are simultaneously CEO and forklift operators, going to the capitol to advocate for science and spending the night bottle feeding and warming up a new animal on the farm. 

Farmers are some of the most trusted people in the U.S. according to a range of survey companies. But they aren't really well understood by the general public. 

Mid-South cotton farmer Bob Walker has decades of experience having built his farm with his brother once they graduated from college. Like most farmers, his day-to-day is spent deep into farming and the business he operations. Unlike some of his peers, he also gets a good bit of experience talking with people who may only get to a farm on a daytrip. 

He says he's seen people make some pretty major gaffes by coming out on farms before doing their homework or having opportunities to learn some of the basics. While that knowledge gap may lead to a few giggles, it can also cause a customer to wonder how well the company or brand understands them. And in an industry where the number of decision-makers has been decreasing for decade, not many organizations can afford to have their credibility shaken over missteps that could be headed off by better onboarding. 

That all presents complications to someone new to the industry and that's where Grounded in Ag comes in. Check us out on the site, put a demo session on your calendar or get in touch via our contact form.