Practically every innovative ag product promises to boost crop yields, revenue, and more. But those benefits aren’t always enough to motivate farmers to try something new – especially when they’ve already got products they trust.
Warranties can be a powerful incentive, though. And with the right messaging, you can communicate the value of your warranty-backed products in a way that builds trust, fosters adoption, and positions you as a partner in the farmer’s success.
Let’s explore three key messaging strategies that can help you incentivize farmers to try warranty-backed products.
1. Broadcast Your Belief in What You’re Selling
Most retailers focus on highlighting the performance benefits of new products. It’s less common to back recommended products with a warranty. Farmers take note: it’s a powerful sign that you believe the product you’re selling is the right choice for their operation.
That conviction is worth broadcasting far and wide. Doing so can inspire farmers to trust in – and ultimately purchase – your product recommendations. Here’s how to incorporate this message into your marketing strategy:
- Use confident messaging throughout your marketing collateral. Everything from brochures and emails to digital ads and product pages should emphasize your belief in each product.
- Showcase success stories. These real-world narratives show farmers why you’re willing to go to bat for each product. What’s more, they allow farmers to see themselves using your recommendation to boost or protect crop yields.
- Use your agronomists as on-the-ground advocates. Agronomists are among farmers’ most trusted advisors. They can reinforce your messaging in one-on-one conversations.
By weaving confidence throughout your messaging, you can set yourself apart from other retailers and show farmers that warranty-backed products are worth their consideration.
2. Show You Have Skin in the Game
In many cases, new products are more expensive than what farmers already use. And the raw benefits alone might not be enough to encourage a costly purchase. But warranties give you a way to demonstrate that you’re not looking for a money grab. You’re invested in the farmers’ success – and you’re willing to share in the risk if the product doesn’t perform as expected.
That element of shared risk should be a core part of your product messaging. To make the most of this angle…
- Acknowledge the risk you’re taking on. Don’t be shy about the fact that you’re willing to compensate for loss or underperformance. Farmers will appreciate the clarity and respect you for putting your money on the line.
- Emphasize the double upside. If a product delivers on its promise, it could help bring in more revenue. If it underperforms, the farmer still gets a sizable payout. There are upsides in both scenarios – and you’ll be there to celebrate their gains and mitigate potential losses.
The bottom line: make sure farmers know that their losses – and their successes – are yours to share.
3. Emphasize How Warranties Offer Peace of Mind
Risk-averse farmers often understand the enormous value of innovative products. Even so, the fear of loss is just too great to take a chance on something new. That’s why it’s important to frame warranties as a safety net: that framing can encourage farmers to take the leap.
In your messaging, then, focus on how warranties offer the peace of mind farmers need to purchase with confidence. If they need to make a claim, they could net $20 or $30 per acre – a substantial payout that could soften the blow of less-than-favorable yields.
To understand the impact of this messaging tactic, let’s take a look at a real-world example.
One Southeastern ag retailer zeroed in on a “peace of mind” angle to sell a warranty-backed yield stack to wheat growers. The bundle included four different types of products that weren’t common in the region. But for one risk-averse farmer, the warranty inspired such confidence that he decided to try the full stack. The result? Yields so outstanding that they helped him win a local contest.
This farmer wasn’t the only buyer, though. In 2024, the retailer saw farmers purchase 185 percent more seed products and 194 percent more crop protection products (compared with pre-warranty sales in 2023). And at the retailer’s recommendation, many farmers shifted toward an alternative foliar nutrient product that the retailer wanted to promote.
A great warranty program was the driving force behind all these results. Paired with the right messaging, you can give farmers the nudge they need to explore innovative products – and boost your sales in the process.
Inspire Confidence to Get Farmers to Adapt
As a retailer, you know that new products aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re often key to farmers’ survival amid market pressures and a changing climate. By using your messaging to inspire confidence in warranty-backed products, you can encourage farmers to adapt and prepare their operation for tomorrow.
Want more advice on how to market your warranty program? The Growers Edge team can help. Reach out today to start a conversation.