Branding a farm is a concept that is maybe in its infancy for some farm owners. We all know the power of branding, and there are certain companies out there that all of us can think of, but what about your farm?
There are farms that have retail or direct consumer models that if branded would makes sense. According to Len Kahn of Kahntact, even if you are a commercial commodity cash farm, there are reasons to work on branding your farm.
“I think when people hear the name ‘brand’, maybe what comes to mind is logo, or graphics, or colours. It’s definitely part of the story, but it’s not the full story,” he explains in this Mind Your Farm Business podcast.
Kahn says if you search the word brand, you’ll find close to a billion references on what exactly a brand is. The definition he tends to go towards is “a collection of perceptions in the mind of a consumer.”
“It’s interesting — and somewhat scary — because you don’t own a brand, the consumer actually owns it. And it’s really the sum total of an organization or product and everything it does. And in that sense, every interaction a customer, or a stakeholder has with your organization, either enhances or weakens the strength of your brand,” he says.
So if a company is not in control of their brand, or they don’t own that brand, why do companies — or a farm for that matter — spend time or money developing one? When thinking about the farm market, Kahn says it all comes down to hard cash.
“A lot of farms and farm businesses are getting into more direct marketing than ever before. So if you’re a farm, and you’re getting into direct marketing, what you are talking about is the brand that you are selling. Overall your farm itself and your farm operation also have a brand associated with it, even if you aren’t selling directly,” Kahn explains. “The reason they do that is simple. It’s money, like everything else. When you get right down to it. Brands attract more money.”
The other thing that Kahn emphasizes is that even if you don’t establish a brand, your farm has a brand, so you may as shape what that brand is.
Check out the full conversation between Kahn and RealAgriculture founder Shaun Haney, below:
Disclaimer: Royal Bank of Canada and its subsidiaries are not responsible for the information provided in this podcast, and this information does not necessarily reflect the views of Royal Bank of Canada or any of its subsidiaries. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its subsidiaries.
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