Successful Farming and NAFB both completed fantastic research in 2009, which essentially tells us that we are marketing to two different audiences:

A conventional audience: the older farmer, 50–69 years old, who still prefers to receive information primarily in print and broadcast. For the most part, this person is still the decision-maker, and we need to continue to reach him through the tried and tested methods we are accustomed to using.

• Media is less interactive
• Moving toward a two-way "conversation" with brands
• Consumer is not in control
• Media defines the message

A contemporary audience: the younger farmer, 30–49 years old, who is very comfortable with digital media. This person grew up in the era of instant gratification and wants to participate in a social media conversation. Radical changes occur with this audience, which is quickly gaining the purchasing power of the older demographic.

• Media is more interactive
• Based on two-way "conversation" with brands
• Consumer is in control
• Media must participate in the message

Different audiences require different media strategies

Armed with this knowledge, Paulsen hit the road to talk to producers about this paradigm shift. These non-quantitative interviews brought to light some interesting perspectives, with responses closely matching the NAFB research.

Print and radio maintain their places as primary information sources for producers. But there can be no doubt that digital media is growing exponentially, with e-newsletters the most widely accepted medium. Essentially this means that while a magazine and an e-newsletter are read differently, both have their place in the marketing mix.

Multi-generational farms and succession planning

Many of our interviews involved multi-generational farming operations. We were interested in learning more about how purchasing decisions are made.

In nearly all cases, both generations had decision-making power over certain segments of the operation. This reinforces the importance of marketing to both age groups. Not surprisingly, depending on age and role, those decision-makers want to receive information in different ways.

Forty-five-year-old Barbara Downey’s family owns a 550 head cow-calf operation in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Her father makes the large capital purchase decisions, but she and her husband have some say.