One of my favorite times of the year is early December. It has nothing to do with the weather or the holidays, but the fact that the National Finals Rodeo begins in Las Vegas.

It’s the only time of the year I go to Las Vegas, so I’m not sure what it looks like the rest of the year. During the NFR the strip is a sea of cowboy hats and shiny lights in the desert. Several years ago, the NFR and Las Vegas Events ran TV commercials focusing on “FOMO,” or fear of missing out. In essence they were trying to encourage fans to attend the rodeo in person, so they wouldn’t miss out on all of the action. I was reminded of these commercials during a conversation with a farmer the other night when he told me he struggles making sales during rallies, because “what if prices go higher?” That farmer has FOMO!

This fear is not unique to farmers and ranchers. It is a human response many of us have. It perpetuates itself in agricultural marketing because a producer has the option to make sales every single day. That translates into about 365 days a year where a decision leads to FOMO. So, what strategies exist to help farmers and ranchers reduce the anxiety that comes with marketing their products?

Turn to a marketing plan

The best way to avoid being held hostage by FOMO is to create a marketing plan.

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I’m sure many of you have been to a marketing meeting or a conference where you were told that you needed a marketing plan. You may have even been to one where a speaker gave you steps to develop the plan. But have you sat down and created your plan?

While it can be simple, that doesn’t mean it is easy. Often times the creation of the plan leads to more questions. That isn’t necessarily bad. Here is the thing about a plan: It doesn’t have to be perfect. It does need to be put into action, and it should be written.

Here are a few key tenets of an effective marketing plan:

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The marketing plan does not need to be fancy or written by a PhD. It does need to be clear, concise. Most importantly, you must act on it.

The decision to do nothing is still a decision and it is often a bad one!

By creating a plan, you can reduce that uneasy feeling when FOMO starts to set in, and you will make the decision to sell according to your plan.

Now, I need to catch my flight to Vegas. I don’t want to miss anything!

For more information, please contact Tyler Schau at 701-987-6009 or anyone on the AgMarket.Net team at 844-4-AG-MRKT.

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