The relationship between agri-input companies and their dealer networks is often fraught with tension. Companies need sales. Dealers feel pressured. And farmers? They're caught in the middle.
The Pressure Problem
Traditional go-to-market strategies in agriculture often boil down to one thing: push harder on dealers. Hit your targets or lose your margins. Stock up or lose your territory.
This creates several problems: - Dealers recommend based on margins, not farmer needs - Inventory builds up, leading to expiry and write-offs - Trust erodes—both with dealers and farmers - Genuine products lose ground to aggressive substitutes
The Demand Alternative
What if, instead of pushing through dealers, companies could create pull from farmers?
When a farmer specifically asks for a product by name, the dynamics change completely: - Dealers become fulfilment partners, not sales targets - Substitution becomes difficult - Inventory matches actual demand - Trust builds on all sides
How to Create Genuine Demand
Creating genuine demand requires: 1. Relevant Advisory: Advice that's specific to the farmer's crop and conditions 2. Timely Recommendations: Reaching farmers when they need to take action 3. Clear Product Guidance: Specific products for specific situations 4. Easy Ordering: Making it simple to convert intent into purchase
This is the infrastructure RootsTalk provides—a system where advisory naturally creates demand, and demand flows through existing dealer channels.