As an agribusiness leader, have you ever wondered: “We know we need better content, but where do we start, and is it worth the investment?” It’s a common question we see clients ask us all the time: they know they aren’t currently producing the best visual storytelling content, but they’re unsure how to change that.
You can have the best selection of equipment in your area, and the best customer service of any dealership in a tri-state region, but none of that matters if you have a forgettable digital presence. These days, it takes more than just a great selection, excellent employees, and fast service. Buyers are skeptical, research-driven, and identity-rooted. They’re looking for connection, and they want to feel as if you know them before they ever set foot on your lot.
It can be hard to find the time to focus on creating memorable visual experiences in addition to all the other factors you’re balancing. But that’s where a skilled, professional marketing agency can come in and fill the storytelling void you need to truly excel in the agribusiness marketplace.
Here’s where we think every business should start when building up their visual storytelling, and how an agency like Root+Beta can get you ahead of the competition.
Your Buyer Has an Opinion Before You Know They Exist
The modern buyer doesn’t just find themselves at your dealership with no prior knowledge or opinion of who they think you are. The modern ag buyer’s research journey typically starts online, through Google searches, website visits, social media browsing, and AI queries. They’re looking for things like the services you offer, how many reviews you have, and what your average rating looks like. They’re asking questions like “the best tractor dealer near me” in AI chatbots, or “where can I buy a compact tractor for a great deal from a dealer that has excellent customer service.” Search queries are getting longer and more precise, and you have to make sure that when your brand populates on a SERP or in an AI chatbot window, the customer gets a good visual idea of who you are as a brand. Your visual content is doing 24/7 sales work, whether you realize it or not, and a lack of visual identity hurts a potential buyer’s perception of your business. A weak visual presence communicates that you don’t care enough about who you are as a company to present yourself compellingly, so why should someone else care?
The Difference Between Showing and Telling
There’s a difference between telling someone and showing them who you are as an agribusiness.
Telling someone looks like your typical dealership marketing: spec sheets, price promotions, manufacturer-provided or low-effort AI-generated ad copy. Buyers have seen it all before, and they don’t need you to reiterate specs they’ve already researched many times.
Showing, on the other hand, communicates ideas that a spec sheet or sales email simply can’t. A beautifully designed and well-branded graphic showcasing a hardworking farmer tending their field, or a laughing, joyful family taking a ride on their newly purchased Gator around the property, speaks louder than any words on a page could. Visual storytelling isn’t just limited to images; a video is the perfect way to provide context around your story. A video of a happy customer expressing how much your company means to them, or how happy they are with a recent purchase, is a great way to let the customer take the reins and tell a story for you. Visuals help to bypass the skepticism that comes with boring ad copy because they speak to buyers on a personal level. Customer testimonial videos are one of the fastest-growing content types right now, and the share of companies planning to produce them has grown from 17% in 2023 to 47% in 2026. Now is the time to jump into customer testimonials if you’ve been considering them.
What’s Worth Showing (And Where)
To produce compelling visual storytelling content, you need to know what’s worth sharing and what’s been done a million times. If you’re a dealer, you should be showing the equipment you sell, but in the context of how the equipment will be used. Clean equipment in a lot is okay sometimes, but a compelling photo of a real worker using the equipment to till their land or dig a hole on a construction site illustrates how the product will be used in the context of real-world scenarios.
For agribusinesses that deal in trading commodities, livestock, agrochemicals, farm software, and more, you should show your products being used in real scenarios, like farmers spraying crops with herbicides, corn bushels transferring to grain bins, or agronomists using farm software to optimize crop yields. You should always aim to showcase the people and culture behind your business because that is how human connections are fostered.
Equally important as knowing what’s worth showing is knowing where to show it. Your website, social media profiles, advertising, email newsletters, directory listings, and video channels are all outlets for showcasing your visual storytelling. Your customers aren’t just looking for you on one platform, so you have to diversify where you can be found and try to hit your potential buyers where they’re already looking.
The Strategic Opportunity Most Dealerships Are Missing
Most dealerships are dealing with a big gap between what OEM visual assets they’re using and authentic, local, and compelling visual storytelling. The easy route is to use the assets provided by an equipment manufacturer or large corporate agribusiness, but those assets end up creating identical, boring content with no appeal to most buyers. In a sea of sameness, you have to work to stand out. But there is good news; early movers in visual content have the unique opportunity to build positive brand equity that their competitors can’t easily replicate. Put simply, if you get ahead early, you’re more likely to stay ahead and stand out.
Make sure that the graphics, videos, or ads you’re producing have a consistent visual identity, and that includes the branding, the messaging, and the tone of voice. Having a system in place that everyone on the team is on board with keeps you consistent and makes it easier to produce compelling content.
What Visual Storytelling Looks Like
Visual storytelling can take many different forms, from walkaround videos showing off new equipment models to customer stories and behind-the-scenes content. It can also be short videos on TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts that don’t have to be so salesy and bland; buyers appreciate it when you have a little fun with your brand.
According to research, 64% of consumers are more likely to buy a product after seeing it featured in a video.
If there’s one question every agribusiness should ask itself, it’s “Does our content reflect the quality of our operation?” If you’re struggling to answer that question, then it’s time to bring in the professionals.
Root+Beta is an agribusiness’s best friend. We’ve been helping everyone from equipment dealers to commodity traders to agribusiness software companies develop their visual identity and tell compelling stories with branding for years. We know what it takes to stand out in a sea of sameness and create compelling brands that potential buyers will want to do business with.
Storytelling is in everything we do, from blog copy and social media content to advertising campaigns and videos. We offer our clients expertise to create a compelling visual narrative, including creative direction, video creative, copywriting, sales and print materials, conference materials, and anything you can think of to help show the story of your business.
If you’re struggling to find your visual identity and create compelling content, reach out to us and let us show you how we’ve helped countless agribusinesses just like yours stand out. Great visual storytelling is always worth the investment; you just need someone to get you going in the right direction.
Ready to see what we can do for you? Email us at howdy@rootandbeta.com, give us a call at (501) 291-1642, or schedule a meeting with us today.