Most businesses are either sending way too many sales pitches or drowning their audience in technical specs that nobody asked for. And honestly, I've been there too. You spend hours crafting the "perfect" email about your new seed variety or equipment line, hit send, and... crickets.

But here's what I've learned: there are exactly 3 types of emails that can actually move the needle.

Let me break down each one and show you exactly when to use them.

This is where most ag companies should be spending the majority of their email efforts.

Educational emails work because farmers and ag professionals are lifelong learners. They're constantly looking for ways to improve yields, reduce costs, or solve problems they're facing in the field.

Here's the key: don't make it about your product. Make it about their problems.

Instead of "Our new herbicide kills 99% of weeds," try "3 signs your current weed management strategy isn't working (and what to do about it)."

Some educational email ideas that work great in ag:

The best part? Educational emails build trust without being pushy. When farmers see you as a valuable resource, they'll actually look forward to your emails instead of hitting delete.

Think of it this way: you're planting seeds of trust that will grow into sales later. (Sorry, had to go there with the farming pun!)

Farmers are skeptical by nature, and rightfully so. They've been burned by products that promised the world but delivered mediocre results.

That's where proof emails come in.

These aren't just testimonials (though those work too). I'm talking about real, tangible evidence that your solutions work:

Here's an example that works: "How Johnson Farms increased corn yields by 18 bushels per acre (with the data to prove it)."

The magic happens when you share specific numbers, locations, and conditions. Don't just say "increased yields", say "increased yields from 165 to 183 bushels per acre on 240 acres of central Iowa ground during the 2023 growing season."

Farmers love data. Give them data. Give them so much data they'll need a bigger spreadsheet.

Here's where most ag companies mess up, they send way too many direct sales pitches.

I know this feels backwards, especially when you've got quarterly targets to hit. But if you've done your job with educational and proof emails, your offer emails will convert way better. You can even convert in the educational and proof emails with a mild CTA at the bottom.

When you do send offer emails, make them count:

The key is timing. Send educational content when farmers are planning (winter months), proof emails when they're deciding (early spring), and offer emails when they're ready to buy (planting season).

Look, I get it. This approach takes patience. You want to send that product announcement email right now because you're excited about your new feature or service.

But trust me on this one: the companies that focus heavily on education, sprinkle in proof, and go light on the sales pitches are the ones that build real relationships with their customers. They're the ones farmers actually want to hear from.

And when buying season comes around? They're first in line.

Start with one educational email this week. Share something genuinely helpful that has nothing to do with selling your product.

Your future self (and your sales numbers) will thank you.

(This is a section in which I analyze the content strategy of a company, I give suggestions and ideas they can implement)

Sound Agriculture is a nature-based agriculture solutions company that develops products to help farmers improve soil health and crop yields. Their flagship products, SOURCE and BLUEPRINT, work by activating existing soil microbes to make nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus more available to plants.

I've been analyzing Sound Agriculture's content strategy this past week across their website and LinkedIn presence, and I see some missed opportunities. While they're posting consistently on LinkedIn, I think their approach has room for improvement in some key areas.

First, their newsletter signup form is a conversion killer. They're asking for too much information in advance in order to be able to subscribe without offering any incentive in return. There's no lead magnet, no preview of what subscribers get, and no clear value proposition. Why would a busy farmer fill out a 6-field form just to "stay updated"?

Second, while their LinkedIn content is consistent, it's very product-focused rather than educational. They're missing the opportunity to build trust and establish thought leadership before pitching their solutions.

Here's how I think they could improve their content and their content strategy. I'm now going to rewrite a blog post they have in their website and create a Linkedin post in the way I would have done it as an example of how I think educational content could look like for them.

You can see the original blog post here.

Here is the blog rewritten with what I think is a more engaging, educational approach to content they could implement:

Ever walked through your field in early season and noticed some plants looking a little... purple?

Before you start wondering if you planted the wrong variety, let us tell you what's really going on. That purple tint isn't a seed problem, it's your plants crying out for phosphorus.

And here's the kicker: your soil might actually have plenty of phosphorus. It's just locked up tighter than a bank vault.

Let us explain what's happening and what you can do about it.

Phosphorus is like that friend who's always there but never available when you need them most.

Your soil test might show adequate P levels, but here's what the lab results don't tell you: most of that phosphorus is bound up with calcium, aluminum, and iron. It's sitting right there in your soil, but your plants can't touch it.

Think of it like having money in a savings account with no debit card. The money's there, but you can't access it when you need it.

This is especially brutal in early season when:

Here's what to watch for in your fields:

The problem is, by the time you see these symptoms, you've already lost yield potential. Early season phosphorus stress sets the tone for the entire growing season.

Most farmers reach for phosphorus fertilizer when they spot deficiency. And sure, that can help.

But the thing is that you're often just adding more phosphorus to soil that already can't deliver what it has. It's like buying more cars when the problem is traffic jams.

The real solution? Help your plants access the phosphorus that's already there.

This is where soil biology comes in.

Naturally, soil microbes form partnerships with plant roots. The plant feeds the microbes glucose from photosynthesis, and in return, the microbes release bound phosphorus.

But conventional farming practices—tillage, synthetic fertilizers, fungicides—have disrupted this natural system. The microbes are still there, they're just not as active as they used to be.

Products like SOURCE work by reactivating these existing soil microbes, essentially turning your soil's phosphorus reserves back on. Instead of adding more phosphorus, you're unlocking what you already have.

When you solve the phosphorus availability problem, you get:

The bottom line: your soil probably has the phosphorus your crops need. The question is whether your plants can access it when they need it most.

Want to learn more about unlocking the phosphorus that's already in your soil? We'd love to help you figure out if this approach could work for your operation. Contact us here to chat with one of our agronomists.

Now, here's how this same content would work as a LinkedIn post - notice how we can take the same educational value and make it social media friendly

Your corn is turning purple. But it's not what you think.

That purple tint you're seeing in early season corn isn't a seed problem.

It's phosphorus deficiency. And here's the plot twist: your soil probably has plenty of phosphorus.

The problem? Most soil phosphorus is bound up with calcium, aluminum, and iron. It's there, but your plants can't access it.

Why this happens:

What you'll see: Purple/reddish leaves (especially corn) Stunted, slow growth Weak root development Delayed maturity

The traditional fix: Add more phosphorus fertilizer. The smarter fix: Unlock the phosphorus you already have.

How it works: Soil microbes naturally release bound phosphorus in exchange for glucose from plants. But farming practices have disrupted this partnership.

Products like SOURCE reactivate these existing microbes, turning your soil's phosphorus reserves back on.

Your soil has the nutrients. The question is whether your plants can access them.

The beauty of this approach? One piece of educational content can be repurposed in multiple ways. Here are 4 additional LinkedIn posts they could create from this same phosphorus topic:

If they also wanted to drive more email subscribers, I would recommend offering a Lead Magnet in exchange for the email, here is an idea:

"The 3-step field guide to diagnosing nutrient deficiencies"

Found this helpful? Forward it to someone in ag who's struggling to stand out in their market. They'll thank you for it.

Would you like to be featured in the business breakdown section of this newsletter and have your content strategy analyzed just like this? Hit reply and let me know.

See you next Sunday!