We are continuing to see new customer additions and payments daily as farmers enroll in our program. The fact that customers are starting their layaway payments for inputs seems to be an indication of growing trust with myAgro – trust founded on our focus of building relationships in the communities where we work.
I want to write a bit more about how we’ve tried to both establish trust and relationships through our mobilization strategy. In each of our three pilot villages, our business associate, accompanied by a local community member, continues to inform farmers of myAgro’s program through door-to-door visits. A typical morning may include about a dozen individual visits. I see three key components to these visits:
- Relationships
- Information sharing
- Foundation for taking action
Relationships are important because farmers need to trust that myAgro will indeed deliver the seed, fertilizer, and training we have promised if they complete their saving payments. Benches are pulled up, tea is often poured, and each meeting becomes a way for our BA to build a strong relationship with our customers or potential customers.
Information Sharing must also be a key component, of course. Last week, we asked farmers about their own crop storage techniques to pique their interest before inviting them to a training our BA led on improved storage techniques.
Lastly, we use these door-to-door visits as a foundation for taking action.
Mobilizing farmers door-to-door takes up the majority of our BA’s time and we want to make sure to multiply its impact several times over. To do this we’re using invitation cards.
At the end of each door-to-door visit, the BA hands over a stack of business card-sized invitation cards to the farmer. Farmers can keep one, and share the other invites with others. The picture reminds them about our benefit (more maize!), and the invitation is a simple “meeting tomorrow!” note in the local language.
The invitation cards are motivating way for farmers to “take action” and we get to leverage several customer networks by asking positive farmers to invite others.
Farmers come to the meeting with the invitation card in hand, excited to participate.
Overall, marketing has been an extremely interesting component of our business model. From radio programs to myAgro-colored poches to invitation cards, we are learning what motivates farmers to sign up with our program. Ultimately, it will be our ability to deliver on our promises of increased crop yields, but just how many farmers hear our message and consider joining us will be heavily dependent on our marketing.
