Are a lot of your customers farmers? If not, have you been trying to find a way to tap into that market? With 143billion in annual revenue it’s a very significant driver of Canada’s economy. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind getting a slice of that pie. Custom-printed seed depth tools (AKA seed depth indicators) are the perfect way to get your logo or design in front of the eyes of farmers on an ongoing basis.
Well, why are they so great? It’s right there in the name – seed depth tools are tools. Farmers depend on their tools for their livelihood, so giving them a durable tool that they’ll regularly use is a surefire way to attract their notice.
What Is a Seed Depth Tool?
The classic seed depth tool is a durable piece of metal anywhere from 4″ to 12″ long. As you might have guessed, it’s used to measure the depth of a seed. Oh, and it has a ruler printed on at least one side. That part is pretty important.
I mean, let’s not get ahead of ourselves – we’re not building spaceships here. I know I’m talking seed depth tools up like they’re the greatest invention since the automobile, but these things are rulers that you stab into the ground. All I’m trying to say is that they do their job and they do it well. What more could you want out of a tool?
How Seed Depth Tools Will Get Your Business Noticed
Remember way back in your Marketing 101 class where they talked about awareness marketing or advertising? Custom-printed seed depth tools are that, but better. They’re better because they’re targeted toward a very specific profession (farmers), and they play an active role in a farmer’s work.
Say a farmer sees your billboard on the highway every time he or she drives into town. That’s great – they see your logo and picture, and maybe even reads your message. After a while though, that billboard just becomes part of the background scenery.
Things are different when marketing with seed depth tools or seed depth indicators. Seed depth tools can become a part of a farmer’s daily life. Let’s consider a few different scenarios, each which will work out great for you if you’re trying to market to farmers. Here are three ways that seed depth tools can work into your sales & marketing plans.
Scenario 1: Marketing With Traditional Custom-Printed Seed Depth Tools
Right now a surprising number of farmers and gardeners are using whatever they have laying around to estimate seed depth. Seriously – in this discussion thread farmers are talking about using everything from their hands or a screwdriver, to a “piece of angled iron.” One user even shares a tall-tale (I hope!) about his grandfather using “his you know what.” Only a few of the users mention receiving seed depth tools from reps.
One user puts it perfectly, “I must have good seed reps/chem salesmen b/c I have numerous seed digging tools marked up to 6 inches laying around and in tractor cabs.” He goes on to explain exactly how he uses those tools in his work.
You want to be one of those good sales reps. By distributing your custom-printed seed depth tools you’ll reap the reward of being a part of a farmer’s daily work life. Every time they plant or need to check the depth of a seed they’ll see your logo and remember who provided them with such a useful tool. Better yet, most of our traditional seed depth indicators have optional key-rings. Your logo could be seen every time a farmer grabs his or her keys.
4.5″ Steel Seed Depth Tools | 6.625″ Steel Seed Depth Tools | 4.5″ Brushed Aluminum Seed Depth Tools | 6.625″ Brushed Aluminum Seed Depth Tools |
 |  |  |  |
Scenario 2: Make an Impact With Plant Stake Seed Depth Indicators
“These things seem great,” you might ask. “But what happens when my customers aren’t actively planting?”
I’m no expert on farmers, but even I know they’re not planting seeds 24/7. At some point their crops are going to start growing and they’ll move onto the next items in their never-ending checklists. Well how about a seed depth indicator that doubles as a plant stake? Once seeding is over, it stays with those plants, and your logo or message stays with it.
With these the farmer you’ve gifted some depth tools to will see your logo every time they check in on their crop. That’s awareness marketing tied directly to their everyday working life, and that’s something a billboard is never going to do.
See also our plastic seed depth indicators – they’re not specifically branded as plant stakes but they do the job just as well. They’re even less expensive so you can get more for the same cost. Keep in mind, though, that they probably won’t last as long as our metal versions. Still, they’re a cost-effective way to get indicators into a lot of different hands.
Plant Stake / Square Seed Depth Tools | Plastic Seed Depth Tools | ||
 |  | ||
Scenario 3: Bottle Opener Seed Depth Tools, For When The Workday Is Over
A farmer’s work never ends, but even they need a break now and then. What do you like to do after a hard day at work? I’ll bet for some of you, it’s crack a cold one. I’d better even more that the same is true for farmers after they’ve spent a long day working in the sun.
Well here’s a tool that combines a classic seed depth tool with a bottle opener. When the farmer’s day is over and they reach for an adult beverage, the next thing they’ll reach for is your custom-printed depth tool because it happens to have a bottle opener on one end. Like our standard seed depth indicators these can include a keyring, ensuring that it’s always a pocket away from your potential customers. Now how’s that for awareness marketing?
12″ Seed Depth Ruler with Bottle Opener | Bottler Opener Seed Depth Tools | ||
 |  | ||
Ordering Seed Depth Tools
This part really couldn’t be easier. You choose from over a dozen styles, complete your order, and approve your artwork. You’re for sure going to want your logo on there, and maybe also some contact info or a brief message. The choice is yours – these things are all custom-printed.
Within about two weeks your receptionist finds a bunch of heavy boxes dropped off in the lobby and says, “Boss – what the heck are these and why are they all over my desk?”
“They’re seed depth tools,” you reply, a tinge of smugness in your voice. “They’re our ticket to bringing farmers in the door.”
“Seed depth what? I don’t care what they’re for, just have someone get them off my desk.”
You sigh, and remember that not everyone understands your genius.
Conclusion
If you’re trying to attract more farmers to your business, seed depth tools should be the very first promotional product you consider. Most of our depth tools are made from either steel or brushed aluminum, ensuring that they’ll last a lifetime of hard agricultural use. That makes them extremely cost-effective. You get incredible long-term bang for your buck with our tools. Finally, they’re all made in either Canada or the USA. That means they’re fully NAFTA-compliant and ship duty free anywhere in North America.
Check out our showcase of custom-printed seed depth tools. While that’s what we’d recommend for your first venture into marketing to farmers, we also have a list of other promotional products specially-curated for the agricultural industry.
Have any questions or would like to place an order? Contact us and our no-pressure product reps will be happy to help.