The Truth About Ag Marketing ROI: How to Make Every Dollar Count

Is Your Marketing Working? How to Get More ROI in Ag Business

If you’re spending money on marketing but not seeing results, you’re not alone. A lot of agricultural businesses struggle to know if their marketing is actually helping them get more leads, more calls, or more sales.

That’s why ROI—return on investment—matters. ROI tells you what’s working and what’s not so you can stop wasting money and start growing your business.

Here’s how to measure marketing ROI and make every dollar count.

1. Know What It Costs to Get a Lead or Sale

Start by figuring out how much you spend to get a lead or a customer:

• Cost Per Lead (CPL) = What you spent / Number of leads you got
• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) = What you spent / Number of new customers

Example:

• You spent $5,000 on online ads and got 100 leads → CPL = $50
• You spent $20,000 in a quarter and got 40 new customers → CAC = $500

If those numbers feel too high, it’s time to look at better-performing strategies.

Try calculating your Marketing ROI below.

2. Where to Spend More—and Where to Cut Back

Not every marketing tactic works the same. Some give you more return for your budget. Some don’t.

High-ROI strategies:

• SEO (search engine optimization)
• Google & Facebook ads
• Email marketing
• Fastline Catalog print ads

Low-ROI money-wasters:

• Ads that don’t target the right farmers
• Generic social media posts with no engagement
• Bought email lists (they usually don’t work)

Spend more on what brings you leads. Cut what doesn’t.

3. Match Your Budget to the Ag Season

Farming is seasonal. Your marketing should be too. Here’s what to focus on:

• Spring: Seeds, soil health, early equipment. Use ads and social.
• Summer: Repairs, parts, mid-season help. Share how-to content.
• Fall: Harvest tools, grain handling. Print ads work great now.
• Winter: Pre-season deals, tax savings. Use email and retargeting.

Adjust your budget each quarter so it lines up with what your customers need.

4. What Actually Works: High-ROI Strategies

Here’s what consistently performs for ag businesses:

• SEO & Content: Brings in leads long after you publish.
• Google & Facebook Ads: Gets in front of farmers fast.
• Email Marketing: Builds trust and boosts repeat sales.
• Print Advertising: Still strong with farmers—especially Fastline catalogs.

Smart marketing uses a mix of these, not just one.

5. Cheap Marketing Usually Isn’t Smart Marketing

Saving money is good—unless it costs you sales. Here’s where cutting corners backfires:

• Cheap PPC ads = Wasted clicks
• DIY SEO = Missed ranking opportunities
• Generic campaigns = No results

Don’t just spend less. Spend smarter.

Final Tips: Make Your Marketing Count

Marketing should grow your business—not drain your wallet. Keep it simple:

• Know your CPL and CAC
• Invest in what works: SEO, PPC, email, and print
• Shift your spend with the seasons
• Don’t skimp on strategy—get expert help when needed

At Fastline Marketing Group, we help ag businesses get more out of their marketing. From SEO to social, from catalogs to click-throughs—we’ll show you what’s working and help you do more of it.

👉 Talk to us about ROI