If you’re selling bulls, here is news to celebrate: the average price of an Angus bull in 2020 was $4,884. The average price today? $8,445. That’s a 73% increase in just five years. 

It represents increased value — far outpacing the rate of inflation — and, in general, signifies strong demand in the Angus breed.

Yet to your bull buyers, that might sound like an unwarranted price hike.

When the cost of everything from a McDonald’s Coke^® to bag of seed corn has risen sharply in the past few years, people are scrutinizing their purchases. Now, more than ever, you must prove your genetics are worth the investment. That can show up from customer service to communication about what your cattle can do for their herds, and a key is a proactive marketing plan before and after the sale. 

Think about what you were doing in 2020. Have you upped your game? 

Considering those earlier numbers, I’m here to tell you: if your marketing plan hasn’t changed in five years, your message is getting diluted because your competition has stepped it up.

I know, I know … that’s what you’d expect someone working at Angus Media, the for-profit marketing arm of the American Angus Association, to say. But please know my highest goal is to help you be successful. 

• If you and I were talking in person, I’d beg you to consider these questions: 
• Have you dusted off your advertising placements lately? 
• Have you engaged in any new ways to reach your customers?
• Have you followed the trends of where bull buyers are getting their news and information and then put messages in front of them in those places?

In the last five years, we’ve been studying media consumption, adjusting our products and improving the user experience. If you want fresh ideas, we’re here to brainstorm with you. If you’re ready to make a new plan happen, we can handle all the details. 

The average price of bulls is going up; let’s make certain your customers know the value they’re getting. 

Straight From the Source

Don’t just take my word for it; here is what your fellow producers are saying about the importance of marketing and service in these times.

Marketing is more important every year because there are so many options for people.” — Darrell Jallo, Jallo Angus Ranch

Taking care of the customers is probably the most important thing. It’s one of the most important keys you’ll have to do to have a successful sale ... Because if you don’t take care of them, they’re going to go somewhere else, and there’s a lot of places to go and there’s a sale every day.” — Andy Musgrave, Musgrave Angus 
Early on, I don’t think we realized how important marketing was — just ‘build it and they will come.’ That’s not really how this works. You’ve got to breed good cattle, but you’ve got to promote them and you’ve got to be authentic.”— Smitty Lamb, Ogeechee Farms