As David tells people, “If you were to make a list of all the challenges farmers face today, you would probably run out of paper or ink.” And the list would include everything from devastating floodwaters on the Missouri River, cornfields buried in North Dakota snowdrifts, trade wars, and now this historic pandemic. It’s a heavy mental and physical load for anyone in agriculture to bear. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. And His eye is still on the sparrow! David Okerlund has seen the bad years and the great years of agriculture, but most importantly David has learned how farmers can make the best of a challenging situation. He has seen both the highs and the lows. He was doing crisis counseling back in 1984 and he also got to celebrate $14 soybeans with farm families in 2013. David’s challenge is this: Every farmer nurtures their land, their crops, and livestock conditions religiously, but how many nurture their own state of mind, their passions, and their self-empowerment needs? And that goes for every person who sells products and services to farmers as well. He calls it, “Applying your own mental and spiritual fertilizer.” It’s learning how to make your own chicken soup. This newly redesigned presentation is packed with content; five specific areas where ag individuals can nurture and strengthen their resilience. So if you are looking for a truly uplifting, motivational presentation to restore and renew the human spirit, then this is one program you must consider. ...less

David Okerlund has over twenty five years of selling experience. He has sold everything from soap, farm chemicals, construction material, Foley catheters and medical lasers to $200,000 electronic inserters. In addition to that, he has trained salespeople from a multitude of different companies all over America. David believes that his program, When It Comes Down To Price. . . . Don’t Come Down! is one of the most valuable investments sales organizations can make. “I think it can be a bigger problem than even “Call Reluctance”. However, if the problems of price buyers were to be revealed the way they should be, price no longer becomes a hang-up and can be one of your best selling tools.” ...less

Isn’t it interesting how Skechers used to be a second rate skater shoe and now according to a Reuters release on May 5th, 2025 it placed them at nearly a 10 billion footwear giant, rising to third place in global sales behind only Nike and Adidas. When Fritz Maytag started the first craft brewing company, the major beer companies paid little attention, thinking it was just a fad that would never pose a threat. How wrong they were and paid dearly for thinking that, at best, microbrewing would capture no more than one percent of the market. Fast forward to 2024, and you will find 5,552 microbrewing companies thriving, where today they annually have sales of over $28.4 billion and now have captured 24.6% of the U.S. market. That’s a huge success story to say the least. And what about Kubota’s incredible success? In earlier times, most people didn’t even recognize the name. The vast majority of tractors were either green or red. All of a sudden, they doubled the time before maintenance was needed from an average of 500 hours of use to 1,000. They introduced the hobby farmers to a wide range of possibilities. Dealerships started popping up all across America, and they have become a major player in the ag world today. So what was the key factor that made such a difference? They used the power of differentiation! Webster refers to it as creating distinction, showcasing a difference from the norm, and packaging a novel and or noteworthy quality over others. When it comes to the phenomenal success, it’s best described by a recent Wall Street Journal report, which stated that, “Skechers focused on ‘capturing parts of the market that its competitors largely neglect.” They used the power of differentiation. In 2023, they created separation from other shoe companies by inventing the “Hands Free Slip-ins.” While Nike and Adidas focused on athletic wrestlers, Skechers targeted older, casual customers and men like me who struggle to get into their shoes. When it comes to microbrewing companies, they employed marketing strategies that the big breweries hadn’t thought of. The success of these smaller players is rooted in their ability to understand and respond to evolving consumer preferences, emphasize quality and uniqueness, and build strong connections with local communities. They focused on craft and quality, social media and digital marketing, taproom experiences, storytelling and branding, local and community focus, and innovation and variety. They are a perfect example of the power of differentiation! Differentiation made the difference for Kubota as well. They dug deeply into the world of innovation and didn’t cut corners on the quality of their products. Customization Options appeared. Offering a range of tractor models with different specifications allowed farmers to choose equipment that suits their specific needs. The ability to customize tractors for different agricultural practices or specific crops became a significant competitive advantage. Kubota has a reputation for manufacturing high-quality and durable tractors. Their machines are known for their robust build and reliability, making them suitable for various agricultural and industrial applications. Many Kubota tractors are known for their compact and maneuverable design. This makes them suitable for smaller farms or spaces where larger tractors might have difficulty operating. They created a number of differentiation strategies and it worked. But here’s the one question every company should be asking themselves. If differentiation is such a powerful marketing tool, why don’t we train our sales force to implement it for themselves? Tom Hopkins, perhaps the greatest expert in the profession of selling, once said, “The most important thing you need to sell is not your product, it’s yourself.” And to do that, people need to master the art of personal differentiation! One of David Okerlund’s favorite questions to salespeople is “What makes you stand out from the rest of the field?” Let’s face it. Competition in agricultural sales is currently tough. The field is crowded, and most of the players are of first-string quality. So, how do you break out of the crowd and score more touchdowns than they do? Again, the answer is simple. . . . It’s YOU. And the key thing you need to master is the art of differentiation! ...less