Case Study: When Relationship Building Becomes Research Advantage

THE CLIENT: Leading Agricultural Bank

THE INDUSTRY: Agriculture, Financial Services

THE CHALLENGE

A leading agricultural bank needed insights into sustainability practices across specialty crops, poultry, and swine operations to inform lending decisions and industry insights. However, these audiences were difficult to reach due to industry consolidation, contract structures, and limited access to independent decision-makers. Specialty crop producers were also underrepresented in existing panels, making it challenging to meet geographic and audience requirements with traditional methods.

THE SOLUTION

The Ag Access Division implemented a relationship-driven recruitment strategy to access hard-to-reach agricultural audiences.

• Relationship-Based Recruitment: Invested in building direct connections with California specialty crop producers through in-person outreach and attending events.

• "Pulse Study" Methodology: Validated feasibility through a preliminary study and defined a realistic and achievable research scope.

• Integrated Audience Sourcing: Utilized newly developed relationships in conjunction with existing networks to ensure accurate representation across all targeted segments.

THE IMPACT

By prioritizing authentic relationships, the Ag Access Division delivered high-quality insights and long-term strategic value through:

• Full Target Achievement: Attained all required responses across specialty crops, poultry, and swine segments.

• Higher-Quality Data: Furnished insights grounded in verified operational decision-makers rather than indirect or theoretical responses.

• Stronger Strategic Positioning: Enabled the client to strengthen industry authority and make confident lending and market decisions.

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