Pathfinder Ranches Marketing Strategy 2025 by Fay Ranches

PATHFINDER RANCHES | MARKETING STRATEGY

Dear Pathfinder Ranches Team,

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss marketing your property with Fay Ranches. We are excited to share our unique offerings, robust platforms, and approach to marketing properties like the esteemed Pathfinder Ranches. Pathfinder Ranches has gained a tremendous reputation as the largest assembly of individual ranches in the State of Wyoming. It is widely recognized for its conservation efforts with respect to the greater sage-grouse as well as bighorn sheep and riparian ecosystems that balance the agricultural needs of the owner as well as the health of the land. Pathfinder Ranches is absolutely, without question, a property we want to represent, and we know we can work with you to procure the right buyer profile. We are genuinely excited about this opportunity and deeply appreciative to be considered; thank you kindly.

FAY RANCHES EDGE

Fay Ranches is a nationally recognized leader in the sale of large-scale rural properties, with an unmatched reputation built over more than three decades. Currently, Fay Ranches has a team of over 50 brokers situated in offices nationwide, which continues to grow organically in alignment with our core values. This wealth of experience has endowed our agents with a profound understanding of significant land holdings, conservation practices, agricultural dynamics, wildlife management, water conservation, and recreational opportunities. In just the past three years, our team has closed over $2 billion in sales volume and completed 801 transactions, reflecting the trust placed in us by some of the most discerning landowners and investors coast to coast. Our track record includes the successful representation of major legacy properties such as Foley Butte Ranch (30,655± acres) and Uncle Bill’s Farm & Ranch (37,941± acres), and we currently market multiple listings that exceed 50,000± acres, underscoring our capability to manage complex, large-scale transactions with precision and care.

Prospective buyers for a property the caliber of the Pathfinder Ranches will most likely be looking in multiple states, and we take the position of competing on a national level, not just within Wyoming. With operations in over 17 states, Fay Ranches maintains a strong national presence that is significantly enhanced through our strategic alliance with Republic Ranches, the leading land brokerage in Texas. Together, we form one of the country’s most expansive and effective land brokerage networks, connecting clients across all 50 states and reaching more than 50 international markets. This partnership offers our sellers access to an unparalleled pool of qualified buyers, both nationwide and abroad.

DIGITAL MARKETING

Central to our marketing is the Fay Ranches Website, a tool that has garnered over 7 million page views and nearly 950,000 new users in the past two years alone. Your property on our platform will receive dedicated attention through professional photography, detailed descriptions, and immersive brochures highlighting the property’s attributes, all to ensure high search engine visibility. Our collaboration with videographers further elevates our marketing efforts, with property videos garnering over 12 million impressions in 2024.

Email marketing is another avenue for engaging our audience, driving over 20 percent of our website traffic. Leveraging our database of over 90,000+ highly qualified users cultivated organically over the decades, we deliver targeted listings directly to prospective buyers, with over 80 percent of our sales stemming from established relationships. Our emails have an average open rate of over 35% which speaks to the quality of the content we put forth to our database, as well as their eagerness to connect. For buyers that have already expressed interest, we also produce targeted, regionally specific emails with an average open rate of over 50%. In addition, I have a personal database of over 10,000 individuals with whom I have worked over the years.

Beyond our website and email campaigns, Fay Ranches utilizes various online platforms to expand our reach to a discerning audience. From third-party sites like LandWatch.com to social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, our multifaceted approach ensures maximum exposure for your property, directing over 80,000 users to our website in 2024 alone.

LAND INVESTOR MAGAZINE

The Land Investor magazine, published by Fay, offers insights and advice from our land experts. Published annually, Land Investor Magazine boasts a readership of over 40,000, including prominent landowners and industry insiders. With your listing featured in our magazine, you gain access to an international audience, maximizing exposure and attracting qualified investors. Additionally, Fay’s Land Investor Podcast further educates our audience on informative topics and engages guests. The Fay Rural Community Foundation draws attention and resources to the rural communities of America by focusing on health, education, and youth.

PRICING YOUR PROPERTY

Setting a competitive list price from the outset is paramount in maximizing property value. Our process is to provide a suggested listing price that takes into consideration the estimation of value and marketplace trends, including local, regional, and global elements, timing, seller motivation, and overall property features. We will work with you as a team to create a Market Analysis to price your property and discuss the specific attributes and challenges that factor into our valuation and marketing strategy.

One of the biggest challenges we face with our selling clients is pricing large, complex working ranches. This process is complex, has numerous variables, and is both an art and a science. Essentially, valuing any given property is similar to attempting to value a rare piece of art; what one buyer is willing to pay could radically differ from the next. Due to the unique nature and world-class properties we represent, it is challenging to provide an accurate measurement of value. Comparable sales are an industry norm in real estate; however, they are not applicable to any given property across the board. Each property possesses its own intrinsic, subjective, and objective values, which we attempt to measure as accurately as possible.

In this case, the most obvious challenge is whether to sell the ranches as a single offering or individually. This is an example of why teamwork between us and the client is so crucial. Your ultimate goals regarding the timing of sales, motivation, risk tolerance, and other factors will all need to be discussed in working through this analysis.

Currently, there are multiple large ranches in the Wyoming market. They are high-priced, and you could argue that they are overpriced, which is why they haven’t sold. This is certainly something that we want to be sure that we do not replicate!

Some of these properties are as follows:

Antlers Ranch

Pitchfork Ranch

Old Sundance Ranch

The Teichert Ranch

The Old Elk Ranch

Wild Horse Basin Ranch

40,000± acres total (16,532± deeded)

96,115± acres total (13,886± deeded)

33,934± acres total (29,000± deeded)

22,000± acres total (7,243± deeded)

16,000± acres total (15,102± deeded)

87,517± acres total (33,144± deeded)

$85,000,000

$67,000,000

$64,900,000

$55,000,000

$49,000,000

$48,000,000

It is equally important to take into consideration overall accessibility, remoteness, and if the improvements are eccentric and challenging for the next owner. We are very discerning about the caliber of properties we accept in our model and the people we work with. The profile of buyers we work with understands the rarity of certain properties being presented to the market, long-term hold incentives, investment grade appreciation, potential tax savings for a conservation easement, mitigation and soil banking, soil depreciation tax credits, business operations, stewardship and protection, livability, lifestyle, emotional capital, privacy, wildlife component, game management practices, multidimensional exit strategies, and a multitude of other highly influential reasons.

If the pricing model is overly aggressive, the time on the market can be extensive. However, This is fine, provided that both the landowner and we understand this challenge on the front end. Finding just the right buyer simply takes time and depends on the pricing model and challenges associated with the ranch, and the landowner needs to be aware of this from inception. Historically speaking, buyers typically don’t pay retail value for past capital improvements, such as fencing, road improvement, developing water resources for livestock, etc. These are examples of normal expenses in terms of owning and enhancing any given property that the landowner bears and does not recover in a sale.

It is equally challenging to identify the profile of buyers. Analyzing the rational or psychological mindset and decision-making process as to why any given ranch buyer wishes to purchase a ranch is a very broad and complex subject. Additionally, when factoring in the emotional nature of this process, there isn’t an easily identifiable investment formula or model to gain a lot of insight, data, or science to help us. Due to the nature of Pathfinder Ranches, it will be crucial to identify the interests of various buyers. We believe the buyer profile could range from a corporate buyer, similar to the current ownership group, to an individual high-wealth buyer wanting to own the largest combined assembly of ranches by one owner in the State of Wyoming.

Buyers will compare similar-priced ranches in a multi-state area. It is critical to understand other ranches in the marketplace create a competitive environment for sellers. Corporations and ranchers certainly do their due diligence when looking for a large cattle and hay production ranch. Properties in a competitive price range will then be measured on the cleanliness of the deal, location, accessibility, size, price range, physical attributes, challenges, climate, etc. If our track record and experience mean anything, we understand how important pricing is on the front end.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AFTER LISTING

Within two weeks of listing the property, we will gather additional facts and photography to supplement the information already provided. This will include an executive summary, quick facts, photos, and maps for a draft brochure and web page. Once brochure and webpage are completed, we will announce the Pathfinder Ranch as a new listing throughout our database, specifically targeting pre-qualified high-wealth buyers who have expressed interest in this type of property.

Within four to six weeks, we will post a short feature video on the ranch on social media and all major platforms and share another update with our entire database announcing the video’s release.

We will provide “Owner Updates” every three months that recap market activity, analytics, showing feedback, etc., or at a frequency that is catered to your needs.

Please delve deeper into this proposal to better understand our tools and resources. It’s been a pleasure sharing our approach with you, and should you have any questions or require further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out at your convenience.

Remember, as a team we can work together to achieve the best results in the sale of your tremendous property!

Sincerely,

Robb Nelson Responsible Broker in SD, & NE

Licensed in WY, CO, SD, & NE

Zach McDermott Ranch Advisor | Licensed in WY & SD

PATHFINDER RANCHES

PROPERTY FACTS

• 98,000± deeded acres, over 638,000± total acres, including state trust land grazing leases and Bureau of Land Management grazing

• 92,700 Animal Unit Months (AUMs)

• Four Federal grazing associations

• 29 Federal allotments & 22 State leases for grazing

• Over 4,500 acre-feet of pre-1904 water rights

• Extensive wells, tanks & pipelines across all ranches

• Turnkey livestock infrastructure includes barns, shops, shipping facilities, corrals, an indoor arena, and a full suite of support structures

• Access to the famed Miracle Mile, Pathfinder Reservoir, and Sweetwater River for trophy trout fishing

• Trophy potential elk, mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, as well as predator hunting

• Exclusive outfitter lease with a reputable outfitter

ROBB NELSON

Responsible Broker

When buying or selling a ranch, no one is better equipped than Robb Nelson. Working in the ranch real estate market since 2005 with extensive experience in Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota. Robb blends an unparalleled understanding of land, cattle, and law to deliver exceptional results for his clients. His legal background as a contract and real estate lawyer adds a sophisticated edge to his negotiations, ensuring complex deals are handled with precision and confidence. Robb has brokered some of the largest and most high-profile ranch sales in the industry, including the record-breaking $37 million Bismarck Trail Ranch transaction, the largest ranch deal in South Dakota’s history. Recognized as one of the top five land brokers in the country by Realtor’s Land Institute, he has a reputation built on trust, integrity, and in-depth knowledge of the market and the land; Robb’s clients can be assured they are working with the very best.

A fifth-generation cattleman from South Dakota, Robb’s expertise is deeply rooted in the traditions of ranching. Growing up on his family’s ranch, he developed a profound connection to the land and the Western way of life, a legacy proudly showcased at the Tri-State Museum in Belle Fourche, displaying his ancestors’ saddles. After pursuing higher education on a football and track scholarship in Texas, Robb attended St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, where he honed his skills in contract and real estate law. His diverse background offers a unique perspective on real estate transactions, combining legal acumen with hands-on knowledge of ranch management and land stewardship.

ZACH MCDERMOTT

Advisor

Hailing from Nebraska and residing in Wyoming since 2005, Zach and his family have called Sheridan home since 2018. As the current Board President of the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, he is also an active life member in the Wild Sheep Foundation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He is deeply passionate about wildlife conservation and stewardship, which have influenced his personal & professional life. Zach has immense knowledge of the Mountain West region through his outdoor pursuits and professional endeavors.

Robb Nelson, JD

Responsible Broker

rnelson@fayranches.com 303.909.6491

Scan to learn more about Robb

Zach McDermott Advisor

zach.mcdermott@evrealestate.com 307.752.1212

Scan to learn more about Zach

ROBB NELSON’S NOTABLE SALES

BISMARK TRAIL RANCH

Vale, South Dakota

$37M

PORCUPINE RIDGE RANCH

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

$19M

OREGON TRAIL RANCH

Torrington, Wyoming

$10M

HANGING H RANCH

Sutherland, Nebraska

$12M

THUNDER RIVER RANCH

Laramie, Wyoming

$21M

Rapid City, South Dakota

$22M

Walden, Colorado

$22M

Rangely, Colorado

$15M

Durango, Colorado

$10M

CHEYENNE RIVER RANCH

GRIZZLY RANCH

RED BRIDGE ESTATE

BITTER CREEK RANCH

DOME MOUNTAIN RANCH Emigrant, Montana

$45M

FOLEY BUTTE Prineville, Oregon

$27.5M

LITTLE BELT ELK RANCH White Sulphur Springs, Montana

$14.8M

ROCKING CHAIR RANCH Dubois, Wyoming

$15.9M

PRIVATE SALE

Manhattan, Montana

$29.975M

$27.7M

$18.25M

$17M

$13.325M

BURNT HOLLOW RANCH

Deer Lodge, Montana

CRAZY ELK RANCH

Belgrade, Montana

NORTHERN PLAINS RANCH

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

BIGHORN RIVER RANCH Custer, Montana

Founded in 1992, Fay Ranches was built on four pillars, which have guided our growth and success over the years - Family, Investment Value, Sporting Pursuits, and Conservation. This shared commitment is the basis for the relationships we build and the quality of the business we execute. It is upon this foundation that Fay Ranches has grown to become the top land brokerage firm in the country; it truly is who we are.

OUR CORE VALUES

FAMILY

Our staff and agents are not only avid outdoorsmen and women, but we are also dedicated family men and women who love to spend time on the land and build memories with our families. We understand the value of working and playing outdoors with loved ones and the bond these shared experiences can create within the family, whether moving cows or skipping stones. There’s nothing better than helping a valued client find that perfect property, and then participating in or hearing about the wonderful experiences shared by family and friends on the land. This, in our opinion, is what life is all about.

INVESTMENT VALUE

We are immersed in the marketplace every day and are the first to hear of new opportunities. We listen to the goals of our clients and utilize our knowledge and our willingness to “beat the bushes” to find the ideal investment. The agents at Fay bring a diversity of professional knowledge to our clients including timber expertise, ranch management, fish and game outfitting, financial services, and decades of land valuation.

SPORTING PURSUITS

Whether we are horseback riding, bird hunting, fly fishing, big game hunting or just being outside with friends and family, these pursuits are a shared passion at Fay. Even when we are not working, we are “on the ground,” discovering and researching the ever-evolving market of the land business. Our passion for the outdoors and knowledge of land contributes greatly to our ability to find our clients the perfect ranch, timberland, farm, or sporting property.

CONSERVATION

Each of us at Fay have a love of the land and a desire to see it remain as productive agricultural ground as well a quality fish and wildlife habitat. Through promoting the use of thoughtful land stewardship, Fay has guided owners toward a legacy of conserving wide open spaces, enhancing and creating fisheries and wildlife habitats and implementing sustainable agricultural operations. Fay is proud to say that since our company began in 1992, the landscape on which we work has been significantly enhanced by the conservation ethic and land-use practices of our clients.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE

REPU BLIC RANCHES

In 2014, Fay Ranches and Texas-based Republic Ranches forged an alliance that has significantly expanded the reach of both powerhouse brokerages. Republic Ranches is the only land brokerage company that covers the entirety of Texas and Oklahoma, providing Fay direct access to the money centers of Texas. The cross-marketing and collaborative efforts between these two companies has dramatically increased the exposure of each of our exclusive listings to a larger and highly qualified audience.

OUR REACH | COAST TO COAST

Whether you are investing in land or divesting an existing land asset, choosing a brokerage company to work with is a critical decision. One of the most important things to consider is the “reach” of the company. Fay Ranches has developed a network of offices from coast to coast, as well as a strategic alliance with the largest land brokerage company in Texas, Republic Ranches. Fay Ranches has the most effective group of land professionals in the industry, comprised of agents who have spent decades developing relationships with a highly qualified audience of land investors. If you’re selling significant land assets worth millions of dollars, trusted relationships built over time are essential.

OUR MARKETING APPROACH

Fay Ranches continues its longstanding dedication to our clientele through a thoughtful and successful marketing plan that has been continuously refined for over 30 years. We are committed to keeping ahead of the market by embracing new technologies, and staying informed on the changing landscape of media convergence.

We are passionate about what we do and we recognize that our clients’ properties are both exceptional and unique. Our deep commitment to every client and property we represent is demonstrated in our professional but personal approach to all aspects of the business relationship, and our efficient marketing plan, individually crafted for each client’s unique property.

what to expect

Listing your property for sale should be an easy process. We’ve outlined the steps we’ll take to place your property inallofourmarketingchannelsquicklyandeffectively.

Professional photography and videography is taken as soon as possible after listing agreement is executed, weather permitting.

Custom property brochure is created using highquality photos, extensive listing information, and comprehensive broker insight.

Listing is added to the Fay Ranches website and syndicated feeds.

Listing is sent to our subscriber database, as well as the Fay Ranches social media platforms.

Listing is featured in appropriate print and digital advertising opportunities.

HIGH-QUALITY PROPERTY BROCHURE & WEB PAGE

To show your property in the best light, Fay Ranches will create a professional brochure, both printed and digital, tailored to your listing. This magazine-quality brochure showcases the features of your property. Additionally, we will create a web page featuring your listing with links to the digital and printable brochure.

AVERAGE BROCHURE READ TIME : 6 minutes

READER IMPRESSIONS IN 2024 : 246 K+

950K+ NEW WEBSITE USERS IN 2024

SEO & DIGITAL PARTNERS

In addition to creating a web page specifically for your property, Fay Ranches works to optimize the web page for your listing to improve its standing in search engines, making it more visible to the public. Your listing will be fed to our third-party syndicated partners who will showcase your listing on their respective sites to augment exposure.

GOOGLE ADS

Google Ads is an advertising service that allows our listings to capture the organic qualified audience that is searching topics relating to location and property type. We currently have a google ad for each state landing page, bringing an average of 103K+ users per year.

E-NEWSLETTER & SOCIAL MEDIA

WE HAVE THE MOST EFFECTIVE EMAIL DATABASE IN THE INDUSTRY

Built over the past 33 years, all of our subscribers came to us organically. Each listing featured in an e-newsletter is sent to our proprietary database of current and potential clients. With over 80% of our sales coming from existing relationships and client referrals, our email database is a remarkably effective marketing tool.

SOCIAL MEDIA

PERFORMANCE

SUBSCRIBER COUNT AS OF 2024: 80K+

35% OPEN RATE (INDUSTRY AVERAGE IS 21.7%)

FREQUENCY: 2X PER WEEK

Social media has become an important online marketing tool, and Fay Ranches is an active participant in social media marketing.

We utilize platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube to promote our clients’ properties to an active audience of over 40K+ friends, fans, and prospective buyers.

40K+ FOLLOWERS ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS

80K+ USERS DIRECTED TO WEBSITE IN 2024

CUSTOM SELLER REPORTS

Seller reports are a comprehensive tool that offer valuable insights into all marketing efforts for a specific property.

FREQUENCY: UPDATED & SENT OUT EVERY 3 MONTHS

This allows for an optimal amount of time to analyze and compare data and provides a detailed breakdown of all marketing efforts. By analyzing the data provided in this report, we can fine-tune our marketing strategy and optimize efforts to achieve better results.

Seller reports also reflect a listing’s appearances in corporate advertisements and event materials. Our agents participate in events throughout the year to promote brand awareness and build positive relationships within the communities we work in, providing additional opportunities for potential buyers to learn about our listings.

Every seller report contains valuable marketing information unique to each property we list. Below are some commonly reported data points we use to increase exposure.

Brochure Downloads

Top User Locations

Total Page Views

Top 4 Lead Sources

DIGITAL & PRINT OPPORTUNITIES

DIGITAL MARKETING

is one of the most cost-effective marketing avenues, often yielding double the traffic on a listing website page. Fay Ranches has built a robust digital marketing platform. We market in sizable real estate aggregate sites like MansionGlobal.com, and digital newsletters like The Land Report, both of which have significant exposure.

PRINT MARKETING

CPC CAMPAIGNS

98K CLICKS IN 2024

18M+ IMPRESSIONS IN 2024

Cost Per Click campaigns are used to promote Fay Ranches properties. They allow us to focus on specific demographics or geographic areas, making sure we engage with a qualified audience and re-target users to our benefit.

is utilized in a multitude of forms by Fay Ranches in our efforts to continually stay informed on the constant shifts in marketing methods, allowing us to reach the right buyers. Our strong partnerships with our advertising affiliates afford our listings significant exposure in terms of both quantity and quality. We strategically place our print advertising in publications that target an audience—in terms of wealth and interests—of potential land investors and ranch owners. Along with traditional print advertising, Fay utilizes highly effective letter campaigns, airport advertising, and our own Land Investor magazine to get our listings in front of qualified land investors.

At Fay Ranches, we believe the greatest changes happen when people come together in partnership, collaboration, and generosity.

We live, work, and play in America’s rural communities and we see that there are resources and opportunities that we can provide to help conserve those strong communities. The Fay Rural Community Foundation is where individuals, families, and businesses come together to leave a legacy of giving. We strive to help rural communities create a better future for their families by connecting people with purpose through healthcare, education, and youth initiatives.

OUR MISSION To support America’s rural communities by sourcing opportunities that focus on healthcare, education, and youth initiatives.

OUR VISION At Fay Rural Community Foundation, we envision a future in which rural America continues to be strong, where families choose to live, and have access to quality education, healthcare, and growth opportunities for generations to come.

FEATURED PROJECTS

The Fay Rural Community Foundation contributed to the Lingle Fort Laramie Hunger Initiative to help eliminate lunch debt for students.

The Fay Rural Community Foundation donated to Sweet Grass County High School to provide Chromebooks to the incoming Freshman class.

The Fay Rural Community Foundation worked with local 3rd grade students to read to the animals in Torrington, Wyoming Waggin’ Tails Shelter.

The Fay Rural Community Foundation contributed new hydration stations to Fergus High School in Lewistown, Montana.

THE LAND INVESTOR GUIDE EXCLUSIVELY FEATURES FAY RANCHES PROPERTIES

The Land Investor platform was built to educate our audience while simultaneously providing Fay Ranches properties an exclusive marketing advantage. We leverage our broad distribution and audience to ensure Fay properties are given optimal exposure to our network of partners, subscribers, and potential buyers.

Our audience includes some of the wealthiest landowners and high-end brokers in the U.S., investors, outdoor enthusiasts, and agriculturalists. We value our authentic and long-standing relationships with both other brokerage companies and land investors, who are essential to our success and reach. Past volumes of the magazine were proudly distributed at prestigious events coast to coast.