Staff, Author at BioZyme Online Dealer Center

How to Use Promos Effectively

Everyone is looking for a deal, but does that mean you need to offer regular “deals” or promotions on your BioZyme^® products? No, there is a definite time and place to use promotions, and having a regular sale isn’t always the best way to make a sale.

The value of BioZyme products is that they are high quality products that do exactly what they say they do. The products keep your animals healthy, and healthy animals grow faster and more efficiently. If a potential customer is skeptical, share the research or other customer testimonials with them. Chances are, you are going to gain a new customer who becomes a repeat customer.

But, your competitors down the road offer regular sales on their supplement products, and your lack of a “good deal” is the topic of conversation at the local coffee shop. Here are few ways to offer smart promotions, should you feel the need to do so.

Offer a short-term discount on something everyone can use. Most of your customers have a dog, so offer a discount on dog food with the purchase of a certain amount of VitaFerm^® or Vitalize^® mineral. This gives them the opportunity to try something new they might not have even known BioZyme offers, and makes you look like the good guy for offering a promotion.

Don’t offer a discount on in-season products. Did you order too much VitaFerm^® HEAT™ mineral and you are approaching the cooler months? That would be a good time to discount that inventory to get it out of the warehouse, and perhaps customers will want to order more at regular price next summer.

Remember to advertise a “limited time promotion.” If you don’t, your customer might actually like the dog the food they bought last time with their supplement order, and will want you to honor that same price again. Remind the customer that it was a one-time promotion, but you are glad he/she liked the product, and will be glad to sell it to him/her at regular price.

Add value in other ways. Host a producer meeting to share the latest industry information. Invite your customers to a special VIP open house with refreshments and door prizes after store hours. Offer delivery. There are many ways of adding value to your products that won’t hurt your profit potential.

If conducted properly, promotions can be a good marketing tool. But plan them when they will help you, the dealer, boost sales, and use them wisely.

March 2017 – Letters from Lisa

At BioZyme^®, we track our market share in all the different markets where we are trying to grow. While the sales team would tell you that I use market share as a part of my slave driver approach to growth; it is actually not true. I use market share to motivate our entire team (you too) around the significant opportunity that still awaits us.

Our growth has been impressive and would not be possible without each of you. This growth makes it easy to ask how many more years is this really possible? The answer to that is objective and easy when you assess it from the market share perspective. At the end of 2016, our market share in the cow-calf sector was 1.5%. On a state-by-state basis it ranges from 10% in Indiana down to 0.2% in Texas. Just to give you some comparative perspective, McDonalds has 17% market share in the fast food industry, while the strongly misguided Chipotle has 2.2%.

Increasing market share is one of the most important objectives of business. The main advantage of using market share as a measure of business performance is that it is less dependent upon variables such as the state of the economy or changes in tax policy. Market share is said to be a key indicator of market competitiveness—that is, how well a firm is doing against its competitors. Similarly, within a firm’s product line, market share trends for individual products are considered early indicators of future opportunities.

I am sure by now, you are thinking let’s go grow market share. And because you are thinking that right now, I am hugging you. It is my job to keep the team focused on how to continue to grow that market share. It’s actually not that easy, but there are a few things one should constantly consider:

Stay relevant through innovation. One great way to gain market share is to spot new trends ahead of competitors. Listen carefully when you’re chatting with friends, watching the news or listening to kids talk about what they like. There may be a change in the wind your business can jump on.

Respond to customers – fast. Remember when leaving a voicemail recording that said, “I’ll get back to you within 24 hours” seemed responsive? Not anymore. In this age of real-time, shoppers are increasingly loyal to the company that can fix their problem right now. Check out how fast your competitors respond, and then be faster; customers will take notice.

Keep an open channel for customer ideas. One of those ideas might be your next hit product. So, let’s hear from all of you. What should we be considering as an add-on to our product line up??

Snap up competitors. Sometimes the easiest way to get more customers is to simply buy them. Watch for competitors that might be up for sale and purchase them or their customer lists.

Let’s go get that market share – our BioZyme goal is to get to 2.5% in the next 2 years. WE CAN DO THIS!!

Tips to Reduce and Handle Heat in Your Stock

Warmer temperatures are quickly approaching, and that means producers should start considering how to help their animals handle the heat. Heat stress is almost inevitable, but some management practices can be implemented to help animals better cope with rising temperatures.

All mammals regulate their internal body temperature involuntarily. Heat stress occurs when the animal’s ability to self-regulate and lower core body temperature is overwhelmed and the animal’s performance and/or health is compromised.

Signs of heat stress:

Bunching in the shade
Excessive salivation
Foam around the mouth
Panting
Lack of coordination or trembling

Effects of heat stress:

Reduced feed intake and weight gain
Poor breeding efficiency
Lower milk production
Increased disease susceptibility
Death in severe cases

Being proactive is the best approach to helping animals deal with heat stress. Having a solid management plan in place to combat heat stress could play a crucial role in an operation’s ability to maintain animal performance during periods of increased heat. Some management options include:

Shade: Temperature can be lowered by providing areas where animals can get out of direct sunlight.

Improved ventilation: Providing fans or allowing for adequate air movement helps alleviate heat stress.

Clean, cool drinking water: Water is necessary to keep the animal’s core body temperature within normal limits. Providing cool water will also help cool the animal’s core.

Wetting: Gradually wetting an animal with cool water from sprinklers or hoses is an effective way to cool an animal suffering from heat stress. Wetting the ground can also cool the area where animals lay and reduce the effects of heat stress.

Timing of feeding: By moving the animal’s feeding time to late afternoon or evening will allow rumen fermentation (which creates heat) to take place during cooler temperatures.

It is nothing new that BioZyme^® is committed to improving the well-being of animals through nutrition. To help our customers better manage heat stress within their herds, we have developed two products that specifically address heat abatement; VitaFerm^® HEAT^® and Vita Charge^® Climate Control Gel. These products contain an extract that helps livestock handle heat stress by lowering core body temperature in a safe, fast, and natural way. Not to mention, the Amaferm^® advantage found in both these products is research-proven to lower body temperature.

Dealer Success Stories: Customer Service is Key

Webster defines success as a “favorable or desirable outcome.” This group of dealers epitomizes that success, growing their sales significantly over the past year. But success doesn’t just happen. Ask any one of them, and they will attribute their success to having a great product, providing top-notch customer service and having great people to work with – customers, employees and BioZyme^® support.

Bowman Grain
Bowman, North Dakota

Education and communication are two of the keys to a successful BioZyme dealership, according to Bob White, manager of Bowman Grain in Bowman, North Dakota.

“Having producer meetings is important to us,” White said. “We try to keep the area producers informed about changes in the industry like VFD, and hold meetings during different times of the year to discuss breeding and weaning.”

White says providing outstanding customer service has been key to their sales success. Bowman Grain offers delivery, makes sure their customers know about volume discounts, and follows up with their customers to make sure the products they have purchased are working for their livestock operation.

And the best thing about being a BioZyme dealer, according to Bob, is the support received. “The dealer support we get from our ASM and the company is great. Our ASM goes with our sales staff around the country to talk to potential customers about the benefits of VitaFerm^® products.”

Circle L Feed
Quitman, Arkansas

People helping other people is what helps make the sale at Circle L Feed in Quitman, Arkansas. Although they are fairly new BioZyme^® dealers, Circle L has been in business for 18 years, and owner Mike Lagasse gives his employees tremendous credit for knowing the products they sell and listening to the customer to find out his or her needs.

“We do take care of our business and don’t worry about the competition. It will always be there,” Lagasse said. “We have professional staff who greets everyone when they walk in the door, answers questions and then sells something that will help the producers make money. BioZyme has a lot of choices for that.”

Many of the Circle L employees have been with the company for years, and Lagasse said they are all cross-trained to work in any part of the store. When they begin selling a new product, the employees learn about it so they can best help their customers.

Dealer Success Stories: Producer Testimonials Sell the Product

Mike Damon
Knoxville, Iowa

For Mike Damon, becoming a BioZyme dealer seemed like a natural fit. He’s been feeding the product to his own livestock since the 1970s. His dad’s cousin, Deverne Dixon, used to work as the dealer in the area around Knoxville, Iowa, where Mike and his wife, Barb, live today. And, Mike said it is vital to his business success to be available for all producers.

“If I don’t know the answer to a customer’s question, I’ll try to find out,” Mike said as he complimented his ASM for always providing assistance. “The guy who has five cows thinks he is just as important as the guy with 500, and when it comes to sales, he is. Because the guy with five cows can be really positive and help you sell just as much as the guy with 500.”

Mike said some of the best parts about selling BioZyme products are the people and helping the producers. He has left mineral at some farms for years, and never has seen a person, but a positive experience creates a chain reaction, and that producer tells his friends, and then Mike adds two or three more customers.

High Hill Supplements
Schulenburg, Texas

Cultivating relationships and targeting progressive producers has helped High Hill Supplements grow their BioZyme^® business during the past year. Kevin Warnken, Schulenburg, Texas, said he works hard to find larger, progressive producers, explains the benefits of using the BioZyme products, and sells them the products that will work for their ranch.

He shared about one customer who had a 92-percent conception rate on 1,200 cows. Warnken convinced the rancher to use VitaFerm^® Concept•Aid^® the next year. The rancher’s additional $8,000 supplement investment increased his conception rate to 96-percent, which produced about 50 more calves, and put more money in his pocket. He was sold.

And producers of all sizes are singing praises to Warnken, who just received a note from a smaller customer who had used Concept•Aid: “Just wanted to say thanks. 100% calf crop in 2016. 45 out of 45.”

Warnken said that while testimonials from peers will help gain customers, hard work and customer service helps him keep a customer. He said delivering the product and following up with the producer is important, and last year he delivered nearly 450 tons in his pickup.

“We make the deliveries ourselves, ask them what they want and give them twice what they ask for,” he said. “The only thing I’ll sell is something that works. It’s not a glorious life, but it is a great life.”

Dealer Success Stories: BioZyme Support is Vital

Tappen Farm Supply
Tappen, North Dakota

For Kurt Bodvig, owner and manager of Tappen Farm Supply in central North Dakota, the combination of a great product from a reputable company and having product readily available is what continues to sell BioZyme to his customers. In his small community of approximately 200 people, there are probably 10 different people who sell animal nutrition products, so keeping customers happy is important.

“Most guys are happy with the product, and as long as they are happy, we are happy,” he said.

In addition to tracking what his customers use and keeping inventory for them, the feed store hosts an annual producer meeting each February, with the assistance of ASMs Dorothy Orts and Katelyn Wendel. Producers enjoy a good meal, and the chance to visit one-on-one with the ASMs to learn more about the products and their benefits, Bodvig said.

K Triangle Feed
Glendo, Wyoming

Keith Micke, Glendo, Wyoming, is a dealer who uses his resources to their full potential, and he never gives up. He says the tools that BioZyme^® offers dealers, from the online dealer center to the staff who help him over the phone and in person, are valuable to his success.

“Their nutritionists have come out for producer meetings. And ASM, Britney Creamer has come and helped me at various shows around the state, including the Wyoming State Fair, where she even brought fresh peaches to share with customers,” Micke said. “The folks at BioZyme are great people, and you need to use them to benefit your business.”

He also mentioned the online record keeping tools are valuable to track previous sales, maintain a mailing list and see what products customers ordered at certain times of year. But perhaps just as important as the resources BioZyme offers, he appreciates that it is a family-oriented business that strives to help producers succeed.

Coal Valley Feeds
Cherokee, Kansas

Jackie Coltrane is passionate about the livestock industry. It doesn’t matter if he’s telling you about his three-generation Angus seedstock operation, selling semen for Select Sires, or representing BioZyme, his excitement for helping others succeed can’t be masked.

“Having a product that does what it is supposed to do and a company that will support you are the best parts of being a BioZyme dealer,” Coltrane said. Coltrane gives respect to his ASM John Jeffrey and Erin Creason, Inside Sales Coordinator, for helping him with any questions he has, and continually providing him information.

“Erin is a huge asset to us, as she fills our artillery with educational materials to pass on to customers and potential customers,” Coltrane said. He added that she is readily available via phone call or text and always responds promptly to his inquiries.

Another resource that Coltrane appreciates is the product education they provide. With so many products, he said it’s nice when they put out new research or educational material so he can best help his customers find the product that will best fit their needs.

4 Times to Use Vitalize Equine Recovery Gel

Vitalize^® Equine Recovery Gel with the Amaferm^® advantage contains the ideal balance of vitamins, organic trace minerals, amino acids, anti-oxidants, Omega 6 and Omega 3, MOS and Amaferm for maximum support of immune function and stress recovery. Though the times to feed it are limitless, here are four times we recommend it most.

At the first sign of digestive upset

Digestive upset or colic can happen for no apparent reason. If your horse is displaying signs of abdominal pain, diarrhea or general discomfort, administer Recovery Gel immediately.

Hauling

Hauling a horse can be a very stressful experience. In fact, on average a horse loses 6 to 8 pounds per hour of travel. To lessen the negative impact, administer Recovery Gel every four to six hours while hauling.

With antibiotics

By nature, antibiotics deplete both the good and bad microbes in the gut making probiotics an impractical option. Amaferm is a prebiotic and is research-proven to stimulate beneficial gut microbes, even in the presence of antibiotics, aiding in a speedy recovery. Administer Recovery Gel daily while feeding antibiotics and in the days following antibiotic treatment.

Showing

If you’ve ever had butterflies in your stomach, you may know firsthand the way your horse is feeling while walking up to the show ring. The stress of showing can have profound, negative impacts on the gut. To improve your horse’s performance and maintain a good gut feeling, administer Recovery Gel two to four hours before showing. For an especially nervous or anxious horse you can also give gel the night before and after showing.

February 2017 – Letters from Lisa

“ACTION IS THE FOUNDATIONAL KEY TO ALL SUCCESS.” -Pablo Picasso

In mid-January, our area prepared for an ice storm compared to nothing we had seen since 1993. I don’t remember the ice storm of 1993, but it must have been bad as they were predicting a ½- to ¾-inch of ice in this storm, a very disruptive amount. A disruptive ice storm is typically one of ¼- to ½-inch of ice accumulation. This amount of ice starts to damage trees and power lines. As a matter of fact, a ½ inch accumulation on power lines can add 500 pounds of extra weight.

Having an action plan around this ice storm was important to my survival success, as I am responsible for a very famous horse, two rabbits and three dogs. Our daughter came home so I had to make sure she was safe too. With all that in mind, Bob got an electrician to set up a generator wired to the house for basic power, we (along with everyone else in St. Joe) went to the grocery store and got enough food to last at least a week. We bought every heated blanket and small heater they had left at Target, and I slept on the couch so I would hear the storm hit. I did this for three nights. The ice never came. Was all this action a waste of time or did it have value?

We don’t ever expect to have to deal with an ice storm, a flood or a tornado but when they do happen, the difference between life and death is often determined by how prepared we are for action and how much of a plan we have. The same is true in business.

Here are three easy steps to ensure you maximize the value of your business with planned action.

Pick Your Three “Focus Areas” – Focus Areas are the most important areas for your business to spotlight, the areas that will really help you develop your business. Stick with no more than three, as too many priorities mean you have no top priorities. Sure, you’ll still have to take care of your company’s day-to-day operational needs, but focusing on a few key chunks will actually produce value for your company. Potential focus areas could be:

Increasing your lead flow
Improving your sales conversion system
Speeding up your collections cycle
Making a key hire
Developing a new product

Define Success for Each of Your Three Focus Areas – generally, you should pick criteria of success that you have control over (or, at the very least, you have a great deal of influence over). It’s important to look for criteria that are as objectively and quantitatively measurable as possible. Pick one “Key Performance Indicator” to track. Your KPI for each Focus Area gives you a yardstick against which to measure progress as you go. By laying out your criteria of success for each Focus Area, you’ll have clear clues for what action steps you need to take.

Lay Out Your Key Action Steps and Milestones – the final step is to lay out the key action steps you need to take and milestones you need to reach to accomplish success for each Focus Area. Try to break down each Focus Area into five to seven action steps. For each action step, pick a team member to be responsible for executing the step by a definite date.

Remember, action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.

AFIA Releases Training Module on VFD Preparedness for Retail Distributors

As of Jan. 1, certain antimicrobial drugs of human medical importance have changed marketing status from over-the-counter (OTC) to Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). The American Feed Industry Association supports the judicious use of antimicrobial drugs and is working to ensure members are compliant with the recent change.

Throughout the industry there are resources for veterinarians, feed manufacturers and producers that members can use to better understand what is required by their facilities under the new VFD rule. Click here to see FDA’s overview of these areas. However, due to high demand, AFIA created a training module on VFD preparedness, which targets retail distributors (i.e. farm stores and co-ops), something previously unavailable.

The module answers the question, “How should retail distributors handle VFD orders?”

It is a narrated presentation that walks viewers through the key points of the VFD process and what is required on a VFD form. Additionally, AFIA’s created a sample completed VFD form available as a reference tool along with a PowerPoint slide deck that can be printed.

The training module can be found here. AFIA suggests companies make this training module (and resources) available to employees that are accepting VFD feed orders.

If you have questions or seek additional information, contact Preston Buff, AFIA director of regulatory affairs, at (703) 558-3568.

Featured Dealer: Culpeper Farmers’ Cooperative

With the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) on the horizon, one Virginia feed mill and BioZyme^® dealer has worked diligently to create its own line of feed to help keep animals healthy.

“We wanted to develop a line of feeds and minerals to keep animals healthy without a VFD,” said Katie Reames, Director of Feed and Nutrition for CFC Farm & Home Center. “And this is another alternative for producers who don’t have a VCPR.”

The A+ line of feeds includes cattle formulas for both beef and dairy cows. Currently CFC is offering a creep feed, cattle mineral and a commodity pellet. Future plans include developing a ration for growing cattle. All products in the A+ line include Amaferm. Reames said the specific feeds are in the process of receiving their trademark.

“Amaferm goes into 100% of the A+ products,” Reames said. “The reason we picked Amaferm is because of the science behind it, proving increased production through good health. If the animal’s gut is healthy, they will be more resilient to health challenges that might come up in the herd.”

At least one feed in the A+ line is already available, with plans to start marketing the products soon.

CFC Farm & Home Center, which includes a feed mill and five retail stores, conducted educational meetings for its customers this fall to inform them of the changes with the VFD and introduce the A+ program to its customers. Reames said the dialogue was positive, and she hopes once the producers try the products and recognize the health benefits, they will be on board.

In addition to increased performance and keeping cattle healthy, Reames shared some other key roles the Amaferm advantage has assumed for CFC Farm & Home Center. She says that Amaferm has reduced the use of antibiotics and has also given natural and GMO-free producers options for their cattle.

Another benefit to using Amaferm in their mill is many producers run both horses and cattle together on smaller acreages and buy a general purpose feed, which has reduced ionophore usage.

It’s easy to see why Amaferm gets at A+ at CFC Farm & Home Center. The health benefits will assist producers looking for an alternative to the VFD to keep their herds healthy.