Category: Business Resources

Effective Action: Care that Comes Full Circle Comes from the Heart

Have you ever wondered about the phrase “care that comes full circle”? It isn’t just a fancy little catch phrase that BioZyme® throws around. It is the company motto that the company and its employees live by each day. Where does the care come from? It comes from the heart.

One of the things that sets BioZyme apart from other companies is this care that comes full circle. It’s in our people. It’s in our products. It’s in our research. President and CEO Lisa Norton compares it to a boomerang that is properly thrown.

“When you throw a boomerang properly, it will always come back to you. If we make supplements at BioZyme that help animals perform to their fullest, then that care we provide to them will ultimately, come full circle and put food on our plate. Now that is care that comes full circle,” Norton said.

Simply put, caring comes from the heart. This is true if you are talking about making nutrition products for a chicken with a with a rather short lifespan or a newborn child who depends on you for its every need.

Caring about what you do and how you do it always starts with the heart. If you start from the inside out – with the heart – not only will your care shine bright, but that care will boomerang back or “come full circle.”

Our research shows care. With more than 100 published studies, BioZyme never introduces a product until it has been carefully and fully researched. Research starts with a team of scientists and continues to real-life scenarios. Our proprietary fermentation processes are backed by 70 years of research – both in the lab and applied.

Our products show care. It’s no secret that the products that we market and sell do what we say they do. With a research-proven prebiotic like Amaferm® that has been studied and used for more than 70 years, you and your customers can rest assured that the products are carefully manufactured. Amaferm is made one place in the world – St. Joseph, Missouri.

Our people show care. Our people care about the products they make, the way they promote them and the people they work with. They are carefully trained in production best practices and safety manufacturing. They keep safety for themselves, others and the product top of mind.

Not only do our people show care about products and people within the BioZyme family, they extend that care into the greater community. They are active in civic organizations, community projects and helping neighbors. They know that care that comes full circle is a boomerang effect.

From the research, products and people, our care that comes full circle starts in the heart. We know that our dealers have heart too. We hope that you never forget your heart and how to give, and receive, that care.

Tell Everyone: Marketing Plans Start NOW

Marketing is one of the most important things you can do for your business. Regardless of if you are selling widgets or high-quality feed supplements, marketing is going to help you grow your business, build relationships with your customers and increase your profits.

As we move into 2023, there are more marketing opportunities than ever before. We no longer live in your grandpa’s world of driving downtown and putting an advertisement in the local newspaper made with clipart provided by the local cattle association, hoping for results.

Dealers, you have so many options available to you. So, grab your yellow legal pad or even your iPad, and take notes, because your marketing plans start now.

Make a plan. Divide your year into quarters and break each quarter into months. Decide what is important to your customers during those given months. If it starts getting hot in March or April where you live, you will probably want to start promoting a mineral that includes HEAT® in February or even earlier to make it top of mind. Market Sure Champ® products in the months leading up to and during livestock shows in your area. If you have a big wall calendar or like to use excel spreadsheets, use these tools to help visualize your plan.

Create a budget. Do you know how much money you have to spend on marketing? Do you plan to spend money each month? Every other month? Is the dollar amount dependent on sales or time of year? As you prepare your annual budget, set aside some marketing dollars for advertising, promotional items and even a producer meeting. If you have those funds budgeted early on, you should not spend them on other items, and know that you have the money reserved specifically for marketing efforts.

Choose your vehicles. Once you know your budget and what you plan to market, determine which outlets you would like to use for your marketing. Do you plan to rely solely on social media? Will you print stuffers to go with your invoices to promote new or timely products? Do you plan to advertise on the local radio station or with the local sports boosters on the high school football programs? If you know your customers or the potential customers you are trying to reach, you can determine which of the vehicles are relevant to them. Whichever vehicle you decide on, make sure you know the cost, the deadline and the file format you need to provide if it is an external company like a newspaper or radio station.

Use social media. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok are growing in popularity. Social media offers several benefits, with the most popular being that it is free. Other benefits include that it is widely accessible by most people anywhere, including at their fingertips, and it allows you to interact with your customers, whereas traditional advertising only allows for one-way communication. Use social media to your advantage. If you are not fully comfortable with some of the tools and platforms, remember that BioZyme offers Promoboxx as free service, and you can link your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts for free content.

Evaluate your action. After you have conducted your marketing action, it is always important to evaluate the outcome. Did a particular advertisement or promotion drive customers to the store? Did your business experience an increase in sales due to your marketing efforts? Take notes. If the sales didn’t increase, chalk one up for experience. If the sales went through the roof, write it down and plan for something very similar for the same time the next year.

Marketing is ever evolving. You don’t have to do it alone. Be sure to reach out to your ASM, use the tools provided to you in the Online Dealer Center or contact a member of the BioZyme Marketing Team. We are here to help you market your business and increase your sales.

Letters from Lisa – December 2022

December is my favorite month. This is because I get to give many “gifts” to those around me. These gifts include the most days off work of any month, end of year performance reviews, the annual Christmas bonus, Christmas gifts, happy New Year hugs and pausing to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.

The word in there I would like to focus on this month is pausing.

Pausing at times — even for just a few seconds — can make a major difference in how we think and react. Before you dismiss this as simple common sense, remember: the pause is easy in theory, difficult in practice.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) includes the ability to understand and manage our emotions, using them to work for us instead of against us. Emotional intelligence can help us think logically, rather than solely reacting with emotion. Like any ability, it can be learned, exercised and honed to help produce desirable outcomes. What one action can sharpen your EQ?

The pause.

The pause isn’t only effective when dealing with upsetting situations. Often, we are tempted to jump on opportunities that look really good at the time but that we haven’t really thought through. Used effectively, the pause can help reduce those “What was I thinking?” moments. Now wouldn’t that be a nice gift to give everyone around us?

How to Use the Pause Effectively

  1. Stop. Resist the urge to act immediately.
  2. Take a deep, long breath.
  3. If possible, take a walk. At least 10 to 15 minutes is great; longer is even better.

Using the pause can help us look to the future with more optimism. It is the pause that allows us to digest information and begin to use that information effectively. We can move logically through the processes of thinking, then planning and then doing. The order is important, and it is that order that allows the future to be all it can be for you and for your business.

Some situations do require immediate responses, and a pause may not always be an option. Time is money, but in big decisions that may have great impact, a pause can pay dividends.

Take the time this process requires, and you will find better decisions throughout business.

Now that’s a gift worth giving and receiving!

Know your Checkbook: Quality Customer Service can Increase your Bottom Line

Providing excellent customer service doesn’t cost your business anything. However, if even one customer has even a somewhat bad experience, it could cost you everything. Customer service is crucial to business and ultimately sales. Think about how fast news spreads, especially in a small community, and even more so with the aid of social media. People share positive experiences, and they are like endorsements. But one bad experience can make its way through the rumor mill in record speed, ruining your reputation and your sales.

A recent survey of American Express showed that 70% of customers are willing to spend 13% more on average with companies they believe provide exceptional customer service. Making a conscious effort to impress your customers creates the kind of reputation that promotes word-of-mouth referrals and upsell opportunities – ultimately increasing sales.

Another study showed that a 2% increase in customer retention has the same effect as decreasing costs by 10%. In an environment where businesses are increasingly concerned with their bottom line, companies may focus a lot more on improving customer satisfaction.

The best part of increasing your customer satisfaction levels is that customers keep coming back. These retained customers cost less than new customers. Why? Because you aren’t spending marketing dollars trying to get them in your stores – services you’re already providing are convincing them to come back.

Just what is that returning customer worth? According to an online article on Lireo.com:

  • Increasing customer retention by 5% can increase your profits up to 125%
  • Loyal customers are worth 10 times as much as their first purchase on average
  • Companies that make customer service a priority make 60% higher profits than their competitors

How to Improve Your Customers’ Experiences and Retain Them

  • Ask your customers for feedback – When you show that you care and that you’re willing to listen to your customers, they will appreciate it and want to give you their business. Really listen and try to implement their suggestions and feedback, and then show what changes you have made based on their suggestions.
  • Offer a good mix of products – Make sure you have the products that your customers use the most on-hand including seasonal items relevant to the animals’ nutritional development.
  • Keep your store easy to navigate – Keep your aisles clear, and set up a good flow. Keep like or complimentary products together so your customers don’t have to go from corner to corner to get the two products they came for.
  • Train your employees on how to handle complaints respectfully – Negative interactions spread to twice as many people as positive interactions. If an employee handles a complaint well, the chance of the dissatisfied customer spreading his or her discontentment decreases.

Customer service is something we strive to perfect each day but now that you know it can help your profits, be sure to give a little extra attention to the customers. Your customers will surely notice, and you can watch your business grow.

Effective Action: Taking Action Equals Growth

Do you remember the tale of the tortoise and the hare? To summarize, the hare had a lot of enthusiasm, but he didn’t take advantage of that enthusiasm. The tortoise, a little slower paced, knew he was at a disadvantage; however, he kept moving forward, and he WON THE RACE…Action wins.

This fable offers a valuable lesson even in the modern business world. Any action you take will help your business succeed. That is one reason BioZyme® created the Action Awards Program. We want to encourage dealers to take action – marketing, promotion, education – so their businesses will grow. Not only are dealers rewarded with their own sales growth and profits, but BioZyme also rewards them through the various items they can earn with their Action Awards points.

“We know that when dealers participate in our programs, whether it is an educational program like the Master Dealer Program or a marketing program like sending out the quarterly postcard, it helps their business grow. They are getting more information to share with their customers, and they are giving their company added recognition. Action equals growth. That is important to BioZyme,” said Jennifer Miller, Outreach Sales & Support Senior Manager.

Opportunities for Action – BioZyme offers several opportunities for dealers to take action to grow their businesses. With dedicated teams in sales, business development, outreach support and marketing, there are a multitude of ways for dealers to participate in programs that BioZyme offers. Dealers who participated in Promoboxx (an easy-to- use social media platform) grew on average 139.99%. Other marketing action opportunities include in-store displays, sending out a mailer or newsletter, print or radio advertising and helping an ASM at a trade show or educational event.

Dealers can act by gathering and submitting hay samples for a customer. They can host a producer meeting, offering a form of education and promotion about the products and their business. They can participate in the Master Dealer program, increasing their knowledge about the BioZyme brands. And they can participate in an after-hours training on any topic with a member of the Outreach Team.

Rewards for Action – By enrolling in the Action Awards Program, dealers are rewarded for their actions, not only by growing their business; but BioZyme offers points for each action taken. Once points are accumulated, they can be redeemed for items that range from promotional swag like shirts and caps to items to help grow your business further like hay probes and iPads.

Caleb Day of Cordell Farm & Ranch Store in Kaufman, Texas, said he appreciates the Action Awards points, and redeems them for wearables to give back to his customers.

“If they buy a certain number of bags of your product, they get a cap, if they buy more, they get a jacket. It incentivizes them. They might buy one more bag to get a cap or sweatshirt. And they appreciate getting something extra when they buy the product they already like,” Day said.

Miller reminds the dealers that points can be rewarded for any action. Contact her or your ASM if you do something a little different that isn’t listed, and she will make sure you are credited.

“We want your business to grow, and we want you to succeed. Take action, get your business name out there. We will gladly give you some points if you are doing the work to improve your business,” she said.

Take the action. Earn the points. Grow your business.

Know your Customer: Listening to Customers will Build Relationships

We’ve heard it and probably said it repeatedly — the customer is always right. Listening to your customers is a great way to build relationships and create customer loyalty. The one thing we know about loyal customers is they are repeat customers who tell others about your business.  

Customers, like everyone, are busy people. When they are comfortable enough with you to share their challenges, goals and concerns, that means they are in the relationship building phase. It is important to them, and your business, to actively listen to what they have to say. 

Let’s explore five tips to actively listen to your customers. 

  1. Pay attention. 

Make sure you give your customer your full attention so you can acknowledge the concern. Make eye contact and realize that your body language speaks volumes. Try to avoid folded arms or excessive looking around and being distracted. 

  1. Show that you are listening. 

Smile and use body language, like an occasional nod, to show you are paying attention. Take notes if it is something of great detail like a ration. Make sure your posture is open and inviting, with your head up, shoulders back and your arms to your side and not crossed. Small comments like “yes” or “hmm” also note that you are listening. 

  1. Provide feedback. 

Ask questions to clarify any points of confusion or to clarify a particular point. If you need more information, ask for it when the customer is finished talking. 

  1. Defer judgment.  

Allow the customer to finish sharing his or her message with you. Interrupting will seem disrespectful and could lose a sale and a friendship 

  1. Respond appropriately. 

Treat the customer like you would want your mother treated — with respect and understanding. Be candid and honest with your response, and don’t make promises you can’t keep. If you don’t have an immediate answer, let them know. “I hear your concerns about XYZ. Let me talk to my distributor, ASM or another person, and I will get back to you within X days,” is always a good response. They should respect the time you have given them to hear your concerns and the time you are going to take to further investigate.  

Listening to customers will help build trust, strengthen relationship and create loyalty. It also provides opportunities for cross selling and upselling. Did you have a customer come into your feedstore to buy cattle mineral and hear him also talk about the goats his wife recently bought? That sounds like a great opportunity to talk about DuraFerm® Goat Mineral.  

Listening can take shape in multiple forms. Be present. Listen to your customers. Build their trust. Keep their business. 

Letters from Lisa – November 2022

The Thanksgiving holiday likely conjures up hopes of family, food and football. And for sure thankfulness. Thankfulness is defined as being “pleased and relieved.” To be grateful is to “show appreciation of kindness.” There is a difference. Being thankful is a feeling whereas being grateful is an action. 

Saying “thank you” is one of the easiest and simplest ways to show gratefulness. This small action of kindness is a powerful tool that’s constantly at our disposal. Below are eight ways to take this very action and instantly make someone’s day: 

1) Write a note: Few people hand write anything anymore, but when one does, it’s meaningful and not forgotten. 

2) Do what you do best: Everyone is good at something! Love cooking? Make a meal and drop it off to someone needing an act of kindness. Love kids? Offer to babysit so their parent can have a break. Interestingly, doing more of what you love makes you happier, too. 

3) Be present: In very busy times, getting 100% of a human’s attention is a rare luxury. Show someone how much you care by truly stopping and listening to them. 

4) Be sneaky: Leave a surprise somewhere totally unexpected. Studies show that variations to normal routine make us happier – and that goes double when it’s a surprise thank you. 

5) Reciprocate: Anything someone has done for you, you can do, too. 

6) Pay it forward: The recipient of your kindness will often be so inspired by your action they will continue the trend.  

7) Make cookies: Few people can resist homemade cookies, so mix them up and make someone’s day. Making cookies is my favorite act of gratefulness.  It makes me so happy to see how much people like a tasty homemade cookie. 

8) Write a poem: How many people get custom-made poetry these days? Not many! It doesn’t need to rhyme or follow rules. It just needs to make them know how awesome they are and how much they’re appreciated. 

So here it goes . . .  

No matter if you are grateful or thankful, it’s about care. 

Care is what we need to share. 

No matter which of the above caring actions we choose to do, 

It’s the do that we must always pursue. 

Doing is what causes the care to come full circle 

And allows us to clear all of life’s hurdles. 

Be thankful, be grateful, every Turkey Day. 

Actually, let’s be so every day no matter what the media say. 

Know your Checkbook: Adding Value Grows Profits

Who doesn’t love a good deal? There is a reason society is consumed with buy one, get one offers, happy hour at the local burger place and a crowd favorite, Taco Twosday. Adding value to a good or service drives business. Seems simple enough. What can you do to add value to your business?

As a BioZyme® dealer, you already are adding value to your lineup by offering Amaferm® to your customers. But do they really understand the value Amaferm offers? Be sure they know that especially when forage quality is low and grass is scarce, the Amaferm advantage helps stretch their resources the furthest.

Once your customers are seeing the true value of the products and the differences they make, share with them the marketing outlets specifically for Gain Smart® and VitaFerm® fed calves through Superior Livestock. Superior Livestock is an innovator in value-added marketing programs and partnered with BioZyme to offer its first nutrition-based value-added programs nearly six years ago. These programs recognize calves on quality nutrition programs and are recognized by buyers for typically being healthier and higher performing.

Another way to add value is by offering a package of BioZyme products for a specific need. This might include combining Vitalize® Alimend, Equine Gel and the Horse Treats in one kit for equine enthusiasts. Closer to lambing, put together a jug pen nursery kit with Vita Charge®

Neonatal, Vita Charge Gel and Vita Charge Clench, all combined at one price. The cost savings you pass along to the customer might be minimal; however, the convenience of having everything ready to go in one package will show that you care about their time.

Adding value doesn’t have to involve products. You can also add value by sharing your time and expertise. Perhaps partnering with a local veterinarian to talk about bull breeding soundness exams is a good use of your time. This would be a great time to address a captive audience about also feeding VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® to the entire herd.

Working with the local FFA chapter or 4-H group to teach young livestock enthusiasts about show animal care, including nutrition basics, is another way you can add value to your customers and potential customers.

The wonderful thing about adding value is it can be developed in a variety of ways. By adding value, the consumer will feel that you are genuine in your efforts to help them and their animals.  

Adding value will continue to bring your customers back because they feel you care, and when repeat customers return, they are likely to spend more. Continue adding value to what you are doing, and watch your business grow!

Effective Action: How to Plan a Successful Producer Meeting

Keeping your customers and potential customers informed is vital to your company’s success. They like to see that personality shine through, and they want to know how your products can help them succeed. At BioZyme®, we take pride in offering you the tools you need to plan successful producer meetings.  

Schedule the event. 

Once you decide you want to host a producer meeting, contact your Area Sales Manager to coordinate a date that works with both of your schedules, as the ASM will want to be there to engage with your customers and help answer any questions. Once you have determined a date, complete the producer meeting request in the Online Dealer Center to get started with the promotion of your event: go to Marketing > > Marketing Request > Producer Meeting Request. This will start the process of getting your invitations printed and getting your event on our master schedule. 

Invite your guests. 

The BioZyme Marketing Team will help send invitations to your customer list. They do highly recommend submitting the Marketing Request at least four weeks prior to your event to get the invitations printed, mailed and into your potential guests’ hands so they can also get the event on their calendar.  

“Everybody has a busy schedule, but people like to gather, especially with those who have common interests and goals. If we can help you get these invitations out in a timely manner and the potential attendees can get it on their calendars earlier, it should help increase your attendance,” said Shelia Grobosky, Marketing Brand Manager – Dealers & Public Relations. 

Plan your program. 

What kind of budget do you have for this event? Will you serve a meal or have some appetizers and drinks in the late afternoon? Does it make sense to partner with another allied industry partner like a semen company to help share the cost? These are all some questions to consider. You will also want to think about the program. BioZyme has several key staff on its Business Development Team that can address several topics at the producer level, so when you set your date, reach out to one of them if you are interested in having them attend and present information 

Bigger isn’t always best. 

It is acceptable to have several smaller producer meetings, too, especially if you want to target a specific audience or have some potential new customers you want to talk to. What if you have a handful of sheep producers who might be interested in DuraFerm®? You could invite them to a breakfast meeting at the local café and discuss the advantages of the DuraFerm products. They might know you sell a great cattle mineral but have no idea you also carry products for other small ruminants. 

Follow through. 

Finally, if you have people attend your meeting that seem to show the slightest interest in the product, make sure to follow up with them in a timely fashion. Don’t wait for them to go somewhere else to buy their nutritional products. Give them a call or stop by to see them. Producer meetings are great tools to make sales. 

These meetings are great for customer outreach, engagement and product promotion. They are one of many steps toward your success! 

Know your Customer: Help Your Customers Receive Value They Deserve

Just like not all mineral programs are created the same, not all livestock marketing opportunities are equal. However, as it comes time for your customers to sell their cattle, make sure you have provided them with the information they need to make the marketing decisions to garner the most potential profit. 

“If the dealers see themselves as truly invested with their customers and their operations, they will align them with the professionals at Superior Livestock to help them get more money for their calves through one of their programs, especially if they are already feeding Gain Smart® or VitaFerm®,” said John Jeffrey, BioZyme® Beef Business Development Manager. 

Superior Livestock Auction has been a leader in value-added programs since the mid-1990s, and in 2017, BioZyme, became the first-ever nutrition company to partner with Superior on two additional value-added programs. The VitaFerm Raised and Gain Smart Programs were designed to ensure that calves have been on a high-quality nutrition program, an important part of overall health. Calves sold through these Superior programs are either being raised on a cow being fed the VitaFerm mineral, or calves that have been weaned, backgrounded or on grass pasture previously and have been supplemented with Gain Smart. Both minerals contain Amaferm®, a prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying the nutrient supply within for maximum performance. 

Jeffrey encourages dealers to work with their customers to connect them with Superior representatives to help them get the most dollars possible. If you are unsure of who your rep is, reach out to your ASM, and he or she can introduce you to the Superior rep in your area. With a variety of programs, the customers could be eligible for more than one. Programs are available for vaccination protocols, natural cattle, GAP, BeefCare and more.  

“Some of those programs do not allow the traditional products that have been used in the past, so keeping Amaferm® in their diets helps keep them healthy while increasing feed efficiency. Since both the Gain Smart and VitaFerm products contain Amaferm, they are on track to a healthier digestive system with the potential to help those cattle on several programs,” Jeffrey said. 

Although cattle marketed through Superior are sold in load lots, Jeffrey said the smaller producer doesn’t need to feel left out. Often, the Superior reps will work with a group of producers in an area who might have 30-50 cows to put together a load. He said mixed lots of steers and heifers can also be put together, if they are similar in weight and kind. In addition to cattle sales, Superior hosts a monthly sheep sale and markets cattle and sheep on its Country Page. They also host horse sales in conjunction with LiveAuctions. 

If your customers are still not convinced they want to sell through a value-added program like Superior offers, many local livestock auctions markets host special feeder calf sales. Encourage your customers to find a special sale date that works for them. As Jeffrey said, most times the auction markets will announce from the block special protocols like health and nutrition that the cattle have been on, and customers become accustomed to buying good cattle with proper health practices from these local sale barns. 

There are multiple ways to help your customers get top dollar when it comes time to help them sell their cattle. The Gain Smart and VitaFerm raised programs are two of the ways to help ensure their calves stay healthy and gain and get your customer the biggest return on their investment.