Seeing is believing for one Northeastern Iowa BioZyme dealer. And for Ryan Zitelman of Circle Z Farms, seeing significantly tighter breeding and increased embryo production from his flushes is all the proof he needed from a nutrition program.
Ryan, who runs about 120 Simmental cows, sells about 20 bulls each year, and does custom embryo transfer (ET) and artificial insemination (AI) work for others, was looking for a quality nutritional product to complement everything he was doing. He had been on a tour in the Western U.S. and had seen several producers who earn their livelihood from the cattle business using VitaFerm. He thought, if it works for them, it must work, noting that he knew he needed an organic mineral program.
However, there was no readily available access to the VitaFerm mineral in his area, and the market was saturated with a product that Ryan said wasn’t doing the job. He tried VitaFerm, saw the results, and became a dealer so he’d have access.
“Once I started my cows on VitaFerm, my donors doubled the amount of eggs produced per cow per flush. I knew I could confidently start recommending it to others,” Ryan said. “We sell 20 private-treaty bulls per year, and I feed it to them too. I rarely have one that doesn’t semen test.”
Find the Right Customer
Ryan recognizes that BioZyme offers numerous marketing tools and resources for its dealers. However, he has grown his business purely by word of mouth due to success stories. He said his customers are similar to him in the fact that they are performance-driven and trying to improve their own herds and therefore don’t mind investing in a premium mineral product.
“I’m not looking for the customer who wants a ‘cheap’ mineral product,” he said. “I’m looking for the guys who track numbers and have plenty of information. We won’t be the biggest dealer in the area, but I will likely have the highest performing customer base.”
He is proud that his customers continue to use the BioZyme products without fussing about price. They see the product as he does – an investment – and many of his customers continue to hit better than 70% first-service conception rates, year after year.
Customer Satisfaction
Not only does Ryan strive to find the right customer – one that will stay for the long term – he ensures that the service he provides is second to none. His warehouse is at his home, so he’s “basically open 24/7.” Furthermore, in a region where livestock are a byproduct of farmland, Ryan stays on top of his customers’ needs and orders, contacting them at least every 4-6 weeks and making sure they have the products they need when they need them.
“I’ll get mineral on the truck and visit 6 or 7 guys in one day, making sure they have what they need for the next month, especially before the busy times,” Ryan said. “I keep track of everyone’s ordering schedule and make sure they have what they need when they need it.
Final Words
“Take the growth slowly because not everyone is an ideal customer,” Ryan advises new dealers. “Go for the right customer, because the right customer will stay for the long term.”
Thanks for being a genuine, caring dealer who cares about your customers, Ryan! You definitely show care that comes full circle with your service and performance.