How Appreciation Helps Sell Product

Care that comes full circle can start with little acts of kindness that help grow sales. But first you need to know your customers and understand what their passion points are.

Every single person has a passion point or hot button. Once you find that for particular customers that are willing to invest in the goods and services you offer, remember that hitting those passion points in a genuine way can often boost sales.

There are several ways to show appreciation for your customers. One of the most effective ways is to host a producer meeting, where you might serve a meal or appetizers while educating the customers about the benefits of the product you offer. Everyone looks forward to the camaraderie of the event, and many look forward to the meal; however, most will remember that XYZ Dealer took the effort to plan, invite and host the event and talk to the producer group. Make sure you use the Marketing Resources in the Online Dealer Center to help secure invitations and a speaker from BioZyme®.

With sale season in full swing, another way to show appreciation is to attend your customers’ production sales. Put on a logoed cap or jacket and make an appearance at a customer sale. Bring along a stack of VitaFerm® gloves or some ink pens so the buyers can pick one up – it’s also good promotion. Be sure to say a quick hello to your customer to let him or her know you are there if any help is needed, but don’t be a nuisance. Remember, this is the big pay day for them.

Sponsor a livestock show. Spring jackpot shows are right around the corner. Chances are you have customers with children or grandchildren who participate in local stock shows. It doesn’t take much financial investment to sponsor an award or back tags in return to get your name and business recognized. Your customers will be happy to see you participated in a way that gives back to the youth, and they should be more willing to invest back into your business. Community outreach and giving back can pay dividends.

Be present. Sometimes just showing up is enough to show you care. Showing up at church, the local spring concert and home opener baseball game are the little things your customers are looking for to know that you are invested in the community and there for them. When a customer knows you are invested in the community, they are more likely to keep their local business rather than drive a distance to purchase similar products.

Show your customers some appreciation and be a part of their passion points. Be present in the community.

Watch your business grow.

Relationship Management is Vital to your Success

You know how important it is to build quality customer relationships. But how essential is it to have a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System in place to keep and track those relationships? Very, according to one article posted on Forbes.com. CRM is a system or software that helps track information and interactions between your company and your customers. This system is accessed and edited by multiple people to improve the customer experience, automate parts of the sales cycle and improve communication.

“Any company will benefit from maintaining a record of which conversations, purchases and marketing material can be associated with leads and customers,” wrote author Jason Kulpa.

With new products introduced nearly every time you turn the corner, customer loyalty might be considered a thing of the past. Everyone is anxious to try the next big thing, so keeping your customers happy, and building those relationships
is vital to your business’s success. That is why tracking your customers and your interactions with them is incredibly important.

Keys to Success
Tracking customer information is vital to help the customer succeed. When dealers understand each operation’s challenges and goals, the dealer takes on the role of a trusted confidant – more of a friend or consultant than a salesperson. With multiple customers it is important to keep all of that information in one location and to keep it current.

“The relationship between the dealer and his or her customer is part of the success of the business. If the customer has success, then I have success. If he has failure, then I will likely fail too,” said Mike Wadle, Additive Territory Manager.

Rod Hutcheson, Animal Health Business Development Manager, shares one example of how he has gathered information over time that makes the customer feel like he or she matters. When he pulls up at a producer’s place and the family dog runs to greet him, he remembers that the producer says, “get back, Charlie,” while calling the dog off. On his next visit, when the dog approaches him, Hutcheson can greet the dog, “hey Charlie,” and scratch his ear, impressing the producer that he remembered his best companion’s name.

“People will do business with those who care about them It all goes back to the adage, people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care,” Hutcheson said.

Choosing a System
Just like anything, there are many CRM systems. Hutcheson and Wadle agree that it is most important to use a system that the user is comfortable with, especially if you are a smaller business or not sharing that information across several people or departments.

“The best system is the system that works best for you,” Hutcheson said. “That might be an index card or 3-ring binder or keeping information in your iPhone. I always pull up the person’s contact information in my phone when I’m with them to make sure everything is still correct.”

The next step might be to track customer information electronically via an excel spreadsheet or other database system. You can then share this across users via Dropbox or other sharing platforms.

Of course, there are more technical CRM software systems that allow multiple users to share a plethora of information about customers, similar to what BioZyme uses. These can track basic customer information, orders, marketing, shipping, contact methods and conversations and more. These come with a price tag, but are worth the investment, especially in a growing business.

The bottom line is the customer likes to feel valued. Make sure you know that customer and his or her vital information and manage that information using a system that works best for you and your business. You and your customers will find success!

Know your Customer: Help your Customer Set Goals for the New Year

As we start thinking about closing out this year and preparing for a new one, there isn’t much time to reflect on the past. We need to start looking ahead to what we want to achieve in 2023, and our customers are not any different. They are likely going to rely on you – their feed and supplement dealer – for some good nutrition advice. You know about their program and understand their challenges.

Once you do understand the overarching goals for their program, it is a good idea to ask them if they have planned out their year to see how they can best make progress. A good method to establishing goals

is to make sure that they are S.M.A.R.T. Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. Let’s explore how you can help your customers set goals that match this set of criteria.

SPECIFIC

Help your customers define as many details for their goals as possible. Who is involved? Is there a deadline? Where and when will these goals be achieved? For instance, maybe you have a customer who is planning their first production sale. A very specific goal could be to host a production sale in March to sell 40 yearling bulls and average $4,000.

MEASURABLE

Every goal that is set should have a unit of measurement to indicate success. For example, your customer doesn’t just want to breed a majority of his or her cows. The measurable goal would be to have 95% conception rate.

ATTAINABLE

It is great to dream big; however, goals should be set that can be reached. Remember, Rome was not built in a day, and goals likely won’t be achieved overnight either.

RELEVANT

The goals defined should align with the overall goals of the operation. If the operation wants to raise bulls that produce high-performance calves for the feedlot, the owner or manager probably wants to focus on sires that have desirable growth and carcass traits. A goal to have 100% conception rates isn’t relevant if your customer puts one 2-year-old bull out with 50 cows.

TIME-BOUND

Make sure every goal set has a deadline and work ambitiously to meet those deadlines. Take that one step further and expand your goals to include short-term and long-term goals. Perhaps a short-term goal for the operation is to purchase a new a ram before breeding season (within two months). A long-term goal might be to host an on-farm club lamb sale in the spring (within the next year).

Now is a great time to work with your customers to help them set S.M.A.R.T. goals for their next production year. It’s always good to encourage writing down the goals where they will see them on a regular basis and posting deadlines that they can measure on a calendar that they also see regularly. Make sure their goals include a quality nutrition program. They will thank you, and you can watch your business grow.

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. 

Get Involved in the Community

For business people there is no better way to receive recognition within your community than to become involved in the community where your business is located. That is especially true if you are a smaller or specialized business that not everyone might have a purpose to support on a regular basis (like a feed mill or feed and farm store.)

Taking an active role in your community is important for a number of reasons. Here are 5 ways we encourage you to get involved in your community, year-round; not just during the holidays. You might just meet some new customers while you’re at it.

Community Boards. Most communities have a plethora of boards that are always looking for people to serve on them. These can include school boards, hospital boards, extension boards, 4-H boards, FFA alumni boards, cattlemen’s boards and the list goes on and on. Remember, pick organizations that you are truly passionate about helping, and don’t spread yourself too thin. A volunteer that has too many irons in the fire is often not as helpful as one would like.

If you have never used the hospital and you are a normally healthy person who doesn’t think you’ll ever be in the hospital, perhaps that board isn’t for you. However, if you are a cow-calf producer, trying to educate consumers on the benefits of eating healthy, lean red meat, then perhaps a role on the county cattlemen’s board would be ideal.

Volunteer. Volunteering shows that you are willing to give your time – one of your most valuable assets. You might volunteer with the local ag groups like 4-H and FFA to help them with educating youth or running a judging contest or clinic. Or you might volunteer to coach youth wrestling, teach Sunday night youth group or help with a cause like Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Whatever you volunteer for, make sure it is something you are passionate about doing and have time to make a priority. No one appreciates a volunteer that is always “too busy” to meet their commitments.

Build partnerships. If you are getting involved with your community, building partnerships would seem logical. Perhaps you are building a partnership with a local feedlot to run a mineral trial. Or maybe you find a way to build a partnership with a local high school ag class. The opportunity for agricultural businesses to partner, share promotions and advertising budgets and even costs for producer meetings are endless.

Offer internships. Young labor is typically inexpensive and hardy. Are you looking for someone to help in the store after school and on weekends? What about one of these young “techno-kids” that could help you with your social media presence. Young people are always looking for “real-world” experiences, and often are willing to work for little money or the experience they can list on their resumes.

Host & participate in events. As livestock nutrition suppliers, it would make sense that you would host and participate in events, like judging clinics, livestock shows, barrel racings and ropings. However, you chose to participate in these events, be sure to get your company name exposed as much as possible so others in the area know who the title sponsor is.

Getting involved in the community – it’s probably something you do anyway. Take the time to make a difference in someone’s life and the future of your community. You might just meet a new customer along the way.

Customer Service that goes Above and Beyond

Just like your customers and their personalities all vary, so do the ways that they like their customer service provided to them. But one thing is certain, everyone likes to be treated with respect and courtesy, especially when paying for a product or service.

It doesn’t matter if you’re talking face-to-face, over the phone, via email or through a hand-written letter, there’s always ways to show that you care for and respect your customers. Using key words and phrases are just one way to make sure your customers feel appreciated.

Just like our parents taught us at a young age, “please and thank you” will go a long way. Here are some other key phrases to use when serving up top-notch customer service:

• “How else can I help you accomplish your goals?”
• “Are there other products or services I can help you with?”
• “I’m not sure how to answer your question, but I will find out the answer.”

While you are putting these key phrases to work, make sure you are using them on all your customers and potential customers, not just a select group of customers. You never know when going above and beyond or out of your way to contact someone who hasn’t bought much lately might just sway them to start doing more business with you. Or, perhaps they have been considering changing their mineral program, but didn’t know how to ask about VitaFerm®. By making that investment in time, you further build your relationship and watch your sales grow.

It is impossible to talk to everyone every day, or every week for that matter. Make a schedule of who you will reach out to and when. Sometimes we reach out too often, so find a way to track your conversations and when you last reached out to each customer. This could be in your database management software, an excel spreadsheet, a calendar or even in a notebook. Just make sure to contact everyone regularly.

“The Outreach Support Center reaches out to customers every 45 days, either by phone, email or mail. When we contact dealers, we make sure everything is going well, ask if they need literature, answer any questions they may have and update then on any new products or any changes that may be occurring. BioZyme® lives by the motto, ‘Care that Comes Full Circle.’ I believe we are doing that in the Outreach Support Center by reaching out to the customers to let them know we value their business and we are always there if they need us,” said Jennifer Miller, Director of Outreach Customer Support.

A few unpretentious words. A handshake and a smile. Regular contact with your customers. All of these might seem simple but use them in conjunction and on a regular basis, and you’ll provide customer service that goes above and beyond. You might just “wow” your customers.

How Employee Strengths Help Serve Customers

Customers are the backbones of our businesses. They are the reasons we have a business, after all. And many customers are friends first or become good friends over time. They deserve the best when it comes to customer service, and you want to provide the best to them.

However, it might be that not every employee you have is programmed to provide the customer service your customers expect. And that is ok. Every person has some strength or strengths that make them a valuable part of your team, and it is important to evaluate those strengths, communicate those strengths to them in the form of affirmation and use those strengths to be an important part of your team.

Perhaps you have an employee that is impeccable at cleaning, stocking shelves and maintaining inventory, but finds conversation with others mundane or even uncomfortable. Keep that employee in the back to clean and stock, and only use for customer service if someone needs help loading product.

On the other hand, perhaps you’ve hired someone to load out product and stock shelves, that never can complete the assigned task because he or she is always talking to customers and making product recommendations. That person clearly needs to be in a customer service role. Typically, extroverts who enjoy helping others make great customer service reps.

But what does this have to do with overall customer satisfaction? Employees who are doing what they are good at, show up and are engaged and will provide better service. Better service leads to increased customer satisfaction.

According to an article by Stuart Hearn on www.brandquarterly.com: “A 2016 Gallup poll showed that strength-based companies enjoy more profit, better sales, and higher levels of customer engagement. In large part, this is due to the fact that when employees feel positive about their performance, and they are able to work to their strengths, they feel more engaged, and are therefore more passionate about their company and their work. They’re also more invested, meaning they go that extra mile to ensure customers have a great experience. Employee engagement has been termed the ‘wonder drug for customer satisfaction,’ so every time you emphasize strengths in your employees, you should remember the domino effect it creates.”

It all goes back to getting the right people in the right positions. Capitalize on employee strengths to make sure your customers have the best service around. Customers can go anywhere to buy feed and mineral, but make sure they are coming back to your business to get the best customer service that they deserve!

How to Upsell and Cross-Sell to Existing Customers

Does it ever feel like you have saturated the market and you’ve got all the customers you’re going to get? Your sales are steady, but you’d really like to see them increase for a couple of months. Your customers seem happy with the products they are using; but do you think there’s something missing that your customers haven’t tried?

Perhaps there is something missing – something in your sales technique. Upselling and cross-selling are two techniques that you can use to help increase sales with the existing customer base you have already established. Although they are similar in nature with a similar outcome, the techniques are slightly different. One web site offers the following definitions: Upselling is the practice of encouraging customers to purchase a comparable higher-end product than the one in question, while cross-selling invites customers to buy related or complementary items.

Vita Charge® should be one of the easiest product lines to cross-sell. This all-species product that supports digestive health and promotes feed and water intake is designed for times of stress and recovery. There is no reason that every customer shouldn’t have some form of Vita Charge, or even multiple forms.

“Regardless of the animal you are caring for, they can have a bad day, and that is exactly what these products are meant for. No matter why you are interacting with a current or potential customer these products will benefit every animal during those times of stress. These products are a perfect addition to a current product sale or used as an introduction to what amazing products we have to offer,” said Trent Gabler, BioZyme Sales Coach.

No matter the species or the production goals, you should never leave a sales call without trying to cross-sell Vita Charge. Are you at a cow-calf operation? They are going to calve out cows, wean calves and likely treat for an occasional sickness. Having a few tubes of Vita Charge Gel is a part of a good management practice for those times of stress. Of course, you know the benefits of having a stress tub out with both cows and calves. And the tubs are also effective for bulls prior to and after breeding season.

What about the smaller species? Yes, the Vita Charge products are equally important for sheep, goats and hogs. Keeping Vita Charge HydraBoost in your pigs’ waterer is important, especially at weaning, and the gel is always handy for rapid relief.

Cross-selling is the simple suggestion of adding on a complementary product to something the buyer is already buying. Perhaps they are buying Vitalize® Equine High Performance Pellets. Obviously, they take great pride in taking good care of their horse’s digestive health. But what about helping that horse recover? Have you suggested they try the Vitalize® Equine Recovery Gel? Maybe they don’t know the gel exists or the benefits of the gel, but once they learn about it, they will be hooked. And don’t forget the canine line of Vitalize supplements. According to Internet statistics, 36-44% of Americans own a dog. Chances are a higher percentage of your customers in rural areas own dogs. How many of them have you told about the Vitalize® Dog supplement or Vitalize Dog Recovery Gel?

Marketing studies have shown that existing customers are 60-70% more likely to buy new products while new customers are only 5-20% likely to buy a new product. And, the existing customer is probably going to spend around 31% more. That is why cross-selling and upselling become so important. One product line that we don’t always focus on that would be a great “upsell” is the Vitalize line. We know that horse lovers will go to great lengths to give the best care to their equine companions. Maybe your customer is feeding Vitalize® Equine Free Choice, but has started showing his or her horse, or has a shortage of high-quality hay this year. Now is a great time to suggest the customer try a different Vitalize product like Equine High Performance or the Equine Protein Pellet.

“Cross selling should be very easy since you already have the customers relationship and business. The hard work is done, don’t be afraid to go after more opportunities,” Gabler said.

Remember, your existing customers already trust you. Don’t forget to upsell and cross-sell to get maximum returns from them and watch their results increase.

Why is it Important to Learn About your Customers?

Just like the first day of class, when a teacher is getting acquainted with his or her students for the next nine months, it is critical for a business owner to get to know his or her customers. And we mean really know them – not just their names and contact information. The more you know about your customer, the more you will be able to help meet their needs, provide outstanding service and build lasting relationships with loyal customers.

Getting to know your customer is all about the customer service and relationship building process. As you get to know your customers, track the information you learned about them, so you don’t forget it. It is perfectly acceptable to write the information on an index card or create a profile of them in your database, so you have the information readily available when you need it.

Take a look at this list of other important tidbits you should know about your customers to help you grow your business.

Who is your customer? 

As trivial as this might sound, it is important to find out your customers’ gender, age and occupation. This will help you relate and communicate with them. Many names are used for both genders, and you should know if Casey, Stacey, Lee or Britt is a man or woman before you make a cold call and ask for the wrong person. Knowing their age and even their birthdate can be important.

What do they do? 

It is important to know their occupation if they work off the farm or ranch, to understand their perspective. It is also important to know their livestock operation goals. Do they have a 9 to 5 job that might require you to stay open a little later, so they can pick up product? Or is their operation large enough that it merits you delivering product on a regular basis? Knowing what they do and what their operational goals are will help you better customize your services to your customers.

When and why do they buy from you?

Does a particular customer only buy product from you during the breeding season or for show livestock? Or do you have a customer who buys multiple products from you year-round? Knowing their habits and when they buy will help you know when to contact them. Contacting them at the time they want to buy a product or service you offer will greatly increase the likelihood of a sale. And matching a product to something that will directly benefit them will help your sales increase as well.

How does your customer like to buy? 

Is your customer someone who appreciates face-to-face interaction and would enjoy a ranch visit from you when you know they are likely low on product? Or is the customer a millennial who would prefer to hear from you via text or email? Know what kind of communication and sales tactic the customer likes to use best and use it. If it is a text or call, post in your calendar when you need to make that call or send that text to remind them about their next order. If they use a particular product and you are getting ready to run a Facebook promotion on it, but you know they don’t have internet, call them and let them know. You’ll probably make a sale.

What does your customer expect? 

If your customer expects timely delivery, don’t disappoint them. One mishap can lose a loyal customer. If your customer expects you to keep track of their rations for them, comply. Your customers’ expectations of you will range from minimal to over-the-top. But remember, service is what makes the sales and the repeat customers come back because of great service.

What does your customer think of you? 

If your customer likes you, your product and your services, they are likely to be repeat customers that continue to buy more from you over time. But, if they become disgruntled, they can turn away and tell all their neighbors to stop their business with you too. Ask your customers for input. This can be a confidential survey or a basic conversation. You can’t make enhancements if you don’t know what to improve.

What does your customer think of your competitors? 

The best way to stay ahead of your competition is to not follow in their footsteps. Once you have a good rapport with your customers, ask what they prefer about you to another company who offers the same goods and services.  It is always better to learn from others’ mistakes than our own.

Now that you have gotten to know your customer, the sales should become more like a conversation and less of a pitch. Building relationships and knowing your customer is key to your business’ growth and success.

Youth Project Opens Doors

For 25 years Don Bush, Powell Feed & Milling, knew Ken Gillig and competed against him in the world of animal nutrition. Gillig, the BioZyme® Key Accounts Manager since 2016, was formerly an ASM, and Bush had been selling Purina through Powell Feed & Milling in various stores in Northern Arkansas.

However, at the 2014 Missouri State Fair, the friendship between Gillig and Bush became even more important when Bush’s daughter’s ram got very sick in the breeding sheep barn. Bush recalls that Gillig told him he had something he wanted him to try.

“Ken brought back a half-dozen Vita Charge® Gel tubes with a note on how to give them to our ram,” Bush said. “I told my daughter, ‘I don’t know what this foo-foo dust is, but it’s better than having a dead ram.’ Two days later he won the open sheep show.”

After that experience with his daughter’s prize-winning sheep projects, Bush knew there was something about the BioZyme products that worked. He helped Gillig get some supplements to producers down around him and told his boss he wanted to introduce the products into the Powell Feed Stores. Skeptical about the price of the products, he agreed. And Powell Feed & Milling has watched its BioZyme product sales grow, all while reaching VIP Dealer status each year.

“I knew it worked for us. I knew it would work for others,” Bush said.

Bush’s situation is a perfect example of why reaching out to young livestock exhibitors and sharing products are effective ways of promoting the products. If Gillig hadn’t shared the Vita Charge products with him, his daughter might have had a dead ram. And furthermore, BioZyme might have one less VIP dealer who has helped the health and performance of many producers in a large part of Northern Arkansas.

Don’t discount the youth exhibitor. They might buy a bag or a bucket of Sure Champ® products. Or maybe a young equestrian uses the Vitalize® products. However, those youth likely have parents who own livestock or a business who could be positively impacted by the BioZyme products as well.

Potential opportunities are everywhere. Ken Gillig seized the opportunity to help a young sheep exhibitor at the Missouri State Fair. But what he ultimately did was help grow business and change the lives of many livestock producers for years into the future.