Six Ways to Maximize Opportunities at Livestock Shows 

Attending livestock shows is a way of life for families across the U.S. From the local county fair to the State Fair of Texas, which boasts more than 2 million visitors annually, people typically enjoy going to a fair. The sites, the smells and the attractions offer nostalgia to some. But for our clientele, it’s likely the livestock shows that draw attention. 

For BioZyme® dealers, you can use livestock shows as a venue to reach young exhibitors. Regardless of if you sell products from a feed store in town or from a shed off the farm, shows at the local level are a great marketing tool. You can promote your business; further educate others about the benefits of the products you offer and reach out to potential customers. 

Livestock shows also serve as a wonderful outreach tool. BioZyme’s Area Sales Manager Shane Schaake, who travels Kansas, said the BioZyme company moto, care that comes full circle, is what drives him to get out of bed each day.  

“Whenever I get to work with young people, either talking to them at a show, producer meeting or other youth leadership event, I get excited because I know I am helping them learn more about their animals and themselves. These livestock shows help young exhibitors learn core values while helping them build their program, and that is exciting to me.” 

Let’s explore six ways dealers can get involved at livestock shows at a local level. 

Marketing Opportunities at Livestock Shows 

  1. Networking 

Getting out to your local jackpot show or county fair allows you to visit with new and potential customers. If you are able to have a table with a sign, and perhaps have a give-away or sell product, people will stop by and visit, especially in the down time. 

“People who show livestock are sometimes more progressive and willing to try new products. They will usually ask good questions, so be present to visit, and keep literature on hand, said Kevin Glaubius, ASM for Nebraska. 

  1. Building Awareness 

A sign around the show ring, sponsoring awards or providing back numbers will help create awareness about your business and the products you offer. The BioZyme marketing department has pre-made formatted numbers branded with Sure Champ® that are easy to print.  

These back numbers can be printed or emailed directly to your printer. You can also submit a marketing request for a banner to hang from the show ring or your table to promote the fact that you are there promoting the show. 

  1. Provide Sponsorship 

A case of Vita Charge® Gel is an inexpensive investment for class winner or division winner prizes. This will give the recipients a chance to try a product they might not otherwise have tried. Once the exhibitor tries the Gel, they will likely want to know more about how it works, buy more or even want to purchase other products in the BioZyme family of brands. 

Another way to get involved is to provide a tee-shirt or cap with your business name on it to the young exhibitors. Kids will remember these small gestures, and so will their parents, who are the decision makers and often control the finances. 

  1. Be an Educator 

Make sure to take several pieces of literature with you to the show. Not only will you want information about Sure Champ, but you will also want information about the other product lines you carry. 

“If you are at a livestock show, and someone has a heifer, chances are they have cows at home. They need VitaFerm, too. Even if they are showing lambs, pigs or goats, they probably have other livestock at home, and almost everyone has a dog,” Schaake reminds. 

  1. Make a Sale 

“The biggest thing is if you’re going to a show, be stocked at least with the small pack products, and be willing and able to sell them,” Schaake said. 

There is nothing more disappointing to a potential customer who has just learned about the advantages of a new product than being told that it isn’t available. If you are going to talk about the products, make sure you have them on hand, or someone is at your local store front, and can bring them out to make the sale.  

We know that the benefits of quick response products, those that are typically the small pack products, sell themselves. If a new customer sees how well those products work, they might be more willing to purchase mineral. 

  1. Build Rapport with Future Customers 

Glaubius enjoys the outreach aspect of working with those who attend a livestock show.  

“Obviously, it is important to support the kids and give back to the local community. But just as important, you are working to build your future customer base,” he said. 

If a young person has five show heifers now, with a goal of building his or her herd, they might graduate college with 25 to 30 cows, that all should be on a mineral program. That young person remembers that your dealership gave out a tube of Vita Charge and a Sure Champ sticker a decade previously, so he or she returns to your dealership to learn about VitaFerm®. VitaFerm for 30 cows might not seem like a lot, but that person eventually builds his or her herd to 200 cows, has a few horses and starts a backyard chicken flock. See how the domino effect works on one small outreach effort. 

“Investing in our young people today has the potential for a great return on investment,” Glaubius said. 

What You Get Out of It 

We’ve discussed how you can engage with your community at a livestock show. But let’s take a second to discuss what taking time to invest your energy in local livestock shows can do for your business. Because the results can be impressive. 

Create New Business Opportunities 

Livestock shows bring together a diverse group of individuals involved in the industry, including breeders, exhibitors and potential customers. This means you have ample opportunity to identify new business prospects, establish connections with potential clients and expand your customer base. 

Provide New Market Insights 

Attending livestock shows allows dealers to stay updated on market trends, new technologies and the latest developments in the industry. Interacting with other professionals provides valuable insights into the current demands and preferences of customers, helping you adapt your strategies to meet the needs of your community. 

Promote Products 

Livestock shows are an ideal platform for dealers to showcase products and services. You even have the opportunity to engage with potential customers, demonstrate the features and benefits of your offerings and generate interest in products. 

Increase Your Industry Knowledge 

Livestock shows provide the opportunity to exchange knowledge and information with others in the industry. This can include insights on breeding techniques, health management and other aspects of livestock production. This shared knowledge can contribute to your expertise and enhance your ability to valuably serve your community. 

Establish Collaboration Opportunities 

Collaborative efforts often arise at livestock shows. Dealers can explore partnerships with other businesses in the industry, such as suppliers or service providers—like BioZyme, for instance. This allows you to offer more comprehensive solutions to your friends, neighbors and customers. 

Improve Your Visibility and Branding 

Being present at livestock shows increases your visibility within the industry and community. This visibility contributes to brand recognition, which is essential for attracting new customers and establishing credibility in the market. 

Keep Up to Date With Industry Updates 

Livestock shows often provide a platform for discussions on industry changes and standards. So, you can use livestock shows to stay informed about any new regulations that may impact your business. This helps ensure your compliance and continued success. 

Investing in livestock shows isn’t just about making immediate sales. It’s about building relationships, staying informed and positioning your business for long-term success in a dynamic and interconnected industry. 

Don’t Go it Alone 

At BioZyme, we want to be sure you have the materials and resources you need so that you are not flying solo when it comes to meeting your marketing needs. In the BioZyme SAMM Center, a plethora a signage, apparel and marketing materials include literature and more are readily available for you to order.  

In the SAMM Center you can order literature, ink pens, t-shirts, caps, stickers and more. If you are looking for something more specific like a show banner or back numbers, you will need to submit a marketing request. Please be sure to allow at least three weeks for printing and shipping for marketing requests for livestock shows or any event. 

Rely on our People 

If you know you want to get involved with a livestock show in your area, but you aren’t sure of the correct step, reach out. Your ASM and our Marketing Team can help. ASMs see many different promotional and marketing opportunities in their travels across their territories. Likewise, the Marketing Team has created many different projects, and they can give you some great advice if you have an idea, but just are not quite sure how to implement it. 

Marketing at livestock shows is a simple and effective way to capture a new audience while providing community outreach and support. There are various ways to get involved with your local community and your youth at a local livestock show. 

Take advantage of the opportunities above to help build brand awareness, support your community, and you will watch your business grow. 

Information Boosts Confidence

Knowledge is power. The more information you have about anything, the more confidence you will have to talk about that product. The more confidence you have, the more enthusiasm you will project, and enthusiasm is contagious!

The above statements are true if you are talking about roping horses, fishing boats or livestock nutrition supplements. Matthew Hudson shares the following in an article on Balance.com, “Seeing someone completely enthusiastic about a product is one of the best selling tools. As you generate excitement for the product, you remove any uncertainty that the product may not be the best solution for that customer. The easiest way to become enthusiastic is to truly believe in the product. Remember, the first sale you make is yourself; the second sale is the product. If they believe in you, they will believe in the product you are selling.”

Many dealers use BioZyme® products, so they have first-hand knowledge and enthusiasm to share with customers and potential customers. However, other opportunities still exist for you to enhance your product knowledge, and therefore share your enthusiasm about the products.

The Master Dealer Program is a great way to expand your product knowledge and help build your confidence about products and programs you might need some additional information about. The online training modules cover a variety of topics, including the overall BioZyme company information and the Amaferm® advantage as well as all the individual product lines.

“When I started the classes, little did I know the outcome would be so great – from learning about nutrition, how to increase sales and the magical ‘Amaferm.’ As they say, knowledge is power. I am thankful to be part of the BioZyme family,” said Yolanda Novack, Master Dealer from Novack Feed & Grain in Lankin, N.D.

Once a dealer successfully completes the training modules and carries at least four of the product lines, they become recognized and marketed as a Master Dealer. It will receive a special designation on the Dealer Locator page on the website, signage with the Master Dealer designation will be provided to the store; and employees who complete the training will be given a special jacket with the Master Dealer logo on it.

BioZyme works hard to give their dealers every opportunity to learn and grow with the company. The Master Dealer program is just one example of the resources created to ensure dealers have access to both people and tools necessary to grow and flourish. And the more employees who complete the Master Dealer training from each location, will experience

more enthusiasm, and therefore should increase their sales.

“The Master Dealer program gives you all the knowledge and understanding you need to be a successful BioZyme dealer or sub-dealer. I truly believe it ties everything we do here at BioZyme together, our values, our brands, our key ingredients, our products and our services offered to our incredible dealers and sub-dealers,” said Ailee Langdon, Events and Training Coordinator at BioZyme. “One of my favorite things I have heard from Lisa Norton is, “take the time, find a way.” Take the time and find a way to enhance your knowledge and grow your business and complete the Master Dealer Program today.”

Dealers with more than one employee interested in completing the training should contact Langdon directly at 816-596-8782 and she will give that employee access to only the Master Dealer Training modules on your Online Dealer Center. Every employee who completes the training will receive a special jacket.

Sales Solve Everything

If you are going to survive in business, there is just one thing you need to master – sales. That’s right. You have a product or service that you offer, now get out there and sell it. That seems obvious, but there are definite steps to mastering the art of sales.

According to Entrepreneur.com, there are 10 traits that make a great leader. These traits, combined with the conviction-based selling technique, will attract customers and help you master your sales skills.

What qualities do leaders possess that make them master sellers?

  1. Confidence – They are sure about their skill/product, know its value and are proud of being associated with it.
  2. Commitment – Leaders are committed to their vision, mission or goal. They pursue it zealously, no shortcuts.
  3. Integrity – Leaders possess strength of character and maintain honesty with all stakeholders – organization, employees, vendors and customers.
  4. Above par soft skills – Leaders know how to treat people around them, be it business associates, partners or customers – they treat everyone courteously with utmost respect. Good leaders concentrate on building a relationship first, then on closing the sale.
  5. Continuous learners – Leaders are always on the lookout to update their knowledge and skill set and they share it openly with their associates. Not only this, they also seek feedback and if genuine, they implement it.
  6. Target oriented – Leaders are very target oriented – they plan and execute as per the plan.
  7. Good listeners – They are very good listeners. They pick up on subtle cues and know without explicit communication when a deal can be pursued further or when they need to take a step back.
  8. Good communicators – Along with being good listeners, leaders are well versed with the art of making small talk. A leader effectively uses the ‘you attitude’ to put people at ease and gets them to voluntarily listen to what he has to say.
  9. Problem solvers – Leaders by nature are problem solvers. Instead of letting an issue foster, they deal with it on a priority to sort it out.
  10. Product and market knowledge – last but not the least, they have in-depth product knowledge and they know how the market in which they operate performs and where it is headed – i.e. along with the present they also have an eye on the future.

Instead of using a relationship-based selling technique or even transaction-based selling, leaders use the conviction-based selling method, which exhibits their passion toward their area of expertise, in our case animal nutrition. This creates a ‘pull’ effect; ‘an attraction’ toward the leader, creating a demand for his or her expertise, skills, services and products.

As you review the list of leadership skills that will help you master the art of selling, focus on the areas where you are the weakest. You should see gradual increases in your sales and the numbers grow in your checkbook.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249927

Asking Questions To Attract Their Attention

Often, we hear dealers say, “the products sell themselves.” But how do our products get sold to new customers or those who are a little skeptical? We need to know our customers’ needs and understand exactly what they are trying to achieve.

The best way to get to know your customer or a potential customer is to have a conversation with him or her. Discover what goals they have set forth and listen. You will likely need to lead this conversation because most people, especially in agriculture, don’t like to talk about themselves or share too much information. And, your questions will have to be more of a conversation than an interview, seeming more natural than just a list of predetermined questions you have with hopes to make a sale.

People don’t always know what they want. However, they usually know what they don’t want. Use these 10 questions to help you start a conversation to attract new customers to your business.

  1. When it comes to (segment of industry person is in) what is your biggest challenge or hurdle you face when trying to meet your goals?
  2. Which of your needs are not currently being met?
  3. What products/services do you value the most?
  4. How can the products/services you use be improved?
  5. What is one area of your business you need to improve on? And how can I help you make those improvements?
  6. What features of a product/service make you annoyed?
  7. Would you be willing to invest more in a product/service if you knew the ROI would be greater than what you are currently experiencing?
  8. What opportunities or benefits are you willing to pay more for?
  9. At what price does my product or service provide great value to you?
  10. Have you ever thought, “if only a company like ours could do [BLANK] for me, life would be so much easier?” …Tell me about BLANK and how you would find it useful.

Once you have a conversation started, really listen to the potential customer’s answers. Does it sound like you have a product or service that is needed by this person at this time?  Great! Then it is time to start talking about your products or services to make a sale. Don’t talk about products or services that aren’t relevant, but show that you genuinely care and respect the person’s needs and desires by telling them how you can help their operation. The number one thing that attracts new customers is showing respect and a genuine concern/interest in people.