Category: Dealers Like You

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.

Dealer Spotlight: Tennessee River Music

It is easy for Tennessee River Music to market and sell BioZyme® products. They have seen great success with many of the products on their own cattle enterprises, and John and Randa Starnes of Fort Payne, Ala. say the success they have had with the products helps sell them to other producers.

“If we didn’t believe in the products we wouldn’t use them or sell them,” Randa says.

John says they started selling BioZyme products nearly four years ago when they had seen positive results on their purebred Hereford and Angus operation. There wasn’t a dealer nearby, and the products they wanted were not always readily available. They decided to become BioZyme dealers so they would have the products on hand, and they could help other producers in the area secure a high-quality nutrition package.

“We are our biggest customer, but we have several smaller producers in the area that know we keep products on hand in our commodity shed,” John said. “We don’t have a retail store, but people know we are usually around if they need something, and as long as it isn’t midnight, I’ll help them load up what they need.”

John says Tennessee River Music’s customer base covers about a 100-mile radius, with a few customers further out. John, who has a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition, wanted to provide a service to area cattle producers while having another venue to network with them. Adding BioZyme products seemed like a natural fit.

John says the products really do sell themselves, and once a producer tries a particular product, repeat customers become the norm. At their bull stud, they put a 50 lb. VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® Protein Tub in each pen, something that bull owners from across the southeast take note of. He also says that this year, with the extreme heat and drought, the VitaFerm HEATTM mineral is a perfect fit for their operation.

HEAT helps their cattle shed off, tolerate the midday heat and is fed to their spring calving cows that are bred in the summer time heat.

“During this time of extreme drought, the protein tubs have proven to be a cost- effective way to add supplemental protein. This year, we have seen these products pick up in sales due to the ease of handling, where most people aren’t set up to handle loads of feed, and the devoid of pasture in our area,” John said. “When we start explaining to producers that it’s 20% natural protein that contains a mineral package that also includes Amaferm® and all of its proven benefits at a one pound inclusion rate, it really is a cost-effective option. We look at is as a three-in-one product – mineral, protein and Amaferm.”

Another favorite product is the Vita Charge® Stress Tub that John puts out for the first few weeks of weaning. He says these encourage calves to have a steady appetite, and in all the weaning seasons he has used them for, both the fall and spring calving herds, he has not had to treat a single calf for bloat or respiratory illness.

One product that John and Randa have found fairly simple to market is the 50 lb. Concept•Aid Protein Tub. John says a couple of factors play into that product’s popularity. First, the average herd size in their area is less than 25 cows. The tubs are the perfect size for the smaller producers. Next, many farms in the area rely on the wife to take care of the livestock while the husband works off-farm. The 50 lb. size is much more manageable for a woman than a 200 lb. tub. And finally, the popularity of raising and showing goats in the southeast has risen in the past few years, and the 50 lb. tub is just the right size for goat raisers according to John.

“Believe in the product you are trying to sell and know why it is better than brand X,” John said.

Dealer Spotlight: Mid Nebraska Feeds

There is probably not a better example of customer service than at the little ole’ feed store in Grand Island, Nebraska.

It’s a place called Mid Nebraska Feeds that is managed by Amy Jo Kent. Amy Jo has been in this job for more than five years but has worked to enhance the concept of customer service for decades.

Since 2011, her day has been to open the feed store doors, smile, assist, call, text, order, lift, load and smile some more until the doors are locked at closing time. Amy Jo manages the entire business, ranging from cleaning the store to bookkeeping and accounting and everything else in between. And she keeps busy with customer service tasks and planning even when she’s at home.

Each day, Mid Nebraska Feeds has approximately 30 to 40 people in and out of its doors. This kind of traffic is attributed to Amy Jo’s keen ability to take care of her customers, no matter what.

“As manager, I do whatever it takes to service customers from farm deliveries, ordering special products or staying after hours for a customer pickup,” she says. “That’s what we’re known for. We bend over backwards to please people and do whatever it takes, over and above the call of duty.”

Mid Nebraska Feeds customers span a 150-mile radius and because of the distance, many need to meet to pick up product after store hours. This has never been a problem for Amy Jo. She has two full-time employees and people in the field who also share her belief in customer service and team work.

The store is also the main feed and supply source for Fonner Park and the Nebraska State Fairgrounds. When an event takes place at these Grand Island facilities, the store is called to make deliveries of feed, bedding and supplies for horse, cattle and goat shows, as well as the county and state fair events.

Amy Jo and her employees also take care of racetrack patrons by making daily deliveries to their tack rooms at no additional charge. “It’s there when they come back for evening chores,” Amy Jo says. “Whether it’s 10 or 120 bags we’ll handle anything they need with fast customer service.”

Amy Jo relies on her computer, smart phone and tablet to keep track of orders, event schedules and employees. She is constantly on her cell phone because she doesn’t want to miss a call from a customer who needs feed. If they can’t get ahold of her, they might go to another source, and she says that could throw their animals off feed by changing their diet.

“If someone needs a product they know to call me, and I’ll meet them at the store,” she says. “I have many customers I’ve never even met. They email, call or text me what they need, and I ship it to them. Some of my more long-distance customers call or text me with a group order, and I drop ship it to a central location and they go pick up their part. It saves each of them time by not having to drive long distances to the store to pick up feed and supplies.”

Amy Jo is not only a feed store manager but also consults on issues like hoof rot, scours and pink eye. She says she’ll drop everything to research products and make the right recommendations, even if she doesn’t make a sale. Amy Jo says her customers know they can count on her the next time they have questions.

“I love my customers and there’s a lot of smiles and laughter when they walk in the door,” she says. “I take a personal interest in all my customers and their animals. I recommend a feeding program for each animals’ needs whether they are domestic, farm or commercial. Some pets may be elderly, obese or have special dietary needs. I can recommend products that give them a better quality of life while still being cost effective for the owners.”

Amy Jo prides herself on knowing her customers by name and taking an interest in their lives. She attends their 4-H and FFA livestock shows and spends time walking around visiting with each customer to see the animals she helped feed. She celebrates with them when they win that ribbon or trophy and supports them any way she can.

Because Amy Jo’s mentality is all about the customer, she does ask for and receive feedback from them. She keeps her prices intentionally lower so they won’t go to the big box store for feed and she price matches her local competitors to keep her customers happy. Amy Jo says there may be moments she can’t please the customer or that she gets taken advantage of, but it’s all part of the feed store business.

“Running a successful business isn’t always about meeting a volume or monetary goal,” she says. “It’s all about the customers. They are the life-blood of this and every other business. Most of my customers are as loyal to me as I am to them. I’ve worked hard to earn that loyalty, and I appreciate each and every one of them.”

Trust and Experience Help Dealer Position Products

Personal testimonials and relationship building have been equally important in positioning BioZyme® products to customers for one novice dealer in southeast Iowa. Cecil Reed, who became a dealer in January, says the fact that she and her family have had personal success using various BioZyme products helps her marketing strategy. The producers in her area build a stronger trust factor when they hear about her personal experiences, and that helps build relationships and sell product.

“Once the growers know that I have had success using the products on mine and my family’s operations, I find out the grower’s goals for their operation and suggest products with their goals in mind,” Reed says.

The marketing tools that BioZyme provides allow Reed to back up her testimonials with research and product facts, which help position the products. She has posters and brochures grouped by product lines in her office, and she carries literature in each vehicle so she has something to put in front of potential customers, giving them something to read and think about after she leaves. She adds that direct mail is part of her future marketing plans since so many producers in her area still rely on the written word.

“I have found it beneficial to have posters hung around my office and buildings as they strike up questions and conversations,” she says. “I also really like using the flyers to hand out to customers that want to use our products. When I am able to get something into the hands of potential customers it keeps them thinking and keeps their interest sparked.”

Reed grew up near Bloomfield, Iowa, on her family’s diversified farm that included cattle, row crops and a sheep flock that allowed her and her sisters to show competitively at the local, state and national levels. She graduated with an agronomy degree from Iowa State University in December 2014 and within the next year married and started her business, NexGen Ag Solutions. In addition to selling BioZyme, Reed also sells Pioneer seed.

“Adding value to your farm” is the tag line for NexGen Ag Solutions, and carrying value-added products for the producers in her area is important to Reed. With producers watching their expenses and questioning the prices of BioZyme products, Reed can share her personal success stories. She says her go-to message is the “Amaferm advantage” because it does increase digestibility, and in her area where forage quality isn’t superb, this message really hits home.

Another testimonial she shares is for Vita Charge® products, especially Liquid Boost®. She says her dad treated a freshly-weaned lamb crop that went off feed with these products, and he witnessed immediate results when they started eating again the next day. Reed said her dad was sold on the products.

“The products are simple to use, and yet cover a diverse audience,” she says. She said after attending the recent dealer retreat in June, she was impressed that the same HEAT supplement works for producers in the extreme heat of Louisiana and other Southern states. When she shared those endorsements with her own customers, they were convinced that the product would work for them, and it has.

Reed has been aggressive in sharing her vision for the products. She has a business Facebook page, where she shares information with customers and potential customers, has used radio advertising and newspaper articles to inform growers that she is a dealer and talks one-on-one with people in her area. She is sponsoring awards at the Davis County Fair – a bag of Sure Champ® – for the grand champion overall steer, heifer, wether, ewe, barrow, gilt, buck and doe. She also plans to have a hospitality area at the fair with cold drinks for the exhibitors where she can talk about BioZyme and its products. She says in the future she would like to host producer meetings to educate producers as well as exhibitors and their parents of the benefits of various BioZyme products.

Reed plans to use the CONNECT Online store more heavily in the future. She predicts that CONNECT will benefit her Vitalize® horse customers since many of those products have a lower feeding rate and are not reordered as often, as well as assist her with inventory control.

Cecil Reed is a true believer in the BioZyme products and the differences they make in livestock. With her winning attitude and belief in the product, she has positioned the products in the spotlight for many producers in her area. “As long as I build trust with my customers, and trust helps build relationships, it is easy to position the products,” she says.

Inventory: Your Single Largest Asset

For any business, inventory is a major asset.

Just ask Kevin and Sandra Warnken, owners of Rockin W Ranch in Schulenburg, Texas. The couple manages the family’s Hereford and commercial cattle operation and work as on-farm dealers for BioZyme® with the company name of High Hill Supplements.

Sandra Warnken says the biggest misconception of inventory might be that businesses do not place enough priority on managing the items they have in stock. Because they recognize inventory as their single largest asset, the Warnken’s consistently utilize inventory management to also improve their bottom line.

Though every business has different needs Sandra says all businesses could benefit from being strategic about inventory. For High Hill Supplements, inventory rotation is an important aspect of their store. The Warnken’s believe it is vital for a business to have quick turnover of products on the shelf.

“Inventory on the floor for more than four to six weeks ties up valuable operating capital that may be needed to grow the business or purchase new equipment,” Sandra says. “In an effort to reduce inventory stock, demand is up for timely deliveries. Retailers do not want to overstock on products so when ordering they expect to have the product delivered within a certain time frame.”

Sandra says this equates to a big part of High Hill Supplements success, which is also its delivery service. Many times the Warnkens can be found delivering products before or after hours because they know a customer needs it right away. Many of their customers are ranchers just like Rockin W so the Warnkens believe they understand what those customers need and when.

“We know what works best for the particular area they may be in – for instance, our customers along the coast have the best results with consumption when their cattle are on a mineral that has a lower salt level,” Sandra says. “It’s all about personally knowing your customers and their operations and what works best for them.”

The Warnkens carefully watch product inventory, which they say is determined by the demand in their area. In order to keep product fresh, they try not to allow inventory on the floor more than three weeks. They keep staple products in stock at all time, including VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5S, Concept•Aid POWER Tubs, VitaFerm Cattleman’s Blend™, Sure Champ® Cattle and the entire Vita Charge® line.

The Warnken’s use Intuit QuickBooks for tracking inventory, including purchases, sales, adjustments, damages and margins. They enter accounts payable the same day product is received and invoice customers the same day product is delivered. Sandra says this process keeps their book inventory accurate with physical inventory. She also does a physical inventory count every six months to ensure computerized inventory is accurate.

High Hill Supplements also works to pass along product promotions to its customers. For example, when there is a promo Warnken will stock up on that item and in turn, offers every piece of inventory purchased to their customer base at the special price, even if it’s past the promotional deadline.

Sandra knows inventory management can be a balancing act between having too much cash tied up in inventory yet maintaining adequate product so the business doesn’t lose sales. Her advice is to take time to implement good inventory management practices including studying sales history, knowing the customer base and knowing the need for seasonal products.

Biozyme’s south Texas Area Sales Manager, Jay Willingham, helps the Warnken’s keep track of livestock shows, which in turn means they have Sure Champ products on hand during a busy show season.

“On the show side, we keep track of all the local, county and major shows as well as tag-in dates,” she says. “This helps us manage our Sure Champ line and helps us ensure we have what our customers need.”

High Hill Supplements also relies on sales reports from previous years to manage the inventory they need. These reports take into account projected growth, and help them personally understand what their customers will need and when. Sandra says it’s also critical to pay attention to the seasons. In her area of Texas fly season starts as early as March. This means they keep fly control products in stock beginning March 1.

Warnken says good inventory management is vital to the success of her family business.

“Proper inventory management keeps our products fresh,” Warnken says. “It enables us to meet our customers’ needs, reduces overhead and increases our bottom line.”

By Helping Kids in the Show Ring, We are Helping Our Future

The makers of Allied Feeds and the Ful-O-Pep brand are proud of their product and their customers’ successes with feeding their product. Just like any feed store, they work to build strong relationships and provide products people want for their livestock.

What’s unique about Allied Feeds is that nearly one-third of its customer base is livestock show families. The Allied Feeds brand, Ful-O-Pep Feeds, is specially formulated for show cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry and rabbits. Their product is sold across Texas and into Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and North Carolina thanks to their nearly 150 dealers who recognize and sell BioZyme® products.

Allied Feeds is owned by the Greg Gossett family, who also owns the Ful-O-Pep trademark. The company has been in business since the early 1900s, first as a Quaker Oats brand. Then it changed ownership to Wayne Feeds and eventually Continental Grain. Greg Gossett’s father, Dr. J.W. Gossett, acquired Continental Grain and continued the Ful-O-Pep Feeds reputation for being a quality full-line commercial feed manufacturer. Today, Allied Feeds manages two storefronts, one in San Antonio and one in Cuero, Texas.

It was just after the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in 2012 that Dennis Delaney and Jay Willingham came to see Dennis Jemelka about selling BioZyme products. At the same time, the Cuero store was receiving calls for Sure Champ®. Since Ful-O-Pep Feeds already produced its own full-line of livestock show feed, Jemelka says BioZyme fit well with the store’s commitment to quality and fit the company price niche as well.

Allied Feeds and the BioZyme line of products offer something for everyone. Ranchers will use quality feed and supplements because they increase performance and maximize efficiency. Livestock show customers are willing to invest in top-of-the-line products because they want the best for their animals, and their goal is to win.

One of the Ful-O-Pep Feeds sales managers had children who showed steers. Naturally, they began using the products, which gave Jemelka a first-hand testimonial on how Sure Champ products work. He says the prebiotics and organic minerals all add up to be worth the investment. The selling point came when Jemelka could tell families they didn’t have to add any other top-dress supplements to their show feeds if they used Sure Champ from the beginning.

“Show feeds are a big part of our business,” he says. “As our salesman fed his own steers Sure Champ he paid special attention to the animal’s manure to see what was being digested. He came to trust what BioZyme says is true, you do get that added digestion with these products.”

Better digestion equates to more energy. As the calves mature, feeding Sure Champ will keep the animals in shape and they won’t go off feed. Jemelka reassures customers it has a high trace mineral content, which adds to the value of the product.

Allied Feeds recognizes the value of its show customers and offers several incentives to reward them for their business. One program is called Jackets for Champions. The store offers a jacket to any customer who earns a Grand or Reserve Grand Champion title at the local or state level.

The store also participates in the county level premium auctions. Jemelka says there are so many winners that use Ful-O-Pep Feeds products that it’s hard to reward them all, but Ful-O-Pep Feeds does give add-on premiums to as many as possible.

“Our show feeds are important to us but we look at it as a niche market,” Jemelka says. “Not everyone can buy higher priced feeds. You have to have a good product and if you produce winners then you’ll keep those people as a customer forever.”

There are occasions where the store is asked to visit with 4-H groups and FFA chapters to show livestock exhibitors what and how to feed. Jemelka says Allied Feeds wants to teach them about new products with the goal that a younger generation will learn the benefits of the Ful-O-Pep Feeds line.

Ful-O-Pep Feeds encourages its dealers to attend livestock shows and be among the people who need its products. He says the Rio Grande Valley is a specific area for livestock show families and the company’s San Antonio store makes textured feed and grains, which caters to more of the Valley’s show market. At one time, Jemelka says the store was making 80 tons of pelleted show goat feed in one week.

“We definitely have a show market and we try to give them, and all of our customers, the latest and greatest feed technology so they can succeed,” he says. “We think that by helping kids in the show ring, we are helping our future.”

An Inside Look at how the Value Pencils Out

Pricing is an issue of which 99-percent of all dealers struggle. However, Doug Underwood and his Area Sales Manager, Ben Neale, contest this issue with testimonials to demonstrate the benefits of including BioZyme® products in their customers’ nutritional programs in order to prove its value and thus price accordingly. 

Underwood has been selling BioZyme products for more than five years and became a dealer when he needed access to the supplement and mineral lines for his own cows. After using it for 19 years on his Polled Hereford seedstock, Underwood was a convinced of its worth. When his local dealer retired, he decided to establish his own BioZyme dealership at his farm near Campbellsville, Kentucky.

Many of Underwood’s customers were familiar with the products, but to continue to educate them as well as new prospective customers, Underwood and Neale have hosted field days to talk about how and why BioZyme products work. Underwood says when he hears the question of expense, he focuses his selling points around Amaferm®.

“That is what sets this brand apart from other mineral products,” Underwood says. “It’s one particular ingredient that makes a big difference in cattle. They have a much better feed intake and appearance. That’s the positive result you get from Amaferm.”

Neale’s territory covers Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi, so he’s on the road working with dealers like Underwood. In addition to field days and producer meetings, he says BioZyme has many marketing tools available to help dealers explain to producers how investing in premium products will increase their bottom lines. When Neale visits with dealers, he encourages them to think about inventory control. “Our price list shows buying 22 tons at a time is the best way to achieve greater margins, but if you have to sit on inventory for 6-10 months that may cost more money if operating on a line of credit,” Neale says. “So, we try to focus on flipping inventory faster. You can still turn a profit if you buy 5-10 tons at a time, and the product remains fresh for the customer.”

Underwood says the time he puts into selling a value-added product like those BioZyme provides is worth it. Even when cattle prices are down and it seems like input costs and supplements, like BioZyme, don’t make sense, he encourages fellow producers to try the product. Their return on investment will become apparent when they wean heavier calves or when cows settle on the first cycle. And he says, he would never lower his prices to match a competitor. “When they start comparing ingredients and prices from the local feed store, I have to show them what Amaferm does for them instead,” he says. “The math will speak for itself. If I can get a cow bred on the first cycle instead of the second I’ve saved 21 days at maybe $1.50 per pound and gain another two pounds per day for those 21 days for a total of 42 lbs. at weaning for an additional $63 per calf. The benefits BioZyme products provide for the additional cost pencils out in the long run.”

Neale says dealers should remember when faced with price comparisons from other mineral products they should focus on the ingredients BioZyme provides and how the ingredients found on the tag are not found in any other product. That’s what the extra pricing goes toward – better ingredients plus Amaferm in the mineral bag.

Neale says he talks to customers about Amaferm and how this prebiotic increases gut health, increases feed efficiency and helps animals recover faster from times of stress. The added benefit, he says, of two products in one bag is also a good selling point during price discussions.

Another benefit of the Neale-Underwood team is that ASM’s like Neale can help dealers grow their business outside of an established customer base. Neale is working with Underwood to recruit sub-dealers and build a network from customers who are two or more hours away. 

“I am working with Doug to build upon his strong local relationships,” he says. “It’s new for both of us but without the availability of stores in his area he has to network with breeders and others who can help grow his business.”

“Real business is successful when someone sees a return on investment not on price,” Neale says. “We want customers who use these products to understand and believe that as well. When you talk with someone who’s going on a diet, are they going out to buy and consume healthy food or junk? It’s the same with cattle. If you want higher returns then you have to be conscious of what you’re feeding them. You may have to pay more to be efficient.”

“Just let the product speak for itself,” Underwood says.

Innovative Communication Opens Doors to New Markets

Finding updates about products and activities at Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer is not hard to do. After all, the store has a team member dedicated to social media and web marketing.

Located in Goodfield, Illinois, Earlybird began as a fertilizer company in 1965. Today the 49-member staff also sells feed for commercial and show-quality cattle, hogs, goats and sheep as well as feed for turkeys and chickens.

Mike Orns, Earlybird’s Inside Sales and Feed Division Manager, is like the store’s traffic cop. He keeps everyone running in the right direction, he says, and it’s his job to be innovative and consider the big picture. From production to sales and regulations to promotions, Orns oversees the store and keeps the gears turning.

The store has grown so much that it’s owners challenged Orns to hire a new staff person, someone to focus on the use of marketing and technology to grow the store’s customer base.

“There are so many people now involved with social media, especially within the show audience,” he says. “We deal a lot with customers who show livestock and we’ve realized that’s how kids and others communicate. This opened the door wide for us to better communicate and reach that market.”

Specifically, Earlybird needed to publicize its connection to the success of many show ring champions. Posting photos, recognizing customers and marketing show products that helped get those champions to the winner’s circle needed to be done.

Scott Hardman was hired as the marketing manager for Earlybird a year ago. He had previous experience with a national youth organization, which included social media and website marketing. And, Hardman was also familiar with the livestock show ring.

Hardman says Orns was “very serious” about making Earlybird’s website state-of-the-art, and using Facebook and Twitter to enhance the store’s social media presence. Hardman has made it his mission to promote Earlybird’s successes with feed and product sales to livestock show families. And though the store has seen great results by emphasizing its show ring presence online, Hardman says there is much, much more to do.

“In the show industry, we are well aware we needed gratification of successes,” he says. “We needed to be much better at keeping up with our winners because we had a large number of them. The store needs to use Facebook as a major marketing tool rather than just a source of self-promotion for us. We want to help promote our winners.”

Earlybird also needed to expand promoting it’s successful customers from other species and added sheep, goats and poultry to it’s media plan. The store is located one mile from a major interstate in Illinois, and Hardman thought it should take advantage of that; for example promoting Earlybird as an easy stop on a person’s way home.

“We needed a bigger footprint if we were going to be found,” he says.

Both Orns and Hardman take advantage of the marketing tools provided by BioZyme®, Inc. Orns says the company is very good at direct mailing, and BioZyme always has a huge presence at livestock shows, which makes it an easy-to-recognize product when customers come in.

“It also helps that BioZyme products actually work,” he says. “When we can push examples of how the product has helped another person’s livestock project and can quantify their results, that helps us tremendously.”

Hardman says the store’s Area Sales Manager, Shandy Bertolino, does a great job at providing information on what BioZyme products are available. She hosts a meeting each summer and shares tools and marketing pieces that keep Earlybird’s staff updated on what BioZyme can offer. This kind of innovation helps dealers like Earlybird keep on top of new products, terminology and how to approach a customer about including BioZyme in their feeding routine.

Orns is quick to realize social media is not the only way to advertise and promote the fertilizer and feed store, but it is the most innovative way to do so. Social media and show ring families go hand-in-hand. Connecting with youth in agriculture is most efficiently accomplished through Facebook and Twitter so by enhancing Earlybird’s online presence Orns knows he is reaching more livestock kids who want to be as successful as those posted online.

To be sure his field staff is able to connect, post and promote products, Orns says he puts the best computers, tablets and smartphones in their hands for work, especially with the fertilizer side of the company. Earlybird’s owners are also progressive and have viewed Hardman’s social media work as a stride in the right direction.

Hardman tells how he used to come in to Earlybird as a customer purchasing livestock feed and supplements. Until he took the job as the store’s marketing manager, Hardman was not aware the store carried grass seed, emphasizing the point that innovation in social media is not just self-promotion. This kind of marketing can build a loyal customer base that will talk about using Earlybird’s wide variety of products and encourage others to do the same.

“As we continue to grow the number of Facebook followers, we can use that to better market our monthly specials and expand on things that are big and significant,” Hardman says. “The other big thing we need to focus on is to constantly grow the website and use it as tool to help us be more productive and process oriented. We will use social media as a marketing tool and invent ways to showcase the type of company we are.”

To check out Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer online, go to
www.earlybirdgoodfield.com.

Mike Orns – Inside Sales and Feed Division Manger
Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer Goodfield, Illinois

Current mobile device: Droid Turbo 2

Current Computer: Lenovo notepad

First, tell us what you feel separates your business from other feed supply operations? Service.

What websites, apps or tools can’t you live without? Email and texting

Why? Those are the best ways to communicate with me other than the phone.
How do you keep your to-do list? On a notepad with a good old pen and paper.

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can’t you live without? 
A calculator.

What’s your secret? Take care of the little details.

What are you currently reading? Several feed magazines, local and national news. I read some parts of the newspaper but only online.

How do you recharge? I enjoy time with my family.

What is your favorite and least-favorite task at work? My least favorite thing to do is manage conflict. My favorite task is working with customers.

What is one area you’d like to improve in regarding business? Organization.

Describe your ideal customer. One who pays on time and orders well in advance. I like those who are progressive and listen to leaders in the industry.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Listen to people.

Why do you love this business? Because we’re family-owned. We are in a great community, and the owners are family focused. Family always comes first.

Be The “Good” In Their Morning, Afternoon Or Evening

Learn how LEO SANFTNER of Cottor FARMS serves customers passionately

Leo Sanftner
Cottor Farms, Osceola, WI
Sales Agent

One word that best describes how you work: Positive

First, tell us what you feel separates your business from other feed supply operations? There are not a lot of feed mills in our area; they’ve become a thing of the past. Regardless if our door closes at 5 p.m., I stay until the job is done, all deliveries are made and all the customers have the product they need.


How do you keep your to-do list? I run a log each day by way of a spiral notebook at my desk. At the end of each day I update it for the next business day.


What everyday thing are you better at than everyone else? When the telephone rings in the morning, I say “Good morning, this is Leo.” When it rings in the afternoon I say, “Good afternoon, this is Leo.” When it’s evening I say, “Good evening, this is Leo.” I try to be the good morning, good afternoon and good evening for them.


What’s your secret? I am passionate about people and livestock. I’ve gone through a lot of stuff through the years, — feeling low, health issues, stress at
work, etc., so I try to help other people out. I forget about my problems and take on their problems. It makes me feel good.


What are you currently reading? The Biozyme® VISION Dealer Newsletter on my phone or computer. I love to read that and learn what’s going on in
other places. I also read the Angus Journal and Hereford World.


How do you recharge? By going home and getting six to seven hours of sleep a night. I love my Mountain Dew while I’m driving. That recharges me.


What is your favorite and least-favorite task at work? My least favorite task is sitting at my desk. I like to stay busy so my favorite is when I’m manufacturing feed, helping customers, working out new diets and checking on
old diets.


What is one area you’d like to improve in regarding business?  Advertising. I’m currently working on that. We are putting up a nice sign on the highway that will change daily or weekly to display different specials we are running. Next, I’ll start putting ads in newspapers. I feel more people need to know Cottor Farms is here to help.


Describe your ideal customer. All of them.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? My ag instructor said to me years ago, “Your English teacher will say, ‘Leo can sell ice cubes to Eskimos.’ But I say, “No, Leo would sell them a wood stove.” I wouldn’t sell a customer something they don’t need.


Why do you love this business? I’ve been in the cattle business all my life. It’s my passion. I milked cows, and the day came when I didn’t milk anymore. Then I wanted to expand my beef operation. I have and I can help others with their operations. So my dream has come true.

Ask Questions. Listen & Learn.

On an average day, Leo Sanftner will drive to his job at Cottor Farms in northern Wisconsin drinking a Mountain Dew and catching up on phone calls. Once in the office, he’ll oversee the mill’s manufacturing process and prescribe customized diets for his customers’ livestock operations. The rations Sanftner mixes are for species including cattle, horses, goats, sheep, hogs, rabbits and chickens.

In afternoons and evenings he’ll make product deliveries. Some customers are 30-40 miles away, but through his personal show ring connections, Sanftner also delivers orders up to 200 miles away from the mill’s home base in Osceola, Wisconsin.

His passion for helping breeders do well is second to none. Every day, Sanftner says he listens to his customers to learn about their unique situations. He asks them to share specifics so he can help find the right information and formulate a ration. Sanftner says he wants customers to trust him to treat their animals like his own and realize they can call on him whenever the need arises; daytime, nights or weekends.

His days are long and his to-do list is lengthy, but he doesn’t mind one bit. He says he’s living his dream of helping breeders improve the health of their operations through his position at Cottor Farms.

Cottor Farms is a family-owned business, owned by brothers, Rick and Dan Cottor, that raises its own crops to put through the milling process. Sanftner has known the Cottor family for two decades and was brought on as a sales agent six years ago, thanks to his show ring and livestock connections. He credits his success in both his work and in the show ring to BioZyme® products.

Cottor Farms also supplies and grinds 90-percent of the feed for a nearby mill, and Sanftner says he makes sure to include Amaferm® in all of the mixes.

Prior to joining Cottor Farms, Sanftner was familiar with the Sure Champ® brand as he experienced the impact of this supplement when he purchased cattle from Star Lake Herefords in Skiatook, Oklahoma, years ago. He knew the product worked on cattle and kept it as a part of his own feeding program.

“People have high quality animals, but they may not bloom and take off,” he says. “BioZyme products are formulated in the diet for them. For example, Digest More® will take calves that have been really slow to develop and give them what they need to take off. If they have a good start it’s unbelievable how they eat at the bunk. I’m amazed when I see them a few months later.”

Sanftner can share numerous success stories of his customers using Digest More and Vita Charge®, specifically. One customer who raises chickens for ethnic groups wants his hens to have all black shiny feathers. Sanftner recommended adding Amaferm to their diet. Not only do the chickens now have the desired physical traits, but their eggs are harder with stronger yolks.

He also says the farm has not had problems with chickens that stop laying nor any molt season issues in the past year.

When a new customer discusses an issue with Sanftner, one of the first products he recommends is Vita Charge gel. He says he’ll give them a tube to try, and it will always trigger more business.

“We have some small farmers that the minute their pigs and calves are born they give them Vita Charge even before colostrum,” he says. “I’m overwhelmed with the success of the product and how it works for everything I put it in.”

Another testimonial Sanftner shares about the effects of Vita Charge is from a family with show hogs that last year developed a staph infection. Among other treatments, he encouraged the use of Amaferm through the products Digest More and Vita Charge. Sanftner believes these products saved one out of their four show pigs.

Sanftner says the products are not a hard sell because once the breeder has experienced Amaferm in their diet, they see improvement in overall herd health. His customers’ bragging points include enhanced immune systems and minimal issues with sickness.

“They feel like their animals are getting the best quality,” he says. “The first thing customers might ask is ‘How much more will it cost me,’ but we add it into the whole diet and it all comes out as price at the end.”

On a personal note, Sanftner and his son T.J., raise Hereford and Red Angus cattle. They are active in the show ring and proudly pass their love for showing to Sanftner’s granddaughter, Racthel. As the fourth generation of Sanftners to show cattle, Racthel, has seen show ring success that Sanftner credits to Sure Champ and Digest More. She showed the Reserve Grand Cow-calf Pair at the Minnesota State Fair last year, and his son exhibited the Reserve Grand Get-of-Sire.

Sanftner’s passion for livestock, people and BioZyme is a package deal. By visiting with various breeders, he can learn how the animals are doing on the products and tailor to their needs. “I treat all animals as if they’re a champion,” he says. “Like they’re my own family and not just a number on the wall. It’s just how I do business. I hope to give them a good protocol with the right products then step back and let it work.”