Category: Business Resources

Quick Response Products Become A Sales Aid

Seeing is believing. That’s why the quick response that the Vita Charge® products offer help sell this line of products, and subsequently help promote the Amaferm® advantage in other product lines.

2020 has been nothing short of bizarre. With so many uncertainties, last-minute cancellations and changed plans, Nebraska’s Area Sales Manager Meghan Bochanski has taken these challenges and turned them into opportunities to share and promote the Vita Charge line.

“With a lack of shows in our area or shows not scheduled in advance, I have been able to offer the Vita Charge products to that customer base. I had one customer who had his steer on a good feeding program, but after hauling it to a show from Western Nebraska to Oklahoma and back home, the steer went off feed and water. With the help of some Vita Charge Liquid Boost and Vita Charge Climate Control Gel, the steer went back on feed and water, and the customer was sold on the Vita Charge line,” Bochanski said.

She said the Vita Charge products have been extremely popular in other similar situations where shows have popped up last minute in the summer heat or where people have had to travel long distances to even participate in a show. Once the show livestock customers try it on an animal in need, they can see the benefits of using it to be proactive prior to those stressful situations.

John Jeffrey, ASM in Oklahoma and Southern Missouri, agrees that the customer that have an animal that really needs the stress relief are willing to try the Vita Charge line, either a sick calf in the weaning pen or a show animal that’s gone off feed. But, once they see how fast and effective the Vita Charge products work, they like it and will continue to use it.

“Especially at a cattle operation, I tell them if they don’t want to use the Cattle Drench at receiving or at weaning, just wait and use it in the sick pen and they will see a difference in how fast that sick calf recovers. They just need to see it work on a sick animal that is not eating, drinking or is stressed before they will take a proactive approach,” Jeffrey said.

And once they see those quick results, they will respond. Bochanski said she has been working with some producers who have tried the Cattle Drench and call it a “miracle.” Once they see how it works, they want to get the Stress Tubs out to their calves to get the Vita Charge into them every day.

Seeing is believing. Make sure that your customers have a way to showcase the rapid responsiveness of the Vita Charge line. One quick response product could lead to pallets of VitaFerm® mineral for the cowherd, and that is how you use something small to make a big difference in your business.

Vita Charge Products Offer Something For All Livestock

One size doesn’t always fit all situations. However, with a product line like Vita Charge®, your customers can get the benefits of a supplement that help with protection and recovery from stressful situations in a variety of forms and applications.

The Vita Charge line comes in various forms from liquids to gels to tubs, and its versatility makes it easy to administer to all species and in a variety of situations. From weaning lambs and pigs to starting stockers and transporting show livestock, the Vita Charge line offers must-have products for any producer or livestock show enthusiast.

Gels: Three gel products are available for use on beef cattle, swine sheep and goats. The gels are easy to administer and can even be topdressed on feed for challenging animals.

Vita Charge Gel is the most versatile, and can be used for mother animals after parturition, at weaning time, any time stress is involved like treating for sickness, transporting, starting calves, showing livestock, sale preparation, general stomach upset or any other reason your animals might go off feed.

Vita Charge Climate Control Gel offers the same relief from stress and extreme temperatures by helping maintain the animal’s normal body temperature. Climate Control Gel contains capsaicin to help maintain circulation to support animal performance in heat stress situations. Capsaicin is research-proven to support animals’ ability to maintain normal body temperature.

Vita Charge Clench Gel is ideal for use during diarrhea and scours treatments to support recovery, hydration and nutrient absorption. Added electrolytes help replenish the losses animals experience through constant defecation. It is all natural and can be safely used during shows with no withdrawal period.

Liquids: Several liquid products in the Vita Charge line offer convenience to the producer, feeder or showman. Liquids can be administered via an applicator like a drench gun or syringe, through the water, mixed in with feed or top dressed on feed. Always make sure to encourage your customers to read and follow label instructions.

Vita Charge Cattle Drench is specifically formulated for beef and dairy cattle. Designed for processing large groups of cattle, its ideal for weaning or receiving calves, it can also be used on show cattle to jump start to the digestive system to protect cattle during stress. It is formulated to help cattle recover quickly and does not interfere with antibiotics. Cattle Drench is part of the 3-step Gain Smart ® Stocker Program.

Vita Charge Hydraboost ™ is a unique, nutrient rich liquid supplement for commercial swine that increases water and feed intake and maintains gut immunity, thereby increasing overall health and rapidly restoring digestive balance. Hydraboost contains two ingredients to support the animal’s ability to fight off stress; Amaferm® to ensure that feed intake stays consistent and MOS to trap bad bacteria limiting their ability to do harm. It also contains electrolytes, organic Zinc, the antioxidant Vitamin E and b vitamins.

Vita Charge Liquid Boost® is the most versatile liquid supplement in the line and is designed for animals of all species that supports digestive health and promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery. Administer Liquid Boot via a medicator, mixed with water, use as a drench or top-dress on feed. It is also a valuable tool in the VitaFerm Weaning Program.

Tubs: Tubs are a convenient way for beef cattle to get their daily dose of Vita Charge without extra handling. Although the tubs contain all the benefits of the Vita Charge line when it comes to protecting and recovering your cattle during times of stress, they are not intended to be the sole source of vitamins and minerals for your cattle.

Vita Charge Stress Tub MOS comes in both 50-pound and 200-pound tubs for added versatility and convenience. This cooked tub for beef cattle supports digestive health and promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery. It is ideal to put with weaned calves, stockers, growers, and to keep in your show pens. Stress Tubs are the second step of the Gain Smart Stocker Program.

Vita Charge Stress Tub HEAT® is a cooked tub for beef cattle that supports digestive health and promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery that conveniently allows beef cattle to get their daily dose of Vita Charge without additional handling. It also contains HEAT® to help prevent heat stress during temperatures of 70 degrees and above. Capsaicin, the key ingredient in HEAT is research-proven to support animals’ ability to maintain normal body temperature. HEAT also includes garlic to deter insects, also helping reduce stress.

One size doesn’t fit all, but with one line of great products like Vita Charge, you’ll be able to reach a broader customer base. The Vita Charge line has something for every livestock producer and all products above offer Amaferm®. Amaferm, a precision-based prebiotic, is designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying nutrient supply for maximum performance. It is research-proven to combat stress by supporting the animal’s own immune system, significantly increasing intake and nutrient utilization, and it is research-proven to combat stress and maintain performance during heat stress by supporting the animal’s own immune system.

Letters From Lisa – August 2020

Simple Selling Methods Boost Sales

Want to know a simple method to increase your sales and boost your bottom line? If you’re not cross-selling and upselling to your customers, you’re missing out on a LOT of revenue. The probability of selling to a new prospect is 5-20%. The probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70%. And since product recommendations can drive between 10-30% of revenue, putting the right offers in front of people at the right time is an important sales growth tactic.

First, it’s important to understand the difference between upselling and cross-selling. Both are tactics used to boost sales revenue, but they work slightly differently.

Cross-selling is suggesting other relevant products people can try. What is an example of cross-selling? When you buy a cell phone online, and the online store suggests screen protectors for that model. That’s cross-selling.

Upselling is persuading the customer to upgrade their product or buy a more expensive version of it. How do you upsell? Let’s stick with the cell phone example. If you’re about to buy the model with 32GB of storage space, the online store can suggest you get the one with 64GB or 128GB.

How does this apply to our partnership? BioZyme has many products that provide opportunities to do both. See the chart below to capitalize on some of these great ideas.

All of these products quickly demonstrate the way Amaferm works so when people buy these products and see results, they will buy other products too. I have been asked point-blank on many occasions, “will what I see with the liquid products repeat itself with the mineral?” Amaferm makes that easy to answer. The answer is yes; obviously each product focuses on what it was designed to do so there will be differences, but the bottom line is Amaferm opens the door to easy cross-selling.

When focused on cross-selling, don’t forget the dog products. Sixty-eight percent of all households own a dog. So that means almost all of your customers can be cross-sold on these products.

Last but not least, remember you cannot sell what you don’t have.

I encourage you to keep these quick response products in stock so you can drive more revenue to your bottom line. Revenue that is very profitable, with products that are very effective. Now that’s care that comes full circle.

Dealer Spotlight: Hale Feeds LLC

Hale Feeds LLC Keeps Moving Forward

“Keep moving forward.” That’s the advice that young, progressive BioZyme® dealer Tee Hale offers his contemporaries and other new dealers. “We have great products; you’re never going to lose by trying to push forward. Dive in head-first and try for the best. You’re never going to make it if you don’t try.”

Tee, along with his parents Jim and Teresa Hale, and his brother Tye own Hale Feeds LLC at Union Center, South Dakota. Tee manages the daily operations of the dealership along with the feed sales from the on-ranch “feed shed” while running about 300 momma cows with his parents. His brother lives nearby and works for a neighboring cow-calf operation.

Because he uses so much of the product himself and understands the benefits of Amaferm®, Tee said it is simple for him to sell the products to others. He can share the advantages of a high-quality program for both cattle and horses.

“I take the approach about cost, per head, per day. What are we going to put in this cow this day? What is it going to cost me? There is the opinion out there that VitaFerm® is a little costly, but it is a premium mineral, and that is what people need to understand. You’ve got your Amaferm in it, that’s a big selling point right there,” he said. “I had bought a set of 60 bred heifers last spring that I turned out on Concept•Aid® right away; and put on HEAT® through the summer. In the fall I had one open out of those 60 head. Right there I can tell that story and it gets people’s attention. For about 15 cents a day, you can feed this product and it works.”

Tee said he is excited about the new products that BioZyme is introducing; he has already begun selling the VitaFerm Concept•Aid 5/S HEAT. He said the VitaFerm HEAT is popular in his area of northwest South Dakota, as it is a cost-efficient and effective product for producers.

When Tee isn’t ranching or selling livestock feed and supplements, he likes to rodeo. He said he’s seen remarkable results with the Vitalize® products on his horses. The results he’s seen with the Amaferm advantage in his horses, has helped him promote those advantages to cattle producers too.

“There is a lot of competition in the area, and it’s all in the same price, but this one has more to it. I can feed my horse something, and I know if it works on their guts, it is going to work on a cow’s gut. And I see a huge difference in my horses,” Tee said.

Phone conversations are the most effective communication method for Tee to share his business with others. He spends parts of each day driving between his ranch and his parents’ where he has time to talk on the phone. And even though South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem never formally “shutdown” the state due to COVID-19, Tee said he likely wouldn’t have left the ranch much in March and April due to calving season. Brandings in May were really the first times people gathered, and even then, they respected one another’s space, but they don’t stress about social distancing, according to Tee.

Life will move forward as usual, and Hale Feeds LLC will have new products to market with the Amaferm advantage.

New Products Help You Grow Market Shares

Product launches are an exciting time. New products mean new ways to help current customers and grow your customer base. But use caution, don’t simply move your current customers from an existing product to a new product. Position the new products so current customers will find value in using it as part of their year-round program. Additionally, leverage the new products to grow your market share and gain new customers that you’ve never had before.

“I always tell dealers, we’re not looking to swap business, we are looking to grow business,” said Justin O’Flaherty, ASM who represents Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas. “When it’s time to grow market share with new products, it is time to think outside of the box.”

O’Flaherty likes to have a list of scenarios ready to go before she sees her dealers-in person so they can collaborate the best way to market the new products. She said being prepared saves time and assists the dealers when it comes to ways to growing market share.

Britney Creamer, ASM who serves Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, said that VitaFerm® ConserveTM will open doors for a lot of growth for producers who have seen the benefits of including Amaferm® in their herds’ diets, but didn’t always think they could afford a high-quality mineral program. She is excited about the potential growth of customers who will now be able to get Amaferm and a complete mineral program at a price point they feel comfortable with.

“Often, producers think, ‘can we feed our family, or can we feed our cows mineral?’ We are now making Amaferm available to a larger crowd of people. I think people will be surprised. There are a lot of producers who have watched the VitaFerm line and what it has done over the years and wanted to be a part of it but didn’t think they could make it work, so I think now we are going to gain a lot of new business,” she said.

Creamer said the great thing about introducing Conserve, while already having a premium product, is that progressive end-users that are proponents of A.I. and E.T. are not very likely to switch products and will continue to use VitaFerm Concept•Aid®.

Get Out of Your Zone

Another way to grow market share is to look for ways to introduce products to customers you might not have originally thought of. For instance, O’Flaherty recently visited a cow-calf operation to discuss the VitaFerm and Vita Charge® lines with the producer. While she was there, she also saw a barn full of opportunities.

“I’m not a horse person. I went and met with an Angus breeder earlier in the week, but he had a barn full of horses. I’d much rather talk about cows, but I saw an opportunity. The more you talk about things you’re uncomfortable with, the more you become familiar. The same thing with HydraBoost. We have so many pigs and chickens in our area. If you become more comfortable with the uncomfortable, you’ll be more comfortable and be able to grow market share by expanding your product offering and getting out of your comfort zone,” O’Flaherty said.

New products are a great way to grow market share.

Effective Action: Communication is Essential to Education

New product launches call for sharing information about those products long before they become available to the dealer to order and sell. BioZyme® has launched three new products in May and June, meaning much of the education needed to be disseminated while a majority of the country was sheltering in place.

Regardless of their lockdown situation, two Area Sales Managers agree that they would typically communicate about new products with their dealers prior to an in-person meeting. Britney Creamer, ASM for Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, said she likes to start with the customers who the new products will specifically impact and starts reaching out to them over the phone or through email, although she does admit she prefers face-to-face meetings. Then, she makes sure to follow up with everyone else.

“Before I talk to them about a new product, I think about how it will fit their customers they service or want to service,” Creamer said. “VISION and company e-blasts are great tools, but they don’t always get to the person that needs that information the most. Some of my dealers like text messages, some prefer email. I try to put three to four bullet points together for them to highlight products that may be coming down the pipes and how they will be useful for their customers. A face-to-face visit is always useful, but as we know the last few months that hasn’t always been feasible.”

In addition to the bulleted list, ASM Justin O’Flaherty has found that the fliers and visuals are useful resources to share with her dealers and she encourages them to share those with their end-users. O’Flaherty, who represents Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas, uses social and digital media, including texting, email and Snapchat, to communicate with her dealers and said they will always have some new product information from her prior to their in-person meetings.

“One thing I do for new products, is if I think it will fit a particular demographic, I will send those dealers an email. I like to give them a heads up, and they will usually respond. I try to keep open communication lines all the time. I try to stay in constant communication. If we are on a call or get new information, I will take a picture and send it to them. I try to stay in front of them, so they know what is coming,” O’Flaherty said.

O’Flaherty said two-way communication is vital to her because she thrives on collaboration.

“I ask for a lot of feedback, especially if we are thinking about something new or different. I will pick their brain because one of my favorite things to do is collaborate. If I have an idea, I will bounce that idea off of a lot of people,” she said.

Creamer encourages all dealers to share information about the new products with their end-users who would find benefit from the products as soon as they have the information they need. Use the bulleted list or graphic flier that your ASM provides, and if you need more information, reach out to your ASM or the Outreach Support Center.

Additionally, all content in the Master Dealer, years one and two, has been updated to reflect the new products and any discontinued product lines. Be sure to take the time to review those Master Dealer segments for more information.

Although most dealers prefer to host in-person producer meetings, O’Flaherty has conducted some Zoom online training meetings with her dealers to educate them on the new product lines. Reach out to your ASM if you are still social distancing and would like to learn more about any product via this technology.

Most importantly, when reaching out to your customers, remember to mention these new products. Creamer advises that if you do have a store, to post “new product” signage next to your new product. You can even list the key benefits on the sign so the buyer or potential customer can see them.

Promoboxx is another free and simplified tool to use to promote your business. The Marketing Team at BioZyme has created “new product” material that you can share on your own social media or take pieces of to share on your social media.

New products are exciting! Learn about them. Share them. And sell them. Reach out to your ASMs if you have questions and remember we are here to help you succeed!

The Benefits of Introducing New Products

Launching new products is an exciting time for a business. Multiply that times three and we have had big excitement at BioZyme® during the last 60-plus days. New products don’t just happen, but when they are finally ready to launch to the dealers and subsequently the end-users, we know that “care that comes full circle” has been implemented, and the benefits will be numerous.

Let’s explore some of the benefits to the customer and the business when a new product or service is introduced.

Company Growth

Introducing new products is vital to a company’s growth. Without new products, you likely won’t grow market share and your business might turn stagnant. New products demonstrate to customers that a business is not satisfied with the status quo and wants to grow. While the company grows, it often times creates a product that has been missing in the marketplace or can provide a solution to a common challenge in a particular industry segment.

Fulfill Customers’ Needs Developing and marketing new products shows that we care about our customers and are continually working to meet their needs.

“VitaFerm® Conserve™ was purposefully crafted with the producer in mind as an economical line of vitamin and mineral supplements for the beef cattle herd that complements our existing products during the times of year when reproduction isn’t the primary focus,” said Jack Oattes, Area Sales Manager, during an online introductory meeting to dealers about the new product.

VitaFerm Conserve is just one example of how a product will meet the needs of a customer base that we haven’t yet reached. It will allow producers who want to give their cow herd the Amaferm® advantage during a time when they don’t need a breeding mineral.

Stay in Tune with Seasonal Demands

May seemed like an ideal time to launch two new HEAT® products as both cattle and sheep producers were planning matings and getting ready to breed females and keep them bred through the summer temperatures. Timing is everything, and customers definitely notice when companies are strategic in these launches.

Build momentum this summer with selling the new VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® HEAT® and DuraFerm® Sheep Concept•Aid® HEAT® so your customers will be asking about them again next spring and summer.

Build your Reputation

A company that creates new products or improves products is often looked upon by its peers and its customers as creative and innovative. Stand out from the crowd with your new products and be sure to share with your customers how these products will benefit their animals, and ultimately their own bottom line. We want our customers to know we care. We hear their needs and their concerns and when feasible, we create a product that we think will help them help their animals.

Part of your reputation and ours comes from the feedback we receive from satisfied customers. When possible, get testimonials from your customers that are using these new products, especially the seasonal ones and submit them to your ASM or the Marketing Team so we can use those testimonials next year when it is time to start promoting these products again. Remember, often times customers like to hear the success their peers had with a product.

New products equal big excitement! We’ve supplied the products, the resources you need to sell the products, now go share the benefits of these products to your existing and potential customers. The benefits are there for everyone!

Letters From Lisa – June/July 2020

It seems a bit awkward to be writing about NEW stuff with COVID-19 ruling our lives, but it certainly has forced us to love the word, so maybe it is appropriate. When I Googled ‘dealing with NEW stuff’ the results included these topics: the new normal, new technology, a new boss and having a new baby. Quite a list. One phrase on that list would not even have been there just three months ago. This is a perfect segway into that word NEW and how we can look at it if we choose to do so.

NEW just by its nature means change. So, for anything NEW, we have a choice. We can control it or escape it. Knowing you can’t ultimately escape, one will go through phases of a response to the NEW, which “should” end in acceptance. Acceptance that could lead you to a pot of gold. The belief in that pot of gold as the best option, has been ingrained in me since I was born. With that pot of gold picture in your head, one can embrace change and never go through the normal other responses to change which are shock, fear and forced adjustment. Instead the change embracing person goes straight to acceptance and begins building on the NEW.

It is in that vein that BioZyme® has launched the NEW product line VitaFerm® Conserve™, is investigating a NEW packaging option for mineral that is not a bag (yes you read that correctly), is moving to a larger state of the art facility for all small pack products and is looking toward partnerships that have never existed before, due to being viewed as competition, to ensure we have the best products on the market for the animal and the expectations we place on them to CHANGE all the time without giving them any time to go through the normal four stages of change.

Why is all this NEW exciting?

Because done right, it leads to a pot of gold. Not only a pot that helps grow our dealers’ business, but a most important pot that supports the animal, so they get consistent, effective nutrition allowing them to maximize their genetic potential. With all this NEW swirling around it is easy to forget those things that will always remain the same and for which we should be thankful: Our appreciation for your continued support. Support in good times and in not so good, during struggles and during victories. It means the world to us.

This quote by Henry Ward Beecher says it best, “The head learns new things, but the heart forever practices old experiences.” Thanks for your heart and how you so graciously share it with us!

Dealer Spotlight: Proven Sires Services

Provides Nutrition Needs To Bull Customers and Others

Cattle producers are often said to be the original stewards of the land. Their genuine passion for caring for their land and livestock is in their blood. They know if they take care of their cattle and the land, the cattle will take care of them. Taking care of his cattle before and after the sale is how Mark Rohr, Proven Sres Services, Hays, Kansas, became a BioZyme® dealer in 2014.

As the owner of Lazy H Ranch, where he markets between 100-150 registered Angus and Charolais bulls each spring, he wanted to be sure that those bulls continued to receive the best nutrition possible after the sale. That’s when he became a dealer and started recommending his customers use the VitaFerm® and Vita Charge® products to keep their new bulls healthy and reproductively sound.

“I wanted to offer the best of the best for my bull customers. At least 35% of my customers have started feeding VitaFerm, and that accounts for at least 50% of my bull sales,” Rohr said.

As a VIP dealer, Rohr not only offers the best products to his customers; he also offers top-notch service. He connects with them each monthly, if not more often and makes sure they have everything they need. He answers their questions promptly and relies on his ASM and National Sales Director for answers when he doesn’t know the answers, knowing they will respond quickly.

He suggests utilizing the ASM as a lead to new customer relationships. He appreciates when the ASM makes a cold call first to explain the Amaferm® advantage and ROI of the various product lines. Then, he can follow-up and share his own unique experiences with his customers. As a user of the products, Rohr can give first-hand accounts of what the products do, how they work and the benefits he has experienced in his own herd.

Building trust is the first step in any business relationship, according to Rohr. To build trust he shares his own experiences and works potential customers using other products into the VitaFerm products gradually.

“Offer them a product we have that their company doesn’t. Something like Vita Charge to help reduce stress with vaccinations and weaning. Or if I want them to try the VitaFerm products, I tell them not to go full-bore, but to try it on half or part of their cows so they can see the difference for themselves,” he said.

Rohr hosts a customer appreciation event each summer. He also makes sure to have plenty of BioZyme and Amaferm information available at his sale so his customers can leave with the information they need about a high-quality nutrition program.

As the industry becomes somewhat more volatile, Rohr said sharing key benefits that can be looked at as opportunity costs of the products will be even more important than ever. For cattle producers those include conception rates, especially for those utilizing A.I. and embryo transfer, calf vigor at birth and cows cleaning themselves at calving. Bull fertility is also key.

“I am in partnership on another set of bulls on feed at another location, under different management but the same mineral program, using a different vet service, we had 100% semen check there, and that vet wanted to know what we do to make that happen. As far as fertility in our bulls, the VitaFerm mineral and Amaferm advantage has been awesome,” Rohr said.

With results like that, it’s easy to see how Rohr can use personal experiences to build his customer base and help his bull customers at the same time. Thanks for being a part of the dealer network, Mark!

Dealer Spotlight: Jeff Cluxton & Sons

Second Generation Dealer Provides Services and Answers to Livestock Challenges

Providing a quality product to customers while delivering top-notch services are traits that come naturally for second-generation BioZyme dealer Jeff Cluxton, at Ripley, Ohio. Jeff’s dad, Tom, started using VitaFerm® products in 1974 and became a dealer. The family has appreciated the impact that the BioZyme products have had on their 175 head cow herd and have shared that with their peers.

“VitaFerm’s been good to us. It’s a product that we strongly believe in as users of it, so it helps us be able to sell it to people. We’ve always used the product here on the farm, so we know what works best for people.

If they are in the embryo world, we try to direct people to Concept•Aid® products. Even our commercial cattle producers, will use the Concept•Aid 8/S or the Concept•Aid tub,” Jeff said.

Perhaps the thing that differentiates Jeff and assists him in helping others is the relationship that his family has had with local veterinarian Brian Cowdrey. According to Jeff, Dr. Cowdrey’s parents used the VitaFerm products and now he uses them too. And when a client has a challenge that can be fixed with the help of a nutrition product, the vet sends his client Jeff’s way, which Jeff says makes for a unique situation.

“If the customer will be obedient and do what the veterinarian recommends, we get a lot of business from Dr. Cowdrey. Word of mouth from the vet drives a lot of my business. About four to five years ago we had an outbreak of anaplasmosis here in the county, and word of mouth and VitaFerm offering CTC and IGR became a very popular product around here,” he said.

But that isn’t the only relationship that has helped Jeff grow his business. He said he’s been able to market the VitaFerm Gain Smart® Stocker and Vita Charge® Stress Tubs to the Buckeye Valley Beef Cooperative. The group of local, younger beef producing families are working to raise beef for the consumer to buy from the farm or through local retail outlets, with the knowledge that this beef is locally sourced and has never been treated for sickness. This group of progressive cattle producers has used the Gain Smart Stocker to help ensure the cattle they are feeding for their ultimate customers put on healthy, efficient pounds and meet their strict criteria. He said they use the Stress Tubs at weaning.

As an on-farm dealer, Jeff says he is always available to help his customers. He does chuckle that his wife suggests he set some office hours, but he says he’s here to help. For instance, he has an old truck that he’ll leave a bag or two of mineral in if someone is in the area at a kid or grandkid’s ball game and wants to pick it up. He even tells about a customer who drove out of his way to get 20 bags because Jeff had the product he wanted on hand.

“I won’t turn down a customer. I will help someone out. People are busy, but you can gain a lot of business by being flexible,” Jeff said.

He shares a story from last Christmas. Since he’s also an Umbarger dealer, he has the chance to sell Weaver show supplies. Somebody had ordered a show box for Christmas gift. He offered to wrap and deliver to the customer’s front porch on Christmas Eve when that family was at another Christmas celebration. The customer was overjoyed by the service Jeff provided. He said by providing that type of service, he sees the potential of a return customer for show feed or breeding mineral in the long-term.

One of the most valuable lessons Jeff learned from his dad, and one he shares is to always be willing to find out the answer to a question when you don’t know the answer.

“Always be truthful and honest to your customer, and they will always come back to you. If you don’t know the answer, be willing to say you don’t know but you will find out. That goes a long way for you.”

Jeff Cluxton & Sons is a dealer that shows care that comes full circle while differentiating his business through long-time user experience and outstanding customer service. He’s sharing the knowledge from his dad with his customers in Western Ohio. Thanks for being a great dealer, Jeff!