Category: Business Resources

Opportunity is Waiting Over the Rainbow

Attitude. Perspective. Choices. These are three words you would expect a featured speaker to highlight during a keynote address. And these are three words that not only did retired United State Air Force Major Brian Shul speak of, but words he lived during his time serving in the Air Force.

As a USAF fighter pilot, Shul was shot down in a Cambodian jungle during the Vietnam War and severely burned in the crash. He was initially given up for dead, but eventually rescued. With more than 15 surgeries during that first year of recovery, Shul was told he would never fly again. And he admits there were days it would have been easier to quit. But then, a simple song and the sound of kids playing outside that came in through his hospital window, changed his attitude.

“Sometimes you have to reach rock bottom before you can appreciate the journey ahead,” Shul told a packed room the final morning of the 2019 BioZyme Dealer Retreat. “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

As he lay in the hospital room at Fort Sam, Houston, Texas, Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” came through the speaker, and the sounds of young children playing soccer outside motivated Shul to shift his attitude from one of giving up to one of determination. He was determined to walk out of that hospital and fly again. And he did.

Because of a change in attitude, he passed his rigorous flight physicals with no problems. He performed in air shows, became a Top Gun instructor and he earned the sixth highest score ever on the astronaut physical. But most importantly Shul became one of only 93 pilots to ever fly the SR-71 spy plane, the fastest plane ever built.

Under the command of President Ronald Regan, Shul and his co-pilot flew the SR-71 on many secret missions. The blackbird reached heights of 90,000 feet and speeds of 2,000 miles per hour. Shul flew the plane, once again serving his country, with a new perspective. He had gotten out of Vietnam. He was living his dream, flying the plane of his dreams, when 19,000 young men who had been in Vietnam never got to celebrate their 21st birthday.

“Life is short, and it is uncertain. Pursue your passion now. Live your dream. Don’t wait for it,” Shul said.

And that is exactly what he did. As a pilot with second chance and a passion for photography, Shul started combining his passion with his career. He took his camera with him on flights and shot some spectacular images of the plane and scenery. On his days off, he would go up with the fuel tankers and capture different perspectives of the giant jet. He has the most extensive collection of photographs of the SR-71, and has published books about the plane that retired in 1990.

“I made a choice that day. Life’s not always about being the best. It’s about being determined,” Shul said.

When Shul chose to live instead of giving up, he was presented with even greater opportunities than he had ever imagined as a fighter pilot. To fly the prestigious SR-71 at Mach-3 speeds, breaking the sound barrier multiple times, and ultimately becoming a photographer, author and speaker all gave him opportunities because of his choice.

Shul left the group with these final thoughts, “The sky is not the limit. I CAN is much more important than I.Q. And, ‘Somewhere over the rainbow . . . the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.’”

Effective Interrogation Techniques Lead to Growth

In a world centered on communication devices and connectivity, one thing is missing. The question. Too often we get wrapped up in telling people what we want them to hear, rather than asking them a question. Blaine Rodgers, Show Livestock Business Development & Field Support, shared with the store dealers at the recent Dealer Retreat that the average 4-year-old asks 390 questions a day! That’s a question every 2.5 minutes that toddler is awake, but the youngster is curious, constantly learning new things and has no fear.

“How amazing would it be to have the courage to ask questions of your customers and potential end-users without being limited by fear?” Rodgers asked. “As adults we are afraid of asking stupid questions or questions that make us vulnerable.”

Rodgers offered six tips to effective interrogation that will help build relationships and grow your business.

Questions create connections. When you ask a question, it shows genuine concern or interest in the customer, it’s animal or other interests creating a connection.

Questions drive solutions. Asking a question of your customer helps them connect to real solutions. Asking questions won’t necessarily provide a ready answer but will help get them headed toward a solution.

Questions open doors of possibility.  If we ask a question, it allows us to not make assumptions. And, asking questions opens doors of opportunity that we might not even knew existed. Perhaps you have a customer who picks up Sure Champ® for his or her kids’ 4-H projects. Have you ever asked if they own other livestock? You might be missing an opportunity to sell another great product because you have never asked.

Questions lead to asking other questions. Often when we give a statement, that is final. There is no more conversation; however, asking a question could lead to another, which could lead to even more product sales or solutions for your customer.

Questions build bridges. Typically, in tough times, questions are needed more than statements. Although a statement like, “I’m thinking of you” or “Things will work out,” might be easier to say, questions will mean more in the long-term. “How can I help you over come your challenges?” “Is there something specific I can do for you?” Anytime a person is going through rough time – think the spring we’ve had – asking questions is going to help you appear more genuine, shows you care and helps build a stronger bond.

Questions inspire action. Action is after all, the desired end-result, and questions put us in a proactive state. The brain does not like to leave any question unanswered. Think about a question that will close the conversation you’ve had, such as, “Which product would you like to leave here with today?” “How do you feel about putting extra calves on the ground next spring with increased conception rates?” These are questions that inspire action and will help your sales grow.

Effective interrogation – or question asking – can be an powerful tool for growing your business and building relationships. Take time to ask your customers the right questions that show genuine concern and can offer a solution. Questions will inspire action, and action is the tool we need to grow.

How to Provide Successful Customer Service

What does a seedstock operation who’s core business goal of selling commercial bulls have in common with an animal nutrition company? More than you would think. 44 Farms located in Cameron, Texas, is one of BioZyme®’s Partners in Performance and markets approximately 1,200 bulls each year through its four sales and private treaty. What started as a ranch with the goal to have its own branded-beef business has grown to be one of the premier Angus operations in the country, and the one that Wal-Mart has chosen to supply a high-quality, consistent product to its meat cases.

“44 Farms and BioZyme are both entrepreneurial-minded companies at heart with an emphasis on teamwork, quality and a culture of the customer first. One of the things I have observed is a sense of family that starts with the sense of leadership with Bob and Lisa (Norton),” 44 Farms COO Doug Slattery told the attendees at the sixth BioZyme Dealer Retreat during an industry update.

A BioZyme customer who understands the importance of good nutrition and health, 44 Farms includes Amaferm® into many of their rations. When 44 Farms started their own branded-beef business, they were processing 30 head a week. Now, the highly successful 44 Steaks program processes 300 head a week, all calves that are part of their customer buy-back program.

As someone who works in customer service every day, Slattery said there are five key traits that exceptional customer service requires.

Communication. If you are going to create a new customer or retain a current customer, you must communicate with them. Reach out and see how they are doing with their product(s) they purchased. Often times the follow-up is just as important as the sale. It shows the customer that you care. Making a phone call or stopping by for face-to-face communication is worth a lot to a customer.

Personal, customized service. Just like selling bulls, selling a nutrition program, isn’t one-size-fits-all. While you are communicating with them, ask them what their needs are and offer a solution that will best help them. Perhaps, they are new to the business and need management advice to get them started in addition to a nutrition plan.

Think outside the box to meet their needs. Maybe the potential customer you’re talking to needs a fresh idea. He or she might be running their stock on limited land or they are trying to feed them for niche market like all-natural. Be sure to ask questions to find the best solution for them, even if it is a little on the non-traditional side.

Listen to what they really want and need. It all circles back to communication and asking the right the question. If they are trying to stay in an all-natural marketing program, make sure you are recommending products and practices that will keep them in that program.

Attention to detail. A satisfied customer will become a repeat customer. Pay attention to details and keep track of their information for them. If you know it’s been a while since they ordered product, reach out to them and remind them they are probably running low. Or if it is time to switch to a VitaFerm® HEAT® mineral, remind them of that when they order. Customers will appreciate that you have kept track of these important details when the busyness of their lives hasn’t allowed for it.

Customer service is often as important as the goods or products you
are selling. Selling a great product is the easy part but making sure the customer is satisfied and had a rewarding customer service is the key to repeat customers.

“A happy customer is your best salesman, and that starts with successful, exceptional customer service,” Slattery said.

June/July 2019 – Letters from Lisa

This past month was our 6th annual dealer retreat. This event brings together our top volume dealers to challenge all of us on how we can be the best versions of ourselves in our day to day business. This year’s theme was Decode the Mystery of Growth.

Mystery is defined as something that is difficult or impossible to understand.

This recent article in Feedstuffs is a mystery to me. How can I include chocolate as 30% of my diet without affecting my carcass composition?  Seems if I just include it at .000003 percent it significantly impacts my carcass. Now that is a mystery.

The “love of gain” is human nature. So, a desire or even a need for growth is not mysterious. It’s how to create it that’s mysterious.

We must work every day to solve that mystery using a variety of ways including:

  1. Investing in human capital
  2. Committing to learning
  3. Standing out
  4. Setting bold goals
  5. Making big changes

The common point to all of these is ACTION – Nike says Just Do It.  If “just do it” was enough, we’d have already just done it by now.  So, if all we need to do is “just do it,” why do we go through one year after the other without “just doing” the things we know we need to do to grow?

Because successful growth isn’t about just doing, it’s about:

  • Identifying the need for change
  • Creating that change
  • Preparing for the challenges that will present themselves along the way of change
  • Grabbing a hold of an “all in” belief so you don’t just give up

If you skip any of those steps, whatever you “just do,” won’t be sustained long enough, repeated often enough, or executed well enough to create the action needed to grow.

Once you know what actions you need to take each day; you’ll find that “just do it” is the effective warning it was intended to be.

Dealer Spotlight: Field Farms

BioZyme® dealer Mitch Field at Field Farms shares his own personal success stories with the products to gain the trust and business of potential customers. He and his family had positive experiences with the VitaFerm® products on their Angus operation in Erhard, Minn., but the closest dealer to him was 100 miles away, so Field decided to become a dealer. He started sharing his success stories, has conducted producer meetings and has taken his message to social media, all while watching his business grow during the past two years.

“The biggest challenge for me has been getting people on a strict mineral program. But I’m working to get them feeding it all year, so it is better for their cows too, and some of them are starting to come around,” Field said.

In an area where farming is the dominant profession and most producers have less than 50 head, Field said getting them on a year-round program has been a battle. However, when they see the benefits of the Amaferm advantage, they are starting to realize the importance of providing excellent nutrition to their herd all year.

Field said he promotes the mineral program by seasons and production cycle. When he and his family only had to treat one sick calf out of 150 at weaning after using Vita Charge® Drench and Stress Tubs, that definitely grew his customer base. He has his producer meetings in the fall just prior to weaning to sell the benefits of the Vita Charge program. He also notes with the humidity and the number of lakes they have in their area, the VitaFerm HEAT® mineral has been easy to sell.

“With where we live in Minnesota, we run into a lot of fly issues in the summer, so I tell people about the HEAT mineral. Once they try it, they really like it, and they don’t have to worry about pinkeye issues either,” Field said.

Though his own experiences have helped him educate producers in his area about the benefits of a high-quality mineral program, he’s also gone a step further, and shares some of his experiences on social media. He shares his personal experiences on Twitter and said that he’s had a few other cattle producers reach out to him about mineral programs. He was able to refer them to BioZyme dealers in their area, and at least one purchased product.

“I always have people ask certain things. Since I’ve had good luck with the product, I share personal experiences with my followers,” Field said.

Educating others on the value of the mineral program is key; however, the biggest benefit to becoming a dealer is the personal network that Field has made. He said he has made connections with people in his own area he didn’t even know raised livestock and made valuable friendships with other BioZyme dealers and staff that he looks forward to talking with on a regular basis.

“I’ve made some good friends along the way. I talk to Keith Micke (Dealer in Wyoming) about once a month and Rowdy Pope (ASM in Florida) about once a week.”

For Field, it’s more than a mineral program. Being a dealer has allowed him to share his experiences, help others help their herds and cultivate friendships and connections along the way. That’s care that comes full circle.

Producer Meetings are an Ideal Venue to Promote the Program

Producer meetings are a great way to gather a group of like-minded people to talk about the BioZyme® products, exchange ideas and see your customers and potential customers all in one setting. Depending on your location, it’s probably best to host these meetings in the fall or spring, when producers are not swamped with field work or busy with calving, weaning or breeding.

One of the best topics that can be discussed at a producer meeting is the overall benefit of the Amaferm® advantage that animals receive through all BioZyme products, according to Jake Warntjes, National Sales Director and Area Sales Manager for Kansas, Western Oklahoma and Northwest Texas.

“First, educating producers on the benefits of Amaferm provides a common thread and basis of understanding of the ingredient in all BioZyme products. From there, selling the value of Amaferm and how its metabolic impacts on the animal will increase the bottom line will help position value over cost.,” Warntjes said.

Once they know about the benefits of Amaferm, producers need to understand the benefits of a year-round mineral program, the second topic you will want to address at your producer meeting. Some producers want to use a mineral at breeding or calving; however, to receive the maximum benefits, a year-round program is essential.

Educating the producer on a program, not only helps their herd, it also will help your bottom line (see charts below).

“You have to help them understand it is something you can’t do just part of the year like right before breeding or right at weaning. It is something you need through all production phases to see the full value of using it for a full year,” Warntjes said. “You have to keep Amaferm in them year-round whether you keep them on Concept•Aid® or Cattlemen’s Blend™. They have to realize the importance of keeping them on Amaferm all year.”

The best way to help your producers establish a nutrition program is to visit with them about their goals. Determine what they want to establish in terms of increased conception rates, heavier weaning weights, healthier cattle or how they might want to market their calves on a value-added program using the VitaFerm® or Gain Smart® mineral programs.

It’s more than a mineral. It’s a program. Not only does that program help your customers have higher-performing, healthier animals, according to the numbers below, your sales and income will grow too. Producer meetings are a great way to share that “program” message with your producers. Start with educating them on the benefits of the Amaferm advantage and watch your business grow.


Education is Key to Product Launches

Change is inevitable. It is a sign of growth; however, it usually doesn’t come without a few growing pains. One of the most exciting changes a business can make is to launch a new product. New products mean new education and sales strategies, but with the BioZyme products, there are some things to remember. First, no new products are introduced without proven research to back them, and all products include the Amaferm® advantage.

“We don’t come out with these products on a whim. Our company does a lot of research and have requests for these types of products before our leadership decides to make them,” said Jake Warntjes, National Sales Director and Area Sales Manager for Western Kansas, Western Oklahoma and Northwest Texas. “All new products have much thought, time and research devoted to them.”

Whenever BioZyme does introduce a new product, it does its very best to provide the information and education to its dealers in a timely and concise manner. Information is available in the Online Dealer Center and multiple webinars are scheduled that allow interaction between the dealers and the staff to learn and ask any questions they have. Typically, ASMs are armed with information prior to these webinars so they are available to help the dealers learn or answer any further questions they have.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that all of the BioZyme products work together as part of a program, so when a new product is introduced, it will usually fit into an existing program, and be an improvement. Think about Gain Smart® Stocker HEAT®. This was an improvement on an existing product that many find beneficial during the summer months. It is part of a program, still offers the benefits of Amaferm, but wouldn’t necessarily replace Gain Smart Stocker in every climate or every time of year.

“The best way to launch a new product is to show how it fits into a particular program. Show how it can work with the other products you’ve been offering, how they work together and how and when to use them. Use them different ways and different times of year. It all goes back to promoting the programs,” Warntjes said.

Remember, not all new products will be suited to all your customers. Once you know about a new product, prepare a target list of customer who the product would benefit and develop a strategy to reach out to let them know what you have, how it works, and how it will fit into to their existing program. It is common that most people will have to hear about this new product several times in multiple mediums before they make a purchasing decision, so be persistent if you feel it will truly benefit their operation.

Change is a necessary part of growth. Growth is needed in order for a business to succeed. Growing pains are part of those changes, but they don’t have to be painful. Plan ahead, educate yourself, your staff and your customers on new products and changes, and watch your business grow.

The Benefits of Customer Education

We ask a lot of our employees – be knowledgeable about the products, provide outstanding customer services and sell, sell, sell the product! But did you know there is another important task that we need to have them do? Yes, we need to start educating the customers on the products and services.

Education is not the same as marketing, and when you educate your customers, they feel empowered to make greater decisions. Customer education happens when you present the facts. According to the article by Customer Think, when you educate your customers, you “equip customers with the knowledge & skills needed to make the most out of your product or services.”

So, how is that different from marketing? With education, you are only presenting them the facts to help them solve their problems or meet their goals. With marketing, you are getting emotionally involved and persuading them to purchase a product or service through elaborating on features and benefits of the product or service.

Although marketing is key to making the sale, let’s explore the three key benefits to providing customer education.

  1. Build Customer Trust. Any time you provide information and take time to present that information, you are communicating with your customers. Communication builds trust and trust builds loyalty. According to the Customer Think article, people will trust a business that has presented several solutions to their challenge; not just tried to sell them one product that will do the job.
  2. Reduce Complaints. When the initial trust is built between the customer and the business, the number of complaints will decrease. Furthermore, when the customer is fully educated about a product or process, he or she can do some of his or her own troubleshooting, which will free up your support staff’s time.
  3. Enhance Customer Loyalty. The customer trusts the business because the business took time to provide information. The customer understands the benefits and challenges of the products and how they will help achieve goals. Because of the trust established, the customer will usually remain loyal to the brand or the business.

Now that you’ve learned why you should educate your customers; how will you accomplish it? You are probably already doing several things to provide information but remember to think about the basics when it comes to providing information.

There are several avenues you can use to deliver information to your customers such as producer meetings, in-store meetings, on-farm visits and via social media channels. Use these outlets to provide the most current information about the products. To stay relevant and current on product information, be sure to take advantage of the resources BioZyme ® provides like Master Dealer Training, Dealer Retreat, Online Dealer Center and other communication tools.

Informed customers make informed choices, have trust in a product and company and become loyal customers. Yes, your plate is full, but the time you spend educating your customers will just help you grow your business even more.

 

Resource used in this article: http://customerthink.com/educating-your-customers-the-benefits-how-to-achieve-it/

May 2019 – Letters from Lisa

Education is Part of Care that Comes Full Circle.

At the risk of singing to the choir, I am going to attempt to share how all of us can educate others about our industry and the importance of what we do using “care that comes full circle” as our guide.

According to a study conducted by The Center for Food Integrity, 56% of consumers say they know just a little bit about the farming practices that produce their food, but 80% want to know more. More than half are interested in affordable, healthy food and are confident in its safety. Unfortunately, that means half are not. Stats specific to livestock found that 38% desire meat that is derived from humanely treated animals, while 48% are unsure if that is important to them or not. In addition, 54% are concerned about antibiotic residues in their food.

The study also found that trust is the key to consumers when it comes to sharing information (educating). What drives this trust? Shared values.

A good example of doing this is found in a response by a veterinarian mother.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Dorman! As the mother of three children, it is vitally important to me to ensure that antibiotics are effective when I need them most: when one of my kids is sick. As a veterinarian, I also recognize the importance of antibiotics to the welfare of animals. I took an oath to protect animal health, prevent animal suffering, and to promote human health. Remaining true to this oath is very important to me.”

With these stats and insight, the question is how do each of us educate and then advocate for our industry? I believe the three thoughts below uses a “care that comes full circle” approach. In other words, it is based on the idea that if we take care in our approach to educate; the other party will care enough to listen back with an open mind due to shared values.

  • Listen without judgment to their values to find out what is important to them.
  • Ask questions to acknowledge their perspective and then dig deeper to show you want to understand things more, while trying hard not to comment back or use a defensive tone in any way.
  • Share your perspective through your values and then use resources that have supporting information to that perspective.

If you are interested in seeing this approach in action, you can watch a helpful video that AFIA produced at https://vimeo.com/219907731/df206803cd.

Interestingly enough, this approach is just as useful with things around your business. That might be a great place to practice this approach.

Whether training employees or teaching consumers about agriculture, I think you will find this three-step approach helpful. Listen, ask and share. If we listen before we share, we’ll seem genuinely interested and that is the first step in “care that comes full circle.”

Dealer Spotlight: Associated Feed

Associated Feed Develops Next Generation of Livestock Enthusiasts

Imagine taking one day away from your dealership or store front to teach upwards of 1,000 people the basics about feeding and showing livestock. You’ve just enriched 1,000 lives with information and potentially created an interest to continue pursuing a career in the livestock field, but you’ve also come into contact with a lot of potential customers.

Associated Feed & Supply, Turlock, Calif., has hosted at least 12 all-day, totally-free Associated Feed Junior Livestock Camps each October for young livestock exhibitors, the parents, 4-H leaders and FFA advisors in Central California. The day-long camp that focuses on evaluation and selection, nutrition and feeding, fitting and showing of beef, sheep, goats and hogs, is conducted at Modesto Junior College.

“Livestock and agriculture are dying industries, and we feel it is our job to help these kids learn more about their projects to where we not only we can help educate them to have a successful project, but also spark their interest in ag to continue their involvement in agriculture,” said Nick Warntjes, Associated Feed’s Northern California Sales Rep who manages the Camp. “We want to make sure the kids, parents, 4-H leaders and FFA advisors have the tools and resources they need for a successful livestock project. Selling feed is a secondary bonus.”

Warntjes said they invite highly reputable industry leaders from all parts of the United States to teach about each species, one of the things he believes is such a big draw for the attendees each year. He said in the last Camp, between 500-600 people were pre-registered, but 800-1,000 people actually showed up. The reason they ask for preregistration is to ensure every youth leaves Camp with a unique t-shirt.

“Every kid gets a free Camp t-shirt. It is pretty amazing how much that t-shirt means to the kids. I see those t-shirts at county fairs and worn all over the place the next year,” Warntjes said.

And because the California Camp has been so successful, typically drawing youth from California, Nevada, Idaho and Washington, Associated Feeds expanded its efforts and offered a similar Camp in Oregon this past February. Warntjes said that first-time event drew 300 participants from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Northern California, stating one family even drove 10 hours to attend.

“I truly appreciate the support of Chris Benevedes, my boss at Associated Feeds. He approves and supports these camps. He’s been very generous in continuing to allow us to expand this event and allow us to put it on,” Warntjes said.

Finding high-quality speakers that are respected within the industry are what draws so many people to the Camps. Warntjes asks each year how many young people have previously attended and estimates 30-40% are repeat attendees.

“It’s about bringing knowledgeable people in front of the kids where they can learn something and ask any questions they have.”

Associated Feeds knows the importance of developing the future generations and they give back one day each October to do just that. They get involved, provide the resources and create a spark of excitement in livestock enthusiasts.