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!

Protect and Recover with Vita Charge®

Although many shows have been postponed or canceled due to the pandemic this year, livestock still experience stress at home. It is important to reduce their stress and keep them feeling their best all the time, whether you are hauling them every week or keeping them in the barn.

To help mitigate stress, be sure to recommend the Vita Charge line of products. Perhaps the most versatile line, Vita Charge with the Amaferm® advantage is a fast-acting multi-specie supplement that help when livestock need protection or assistance in recovery.

  • Vita Charge® Stress Tub – 200 lb. or 50 lb. tub – A cooked tub for beef cattle that supports digestive health and promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery. The Stress Tubs contain MOS to trap and expel pathogens, limiting their ability to do harm. 50-lb. tubs are convenient to take to shows to ensure cattle are staying on feed and water while traveling and showing. Also available with HEAT to combat heat stress at temperatures of 70 degrees and above.
  • Vita Charge® Liquid Boost® – 2.5 gallon or 32 oz. bottle – A liquid supplement for animals of all species that supports digestive health and promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery. Can be administered via a medicator, mixed with water, used as a drench or top-dressed on feed. Its palatable flavor helps create consistency in taste for any water source.
  • Vita Charge® Gel – 300 mL or 80 mL tube – A gel for all species of livestock that supports digestive health and promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery. This convenient, rapid-response product is formulated to help livestock recover quickly and does not interfere with antibiotics.
  • Vita Charge® Climate Control Gel – 80 mL tube – A gel for all species of livestock formulated to help overcome the challenges of both changes in environment and extreme temperatures by helping maintain the animal’s normal body temperature. Contains Capsaicin which is research-proven to help animals maintain normal body temperature.
  • Vita Charge® Clench Gel – 30 mL tube – A gel for all species of livestock ideal for use during diarrhea and scours treatments to support recovery, hydration and nutrient absorption. It is an all-natural oral treatment that provides livestock with ingredients that help to increase nutrient absorption to promote a normal, healthy stool and can be used during competition with no withdrawal period.

Check out all of the testimonials we have available to share with your customers now: https://surechamp.com/cattle-testimonials/https://surechamp.com/cattle-testimonials/

Changes Happening in June 2020

NEW PRODUCTS

  • The VitaFerm® Conserve™ mineral line will be available June 1, 2020. We worked hard during the stay at home order to come up with a line to help producers during these tough times. One ASM said it best, “Producers know that VitaFerm Concept•Aid® is the best and produces the most reliable results for their herd; however, in tough times they have to make tough decisions and sometimes that means sacrificing those reliable results for economics.” VitaFerm didn’t really offer a well marketed option and what we know is that Amaferm® must be present in the herd in good times or in tough times. If the producer can afford to invest in the best, VitaFerm Concept•Aid is it. If tough times make that impossible, VitaFerm Conserve will fit the bill until times allow for the investment in the best herd results in the USA.

    VitaFerm Conserve is an economical line of vitamin and mineral supplements for beef cattle that supports the health and condition of the whole herd. It includes the Amaferm ® advantage to optimize nutrient digestion and absorption while the vitamin and mineral pack preserves cattle performance. Available formulas include:

VitaFerm Conserve will ship in the new poly bag.

DISCONTINUED PRODUCTS

  • On June 1, 2020, we will no longer be manufacturing VitaFerm® Cow Calf, VitaFerm® Cow Calf Mag, BioZyme® Cattle Flex 5 and the VitaFerm® Power Keg®. These products will only be available until current inventories are exhausted. These were discontinued so we can invest heavily in the marketing of VitaFerm Conserve.

SHIPPING UPDATES

  • Published Pallet rates are no longer available via the Terms and Conditions document. In lieu of published rates we have built and launched a new app called LTL Freight Calculator. Estimated shipping rates for LTL shipments can be calculated via the BioZyme Dealer Center and the LTL Freight Calculator. Visit https://dealers.backofficeapps.com/freight/calculator/new

NOTE: This tool and its results are for estimation purposes only. BioZyme, Inc makes no guarantees that these rates will be accurate when a shipment is rated and booked.

PRODUCT UPDATES

INGREDIENT UPDATES

  • The impacts of coronavirus are being felt in the supply chain. The effect is most noticeable for vitamins, which have increased dramatically because of tight global supply. We are working diligently to mitigate the effects of the shortage to our products and minimize price increases.
  • Due to reduced fuel demand the ethanol industry has seen significant supply chain challenges. As a result of quality and supply issues we have changed to a new DDGS supplier with a more consistent product. This has resulted in a lighter bulk density and smaller particle size that is noticeable in some of our products. This has also influenced some drier, harder minerals in some cases than we are used to manufacturing.

BRAND UPDATES

  • On June 1, 2020, “VitaFerm®” will be removed from the Gain Smart® product names. This is to help differentiate the cow-calf VitaFerm line from the stocker Gain Smart line.

EMPLOYEE CHANGES

  • Stephen Mohn is no longer with BioZyme. Please contact Jamie Miller or Lisa Norton with any questions.
  • Caity Norton has started as the new Housekeeping & Sanitation Senior Manager and reports to Lisa Norton.
  • Jeremy Javers has joined BioZyme as our new Industrial Fermentation Innovation Manager and reports to Lisa Norton.

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!

Prep To Win With Sure Champ EVERY. DAY.

By now, your customers should have their summer show projects, and with schools transitioning to remote learning in mid-March, there’s no doubt many lessons were taught and learned in the barn throughout the month of April. Make sure those livestock projects keep healthy and stay on feed and water with the added nutrition from Sure Champ®.

Sure Champ is a line a of livestock show supplements that proactively work to assist with the challenges created by the show environment. But they also are effective while at home preparing for the shows. Sure Champ uses only the highest quality components and proprietary ingredients proven to generate high-yielding results. All Sure Champ products include Amaferm®, shown to impact intake, digestibility and absorption. Amaferm is research-proven to increase water and feed intake. In addition, research shows that Amaferm decreases body temperature in heat-stressed animals.

Including Sure Champ in your livestock’s diets every day will help them stay healthy, stay growing and help you achieve your goals in the show ring. Check out these great Sure Champ products:

  • Sure Champ® Cattle – 50 lb. bag – A pelleted, daily vitamin and mineral supplement for show cattle that can be top-dressed or mixed in a ration to improve digestive health, stimulate appetite and optimize health. Sure Champ Cattle contains organic zinc, copper and manganese and the maximum allowable level of selenium, as well as vitamins A, D and E along with niacin and B-12 for added growth, bloom and health.
  • Sure Champ® Ration Builder – 50 lb. bag – A 32% protein pelleted base mix, fully fortified with vitamins and minerals and the Amaferm ® advantage. Intended to use to build complete feeds for cattle creep, growing and finishing rations by adjusting inclusion rates.
  • Sure Champ® Extreme – 50 lb. bag or 25 lb. bucket – Formulated for all livestock species. A pelleted, daily supplement for show livestock that can be top-dressed or mixed in the ration to promote appetite and digestive health. Includes ingredients designed to help support animals during extreme temperatures and support hoof and coat care. Also contains garlic, considered a natural insect repellent, biotin and zinc for hoof and coat care.
  • Sure Champ® Spark® – 25 lb. bucket – A pelleted, concentrated daily supplement with Amaferm and MOS for show livestock that can be top-dressed or mixed in the ration to drive appetite to higher levels and improve digestive health. Also contains biotin and zinc to promote healthy skin, hair and hooves.

Check out all of the testimonials we have available to share with your customers now: https://surechamp.com/cattle-testimonials/https://surechamp.com/cattle-testimonials/

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!

Check Out Our Virtual Producer Meetings and Vitalize Equine Health Seminar

Did any of your customers miss out on our Virtual Producer Meetings or our Vitalize Equine Health Seminar? Don’t worry, we have them covered! They can sign up for the email versions today using the links below.

Link to the Virtual Producer Meetings form: https://vitaferm.com/virtual-producer-meetings/

Link to the Vitalize Equine Health Seminar Form: https://vitalizeeq.com/vitalize-equine-health-seminar/

Help Youth Succeed Through Remote Learning

Remote learning. It’s the phrase that students, parents and teachers did not expect to add to their vocabulary this spring when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. However, with each new update and each governor’s recommendation, remote learning became a part of daily lives in households across the country. School districts devised lesson plans, some delivered their students’ packets via the bus route or mailed and emailed lessons to students on a weekly basis.

Youth might have missed out on the chance for building relationships with their peers and mentors, state FFA contests and conventions, spring sports, prom and more activities, but for those in agriculture, it provided an opportunity to work more with their livestock projects, help out with calving and lambing and perhaps even help prepare for spring planting. Remote learning and sheltering-in-place has allowed many families to spend more time together, learning and working ahead on junior national contests or county fair projects – both livestock and nonlivestock related.

When schools started closing their buildings this spring, online learning and virtual tours seemed to pop up almost instantly. Farm Bureau organizations, breed associations and other ag companies shared content that ranged from simple coloring sheets and word-searches to online judging contests and virtual ag tours.

What did we do?

We were ready. Before the chaos ensued, the Sure Champ® in the Classroom program existed. This online resource offers a variety of learning ideas for educators and parents.

Sure Champ in the Classroom offers various information about cattle, pigs, goats and lambs. Educational information ranges from selection, feeding and nutrition, caring for and preparing for shows and showmanship. General nutrition information is also available as well as quizzes with answer keys for assistance to learning. Educational videos are online for cattle and pigs that detail showmanship, feeding, animal care and reading pig notches.

In addition to the Sure Champ in the Classroom resources, a regular feature of the Sure Champ digital efforts includes an online judging tool, Mark that Card, complete with judging classes and official placings with cuts and reasons. These have been very popular on the Sure Champ social platforms and are all archived at www.surechamp.com.

Local Resources

What can you as a dealer do to help provide some information and resources to your customers in this time of remote learning? Maybe you had a spring livestock clinic planned; don’t let social distancing spoil your plans. With today’s technology on phones and handheld devices like tablets and iPads, it would be efficient and effective to record something from your local store or barn to post to your website or social media to help educate your young customers.

Talk about animal nutrition and break down the various feed ingredients in a ration and describe what they do. Record your own showmanship or clipping clinic. Perhaps you can offer resources for those youth preparing a speech for their junior national or their county club days. Or, you could offer to listen to that speech over the phone or via FaceTime to give some pointers on content or delivery. Offering your time as a resource is a valuable tool to a young person; they won’t forget time that you give them.

Share with us and your fellow dealers what you are doing to serve as a resource and help your young customers #preptowin during this time of social distancing. Post your ideas and your results on the BioZyme Dealer Facebook page so others can learn from you. We are all in this time of uncertainty together. Let’s work collectively to help our young people.