Marketing Trends for 2021

Trends come and trends go. But one action that will always be trendy is to have a marketing plan in place as you roll into a new year. The BioZyme® Marketing Team recently attended the virtual Brand Manage Camp to freshen up their skills and learn how to better increase market share while helping dealers market their product lines.

In the final presentation of the three-day seminar, Michael Brenner, CEO of the Marketing Insider Group and best-selling author, reminded everyone that marketing has two key purposes: to create leads and to generate a return on investment (ROI). He said the best ways to accomplish marketing are through story telling and reaching for emotion.

The team at BioZyme is always here to help its dealers with their marketing. The Marketing Team offers a variety of services from print and radio advertising, social media, email marketing, custom in-store displays, custom signage and other custom designed pieces.

“I encourage each dealer to take a look at what we offer, have a conversation with their ASM and decide what works best for them. Each business differs based on brands, target audience, geographic location and time of year, so make sure you’re not just marketing to say you’re marketing, but that you’re doing what’s most beneficial to your goals and customers that you serve or desire to serve. Meet your customers where they are,” said Ashley Fitzsimmons, BioZyme Regional Marketing Manager.

Brenner offered three trends he predicts will continue to be popular for businesses to use in their marketing approach as we enter 2021. Explore how those trends will synergize with what the Marketing Team offers.

  1. Build your Business Case
    Be sure when you create marketing materials you are creating content that your customers want and need. Use key words to help get engagement, reach the customers you are looking to get to come into your business and retain those customers. One way that BioZyme can help you with the content that will resonate with your customers is by engaging on Promoboxx or sharing national marketing content from the BioZyme brands on social media that are most applicable to your business.
  2. Increase Traffic and Conversions with more Regularity
    The adage out of sight, out of mind is key in marketing. If you are not making regular impressions with your customers, they might just forget that you exist. In an effort to engage with dealers as part of our “care that comes full circle,” Fitzsimmons created an easy opt-in quarterly mailer program in 2019. This is a simple and effective action for dealers to help prospect for new and retain current customers by staying in from of them on a regular basis.

“Each quarter our marketing team will create a timely mailer that we can customize with your dealership information. We will send this out to your customer/prospect lists. All you have to do is opt in! Each quarter dealers get an email blast two weeks before the next mailer goes out asking them to opt in. Dealers may also opt in one time for the whole year beginning in the first quarter,” Fitzsimmons explained.

The quarterly mailers are available to all dealers. The only thing BioZyme needs from you is your complete mailing list, which you can update as many times as you need throughout the year. This is a fantastic way to get a concise message to your customers and potential customers on a regular basis. All you need to do is opt in; send your mailing list to Fitzsimmons, and the mailers will be printed and sent for you.

  1. You Must Answer Customer Questions
    Customers rely on their nutrition suppliers to answer a multitude of questions. You are their resource. Regardless if it is a question they pose on your social media or a question they ask over the phone or in person, be sure to provide them a timely and accurate answer. No one likes waiting for an answer, and if they wait too long, they might take their business elsewhere. Not sure of the answer? Let them know that you are doing a little research and will be glad to get them an answer as soon as you can.

Marketing is never going to go out of style. As long as you have a product or service to sell, you will need a way to present those goods and services to your customers and prospective customers. Stay in the know with their needs, stay in front of them, and provide solutions to their answers.

Letters From Lisa – December 2020

At one second past midnight on January 1, 2021, the day will change from Thursday to Friday, usually a transition of no special significance. But this specific change, ending one year and beginning the next, is different. This unique tick of the clock prompts us to celebrate and to reflect.

The end of the year is a good time to celebrate.

If you skip the celebration, you’ll be hard pressed to realize your success, notice the progress you’re making and pivot on challenges in the future. You may always “woohoo” at your own discretion, but do not miss the opportunity to do so at the end of the year.

The end of the year is a good time to reflect.

Reflect on your personal progress AND your business’ progress. “Reflection is looking back so that the view looking forward is even clearer.” – Unknown

After reflecting on the past year, it’s time to plan how you want to develop in the year ahead. Think of the planning as your “business” resolutions. I know, sadly, only about 8% of the 60% of us who make resolutions, achieve them. Let’s be stat stoppers. Let’s achieve the following business resolutions together so we beat those odds:

  1. Promote Your Business Regularly and Consistently
    Too often the task of promoting our business slips to the bottom of the to-do list, crowded out by urgent tasks. But if you want to attract new customers, you have to make promotion a priority.
  2. Make Business Planning a Weekly Event
    Planning is vital if you want a healthy, growing business. Planning lets you assess what worked and what didn’t work, and helps you set new directions or adjust old goals. So why plan just once a year? Set aside time each week to review, adjust and look ahead.
  3. Learn Something New
    What you choose to learn may be directly related or completely unrelated to your business. Learning something new will add to your skills and add a new dimension to your life. Depending on how you choose to learn, you may meet new and interesting people, who may become customers, colleagues or friends.
  4. Set Realistic Goals
    Goal setting is a valuable habit—if the goals lead to success rather than distress. Resolve that the goals you set will be achievable and not so far out of reach that they only lead to frustration.
  5. Don’t Just Make Do
    Is there a piece of equipment in your office that’s interfering with your success? Is there something that you lack that’s making your work life harder? Whether it’s an old computer that’s a pain to use or the need for a new employee to lighten your workload, stop putting off getting what you need.

To a Great Year

If we apply these resolutions throughout the year, we’ll have more energy to put into our business and make it the success we’ve always dreamed it to be. Here’s to a great 2021!

CHANGES COMING IN DECEMBER 2020

HOLIDAY HOURS

  • The BioZyme® offices will be closed December 25, 2020, in observance of Christmas. BioZyme will resume normal business hours on December 28, 2020.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Freight companies will not be picking up any freight on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2020, or New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2020.

NEW PRODUCTS

  • Starting December 1, 2020, Vita Charge® HydraBoost™ RTU will be available as a ready to use formula in a 2.5 gallon jug.
  • Cogent Solutions Group has launched Baxyl®GI – the first human product that contains Amaferm®! BaxylGI is a liquid product formulated for maximum absorption, gastric support, and stomach comfort – containing two of the most research-proven, proprietary ingredients on the market: Amaferm & MHB3 Hyaluronan. For more information or to order, contact Courtney Keller at (859) 259-0300.

PRODUCT UPDATES

  • In December, the sewn in tag will be changed to a printed label for all non-pelleted products.
  • Special Until Christmas: The Vitalize® Horse Treats are being packaged in a Christmas gift bag, making them a perfect stocking stuffer for your customers’ four-legged friends.
  • The Vita Charge Stress Tub (50 lb and 200 lb) and Vita Charge Stress Tub HEAT have been upgraded to a new and improved formula that now includes a temperature tolerant probiotic to work synergistically with Amaferm® to replenish and stimulate gut bacteria.

MANUFACTURING UPDATES

  • At BioZyme we take great pride in our manufacturing facility and the products we produce. As with any manufacturing facility, maintenance occurs all the time and from time to time repair projects are needed. When you experience growth and a desire for continuous quality improvement, more intensive upgrades need to occur. It is in that vein that we share the news that BioZyme will be undertaking a significant plant improvement project. The project will run from November 16, 2020 through December 4, 2020.

PRICING UPDATES

  • On August 1, 2020, BioZyme® implemented a manufacturer’s minimum advertised pricing (MAP) policy around all of the small package animal products sold by BioZyme and our sister company Cogent Solutions Group. In order to purchase small pack products, you must acknowledge receipt of the policy. Click Here to fill out the Acknowledgement Form. 
  • The MAP column on the big pack products (page 1 of the price list) has been renamed Sugg Retail as it is how it is referred to in the Dealer Agreement as the price at which a Dealer is to use to resell BioZyme products.

CHANGES COMING IN JANUARY 2021

HOLIDAY HOURS

  • The BioZyme® offices will be closed January 1, 2021, in observance of New Year’s Day. BioZyme will resume normal business hours on January 4, 2021.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Freight companies will not be picking up any freight on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2020.

PRODUCT UPDATE

  • On January 1, 2021, we will be changing from Altosid (1-fly claim) to Clarify (4-fly claim) in all of our IGR products. The registration process of the new ingredient requires product name changes to several products:
    • VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S IGR will now be VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S with Clarifly®
    • VitaFerm® HEAT® IGR will now be VitaFerm® HEAT® with Clarifly®
    • VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S CTC 3G IGR will now be VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S CTC 3G with Clarifly®
    • To prepare for this transition, we will not be manufacturing IGR products in December 2020 or January 2021 but will have product on the floor on a first come, first served basis.

DISCONTINUED PRODUCTS

  • On January 1, 2021, VitaFerm® Cattleman’s Blend™ AUREO 3G and VitaFerm® Cattleman’s Blend™ AUREO 3G IGR will be discontinued due to declining sales.

CHANGES COMING IN FEBRUARY 2021

NEW PRODUCTS

  • Stay tuned for our soon to be launched Backyard Chicken products. The timing on these is great as Lebanon, MO, Cackle Hatchery owner Nancy Smith describing the spike in her business since COVID-19 says, “We’ve never seen anything like this, and I have been here since 1964.”

Appreciation vs. Recognition and Why People Need Both

The terms appreciation and recognition might seem interchangeable. Everyone likes to feel appreciated, and most enjoy recognition for their efforts. Although these words are both important to the productivity and morale at the workplace, they have vastly different meanings. Let’s explore.

Recognition is the act of giving positive feedback based on results or performance. Recognition can be formal in the way of an award, a bonus, promotion or raise. It can also be informal in the way of a thank you – either verbal or a handwritten note. Regardless of the method, recognition is meaningful as long it is timely and genuine. It can also be motivational and exciting since most all people like to have a pat on the back for good work.

Like most good things, recognition has its challenges. Recognition is based on results, so it is conditional. Next, it is based on what has already happened, so it is in the past tense – old news. Recognition is often scarce since it comes from the top down. The leaders in a business are often reluctant to hand out too much recognition, because if everyone is receiving it, it then loses its value. And finally, too much recognition is never going to happen in the form of bonuses or raises because in the end, money doesn’t buy happiness.

According on one Harvard Business Review article 1 , “While recognition that includes monetary compensation can be great, researchers from the London School of Economics found that financial incentives can actually backfire when it comes to motivating employees. According to an analysis of 51 experiments, ‘these incentives may reduce an employee’s natural inclination to complete a task and derive pleasure from doing so.’”

Conversely, appreciation is about acknowledging a person’s natural value, not their achievements. It’s their worth as a colleague and a human being. Simply put, recognition honors what people do; appreciation honors who people are.

Even highly motivated, wonderfully talented people fail from time to time. Some things are simply out of their control. That doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate their God-given talents, the efforts they put forth to a project, the camaraderie they bring to team or an endless list of other attributes they offer. That is why it is so vital to show appreciation on a more regular basis than it is to hand out recognition so freely.

“And when we show appreciation to our colleagues, customers, managers, and partners, we’re more likely to build trust and connect,” according the HBR article.

Here are few simple ways to show others your appreciation.

Listen. Now more than ever this is so important, and it is so simple. Put down your phone or tablet, turn away from your computer and just focus and listen to them. During this time of isolation and lockdown, some people have not been able to share their thoughts, so take the time to listen and be present.

Tell people what you value about them. This should be genuine and proactive. Don’t wait to pay a compliment until you need something, or someone has done a favor for you. Make it a habit to share one positive thing with one person a day, and you will start to see how the attitudes around you will lift and change for the better.

Check-in. Once again, it might be hard to see everyone you’re accustomed to seeing, but you can check in with a phone call, text or personal note. As Teddy Roosevelt said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Show that you care by checking in, regardless if it is with a colleague, customer, employee, relative or friend. Everyone has 10 minutes to spare and the person you are checking in on will feel more appreciated than you will know.

One employee appreciation survey revealed that 53% of people said feeling more appreciation from their boss would help them stay longer at their company, that is why it is important for supervisors to show appreciation for others, not just peers.

Appreciation and recognition. They are both important when we are in the business of working with people. Showing appreciation should become part of our daily routine. Find at least three people to show appreciation for during your day; make their day better and it will make you feel better too. Save recognition for those who go the extra mile. Make sure it is timely and well received. Giving recognition when it is earned will make a big difference.

– Source: https://hbr.org/2019/11/why-employees-need-both-recognition-andappreciation?autocomplete=true

Put a Different Twist on Producer Meetings and Customer Opens Houses

The chill in the air is a gentle reminder that field work will soon come to an end, and it would typically be time to kick off producer meetings. Depending on your location, local or state mandates and the willingness of people to gather, might determine the plan you take this fall and winter for the traditional producer meetings and customer open houses.

Regardless of your situation, it is important to share information with your customers. Educating them on the newest products and services you are offering, talking about what is coming down the pipe as nutritional needs of the herd or flock shift and networking are often the highlights of a producer meeting. However, a producer meeting is also a time to introduce any promotions that you’re offering, and the gatherings offer a chance for you to take orders on a product after a talk when that product is fresh in the producers’ minds.

Holiday open houses are another opportunity to show appreciation toward your customers and other community members. These typically feature some type of food and drink with a small token of thanks. Just as 2020 has looked different since March, both producer meetings and open houses might have to take on a new look this fall and winter.

While some people have no qualms about gathering, some are playing it safe. Furthermore, some state and local governments are regulating the amount of people who can gather, have put social distancing practices in place and still require face coverings. Before you do plan an event, be sure you know what is required of you.

However, if you are looking at alternative ways to share information, network and show appreciation, those do exist. Think about inviting small groups of like-minded customers to the local café for breakfast to talk about a new mineral program. This still offers the camaraderie and a chance to get some face-to-face interaction without a huge group.

Pick up the tab and offer a limited-time promotion that might get them into your dealership to place an order.

Offer an online meeting for those who want to learn what’s new at your dealership. Zoom, Google Meets or Facebook Live are efficient ways to reach your customers and potential customers and interact with them at the same time. Even if you do an in-person meeting, it is still good to offer a virtual component for those who maybe can’t make it or don’t want to attend the live event. To learn more about using video for these events, be sure to check out last month’s VISION, or check out the Online Dealer Center.

Perhaps you want to show appreciation to some key customers while still letting them know what is happening. Send them a gift box with an FAQ sheet. Include your famous peanut brittle that they would typically stop by the shop to pick up, some hot cocoa mix and a mug with your logo on it. Determine what you normally spend on a full meal or holiday promotions and use that budget to still show your customers some type of appreciation during the end of the year.

Meetings and open houses don’t look like they did a year ago. But your business is growing. Keep the camaraderie up, continue to nurture those relationships and show appreciation. Take action. Your customers will notice.

Boost Customer Loyalty and Build Business

Customers have a choice. From everything to the brand of pickup they drive to the soda they drink, to the color of tractor they prefer to the mineral they feed their livestock, those choices are part of thread that weaves each human together. Some choices are passed down through the generations; Grandpa had a green combine, so I will have a green one too. Some are influenced by peers, and some are merely personal preferences.

However, in world that is full of choices with more products being developed each day, creating loyal customers is more important now than ever. Building brand loyalty doesn’t just start with a high-quality product, but that product must be backed by a reputable company and customer service that is second to none.

According to Jay Baer, marketing expert, author and presenter, 54% of consumers have purchased from a new company since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, a surprising 89% of those consumers will stay with their new provider.

“Market share shifts in time of uncertainty,” he explained. “Brands are built in bad times, not just in good times.”

Don’t let your market share shift. Keep your customers loyal to you, your brand and your business. To keep their loyalty and boost your business, Baer suggests three simple steps.

  1. Reconfigure your products and services.

First, you need to realize that we are living in a fast-paced world. Change happens fast and if we don’t adapt, we are going to be left behind. Perhaps your store needs to extend its hours, offer different services or introduce new products to assist your customers with whatever they are dealing with. Projects that used to take 36 months are now being accomplished in 36 days.

Think about some of the products that BioZyme has introduced this summer to its customers: the VitaFerm® Conserve™ line was introduced during a time when producers needed an economical way to get Amaferm into their animals’ diets. Sure Champ® Joint Juice was introduced because our sister company, Cogent Solutions Group already had the MHB3® technology, and we felt it was important to share it with the show livestock world.

If you aren’t creating better products or amping up your services, someone else will. And making those products available online is crucial. Baer said that as of Oct. 5, 2020, America will surpass all of 2019 e-commerce revenue, and that is without any holiday shopping spurts.

  1. Retrain your team.

Once you have stocked new products or created new services, it is time to retrain your team on the way to present your goods and services. No longer can we do things the way we’ve always done them. BioZyme has strived to make sure we have provided updated training information for our dealers with each product launch. Be sure to visit the Online Dealer Center for all of the latest literature and updated Master Dealer trainings.

  1. Reeducate.

As with any change, it is time to reeducate your customers and potential customers. Make sure they know what you are offering and what makes it unique to your company, especially if there happens to be a competing product or service in the area. What makes you unique? What sets you apart? Why should these customers stay loyal to you?

One of the great ways to educate the consumer and share your message is with a FAQ list. Think of any question that might be asked and present the answer before it is asked. End users will appreciate your foresight.

“How you handle your business over the next six months will have a massive impact on the success of your business for the next six years,” Baer concludes.

Build your customer loyalty today. Be innovative, provide outstanding customer service and happy customers will be your biggest promoters. Build customer loyalty today and watch your business grow.

Letters From Lisa – November 2020

Gratitude means “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” Being thankful has many positive effects, according to science. It opens the doors to more relationships, improves both your mental and physical health, reduces your ‘fight-or-flight’ reactions, helps you sleep better and increases your self-esteem. All these are obviously worth making sure that we remember to be grateful.

Granted with this month’s holiday, Thanksgiving, it should not be difficult to remember to have gratitude; however, in the middle of a pandemic it may not seem so easy. But at BioZyme®, we have much to be thankful for: you, our amazing team that works so hard every day, our products that take their jobs very seriously, the dedicated animals we have the honor to feed and a country where we can take advantage of the many opportunities if we choose to do so.

Taking advantage of opportunity is something we should do under all auspices, but for sure under the auspices of gratitude. What is the best way to do that?

Be Consistent

Being consistent is one of the most sure-fire ways to continually grow a successful business. Even the best businesses will fail without a dedication to consistency. It’s a long journey to get from where you are to where you want to be, and the only way to do it properly is to never drop the ball.

Be Agile

What customers needed a year ago may not be what they need today. A business needs to be agile and innovative to take full advantage of the opportunities enough that they grow.

Be Available

Customers today are more demanding than ever. Creating value for clients requires more than sitting at your desk and waiting. You’ve got to go to them and say we’ve come up with a new idea, and this is how it’s going to help you. And yes, even during COVID we need to go to them somehow.

Achieve Operational Excellence

Operational excellence manifests itself through performance across revenue, cost and risk. It focuses on meeting customer expectation through the continuous improvement of the operational processes and the culture of the organization.

Find a Game-Changer

Social media has been a real game-changer in our marketing efforts. Use all the game-changing opportunities you can find.

Build a Legacy

Every business should be a good corporate citizen to maximize opportunity. Think “care that comes full circle.”

Know your Industry

You must understand what is going on, not just in your own business, but also in your industry. Knowing what is harming or helping your customers and determining how your business will respond to those factors may constitute at least some of its competitive advantage.

Thank you for all you do for our Company and our industry! Happy Thanksgiving.

CHANGES COMING IN NOVEMBER 2020

HOLIDAY HOURS

  • The BioZyme® offices will be closed November 26-27, 2020 in observance of Thanksgiving. BioZyme will resume normal business hours on November 30, 2020.

NEW PRODUCTS

  • Sure Champ® Joint Juice is now available in half gallon and gallon sizes. Our 3-month sales projection for this new product was hit in just 3 days!!! Sure Champ Joint Juice is a joint product for show livestock powered by MHB3® Hyaluronan, the most highly researched and proven hyaluronic acid available. It is carefully crafted to naturally support, promote and enhance joint and soft tissue health.
  • Cogent Solutions Group has launched Baxyl®GI – the first human product that contains Amaferm®! BaxylGI is a liquid product formulated for maximum absorption, gastric support, and stomach comfort – containing two of the most research-proven, proprietary ingredients on the market: Amaferm & MHB3 Hyaluronan. For more information or to order, contact Courtney Keller at (859) 259-0300.

PRODUCT UPDATES

  • Special Until Christmas: Starting November 15, 2020, the Vitalize Horse Treats will be packaged in a Christmas gift bag, making them a perfect stocking stuffer for your customers’ four-legged friends.
  • The Vita Charge Stress Tub (50 lb and 200 lb) and Vita Charge Stress Tub HEAT have been upgraded to a new and improved formula that now includes a temperature tolerant probiotic to work synergistically with Amaferm® to replenish and stimulate gut bacteria.

MANUFACTURING UPDATES

  • At BioZyme we take great pride in our manufacturing facility and the products we produce. As with any manufacturing facility, maintenance occurs all the time and from time to time repair projects are needed. When you experience growth and a desire for continuous quality improvement, more intensive upgrades need to occur. It is in that vein that we share the news that BioZyme will be undertaking a significant plant improvement project. The project will run from November 16, 2020 through December 4, 2020.
  • In October, the shrink wrap used to wrap pallets during manufacturing was changed from clear to orange. This was done to lessen freight issues with the companies repalletizing our product without permission.

PRICING UPDATES

  • On August 1, 2020 BioZyme® implemented a manufacturer’s minimum advertised pricing (MAP) policy around all of the small package animal products sold by BioZyme and our sister company Cogent Solutions Group. In order to purchase small pack products, you must acknowledge receipt of the policy. Click Here to fill out the Acknowledgement Form. 
  • The MAP column on the big pack products (page 1 of the price list) has been renamed Sugg Retail as it is how it is referred to in the Dealer Agreement as the price at which a Dealer is to use to resell BioZyme products.

EMPLOYEE UPDATES

  • Kori McLaughlin has joined BioZyme as our new Area Sales Manager for Iowa.
  • Kelley Weber has joined BioZyme as our new Plant Maintenance/Operations Specialist.
  • Maddie Dollar will be transitioning from the Organizational Development Intern to an Organizational Development Coordinator.

CHANGES COMING IN DECEMBER 2020

HOLIDAY HOURS

  • The BioZyme® offices will be closed December 25, 2020 in observance of Christmas. BioZyme will resume normal business hours on December 28, 2020.
  • The BioZyme® offices will be closed January 1, 2021 in observance of New Year’s Day. BioZyme will resume normal business hours on January 4, 2021.

NEW PRODUCTS

  • Starting December 1, 2020, Vita Charge® HydraBoost™ will be available as a ready to use formula in a 2.5 gallon jug.
  • Stay tuned for our soon to be launched Backyard Chicken products. The timing on these is great as Lebanon, MO Cackle Hatchery owner Nancy Smith describing the spike in her business since COVID-19 says, “We’ve never seen anything like this, and I have been here since 1964.”

CHANGES COMING IN JANUARY 2021

PRODUCT UPDATE

  • On January 1, 2021 we will be changing from Altosid (1-fly claim) to Clarify (4-fly claim) in all of our IGR products. The registration process of the new ingredient requires product name changes to two products:
    • VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S IGR will now be VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S with Clarifly®
    • VitaFerm® HEAT® IGR will now be VitaFerm® HEAT® with Clarifly®
    • To prepare for this transition, we will not be manufacturing IGR products in December 2020 or January 2021 but will have product on the floor on a first come, first served basis.

PRODUCT UPDATE

  • On January 1, 2021, VitaFerm® Cattleman’s Blend™ AUREO 3G and VitaFerm® Cattleman’s Blend™ AUREO 3G IGR will be discontinued due to declining sales.

Dealer Spotlight: Valley Vet Supply

Valley Vet Supply is a name recognizable to many in the livestock and equine business as a go-to for their animal health and nutrition supplies. And rightfully so. A pair of veterinarians recognized the need of its customers and created the mail-order retailer for veterinary supplies in the small north central Kansas town of Marysville in 1985. In 1999, their online store, www.valleyvet.com went live, making them one of the early adapters of e-commerce, and today, they sell livestock, equine and pet products from coast-to-coast, including BioZyme® small pack products.

Keeping at the forefront of their customers has always been a priority for Valley Vet and is one reason they have adapted so well to technology. Although this nationally recognized company has a massive web and social media presence, personal service has always been a priority, explains Kori Simmons, Director of Marketing. She said that the veterinarians, Drs. Ray Shultz and Arnold Nagely, still come to work daily, and are available to answer customer phone calls, something they both enjoy. 

However, with the number of clients that Valley Vet serves and the diversity of their products, it has adapted its marketing program to include more information through video on its social media platforms. Simmons said this has proven to be a successful way to partner with its vendors and reach its customers. 

“Do not underestimate the power of video. In today’s day and age, people are less apt to read and more apt to watch a 30-second video – short, quick and to the point. It’s better to have five 30-second videos that are broken up than to have a five-minute video,” Simmons said.

Simmons said their marketing team realized the power of video compared to a typical post when they were analyzing engagement. So, they started using more video with simple giveaways and sweepstakes by partnering with some of their vendors. However, with COVID-19, the realization that their customers were looking for information, helped them transition their video content, and they saw an even greater boost in their customer engagement.

Prior to COVID, Simmons said their vendors and partners would come in to train the Valley Vet call center and marketing teams to ensure everyone was saying the right things to end-users. Once that came to a halt, they realized the need to continue to get their messages out to their customers, so they started producing Facebook Live sessions with their vendors.

“We started partnering with our vendors, and what we started doing was less of an infomercial and more of an educational focus. With a product focus versus topic focus that fills in with some product information, the engagement was night and day different. Since COVID, our engagement is up about 50%, and really and truly the only thing that has changed is our video engagement,” Simmons said.

Valley Vet typically has between 50 to 100 people watch each Live video, with a growing number of those being a regular following. She said it is not unusual for them to have 30,000 views after the Live is over. They have had great success keeping a regular time and day for their Facebook Lives, Tuesday and Thursday at 3:30 p.m. This helps them measure and compare engagement by keeping a consistent time and cadence.

Simmons recommends getting all speakers online about 30 minutes before your Facebook Live to test sound, lighting and background. Make sure that the background isn’t distracting; you might need to clean your office or go to a room with fewer windows if it is too bright. Make sure you have a speaker with a good personality, and one that can answer the questions that are asked. And make sure you have a person to monitor questions, even after the Live program.

“Make sure to actively monitor customer questions. Put yourself out there to answer questions. Make sure it happens,” Simmons reminds.

Although Valley Vet sometimes does prerecord and edit videos to post, the engagement on their live videos is just too good. Simmons said their engagement is usually quadruple on a live video what it is on a prerecorded video that they put on social media. She advises keeping prerecorded videos for product focus on your website, but to keep them short and to make sure they are updated as any changes are made.

Regardless the size of your business, you can make a big impression with Facebook Live and prerecorded videos. Follow the advice that Simmons offers to grow your customer engagement. Video is a tool that is here to stay!