Lynsey Whitacre Named IPPE 30 Under 30 Outstanding Young Leader

Lynsey Whitacre, Ph.D., and Companion Animal Business Development and Field Support for BioZyme® Inc., was recently recognized as one of the “30 Under 30” Young Leaders for her outstanding leadership contributions in the production of animal or poultry feed by the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE).

The IPPE “30 Under 30” Young Leaders is a way to recognize professional leadership qualities and to provide exposure to the world’s largest trade show involving the production and processing of meat and poultry products and the manufacturers of feed and pet food products, according to the IPPE website. The program not only exposes these young leaders to the latest technology, but also allows them to attend valuable educational programs to assist in their leadership development. Whitacre attended the IPPE event and received recognition during a special ceremony the last week of January.

“We are extremely proud of Dr. Lynsey Whitacre’s selection to the International Production and Processing Expo 30 Under 30 Young Leaders Program. It has been amazing to watch Lynsey’s growth since joining BioZyme in 2017. She is highly respected and well-liked by her peers as she easily moves back and forth between science (research) and technical support (sales and marketing). Lynsey is an accomplished equine rider in jumping events and has a sincere passion for the companion animals she rides, hugs and pets. She is a devoted worker that uses her scientific training and experience to develop and promote new ideas to enhance animal well-being and performance. She is very deserving of the 30 Under 30 recognition,” said Bob Norton, BioZyme Chief Executive Officer.

Whitacre initially worked with BioZyme to expand its equine sales. Shortly after that, she started helping the company with its marketing efforts to the canine audience. She also assumed research project management in 2018 and new product development in 2019. As a result, she is now involved in all research and all products for all species.

“To be able to get an opportunity like this is really beneficial because you get to make connections to people who are working alongside you toward similar goals of improving animal health, production and sustainability, but using different techniques and technologies. The work that we are doing collectively as an industry is going to be very impactful both domestically and globally,” Whitacre said. “As a group, we can clearly see where the future of the feed industry will lead us, and we have the responsibility of creating precise, innovative solutions to today’s challenges, like antibiotic use for example. It’s a good feeling because together I think we can make a really big difference, not only in the lives and health of animals, but in the lives and health of humans as well.”

Technology Can Assist With Customers Service Success

There’s no doubt technology has evolved a lot in the last decade; even the last one to five years, we’ve seen and experienced technological advances that our parents or grandparents never would have fathomed. A lot of these advances have made life and business more efficient, and as the technology continues to evolve, those efficiencies will also continue to increase.

However, when it comes to doing business, especially in agriculture and rural areas, the value of a firm handshake and face-to-face interaction can’t be replaced by any amount of technology. Yet, there are some advances that can help simplify your business and help you create more time for those personal interactions.

Customer Databases

If you don’t already, you should have a customer database system to track your customers and their orders, keep their pertinent information and log your interactions with them. Several software options exist, but if you are just getting started or have kept these details on your handy yellow legal pad for years, consider even a simple Excel spreadsheet.

Keep track of all family member names, contact information including address, phone number and email, record important dates like when they purchase particular products, when they host their annual production sale and even their birthdays. Track when you’ve communicated with them or if they have asked questions you need to follow up on. Keeping track of your communications will help you remember to check in on them on a regular basis without seeming overbearing or pesky.

Portable Technology

Keeping a tablet or iPad with you when you make a customer visit is a smart move. And with Internet connectivity getting better with 4G and plans of 5G later in 2020, the ability to access those tools will become even better. Perhaps you are visiting a customer who has questions about the products or wonders what kind of Concept•Aid® to use, you can pull out your tablet and show them the Concept•Aid® Product Navigator or other online tools. We realize that not every corner of the countryside has these capabilities, but if you do, it will make talking to a customer a little easier and help answer questions as you go.

Data Security

Some folks are just downright leery of anything that comes through the world wide web. And really, who can blame them? However, since news of data breaches have entered the mainstream media, consumers have developed a greater awareness of how their data is treated, and there is greater corporate responsibility around data privacy. New security tools are emerging for both companies and individuals, and as long as people remain aware, it is now becoming easier to do more business online with these increased security measures.

Text Messaging

An increasing amount of communication is being done via text message. Many people still prefer a phone call or face-to-face conversation, but the younger generation relies on texts to have the written reminders and the ability to respond on their time. Texting can be an effective communication tool if you are sending a reminder about a meeting or order, or if you know the person has a busy schedule, it is a good way to request a call back at their convenience. And, texts will always be there in the hand or on the wrist of the recipient.

The need for personal interaction can never be replaced, but with the help of some of these technological advances, you can work smarter and not harder. Consider technology your office assistant that allows you more time to talk to customers and potential customers. With more time to make sales calls, you will be able to reach more people and watch your business grow.

Master Dealer Training Program Provides Resources

Information is power. The more informed you are when talking to your customers and potential customers, the more empowering you will be. Although there is nothing wrong with admitting you don’t have an answer readily available and you will find the answer, you are going to shine brighter and perhaps snag that sale when you have top-of-mind product knowledge ready on the fly. That’s why BioZyme® developed the Master Dealer Training Program and Advanced Master Dealer Training Program to help empower and train its dealers.

Since its inception, nearly 200 dealers have completed the Master Dealer training. More than 100 of those have finished the second phase – year 2 of Master Dealer Training. The Master Dealer program is a series of online training modules that cover a multitude of topics. A passed quiz must be completed with each module in order to complete the training program. In addition, a dealer must carry three out of four product lines every six months. Currently, Vita Charge® and Vitalize® are grouped together as one product line.

“This is a great training tool with helpful information on Amaferm®, all product lines, nutrition, effective marketing and overall business tips for all new dealers and great brush-up information for existing dealers. By completing the Master Dealer and Advanced Master Dealer programs, our dealers have more confidence to go out and promote BioZyme products and their business,” said Jennifer Miller, Outreach Support Manager.

Getting Started

The Master Dealer program allows individuals to complete the program at their own pace, and it allows multiple employees from the same dealership to participate. To get individualized employee login-ins to the Online Dealer Center, contact Miller or your Outreach Support Coordinator.

Educational modules for Year 1 include overviews of each product line and how Amaferm works with each of the of the various segments and each species. Year 2 covers topics that are more business and marketing oriented as well as more in-depth on selling specific products.

Once an individual has been a Master Dealer for one year, he or she will receive an email that reminds him or her to enroll in the Year 2 program. On-demand courses are also created and launched with new products or product changes, like transitioning from paste to gel, to keep dealers in the know.

The Benefits

In addition to adding to your knowledge base and becoming a more empowered dealer, there are other benefits to achieving the Master Dealer status. Once a dealer or an employee within a dealership passes all the courses and meets the product requirements of carrying three of four product lines, that dealer will show up on the BioZyme Dealer Locator with a Master Dealer logo. You will also receive a Master Dealer Kit, which includes a Master Dealer jacket and a Master Dealer sign you can hang up in your dealership. Remember, each employee who completes the training is eligible to receive a jacket.

Once a dealer has completed the Year 2 courses, he or she will receive a Master Dealer Yeti cup and VitaFerm® caps. Press releases about both the Master Dealer and Advanced Master Dealer achievements are written and distributed to ag media in the state of the Master Dealer by the BioZyme Marketing Team each month.

Information is power. The more information you have, the more easily you will be able to talk to the users and potential customers in your area. Become a Master Dealer today. It’s a simple way to train your employees and help them be more effective when it’s time to reach out to customers.

Digital Marketing Is An Efficient Way To Reach Customers

Marketing is essential to your growth as a business. Yes, many dealers rely on word-of-mouth as their number one marketing tool, but as more people become connected via their phones, tablets and even smart watches, digital marketing efforts are increasing. The BioZyme® marketing team has several ways it can work with dealers to simplify this cost-efficient method to reach existing and potential customers.

Promoboxx

Promoboxx is a digital tool that connects BioZyme’s national marketing efforts to its local dealers. The BioZyme marketing team creates social media content for its product lines each month and generates posts that dealers can publish on their own Facebook business pages. It saves time and resources of your already limited staff, and if you sign up for “auto share” in settings, the posts are automatically posted to your page.

“The biggest benefit to our dealers is that it is content that is going to marry up with what we say on a national level and because we do such a good job of pull-through national marketing, this is going to look like something their customers are going to have seen before. So, people are more likely to click on it and engage with it because they probably also like our Sure Champ® page, for example, and they are very comfortable with the look and the feel and how that content is presented,” said Ashley Fitzsimmons, BioZyme Inc., Regional Marketing Manager.

In addition to the similar look and feel to the national advertising, other benefits include the fact that busy dealers don’t have to create and plan a social media calendar regularly, and fresh content comes out monthly for each of the six product lines. For dealers that are interested in Dealer Reward Points, Fitzsimmons said 250 points are rewarded per quarter for dealers who engage in Promoboxx for that quarter.

Dealers who use Promoboxx are not limited to only the content on Promoboxx. They can use a combination of the BioZyme-created content from Promoboxx while also posting their own organic content on their Facebook page. And, if the brand has provided downloadable assets as part of a campaign, you can download the assets and publish/post them via your social channels outside of Promoboxx, so the post looks like it is an original from you.

Since BioZyme started making Promoboxx available to its dealers, dealer engagement through Promoboxx as a marketing tool has grown 270%, Fitzsimmons reported. It’s not a one-size fits all approach, and each dealer uses the tool at his or her comfort level.

Email Marketing

“I think email marketing is fantastic, and it is super underutilized,” Fitzsimmons said.

In an age where every marketing dollar spent counts, and reach and engagement matter, email marketing makes perfect sense. It is a free tool, that when used properly, can help you reach a large audience with little effort.

Fitzsimmons encourages dealers to create and build their customer email list. Once a customer database of email addresses is built, it is simple to send reminders about your in-store promotions, new products or product updates, or producer meetings. By using a platform like Mailchimp or Constant Contact you can also see analytics and determine effectiveness of your email blasts.

“Email blasts are a great way to more quickly and easily talk to your customers about the advantages of the BioZyme products or new product alerts. It doesn’t cost anything, but some time to build your customer database. It’s a really great tool when used sparingly, and we’d love to help you with it,” she said.

Website Banner Ads

A final digital tool that Fitzsimmons reminds dealers about is the use of the web banner ad. She said she has worked with several dealers who have a good web presence to create these ads that when clicked on, link to the BioZyme website for more in depth information, without bogging down the dealer’s web page with all that information.

“I’ve had some dealers who have been able to convince customers to add Amaferm® into a custom ration based off the information received off those click-throughs,” she said.

Again, web banner ads are an easy way to communicate and educate customers and potential customers about your products without spending resources and they can help you reach a potentially larger audience who is always connected to the online world.

For more information about any of these services, contact your Area Sales Manager or read more in the Online Dealer Center.

Letters From Lisa – March 2020

Use new methods to create something new… Innovation

Cultures of innovation are naturally dynamic. Employees think of new ideas and try them on the fly. Processes and procedures are fluid. There often is not one right answer to a problem, but rather experimentation drives many projects, efforts, assignments and ultimately opportunities for improvement. When all that is documented and discussed by the team, real innovation starts happening.

Fundamentally, innovation means introducing something new into your business. This could be:

  • improving or replacing business processes to increase efficiency and productivity, or to enable the business to extend the range or quality of existing products and/or services
  • developing entirely new and improved products and services often to meet rapidly changing customer or consumer demands or needs.

Innovation can mean a single major breakthrough – e.g. a totally new product or service. However, it can also be a series of small, incremental changes. In any case, innovation is not tweaking. Innovation is doing something totally different.

In addition, innovation does not mean acquiring new technology. We always think that new software, new equipment, new inventory scanners, new walkie talkie technology or a Smart TV will make us innovative. That’s just not true. What makes you innovative is HOW you use that technology, or actually not just how you use all your resources, but how you approach everything you do.

Can you use technology in an innovative way? Absolutely, but the innovation occurs after the acquisition, not by the acquisition.

Think through what needs to be fixed, and what could be improved, to prime yourself to recognize opportunities as they are revealed. Some good examples are below:

  • Want to offer more producer meetings statewide, but don’t have the resources to pay for all the travel that would entail? Use Skype for training, a possible solution to the opportunity.
  • Use text messages to communicate when it seems only a few of your contacts answer phone calls or emails.
  • Design a system that helps pool shared data to better understand how each customer is served across the different types of providers they use, maybe there is a way for both of you to grow business by seeing crossover opportunities or holes neither of you is filling.

Technology is a powerful driver of both the evolution and proliferation of innovation, but don’t think you can’t innovate until you can afford a 3D printer. You can innovate every minute or every day by how you think, change and treat people.

Dealer Spotlight: 4 UP Livestock LLC

Dealer Relies on Word of Mouth to Build Business

Word of mouth marketing is likely one of the original marketing strategies; yet it is one that 4 UP Livestock LLC still relies on for its success today. Although this dealer is somewhat new to the BioZyme® family, Kirstie and Brian Wachholtz are not new to building relationships in the business world. The couple, from southeast Wyoming, raise cattle and Brabant Belgian horses. Their BioZyme relationship story begins with a stud horse that didn’t handle hauling so well last year. That’s where VIP and Master Dealer Keith Micke encouraged them to try the Vitalize® Equine Recovery Paste (now Vitalize Equine Recovery Gel). The rest as they say, is history.

“We went to the Wyoming Equine Extravaganza last year and took some of our Brabant Belgian studs, and one of them was not acclimating very well. Keith brought over a tube of recovery paste, because it was still paste at the time, and said ‘Hey, I guarantee you need to do this. He’ll drink, he’ll settle down, he’ll be good.’ In half-anhour that horse was acting like he was at home,” Kirstie said.

On the way home, Kirstie and Brian swung by Keith’s, loaded up on products for their cattle and more Recovery Paste, and soon after became a sub-dealer for K Triangle Feed since Keith didn’t have anyone in that part of the state. They have capitalized on their own positive experiences with the VitaFerm® and Vitalize products in addition to their relationships from their off-farm jobs to promote and sell the products. Kirstie is a licensed practitioner for pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy for horses and livestock. Brian is a farrier. Both work with clients in several Western states and travel to livestock and horse shows and rodeos, and while they are traveling can share the messages of the BioZyme products.

“With what I do, I was having a hard time finding a good solid electrolyte paste, where I felt that the cells got to metabolize. What I do is dubbed “cellular exercise” and with the therapy that I offer, when those cells get that exercise, you need something to feed that mitochondria, so I started incorporating the Recovery Gel into any diet where they have issues. Or, even if a horse has an injury, I have started incorporating it. I sell it at every show I go to from Nevada to Texas, it has traveled everywhere,” Kirstie said.

She adds that the prebiotics in the products work to assist the animals that she and her husband are helping since a healthy gut means reduced inflammation in the body. However, without a loyal and growing customer base, they wouldn’t have people to sell their goods and services to.

“Relationships are huge because in the cattle industry and the horse industry that’s still a large, large part of building clientele; it’s about actual relationships. You can’t sell a product if you don’t have a relationship because relationships of any sort create trust. Based on that trust, people will try a product or try a service they might not have tried in the first place,” she said.

Kirstie said one of her biggest customer success stories come from the Vitalize Alimend®. She had a client who was spending a lot of money to treat ulcers for her barrel horse. She started using the Vitalize Alimend, and she hasn’t had a problem since. She wasn’t winning anything and is now typically in the top three with the help of a horse with a healthy gut, thanks to Alimend.

She credits that success and others with the relationships she and Brian have built with their tried and true marketing method.

“It comes down to word of mouth. All of my husband’s and my clientele has been based off of word of mouth. We’ve never got a customer off Facebook. We’ve never got a client by our name coming up in a Google search. It’s been one person asking ‘Who’s your farrier? I need one.’ Or ‘Do you know someone who does holistic healing?’,” she said.

Get Your Bull Battery Primed and Ready to Go with VitaFerm

Often times producers concentrate their focus on the cow herd’s reproductive success, they tend to forget about the other 50% of the genetic contribution – the bull. The Amaferm® advantage found in VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® and Vita Charge® offers substantial benefits to the overall growth, health and reproductive performance to your customers’ bulls. Read more about the key benefits you can share with your customers:

  • Increased fertility
  • Increased feed conversion
  • Higher percentage of bulls passing breeding soundness exam
  • Improved sperm motility and morphology
  • Overall healthier bulls with less stress

Keeping a cow herd reproductively sound is vital to your customers’ success and bottom line. It’s important to help them succeed by reminding them to keep their bull battery in good shape, in addition to their cows. A bull’s reproductive soundness is crucial since he can typically cover 25 cows, and if those cows don’t get bred, that is a huge financial loss. Read some testimonials that customers and dealers have shared about using our products on their bulls.

Sharing the Benefits of VitaFerm and Vita Charge for Bulls Using Testimonials

Keeping a cow herd reproductively sound is vital to your customers’ success and bottom line. It’s important to help them succeed by reminding them to keep their bull battery in good shape, in addition to their cows. A bull’s reproductive soundness is crucial since he can typically cover 25 cows, and if those cows don’t get bred, that is a huge financial loss. Read some testimonials that customers and dealers have shared about using our products on their bulls.

Click Here for More Testimonials

Exciting Changes to Help Make 2020 Our Best Year Yet!

As 2020 begins, we are excited to announce a few realignments within our Domestic Sales and Outreach and Business Development Teams. The repositioning and reassigning of some responsibilities will help both teams more efficiently achieve their strategic goals for 2020.

Alan Lee is the Director of Domestic Business Development. He will lead the Business Development Team in their efforts to capture large accounts as well as focus on significant Amaferm® and additive opportunities. Small Pack opportunities also fall under Business Development. Alan continues to maintain some Key Account and National Account relationships.

Kevin Hayes is now the Director of Sales and Outreach. Kevin will help guide and align the ASM and Outreach teams; including Marketing and the Outreach Support Call Center, to further the supplement business.

The Sales Team has two National Sales Directors. Mike Wadle continues to lead nine ASMs; and Jake Warntjes leads the other nine ASMs, without an ASM territory for himself.

Ailee Langdon has transitioned to the Outreach Support Center Outside Sales Coordinator. In her position, she will be traveling more extensively to work with dealers in the field. Therefore, if you need to place an order or have a question about your order, please call your Outreach Support Dealer Coordinator:

Traci Turner:
Office (816) 281-5182 ext. 3216 • Email tturner@biozymeinc.com

Heather Brant:
Office (816) 344-5769 ext. 2119 • Email hbrant@biozymeinc.com

Finally, Kristi Stevens will be responsible for the daily oversight of the Marketing Team and will be working closely with Kevin Hayes to ensure that we are moving in the best direction to position BioZyme as a leader in the industry. She has worked tirelessly on these efforts during the past and has a talented team in place to continue to move us forward.

That’s a lot of changes for the beginning of the year, but we like to think of positive change as progress. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your Area Sales Manager.

Congratulations to our 2020 VIP Dealers!!

Associated Feed & Supply Co
Basore Cattle Company
Bowman Grain
Central Farm Supply of Kentucky
Coal Valley Feeds
CV Ledbetter & Sons Inc
Darlington Feed, LLC
Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer
Falling Timber Farm LLC
Farm & Ranch Feed Inc
Ful-O-Pep Feeds/Allied Feeds
Gatlin Feed
Gro-Tex Supply
High Hill Supplements
K Triangle Feed
LaMoure Feed & Seed
Maryville Vet Clinic, LLC
Proven Sire Services
Randy & Pam Quam
Sandage Feed
Shawnee Milling/Shawnee Feed Center
Stillwater Milling Agri Center
Stockmen’s Feed Bunk Inc
Tri State Livestock & Hay
Twin Rivers Vet Supply
VFC Distributors, Inc
William T. Carnes
These dealers achieved VIP status by reaching the sales minimum of $250,000 of supplements and $2,500 of specific Vitalize® and Vita Charge® products in 2019.
Track your 2020 VIP status here: https://dealers.backofficeapps.com/vip-program

Nurturing Your Network Can Pay Dividends

Growing your business is important. Establishing a brand identity, promoting yourself and growing your customer base is imperative for growth. But, do you know what is even more critical to growing your business? Making sure your loyal customers remain satisfied and are treated with the best services and experiences possible. You simply must nurture your current network to experience growth.

Think about the last book you read or new restaurant you took your family or clients to. Did you make those purchase decisions based on an advertisement in a newspaper or did you make those decisions based on the recommendation of a person that you know and trust? Chances are you based your decisions from a friend’s recommendation because word-of-mouth messaging is so strong.

Studies show that the probability of selling to an existing customer ranges between 60 to 70%, where the chance of selling to a new customer is only 5 to 20%. Furthermore, it costs more than six times more to acquire new customers than it does to keep current, happy customers. So, keep your current customers pleased, and they will likely start singing your praises to others in their circles, who might also become your customers.

Steven Shapiro, an innovation consultant and speaker writes, “I’ve found that sometimes simply calling or writing a past client to say hello is enough. In doing so, when a new need arises, they think of me first. I often introduce clients to one another so that they learn about innovation from a peer, not just me. Sometimes I’ll send a small, personal gift. Or if I find a relevant article, I mail it. The key is not to sell to these customers, but to provide value. You want them to view you as an ally, not a vendor. And this repeated, friendly contact keeps you front and center in their minds. Should they (or a colleague) require someone with your skills, they will think of you first.”

Providing value is just one way of nurturing your network. When you provide value, your customers will remember that. Providing them a quality product that helps them reach their production goals is another way to provide value, as is delivering products, staying open later one or more nights a week and reminding customers when it is time to order certain products for specific production cycles.

A happy customer is the best marketing tool you can have to grow your business. Perhaps you could offer a customer loyalty program, where a loyal customer receives a gift or percentage off for referring a set amount of business or so many new customers. A satisfied customer will sing your praises to their friends and neighbors. However, they will likely share their discontent even louder, so make sure to keep your customers happy. Nurture your network and watch your business grow.