Two Minutes in February

By Shelia Grobosky, Content & PR Manager 

Earlier this month, I attended the Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, an event I look forward to each year. One of many highlights for me is attending the Thursday morning CattleFax Outlook Seminar, and this year’s outlook was filled with more optimism than I have heard in several years. 

That optimism was refreshing and reflected in several areas. Let’s start with the weather pattern. It’s fascinating to see the charts and hear Meteorologist Matt Makens forecast weather patterns for the next nine months. According to Makens, La Nina is on her way out and El Nino is coming, meaning we can (fingers crossed) say good-bye to the drought that has plagued so many parts of the U.S. by summer. This perhaps won’t be noticeable immediately as these weather conditions happen over the Pacific Ocean and impact the atmosphere, and it does take a significant time for the atmosphere over the land to catch up with what is happening between South America and southeast Asia.  

Following the principle of supply and demand, it is clear to see why cattle prices continue to climb and hold steady. The drought impacted the cattle inventory in 2022, and according to CattleFax analyst Kevin Good, U.S. cattle numbers are expected to decline around another 1 million head to about 29.2 million. Beef demand remains strong. Good says that in 2022, we had the highest per capita U.S. beef consumption in 12 years at 58 pounds. Still, in the face of that supply we also had record retail beef prices at $7.35 per pound. Beef exports are also still strong, and on average, they add $500 per fed steer to cattle markets. 

The other item to note is that consumers don’t just want beef; they want high-quality beef, and they are willing to pay a premium for Choice or Prime. To create that higher quality beef, more dairy cows are being bred to beef bulls to take advantage of the market premiums of beef-on-dairy calves vs. straight dairy calves. Good said that about 7% of fed cattle slaughter is beef-on-dairy animals and anticipated that to grow to 15% by 2026. 

Randy Blach, CattleFax CEO concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, expecting improvements in the weather pattern and a tighter supply to distribute more money though all sectors of the cattle industry. 

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#MeettheTeamMonday: A Day in the Life of Ronda Gottswiller

Title: Purchasing Specialist

Number of Years at BioZyme: 31

Describe a “typical” day in your job: I start the day checking emails and production schedules for urgent needs or changes. Then, place orders for production requirements timed with available storage. Following up with orders based on forecast for items with much longer lead times. Then, reviewing inventory receipts and item cost.

What is the most interesting thing you ever done at BioZyme: I went to Las Vegas for an AFIA meeting. It was my first time to Las Vegas and a city that large.

Share a funny story about one of your days at work: Many, many years ago working as customer service we ran our own trucks for delivery. We would get the orders to fill the semi, plan the route and turn the sheet in for the plant to load. We had a particular dealer somewhat infamous for last minute changes to those trucks, and our plant manager was a good guy but had a tendency to yell. One day I requested a load change, and the plant manager started yelling at me and echoing down the halls. The company owner Butch Ehlert heard the shouting and came down the hall and somewhat loudly told the plant manager not to ever yell at me like that again. Up until his retirement the plant manager used to joke that I got him in trouble with the boss. He still yelled fairly often but not at me after that, at least not loudly.

What has been one of the biggest challenges: The global supply chain crisis with rising cost and items that are unavailable.

Why is care that comes full circle important to what you do? I’m an animal lover at heart and have been involved with farming my whole life. I am proud to produce a product that is beneficial, not only for the animals, but for the people raising and caring for them.

What is something you enjoy doing outside of the office? Horseback riding, rodeo and camping in the mountains.

Dealer Spotlight: Boyce Feed & Grain Corp

Boyce Feed & Grain Corp in Waxahachie, Texas, is more than your average feed store. They are a full-service feed mill and distributor with a concentrated focus on marketing. In their 16th year as BioZyme® dealer, they have grown the business exponentially and even changed ownership with Andrew Lucas and his family buying the business last January; however, a few things remain constant. Boyce continues to carry BioZyme products, and they focus on helping their customers.

“We’re not just another feed mill or distributor. Our goal is to continue to grow and while doing that we want to help other feed stores. We are a feed store, so we know their struggles too,” Lucas said.

They offer their leadership and assistance in a variety of ways across the Lone Star State, delivering products to at least 250 other feed stores. This spring, they worked with their Area Sales Manager and the BioZyme Marketing Team to wrap a semi-trailer with the Boyce and BioZyme logos and a Sure Champ® and VitaFerm® message that serves as a traveling billboard as the company makes its deliveries. They are hoping to wrap a second trailer with a VitaFerm and Vitalize® message this spring.

“We’re running up and down the road, and customers see that truck. We are creating marketing with very little push,” Lucas said.

Marketing is key for Boyce, and the business actively promotes across various channels including radio, social media and weekly mailers. Lucas said about 300 invoices are sent each week, each time with a different product or brand featured in the envelope to their customers.

All these efforts take a team, and Lucas encourages anyone getting started in the nutrition business or with any business makes sure they have a good support system to succeed.

“Make sure you have a good team behind you. Create strategic partnerships quickly,” he suggested.

The partnerships they have made and the ways they continue to help their partners and customers succeed by providing them “high-quality and consistent” products show that Boyce Feed truly exemplifies care that comes full circle. We’re glad to have them on the BioZyme Team.

Changes Coming in February

VITALIZE® ALIMEND® UPC CODES CHANGES COMING

Beginning February 1, 2023, Vitalize® Alimend® products will feature an updated UPC. Please reference the table below for changes.

CHANGES TO AMAFERM BAG

As part of the rebranding of Amaferm to AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, the bag design will be updated. This change will begin in mid-February, but will be a rolling change as bag inventory is depleted.

CHANGES COMING IN MARCH 2023

CHANGES FOR SURE CHAMP® EXTREME WITH CLARIFLY®

Sure Champ® Extreme with ClariFly® will now labeled for sheep and goats in addition to cattle and pigs. In addition, we are discontinuing the 25-pound bucket of Sure Champ Extreme and introducing a 25-pound bag of Sure Champ Extreme with ClariFly, in addition to the existing 40-pound bag. Watch for this on the March price list.

AO-BIOTICS® EQE ADDED TO BACKYARD BOOST® DAILY ESSENTIALS

Starting March 1, AO-Biotics® EQE will be added to the Backyard Boost® Daily Essentials, in addition to Amaferm®. This will be a rolling change as inventory of the current stock is sold. However, as dealers get the new product, it will be a great marketing tool, especially for added egg quality and more sellable eggs.

Effective Action: Use Relationships to Ensure Producer Meeting Success

Any time you get a group of like-minded people in a room to talk about solving their challenges, you have the potential to host a successful producer meeting. Use existing relationships to create an even more rewarding meeting. There are a few ways that using these relationships when planning your next producer meeting can help build your business. Let’s explore.


Cooperate with another agricultural company.
Co-host your next producer meeting with another complementary agricultural company. The companies might have some overlap in customers, but each will likely have some unique customers who could benefit from the other company’s products and services. Perhaps you could partner with a genetics company or a show supply company, depending on what BioZyme® products you are talking about. Cooperating on a producer meeting splits the cost of the meeting and exposes a wider audience to your products.


Building on these already established relationships give you a leg up. It shows your potential customers that you are easy to get along with. It also provides an unspoken endorsement on the products and services you provide.


Encourage your customers to bring a guest.
Your customers are probably going to attend, but you could offer an incentive for bringing a guest who has the potential to become a new customer. Send a text reminder a few days before the meeting and let those within a set radius know that you will offer an incentive to those who bring a guest. If the newcomer becomes a customer, perhaps that incentive becomes even greater, like a percentage off your current customer’s order, like a discount for referrals.


Engage with the audience.
It’s always good to get the crowd engaged. Since the room consists of your customers, you should know their challenges and successes. Of course, the first topic to discuss is AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, but after that, mention how a certain product has impacted a particular crowd member’s conception or rate of gain. People like to be recognized and know that you care about their results.

Call upon your allies.
Word-of-mouth and testimonials go a long way in building trust and securing new customers. If there is a local veterinarian or a highly respected producer who has had success with the products, ask them for a few comments. It is always good to hear from a third party about the benefits of the products, without a hard sell.


Producer meetings are an efficient way to show appreciation to current customers and establish relationships with potential customers. Building on current relationships at these meetings makes them even more effective. Like any other enterprise, use your resources, count on your relationships and use those relationships to grow your customer base.

Customer Retention is a Wise Investment

As a youngster, you might have heard, “make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other’s gold.” Substitute the word friend with customer, and the same rings true. Retaining customers is a very important part of business and a wise investment if you want to watch your business continue to grow.

Returning customers give you the opportunity to provide ongoing value, develop more personalized relationships, create brand advocates, gain referrals and earn positive word-of-mouth marketing. In addition, research shows that 68% of new customers come from current ones, making it a smart move for your customers and your bottom line to keep current customers coming back.

We’re not insinuating that growing new customers isn’t important. However, it is important to invest in the current customer base that typically will spend 67% more than new customers. And it costs 16 times more to drum up new customers than it does to keep a repeat customer. Here are four ways you can invest wisely in those golden repeat customers.

Customer Outreach
Regardless of if you use a quick phone call, text or email, be sure to communicate with your customers on a regular basis. Your time can be the lowest cost
investment you make to retain a customer. Keep track of their orders, and if you notice it has been a while since they ordered a particular product, give them a call. Perhaps their daughter scored the winning basket at last Friday’s basketball game,
so start the conversation with a congratulations, and then move into asking if they were running low on VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® since you know they are preparing for calving season. Customer outreach is vital to retaining customers; it lets them know you care and that you really are keeping up on their program.

Customer Appreciation
Everyone enjoys being shown some appreciation and that includes your valued repeat customers. If you are hosting a customer appreciation event like an open house or an anniversary sale, be sure your local customers are aware of any promotions or sales. Provide them with a chance to come into your store, visit, shop and take advantage of any appreciation that you are showing. It will make a
difference in their return.

Customer Service
Retaining customers in not always about providing the best products at the best price. It might also be about providing the best services. Perhaps they can get the same products at a neighboring town, but you stay open later to serve those who have 8 to 5 jobs. Maybe the customer likes that you help load the product into their truck, whereas your competitor just expects the customer to load the product into
their own truck. Service, both large and small, adds up and means something to the customer.

Loyalty Programs
Now, it probably doesn’t make sense to have a “punch card” for a mineral program; however, if you have a customer who is buying large quantities of product from you, you might want to show some appreciation in some form. Perhaps with every
pallet, they get some swag, or some Vita Charge® Gel or a percentage off their next pallet. For every customer they refer that purchases a certain amount, they could receive a new cap and pair of gloves. Loyalty matters and rewarding loyalty will keep your customers returning and spending money with you.

Yes, investing time and money in your golden or current customers will pay in the long-term. One online article said that 80% of future profits come from 20% of current customers. Retain your current customers, and watch your business grow.

Tell Everyone: Audio is Becoming More Relevant in Marketing

Marketing involves all five of the senses, and that includes auditory. As the technology becomes more affordable and easier to access, there is no reason not to lean on more audio technology in your marketing strategies. It takes only 0.146 seconds for a human being to hear and interpret a sound. This makes sound a direct avenue to a customer’s emotions and can lead to increased brand recognition for your business.


Nearly 80% of Americans listen to some audio every day. This includes podcasts, radios and other music streaming outlets. It seems like most people are tuned in to some type of audio, so it seems logical to promote your business using audio as a way to complement your marketing strategy. According to Man Made Music, a company focused on sonic branding, music can lead to a 46% increase in brand favorability.


Here are some ways you can use audio to build recognition and help in your marketing.


Radio Ads
A Nielsen study showed that 92% of the U.S. population listens to the radio weekly, 5% more than the population that watches television. So, radio advertising is likely an effective form of promotion, especially in rural areas where many dealers are located. BioZyme® has 30-second radio scripts written for several products and can write scripts for any product or scenario by submitting a marketing request. We typically suggest you use your own voice, or the local broadcaster records it as there is credibility with a local voice.


In Store Music
Playing music in the store while customers are shopping, helps convey emotions, influence consumer behavior and tell your brand story. For example, most fast food or convenience stores play fast-paced music because they want customers to move quickly so they can reap more business. On the other hand, a retail store selling clothing, home decor or even nutritional supplements might play a slower music to encourage browsing, question asking and more shopping.


Podcasts
Podcasts are an opportunity to offer education about your goods and services that a company offers. But take heed, podcasts take planning and implementation. You will want to have several recorded and ready to air before you actually release them. You will want to promote your podcast heavily on your social media and in your store
and be sure to ask for feedback after the first one airs.


Remember marketing involves all five of the senses. When you do incorporate audio, be sure to tie it into the other strategies you are using. It typically takes seven
impressions to make a sale, so be sure to include audio in your marketing strategy