{"id":1860,"date":"2016-03-01T20:15:59","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T20:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biozymeinc.com\/dealer-center\/?p=1860"},"modified":"2016-06-09T20:11:29","modified_gmt":"2016-06-09T20:11:29","slug":"innovative-communication-opens-doors-to-new-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biozymeinc.com\/dealer-center\/2016\/03\/01\/innovative-communication-opens-doors-to-new-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovative Communication Opens Doors to New Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding updates about products and activities at Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer is not hard to do. After all, the store has a team member dedicated to social media and web marketing. <\/span><\/p>\n

Located in Goodfield, Illinois, Earlybird began as a fertilizer company in 1965. Today the 49-member staff also sells feed for commercial and show-quality cattle, hogs, goats and sheep as well as feed for turkeys and chickens. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mike Orns, Earlybird\u2019s Inside Sales and Feed Division Manager, is like the store\u2019s traffic cop. He keeps everyone running in the right direction, he says, and it\u2019s his job to be innovative and consider the big picture. From production to sales and regulations to promotions, Orns oversees the store and keeps the gears turning. <\/span><\/p>\n

The store has grown so much that it\u2019s owners challenged Orns to hire a new staff person, someone to focus on the use of marketing and technology to grow the store\u2019s customer base. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many people now involved with social media, especially within the show audience,\u201d he says. \u201cWe deal a lot with customers who show livestock and we\u2019ve realized that\u2019s how kids and others communicate. This opened the door wide for us to better communicate and reach that market.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Specifically, Earlybird needed to publicize its connection to the success of many show ring champions. Posting photos, recognizing customers and marketing show products that helped get those champions to the winner\u2019s circle needed to be done.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scott Hardman was hired as the marketing manager for Earlybird a year ago. He had previous experience with a national youth organization, which included social media and website marketing. And, Hardman was also familiar with the livestock show ring. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hardman says Orns was \u201cvery serious\u201d about making Earlybird\u2019s website state-of-the-art, and using Facebook and Twitter to enhance the store\u2019s social media presence. Hardman has made it his mission to promote Earlybird\u2019s successes with feed and product sales to livestock show families. And though the store has seen great results by emphasizing its show ring presence online, Hardman says there is much, much more to do. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the show industry, we are well aware we needed gratification of successes,\u201d he says. \u201cWe needed to be much better at keeping up with our winners because we had a large number of them. The store needs to use Facebook as a major marketing tool rather than just a source of self-promotion for us. We want to help promote our winners.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Earlybird also needed to expand promoting it\u2019s successful customers from other species and added sheep, goats and poultry to it\u2019s media plan. The store is located one mile from a major interstate in Illinois, and Hardman thought it should take advantage of that; for example promoting Earlybird as an easy stop on a person\u2019s way home. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed a bigger footprint if we were going to be found,\u201d he says. <\/span><\/p>\n

Both Orns and Hardman take advantage of the marketing tools provided by BioZyme\u00ae<\/sup>, Inc. Orns says the company is very good at direct mailing, and BioZyme always has a huge presence at livestock shows, which makes it an easy-to-recognize product when customers come in. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt also helps that BioZyme products actually work,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen we can push examples of how the product has helped another person\u2019s livestock project and can quantify their results, that helps us tremendously.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Hardman says the store\u2019s Area Sales Manager, Shandy Bertolino, does a great job at providing information on what BioZyme products are available. She hosts a meeting each summer and shares tools and marketing pieces that keep Earlybird\u2019s staff updated on what BioZyme can offer. This kind of innovation helps dealers like Earlybird keep on top of new products, terminology and how to approach a customer about including BioZyme in their feeding routine. <\/span><\/p>\n

Orns is quick to realize social media is not the only way to advertise and promote the fertilizer and feed store, but it is the most innovative way to do so. Social media and show ring families go hand-in-hand. Connecting with youth in agriculture is most efficiently accomplished through Facebook and Twitter so by enhancing Earlybird\u2019s online presence Orns knows he is reaching more livestock kids who want to be as successful as those posted online. <\/span><\/p>\n

To be sure his field staff is able to connect, post and promote products, Orns says he puts the best computers, tablets and smartphones in their hands for work, especially with the fertilizer side of the company. Earlybird\u2019s owners are also progressive and have viewed Hardman\u2019s social media work as a stride in the right direction. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hardman tells how he used to come in to Earlybird as a customer purchasing livestock feed and supplements. Until he took the job as the store\u2019s marketing manager, Hardman was not aware the store carried grass seed, emphasizing the point that innovation in social media is not just self-promotion. This kind of marketing can build a loyal customer base that will talk about using Earlybird\u2019s wide variety of products and encourage others to do the same. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs we continue to grow the number of Facebook followers, we can use that to better market our monthly specials and expand on things that are big and significant,\u201d Hardman says. \u201cThe other big thing we need to focus on is to constantly grow the website and use it as tool to help us be more productive and process oriented. We will use social media as a marketing tool and invent ways to showcase the type of company we are.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

To check out Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer online, go to
\nwww.earlybirdgoodfield<\/i>.com.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mike Orns – <\/i><\/b><\/span>Inside Sales and Feed Division Manger <\/i><\/b>
\n<\/i><\/b><\/span>Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer\u00a0Goodfield, Illinois<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Current mobile device: <\/b>Droid Turbo 2<\/p>\n

Current Computer: <\/b>Lenovo notepad<\/p>\n

First, tell us what you feel separates your business from other feed supply operations?<\/b> Service.<\/p>\n

What websites, apps or tools can\u2019t you live without? <\/b>Email and texting<\/p>\n

Why? <\/b>Those are the best ways to communicate with me other than the phone.
\nHow do you keep your to-do list?\u00a0<\/b>On a notepad with a good old pen and paper.<\/p>\n

Besides your phone and computer, what gadget can\u2019t you live without?<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>
\nA calculator.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your secret?<\/b> Take care of the little details.<\/p>\n

What are you currently reading? <\/b>Several feed magazines, local and national news. I read some parts of the newspaper but only online.<\/p>\n

How do you recharge?<\/b> I enjoy time with my family.<\/p>\n

What is your favorite and least-favorite task at work? <\/b>My least favorite thing to do is\u00a0manage conflict. My favorite task is working with customers.<\/p>\n

What is one area you\u2019d like to improve in regarding business?<\/b> Organization.<\/p>\n

Describe your ideal customer.<\/b> One who pays on time and orders well in advance. I like those who are progressive and listen to leaders in the industry.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best advice you\u2019ve ever received? <\/b>Listen to people.<\/p>\n

Why do you love this business?<\/b> Because we\u2019re family-owned. We are in a great community, and the owners are family focused. Family always comes first.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Today the 49-member staff also sells feed for commercial and show-quality cattle, … Continue reading Innovative Communication Opens Doors to New Markets<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1861,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[195,199],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-resources","category-dealers-like-you"],"yoast_head":"\nInnovative Communication Opens Doors to New Markets - BioZyme Online Dealer Center<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Innovative Communication Opens Doors to New Markets - BioZyme Online Dealer Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Finding updates about products and activities at Earlybird Feed & Fertilizer is not hard to do. 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