Reason for the Freezin’

There’s a reason for the freezin’ in Tolstoy. They come together in northern South Dakota, every January, to run or walk a county blacktop. Called the Tolstoy Wind Chiller 5K, it appeals to—we must be honest—unabashedly crazy, well-layered folks. They do it for service dogs, and the veterans who need them. They do it in support of  Labs for Liberty.

This non-profit, 100% volunteer organization provides fully trained service dogs to special-ops military veterans. The dogs are gifted, free of charge, to their warriors.

The little 5K had its start over some post-pheasant hunt beers and steak a few years ago. While out for supper, a pair of friends—regular 5K participants—idly wondered if they were up to the challenge of organizing one themselves. They were! After persuading a daughter with amazing graphic skills to join them, the task force was in place. The trio swears the beer that night had nothing to do with designating January as race month.

Naming a fundraising cause was the easiest part. The three have strong love for country and close military ties. Additionally, one of the families was already fostering Labs for Liberty (L4L) dogs.

Positioned at the finish line this year to greet the 2019 5K participants was Oakley, a stocky, brown lab with all-knowing eyes. That’s where the event’s lightheartedness and life-changing sentiment truly collided. Following, is Oakley’s L4L story. 

Oakley and Jonathan

Jonathan Baxter, Oakley’s warrior, will tell you that Oakley is his “spirit animal,” phrasing not commonly used by a former U.S. Army Ranger. But Jonathan was searching for a new normal since serving his country in Iraq, during some of its most lethal years.

Now a biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Arkansas, Jonathan had researched service dog options for coping with PTSD challenges. When his L4L application was accepted, something unexpected emerged.

“When I found out I was getting a service dog, I got hope again,” he says. “I didn’t exactly know how it would all unfold, there was still so much to absorb. But for the first time in a long time, just that knowledge was the beginning of being able to look forward again.”

L4L also hosts an annual pheasant hunt, with lodges and landowners vying to host some of this country’s finest. Since Jonathan’s pup was being fostered and trained in South Dakota, and Jonathan is an avid hunter, his hunt invitation also included a meet-up with his future service dog.

The scene that morning of the hunt was mass, furry chaos as 6 or 7 happy L4L dogs frolicked in anticipation of the day’s events. One of the younger chocolates emerged and practically bowled over the slight, southern-accented hunter from Arkansas. Oakley had found his Jonathan.

How did he know his new master? It is why movies are made, books are written, and lifelong memories of childhood dogs are indelible. Science will, in fact, tell you there is chemical connection in dog-to-person interaction. L4L will also tell you they have seen this before, the uncanny, near-instant bonding between veteran and dog.

Then in early February, Jonathan and Oakley went through the week-long pairing process at the Labs for Liberty outpost, in Utah. They are “put to the fire,” learning to use their dog in settings that deliberately trigger the warrior master’s worst anxieties. It is not so much Service Dog 101, more like a 24/7 accelerated learning class.

“It was exhilarating, it was exhausting, and it’s more than I ever thought possible, what Oakley has already brought to my life,” says the Army veteran. Safe spaces are created, disconnection becomes more positively channeled, sleep becomes rest-filled and crowds become manageable again. Family life, in essence, is being given back to this beloved father of three. “Oakley is just plain awesome,” says Jonathan. “I’m in awe of him and the massive effort and support behind each of these dogs.”

And that, as the wind blows and the temperatures plummet, is why they happily run and walk on the Tolstoy Trail, every January—the reason for the freezin’.

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Labs for Liberty Mission:

To acknowledge, honor, and empower members of United States Special Operations Forces by providing service dogs for PTSD and physical needs.

• 84 dogs now gifted
• Veterans served in 22+ states
• 100+ volunteers in 6 states
• 100% volunteer organization

It all started July 5, 2014, when Penney was gifted to Sgt. Anthony Norris, U.S. Army. With each pairing, the Labs for Liberty (L4L) family grows. Four years ago, we had no idea the magnitude of change this amazing family would experience. We did not fathom the ripple effects resulting from placing a pup with a veteran: lives saved, marriages healed, and happy children who once again have a mommy or daddy. Extended families were once again made complete, with hope for the future. Veterans who could again return to school and the workforce, who could enjoy aspects of daily life that we take for granted—that they went to war to defend. It is with unbridled anticipation we look forward to the coming years.
—Labs For Liberty

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For More Info

Team Wind Chiller and Labs for Liberty represent the extraordinary people and their charitable organizations we meet every day at VistaComm. Visit www.labsforliberty.org and http://sdexcellence.org/Wind_Chiller_5K_Raises_Funds_for_Labs_For_Liberty to learn more about the Wind Chiller 5K, recently named to South Dakota’s Hall of Fame, Champions for Excellence, Acts of Excellence Directory. Thank you, Katie, for sharing your wonderful story with our VistaComm clients.

Post Source Here: Reason for the Freezin’

Take a Closer Look at Your Target Audience

...It might be different than you think.

In your grandfather’s era of agri-business, “know your audience” meant being on a first-name basis with every Bob, Jim and Frank in the county. As business evolved through the 1970s, marketers started focusing on “demographics” as a way to know key factors about their target audience such as age and income.

Fast forward to 2019, and it’s a whole new world. While it’s still important to understand the demographics of your target audience, that’s just one small aspect of the big picture. You now need to dig deeper so you can understand details about your customers, such as:

• What are their most urgent concerns?
• What key factors influence their buying decisions?
• Are they dissatisfied with current products or services in your market?

Audience Segmentation: Zeroing in on Specific Targets

Once you gather all of the broad information about your target audience, it quickly becomes clear that there are multiple subsets within that audience. That’s why audience segmentation is so important.

The segmentation process begins with a comprehensive customer analysis to determine everything from brand preferences, to the specific type of farm operation, to the proximity of that operation. Then you can use this information to guide your content marketing strategy. For instance, if a customer only operates a crop production farm, then don’t send him information about feed. Digital marketing gives you the ability to create and deliver content specifically geared to each segment.

Knowing Your Target Audience Means Knowing How They Use Technology

Less than 10 years ago, iPad^® and Instagram were brand new ideas. Now, ag producers regularly have iPads and tablets on their tractors or trucks. And they’re interacting with neighbors and influencers on Instagram, Snapchat and other forms of social media.

From an ag marketer’s perspective, it’s important to know how customers use technology to interact with others, access information and make purchases. By tracking this electronic usage, you can get key indicators about their interests, likes and dislikes that you can use to create carefully targeted content. Of course, this requires you to stay nimble—adjusting as each new wave of technology impacts ag business.

If Customers are Online, That's Where You Need to Be

With the next generation of farmers fully embracing technology, traditional ag retailers will need to offer  multiple avenues for farmers to connect with them. This includes everything from online chat, video calls and service scheduling, to e-commerce sites giving producers the ability to purchase products online.²

A Tried and True Principle of Solid Ag Marketing

While the basics of knowing your audience have drastically changed over the years, the essence of the exercise remains the same: Listen. Observe. And feel your customers’ pain…or their enthusiasm. It’s more than just an exercise. It’s a unique opportunity to interact, share experiences and embrace a mutual love for agriculture.

^{1 www.siia.net/Portals/0/pdf/Connectiv/PDFs/2018AgMediaReport_FINAL.pdf?ver=2018-09-06-162913-653
2 www.cobank.com/corporate/news/ag-retailers-look-to-retool-strategy-for-success}

Post Source Here: Take a Closer Look at Your Target Audience

2018—That’s a Wrap

Before jumping into 2019, we want to take a look back at what we are proud to have accomplished together during the last year.

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Crafting your story

Guided clients through 405 hours of strategic planning, developing brands and setting projects up for success.

Curated 1,700 news stories for use online.

Facilitated the sending of 3,686 email campaigns with a 32.3% average read rate—well above industry averages.

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Print is far from dead

Assembled 1,133 newsletter and magazine pages in 135 different publications.

Printed 499,093 marketing pieces. Of those, we mailed 407,655 pieces to over 100 curated mail lists. This includes direct mail, newsletters, magazines and more.

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In this digital world

Planned, designed, wrote, developed and launched eight responsive websites that look great on every device.

Enabled clients to send 1,116,490 text messages communicating necessary operational information.

Managed successful digital marketing campaigns with per month spend ranging from $1,000 to $40,000+.

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The gold standard

Took home 3 awards—one National Agri-Marketing Association Merit Award on both the regional and national level, and two from the Cooperative Communicators Association.

Attended 12 skills-building workshops and conferences to keep our knowledge and techniques at the forefront of the marketing industry.

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We love what we do

Most importantly, we partnered with 138 clients to take their marketing to the next level. We couldn’t feel more blessed to work with so many outstanding, forward-thinking companies!

Thanks for making 2018 terrific! If you want to take your marketing to the next level in 2019, schedule a conversation with David or Laurie at 844-453-9261. They, along with our top-notch team, will help you develop a strategy and integrate your marketing channels to generate more traffic, leads and sales in the new year.

Source Here: 2018—That’s a Wrap

Print Is Dead! Long Live Print!

For the past several years, I have been anxiously awaiting the official demise of print. After all, it’s been widely predicted. So, because I have worked in the print medium most of my adult life, you can see why I might be concerned.

Oddly enough, I keep getting a lot of print items in my mailbox. We’re still creating plenty of newsletters here at VistaComm and our portfolio of magazine clients has grown. At the same time, our digital business—the purported angel of death for print—is also rapidly expanding. What was I missing here?

The answer came to me in the strangest of ways—in the midst of assembling one of those out-of-the-box pieces of furniture. Any good kit has all the parts, instructions and a list of the tools you should have. This particular set required a drill, a hammer and a screwdriver. Now, suppose I had looked at those instructions and said, “This is nice, but I don’t need the drill or the screwdriver. I have a hammer!” No.

The point is, I need all those tools for a successful outcome—and all the promised parts, too. The same holds true when creating a cohesive, effective communications program. Every tool—print newsletters, direct mail, social media, websites, email—have their place. Each has a specific use that, when combined properly, produce the desired result.

Where does print fit?

Have you ever wondered why you get all those newsletters and promotional mailings every day? Simple. They are effective, or no one would use them, especially in this digital age. As part of an integrated marketing campaign, print has certain qualities that other media can’t match.

To over simplify, advertising wins in creating awareness. Digital delivers immediacy. The strengths of print are touch, time and impact. Only print engages the sense of touch—it requires the recipient to literally handle it. And, studies have revealed that ink on paper make a deeper impression on our brain than the same message in digital form*.

As to time, people spend an average of 11.1 seconds considering an email. They will spend as much as 30 minutes on print pieces that capture their attention. It’s true that overall print usage has declined with the advent of digital communication. That is a point in favor of print. Marketing experts have noted that print may now be the “non-traditional” component of an integrated marketing effort, thus increasing the comparative impact of print pieces.

The lure of long-form

When acknowledging the ongoing value of print, it’s also useful to understand that not all print vehicles are created equal. Direct mail, for example, is a highly-effective cross between advertising and email, generating awareness and calling for a response. Targeted direct mail boasts a 4.4% response rate, compared to email’s rate of 0.12%. And four-fifths (79%) of consumers will act on direct mail immediately compared to only 45% who say they deal with email right away. (MarketingTech.com, July 2016)

Newsletters and magazines occupy a unique, and different, place. Because they have the capability of telling a more complex story and providing more detailed explanations of products or programs, these examples of long-form writing tend to engage the reader at a different level. The more time someone spends with your marketing tools, the more likely they are to buy from you or refer business to you. Newsletters and magazines have a power to build relationships with customers and prospects that complement and provide credibility for digital communication.

Print also comes with an almost unlimited shelf life. As marketers, we do desire an immediate response to our communications. But what if the recipient isn’t ready to buy—may not even be in the market for what you’re selling. Your customers buy when the time is right for them, not when you would prefer to sell. An interesting publication can wait patiently for months until the recipient has time to read it—or when they unexpectedly have a need for your product or service.

At VistaComm, we regularly receive calls from prospects who received our publication, filed away our information—either mentally or literally—and gave us a call when they were ready to move in a new direction.

The bottom line? Print is far from dead. An integrated marketing strategy utilizes both digital and print appropriately to engage, inform and retain customers while moving them toward purchase decisions. VistaComm can help you master both the online and offline worlds to increase your marketing power. Contact us today to discuss our approach.

*Center for Experimental Consumer Psychology, Bangor University, Wales, 2009.

Source Here: Print Is Dead! Long Live Print!

Cooperatives – See the Future

October is National Cooperative Month, and VistaComm is celebrating with the more than 40,000 cooperatives creating stable jobs and a more sustainable economy across the U.S. Co-ops represent a proven way to do business and build communities.

This year’s theme, “Co-ops See the Future,” embodies what co-ops envision and work to achieve every day—a more sustainable and inclusive tomorrow.

In this blog, VistaComm applauds the more than 100 cooperatives we have the pleasure of calling business associates. And we’re introducing two of our favorites to you:

• Joe Schauf of Central Prairie Co-op in Sterling, Kansas
• Pete Schmitz of Farmers Co-op Association in Canby, Minnesota.

Both Joe and Pete send regular profound and helpful messages to their producers, patrons, employees and neighbors—in magazines, newsletters, emails and on their websites. You can read Joe’s message: Where would we be without your co-op? in a VistaComm blog sent earlier this month

Read On for Pete’s message: Customer or Patron?

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 Customer or Patron?

by Pete Schmitz, General Manager
Farmers Co-op Association
Canby, Minnesota

I often use customer and patron synonymously, but there is a difference between the two. Customers and patrons alike are great for our cooperative business and we love serving both. A patron, however, understands he or she owns a piece of the co-op, and that they share in the profits of the business.

As an owner, the patron also knows that they have risk, but that risk is shared with many others, reducing their ownership liability. The patron owner also understands that a board of directors represents them and their interest in the cooperative. Finally, the fact that the cooperative was formed in the community it serves and supports its community with employment opportunities, products and services is clear to the patron. They realize that these products and services may not have been provided had the cooperative not existed.

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There are 2,106 agriculture co-ops in the U.S., with more than 2 million member-owners.

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It isn’t difficult for customers to become patrons. Anyone who does business with their local cooperative, is added to the membership list and completes a very short application can be an owner. So, it serves the management of all cooperatives well to thank all your customers and hope they strive to one day be active patrons in your cooperative. You’re always welcome!

See Full Article Here: Cooperatives – See the Future

A Boss Worth Celebrating

Today is Boss’s Day. At some offices, recognizing those in leadership can be a grim ritual. Not so at VistaComm. We are fortunate to be led by a fast-moving, outgoing, transparent and hard-working accountant turned CEO Maria Walz. Every morning, we’re happy to hear the machine-gun tapping of heels on our floor. Maria has arrived and all’s right with the world! Here’s a few fast facts about our boss.

Post Source Here: A Boss Worth Celebrating

October is National Cooperative Month!

This year’s theme for National Co-op Month, “Co-ops See the Future,” embodies what co-ops envision and work to achieve every day—a more sustainable and inclusive tomorrow.

Celebrated by cooperatives nationwide during the month of October, Co-op Month is an opportunity to celebrate the many ways cooperatives are using innovation to create shared prosperity for their members and communities.

With more than 40,000 cooperatives creating stable jobs and a more sustainable economy across the U.S., co-ops represent a proven way to do business and build communities.

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There are 2,106 agriculture co-ops in the U.S., with more than 2 million member-owners.

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“With clear signs of increasing interest in the cooperative model, it’s easy to see a future where cooperatives leverage their influence and impact through the shared resources of our movement to engage, partner with and empower people from all walks of life,” said Doug O’Brien, president and CEO of the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA).

“As drivers of an economy that reflects those values, we see a future in which people have more equitable access to sustainable jobs and can more broadly participate in the economy and create better world for their families, communities and future generations.”

VistaComm applauds these principles and the more than 100 cooperatives we have the pleasure of calling business associates. In celebration of the powerful contributions our partner cooperatives have made to the ag industry, we’d like to introduce you to two general managers we highly respect and enjoy doing business with: Joe Schauf of Central Prairie Co-op in Sterling, Kansas, and Pete Schmitz of Farmers Co-op Association in Canby, Minnesota.

Both Joe and Pete send regular profound and helpful messages to their producers, patrons, employees and neighbors—in magazines, newsletters, emails and on their websites. VistaComm would like to share those messages—each one tremendously supportive of the cooperative business model.

We’ll begin this week with Joe’s message and encourage you to return next week to read what Pete has to say about “. . . when customers become patrons.” Enjoy.

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Where would we be without your co-op?

by Joe Schauf, General Manager
Central Prairie Co-op
Sterling, Kansas

Imagine our industry without the local co-op. If you purchased all your inputs and marketed al­­l of your grain through major corporations, local farmers would lose their collective bargaining power…and much more.

For example, how would the terminals treat average producers if those terminals didn’t have competition from co-ops? What kind of prices would they be offering you?

Without local elevators, you would have to haul to regional terminals. Would those terminals open up on Sunday afternoons, or stay late to take your grain? Would they offer help if your truck broke down or got stuck in the field? I’d be willing to bet that your local cooperative does all those things.

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Who else can sell you fuel for your farm, propane for your house, inputs for your crops, a place to dump your grain and marketing power to sell that grain? You can get all those products and services somewhere—but not all at one location like you can with a co-op.

Adding value to local communities

It’s also important to note that a local co-op has an economic ripple effect in the communities it serves. Full-time employees, as well as numerous seasonal workers, deposit their paychecks at local banks and spend their earnings at local businesses, adding to the economic well-being of local communities. Plus, local cooperative and their many individual locations spend money for supplies, utilities, insurance and local taxes.

Local cooperatives support numerous non-profit organizations and schools in their service areas. This includes financial support for FFA chapters, 4-H programs in surrounding counties, and scholarships to high schools, local technical and community schools and colleges in the area.

While local cooperatives have certainly evolved from the small grain elevator where your grandfather or great-grandfather took grain, they all still seem to operate on the same principle:

To give co-op members the advantage of economies of size and the bargaining power to obtain goods and services at the least possible price and pass those savings on to members at a competitive price. Plus, members share in the earnings of the co-op through patronage.

As a producer, when you consider your options for doing business, think about the value of doing business with your local cooperative. After all, where would we be without them?

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Learn More Here: October is National Cooperative Month!