Taylor Show Cattle: Iowa

Taylor Show Cattle, Bloomfield, Iowa, is one of our newest sites. We are happy to assist this great couple in promoting their cattle breeding, fitting and marketing operation.

The operation, started in 2000, focuses on high quality Simmental, Maine and Angus cross cattle. That allows them to market to all types of operations from purebred seedstock to promotional bulls.

They attend all national shows and offer cattle that are the total package, with a huge presence at the annual Iowa State Fair each August.

Taylor Show Cattle focuses on the maternal side of the business. With that in mind, they are able to create females that will go into donor pens across the nation and that it their difference.

They offer winners via private treaty, off the farm, year round. And, they love to work with people striving to get into the winners circle and into the photo backdrop.

This group is never more than a phone call away for their current and future customers. You can call Randy, 641-208-6653, anytime to purchase cattle, talk marketing tools and get a jump start on your genetic package.

Visit their new site, www.taylorshowcattle.com, live now from us.

2012-2013 RHD Scholars Announced

Twenty-seven young professionals have been selected to participate in the first annual RHD Scholars program! We are so proud to have created this mentorship program designed to recognize and build the brightest aspiring livestock marketing and advertising professionals. We had more than 100 applicants from 35 different universities, and are excited to be working with this group of students.

The 2012-2013 RHD scholars are:

Adelyn Allen, a junior agricultural leadership and development major at Texas A&M University;

Sierra Angell, a junior agriculture major at University of Missouri;

Kali Begalka, a senior animal science and agricultural communications major at Oklahoma State University;

Emily Brinkman, a senior agricultural communications major at Oklahoma State University;

Michaela Buford, a sophomore agribusiness major at Lone Star College;

Sarah Caffey, a sophomore agricultural communications major at Texas A&M University;

Bailey Core, a freshman animal science and agricultural communications major at Iowa State University;

Ashley Culpepper, a senior agricultural communications major at Auburn University;

Carrie Elmore, a senior animal science major at Clemson University;

Chloe Geye, a junior animal science major at Texas A&M University;

Victoria Glaser, a freshman agricultural business major at Louisiana State University;

Kelsey Jones, a junior agricultural communications major at Texas Tech University;

Jordan Kuhn, a freshman agricultural communications major at Purdue University;

Meredith Larson, a junior agribusiness major at Texas A&M University;

Keegan Langford, a junior agricultural communications major at Texas Tech University;

Lynsey Meharg, a sophomore agricultural communications major at Connors State College;

Morgan Meisenheimer, a senior agricultural communications major at Oklahoma State University;

Hannah Miller, a senior agricultural communications major at Tarleton State University;

Stefanie M. Neuhaus, a junior agricultural communications major at Texas Tech University;

Bethany Nolan, a sophomore agricultural communications major at Texas A&M University;

Elizabeth Oliver, a senior agribusiness management major at Michigan State University;

Victoria Pilger, a senior agricultural communications major at Texas A&M University;

Brooke Prather, a junior agricultural communications major at Louisiana State University;

Tana Simmons, a freshman agricultural communications major at Purdue University;

Meagan Stephens, a senior agricultural communications major at Oklahoma State University;

Cally Thomas, a senior animal science major at Kansas State University;

Ashley Vogel, a junior agricultural communications major at Iowa State University;

Additionally, two graduate students were selected to the program:

Chelsey Ahrens, a doctoral candidate studying agricultural communications at Texas Tech University; and

Lyndi Jury, a master’s candidate studying animal and dairy science at Mississippi State University.

The students will begin a 1-year mentorship program with RHD, in which they will focus on building their professional skills in livestock advertising and web design, livestock marketing, photography, video, journalism, and social media. The students will participate in mentorship opportunities at the American Royal, North American, Denver, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston Livestock Shows. Additionally, each student will be paired with an industry mentor who will help the students achieve their career goals. 

Livestock Merchandising Book

The paperback book is now ready! If you pre-ordered the book or just ordered it over the holiday weekend, the books will mail on Tuesday, January 2nd. Thank you to everyone for ordering online. This is a great book that is filled with tips and strategy on every phase of the livestock marketing and advertising process. 

In this book, you'll find lots of great success stories and examples. Many of these come from projects I have completed through the years here at RHD but it also includes favorites and successful campaigns from several other leading designers and marketers who helped me with this book. If I say so myself, it is truly a book that features the best of the best in the livestock business. Here are just a few of the ranches and businesses that are featured:

• LiveAuctions.tv
• Cattle In Motion
• Cattle Mail USA
• J.D. Hudgins, Inc.
• V8 Ranch
• Pembrook Cattle
• GKB Cattle
• Purple Reign Cattle
• Circle T Cattle Co.
• Sullivan Farms
• Conley Angus / Conley Cattle
• Cates Farms
• Matt Lautner Cattle
• R.A. Brown Ranch
• Showpig.com
• Tusa Cattle
• The Exposure Sale
• Ankony
• Limestone LLC
• Top Cut Genetics
• Teague Family Shorthorns
• Bauman Cattle Co.
• Wintex Farms
• Bulls Eye Ranch
• Duelms Prevailing Genetics
• Dismukes Ranch
• Express Ranch
• Rosanky Cattle
• Michigan State University
• Studer Shorthorns
• Ratcliff Ranches
• Bushy Park Farm
• Thomas Charolais
• Cyclone Trace
• Detering Red Brahmans
• Leachman Cattle of Colorado
• Great Shorthorn Revival
• Habeger Show Cattle
• Lautner Farms
• Topline Angus
• LaMuneca Cattle

 Livestock marketing professionals and other designers featured:

• Carlos Guerra
• Martha Garrett
• Julie French
• Christy Collins
• Brad Hook
• Arin Strasburg
• Joelynn Donough
• Chris Rosa
• Stephanie Cronin
• Jon Fisher
• Matt Lautner
• Jim Williams
• Bob Hudgins
• Tim Lockhart

So, this really is a very comprehensive, informational book that covers everything you need to know about livestock advertising. Thanks to everyone who has ordered so far! If you would like to order, you can visit http://ranchhousedesigns.mybigcommerce.com/livestock-merchandising-paperback/

Livestock Merchandising Kindle Book

Livestock Merchandising, my new book, is now available as a kindle book! How exciting to be on Amazon!

If you're a techhy person with an iPad or Kindle, you can download the book now. You can also get a good preview of the book on Amazon too and download a sample. 

More than a web site...a web PRESENCE

While visiting with Victor Guerra of LaMuneca Cattle Company recently, we discussed how today businesses need more than just a web site, they need a WEB PRESENCE.

The days of just putting up a web site and then forgetting about it are over. With the trend towards more viral, constantly updated online material, it's time to really take a good look at your web presence and bump things up a level. And as always, RHD is here to help our customers.

First, yes, definitely you need a web site. That's a must. With the affordability, speed, and ease of getting a new web site going, this is a no brainer. Having a web site costs very little, especially when compared to print advertising. Your web site cost for one year will usually be at or less than what you pay for one full page color ad. Web sites are instantly updated, allow for unlimited photos, and unlimited updates.

In addition to just having a web site, the top marketers will use a total online presence, of which a web site is just one component. Besides a web site, here are some other tools to use for your online marketing efforts:

• A blog - These are currently the "cool" thing to add to a web site. Everyone has a blog! The best blogs out there are the ones that are very frequently updated. While a blog usually won't replace the need for a web site, it gives a lot of advantages. One, blogs are a lot more casual. You can post things on a blog that you would probably never post on your web site...like funny photos, quotes, text messages, pictures taken on your camera phone, videos taken on your phone, etc. Most people can also update their own blogs through the easy to use web-based blog software. You can actually even update your blog from your cell phone. Blog sites like http://www.blogger.com/ (the one we use) are free, and easy to set up. RHD can help you in this area by designing matching blog graphics to go hand in hand with your web site. We can even do the initial set up of your blog, have it all ready to go, then just turn you loose with it.
• A Facebook page - I swear any day now I figure that even my dad will get a facebook account. Everyone has them. Businesses should create a facebook page where friends and fans can like and share with your business. This is also free. Through your facebook page, you can also use facebook advertising, which is also extremely affordable and extremely targetted. For example, you can place a facebook ad to target everyone who lists "showing cattle" as a hobby. You can also target by states. So to take it even further, you could place a facebook ad that only appears to people from Texas, age 18 and under, who list showing cattle as a hobby. Again, while these pages are very easy to set up and maintain, sometimes you just don't have the time to do it, or have other priorities. This is where we can help once again. RHD can set up your facebook page for you, design custom graphics, then turn it over to you to handle the updates. And, if you don't even want to do the updates, we can do that for you too!
• A Twitter account - Twitter and Facebook are different, and it's important to understand that. To me, twitter is more news, information, and discussions with people that you most likely don't know, and never will know. For example, last week I re-tweeted a twitter post by Adam Levine of Maroon 5. Pretty sure if I asked to "friend" him I'd get a big IGNORE. But with twitter, you can follow, or be followed by, just about anyone in the world. For me, Facebook is more for connections with my friends that I actually know. Like know well enough to go to lunch together. My personal rule for accepting friends is that you have to be someone I know well enough to know to have a real live conversation in public. For my stock show friend invitations, my rule is that I would at least say "hi" to if we were standing in line together at the Louisville Freedom Hall concession stand.
• Patricipation in the online community - It's all about social interaction! So get involved! Don't be afraid to hit that "like" button in facebook, or to re-tweet something. Or better yet, post comments on some of your favorite blogs and join in on discussions on message boards. These are great ways to interact with others in the online comunity. Remember that comments should be relevant, useful, polite (even if you disagree with the posts), and not self-promotion.

Now of course, we're all strapped for time. And these four tools are just a few of the thousands of ways you can build your online presence. We recommend trying one or two out, until you feel comfortable with them, then maybe try adding more. As we always say, if you're going to put yourself out there on the web, you have to stay involved and stay current. Nothing is worse than a blog that hasn't been updated in a year. So, make the commitment, and give it a try. And remember, we're here to help along the way!