What is a BDR really?

I really like the concept of calling outside sales people BDRs (Business Development Reps). To me it really addresses what most selling is all about. Whether you are selling high-end luxury goods like swimming pools or automobiles...distribution or manufacturing sales, it's all about the trust and relationships you establish. The strongest relationships we develop as salespeople are with those customers for whom we have added the most value. Let's look at the title:

BUSINESS: In all of the above examples the salesperson's first responsibility is to know and understand the BUSINESS goals and dreams of our customers. Not every customer wants "bigger or more", some customers want help with an exit strategy or making things smaller and more manageable. You cannot know what their true goals are unless you ask the right questions and...really listen to the responses. Perhaps you can begin by asking how recent industry and economic trends or changes are affecting them. Whatever their needs, make sure they recognize how important their business success is to you and your business!

DEVELOPMENT: The secret to helping your customers DEVELOP their business goals is the fact that you now know what those goals are and.... you know all the things that you and your company have to offer as solutions. You probably know more about new technologies than your customers do, you have more opportunity of viewing similar businesses who have solved those challenges and you hopefully have a team of experts backing you up. It is important that you are educated by joining every trade group and reading every journal, following every blog, and attending every show and webinar. You certainly have to know the details of every new program your company is introducing and recognize what the benefits could be for each of your customers. Being a successful BDR is not easy, it takes a lot of time and effort!

REPRESENTATIVE: If you are an effective BDR, you can put yourself in your customer's place, REPRESENTING them and acting on their behalf. Part of your job is to help them by being their support in weak areas and letting them focus on their core competencies and strengths. Just as your customers need an attorney to represent them in legal areas, your customers need you to represent them in areas in which you are the expert.

If you really are a true BDR, make sure your customers know and understand it...if not...

Chinggis and you!

Like me, you probably always thought of Genghis Khan as a ruthless military leader and strategist...but since the Russians left (after 70 years of occupation) and the Mongolians adopted a constitution and formed a capitalistic society, a lot of new images are coming to light! My wife and I spent two weeks in Mongolia and the Gobi a few years ago...I learned a lot!

Chinggis Khan (correct pronunciation) did more than totally amalgamate the world of his day (troops were so dominant in the thirteenth century that they captured more territory in 40 years than the Romans did in 400), he eliminated feudalism and based his rule totally on meritocracy (leaders earned their positions based on ability). He mandated freedom of religion in a time when that was virtually unknown. He was the first military leader to forbid the torture of captives and the first to offer truce or alliance before attacking or sacking the cities of his enemies.

What make Chinggis an outstanding study for business and sales professionals is his tremendous understanding of the power of creative and strategic thinking:

1. Just as today's professionals follow vision and mission statements, just as we have strategic objectives that guide our decision making, so did his troops. He adopted a written language from a captured tribe then wrote the Yassa, a book of rules and guidelines so his generals in the field could make quick decisions based on his overall plans.

2. Just as you use Customer Relationship Management technology and other advanced tools to arm your field salespeople, Chinggis used the invention of the saddle stirrup and the recurved bow to totally change warfare and obsolete old-fashioned defense and attack methods.

3. Just as rapid transfer of information and digital technology have changed how we work and perform, Chinggis developed a "pony express" or information-transfer system (called the Yan) 500 years before we ever thought of it in this country!

4. He analyzed his territory in advance using a network of spies that were travelling merchants along the Silk Road. Not so different than business people today using the internet and every available tool to research our next area of growth potential and expansion.

Chinggis Khan was probably the most successful military strategis of all time because he had a clear plan and strategy...then used every technology and tool at his disposal to make that plan happen. He was clear in his objectives, creative and focused in his approach and totally committed to winning. If you want to succeed in today's business world, take a lesson from a guy who was born about 1167.

It's all about the GUSTO

A few years ago, I gave a presentation (for a number of distribution centers in the Chicago region) to a group of about 45 retailers and builders. I had so many calls and so much positive feedback in the next few weeks that I started asking questions like, "Why were you impressed...what made it memorable enough so that you shared it with me?" After all, if it was that good I needed to understand how to make that happen again in the future.

The bottom line? Everyone thought I was really passionate about the subject and understood the audience. That in turn, gave me the following title for a paper I wrote:

"Presentations Only Succeed When They Have GUSTO"

G is for genuine:
I try to know as much as possible about the audience before I ever make a presentation. How old are they, how much experience in their roles, are they the business owners or employees? I need to know these things if I am going to "put myself in their shoes". Everything is more genuine when approached from the listener's perspective. I need to understand their goals, desires and needs.

U is for unconventional:
In this presentation I was following a number of technical speakers and the audience was expecting more of the same. In the few minutes I had between sessions, I set up my audio system and then, when I was introduced, my presentation began with a 90 second, very upbeat, powerful and loud, video with music. None of this, "My name is....stuff"! The video finished with "Are you ready" and my presentation began with a slide that said, "Let's get ready!" I definitely needed to "shock the senses" and get everyone in the audience wondering what was coming next. Opening with a powerful question or statement, anything that get's the audience's attention is a necessary component of making a good presentation. From that point on, of course, the information you are sharing also has to be meaninful and memorable.

S is for specific:
I followed the opening by walking into the audience and asking specific questions of attendees. All of the questions were aimed at points I intended to cover but I needed to get "buy-in" from the audience and now directing the presentation toward individuals and their responses made it much more customized to the audience needs. Adults remember a very small portion of what they hear, a slightly larger portion of what they see but...90% of what they do. You need them to be involved if they are going to remember your presentation!

T is for timely:
In this case, "timely" was about some changes that were desperately needed and had to happen in the near term if these business people were to survive in a new technological age. "Timely" just means that at the end of your session there has to be some sort of call to action. If there is nothing new that needs to happen quickly, the odds are.... nothing new will happen at all.

O is for orchestrated:
A big part of the success of my presentation was based on the fact that everything went off as scheduled and in the allotted time. That doesn't happen unless you do a lot of advanced planning. I checked out the video and audio systems the night before my presentation to make sure that everything was compatible with my equipment. I rehearsed and then rehearsed some more. I had handouts but they were not distributed until the end (no distractions). If the audience is to take notes, make sure paper and pencils are on the tables. You get the idea...don't leave anything to chance!

Making presentations that create change in your audience is all about the GUSTO!

The serpent and sales

Some years ago I found an article (I cannot remember who wrote it) about the serpent (Genesis in the Bible) and his sales techniques. I liked the concept so much that I adapted it to a class I was teaching at the time. It goes something like this:

1. Start by analyzing your target market: The serpent only had two targets to draw from and, after analyzing his strategies and opportunities, chose Eve.

2. Apply your questioning skills: The serpent didn't start by listing a bunch of features that come from eating apples, he started by asking Eve about all the trees in the garden. A good strategy evolves here...perhaps if, as salespeople, we asked more questions and really listened to the answers our odds would improve. Now we could adjust our presentation to align with the answers we just received.

3. Resolve one objection at a time: The serpent jumps on one fact that Eve states (touching forbidden fruit will kill her) and then by focusing her on this one issue he gets her to let her guard down. If you can get your customer to share concerns one at a time, you can address them in a logical fashion and eliminate them.

4. Show how beautiful (demonstration phase) the benefits can be: The serpent convinces Eve that she can be "like" God...if she eats from the tree. Powerful stuff. You need to be specific about benefits (cost savings, sales increase, labor savings, etc) and paint a pretty picture. I copied a friends terminology of "dollarizing" the benefits here. Drive it to the bottom line!

5. Just try one: The serpent made it easy for Eve by convincing her to take a bite and try it. Can you offer a "try me" program as well? Everyone likes to minimize risk when trying something new.

6. Feedback and follow-up: The serpent hasn't stopped yet...still following up by tempting all of Eve's descendents. Make sure all of the future opportunities are quickly taken advantage of, use your connections/sales successes to build more sales and long-term relationships are what we are aiming at.

Whatever the steps in a sales process that work best for you....be consistent. Good sales people have a "system" in place so that they don't overlook details and opportunities.

Don't Do It If You Don't Love It

Author, Jay Forte and I offered some comments on a post a few years ago. In essence, we said, "If you don't love it...don't do it!" The advice goes something like this:

The next time you are introduced to someone, instead of just asking "What do you do" add "Why do you do what you do?" The answers are typically very revealing and usually one of two themes will emerge.

1) Many folks have no idea why they do what they do...they just ended up there (maybe by accident) or got moved up by natural progression or just plain needed to make some money and never left the occupation they started at. They can do the job, maye even effectively, they just don't love it...sad, bland and boring!

2) Others get excited when they start telling you about what they do. It appeals to an aspect of their persoality and they absolutely, passionately love what they do. They feel like they contribute and their role is probably matched to the strengths of their personalities! Wow, how refreshing that is!

The job performance and effectiveness of person number two will obviously be much stronger than that of person number one. It helps to prove that skills and experience are usually not as important as talents and strenghts when it comes to finding a fulfilling and exciting career. Talents are hard-wired into us and that is part of what makes us all different. You aren't guaranteed of success because of a talent-to-job-match but it sure increases the odds! Personal happiness and self-esteem become part of person number two's life as well!

Now when we look at especially productive salespeople we quickly recognize that we can teach all of the selling steps and processes but...when you find a truly successful sales person the hard-wired talents usually match up as well.

Success as a BDR (business development rep) begins with a passion for being a social animal and loving interaction with other people. If you love traveling to new places, meeting new people and learning more about both...it certainly will improve your odds of being successful at selling. Ask any salesperson who is really successful why she is so and she will tell you that she loves helping people solve problems and likes working with lots of different people. She will also say that she works for an "opportunity-focused organization" and you will quickly recognize the emotional connection she has to her work and her customers. She is self-motivated, loves winning and standing out from the crowd!

Success in sales (as well as anything else in this era of the intellectual and service workplace) is certainly helped with the skills you learn along the way (technical skills, prioritizing, process selling, etc) but... the real bottom line is if you don't love what you do....find something you love! Your odds for success will dramatically improve!

Know your team's talents and build business!

Derek is a BDR (outside sales person) for a large swimming pool equipment distributor in the Washington DC area. One day he happened to be in the office when a pool service company owner was picking up some parts. Derek didn't know the customer but he had an account so he began to ask questions. The service company owner indicated that he had driven 45 minutes to pick up these parts because they were not available from his regular supplier (a supply house with good pricing, effective shipping via UPS and absolutely no other services).

Derek's ears perked up..."Why are you not ordering all of your equipment and components from us?" he asked. The answer, "I work from my home in a rural area and no truck driver would want to negotiate the back roads to get there." Derek is thinking, "Hey if UPS can get there, so can our driver. He is really talented and loves the challenging deliveries". Derek asked the customer to place the next order with him and he would personally deliver it and check out the situation.

The customer place that order a week later and Derek delivered it the next day. The verdict? Challenging delivery but definitely doable.

The result, an additional $50,000 in volume during the next two months and a commitment for all of the business for the coming season. A win-win for all concerned... a customer who now had the added new value of products, services and programs that Derek's team could provide with delivery to the doorstep.

Do you really evaluate when a customer gives you a reason for not doing business with you? Do you know your team's talents as well as Derek does? Will your team exert the extra effort to support you and a new account? Be creative!

Good distribution relationships go in two directions

In the distribution business the relationship with the manufacturer can be just as critical to sales success as the relationship with the customer.

Steve was the Branch Manager for a sales center with customers in Maine. When a tornado and extreme high winds destroyed a number of above ground swimming pools in Southwestern Maine he earned long-term loyalty and a lot of future business by connecting the retailer (who had originally sold those pools and was now trying to service and repair them) directly with the customer service staff at the manufacturing plant. He first outlined the exact situation and received a true buy-in from the manufacturer then he stepped away from the process to help speed it. Service and repair parts were shipped immediately based on phone calls from the field and all normal purchase order steps went out the window. This meant that days were taken out of the process and everything was expedited. At the end of a month of this no-red-tape service everyone reached an amicable settlement and the manufacturer helped out by donating many of those parts to help consumers and their loyal customer.

Exception value provided to customers and suppliers is the hallmark of a true world-class distribution company.

The importance of a 3-minute elevator speech

Caleb had just been promoted to an outside sales (BDR) position. He accepted the challenge of trying to establish a relationship with a large retailer that belonged to a buying group...
...which allowed him to buy large quantities of product directly from manufacturers (eliminiating distribution). Caleb couldn't get by the gatekeeper when trying to phone for appointments but (mid-summer) happened to be in the area of the main store and just stopped in. The owner was not in but, by luck, he met the purchasing agent.. Taking advantage of a short face-to-face meeting, Caleb used his 3-minute "elevator pitch" about expense of carrying inventory, space and personnel required for handling large orders, damage and inventory taxes, etc...all as opposed to direct delivery to consumers that he was proposing. The PA was impressed and set up a meeting with the owner. the relationship has bloomed as economic challenges have made "just in time inventory control" more important than ever. Caleb's branch carries more inventory specific to that customer now and even drop-shipments of products are now coming through Caleb. Bottom Line...an account that usually did about $30,000 went to $100,000 then $300,000/year. Is your "3-minute Elevator Speech" perfected? You always need to be ready!

cell phone camera for quick solution

James is a delivery driver in California who helped his sales center to convert a customer from being "just satisfied" to being "loyal". This was a customer who had been on board for a couple of years, a relatively large swimming pool service company. James' Branch Manager, Brian, as well as their outside sales person, considered this dealer to be secure and buying everything possible from their distribution center. They considered the relationship to be very strong. However, while James was in the process of making his normal weekly delivery he noticed (sitting in the side yard) a pallet of chlorine tabs in large containers. He knew it had just been delivered and he recognized it as a competitor's products. Using his cell phone he snapped a photo and sent it back to the Sales Center Manager with a short note. The manager immediately called the customer and asked about the situation. The customer indicated that it was a very low-priced offer in unusually large containers from a competitor and he assumed that James' branch would not be able to compete. Brian's response,"Au contraire mon fraire" ("wait a sec bro, you be wrong") we have a similar sized container and can absolutely match that price. The bottom line...the customer called the competitor, who came back and picked up the newly delivered product and James made a second delivery to that customer, that evening, and this time with a pallet of their own brand of chemicals.

Helping out after customer suffers loss

Donna had a long-time customer whose partner (and heir apparent who handled all purchasing and inventory) passed away unexpectedly at a very young age. The senior partner was devestated and the business (as well as weekly orders to Donna) began a dramatic decline. Eventually she called, made an appointment and offered to help by doing a total inventory of the warehouse and restoring order. That inventory showed more than $40,000 in products that had been robbed of parts to take care of service needs. She also included a listing of inventory on that same date last year. The bottom line, Order has been restored to the warehouse, purchasing (and the customer's sales) are back on track. Now that loyal customer calls and says, "Donna, you know what I need" just write the order for me. Sometimes a day spent in an extraordinary effort to help a customer pays off for the rest of your life!

Delivery driver eyes and ears

Creative sales stories don't always come from salespeople. Ricardo was making the first delivery to a long-sought-after customer. He had been part of all the discussions at the sales center. This competitor-loyal account had been a target for the past few years. The BDR and Branch Manager had both made regular calls and now finally the first (trial) order is being delviered. Everything on the delivery is perfect but while unloading, Ricardo overhears one of the purchasing folks say, "Dang i forgot to order a time clock for this job". When finished, Ricardo calls his Branch Manager who says, "Home Depot carries that model and you are close". Ricardo drives to Home Depot, buys the time clock with his own credit card then drives back to the new customer and delivers the time clock saying, "The Branch Manager will give you a call and bill you tomorrow". Wow! The next day when the customer is called he is absolutely amazed and...gives the Branch Manager a $10,000 order stating, "We have never experienced that kind of service before...you earned our business!" Bottom line? Make sure the delivery team is tuned in and on the right wave length...they are your "face" and can be your "eyes and ears".

Eyes always open for opportunity in unexpected places

Success in new channels of distribution sometimes comes from really unexpected places! When a very large lettuce grower in CA asked his pool service company what the difference was between the new chlorine they were required (by the state) to use in washing lettuce VS what he was using in his swimming pool...the service company asked James. Some investigation showed there was no difference at all, other than the label. The one label that was approved by the state for Agricultural use was owned by one of his sales center's pool chlorine suppliers. With a bit of negotiating, James was able to secure the use of that label and sold over $400,000 worth of that chlorine to that one customer in the first year. Are your eyes always open to new opportunities? Sometimes the channel may seem totally unrelated but be aware of other uses for the products you are currently selling.

Available training? Take advantage of it?

Do you have a really powerful tool that helps customers but not having much success at promoting it? When Rodney faced this situation in Austin, he signed up for a "presentations class" at the company's training center in Dallas. During the two day class he created a specific Power Point presentation for his B2B tool and perfected his "power opening & hook", his "meaningful & memorable" message and his "dynamic close". The result...in the next 18 months the number of participating dealers has tripled. Do you need some specific training to do a better job selling? Does your company offer it? If not, where can you go to get it?

Big potential...first order...lot's of effort required!

Imagine being in a new country, new sales center, first week as the outside sales person when a large-potential customer calls because the contractor you use for delivery called him to say they cannot deliver until Monday (they received the product too late). This big retailer was willing to give you a try but needs some of the product on the weekend and you know...if you blow the first order, yikes! Negib called the delivery company, talked them into keeping a driver late then (after calling the retailer) went and helped load the truck, led them to the customer then worked till 9 PM on Friday night to help unload the truck. The response from the customer? Wow, you have earned my loyalty because none of my current suppliers would have gone to this length to serve me. Potential? About a half-million bucks the first year! The purest description of "extraordinary service" I have seen.

A new law can be a good thing?

A federal government safety act requiring new installation techniques and upadating of existing facilities scared an entire industry but Jeff turned it into a huge sales gain. He focused on educating his contractor-customers with a six-week series of seminars. 25-30 contractors attended each of these manufacturer-sponsored seminars and the result was an increase in sales center volume of more than $500,000 at very good margins. Helping to educate customers and make them comfortable with current requirements resulted in a lack of customer concern regarding price but a huge gain in loyalty. Are there new laws or acts (like ADA) that offer opportunity for you?

Use your network when looking for new distribution channels

When looking for new channels of distribution, sometimes your network of friends is the place to start. Dax was trying to gain access to home builders as a new channel for his sales center's in-ground pool kits. He learned that a close friend had contracted to have a new (very upscale) home built and he asked that friend to make the introductions. The home builder got excited about this new revenue source, Dax initiated step 2. He and his Regional Sales Manager helped the home builder present and sell the first pool to an interested homeowner whose home had just been completed. Step 3 was to involve his kit manufacturer in helping to train the home builder's crews thereby making sure that the project went smoothly and all concerned were happy. Result: A new customer, who two years later is continuing to grow at a strong pace. How can you use a network of friends to create a win-win sales situation for you and them?

Using unique talents to an advantage

Sometimes we have unique individual skills that we need to take advantage of! Alex is fluent in English and Spanish so ... he posted flyers, at the Customer Service desk, in Spanish (first language for many of the center's service customers) and asked "Are you leaving money on the table?" He then proceeded to become the go-between aligning weekly maintenance service persons with repair and remodel contractors. The contractor companies gave a "finders-fee" to the maintenance people and Alex only added the contractor companies to his approved list if they were competent and...they purchased all of their repair material products from him! Everyone wins!

Good salespeople are always "on"

A good salesperson is never "off duty"! Nick, a telemarketing customer service rep and his wife were vacationing in Hawaii when he spotted a retail pool store. Like all good salespeople would...he pulled into the parking lot! He met the owner and started to ask questions. The retailer was unhappy with his current supplier in CA but didn't quite know what to do about it. Nick took the pertinent info and promised to call them as soon as he returned to his office. He checked them out, called as promised and after a couple of follow-up calls...got his foot in the door. The business has continued to grow annually since that first impromptu call. Are your eyes always open to new possibilities and new opportunities? Winners eyes are!

Government getting involved can actually help???

It doesn't happen often but sometimes government intervention (or a new law) can offer opportunity for growth. Ken and Mike's distribution branch found new business as a result of...the new Virginia Graham Baker Act. This act required change in how new pools and spas were built and required retroactive work on existing ones over a period of time. Because this type of new law often lacks clarity and sometimes even components to fulfill the requirements of the law there is a huge "scare-factor" for construction and service companies. Ken and Mike's solution was to contact industry experts and engage them in teaching a series of classes at the branch. The result was a huge change in industry attitude as customers understood and became comfortable with the new rules. The branch also recognized dramatic growth (over $250,000 the first season alone) as new products were added to the mix and new customers began buying existing products to show their appreciation for the education. Are there new requirements that are "scaring" your customers? Is there something you can do to educate them and make them more comfortable? You will be rewarded!

Supplier check of ID stops a theft

Plumbing contractor, Tom S took a call from his distributor supply house. An employee was trying to pick up some copper. He was wearing a company shirt and using a company purchase order. The only problem was he wasn't on the list of employees Tom sent to the supply house. When Tom arrived at the supply house, he did find an employee. The employee wasn't the guy picking up the copper. The employee was waiting in the truck, while his buddy posed as an employee. Both got arrested.

If Tom hadn't sent his suppliers a list of current employees and required his suppliers to check IDs, it's unlikely the wannabe copper thieves would have been caught. Commanche Marketing recently shared this story and I thought it so topical and important for anyone who distributes or buys copper components that we needed to share it with a bunch of pool contractors and distribution folks. What are you doing to protect yourself and your customers?

Value is making life simpler for your customers

Can you make life simpler for your customers? Jason's branch had a lot of paver and landscape-contractor customers and... every deck built with pavers requires sand and AB (sand-rock-gravel mix) products. These products are not usually stocked by distributors of pavers and landscape equipment. Buying these items in super sacks and delivering to the job site along with the pavers made life dramatically easier for customers and effectively increased sales of paver products. Though the sand and AB products are sold at a relatively low profit margin, the gain in sales of pavers and like products has been excellent. What can you deliver (even at low margins) that can make your customers life easier?

Showing that extra effort builds customer loyalty

Imagine being in a new country, new sales center, first week as the outside sales person when a large-potential customer calls because the contractor you use for delivery called him... to say they cannot deliver until Monday (they received the product too late). This big retailer was willing to give you a try but needs some of the product on the weekend and you know...if you blow the first order, yikes! Negib called the delivery company, talked them into keeping a driver late then (after calling the retailer) went and helped load the truck, led them to the customer then worked till 9 PM on Friday night to help unload the truck. The response from the customer? Wow, you have earned my loyalty because none of my current suppliers would have gone to this length to serve me. Potential? About a half-million bucks the first year! The purest description of "extraordinary service" I have seen.

Truck driver understands winning at sales

In most cases a distribution company's primary contact with large customers is the delivery driver. When our company introduced an incentive/training program for those drivers...the extreme success story came from Seattle. The driver that delivered to that sales center's largest retailer (nine stores) had earned such a positive reputation with all of the chain's store managers that they awarded him THEIR 2010 "Vendor Rep of the Year" award. This award is normally given to the manufacturer, independent or distributor salesperson who does the most to "grow the business and smooth the process" for this retailer powerhouse. It was the first time ever that a truck driver was given the award and it helped to prove how critical that relationship can be. Keep your driver in the loop, make him/her part of the sales effort and reward for extraordinary contribution.

Everyone involved-every angle covered

Team effort is often required when targeting a large account held by a competitor.

 Paul (Branch Manager) was targeting a large CA swimming pool contractor that purchased equipment from his largest competitor. With Catherine's (outside salesperson) and Ricky's (Inside Sales Associate) help they created a winning strategy. Paul changed delivery routes and started drivers two hours early to give (customer management) a delivery-service advantage, Catherine delivered frozen Snicker bars and energy drinks to job sites on days above 100 degrees (to gain field support) and Ricky created custom order forms and fax templates to make life easier (for the customer's ordering team). The sales person cannot do it by herself...it takes a team to change how business is done. Do you call in everyone to be part of the strategy when chasing a new account? The above example is a success story of no longer having to compete on price but having an overall strategy that met every part of the customer's needs.

Creative way to get a sample in....

Having trouble getting a sample into a large potential customer's presence?

When Jared heard that one of his target customers was going to lose their manufacturer-direct product line in the coming year he arranged to have a product sample sent to himself but at the customer's address. When they called to let him know he immediately apologized for the error then promptly stopped by to "pick it up". The owner was in attendance when he stopped by and he asked if the owner would like to see next year's product model. He would...Jared assembled it...the customer loved it and the rest is history. A new and very happy customer. Can you be that creative...always having the customer's success in mind?

custom weekly review keeps up the momentum

Sales Center Manager ( Madrid) trying to support one of his "VIP Suppliers" in a year-long joint effort to grow sales for their products. The early season sales blitz was effective but... how to keep the momentum going all season long? Salvador created a series of custom sales reports that could be run weekly showing just those products (and related incentive points) and their progress toward the final goals. Reviewing the targets weekly with sales people and customers got the job done. A seasonal sales gain that tops 230,000 Euro ($310,000+). Have you created systems or tools that keep promotions going for a long period? Please share your ideas and your "wins" with the rest of us.

3 part strategy

Van had been working for years to capture a competitor's pool contractor account located in a community three hours away. A three-pronged strategy got the account... ...1) guaranteed correct/complete deliver or same-day/night fix by sales person...2) updated website and links for customer utilizing Van's company's marketing department...3) a life-time transferable, consumer limited warranty on the product kit written and agreed to by the manufacturer (a huge sales benefit for the contractor. How creative can you be...can you work with manufacturers to create unique, differentiation that can help your customers sell more?

4 days ago

Seasonal products seasonal success!

In distribution of very seasonal products, surprising profit opportunitites are available through customers who face the same challenges.  The Inside Sales Associate of the most influential distributor of swimming pool equipment in Albany, New York took note of the fact that many of his builder, service and repair customers also plowed snow with their trucks in the off-season. The sales center was very successful at offsetting winter employee/warehouse costs when they began to stock and sell ice-melt products to support those customer's winter business needs. Do you distribute seasonal products? Are there off-season items that your customers need? Do you have a similar success story to share with the rest of us?

Playing the cards you are dealt

Scott was trying to see a dealer and being consistently turned away by the gatekeeper (administrative assistant).  Scott learned that the builder was a big-time poker player so...on Monday, he mailed him the 10 of spades (no note), Tuesday he sent the jack, Wed the queen, Thursday the king. On Friday Scott walked in again and was about to be turned away when he said, “Tell him the Ace of Spades is here. The dealer was happy to learn who the mail-mystery man was, laughed at Scott’s creativity, opened the door and eventually Scott got the business.

Creative Sales Stories in Distribution

Creativity is often the solution to sales challenges for distributors. As the sales trainer for POOLCORP, an international distributor of swimming pool and related equipment (240 locations in North America and Europe) I have the opportunity of reviewing, presenting and helping to judge a creativity competition every year.  I have close to two hundred entries catalogued and plan to use this blog to share those stories.  I will try to make them generic so that the concepts fit and distribution business.  Success in distribution sales is all about long-term relationships and knowing what our customer's goals and dreams are.  These stories are great examples of doing it right!