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!