Progressive Distributor - Building strategic sellers

Building strategic sellers

by Richard Vurva

I once knew a salesman who liked to advise new salespeople, "If you don't know the answer to a customer's question, make something up."

I cringed every time he said it.

He was the type of seller who didn't want to invest significant time and energy to learn more about the industry in general, the product he was selling, or his customers. Not surprisingly, the guy didn't last long.

Do you have any salespeople like that at your company?

If so, make sure they read this issue. It includes several articles with examples of proven sales and marketing ideas that will make salespeople more professional and strategic in their approach with customers.

Our story by Neil Gillespie entitled "Steps to effective sales planning," is a primer on turning transactional sellers into territory managers. Gillespie is that rare breed of consultant who blends the theoretical with the practical. His article offers tips on segmenting accounts, defining potential markets, developing sales targets and devising key account strategies. It's must-reading for salespeople and their managers.

A second article, "It's all about service," focuses on the popular topic of selling services instead of simply pushing products. In a mature industry where customers perceive most MRO products as commodities, distributors must do more to differentiate themselves by focusing on their service capabilities apart from the products they sell.

"Selling value vs. price" is another timely article about how to make the sale when you don't offer the rock-bottom price. It provides tips from manufacturers and distributors about how to position yourself in the marketplace when your salespeople hear those five feared words, "Your price is too high."

A common thread flows between all three articles. Simply put, it's the idea that as competition between distributors grows more intense, salespeople must become more strategic in their thinking. They can no longer expect to be successful by arming themselves with nothing more than product samples and a smile.

Successful selling today requires hard work and thoughtful planning. Here's hoping this issue gives you ideas you can put to work in your company.

As always, we'd love to hear from you. If you have suggestions for future stories or if you'd like to share your thoughts and strategies with us, please e-mail me at rvurva@milomediapub.com.