When the pandemic began almost two years ago, the distribution industry struggled – like every other sector – to adjust overnight. Companies pivoted to adapt to COVID-related shutdowns while rapidly managing inventory to meet then-uncertain demand, says Peggy Carrieres, vice president of global sales enablement and supplier development for global electronic components distributor Avnet, in […]
Category: Sales GPS
Boost Customer Confidence, Strengthen Sales Relationships in Distribution
Customers increasingly want a rep-free buying experience, but satisfaction levels drop when they go it alone. Sales reps play a role in increased customer confidence, and related buying satisfaction, by accurately diagnosing problems and providing technical expertise. To create a compelling online experience, first develop a thorough understanding of the customer’s buying journey. Do distributors’ […]
Boost Customer Confidence, Strengthen Sales Relationships
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Gustave A. Larson Charts a Course for Sales Transformation
When Matt Wisniewski joined Gustave A. Larson Company three years ago, the distributor had many outside sales employees. After implementing an “inside-out” sales transformation, the number reduced by 80%. While Larson culled a large number of its outside salespeople during the move to an integrated sales model, it has picked up additional employees across new […]
Break Free from the Constraints of Traditional Gross Margin-Based Sales
To continue reading this article you must be a paid subscriber. Subscribe to MDM Already Subscribed? Click here to log-in | Forgot your password? Distributors can break free from the constraints of traditional gross margin-based sales models and liberate their salespeople to achieve breakthrough performance. Leaders can leap ahead of disruptors by transforming customer experiences. […]
Fighting for Customer Loyalty in 2022
As we move through the final quarter of this year, there’s a crazy mix of positive and negative signals. While continued growth is forecast, markets have never been in such flux as inflation, supply chain and talent issues challenge distributors to keep customers close and happy. Every disruptive business cycle produces an increase in churn […]
Everything Distributors Always Wanted to Know About Sales Comp (But Were Afraid to Ask)
Changing a sales compensation plan is one of the most significant challenges in the sales transformation process. And companies that are either stumbling through that leg of the journey or have been hesitant to take the first step might need help navigating what could quickly become a stressful and confusing situation. Thankfully, experienced guides await […]
Earnest Machine CEO Talks Sales Transformation Lessons Learned
A few years ago, Kirk Zehnder, the CEO of Earnest Machine — a Cleveland-based master distributor and manufacturer of industrial fasteners — realized his company’s sales model wasn’t working. While the traditional model might have served a purpose in the past, it was now passé. He decided to embark on a sales transformation journey, which […]
Make Sure Your Salespeople Aren’t Stuck in the Past
Maria Boulden’s recent LinkedIn posts and virtual presentations sparked some people to call her the “Sarah Connor of modern-day selling,” she tells MDM with a laugh. For those who don’t immediately get that reference, Sarah Connor is the lead character in The Terminator movie franchise, which features time travel and altered states of the past, […]
4 Signs It Might Be Time to Make a Sales Comp Change
With decades of experience as a consultant to wholesale distributors, I am very familiar with the industry’s sensitivity around sales compensation programs. I recently learned that this sensitivity isn’t constrained to North America or Western countries. A client in China quickly took sales comp changes off the table when discussing potential strategies for improving sales […]
Why Now is the Right Time to Transform Your Sales Model
Distribution executives and sales managers have been lodging the same concerns about their sales models — and sales teams — for many years, says Mike Marks, managing partner of Indian River Consulting Group. And the pandemic has only amplified these all-too-familiar laments. “Salespeople don’t do what I want them to do.” “I’m trying to get […]
