Channel Marketing Group's Gene Biben, with over 40 years' experience in helping manufacturers generate demand for new products, recently shared some thoughts on effectively launching new products and a major flaw in many manufacturers' product launch strategy ... not properly funding the launch strategy with an appropriate sales investment. He uses an experience he had in … [Read more...] about Launching New Products Effectively
Sales Channel
How Regional Managers (Can) Add Value
The role of the manufacturer regional manager has been challenged, and redefined, during and since Covid. Whereas it was to be a facilitator and "face of factory" prior to Covid, the question now asked is "what is their value proposition" given that companies are striving to do more with less, virtual meetings have become part of everyday life, and distributor consolidation is … [Read more...] about How Regional Managers (Can) Add Value
Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in HVACR
To combat the challenges of today’s marketplace, progressive distributors looking towards the future are investing more and more into digitizing their processes to optimize performance. These companies recognize that: Data can be monetized. This means that information in their ERP systems can be acted upon rather than remain in data silos and databases. Whether this is … [Read more...] about Using Digitalization to Optimize Operations & Drive New Business in HVACR
Why are Salespeople Profit Adverse?
Having worked with many distributors over the years, one observation about many distributor salespeople are that they are customer pleasers. Most are profit adverse. Sure, many are on commission. And many of those commission plans are built around a percent of gross margin but, as soon as a customer hints that they want to negotiate, salespeople are willing to lower the … [Read more...] about Why are Salespeople Profit Adverse?
Better HVACR Sales through Better Sales Coaching
Field level sales management is one of the most challenging roles in the industry, and, in many cases, one of the least effective roles in distributors. Why you ask? Because the people who are placed in these roles typically are: Top producing salespeople who have their process and think others should adopt “their way”. They come into the role with no sales … [Read more...] about Better HVACR Sales through Better Sales Coaching
What’s Your Sales Model of The Future?
As we transition from the pandemic many wonder about “the future of sales”, meaning, “what will the sales process (sales model) look like in the future” and, essentially, “what is the role of / for outside salespeople?” In reality, this question was asked pre-pandemic as management lamented that sales wasn’t being as productive as they desired. Companies are always seeking to … [Read more...] about What’s Your Sales Model of The Future?
Will Fear of Wall Street Impact Manufacturer Sales Organizations?
COVID changed every manufacturer’s sales budgets in April. Aside from top line revenue and maybe salaries (due to employment reduction), the one expense line that may have changed the most is travel and entertainment. The spender of these … sales organizations. As publicly held companies reported Q2 earnings, and are reporting Q3 earnings, a consistent theme is that they are … [Read more...] about Will Fear of Wall Street Impact Manufacturer Sales Organizations?
Changing Role of Sales
It’s been almost seven months (March) since COVID exploded into the electrical industry. It’s been a roller coaster road for many with everyone expecting the business to fall off the side of the earth in April. And the role of sales has been the most disrupted. In the first 30-45 days many companies instituted workforce changes (furloughs and layoffs). While the … [Read more...] about Changing Role of Sales
Rep Opportunities Abound
2020 is a year of change in the rep community. And the change is creating new opportunities. There have been Many lines that have changed agencies which, considering the circumstances, was surprising.Some are being forced to make changes due to manufacturer consolidation.Agencies moving into new, contiguous, markets either by plan or at the request of a manufacturer.There … [Read more...] about Rep Opportunities Abound
Salespeople in Lockdown Could Cost You Share
Recently I visited a manufacturer rep client and spent time with their salespeople. As typically goes, the conversation “wanders” into what they are observing in the marketplace (the benefit of F2F meetings!). The salespeople I was talking to have been visiting with distributors and contractors while observing applicable COVID protocols and, most importantly, being respectful … [Read more...] about Salespeople in Lockdown Could Cost You Share
