sales boost - siia.net · sales boost propel your sales forward this month by christopher ruvo july...

SALESBOOSTPROPEL YOUR SALES FORWARD THIS MONTH

BY CHRISTOPHER RUVO

JULY

ADVANTAGES • JULY 2014 3

STEP 1 ID Great Clients

STEP 2 Treat Clients To Fun Outings

STEP 3 Step Up Self-Promotions

STEP 4 Spark Summer Sales

STEP 5 Target This Niche: Craft Beer

Have your best summer ever with these revenue-generating strategies.

4 ADVANTAGES • JULY 2014

STEP 1IDENTIFY GREAT CLIENTSSummer is a perfect time to steer a course toward greater profitability by focusing on earning and keeping quality clients. Use our quiz to analyze your clients and determine who’s the best.

Here’s what to do with your quiz results:

1 2 3

Are the promotional campaigns you create for the client profitable for you?

Is the client courteous and polite?

Does the client pay on time?

Does the client refrain from nitpicking your invoices?

Does the client stick to the quoted price once it is agreed upon?

Does the client make reasonable demands?

Does your client go with solutions you suggest because they trust you as the expert?

Does the client occupy an appropriate amount of your time relative to the revenue you generate from him or her?

Is your client on schedule, meeting key checkpoints like approval deadlines?

Will association with this client positively impact your reputation with other clients and peers?

NEVER SOMETIMES OFTENQUIZ YOURSELF

HOW GREAT IS YOUR CLIENT?

If you checked “often” to the majority of the above questions, then chances are you have a high-quality client that’s worth keeping. How-ever, if you’re responses are riddled with “never” and “sometimes,” then it’s worth examining the relationship to see if it’s fruitful to continue working with the customer.

If you realize the client may be more trouble than they are currently worth, analyze how the situation can possibly be improved and then

have a polite but firm discussion. Maybe a buyer is making unreasonable demands. Then tell them they must start respecting certain parameters in order to work with you. If they promise improvement and things don’t change, then call them, calmly and professionally explain why you are ending the relationship, thank them for their business and even con-sider referring them to another promo pro.


Watch this video Colleen Francis, owner of Engage Selling Solutions,

gives you step-by-step tips on how to fire a client. http://goo.gl/fxkjmU

CHECKLIST TAKE THE QUIZ TO SEE IF YOUR CLIENTS ARE QUALITY.❑ Understand the benefits of axing a lousy customer.❑ Write down ideas for how the relationship with the client could be improved to make it worth maintaining.❑ Watch the 2-minute video on how to fire a client.

Getting There!Write down a reward for completing the next four steps and pin it to your bulletin board for motivation!

How To Become A Rainmaker: The Rules For Getting & Keeping Customers & Clients by Jeffrey Fox for practical advice on how to connect with – and keep – great clients.

WATCH THIS:THE BENEFITS OF CONNECTING WITH QUALITY CLIENTSSuccessful distributors find and retain good matches and are more successful in the long run.

SALES BOOST

Black Duck Inc. is fortunate. The overwhelming majority of the Albuquerque-based distribu-torship’s customers are quality partners, providing profitable business. But when you have 3,000 clients, it’s inevitable that there will be a few bad apples in the bunch. On the rare occasions

when working with a client becomes untenable, Black Duck has proactively ended the relationship. “It’s not a decision we take lightly, but there are definitely ben-efits to moving on,” says Erich Campbell, Black Duck’s e-commerce manager.

While Campbell admits that it can hurt losing the revenue at first, the advantages of making a clean break include freeing up sales reps’ time to find bet-ter customers, improving staff morale, and opening up imprinting machines in Black Duck’s in-house decorat-ing department to run more lucrative orders. “We’ve always been able to replace the clients and improve upon where we were,” says Campbell.

Most typically, Black Duck has ended a client rela-tionship when an internal analysis shows that working with the customer has become unprofitable. “You’ll have situations where they always want you to give them a Corvette, but they only want to pay for a Nissan Sentra,” says Campbell. When that occurs, Black Duck explains the situation to the client and then details what pricing will be going forward. If the customer is

unwilling to pay, the partnership ends. Meanwhile, Black Duck also considers terminat-

ing a relationship when a client is belligerent to staff, a consistently bad payer, a nickel-and-dimer who repeatedly agrees to a quote and then seeks discounted pricing once the order is complete, and/or a buyer who frequently neglects to get the distributor approvals on time (or at all).

When it comes to discussing the need for changes or a relationship break with such customers, Black Duck is amicable and positive. “We do our best to not burn any bridges,” says Campbell. The approach has paid off, sometimes resulting in clients returning to Black Duck with a different perspective that sees them become better partners. “We’ve had people tell us they went elsewhere and that the quality and service wasn’t as good so they want to come back,” he says.

Only Work With Top-Rate Customers

It’s tempting, admits Chuck Northcutt. That urge to take every order or customer that comes your way. Still, the owner of Seattle-based Creative Promotions resists the

temptation and has cut ties with clients who are more trouble than they are worth. “The reality is I run a for-profit corpo-ration,” he says. “When I look at how much it’s costing me vs. how much I am making, the numbers have to work or it’s time to move on.”

A while back, North-cutt landed what at first seemed like an excel-lent client – a large pest control company, with spending power, that was

looking to invest in logoed apparel. But through the course of the initial deal-ings, the client’s demands quickly rose to the unreasonable. Part of the trouble included rejecting, three times, the way the logo was digitized (digi-tally mapped for embroi-dery) by Northcutt’s award-winning in-house digitizing department. Certain details the man was clamoring for simply weren’t possible. “If he was this much trouble

on the digitizing set up, I knew in the long term I wasn’t ever going to make him happy and that this wasn’t going to be a client I could make money on,” Northcutt says.

Given that, Northcutt politely explained that he wasn’t the right partner for the customer, promptly returned the man’s logo artwork and then recom-mended other companies the pest control company could work with for its decorated apparel needs.

4 Upsides To Keeping Only the Best�More time for building business with existing

quality clients

�More time for prospecting to find new, more profitable customers

Better morale

�Improved productivity, sales and profitability

READ THIS:


STEP 2TREAT CLIENTS TO FUN OUTINGSWhen the weather heats up, you can create warm memories by taking clients on summer outings. They will reward you for it. Here are eight ideas.

Make sure to have a self-promotional product or gift package to give event attendees.

CHECKLIST MAKE YOUR OUTING A SUCCESS BY…❑ Identifying select clients to invite to an event

❑ Picking an activity suited to the clients you’ll be hosting

❑ Sending invitations several weeks in advance

❑ Following up to see if the client is bringing a guest

❑ Sending attendees written thank-you notes after the event

Congratulations! You’re one step closer to your reward.

ACTION ITEM:GO TO A BASEBALL GAME: Sure, you can impress your business partners with box seats at a major league stadium. But, don’t fret if that’s not in your entertain-ment budget. Minor-league games can provide good times too, and at bargain prices. For a list of minor-league teams and stadiums in your area, go here: www.littleballparks.com.HOLD A HAPPY HOUR: Call your local clients and rally them together at a favorite watering hole. Offer an open bar for an hour, order a few appetizers and you’ve got yourself a casual soiree that will pay off. HOST A PARTY: Looking to do something larger scale? Host a client appreciation party. Have the festivi-ties catered, and consider theming the event – perhaps something outdoorsy, like a barbecue. If you really want to up the impact, combine work with pleasure by inviting a few trusted suppliers to display new items for clients to check out. GET ON THE GREENS: You don’t have to pull together an entire golf tournament (although you could), but a few hours on the links with a couple of hot prospects could just be enough to seal the deal. Hone your skills at the driving range beforehand. CAST A FEW LINES: Fishing provides the right mix of relaxation, excitement and time for chatting. Charter a boat, grab a few mates and you’re sure to hook a sale. HEAD TO AN OUTDOOR CONCERT OR PLAY: Do your top clients’ tastes trend more to the cultural? Then take advantage of the warm evenings by treating them to performances in the park or similar events. You’ll be the star of the show if you do. TAKE TO THE WINE TRAIL: Treat clients to a tast-ing event at a nearby winery – or consider having a som-melier lead a tasting at your office or a swankier location. Lucky to be in an area where wineries are clustered? Then rent a limo or van and have your clients safely shepherded to several of the estates for sipping. DO A DINNER CRUISE: Scenic and relaxing, din-ner cruises provide ample opportunity for relationship-building. You’ll become a friend rather than just a busi-ness associate – a distinction that goes a long way toward encouraging customer loyalty.

SALES BOOST


STEP 3STEP UP SELF-PROMOTIONSJuly is an excellent time to launch self-promotional initiatives that will help build your business for the latter half of the year. Here’s how to do just that.


READ THIS:

Put a quick response code on self-promotional products you give away, company apparel and printed items, such as business cards, pamphlets, catalogs and more. Have the QR code link to a page on your website or YouTube channel where a well-edited video featuring glowing customer testimonials is hosted. Con-clude the video by appearing on screen briefly yourself to say you’d love to help produce similar results for watchers’ companies and organizations. Have your contact information at the video’s end.

STEAL THIS IDEA:Creative Marketing Concepts (asi/170631) has mastered simple and effective self-pro-motion. The San Francisco-based distributor-ship’s sales reps incorporate strategic self-promotion into every presentation they make to prospects. Typically, CMC brands hot-selling items and reps discuss the pieces during in-person pitches. Items are then gifted to buyers. “We look for popular items with an interesting story – products that will enhance the presen-tation and make it more entertaining,” says CMC President Zachary Tyler.

Of late, CMC has scored self-promo suc-cess with the DigiClean – a microfiber screen cleaner from Flexible Innovations (asi/54596) that sticks to the back of mobile devices when they’re not being used for cleaning. Embel-lished with the distributorship’s branding, the cleaners are cut into T-shirt shapes and feature the slogan “Your Logo Here.” The T-shirt shape provides a novel talking point that allows reps to discuss how CMC can provide apparel in addition to fun, attention-grabbing hard good products. “Every single time we show it to people they are wowed,” says Tyler.

Wow indeed: Last year, the self-promos gen-erated an additional $130,000 in revenue for CMC through sales of the DigiClean alone.

SALES BOOST

Self-brand your most popular selling items and give them to prospects. Something you sell over and over is popular for a reason, and likely to have more resonance.Select economical items to logo and give away.

“Spending more than $20 per item would be a waste of money,” says Zachary Tyler, president of Cre-ative Marketing Concepts (asi/170631).Get self-promo items from reliable suppliers. “If you have a great product,

clients are going to want to order it for themselves, so you want to make sure the supplier is a good one to work with,” says Tyler. Co-sponsor a community event. This can be as simple and relatively inexpensive as sponsoring the dinner fund-

raiser at the local firehouse. Doing so puts your name in the public sphere in a posi-tive light.Get active on social media. Being engaging on social media platforms can expose you to new audiences.

SELF-PROMOTION TIPS

How To Self-Promote Without Being a Jerk by Bruce Kasanoff

“We look for popular items with an interesting story – products that will enhance the presentation and make it more entertaining.”ZACHARY TYLER, CMC


STEP 4SPARK SUMMER SALESSummertime and the living is easy. So it’s the perfect time to connect with clients who probably have a less hectic schedule this time of year. Here are proven business boosters.

Summer could be the best time to sell for B2B sales reps. It’s just a matter of knowing how to shake things up and uncover the possi-bilities. Here are six great tips for producing positive and long-lasting results.

1 Prospect where your clients are. Meet and greet them on the golf course, at the ballpark and at a

BBQ. Wall says meeting customers at a fun location of their own choosing increases the odds they will return your calls and e-mails.

2 Know your customers – and their schedules. Summer sales often take longer because

decision-makers are out of town. Sales reps should adjust by working faster to catch major players before they split.

3 Listen, then share. Eager-ness to close the sale during the slow summer period makes

it tempting to present your solution before the customer is ready to hear it: “What you need is…”. This can be

especially true for top sales reps who can let their expertise and enthusi-asm interfere, says Mike Bosworth, founder of Mike Bosworth Leader-ship. Bosworth’s advice: Listen to your customer, then share a story describing how you’ve helped one of their peers. This way, you deliver a problem-solving vision and ignite the customer’s competitive nature – changing the off-putting “You need” to “I want.”

4 Connect emotionally. Chris-tine Miles of Miles Geraci Consulting urges sales reps to

connect with customers emotionally – and the slow summer season is ideal for reinforcing this principle. Grasp the emotions as well as the facts customers are presenting. “Follow the emotional breadcrumbs,” says Miles. A veteran sales rep she knows was traveling when a client called with a crisis. The sales rep, caught without access to any information, tried Miles’ advice. For the first time, he asked his client, “How did that make you feel?”

The conversation transformed their business relationship, and ever since, they have connected on a deeper level.

5 Embrace the calendar. Emphasize offerings consis-tent with summer, suggests

Rich Carollo, VP of Lion Circle (asi/67620). Then upsell your pack-aging. If you’re giving away T-shirts or golf visors, package them with a coupon or QR scan code to convey a message.

6 Set yourself up to win. Work-ing in smaller chunks of time helps you maintain focus and

keep summer distractions at bay, says Lori Richardson, a sales strategist and CEO of Score More Sales. And don’t be afraid to pick up the phone to build relationships.

Most experts agree summer is a great time to update templates, reas-sess strategies, and double down on training. The fact your clients are tak-ing a break gives you opportunities to break out of your routine. Enjoy.

Turn the page for a case study on a craft brewery promotion.


MORE QUICK TIPSHost a Christmas in July party at your office, featuring snacks and beverages and showcasing some top sellers.Send clients videos of the newest, coolest products.Send e-newsletters with snappy, fun copy and product ideas and specials.

SALES BOOST

BY LUCY WANG

CHECKLISTGET YOUR SUMMER SIZZLING.❑ Meet clients outside of the office.

❑ Know when decision-makers will be in town.

❑ Use any downtime to research products specific to particular clients/niches.

Connect with clients whose slower season is summer. Ask to meet with them over a casual, out-door lunch to assess and plan for fall promotions and beyond. A laidback atmosphere and tone can facilitate a creative brain-storming session.

ACTION ITEM:


STEP 5TARGET THIS NICHE:CRAFT BEERThe popularity of craft beer is growing. In this increasingly competitive segment of the beverage industry, promotional products can play an important role in helping brewpubs, microbreweries and craft breweries build their brand and gain market share.

Matt Gledhill was spending a lot of time thinking about tailgating and beer. But that’s not because the vice president of sales and marketing for Walker Advertising (asi/354440) was slacking off. To the contrary: He was keying in on creating a winning promotional campaign for a craft brewery whose target audience included tailgaters. “They wanted something fun, something that would be a good fit for football fans,” says Gledhill.

Through strategic sourcing, he discovered the perfect product: the Reflex Travel Couch from Picnic Time (asi/78065). The portable reclining couch with armrests, phone pouches and drink pockets can easily be brought to games and set up in the back of pickup trucks or on the pavement, providing comfortable seating for two lucky tailgaters. As a complement, Gledhill suggested adding another Picnic Time product: the Mega Can Cooler (686-00-000), an insulated 5-gallon plastic cooler that looks like a beverage can.

Impressed by Gledhill’s product pitches, the craft brewery ordered 150 Reflex Couches and 250 coolers. Beyond winning a single sale, Gledhill’s performance helped further solidify him as the brewer’s go-to source for promotional solutions – a distinc-tion won with persistence and reaffirmed with campaigns that are always carefully orchestrated to produce maximum ROI. “It took a year to get in with them, but I was able to prove myself and we’ve been working together now for seven years,” he says. “I’m always looking for fun ideas for them.”

MARKET: CRAFT BREWERIES

TAILGATE APPEAL

BIZ TIPS: FOCUS ON FOOTBALLBeer is often an integral part of football watch-ing for many fans. With the season just around the corner, now is an opportune time to pre-pare pigskin-themed promotions for craft brewers. Stay ahead of your competition by suggesting unique ways to brand and integrate traditional items like can coolers and bottle open-ers into promotional campaigns. Also, pitch outside-the-box items that, when combined with creative messag-ing, truly evoke brewers’ brands.

Congratulations! Go get your reward.

FAST FACTS CRAFT BREWERS WANT …

The Reflex Travel Couch (628-00-100) reclines and is portable, making it an excellent item for craft brewers targeting football fans who want a comfortable

seat when tailgating. From Picnic Time, (asi/78065), 888-742-6429.

SALES BOOST

Bar collateral: pint glasses, beer mats, coasters, towels and even taphandlesT-Shirts, caps, hoodies – sometimes for each style of beer the brewer makesKeychains that double as bot-tle openers

20% $14.3 Billion

110,273*Source: The Brewers Association

Retail dollar value of craft brewery industry in 2013

Number of U.S. jobs provided by craft brewers

Dollar growth of craft brewing in 2013 over 2012

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