Before You Pack the Sunblock, Pack a Better OOO Reply by Desiree Grace A Distributor Channel Marketing Moment By Desiree Grace Ready for some R&R? Rushing out the door to leave work behind? Don’t forget the sunblock, the spare charger, and an extra credit card. And please, before you set that “Gone Fishing” vibe, take five minutes to craft a professional, friendly, and useful out-of-office message. Out of office? Who cares? Your customers and colleagues, that’s who. The tone of your greeting matters. Include an emergency contact who has agreed in advance to be your backup, and provide a way to reach you in a true emergency. Your auto-response while on vacation tells people a lot about you. Forgetting to create one also says a lot, and none of it good. A couple of real-world examples: “Out of the office until August 31.” “Hi! I’m out of the office on holiday, returning August 31. While I may not be checking emails, your message is important to me. Bill can help y...

North Stars: The Distributor’s Original GPS In Defense of My North Stars Why I Still Trust My North Stars (Even in the Age of AI) By Frank Hurtte Forgive the extra titles, I just couldn't decide on the perfect one to reflect this post! I’m not exactly sure when the concept of “North Stars” first became part of my thinking. It may have been from Peter Drucker, whose books-on-tape I devoured back when I was a young sales guy working through an MBA reading list on the road. Drucker hammered home the importance of enduring principles and mission-driven leadership. Later, Jim Collins in Good to Great reinforced this idea, showing how great companies cling to their core values even as they navigate massive change. For me, North Stars are those steadfast principles that offer clarity and direction, especially when markets shift and trends whirl around like the weather here in the Midwest. Never one to let a solid idea slip by, I developed my own set of North Stars for distributors...

Reactive Selling Isn't a Sin if You Do It with a Purpose By Frank Hurtte Proactive, proactive, and more proactive! Selling stories flood the internet like a tsunami of advice. Is it just me, or is every sales expert on the planet preaching some kind of “Max Overdrive” model of proactive action? Truth be told, that approach might be completely impractical for a big segment of our industry. We’ve bought into it, too. Every time a sales manager steps up in a conference room and unveils their vision of a 100% proactive future, the team shudders, digs in their heels, and covertly begins planning how to avoid it. True Confessions I used to be one of those guys at the front of the room pontificating about proactive selling. These days, I’m convinced reactive selling has an important place, especially in the world of knowledge-based distribution. Through up-close observation and dozens of interviews with successful sellers, I’ve learned that reactive selling, done right, is far from passiv...

When the Heat Is On, Only the Cool Brands Survive Staying Top of Mind with the Evoked Set The Evoked Set (aka the Consideration Set) is that short list of brands someone immediately thinks of when they need a product in a particular category. For example: It’s hotter than Hades in your warehouse, and you need fans. Right now. Boom! Enter Big Ass Fans. That’s my Evoked Set. If you press me, I might recall Hunter or Epic Fans, but I’m reaching. The point is, when someone has a problem to solve, especially under pressure, they go with brands they know, trust, and remember. Price? Secondary. Availability and quality? Top of mind. No, this isn’t a sponsored post. It’s a brand awareness lesson . People are decision-making machines, and they want to be efficient. That’s why smart companies invest in brand-building marketing,  to earn their spot in that Evoked Set. If you're selling fans, fuses, or fire extinguishers, your goal is the same: Be one of the top 1–3 brands your custo...

The Sales Gold Rush: Digging Beyond the Easy Wins By Desiree Grace Are you struggling to hit your goals? Is the mid-year review giving you that sinking feeling? If so, it’s time to dig deeper—because there’s still gold in them thar hills. But you’ve got to put in the work to uncover it. Start by prospecting for new customers. If that sounds obvious, it's because it is—but if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. So, work smart. Ask yourself: which customers are currently winning with you? Who genuinely appreciates what you bring to the table? Find more just like them. For example, if industrial contractors are a stronghold in your portfolio, seek out similar prospects—like other industrial firms or large commercial contractors. Leverage your strengths and replicate your past successes. Next, mine your existing customer base. Are you maximizing your current relationships? What product categories aren’t moving that should be? If something’s not selling, find out why. ...

The Power of Naming Plays (and People) Right:  Win by Choosing the Right Words By Desiree Grace Once upon a time, a newly minted VP of Sales had the brilliant idea of evaluating rep agents consistently, fairly, and data-driven. Sounds reasonable, right? Yes, and also no. The concept was solid. The execution? Not so much. Armed with an impressive academic background, our well-intentioned VP dubbed the evaluation tool a Report Card . Cue the cringing. Thankfully, her team didn’t hold back. “ Report Card makes it sound like we’re treating our reps like children.” “It feels condescending and not at all collaborative.” “C’mon, boss, these are grown men we’re working with. How about calling it a Scorecard instead?” And just like that, collaboration saved the day. The tool was rebranded as a Scorecard , a much more team-oriented, grown-up term. Even better, the process became mutual. The rep agents were measured against clear metrics, and in turn, they evaluated th...

Marketing With a Blueprint, Not a Blindfold A River Heights Consulting Marketing Moment By Desiree Grace In today’s fast-paced digital world, a rock-solid marketing content strategy is essential to connect with your audience, leave a lasting impression, and drive meaningful results. Think of it as your blueprint for telling your brand’s story in a way that sticks.   Wait… What Exactly Is a Marketing Content Strategy? It’s your plan for creating, managing, and sharing content that aligns with your business goals. Whether you're aiming for brand awareness, lead generation, or customer retention, it all boils down to understanding your audience and delivering content that hits the mark.   6 Ways to Nail Your Content Strategy 1. Set Clear Goals Start with the end in mind. More visibility? More qualified leads? More loyal customers? Whatever your goal, defining it up front keeps your strategy on track. Make them SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and...

From Passenger to Pilot: Own Your Career with SMART Goals ! By Desiree Grace Last week we talked about SMART goals. But now it's time to look at things from the perspective of the salesperson. Salespeople, it’s that time of year again, the mid-year review. Like any good traveler, preparation is everything. And when it comes to your career, you need to be SMART. Think of it like this: if you’ve ever spent a night in an airport hotel without your luggage, you’ve probably learned to stash a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a clean t-shirt in your backpack. The same logic applies to your performance review, except your backpack is full of data, accomplishments, and SMART goals. Step 1: Preparation is a Year-Round Activity Mid-year reviews shouldn’t sneak up on you like turbulence over Chicago. You prepare all year long. How? Save the wins. Every large order, every glowing customer email or thank-you text? File it away. Keep a running record on your desktop so you're ready when revi...

Over the last few years, I have been asked to put some of my articles out in podcast format.  I think mid-year planning is super important so I created this short podcast for you to check out. Game Changing Half-Time Strategies Podcast

SMART Goals: Your Mid-Year Reality Check By Desiree Grace You don’t need to be Einstein or Stephen Hawking to succeed in sales. What you do need is planning, discipline, and a little vigilance. Is this some scientific breakthrough? A new AI tool? Nope, it’s as basic as 1+1=2. Creating SMART goals and tracking your progress is the tried-and-true formula for breakthrough results. As we hit the mid-point of the year, it’s time for a little self-inventory. Are your goals still on track? Is your team performing as expected? Let’s start with the foundation, the goals themselves. They must be SMART: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-Bound If your goals are missing any of these five elements, it’s time for a rewrite. Consider this example: Vague goal: “Increase cross-selling.” Not bad, but not necessarily  SMART .   SMART goal: “Increase product categories sold by at least two categories with your top 10 customers by the end of fiscal year 2025. Each new...

Game Changing Half-Time Strategies:  Coach Your Team Like a Champion By Frank Hurtte Podcast Version It’s June 30th. The 2025 half-time buzzer is about to sound. Whether you’re up, down, or locked in a defensive struggle, it’s time for a gut-check. Distributors, this is your moment to reassess, realign, and get back in the game. Since sports history is full of great half-time stories, let’s take a few minutes to reflect on some momentous events and the power of a pause. Your sales team might benefit from the same kind of mid-game magic.   Super Bowl LI, 2017: The New England Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons by 18 points. At halftime, head coach Bill Belichick and his coaching staff made critical strategic adjustments to counter the Falcons' dominant performance. The result? One of the greatest comebacks in NFL history with the Patriots scoring 25 unanswered points to tie the game and force it into overtime. Ultimately, the Patriots won Super Bowl LI in the first-e...