The Distributor Channel

In my conversations with salespeople about sales call numbers, one common point is the need for more selling time.  For newer salespeople breaking into the profession, simply getting enough sales calls to build a territory can be challenging.   For the more experienced seller, not generating enough calls is less of a career shortcoming and more of a frustration.  They have mastered the products and technologies sold by their company and now feel their growth is limited by the natural time constraints of reaching customers.   For top-tier sellers, creating more sales time becomes an instrument to increase their dominance at major customers.  They plan to develop relationships with the dozens of potential buying influences at the account, but somehow find themselves constantly busy with existing contacts.  Try as they may, they are limited by their inability to carve out the time for what Stephen Covey calls “activities that are important but not urgent.” Wherever you are in this sales/t

So, you just got RIFFED—a Reduction In Force, aka a re- organization. You feel gobsmacked, mad, sad, rejected, among other emotions. But, as with other potholes in the road of life, you must keep moving forward. After receiving excellent advice in a similar situation, I can confidently share with you the 10-step RIF Survival Road Map. Take a day or two, but no more, to wallow in your emotions. Then, pull yourself together, and chart your path forward. As you do, remind yourself that none of this is personal. All good CEOs must make tough decisions, and that can involve cost-cutting. Appreciate what you learned, and the people you met, and focus on the positive. Set yourself up for success, personally and professionally. If you need to cut costs at home, do so. Put that wine club on hold, review your subscriptions, and cut out some of those non-essentials. While you WILL find another job, there is no sense in digging a hole and deciding on a new opportunity out of desperation. If you ne

My 11-year-old wants to earn money this summer. Preferably by babysitting. Since I want to encourage my budding businesswoman, we started by discussing our Target Market and the 4 Ps of Marketing: • Target Market:   4 neighbors with 3+ little kids who could likely use help • Product:   My daughter’s services (we’ll refer to her as E) as a babysitter or Mother’s helper. • Place: Within walking distance of our home. • Promotion:  We made a flier detailing her qualifications: o Completion of a babysitting course at the local community center o Straight A student o Safety Patrol during her 5th grade year o First-degree black belt o Completion of all Red Cross swimming courses o Good with kids and animals o Cute picture of my kid dressed appropriately and smiling—underlining the responsible and friendly aspects of her personality o We also rehearsed “the approach” aka introducing yourself, smiling, looking adults in the eye, and extending a hand for a handshake •

It's Fourth of July week in the United States.  Independence Day, America Day, and the Fourth of July all celebrate American freedom.  The distant beat of John Philip Sousa's patriotic melodies mingles with the steel gray smoke of fireworks in the distance.  Friends and families gather at the local park, enduring the summer heat, grass stains, and mosquitoes. To steal a phrase from my pal, Tom; “That’s how we roll in America.  We’re celebrating Freedom and if you don’t like it-- tough.”   I would like to raise a discussion under this great backdrop of Freedom, Independence, and Liberty.    Electronic Privacy in the Sales Department It is well known that the government has easy access to our phone records and electronic data.  Deep within a top-secret vault in a nondescript suburb of Washington DC, they have our text messages, emails, and other information.  They can determine how much time you spend reading this blog and can also track your location.  Thanks to your phone’s GP

Did you know June 28th is National Logistics Day?  On average, the cost of logistics is approximately 8% of everything we purchase. Consumers rarely think about this when looking for cheap delivery. In Distributorland, the logistics folks are often overlooked unless your customer has a complaint. People seldom call up to say what a great job they are doing. So yes, they deserve a day! These behind-the-scenes employees work hard to keep our customers happy, often working extended hours to meet expectations. Those in logistics have also encountered changes at every turn. Just like in sales, the landscape has evolved significantly over the past few years.   Has your department evolved?  Answer the following questions to see if your warehouse/logistics operations are keeping up the pace with changes in the world: 1.   How are items placed in your warehouse?  Are they by location? 2.   What process/tools do you use, like wave picking, to make order processing more efficient? 3.   How are er

Hablas Espanol?  My Scorecard If you are here from a teaser link you probably think this is about how taking time off to reset can help you better focus on your job.  Yes, that is absolutely true.  But ask my wife, I've never taken a vacation without my laptop.  I always think I'll get a lot done.  Best laid plans.  Leave the laptop at home, folks.  Moving on... Everyone who knows me is aware of my interest in learning Spanish. Over the years, I've made it a point to visit Mexico at least once annually and after each trip, I've felt determined to learn the language. A couple of years ago, I finally took the plunge and signed up for the DuoLingo app. One of the best things about this app is the built-in scorecard.  I set a goal each day and it tells me if I have met or exceeded my goal.  At the end of each week, I get a scorecard.  Here are the current results:  I have over a 1,100-day practice streak, an average of 2.6 daily sessions, and have learned over 2,000 words. 

“In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.” – Hank Aaron “Batter up!” Baseball is in full swing and so is succession planning. Are you building your bench strength?  If not, START.  Easy to say, but where do you begin? One key element is learning and development for your current team. Employees STAY when they feel an organization is invested and investing in them. LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Learning Report  LinkedIn’s 2018 Workforce Learning Report found that 93% of respondents would remain at a company longer if it invested in their career. LinkedIn Learning’s 2021 Workplace Learning Report  LinkedIn Learning’s 2021 Workplace Learning Report confirms that this trend still holds true. Gen Z employees especially place a high value on learning in the workplace, and the associated career growth.   The 2023