Discussion
Any help here would be appreciated.
I have fairly recently moved from my office role in Technical Sales to become a Regional Sales Manager for a company in the Building Services sector (HVAC).
I cover a very large area that has been neglected by previous occupants of the role, and therefore hardly anyone I speak to knows anything about our company. We're not a market leader by any stretch of the imagination but we make good quality product and can be very competitive IF given an opportunity.
However, since August it's been a real struggle, no one has any time for sales reps, apparently unless an existing relationship is in place, so trying to create a relationship is nearly impossible. On the odd occasion that I've managed to get my foot in the door, and get a good look at a job, by the time it gets to ordering stage, we lose out as the bigger distributors are only interested in selling their preferred manufacturers gear.
Anybody got any suggestions? I've moved from one end of the country to the other so am not going to quit to do this job, but at the moment I just feel like i'm banging my head against a wall.
Cheers.
I have fairly recently moved from my office role in Technical Sales to become a Regional Sales Manager for a company in the Building Services sector (HVAC).
I cover a very large area that has been neglected by previous occupants of the role, and therefore hardly anyone I speak to knows anything about our company. We're not a market leader by any stretch of the imagination but we make good quality product and can be very competitive IF given an opportunity.
However, since August it's been a real struggle, no one has any time for sales reps, apparently unless an existing relationship is in place, so trying to create a relationship is nearly impossible. On the odd occasion that I've managed to get my foot in the door, and get a good look at a job, by the time it gets to ordering stage, we lose out as the bigger distributors are only interested in selling their preferred manufacturers gear.
Anybody got any suggestions? I've moved from one end of the country to the other so am not going to quit to do this job, but at the moment I just feel like i'm banging my head against a wall.
Cheers.
Sogra said:
My advice would be talk to the customer understand their needs listen and listen again fully understand their business and look for solutions to solve problems for them then tie back to your products and services.
Understand your product / service inside out and what you can give that other people can't or are poor at. You may be more expensive but provide better value for money or make their life easier.
Unfortunately it seems in this industry that cost is king. We don't have a problem in being competitive, but we do have a problem in getting "the last shout", if you like. Understand your product / service inside out and what you can give that other people can't or are poor at. You may be more expensive but provide better value for money or make their life easier.
For example, if you're mates with a particular manufacturers rep, you get your prices in, then when it comes to ordering time, you show them what they're up against, and they just says ok, we'll do it for 5% less than your best price.
How do you compete against that?
technodup said:
eople are greedy and selfish. They will make time for you if they're sufficiently persuaded that it's in their interests e.g. more income, less time, increased ease etc. If you come across as needy or desperate to sell they'll not give you the time of day. Try to reverse the situation in your head- you're doing them the favour if YOU take the time to see THEM.
In your position I'd never refer to myself as 'sales' anything, it puts peoples backs up straight away. Admin manager, business development, relationship consultant, get creative and stretch it a bit. It's window dressing but it'll take pressure off both parties, making the rapport aspect easier.
Haha yeah I hate the term "Sales Rep", it automatically makes you think of annoying pest. In your position I'd never refer to myself as 'sales' anything, it puts peoples backs up straight away. Admin manager, business development, relationship consultant, get creative and stretch it a bit. It's window dressing but it'll take pressure off both parties, making the rapport aspect easier.
You've hit the nail on the head in one opening sentence. It wouldn't be so bad if I was trying to market something that no one needs, like PPI or double glazed windows, I could at least relate to that!!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its just price, but price is a big part. The biggest problem is that, unfortunately for me and the company, the area hasn't been covered properly for a long time, and there are no existing relationships in place. It's easier to get the price right when you've got the relationship with someone, but hard to build a relationship when people won't see you.
I'm under no illusions that it's going to happen overnight, and perhaps I'm being a bit impatient, but just getting frustrated that it's very slow moving at the moment.
Appreciate your thoughts though!
I'm under no illusions that it's going to happen overnight, and perhaps I'm being a bit impatient, but just getting frustrated that it's very slow moving at the moment.
Appreciate your thoughts though!
Sogra said:
Dont put yourself under pressure selling is a process, anybody can sell, sure some people are more natural. I would expect with your technical background you have a big advantage with your knowledge base.
Consider doing a technical training evening for a handful of customers 1 hour training and a few hours of food and beers.
The fact the area has been neglected is both good and bad. Good in that the opportunity to grow is massive but bad in that your company has already shown it doesn't care about those customers ( true or not it's the perception that counts)
Feel free to PM me if you want
You are spot on with each point. I'm not overly technical, I don't come from an engineering background, but i'm not utterly clueless and have a good idea of what we're up against.Consider doing a technical training evening for a handful of customers 1 hour training and a few hours of food and beers.
The fact the area has been neglected is both good and bad. Good in that the opportunity to grow is massive but bad in that your company has already shown it doesn't care about those customers ( true or not it's the perception that counts)
Feel free to PM me if you want
We do provide courses for design engineers which provides them with training, it's not allowed to be manufacturer specific but they get to know our faces and form relationships and that's often a good way to make yourself, if not the company. Again, it's just getting that initial foot in the door in the first place.
MattHall91 said:
Why are you different? ARE you different?
Find out the customer's needs and determine exactly how you meet their needs better than any of the market leaders. People will pay for a good product. Anybody can sell a dirt cheap product.
I work as a regional sales manager for Henkel and Unibond stuff is twice the price of Evo-Stik. If the customer wants cheap I am only too happy to lead them to our rivals. If they want the RIGHT product FIRST time, then we can talk and try and work to their budget.
Feel free to PM me if you wish. I appreciate FMCG might not be too similar to your role, however selling is the same whether it's glue or a multi-million pound project.
I have to be different otherwise there is no reason to move away from what the customer is already getting from our competition. I have a decent amount of knowledge of our product and our competitors which means they don't have to wait weeks on end for answers to their questions. I also take a great deal of pride in customer service and aftersales, which seems to be a big sticking point in the industry, a lot of people complain about the lack of service they get from our competitors. This in itself is frustrating, as despite the constant complains, they still go back, because it's what they know and are used to. But I appreciate your thoughts.Find out the customer's needs and determine exactly how you meet their needs better than any of the market leaders. People will pay for a good product. Anybody can sell a dirt cheap product.
I work as a regional sales manager for Henkel and Unibond stuff is twice the price of Evo-Stik. If the customer wants cheap I am only too happy to lead them to our rivals. If they want the RIGHT product FIRST time, then we can talk and try and work to their budget.
Feel free to PM me if you wish. I appreciate FMCG might not be too similar to your role, however selling is the same whether it's glue or a multi-million pound project.
MattHall91 said:
I've noticed the recurring theme of getting foot in the door.
Keep chipping away at the most stubborn contacts you've got. They will come round eventually.
If you've got anything you can bang over via email, do that. Just let them browse (or delete it) at their leisure.
Do this once a month. Show your resilience.
It's amazing how many a
holes are just looking to get one over on someone else. Even though it's poor business practise and may prevent them from getting the best solution.
I'm sure you are good at establishing rapport and building relationships, so just chip away until the odd one agrees to a meeting. If you go after 50 and even if ONLY 10% agree after 6 months, depending on your conversion rate, you could have a couple of orders there.
Alternatively, if they are small fry, leave them and focus on your good customers who spend a lot with you. I've given up with pissy accounts giving it the big one like they're a key account. Let them be.
I'm sure it'll pick up after a while. I didn't think it was suddenly going to turn into a multi-million pound area after a couple of months, just a had a couple of bad weeks with people letting me down and not doing what they say they will and it's wearing me down at the moment.Keep chipping away at the most stubborn contacts you've got. They will come round eventually.
If you've got anything you can bang over via email, do that. Just let them browse (or delete it) at their leisure.
Do this once a month. Show your resilience.
It's amazing how many a
holes are just looking to get one over on someone else. Even though it's poor business practise and may prevent them from getting the best solution.I'm sure you are good at establishing rapport and building relationships, so just chip away until the odd one agrees to a meeting. If you go after 50 and even if ONLY 10% agree after 6 months, depending on your conversion rate, you could have a couple of orders there.
Alternatively, if they are small fry, leave them and focus on your good customers who spend a lot with you. I've given up with pissy accounts giving it the big one like they're a key account. Let them be.
DSLiverpool said:
I might be able to help
Do you need to get specified to sell
If distys stock it will it sell over the counter
Are you struggling to get it on the shelf
Answer that lot please
Getting specified helps getting an enquiry, ultimately the contractors will use what they want as long as they either take design responsibility, or get it approved by the designer/consultant.Do you need to get specified to sell
If distys stock it will it sell over the counter
Are you struggling to get it on the shelf
Answer that lot please
Distributors, at least the nationals, seem only interested in dealing with market leaders and people that throw around the most money/rebates/discounts.
Mobile Chicane said:
Are you sure you haven't been handed a poisoned chalice?
If the territory was 'neglected' by your predecessors, there has to be a compelling reason for that, namely no opportunity.
However one has to think positively, and my suggestion to you would be to understand the reasons 'why' you're not getting a look in. I refuse to believe this is price.
Go back to your lapsed customers and ask them why they have gone elsewhere. Likewise, your loyal customers: why are they using you as opposed to anyone else?
Its a very large area, and I don't want to talk down about other people, but they majority of people I see comment on the fact they never seen anyone from our company. If they aren't seeing anyone, then why should they buy from us?If the territory was 'neglected' by your predecessors, there has to be a compelling reason for that, namely no opportunity.
However one has to think positively, and my suggestion to you would be to understand the reasons 'why' you're not getting a look in. I refuse to believe this is price.
Go back to your lapsed customers and ask them why they have gone elsewhere. Likewise, your loyal customers: why are they using you as opposed to anyone else?
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