| Wholesale distributors involved with a dealer channel | | | | better educated than they were in the 90's. Sales |
| that serves the end user have unique challenges in | | | | representatives must understand their customers' |
| sales management. Ideally, this dealer channel should | | | | needs, find their pain and practice solution selling.The |
| be strongly aligned with their wholesale distributors. | | | | Territory Opportunity Action-planning Discussion |
| That means a sharing of common goals and | | | | (TOAD) is the most important element in the |
| objectives with accountability on both sides of the | | | | process. It is the platform that creates timely |
| equation. Dealers are not customers. They should be | | | | feedback and a focus on meeting objectives. Sales |
| treated as channel partners. That means the | | | | managers should center these monthly discussions |
| wholesale distributor must focus on what the dealer | | | | around performance improvement, coaching on best |
| is selling and not what they are buying.Effective sales | | | | practices and providing support to the sales team.A |
| management in this channel includes planning sales | | | | scorecard supports accountability and alignment |
| growth, executing account strategies and using | | | | throughout the network. It is a diagnostic tool and a |
| objective feedback to continuously improve | | | | motivator. It should include both results |
| performance and drive accountability. Maximizing | | | | measurements (e.g. revenue, gross profit and market |
| success and profitability creates the necessity to | | | | share growth) and supporting activity measurements |
| manage this channel as a single integrated being. This | | | | (e.g. targeting activities, program compliance, training |
| means an effective sales process and structure must | | | | participation).The tool kit is a library of best practice |
| be in place which includes metrics, training and | | | | guidelines, reference material and other resources |
| resources to support and improve sales performance | | | | that anyone in the enterprise can peruse at his own |
| for both the distributor and the dealer.Effective sales | | | | convenience. The contents could include manuals, |
| management is not rocket science: "You measure | | | | safety sheets, call budgeting, planning tools and |
| results but you manage the activities that create | | | | account penetration strategy guidelines, etc.As |
| those results." Although the transition from activities | | | | today's sales environment leans toward a more |
| to results can be almost immediate in demand | | | | multifaceted atmosphere, salespeople must become |
| fulfillment activities, it can become an extended | | | | strategists with a plan. This plan requires more |
| period for demand creation and account | | | | knowledge about the business, better relationships |
| development. Consequently, managing results is like | | | | and better solutions. Once you accumulated this |
| closing the barn door after the horses are out of the | | | | knowledge, utilize it. Develop your penetration |
| barn. It's just too late. The results you measure | | | | strategy around the customer's pains. What |
| today are often created by activities that took place | | | | challenges do they face on a day to day basis? How |
| weeks and even months previously. To effectively | | | | do they make money? Where can you provide value, |
| manage sales in the dealer channel, it is imperative to | | | | increase their ability to make profit. (This does not |
| define the specific activities necessary to drive | | | | include price reductions). Employ all the resources in |
| results. By then managing those activities, success | | | | your company that are necessary to accomplish your |
| becomes much easier to achieve.The key | | | | growth objectives. Dr. Rick Johnson () is the founder |
| components of this sales management process are | | | | of CEO Strategist LLC, an experienced based firm |
| as follows:TargetingTOADScorecardTool kitTargeting | | | | specializing in leadership, strategic planning and the |
| should become a critically important sales practice for | | | | creation of competitive advantage in wholesale |
| dealers and distributors - the difference between | | | | distribution. CEO Strategist LLC. works in an advisory |
| demand fulfillment and strategic demand creation, | | | | capacity with distributor executives in board |
| proactive selling. This is the process of selecting high | | | | representation, executive coaching, team coaching |
| potential accounts, developing penetration plans for | | | | and education and training to make the changes |
| each, and turning potential into achievable results. | | | | necessary to create or maintain competitive |
| Targeting becomes a driving force for call planning | | | | advantage. You can contact them by calling |
| and time management, as dealer sales people shift | | | | 352-750-0868, or visit for more information. CEO |
| their focus to increasing market share by improving | | | | Strategist - experts in Strategic Leadership in |
| share of customer spend and new account | | | | Wholesale Distribution. |
| generation. Today's customer is much smarter and | | | | |