Distributors – Sales is Still a Contact Sport … Back to Basics

Recently Prokeep developed a sales playbook white paper for electrical distributors that is a great reminder of the sales basics that inevitably every salesperson, sales manager, branch manager and marketing department … forget.

Companies, managers, and individuals forget because everyone is too busy supporting “the” customer, “the” opportunity, developing “the” next new marketing program or putting out the current fire. We’ve all had it happen.

But, with business slowing, it’s more important than ever to focus on the basics so that you don’t miss the next opportunity. Every incremental small sale to an existing customer is incremental profit and a step to customer satisfaction and retention. Every “check-in” is an opportunity to let the customer know you are thinking of them and trying to help … or an opportunity with an underperforming customer (also known as “small”) that their business is important.

And, with business slowing, is sales (outside and inside) “filling their time” or making proactive usage of the time (technology in the form of email, social media, analytics / reports, online searches, etc. has a way of being a time suck!)

“Winning More Revenue with Proactive Selling”

Entitled “Winning More Revenue with Proactive Selling”, Prokeep’s sales playbook emphasizes the importance of proactive selling strategies to increase revenue and improve customer interactions. It outlines various tactics for sales representatives to engage customers actively rather than reactively, ultimately leading to higher sales and improved customer satisfaction.

Key Plays for Proactive Selling:

• Customer Re-Engagement: Reach out to 5 customers per week who haven’t purchased in 30 days.
• Post-Sale Check-Ins: Challenge employees to send 5 check-ins per week to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Delivery Notifications: Send 2 notifications per delivery to keep customers informed.
• Time-Sensitive Promotions: Offer at least 1 promotional blast to 25% of the contact database.
• Re-Order Reminders: Schedule 3 reminders per week for customers who make recurring purchases.
• Tailored Recommendations: Encourage reps to make 5 product recommendations using “Did You Know?” questions weekly.
• Cross-Sell Suggestions: Add a cross-sell suggestion to every order pickup notification.
• Upsell/Cross-Sell in Transactions: Encourage counter-reps to make 5 upsell/cross-sell recommendations per week.
• Follow-Up on Out-of-Stock Items: Set reminders for follow-ups as soon as items become available.
• Marketing Opt-Ins: Attach marketing opt-ins to 10 inbound order pickup inquiries per week.

Success Goal Checklist:

• Outbound Goals:

• Call 5 customers per week who haven’t purchased in 30 days.
• Send 5 post-sale check-ins per week.
• Send 2 notifications per delivery.
• Send 1 time-sensitive promo blast to 25% of the contact database.
• Schedule 3 re-order reminders per week.
• Make 5 tailored product recommendations using “Did You Know?” questions per week.
• Add a cross-sell suggestion to every order pickup notification.

• Inbound Goals:

• Encourage every counter-rep to make 5 upsell/cross-sell recommendations per week.
• Set reminders for follow-ups on out-of-stock items.
• Attach marketing opt-ins to 10 inbound order pickup inquiries per week.

By implementing these strategies, sales teams can transition from a reactive approach to a proactive one, maximizing every customer interaction and driving revenue growth.

Take Aways

While a “return to the basics” may appear to be time consuming, it’s also a matter of “develop the plan, work the plan”. In many instances, elements of this plan … and being proactive … can be automated (and yes, Prokeep has some tools that can help). Sometimes with tools you already have (MS Outlook, email marketing tools, reminders in your ERP system) and sometimes with very affordable, easy to implement tools that have an immediate payback (and sometimes suppliers will help fund / co-fund them.)

The problem with the basics … they are not new, not flashy, and frequently not “brain surgery.” The are just “forgotten.”

Going into 2025, distributors who

• Sharpen their sales discipline
• Have focused strategies and target accounts
• Are intentional in their initiatives

Will take share.

I encourage you to download the Sales Playbook by clicking here. Prokeep is also holding a webinar on Wednesday, November 13^th at 2:00 EST / 1:00 CST / 11:00 AM PST with some examples from distributors and some additional ideas (and I am is also participating on the panel.)

Remember, sales is a contact sport. While they may “hit you up with an order”, you need to “hit them for an order.”