by Don Sanders

The only way to build a successful distributorship is by making and maintaining strong relationships with those with whom you deal. Doing business with customers on a long- term basis is more profitable. Those steady income-producing relationships also afford you more time to look for new clients. Regardless of the size of your company—a Mom and Pop or a multi-million dollar operation—having strong relationships with customers is the key to consistently growing your business.
Just think about how time-consuming it is to constantly be out looking for new clients. It is also very expensive in terms of dollars spent and selling time lost. Some salespeople spend countless hours and thousands of dollars every year trying to find new people with whom to do business, because they are unable to develop and maintain relationships. Smart distributors know that time must be spent looking for new accounts, but they also know the value of cultivating their existing business relationships.

The 80/20 Rule and “Hot Buttons”

Most salespeople know that 80% of their orders come from only 20% of their clients. It’s simply easier to sell things to people whom you know, because you are familiar with their “hot buttons.” Customers buy from vendors for a myriad of reasons. When you can identify a client’s interests and desires and push those buttons, you will be rewarded with sales and a long-term client relationship. Here are several examples of “Hot Buttons.”

1. “I want the best.”

Some customers prefer to buy one type of product—the best that there is. Lucky distributors who find these clients usually enjoy a higher profit ratio on their sales.However, the search for quality-oriented customer takes patience and planning. You must be thoroughly versed on what you sell, but you must be prepared to handle a buyer who demands perfection.

2. “I needed it yesterday.”

Placing last-minute orders is the only way some people know how to conduct business. If you are proficient enough to meet last-minute demands and changes, you should have no trouble finding prospects who are looking for your services. But be careful; this process of taking last-minute orders can either make or break you, depending on their delivery schedules.

3. “Do my thinking for me.”

Many prospects are clueless about what to buy, so they are always looking for someone who can provide them with fresh ideas that will fit different promotions. If you can think creatively for others, as well as for yourself, you can build strong relationships that can last quite a long time.

4. “Lighten my load.”

Many potential customers face so many challenges in their jobs, that the last thing they need to worry about is which promotional products they need to buy. If it is their responsibility to purchase the imprinted products for the company, they often look for vendors who can not only think of ideas, but handle such things as packaging, fulfillment, and the creation of collateral materials. These potential customers, known as turn-key buyers, are best served by distributors who have the ability to offer a wide range of professional services.

5. “Counsel and entertain me.”

Frequently, the development of a close personal relationship with someone is the main reason a person buys from another. Perhaps a client feels comfortable sharing personal information with a salesperson who may then offer advice on how to handle their personal affairs. Carefully and judiciously handled, this can create bonds that no one can break. In the following story, read how a distributor saved a customer’s marriage, and was richly rewarded with more business:

My name is Jim Edwards, and my longtime customer Carol Vinson revealed to me one day during a personal visit that she was going to marry the gentleman she had been dating for the past year. Over a four-year period, I had written a good number of orders for her by making weekly visits and treating her to lunch once a month. During this time, we had become fairly good friends and had shared some of the details of our personal lives.

Then on a sales call just after her first anniversary, she asked for my opinion about something. When I told her to “ask away,” she revealed to me that some resentment had surfaced in her new family. This was the result of her new husband expecting greater participation in family chores from her sixteen-year-old daughter from her first marriage.

After listening for a while, I asked what last name was used on the family mailbox. She said that they were still using her former last name, because they were living in the house she owned before they were married, Since her husband had sold his house and moved into her house, the name on the mailbox had never changed. I suggested that she buy a new mailbox, and place both families’ last names on the box--her old one and their new one. She thought that was a good idea, and that she would do it.

The next time I visited Carol, she thanked me profusely, claiming that the mailbox advice had saved her marriage. It seemed that her husband’s and daughter’s attitudes about one another had significantly improved as a result of the mailbox name change. They now both felt they were more of a family, and had worked out their differences. I never dreamed a mailbox could so impact people’s lives! My customer is happier than ever, and I am doing more business her company than I had dreamed possible.



The power of consistency

There are many steps in building strong relationship, but one in particular should run throughout all that you do. And that is consistency. Once you become a consistent performer, you will be able to use all of the techniques that build long-term relationships between you and your clients. Here are some examples.

• Mail effectively and regularly.

Everyone likes to receive mail, especially when it includes something that interests them. By creating direct mail pieces that are different from your competitors (who are most likely sending standard industry catalogs), you will become known as someone special. Send unique mailing pieces, such as newsletters and compelling offers, on a consistent schedule and you will show that you are creative AND effective.

HOT TIP: We recently learned about a company that produces postcards that can be individually personalized. The cards are printed one at a time with your prospects’ names and logo. People who receive something like that from you send will appreciate your ability to “think outside the box.”

This is how one distributor used mail to form relationships:

My name is Laura Spencer and I have used direct mail pieces for years to find new customers. Every bounce-back card I’ve designed offers a unique gift to the recipient who returns the card. One day I decided to send the cards to my current customers, as well as my prospects. The results were amazing.

Of the first 100 cards sent to my customers offering a free $25 writing instrument, I received twenty cards in return. I then made it a point to personally visit each customer who had returned a card, because I wanted to see each one’s reaction when I presented the pen in person. At each of my stops, I was told how much the pen was much appreciated, and I casually learned about customers’ upcoming projects. On five out of ten visits, I received new orders right on the spot!

After this success, I included my customers’ in every card mailing program. Most of them actually look forward to receiving the chance to getting a free gift, and I enjoy tracking out who responds to exactly which offers. Sometimes I even take the cards on sales calls to those who didn’t return the bounce-back cards, so that I can show them what they missed. Nine times out of ten those who did not return the card ask if they can still have the gift. Of course I usually give them one, hoping that their guilt will turn into a new order!

• Develop a reliable calling pattern.

It is important to have a consistent strategy that keeps you calling on clients on a regular basis. The best way to prove that you are a service provider, and not just an order taker, is by making regular personal visits on clients. That’s not to say that you should become a pest, but you never want your customers to forget your shining smile and your accommodating personality!

HOT TIP: Plan the work week in advance. Each week write down your calling schedule in a full size planner, or enter the information into an electronic organizer. After every week, compare the number of personal visits to the number of sales you made so that you can determine which schedule works best for you.

• Deliver on time.

Every order you sell becomes a commitment between you and your customer. By accepting an order from someone, you are telling that person that you can be trusted to deliver on time. Even when circumstances arise that will adversely affect the order, do everything in your power to meet your commitments. Nothing sends a stronger message to the client that his or her business is safe with you.

HOT TIP: Every time you place an order, ask for confirmation from the supplier. Even on repeat orders, ask the supplier to call, fax, or e-mail you their receipt and confirmation of your order. In today’s sales world, you can never be complacent when it comes to order placement. Never take chances here.

• Don’t offer excuses.

Every one makes mistakes. Many times things go wrong even when all the proper steps and precautions have been taken. The worse thing you can do is to make an excuse when things don’t go as planned. If something does go wrong with an order, tell the customer that you will correct the problem immediately. Do so in a timely and calm manner without blaming anyone and everyone!

HOT TIP: Though it is extremely hard to do, admit mistakes as soon as you can. This tends to lessen the impact. Try asking the customer, “What would make you happy?” then quickly set out to do whatever is required. By consistently handling adversity in a professional manner, you will earn the respect and admiration of clients—even in bad situations.

• Keep your game plan fresh.

Mediocrity breeds contempt. It also loses customers. After you have called on someone for a certain amount of time, make some changes to your routine. If you have never done spec samples for them, show up one day with several in hand. Send them different catalogs, coupon offers, newsletters, or whatever you find interesting and relevant to their buying habits. By breaking up routines, you have a better chance of fending off competitors who are looking to steal your business.

HOT TIP: If you are an AARP member (part of the over 50 crowd like we are), keep up with the younger people’s interests and tastes by subscribing to magazines that cater to their age group, such as Men’s Journal or Glamour. If you are a member of the Men’s Journal crowd, subscribe to publications that older people tend to read. That way you will know how to deal with customers of all ages.

One of the greatest rewards from building strong client relationships is the repeat orders you will receive on a consistent basis. All successful distributors in the industry count on those repeat orders to keep them going. There is nothing greater than getting a call that includes the words, “You know those pens we ordered two months ago? Can you reorder them for us?” If you are getting calls like that every week, then you have succeeded at building relationships. If not, then it’s time to make some changes. By doing so, you will not only enjoy greater profitability, but better piece of mind and a richer, fuller life.