16•


SMART MANAGEMENT


Selling products is only partof your business


(Continued from page 14.)


every soapbox they could find. B. twenty years ago I heard com-


plaints that import fittings might not be up to snuff. In some cases, it seemed that foreign manufacturers were struggling with the quality, con- sistency and perception issues that domestic manufacturers mastered decades ago. now mostly what I hear is that many fittings from anywhere are about the same in the eyes of the trade person. • It is a game of inches —When


so many things about wholesalers are the same or similar, just being a little better might be enough to trump your competitors. While this may seem like a dismal forecast, like the weather, we can com-


plain about it but there is little we can do to actually change it. My main rec- ommendation is that wholesalers, and probably manufacturers, need to focus on rethinking and rebuilding their trade relationships to create and to promote their non-product differentiators. It is these non-product differentiators that can convince trade customers to reli- ably buy from a wholesaler whose products are largely the same as every other wholesaler’s.


So here’s my prescription for wholesale differentiation


• Good reliable operation is first


and foremost —If you are unreliable in the normal stuff: Ordering, stock- ing, Delivering and Handling warranty issues, you need to fix that first in


order to get invited to the party. People don’t care about anything else when your base service sucks. • Friendly people is a close sec-


ond —People buy from people they like when possible. Make sure that every person in your company under- stands that they are part of the selling


•THE WHOLESALER® — MARCH 2011


areas, contractor work areas, clean coffee areas and absolutely spotless restrooms can be enough to differen- tiate you from the other alternatives in your market. • “Find out who you are, then do


manufacturers, need to focus on rethinking and rebuilding their trade relationships to create and to promote their non-product differentiators. It is these non-product differentiators that can convince trade customers to reliably buy from a wholesaler whose products are largely the same as every other wholesaler’s.


process. When your grumpy truck driver gets up on the wrong side of a hangover and is rude to a customer, he just differentiated your company in the wrong direction. and in a game of inches, it matters. • Tend to the small stuff to create


distance between you and your competitors —neat clean counter


person? Most wholesalers have unique strengths that their customers value. Part of good marketing is knowing who you are, then doing it consistently well and, of course, selling the heck out of it. Most wholesalers do a lot of things right but never get credit from their customers and prospects. (Turn to Are you... page 192.)


My main recommendation is that wholesalers, and probably


it on purpose” (Dolly Parton) — Who knew that Dolly was a marketing


See contact information on page 194 • Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •


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