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We've all heard the saying "Change is inevitable." For jan/san distributors, years of declining margins, consolidation and gas at three bucks a gallon make change a necessity.
In today's competitive market, you can't afford to continue to just cut prices and repeat decades-old sales tactics that devalue your salespeople and your company.
Distributors have to think long-term, taking the focus off hitting immediate goals and concentrating on their customers' needs.
A great way to do this is to begin a marketing campaign for your business. But what exactly is marketing? It's everything that you do to contact and influence your prospects and customers. Marketing acts as the primer to create leads and the right buying environment for prospects and customers.
Marketing defines, differentiates and positions your company. It helps answer the questions prospects have, like "Who are you?" "I don't know anything about your company!" "Who else do I know that does business with you?" "What does your company stand for?" These questions need to be answered not just once, but again and again throughout the relationship. You have to continually reinforce the value of doing business with your company.
Great examples of this are three companies we're all very familiar with: Wal-Mart, Target and Dillard's. Each of these stores has distinguished their own position in the retail marketplace. By using slogans like "Everyday Low Prices" and "The Style of Your Life," they have made their individuality certain. Year after year, they stay committed to defining their name. They continue the message in the products they sell, associates they hire, even their decor. The Sunday newspaper ads you receive from them also have three distinct qualities.
Your distributorship must adopt similar strategies to have life-long customers, as well. Otherwise, what really separates you from the competition? Remember, just as the retailers above, your content must confirm the marketing message.
Before you begin your marketing program, there are three crucial factors that will determine your success:
- You will have to make a commitment to your marketing plan. A 30-, 60-, or even 90-day experiment will almost guarantee failure. Starting from scratch requires patience. Your prospects and customers will have to be fed slowly at first. A gradual diet of new marketing messages is much easier to consume. You'll need to understand that mistakes will be made. You'll change, revise and modify your plan over the course of time until you've found that powerful mix that works over and over again!
- Your marketing plan is an investment. The beginning stages should be a series of calculated conservative investments. Don't expect to see immediate returns. Although it can happen, it's highly unlikely. Just as any investment made, slow and steady wins the race.
- Your marketing program must be consistent. Stay on target with your message and your offerings. Consistency brings about familiarity. The more familiar you are, the more customers will gain confidence in your name, products and services. Confidence in your company and products creates sales!
A successful distributor understands the role of marketing in the sales process. Their salespeople are more successful, they have less turnover, and profit margins are significantly higher than those not marketing. There are literally hundreds of creative ways to develop your unique distributorship. Find it today!
Mike Burgelin is president of Marketing Formulas, Inc. He has over 16 years of experience in sales and marketing in the jan/san industry as a distributor sales rep., sales manager and manufacturers' rep.
He can be reached at (888) 224-9187; mike@MarketingFormulasOnline.com; or visit www.MarketingFormulasOnline.com
author: Mike Burgelin