July 2000

Selling has changed! Why?

 ....................because

Buying has changed! Why?

E-Commerce, Internet, Channel Compression, JIT, VMI, Buying Groups, global pressures - you want me to go on? (I can.)

Selling hasn't changed completely. Why?

 ....................because

Buying hasn't changed completely. Why?

People still like to buy from people - it's called relationships. Business relationships they can trust, and depend on. I call it Interdependence - we need each other - when it's all said and done -competition is between people not machines and relationships are between people, not computers and their programs (i.e. CRM Customer Relationship Management or its new offspring PRM Partner Relationship Management).

Channel selling has really changed

....................because

Channel buying has really changed. No longer can you (or anybody or Willie Loman) "chase the smokestacks". No longer can you just "bop in" on the plant purchasing agent and get them "to sample" your product against your competition and if you are a single product offering manufacturer it's even tougher to get into the corner office alone any more unless the buyer (or whoever) actually has a problem with your product group offerings at that moment or in the very near future. Time is your enemy.

So how do you get into that corner office? Well, "it's not one thing, it's a thousand things and you have to do them all well all the time."

One is to network - network with those who have the best knowledge, contacts and relationships, etc.

Those "synergistic leveraged" distributors who earned the attention, respect and trust of the synergistic leveraged buying power end user want to work with the best synergistic leveraged manufacturers' representatives (independent or factory).

Let's talk independent reps (or as I like to refer to "Interdependent' reps).

Interdependent reps who have "synergistic leverage" work well with synergistic leveraged distributors when they call on synergistic leveraged end users - why? Interdependence between all the Channel Partners - the manufacturer (and his reps), the distributor and the end user. The rep brings the specialized product knowledge (no longer "a Jack of all trades, master of none") of his select lines combined with the breadth of product groups inventoried of the key distributor (they become "a force to be reckoned with"). Together they can be the Economic Value Added (EVA) team to the end user that he can count on.

By himself, the synergistic leveraged safety rep while calling on the industrial safety distributor with his large combined dollar volume at that safety distributor, becomes an important vendor player — in many cases over and above the single source product vendors sales dollar volume.

At the industrial, construction, tool rental (etc.) distributor the safety manufacturers' rep is his (or her) safety specialist. The distributor depends on the rep being current on the new safety standards and products - he is a pro - he's probably a QSSP (Qualified Safety Sales Professional)! One he can turn to who is vertical into his category - safety. Safety selling is different from other product groups - you sell the wrong respirator or wrong fall protection someone could die - it's important to be the qualified high profile authority safety professional who is interdependent with all his channel partners.

George J. Hayward

President United Sales Associates

Chairman Industry Relations SEMAA (Safety Equipment Manufacturers' Agents Association)