SalesNotes

Is a Customer Annoying You? Here's Why

From Selling Power Magazine:

Are you losing sales because you aren't selling the way your customers buy? Here's one way to find out: Think about the types of customers with whom you find it hard to communicate, and make a list of all the things they do that drive you nuts. Maybe they want to sit and tell you their life story when you just want to get down to business. Or maybe it's the opposite – they just want the facts, in a certain format, while you want to spend some time getting to know them. Whatever it is, you’ll find the customer behaviors that irk you "are usually just the opposite of your own selling style," observes Michael Wilkinson, CEO of Leadership Strategies Inc. (www.leadstrat.com). "When your customer's buying style differs from your natural selling style, the result can be disastrous." 

To avoid disaster, you need to understand the four basic buying styles, says Wilkinson. In his book, Buying Styles: Simple Lessons in Selling the Way Your Customer Buys(AMACOM, 2009), he delves into each of the styles, pointing out how to recognize them and, more importantly, how to sell to them.

To read about the four basic buying styles click here: Selling Power

The Sales Coach

"It may sound simple but most sales people don't get it. They still believe that selling means talking at great length about their company, their product or their service. However, truly effective salesmanship is all about asking the prospect the right questions and demonstrating that you can help them solve a particular problem or issue. That means you need to direct ALL of your attention on their situation and resist the opportunity to talk about your company or your offering."

Kelly Robertson

How does this apply to you? Start by thinking about your sales calls and how much time you spend talking verses listening. People respond best to sales reps whom they feel understand them and identify with their situation. This is the foundation of the relationship between buyer and seller and it only makes sense that as human beings we trust people who understand and sympathize with us and we mistrust people whom we perceive as being self serving. Establishing trust, understanding a customer's needs and seeing a way to help can only happen when you ask and listen. Kelly Robertson's quote rings true in our business. We sell to owners, managers, buyers and staff. In every case they face many challenges every day that our products and services can satisfy. The key is to connect our offering with their need. To know their business well enough to present the product and services in a way that solves their problems and helps them achieve their goals. That after all is what people buy- solutions. 

So on your next sales call think about what questions you ask. Are they born out of a sincere desire to know more about the customer or are they the usual pleasantries you exchange at the begging of every meeting. Do you act on what you hear or just proceed with the agenda you planned for the sales call? When you speak do you talk about what's new at MacPherson's, how good we are, how great our products and services are? Or, do you spend time understanding your customer and exploring ways to help them solve problems? Consider each of these comparisons and then decide for yourself how well you get it.

Food for thought..

The Post-Customer-Service Age

What stood out yesterday in the way of great over the top service is today's norm. Continuous pursuit of better customer service is the best game changing strategy. Here are some further insights from Tom Peters Blog. Think about your customers and how you plan your travel, presentations and approach to selling in general- how are you changing to meet ever increasing expectations and what is your competition doing? 

We have entered the post-customer-service age.

This doesn't mean that customer service isn't important. Of course it is. But customer service, like product quality, has become a basic, expected deliverable. Without it, you fail. With it, you are only at parity. Customer service is nothing more than basic business hygiene—the "brushing your teeth" of running a company.

If you try to differentiate your company through customer service, you will, at best, be a "me-too" company. Sure, you might have competitors that provide bad service, but your goal is not to be better than the worst. It is to be unique among the best.

Good customer service can help differentiate you only if it is a gateway to building relationships with customers. Customer relationships differentiate you from the competition in a way that customer service (or products) never can.

Aim high ... beyond customer service.

Steve Yastrow posted this on 07/24/09.

Communicating All the Way to the Top!

We are a company who prides itself on communication. Here is a quote from Frank. This was in an email he sent me and reading it made me stop and think that having direct access to Frank is one of the best aspects of MacPherson's and he is a valuable resource that we should all be taking full advantage of. I don't want to put Frank on the spot but could not think of a better way to share this than to quote him directly:

"I appreciate that Richard is not bashful about picking up the phone and calling me. This is very rare in the sales dept. I value the information and appreciate being of service."

Frank

Opportunity Knocking

Oopportunity Knocking: 

The nation's shelves are bare. And that could be good news for the economy. Business inventories have plummeted over the first few months of this year, a major reason that the economy is likely to have shrunk at an extremely fast pace in the first quarter. Analysts believe that the nation's gross domestic product contracted at an annual rate of about 5 percent.

The sooner businesses finish clearing out inventory, however, the sooner they will need to buy goods to keep up with sales. Companies can only draw down what they have in stock so much before having to place new orders, even if sales are weak. A sharp drawdown could set the stage for somewhat better economic conditions -- though probably not a roaring expansion -- in the second half of the year.

This was found in the Washington Post. For those customers of ours who believe in Turn and Earn this means that they will begin to replenish from us at levels that are more normal. For those who don't understand the benefits of turn and earn or who are on the fence this is a cross roads- go direct or go distribution? This is moment in time when you have the opportunity to forever shape your customers view of how they manage their inventories. Moving to us make sense for a number of reasons and it's your job to help your customer discover the benefits of those reasons. 

We have sent the Bruce Merrifield DVD to all of you but are you prepared for the conversation that is needed for this opportunity? Do you understand how to measure ROI on inventory investments, what are the carrying costs and what are the emotional sacrifices the buyer must make? If you are not able to have this conversation you will fail to take advantage of this golden opportunity. 

We are here to help. Each one of you has a target or two and Don and I want to prepare you for your turn and earn meetings. Please call us to discuss how we can take full advantage of this once in a lifetime chance to change buying habits forever.

Pump Your Own Gas

We have invested heavily in information technology that makes it easy for any one of us to find and manage information. Whether it is an item ranking report or cost and margin information it is all at your finger tips. We also believe in the saying "pump your own gas". By giving everyone access to vital information and providing training in managing and reporting that information we are able to operate without a large infrastructure. 

Because of this I want to point out some things you can do on your own. I also want to ask that you start pumping your own gas and stop asking Carol, buyers, customer service and marketing to run reports for you. Many of you are still asking others to provide information that is real easy to find on your own. Specifically I am asking you stop asking for margin information, item ranking reports, sku lists etc. All of these can be found either on the dashboards or Online Express. Between MACITEM files, which now contain cat code descriptions, and AOD reports you can make any sku list or ranking report imaginable. Using the dashboards you can access cost info in order to calculate margins and see just about any item, vendor customer transaction possible.

These are great tools and differentiate you from your competition and allow you to be fast nimble and a highly valued source of information.

Five Things to Do Right Now

It's easy to get into a routine. In your job or at home a daily routine feels good and gives us comfort that we have a way of getting our daily work done in an organized way. Unfortunately for sales people a daily routine can be a bad thing especially when times are difficult and business is hard to come by. In periods of extreme change working by rote is a deadly scenario for a sales person; it's like wearing blinders or driving with your eyes focused in the rear view mirror. Now more than ever, in these tough economic times, sales people need to be close to their customers and on the look out for changes in their behavior and business strategy. Buying signals need to be meticulous monitored and competitive and market conditions watched like a hawk. 

Here are five easy things to do right now!

1. Listen: Sit down with your customers and ask them how their strategy has changed in this downturn.
2. Focus: Identify the 2-3 most significant things you can to do to help them get through these tough times.
3. Plan: Adjust your sales plan to fit the individual needs of each of your customers.
4. Rally: Identify the resources needed to help your customers succeed. Put together your "recovery team" to help with your customer's goals, communicate the game plan, bring the team and your customers together to begin the collaboration.
5. Measure: Constantly review with your customers and support team your progress, make adjustments, and plan the next steps.   

Making Life Easier

Hello Sales Reps,

It has been brought to my attention that many of you are asking the buyers to provide you with gross margin information, or cost information, in order to fill out your contract price request forms. Did you know that you can do this yourself? Well you can and it's easy. If you look carefully at the contract price request form it tells you where- the Item Dashboard. 

The buyers will no longer give you this information you can look it up yourself on the item dashboard. I know that once you start doing this you will find it easy and best of all quicker. In fact you can do it right in the store if you have a wireless broadband for your laptop. These investments by the company only pay for themselves when you use them and are able to be more efficient.

Thanks!

Steve

Competitive Market Reports Feb 9, 2009

Catherine Thoele-

On Vacation Feb. 10-24

 David Griffith-

Forstalls- Phillip is hosting a get together with the local art teachers and professors at his store on Thursday evening. A meet and greet similar to what Tony Mines does in Chattanooga. Several vendors will be there and I will be representing our AA lines.

The Art Store- Try and verify rumor of 2nd store closing.

Dawn McKay-

Met w/ new Lead Vishions in Escondido.  Owner looking for source for Graff accessories. Wanted to buy Montana but told to contact End 2End. They still had not called him back. Bought 5k worth of another spray paint from Australia. Advertises mostly on my space & some college papers. Waiting for account to be set up before proceeding.

C2F- offering buy 12 get 12 free canvas panels free through 2/23. Our retails are lower on all but 8x16.

 

Product #	Description	Retail	Promo
ART-1230-0816	8" x 16" Canvas Board 3/Pack	$8.55	$3.21
ART-1230-1020	10" x 20" Canvas Board 3/Pack	$13.50	$5.06
ART-1230-1224	12" x 24" Canvas Board 3/Pack	$17.60	$6.60
ART-1230-1818	18" x 18" Canvas Board 3/Pack	$20.00	$7.50

 

Don Lambert-

Picket up SLS new drop shipping program 2009 sent copy to Steve

Doug Mooney-

SMIAB sales are pretty dismal as most dealers are buying just the basics. I’ve had success with the new AA and some other new items but folks are being real picky and buying very small qty’s.  

Ferguson seems to be bucking the downward sales trend with a strong showing in Jan. and so far in Feb.

Small dealers in some outlying areas are feeling the recession more than urban stores.

Dwayne Hurlbut-

From Feb ‘02

Wet Paint- suggest we look into making available plastic sleeve for the new  AA -ATC card  case/( think it could a great idea)

I had two accounts Wet Paint/ Artist & Display ask if we had an imprint program for the AA tool boxes.

Wet Paint said this item can be used as a promo. to  give away/for a carry case for class kit. (This would be a other option then our AA kit bags.   They would love to have their name on it. ( Could be other imprint program)

Penco – is not going to carry W/N canvas  any longer- they are closing it out, and will only stock  AA CANVAS

The new C2F rep has moved to Minneapolis, and is now making sales calls in the region.

Finding a lot of my accounts having trouble making the minimum for 2009 MABEF program – due to low sales, and high inventory on easels.

My Accounts are very happy about the upcoming AA drafting line.

Gary Shirey-

Desert Décor had a better than expected Back to School.  Their chief complaint was that we were out of pads. 

Was able to confirm item from last weeks Sales notes that Phil King will be seeing accounts every 3 months in my territory and contacting them every 4-6 weeks by phone. 

Galen who is running Artel’s is pregnant and due the end of April/first part of May.  Eventual effects of this remains to be seen.

Artmax presold approx $6,000 at cost of their canvas from their truckload sale.

George Bethurem

Craft Distributor Peterson-Arne is passing out Motorola “Symbols” to customers who want to use them. It’s a mini scanning device about the size of a flash drive. 

Richard’s Arts and Crafts is complaining about our new price on Hygloss 4 oz glitter ($4.99). Apparantly Peterson-Arne has one which is $3.99 for the same size.

Business overall is steady in the stores but still nothing to write home about!

Ira Stoller-

Some customers had better numbers for January, and are still experiencing good business.  They still complain that numbers are way down, and people are buying just what they need.

Ran into Ed Brickler this week at Davinci.  He was going across the street to SVA to do a demo for Canson

Complaints about Colart fill rates direct.

Big problems with 11x14 clamshell binder.  Major NY customers who sell presentation say the design with the 3 ring binder inside an 11x14 case doesn’t make sense   They had no sheets that would fill this product.

JLS

Jackie Hangebrauck-LaGrange College Bookstore will not be going to the CAMEX show this year. She said that is the first time that budget cuts have affected the bookstore.

The Ben Franklin in Moline said that his fill rate on his last order with Notions was bad. He ordered 3000 lines and 450 were out of stock.

It has been a little slow this week. The Folletts are doing inventory and not ordering and the independents are being very cautious.

 Lori Branigan- Arnies—Greenville did another reorder on the new Green Grocery Totes, said her first shipment of 200 sold out in a couple of weeks and customers love the flat bottom.  Store was also up for the month of January..which is pretty good considering they are in MI.

Tradewinds II….said that she has been trying to order AA15407 10 well Palette with lid out of our Elgin warehouse and we “have been out of stock on it forever” would like to know when we are going to get these back in Elgin.

Spoke with Bethel University which is also a C2O account and they will be moving into a new store and asked if we had planograms for them to order off of for the new store.  I seem to be getting a lot of request for planograms from bookstores.  Any chance we could get a program that could develop the planograms ?

 Kerry Smith-

Binder’s has flipped the switch to begin buying from us (nearly 100%).  Lots of work coming up to get our inventory matched up with their needs.  I will be working with them on scheduling 2009 promotions.

Jay sent Kathy a listing of items they would like us to add.  After the buyers review, I’ll offer suggestions.

SCAD-Atl:  met new manager, Mitch Wells.  Mitch has managed other bookstores and has a degree in fine art.  He should be good to work with and good for this store.

Paul Mulchahy-

I heard from Risa at Laurel Art that the A.  bros store was closing in Columbia and that they were running a close out sale.  I called the store and they verified that all  3 east coast stores were closing and currently all products were on sale at 50%.  Tess was notified.

GBS Art is closing out several student lines because instructors are telling students to buy professional grades of paint.  Close outs include Winton oil 37ml, Cotmanwc, daler wc, and Georgian Oil.  I tried to convince him that this may not be such a good idea, especially the Winton, but he said he has had no problem selling the Artist grade and is happy to get some space back for other products.

I convinced Maryland inst to do some Graphix items thru the warehouse instead of direct.  We offered Wet Media Dura- LAR AT 50/5 but only have 3 of the 9x12 and 7 of the 14x17,(Elgin did not offer much of an inventory option either)  He needed 24 each so he went direct.

Richard Snowden-

Graphaids  has cut hours and days from Manager of Westchester Store

Sterling Art  appears to have finalized new location across the freeway.  Approximately 13,000 sq ft

Daniel Smith is actively seeking an independent rep to wholesale their color line.

Robert Rowen-

Ben Franklin – Has put plans for Copic markers on hold. Although art supplies are still moving, sales for the same customer counts are down. People are just spending less. AA canvas will be put on sale soon though.

Smiab items seem to be doing well. There has been good interest on many items.

Sherman Mills has been working with a non profit group for teachers, which is driving his way about 15K in orders. Saks Art was getting the balance, but after too many complaints from teachers, the group has decided to give all to Sherman Mills which will be another 15K in orders.

Sandy Goodstein-

Nothing to report

Stacey Brown-

Having lunch with Henry Meininger on 2/18 with the intent of securing the 2nd assortment Montana order.  Worked with key employee at this account for where to place 2nd assortment.  Sales staff is behind having the whole line, so I really expect to get this order.

Aisle re-set with Meininger’s continues to go well.  Every time we move a product around I generate an order (from either the aisle we are working on or just from being in the store and able to take care of something).  I actually had to show the SLS rep where we moved some product.  He was observing all the work I was providing Meininger’s that day.  Henry was even circulating on the floor and told me he was impressed and greatful for the extra attention.

Guiry’s was receptive to the SOS binders.  Local accounts are doing “ok” but everyone has cut back on part time staff in order to save some money right now.

Steve Iantosca-

Customers love our catalog and thought we have the best catalog out there

A lot of customers are not happy that they are seeing our aa products in Michaels

Tim Dugan-

Bill Koerber of Du-all fame is excited to go on CCC catalog soon.He showed me some of his pages and was quite good at navigating the site

AA suggestion ..Newsprtnt pad 18X24,50 shts.Need to net under $2.50.

AA sprays..inexpensive workable fix,white and black paint.

Martin Universal new web site sells directly to customer..It’s at MSRP..Dealers not happy..Martin claims it’s needed as none of their dealers carry the full line.

Grand Art mentioned the SOS 11X14 page problem.

Greens report January sales down 40%.

Plutonium G selling at CMU $7.50.

Kathy Kore at Gamblin has been very helpful in helping me put together a custome rack for CCS.

CMU doing inventory Kari tells me,I can expect a good size order after the 21st.

What Have We Learned?

There have been some ideas rolling around in my head lately and I'm not sure how to apply them  or what reverence they have. So I will share them. The two ideas are imitation versus innovation and customer centric versus customer compelled. Neither of these concepts should be unfamiliar, they were both the focal point of our two thematic goals. In the first thematic goal we aligned ourselves to the core customer in order to understand and meet their needs, keep the customer at the center of what we do and drive our business in the direction of our most important customers. In the second thematic goal we explored ways to diversify strengthen and innovate; all of which we felt were necessary for us to continue to deliver value to our customers.

 

So i guess in stepping back I have to ask where are we today? Are we customer compelled or customer centric and do we imitate or do we innovate? If we lean toward the former we are we living up to our core values and are using what we learned from the two thematic goals. Or have we slipped into taking the easiest path forward? I am not going to attempt to answer the question but rather  raise awareness by suggesting that we all consider this along with some additional questions.

 

 Are we copying ourselves and our competitors or are we breaking ground with new ideas and new best practices? How has the last thematic goal changed the company? What can we point to and say helped us be a better supplier to our customers and partner to our vendors? How have we responded to market shifts, the economy and customer demands? Are we reactive or responsive? Do we treat all customers the same or do our core customers get a greater share of our time and resources? Where does the customer fit into our decision making process?

 

These are questions I ask myself daily. I just thought by pondering them out loud I might get some feedback on how well we are doing at being a customer centric innovative company.