At POOLCORP the name for outside salespersons was changed about five years ago. Instead of Sales Representative the name was changed to BDR (Business Development Representative) I didn’t create it but I really like it! The new name focused outside sales people on their real function, growing their customer's business.Think about it! If every sales person could help every customer and potential customers to achieve the development of their business based on their goals and dreams, what would happen to that sales person's goals and dreams? You bet…“happy times” are here again!Sometimes we sales persons like to think of ourselves as consultants or advisors and that’s fine but…aren’t those really the “means to an end”? Isn’t the real goal to help each of our customers to achieve success in their business? Of course it is and advising and consulting with them are great tools to achieve that end.Let’s review the three words in that title and see how those words can help us achieve our goal of personal success.Word one in this title is "Business" and step one is: Knowing each customer’s business goals, not just surface stuff…the real goals! If you don’t know what everyone of your assigned account’s true business goals are you surely can’t help to make them happen. Not everyone of your customers wants to “build more” or “sell more” or even “make more money”. Some of your customers may be looking for an exit strategy. Some of your customers may want to make their business smaller and more manageable.You won’t know unless you start by asking the questions that let you be of help in their goal-achievement. Ask about the their plans for the future and their goals and dreams. What a great way to make sure that you are part of their goals and dreams! Make the following questions fit your personal style and your industry but try these on for size:Sample question a: Do you have any large projects or goals for this year? Then let them know that even if it doesn’t relate to the products or services you currently sell it may be something you can help with in the future. Let them know how important their success and growth is to your company.Sample question b: What changes have you seen recently and what changes do you see coming that affect everyone in your industry? How will they affect you? What changes do all of us have to make to be tuned in to the future? These are the clues that open the doors to their goals and also make you a part of their goal-reaching team.Word two in our title is "Development" and we understand that to be the “process” of growing a business. Processes, products and services are constantly changing and you have to be tuned in to those changes. If you are going to truly help your customers to develop their businesses then you need to be involved in every trade organization, read every journal and be part of every think-tank that let’s you be really tuned in to the latest developments. You need to know everyone of your company’s new programs and products. This is not an easy task and it takes real focus and a lot of effort. Is it worth it? Of course it is! If you work for a really solid company and have a really great line of products or services that you represent then the only key is that you need to know how they can help your customer in the process of developing their goals.Word three in our title is "Representative": If you are really your customer’s representative then you are putting yourself in their place. Not just putting yourself in their shoes from a communication standpoint but really helping them in areas where they are weak. If their strengths are in technical areas and their weaknesses are in areas of marketing or advertising then your responsibility is to help them in those areas. Again, you really have to know your customers to know how and where you can represent them and be of help.When you truly become a Business Development Representative, you add so much more value for your customers than when you are strictly a salesperson. Make sure they know it, understand it and take advantage of it.
Excellent points, Ken. In dealing with your company as I do as both a customer and a vendor, I see how highly successful this attitude is and admire what you have developed, and value the partnership a business can have in taking advantage of a good relationship with a branch to team up to meet goals we have as a pool company. This is one of the points I discuss in the "partnering" section of the seminars I have done for the Aqua show before.
As a vendor, I also see the value of partnering with the BDR and helping the pool business customer increase their success. The best business deals are "win-win: situations for everybody where the partnership produces profits for both.
Do it! South Florida's GM for POOLCORP is Rick Postoll and he is the person who coined the term originally. He was Director of Sales Development before becoming General Manager of that division. Keep on fixin' em, Jeremy!
Comments
As a vendor, I also see the value of partnering with the BDR and helping the pool business customer increase their success. The best business deals are "win-win: situations for everybody where the partnership produces profits for both.
-Jeremy
-I fix broken pools, spas, and hot tubs
Florida Leisure Pool & Spa
www.FLLeisure.com