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Expanding Horizons, Taking Sales Inside, and Un-Funny Managers

10/1/2008

Q: I've been selling for 20 years to the school and public library market in Texas. Now my new manager wants me to expand my territory to other states. How do I get out of this?

A: Twenty years selling in one state is reason to celebrate. But it's time to discover life outside Texas. There are some wonderful schools in surrounding states starving for a rep of your caliber. Remember how you started in Texas? If you use what you learned over the years, making new relationships will be a snap. Don't look at this as additional territory you have to cover. Think of the number of communities you will reach, lives you will touch, and relationships you will build. If you're not growing…well, what are you doing? Take the bull by the horns and spread that Texas pride into other states!

Be honest with your dealers-- tell them the truth, don't sugar coat it, and don't avoid it

Q: I'm a channel manager at an edtech company that has been successful using dealer channels for the past five years. Sales are good but flat, year over year, so my company wants to start selling directly to schools through an inside sales organization. What are some of the challenges I'm facing with the dealers as the inside sales team grows?

A: Kudos for accepting your company's strategy and not plotting to sabotage it. I have seen many companies make this decision to go inside, and if it is strategically implemented, it can actually increase sales for your dealers. The first thing you want to do is be honest with your dealers-- tell them the truth, don't sugar coat it, and don't avoid it. Some dealers will reduce their marketing and become reactive instead of proactive. Expect to see a reduction in dealer sales by 20 percent in year one. Stay involved in the strategy discussions with management and talk about things such as avoiding channel conflict, confusion for the customer, and working with dealers instead of competing with them. Truth is, only a few companies ever effectively switch to an inside-outside strategy, usually because they mishandle the dealers. I recommend working with a channel consultant to ensure success for your dealers-- and for you.

Q: Every afternoon my sales manager asks the same question: Have you sold anything today? It drives me crazy! How can I respond in a way that won't cost me my job?

A: Hard to believe, but your sales manager actually thinks this is funny. He also thinks this kind of behavior is expected of him, so he is going to ask this question, whether you are below, at, or exceeding goal. The first thing to do: Accept the reality and shed any expectation that he's going to change.

As for responses, I will assume you don't have a relaxed relationship with your boss (otherwise it wouldn't bother you so much) and recommend a sober approach. Simply say, "Thanks for asking; I'm working on a few proposals," or, "It's been a rough day but tomorrow will be better," or, "It's been a great day and I hope tomorrow is just as good."