The biggest mistake building material suppliers make is selling to and not through their customers. Sales success is prematurely celebrated when the order is placed. The time to measure success or celebrate should be when the customer has sold your products and is ready to place another order.
Many suppliers simply load a dealer, distributor or big box up with product and assume their job is done.
What’s wrong with this?
1. You will wait longer for the next order. Most of the time, your customer will sell more of your products, in less time, with your help.
2. You make it easier for a competitor to replace you. When you support customers after the sale, they are more likely to see you as committed to their success. This commitment makes it harder for a competitor to sell to your customer.
3. You may make less profit. When your focus is on your success and not your customers, the relationship is more likely to be just about price.
This also works with indirect customers like architects, contractors and builders. After-the-sale support with these customers goes a long way to ensure that they keep using your products. An example of after-the-sale support is training builder sales people about your product as a way to help the builder sell more homes.
As most companies are more focused on their success and not their customers, it makes it easy to stand out and be more successful by being one of the few focused on your customers’ success.
Whizard Strategy solves tough sales and marketing problems for the building materials industry. Contact us to discuss your problems.
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Thanks for the following comments. I’d like to hear your feedback and suggestions on how to sell architects.
“Great article!”
Joseph Altieri
President
FlexScreen
“Absolutely spot on. It is your Customer’s customer who actually buys, not your customer! You must focus on your…”
Todd Miller
Residential Metal Roofinf Expert
ISAIAH Industries, Inc.
“Thanks Mark, taking your advice from one of your recent YouTube podcasts and focused more on educating architects and…”
Chris Duncan
Area Represntative
CT and Associates
