Now That You Know Your Breed, What's Next?

Last week, we discussed about the differences between a Volume and Value-Add distributor. So what has that got to do with sales? Is there a difference in the characteristics of sales people that a Volume or Value-Add distributor should have? That depends on how you look at things.

Before we address this, let us clarity one thing in terms of types of sales. There is transactional selling and solution selling. In both these types of sales, we can value-add. So what this really means is, if a sales person is involved in transactional sales, they can still add value as part of the overall customer sales experience.

Bringing us back into the case of the distributors. Both these breeds of distributor can value-add to their resellers, even though one is largely dealing with transactional and the other more workflow driven. The sales people both should have are fairly similar. The only thing that was mostly missing (not everyone though), after much observation is adding value into the reseller experience :

Product Managers

What it is : Work on bundles, promos and bulk discounts to support resellers. Product

training to enable resellers.

What it Could Add : On top of above, help advice and fine-tune reseller GTM marketing

message and strategies.

Account Managers

What It Is : Engages resellers usually with "please support us" phrase. Build rapport with

each member of the reseller.

What It Could Add : On top of above, account planning to develop business within reseller, to

increase different portfolio share in the reseller.

Channel Managers / Business Development Managers

What It Is : Recruit new resellers, maintain relationship with current resellers

what It Could Add : Recruit and screen resellers based on intentional increase in weak portfolios. Strategic plan together with brand principals for larger resellers. Develop incubation plans for certain resellers.

The above suggestions may blur the line between a Volume and Value-Add distributor, but in today's market, it is all above retaining, sustaining and increasing business with the people you do business with.

Again, these are my own view of things. I would love to hear your view below as well.

#Awareness