1. Do you think of your partners as competitors or a team
working together to conquer the competition? Your view
may be affecting the effectiveness of your team. Yes, your
dealer network is your team. They are or can be an
organism that works as an entity, learning from failures as
well as successes. This article will help you build your
partner team.
2. Do you do your part in moving your network forward? Do
you foster the sharing of stories of success? What works?
Who is buying? How long do your partners work with a
prospect before getting an order? Computer technology
can help you build your team faster and easier than word
of mouth.
3. Are your partners surviving on service work? If they are,
perhaps you should be helping? Remember, Demosthene's
motto from 338 BC "He who fights and runs away will live
to fight another day." Well, the economy is getting better,
and when business picks up, you want to have a strong
dealer network, poised for growth. As the economy
continues to grow, you will be really happy with your
toughened partners who are willing to and able to sell
your product.
4. 1. Call your partners and solicit some unique sales success
stories. (or theatrical failures) 2. Package a partner sales
story every month and include it on your partner home
page. (attribute the story to your partner if possible) 3.
Get engineering to put together some topical service sales
opportunity every month. 4. Change your partner home
page every month! (give your partners a reason to return)
5. Perhaps you should even consider giving a small prize, like
a customized windbreaker for the most inspiring sales
story of the month. In other words, encourage your
partner network to share stories with your staff. Speaking
of your staff, you should designate a staff person for your
partners to call or email with their stories. Everyone likes
to have a leadership roll, and set someone up to be the
lead person for your partner home page. Get your
partners talking about their collective strength.
6. Many years ago, while I was in college, I attempted to
return a very expensive clock chip that I managed to blow
up. I guess I had improperly used a piece of test
equipment, and the ground was not correct, turned the
chip into smoke. Being a financially challenged student, I
mailed the cinders into the manufacturer said it was
defective. Well, I got a real nice letter from the head of
engineering asking to see my circuit diagram, and offering
to set me straight on how to use the chip. I'm certain that
he would still laugh about some kid calling his chip
defective. The entire physics department got a laugh out
of my letter, and I'm sure that his staff did the same.
Sometimes those crazy stories make a sales pitch where
reality is better than fiction. While I did not get a free
replacement chip, I sure got a genuine offer of assistance,