ANATOMY OF A SUCCESSFUL NEW SPECIALTY RAM DISTRIBUTOR CALL

  1. GET PREPARED
  2. Research the prospect’s clutch products online
  3. What lines are they selling on their website?
  4. Do they list any RAM products?
  5. If so, are we price competitive?
  6. If possible, talk to them on the phone first to determine the path of the call
  7. Do they buy direct or through distribution?
  8. DEVELOP A PLAN OF ATTACK
  9. What am I going to present to make this call count?
  10. CONTACT MIKE FOR ADVICE OR HISTORY ON THE PROSPECT (IF NECESSARY)
  11. MAKE THE CALL
  12. Listen to what they say they are selling and why
  13. Be aware of the business – is the phone ringing? Is the shop busy? Do they have inventory on the shelf?
  14. Try to determine how the RAM products you have may fit into their mix
  15. Present the major products – dual discs, clutch sets, flywheels
  16. Use the selling points provided to highlight the differences between RAM and what they are currently selling
  17. Interested? Move to number 6. Had a previous problem with RAM? Move to number 7. Say they are happy with what they have? Move to number 5
  18. SHOW PRODUCTS THAT CAN GET YOU IN THE DOOR
  19. If they say they are perfectly happy with the clutches they sell now, move on to other potential RAM products
  20. Hydraulics – only RAM and McLeod have these, and McLeod are difficult to use
  21. Show the 78300 adjuster and video. NOBODY has this!
  22. Show the steel alignment tools. NOBODY has this!
  23. Try to establish your relationship by getting them to try one of these other products to help you worm you way into their program!
  24. TRY TO GET A COMMITMENT
  25. Do they have a house car that they could try out the dual disc in? ‘Wouldn’t you agree these are products you need to try yourself?’
  26. Use the shop car discount program
  27. Get a new customer account sheet filled out by them
  28. Your initial goal should not be to replace their current line, but rather to get them started with us and give us the chance to show them what we (you and RAM) can do for them
  29. LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY AND USE THE MATERIALS YOU HAVE TO TROUBLESHOOT
  30. Did they select an improper product for the application?
  31. Are/were they aware of the options they had for the application?
  32. Did this happen yesterday or 10 years ago?
  33. FOLLOW UP
  34. Don’t think you can wait for your next trip through to make contact again, especially if they show interest
  35. A follow-up email within the 24 hours thanking them for seeing you and discussing our products is a good idea, confirming any info you need to get back to them with. This is your opening for the next contact.
  36. Get back to them with any questions within 48 hours of the call

THINGS I’VE NOTICED MAKING THESE CALLS OVER THE YEARS

  1. Selling these prospects is no different than selling a major WD. The process involves establishing yourself and building a relationship with the prospect. Don’t get discouraged early. Look for your opening and then take advantage of it.
  2. These accounts do not get called on by sales reps often. You being there and showing interest in their business will help get your relationship going!
  3. When a prospect says they are happy with what they have, more often than not, the more they talk to you, you find out they really might not be as happy as they said initially. This is the standard brush off because they really don’t want to talk to you or think about making a change. Look for product items that might pique their interest.
  4. Many people are inherently lazy and would rather just keep what they are doing than try something new. We have to push on these ones with solid benefits to our products that they are not getting with what they have.
  5. The best spokesman for our products is our products. Once you get them to try us, they will likely stay.
  6. When they say ‘we used RAM and had problems’, you are getting the brush off. Probe deeper. ‘What was the part?’ What problem did you have?’ Usually they can’t tell you.
  7. Refer back to number 1!