How Many of Your Customers – Have Not Bought From You This Year…?

By Sid Chadwick

“People do not decide their future…they decide their habits…and their habits decide their future”…..F.M. Alexander, Top Leadership Quotes for 2021

INTRODUCTION:

Most organizations’ Sr. Management understandably like to review “New Customers and their Sales” – “for the last 12 months”…. or “Y-T-D.”  That process usually has positive numbers. …It lets them feel good.

And, budgets tend to be developed around those expected numbers – “New accounts & their Sales.”

Seldom do I observe a “Grilling Review” of:

1. All Customers whose sales are off 20%; 30%; 40% or more – This year vs last yr…? This year vs two previous years…?
   • Why?
     ...And….
   • What Action is being taken – to correct this condition, and when was that Action… initiated…?

We have multiple “Inside Sales Rep Academy Graduates” – who are “knocking the ball out of the Park” at their companies…!  (Several top performers – had almost no prior Print experience.)

But their numbers Y-T-D indicate they are…shocking their organization, and rewriting what can be done. In more than one example, their president – with a tone of skepticism – gave them THE List – of NO Sale Customers – some going back several years – as the only list they were to call. (That Inside Rep is averaging just under $250,000/mo. in sales to No Sale Customers – with Value-added running over 50% a month.) 

As another observation, sometimes it’s hard to change the thinking of Sr. Management re. Business Development, that’s “hard-wired re. Equipment & Technology.”  If you had that scene developing in front of you of $100,000/mo. in Sales to No Sale Customers, how long would it take you to thoughtfully develop that department…?

Yes, we teach how to approach such previous customers…and how to get Return phone calls – from customers who have not bought – for several years…and what to say when that return call occurs!

But how do they do it…?

15 Weeks of Class Time & Homework Assignments – ferrets-out who is willing to work, and who is not. Class size is modest – so it’s impossible to hide from being called-on. We tend to not lose a Student…but it can happen.

Students are alert and participating in Class Discussions – throughout the 90-minute Class. We’re on Zoom – so I can see each of them. And anyone skipping the Class, or not producing their Homework (requiring 3 to 5 hours of their personal time), has a polite note sent to their supervisor (usually their President). Lack of Assignments being produced – tends to be promptly corrected.

There’s a Mid-Term and Final Exam. Grades tend to range from “C-“ to “A+.”

I’m available 24/7 – if anyone gets stuck with their Homework Assignment. (I average receiving an evening Call – about every 2 to 3 weeks.)

SUMMARY:

How many companies have a problem with “Lack of Sales”…?

Too many.

As I shared with one President:
“If you’ll pay your Inside Rep a comparable rate as your Outside Reps are now paid, there will be no shortage of very smart, motivated single mothers – wanting to fill the position of “Inside Sales Rep” – after attending our 15 Week Academy…! Even with no prior print experience, our Inside Sales Academy gives them confidence of what to do, what to say.”