What are the most significant challenges facing those who sell through distributors and dealers?

• Perceived delivery issues?
• Perceived lack of product innovation?
• Lack of professionalism among dealer and distributor personnel?
• Lack of dealer and distributor "buy in" and commitment to your programs?

These may seem like formidable obstacles, but they all become minor issues once matters of real importance are addressed. The greatest challenge facing those who sell through distributors and dealers today, in fact, is the challenge of leadership.

Since most organizations prefer to be viewed as "leaders" in the marketplace, it is worth our time to discover what market leadership really means. Our field research shows that market leaders:

• Set agendas for their industries.
• Are tremendously tuned in to the needs and wants of their customers.
• Lead customers to a new set of expectations.
• Identify the next set of customer solutions, understanding that customer needs are constantly changing.
• Provide valued services and offer more than products.
• Are adaptable, flexible and quick to change.
• Constantly introduce new offerings.
• Are creative and innovative in their marketing strategies, developing multiple ways to bring products to market.

The truth is, your organization cannot fulfill the role as a market leader unless each and every individual within the organization is prepared to lead in his/her area of responsibility.

In creating an authentic culture of leadership, those who sell through distributors and dealers (we will call them Channel Representatives) play a crucial role. First, because they serve as your organization's most direct conduit to the marketplace, their leadership helps the organization stay in tune with the marketplace, thereby creating the kinds of products and programs required of market leaders.

And second, as the primary contact for the channel partners, their leadership actually sets the tone for how the company is perceived within the channel. Because of this, each Channel Representative needs to develop and demonstrate these same qualities of market leadership in his professional activities.

Do you embody the qualities of leadership? Are you willing to demonstrate these qualities in everything you do? Without a sales force of real leaders, even your organization's best attributes and competitive advantages -- the quality of your product, your brand recognition and position in the marketplace -- will not be able to carry you towards your goals.

Developing and demonstrating leadership is critical to your ability to effectively steer channel partners towards greater success. With this focus on your customers' success, you contribute to your organization's success and, ultimately, your own personal success. This is your number one responsibility as a Channel Representative.



What Should Leadership Mean to Channel Representatives?

"Professional" these days is frequently shortened to the quick and easy term, "pro." Whether the word conjures up images of superstar athletes or dapper marketing executives giving flawless presentations, a "real pro" evokes thoughts of high standards and excellence. Certainly, many of us associate the "pro" as embodying leadership characteristics. The term "pro" has another meaning that is at least as important in identifying the qualities of leadership: Leaders are "proactive."

Leaders have a clear picture in their heads of where they are and where they need to be. They have a grand scheme for how to move toward this vision and keep this scheme in mind during every customer contact. For Channel Representatives, being proactive in every aspect of the job means abandoning a defensive posture and moving to the offense.

This could mean a total change from how you are operating now. A Channel Representative who is a sales leader does not simply respond to customer requests for literature or emergency assistance. Rather, he/she anticipates crisis management and hand holding as routine requirements, while at the same time making business development the focus of each visit. Leaders bring new ideas to every dialogue.

In this context, "problem-solving" takes on an entirely new meaning to the proactive Channel Representative. In truly successful problem solving, the emphasis is on the "solving", not the problem.

A New Way Of Looking At Your Job

With more than 30 years of experience coaching sales teams from a broad spectrum of industries, The Beveridge Consulting Group has worked closely with manufacturers who sell through distribution. As a result, we have identified specific challenges of selling within the existing distribution model, and created a new integrated model as a guide for Making A Real Difference. Becoming more effective always involves change. This may be the much-needed new perspective on distribution that your growth and success require. We are confident that if you are poised to take on the leadership challenge, you will be more than pleased with your accomplishments.

First and foremost, this model focuses on leadership. It is not a step-by-step sales process. Additionally, it is integrated; that is, every concept and action presented in this model is interrelated. If you attempt to select just a few pieces of this model to incorporate into your existing routines, you're effectiveness will be greatly reduced. When you put this model into action as it is intended, however, you are bound to Make A Real Difference for your organization and channel partners.

In order for you and your organization to move forward in developing a complete culture of leadership, each Channel Representative will need to address Leadership qualities and actions in two primary areas:

• Personal Actions
• Channel Activities

The first general area of mastery is Personal Leadership. Personal Leadership can be broken into four parts:

• Vision and Mission: Developing a picture, principles and practices for your territory and your own growth as a professional.
• Local Growth Strategy: Developing an intelligent plan for accomplishing personal and corporate goals in your market.
• Right Partners: Using your critical thinking abilities and pro-active orientation to surround yourself with the channel partners who can best help you achieve your goals.
• Value Based Selling: Developing the fundamental understanding and orientation necessary to establish the most mutually beneficial relationship possible with core channel partners. Proactively seeking out ways to deepen your understanding of their objectives and circumstances while and acting to improve their overall success.

These four aspects of Personal Leadership focus on several key questions: How can you personally add value in all your business relationships? What kinds of qualities do you need and what kinds of skills might you need to develop? How can you establish and communicate a vision for your territory? What specific steps can you take to direct territory activities towards your vision? What can you do to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with your customers? What kinds of dialogues, procedures and relationships should you personally focus on developing? How can you best lead by your personal example?

The second primary area of mastery is Channel Leadership. Channel Leadership also has four primary parts.

• Joint Planning: Involves building on your orientation to improve your customers' overall business by integrating the principles of "partnership" (dialogue and commitment) into every interaction.
• Joint Implementation: Helping each customer develop his own leadership qualities through your example of leadership and by practicing accountability in your relationship.
• Measurement: Presents the importance of establishing and communicating performance standards and holding all participants accountable for a plan's success.
• Motivation & Challenge: Affirms the importance of being sensitive to the particular needs of the people and organizations you aspire to lead.

Channel Leadership focuses on specific actions you take with your customers to help you reach your mutual goals. Ultimately, these actions can be directly drawn back to your personal vision. Your business success is dependent upon your ability to guide your customers towards creating working, mutually beneficial partnerships. This is dependent on your ability and willingness to be a leader.

For more information on how this integrated model can be applied within your organization contact Dirk Beveridge at DirkBeveridge@beveridgeinc.com or by calling 847-381-7797.

© The Beveridge Consulting Group, 2002 All Rights Reserved.