Tim Hill

I hope this post finds all y’all well and getting busy for the late summer push for the fourth quarter.   This is the busiest time of year for most suppliers and distributors as well.  Did you know that over 60% of business owners buy end of year gifts for customers or employees?

I thought that was a pretty large percentage.  Good News!  That leaves lots of potential for orders for us.  Yet during my travels during the this selling season, I was surprised how many distributors told me that do not focus on holiday orders.

One quote was that “my clients do not think of me for those types of things” I was left thinking that that person is missing a great deal of business.  But I also thought that they had trained their client not to think of them for “that type of thing”.  They had “branded themselves” as someone not to go to for holiday items.  That is a shame.

We all brand ourselves in one way or another.  Good or Bad.  However we can always change our brand.
Let me explain.

As salespeople, the brand image that our customers usually associate with us is our employer’s brand. If we are self-employed, it is our personal brand. Do not be mistaken though, our customers always know us by our personal brand, at least to some extent. In this case our personal brand is equal to our reputation.

For a celebrity, a movie star for instance, their brand is usually synonymous with their name. Consider this: Is it Dwayne Johnson or The Rock? A few years ago, you would never see The Rock’s birth name used in any media format. I remember an interview on the Tonight Show where Jay Leno addressed him as Mr. Rock. This gentleman would refer to himself in the third person, calling himself The Rock. Who was going to argue the point? Despite his character portrayal and his efforts to stay in character, one could easily see the talent, stage presence, and confidence, articulate voice, obvious intelligence of this big man.

Several starring movie roles later, we now have Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, as his handlers busily transform his brand from wrestling animal to screen star! Soon we will undoubtedly have Dwayne Johnson, film star. His brand transformation has been gradual and carefully crafted, and I would have to say, successful. He is somewhat unique in this respect, as many companies fail miserably when attempting to change their brand image.

Trying to alter or repair your brand image can be a challenging endeavor. It may require a great effort over a significant period of time. Are you prepared to make that investment? You need to answer that question going in.

Do your customers know what to expect from you simply because of the positioning of your brand in the marketplace or do they know you from their own experience? Does your brand accurately portray your value? Do you live up to the standards associated with your brand? The answer to all three questions needs to be a resounding “yes” or your selling efforts are going to be quite tumultuous.

Your customers will come to expect a certain amount of value from your brand, whether personal or corporate. They are looking for solutions. Your job is to deliver more than that, more than they expect, thus further reinforcing the validity of your brand and your reputation in the marketplace.

You do not have to be as prolific as The ROCK, but you do need to offer rock-like stability and service to maintain and grow your sales, constantly enhancing your brand image and market position.

So here is your challenge this season,  Think about what your customers think is your  “brand”.  If it is positive, step it up a level.  If it is negative or different than you want, think about how to change or expand it to what you want it to be.  You will be glad you did and I bet your clients will too.

Well, that is the Tennessee Tim thought for the month.

Take care
Tennessee Tim
Midwest Director of Sales
Lanco Corp