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Here’s the scenario: You
own a company that manufactures and sells widgets for $9.99 each. A
customer calls who wants to buy widgets for $9.99 each. What do you do?
Option A: Sell the customer the widgets
for $9.99 each and thank them for keeping you in business.
Option B: Tell the customer you don’t
sell your widgets to just anybody. Demand they submit photos and a
marketing plan as to exactly what they plan to do with the precious
widgets and then tell them you’ll give them an answer in six months or
so.
Did you choose Option "A"
That only goes to show how small-minded you are. If you really want to
swim with the big fish, you have to go with Option "B".
I found this out the hard way. A couple
of years ago we decided to sell Levi’s jeans in one of our retail
stores. So we called the local Levi’s sales representative and told him
the good news.
His reaction was not what I had
in mind. Levi Strauss is a multibillion dollar outfit. The news that I was
ready to plow another few thousand dollars into their coffers not only
drew a collective yawn, but also seemed to arouse suspicion.
All businesses should be wary of how
their merchandise or services is being presented after it leaves
their domain. The difference between small businesses and huge businesses
such as Levi Strauss is that only the latter can afford to take the
time and effort (and potential lost sales) to find out.
It took us six months to open an
account with Levi Strauss. They wanted to see every aspect of our
business, from our books to our merchandising techniques. We filled out
forms, took photos, and had on-site inspections by the regional sales
manager and credit manager, among others.
Then, just as I was waiting for an
invitation from the Haas family for Sunday dinner (I figured they’d want
to check on my table manners) we got the approval to give them some money.
Thank you, thank you, thank,
thank you, thank you.
Now we’re one of their largest
independent accounts in the area. They love us, we love them and we’re
delighted the guy across the street won’t be able to sell Levi’s
without going through the same scrutiny.
By the way, should he try to open an
account, the Levi’s people should know that I was just kidding when I
hinted he also owns a chain of porno shops and would only want to carry
Levi’s so he could launder money from his gun running and drug smuggling
operations.
None of it is true, as far as I know.
But I lack the resources to find out for certain. Thank goodness for
companies like Levi’s.
Anyway, the reason I was thinking about
all this is I’m going through it again. We decided to get into the
athletic footwear business, which requires opening accounts with companies
like Nike, Reebok and Adidas.
Now that we were a major account with
Levi’s, meaning we were perhaps a visible speck on the wall, I
thought it might be easier.
So when I called the sales reps for the show
companies to give them the good news about our wanting to give them money,
I suppose I expected, well, at least a return phone call.
Wishful thinking. Based on my first two
weeks of efforts, it has been made abundantly clear once again that we are
not in demand. My goal at this point is to get a sales rep to call me
back.
And what again strikes me as so strange
is that I’m not selling. I’m buying. Yet these companies are so big
and so popular that they have no time to deal with anything or anyone that
might waste their time.
I mentioned this to someone I initially
spoke with at Reebok. He said he understood my frustrations, but I should
know that Reebok gets thousands of requests to open new accounts every week.
To give me an example, he said, a short while ago he had a call from an
animal feed store looking to open an account.
We talked a while longer and then he
said he’d take some information and pass it along to a sales rep for
review. I gave him my best sales pitch, emphasizing the Levi’s success,
and even threw in a few tidbits about how I plan to devote the rest of my
life to selling Reeboks. (They’re into "commitment.")
That was two weeks ago and I’ve yet
to speak to a sales rep. But I know the routine, so I’m not worried. My
only concern would be if I walk into my neighborhood animal feed store and
see a Reebok section. |
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