Coach's Corner

by Fred Albrecht

 

Lynn Nativo just sent me a photo of a project she completed for her Lottery client. She mentioned she had not worked so hard in 56 years. I asked her to explain what these boxes represented:  

They are out there for UPS to pick them up. I wasn't thinking when I signed up for that. It absolutely killed my back packing all those boxes. Plus it took two full days of my time. I can make more money selling! I under estimated the work it would be. I had to divide 15,000 money clips and 15,000 bottles of nail polish for a Lottery promotion that had to be divided in over a hundred locations. Next time anyone ask for advice on a project like this tell them to give a call me. I have a whole new appreciation for our suppliers. It was a good order though.

 

I just have to realize I am not twenty years old anymore! (So what Lynn you can still do this at 29, come on)... Lynn Nativo

 

The moral of the story: First, Lynn did not just "happen into" some large orders. In fact, there were well over 50 individual orders involved after literally over 150 products and virtuals were presented for approval, then actual sample proofs were prepared and delivered on each item produced. Those 75 days (how long the process took from conception to shipping) were days Lynn worked many 12 hour days along with her long time account executive, Chris Gross.

 

These two orders were additional orders recently placed where she said "yes" I will do that...which was as you can see spending her time to prepare the individual shipments.

 

In the future, Lynn will use our resources to get a "fulfillment quote" and KNOW the cost to have that outsourced will be well spent as it will free her up to go sell more orders!

 

Congratulations to Lynn, on these two awesome orders, I am told you will be reading about more in the next few days to come!

 

 

Patrice Shapiro - This is a great story for all of our Chocolate lover reps! We received a very nice repeat order for 3800 zipper totes, polybagged with an SKU label, worth over $19,000.00. I asked Patrice how the bags were being used and she was kind enough to provide some great details! You can see the value of learning about the customer's business and understanding when a product can be used in their "Sales Process" making it an intricate part of an ongoing consumable need! Check out her story, it will make your mouth water!

 

Dove Chocolate Discoveries was launched in 2007 as a subsidiary of Mars Incorporated, one of the biggest manufacturers of chocolates and confectionery in the world. Launched as a direct sales company, they have managed to recruit thousands of consultants across 48 states in the country. Their sales force is known as "Chocolatiers".   This bag is used to hold their "starter kit". Each new chocolatier receives a starter kit. Since the emphasis is on recruiting new Chocolatiers, this bag should see some nice reorders.    

 

My partner in crime, Cindy, at Continental Marketing,>> literally turned around prepros in hours and overnighted imprinted samples same day in order to help me secure this business.   This 2nd order we were asked to add a plastic bag with suffocation warning as well as a SKU label. Done! (Of course I had to scramble a bit to pull this off...but for Dove my goal is to make it seamless for them to make these sorts of requests.)

 

The Vendor is Continental Marketing, ASI 46420. Give Cindy a call if you have a custom bag opportunity, it is her specialty. Patrice told me she has been her "Go To" source for over 20 years and in all those years, she has never had such a great supplier partner as she has experienced with Cindy from Continental!

 

Way to Go Patrice, now I have complete justification to go buy some Dove Chocolates.

 

Bill and JoAnn Leonard sent in a great order for 180 Buck Knives totaling over $9,500.00. The knives are being given as thank you gifts to all participants in a Clay Shooting event held annually by a major construction association for its members.  Each year, Bill and JoAnn are asked to provide their client with a great "Gift" and this year was no exception! Congratulations to Bill and JoAnn Leonard.

 

 

Do you have some great stories to go with your "Charged" orders, feel free to pass them along when you send in your orders. Generally, all I need is the "short story" and a copy of the virtual to share.

 

Fred

I hear it often from Tracy that you love to hear what's going on in the field.  I have a story to share with you about my special mailing of the microfiber postcard, and then the brandelopes with a pair of gloves.  I thought I would do something out of the normal for me, and instead of surprising the prospect with a custom made cap, I emailed them the cap concepts and my cover letter with it.

See my email to the prospect.  Her email then follows.

To: Betty Skinner
Subject: FW: Torriginton Livestock CAPS

Betty
My name is Lori Weisz. I am a headwear specialist and my passion runs deep for designing custom
headwear/caps for  the livestock industry .  Some of your friends in the Nebraska area, like Crawford
Livestock, Sheridan Livestock and Gordon Livestock have given me the opportunity to earn their business by providing cap samples for them just like what I'm providing to you all at no charge to you.

Since the samples have been produced, all of these and other Livestock Sale Barn owners have and continue to order their caps through me.  I cherish the business relationship that I have with them and the trust they have given me over the years.

All I am asking is for an opportunity to earn your business as well .  Do you like any of the cap samples
shown in the attached file?  You will need to scroll down to view all 5 pictures. Which cap samples would you like me to produce for you at no charge?  I welcome your comnments and changes.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Lori Weisz

SEE HER EMAIL REPLY TO ME---------------------------------------------------

Hello Lori,

Thank you for considering us a potential customer but we have one of girls in the office do all our caps at this time.

Thanks again,
Betty

Fred, her email made my day.  I have never received such a professional and polite rejection letter ever!!  So, I thought about it, and decided it deserved a phone call to thank her for her politeness and professionalism .

She and I had such a laugh over it, and she said she's never had anyone ever call her to thank her for being polite and for rejecting someone's services.

Then she went on to tell me, I think there is room in the future for us to do business.  ( I giggled inside)  and told her I was going to have two spec sample caps made up anyway for her to keep around so when she is ready to contact me the info would be inside my cap.  She commented, I have a file saved with
your contact info already.

So,  we continue to plant seeds and nourish them.  I will include her in my calendar mailing from BlackKnight and send her one with her name on it and my contact info in the corner.

Somedays, you just need to turn lemons into lemonade  :-) !!  I have no doubt, in the future they will become a customer.

Have a terrific Day Fred and thanks for all the tools you provide me to do what I love to do.
Lori Weisz
(out in the sticks!)

Thanks for the great story Lori. Also Thank you Tracy, you are right, I love to hear the stories from the "Field". It is great to share them with other reps as well as our entire office. It is gives us all even more appreciation for what it takes to make those orders come through! - Fred

 

 

 
There is no such thing as a "Dead" account unless YOU decided to bury it! Here is another great inspirational story to remind us all how important it is to "Keep in Touch" and keep "In the Know" within an account. You never know when that buyer who moved out of the buying position eventually finds her way up to CEO or in some other position to help you even more! It may take years!

Fred Albrecht

513-753-2580

Proforma Albrecht & Co.

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