Developing Targeted Approaches for Growth

companies can no longer look to market growth to drive revenue;

Wholesaler-distributors should create targeted approaches to grow revenue.   Going forward, companies can no longer look to market growth to drive revenue; they must understand and take advantage of changing customer priorities and buying patterns, as well as opportunities for geographic expansion--whether in Mexico, Canada, or elsewhere overseas--and deploy innovative, targeted approaches to generate lasting profitable growth.  Distributors should:

• Define, quantify, and promote the value of their company's products and services.
• Improve sales and marketing productivity by monitoring employees' performance and supporting them with necessary tools and technologies.
• Engage and collaborate with customers in new ways to reveal unmet needs and generate new demand--perhaps borrowing some insights from consumer products industry, where collaboration with retail customers has been driven by new levels of information--sharing and transparency.
• Explore opportunities to partner with and sell to government entities and agencies.

ACTION POINT: Seek and develop meaningful partnerships with your customer base.