Video Coverage Of ASI Dallas
As The ASI Show in Dallas closes this afternoon, Counselor’s cameras were all over the scene for the past few days. We caught up with attendees as they were making their way onto the show floor for the first time yesterday, spoke to one supplier that’s truly dedicated to industry education, and even interrupted show-goers as they relaxed and networked yesterday evening after a busy show day.

Couldn’t make it to Big D? We’re here for you. In this special edition of Show Update, Counselor’s editors file field reports from various locations at The ASI Show in Dallas. Click here to watch the video report.

Get More Out Of Each Order
When companies focus strictly on the product they’re selling, they manage to “pigeon-hole themselves,” instructor Cliff Quicksell told audience members during an education session yesterday at ASI Dallas. “Instead, have a more balanced approach and look beyond the product,” he said during the session, titled “How to get 50% Profitability (or Higher) on Every Order.” “You should find other ways to connect with the customer with great customer service, packaging, unique distribution or even decoration.”
           
By doing so, you’ll be able to tap into the marketing budget of the potential client. “If you offer a solution to their problem,” Quicksell said, “they will be willing to bend their ear and find what you’re offering beneficial to their business.”

During his session, Quicksell used a graph to show attendees how their profit margins can differ depending on the type of order you’re taking from a client. “If you’re selling just product, your margin may be between 5% and 35%,” he says. “If you’re letting them know how your product will help, offering it with great customer service and finding a way to make it stand out from your competitors, your margin will fall between 40% and 70%.”

The Joe Show From ASI Dallas
Looking for new product ideas to offer clients? Counselor Managing Editor Joe Haley went on a hunt this morning for the latest and greatest promotional items on display in the exhibit hall at The ASI Show in Dallas.

Prospecting For Golden Clients
In an education Power Session yesterday during The ASI Show in Dallas, industry consultant David Blaise told his audience that prospecting poorly can kill a career. Of course, it’s also the first step in the selling process, so distributors need to approach it with great care and focus. “Ultimately, prospecting is a sifting process,” he said. “You have to sift through the dirt to get to the gold.”

Blaise used the analogy in his session – titled “Top Secrets of Power Prospecting” – of the Old West gold prospector, saying not to waste time sifting through unqualified leads. He advised distributor salespeople to find out exactly which of their potential clients are spending money now. “You can never hit a nonexistent target,” Blaise said. “Ask yourself who you can target proactively.”

Other tips Blaise offered include implementing a proactive referral program so that current clients are consistently referring you to new leads. This, Blaise said, allows you to do a warm call to these contacts, rather than just relying on cold calls. Blaise suggested, though, that when cold-calling a prospect, try to work from the top down. “Call the CEO for a contact, not Eddie in the mailroom,” he said. “And know what to say to differentiate yourself.”

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