PPB April 2021

especially as their teams return to offices and shared spaces. They are either going to order from you or someone else. Make it you. I cannot tell you how many dozens of distributors I know in our community who had record sales in 2020 because of their PPE sales. Get on board. 2 Leverage your network: Long-standing client and business relationships, friends and family need to know what you are up to. One thing I like to do is an annual update on my business (sort of like a State of the Union) to my network via LinkedIn, telling them what I have been working on and my big goals for the year. Then I ask them to help me. If we don’t communicate, how will they know how to help us? And trust me, your network wants to help you if you tell them how. 3 Get strategic with your sales efforts: The days of order-taking are long gone. If you are tired of being priced out against buyers who search the internet, and selling for low margins, then drive your sales. Build long-term, loyal client relationships by targeting a specific industry and becoming an expert in servicing those industry buyers. I have sold tens of millions of dollars with great margins by leveraging this approach. You can, too. You know what is coming around the corner. And now you know what to do. Things will get back to a “new normal” and when they do, be ready to seize the opportunity. If you prepare now, you will experience tremendous sales growth and success in 2021. Josh Frey is founder of Falls Church, Virginia-based distributor On Sale Promos and the Swag Coach Program. He is a 25-year industry veteran and front-line sales coach. Josh@swagcoach. com. Visit TheSwagCoach. com to register for the next Distributors Helping Distributors show and to view past shows. h h h When your area restaurants & shops are back, make sure patrons are looking at your ad! !"! # $%&'( )*+ !", # $"-&!( )*+ | APRIL 2021 | 59 GROW