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“I always try to meet a customer's needs because it's easy to lose someone's trust, but very hard to win it back. It's important to be straightforward and never exaggerate.”

“Prior to becoming an outside salesperson, I worked in a variety of positions at the company, including the warehouse and the rental and repair departments. Now I'm capable of bringing a lot of knowledge to the table, and customers like that. I am proactive, acting as my customers' partner, providing them with new information regarding various welding procedures, instead of just trying to sell them something.”

“I look people in the eye and I make promises that I know I can keep. My word is everything. If I can't give my word and keep it, then I really do not have much to offer. I was fortunate to have one of the best teachers in the industry, my father. He taught me the importance of being honest and straightforward. He taught me to make as many sales calls as I can because eventually those prospects may become customers. I treat every prospect, small or large, as a good candidate and won't rule anybody out, because a person not spending a lot of money for their gases now may be willing to spend more for safety and convenience.”

“I try to give my customers a little more than what they are expecting, and to provide them with more than products. I can't just visit with customers, I have to walk in with something to sell. I can bring a lot to the table, including engineering solutions, written welding procedures, parts and service. Welding is just a small fraction, about five percent, of the customer's total job cost. His largest cost is labor. I try to find ways to automate that labor, like taking that arc out of the operator's hands, thus making him more productive. With more productivity comes more profit. I am a problem-solver, and as a result of solving the problem, I can create increased profits for my customer, my employer and myself. I make sure I know what my customers are doing and how I can integrate my products into their operation.”

“Whether the economy is good or bad, salespeople can still make a good living. You just have to work a little bit harder and add new business. There is still a lot of new business to be had if we look for it.”

“My job is to show my customers how to function faster and more economically, and I try to figure out what customers need before they even realize they need it. Over the years, I've run across almost everything that can be run across, and this knowledge and experience helps. I work hard to meet customers' every need, and they know they can call me at any time of the day or night. My motto is, 'The jailhouse is always open.'”

• Order Desk/Front Counter
• Owner/GM/Store Manager
• Sales Manager Drivers (“eyes and ears of the company”)
• Customer Service Reps
• Accounts Receivable Clerks
• Operations People (“person who answers phone with the nice voice, dispatcher”)
• Other Salespeople

“I am very competitive. I don't want to be second, I don't want to be last. I want to be number one. That's what motivates me, the quest to be number one. There are four distributors in the region, all in competition with each other and all fighting for the same business. By focusing on product knowledge, I can stay ahead of my competitors. I make a good income from spiffs offered by vendors, so I put together an 'equipment hit list' listing all my customers, the equipment they did not have or needed to be replaced, and who would be in the market to buy. About 80% of my sales are coming from this hit list.”

“Once I capture an account, I rarely lose that customer. The ability to provide quality service is the key to success. A salesperson rarely does business with a company as a result of the initial sales call. If I'm able to demonstrate my interest in that customer, I'm more likely to capture future business, especially if their current supplier is dropping the ball.”

Sales SuperStars are HOT because anywhere from 10% to 30% of their sales calls each week are cold calls.

“I ask for the business. Once you've asked for the new business, never stop listening. If the new business results in building a sales territory, that's great; but if it replaces sales dollars that have been lost, you are only spinning your wheels. I also remain alert to who is moving into an empty building. Once a month, I drive around to the different areas of my territory where I know a new business can pop up anytime, and I read the local business publication to learn which companies are moving into the area. Then I try to be as helpful as I can to the new company. I've also developed niche businesses by learning everything I can about a particular type of business and then focus on selling that industry.”

Five Sales SuperStars are still working for
the company that first hired them to be salespeople, 3 to 20 years ago. They have been on the job for an average of 10.2 years.

“I am fortunate to have worked in various aspects of the business, including equipment repair and application assistance, and I can weld. So I know what to do to take care of a customer, and they know I'm available 24/7, whenever they need me. Taking care of customers like this is rewarded by their loyalty.”

The newest GAWDA Sales SuperStar has been selling for a total of only 3 years. The most experienced has worked in sales for 33 years.

“I do not consider myself a salesperson. I don't use high pressure or talk about special prices and deals, nor do I rely on product brochures. I spend time talking with customers and trying to help them.”

“I am capable of talking to customers with all levels of knowledge, including operators and engineering staff. I try to listen to the needs of the person working on the floor as well as to the management team's expectations. One of the first things I do in the morning is walk around and talk to everyone in the office, and I get a lot of information. Our company has a policy that nothing is left standing. We act on things immediately.”

“I try to run one day ahead of our delivery trucks. I know which truck and driver is taking the product and what route it is going on. This streamlines the routes for my drivers, because some accounts don't need to be serviced. The 80/20 rule no longer applies. While 20 active customers once generated the bulk of my business, I now need 80 active customers to generate the same dollar values, so I work a lot of new accounts. I visit one shop each week that I've never been to, and I try to fit in three shops a day that aren't current.”

“Experience has taught me enough of the various aspects of the business to know what I can and cannot promise a customer. I've also worked with other company personnel long enough to know what they can and cannot do. My customers are friends. And I never lose sight of the fact that we are always willing to do more for a friend than a stranger. I try to make two cold calls out of every ten sales calls. It's important to have the seeds planted in several fields.”

GAWDA Sales SuperStars have been working at their current place of employment from 1 year to 30 years.

“In this business, my oxygen is no different than my competitor's and if I don't want to make price the reason my customers purchase from me, I have to sell myself, my company and my ability to provide them with the service they need. It's all a matter of not being afraid to go out there and get my hands dirty in order to go the extra mile for my customer.”

Sales SuperStars typically put in a 9 or 10 hour day. Most are in the office at 7:00 a.m. before heading out on the road. Two come in at 6:00 a.m.

“I feel as if I work for the customer. I like my customers, and if I can keep them happy, I know my boss will be happy. It's hard work to spend a little extra time with each customer to provide them with better service, to uncover their true needs, but it is worth it. Remember, too, that salespeople have a lot of knowledge from books and brochures, but typically don't have the practical knowledge. Most welders think they are the best in the world at what they do, and they are very proud. You can learn a lot from your customers.”

The average total length of time a GAWDA Sales SuperStar has been working in sales is 19 years.

“I believe that all of us can accomplish more between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. than we ever will between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Also, people buy from people they like. The product doesn't have to be the cheapest in town. I don't focus on price. If you can win a customer based on price, you will lose that same customer on price.”

“I rely on a laptop and my palm pilot to stay organized. I adapt as I learn, and in the process I am creating my own database for my territory. Because I keep track of what has taken place on each particular sales call, I am better able to manage my follow-up calls and the relationship itself.”