T
here may be no better method
to grow a customer base than
through expansion. New markets
equal new customers and sales, but they
also mean new investments, corporate
structures and business planning.
That's not always doable.
For aftermarket businesses looking
to expand their customer base without
growing their footprint, the next best
opportunity for growth is right under
their nose.
By directing sales and marketing
efforts to unearthing potential within
an existing market area, aftermarket
distributors can increase sales, discover
new customers and generate revenue for
a fraction of the cost of an expansion.
Though it might not seem like it, un-
known sales opportunities can be found
in markets you've covered for years. They
can be found with existing clients; with
customers you've always known of but
never been able to land.
The key is in the messaging.
With the right strategy, nearly every
customer is attainable.
The fi rst place to look when search-
ing for sales growth is your own records.
Customers buy from you but most don't
buy exclusively from you. Turning a
customer from an occasional patron or
single-category buyer into a full-line
purchasing partner is possible.
A good fi rst step in this direction is
zeroing in on related parts and prior
purchases. In the case of the former,
training inside and outside sales people
to immediately recommend and promote
related products is a quick and easy way
to carve out additional sales.
24
Sales & Marketing
T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7
By Lucas Deal, Editor
lucasdeal@randallreilly.com
Methods distributors can use to
uncover new sales opportunities
Expanding Expanding Expanding
cu
s
t
o
m
e
r
r
a
d
i
u
s
Training is widely regarded as
a great way for distributors to
expand their customer radius.
t
o
your
