Capitalizing on Niche Markets
Selling to Plumbing Businesses
The territory of plumbing businesses is fertile soil for B2B sales. Product quality, cost and dependable service are all important considerations – so businesses that sell to plumbing businesses need to review their delivery model.
B2B sales can be challenging. To succeed in this environment, you need the right combination of skills and expertise.
Don't be intimidated by the speed of the marketplace. Although speed is important, sales fundamentals and logical strategies will make the biggest difference in the success or failure of your selling efforts.
Role of Owners & Managers
Owners and managers are active players in selling to plumbing businesses. Front line visibility is essential for large accounts, but your sales team can benefit from occasional field interactions with the owner or sales manager.
By periodically accompanying your reps in the field, you can build relationships with the people you count on to close sales.
Casting a Broad Net
The first step in selling to plumbing businesses is to cast a broad net. Strategies that focus exclusively on the local market are not likely to succeed in an environment that leverages the benefits of long-distance sales techniques.
Although a geographic concentration may be a useful strategy for new sellers, you will eventually need to broaden your focus to include prospects outside of your initial range. You can also broaden your prospect base by introducing new products and partnerships into the mix.
Effective Marketing Strategies
Effective sales strategies begin with marketing, and the marketing strategies for plumbing businesses are as diverse as they come.
Yet in this industry, marketing effectiveness comes down to whether or not you're able to target key decision makers. From traditional marketing to cutting-edge Internet strategies, any initiative that fails to reach decision makers is a waste of time and resources.
With so much riding on the outcome, you can't afford to rely on stale or inaccurate sales leads. Third-party lead lists may be the best resource for making sure your team is equipped with the most up-to-date information possible. If you don't currently use lead lists, you may want to consider Experian -- a third-party lead list vendor with a reputation for providing regularly updated and sorted plumbing business leads.
Share this article
Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs