Global Fastener News

EXCERPT FROM FASTENER MEETING: Gilchrist: Determine Your Goal

John L. Wolz

The first step in sales management is to determine what type of business you want to be, Robbie Gilchrist advised Southeastern Fastener Association conferees in Orlando.
Are you an MRO specialist? Do you have counter sales? VMI or bin service? Price and ship? Catalog? Master selling to other distributors? �You can be three or more of those, but you need to decide and set your goals,� Gilchrist said. �After that you decide how you are going to approach the market.�
Gilchrist started Capital Fasteners in 1985 and grew it to a $10 million company with three branches and 65 employees. He sold the company to Questron Technologies in 1999 and in 2001 Gilchrist started Capital Consulting and Capital Marketing.
Next you get into the number of salespersons, order takers, hunters and harvesters.
Hunters and harvesters have different talents. �The hunter gets the contract and the harvester then grows the account internally,� Gilchrist explained.
Gilchrist emphasizes that salespeople need motivation. �Any good sales guy has to have some sort of carrot,� Gilchrist explained. �Good salespeople want to be on commission.�
� You have only one chance to make a first impression and that includes yourself, inside and outside sales people, office and warehouse appearance and even company vehicles. Are the vehicles clean? �Image is important.�
� Gilchrist also emphasized training. It can be done by the factory, sales reps, inhouse, or other sources, but it must be ongoing. �People sell what they are comfortable selling.�
� Gilchrist said he required more than just call reports. Sales calls require an �agenda� or goal. Gilchrist said as CEO he took the time to read call reports.
� Measurements such as lines shipped, incoming calls, back order times, receivable days, on time shipments and sales per employee are necessary. �You have to have a baseline,� he explained.
� Participate in the industry, Gilchrist urged. As a distributor Gilchrist was active in the National Fastener Distributors Association, Southeastern Fastener Association, Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association, Industrial Distributors Association and the National Association of Wholesaler/Distributors.
�You have to participate. You owe something back to the industry and the next generation in the industry. �
� Gilchrist termed advertising as �proactive.� What advertising you do will depend on your market. �It can be as simple as a brochure for salespeople to bring on sales calls.�
� Keep up with technology.
� Management needs to hire sales people and smart people. �Listen. You do not know everything.�
� �Treat people the way you want to be treated,� he advised.
� �Look sharp, be sharp, and act sharp.�
Editor�s Note: Gilchrist can be contacted at Capital Consulting, P.O. Box 6232, High Point, NC 27262. Tel: 336 884-1704 Fax 336 884-1778 E-mail: RGilchr485@aol.com �2003 FastenerNews.com\