Case Study – Global Manufacturer Selling Via Distributors

Business Challenge:

1. Develop direct communication with distributors and their customers.
2. Addressed request from customers/distributors increasingly working in a digital mode.
3. Expand client’s technology leadership through digital engagement.
4. Collaborate digitally with customers to secure additional sales.
5. Provide distributors with insights needed to close sales.
6. Better prepare client/distributor sales reps for customer visits.
7. Achieve tighter collaboration between sales reps, customers and distributors.

How ISM Helped:

The Results:

Distributors belonging to private social media community purchased >50% more of the client’s product year-over-year; customers purchased >30% more.

Distributors and customers can ask a specific technical question and obtain a quick response online from technical client staff as well as fellow distributors and customers.

9 out of 10 members found community valuable.
Key benefits sited by customers and distributors: 1) get fast free advice from experts and industry peers, 2) discuss best practices, 3) keep up with technical trends, 4) troubleshoot issues, 5) learn from some of the world’s top industry experts, 6) expand their network, 7) watch training videos, webinars, and read educational articles.

Distributors surveyed:
89% say they find the community useful.
53% say they’ve increase sales by using the community.
44% say the community has already helped them sell more of the client’s products.

Benefits to the distributors: 1) builds loyalty to the client, 2) resolves issues quickly and 3) sets distributors up as ‘subject matter experts’ to build leads in the future.

Sales reps:
35% say participation in the community helps them win customers and close business.
79% agree the community offers a window into customer thinking and provides topics to discuss with customers.
79% say they are active in the community to increase their knowledge and education.

Benefits to sales reps and field service personnel:

• Enhance knowledge/education through peer exchange and keeping up to date on product news.
• Gives a window into customer thinking and provides topics to discuss with customers.
• Up-to-date product and application information to discuss during sales calls.
• Provides opportunity to answer questions/contribute expertise to distributors, customers and equipment builders.
• Helps win prospective customers and close business.
• Helps better prepare reps for customer visits.
• Provides solutions that build customer trust.
• Connect with a global network.

Learn more about ISM’s Social Media Community focus area.

ISM’s core service offerings can be customized to provide maximum impact. Key service offerings in the area of Digital Customer Communities include:

• Executive Briefings
• Health Checks & Readiness Assessments
• Strategy & Implementation Plans
• Software Selection and Implementation Roadmap Selection and Implementation Roadmaps
• Implementation Assistance

For additional information how we can help your company create a Social Media Community, call (301) 656-8448, or e-mail us at contact@ismguide.com