Competition is AroundEl Paso / Juarez

5/1/2015

Roger W. Harris, MS, CFPIM, CIRM, C.P.M., APP, PMP, CSCP, CPSM

Terra Grande District Staff APICS Colorado Chapter, VP of EducationAPICS Colorado Chapter, Past-President

VP & General Manager, MSS Technologies

1

Who is the Competition?

• Other Professional Associations• ISM• CSCMP• Transportation Groups• PMI• Etc.

We are all competing for a piece of the professional training budgets. Personal or Business Budgets.

Who is the Competition?

• APICS Corporate Services?• Other APICS Chapters?• District Business Development Managers (DBDM)?• For-Profit Independents?• Now there are “Official” APICS Independent

For-Profit Channel Partners

Competition

• All forms of life have to compete to survive and thrive• Animals compete for food and water• Plants compete for sunlight and water• Fish for food or my line• Football teams, Baseball teams, Hockey teams, Soccer

teams all compete to win and for your dollars• Businesses compete for revenue and sales

• APICS chapters have to compete. Now more than in the past!

We have to do both to compete• Marketing• Marketing: The method of introducing the market to goods & services

using mailings, promotions, telemarketing, advertising, etc.• We Must Market continuously

• Sales• Sales: To persuade or influence to a course of action or acceptance of

something. Match products and services to specific customers and needs.• Sometimes Marketing also becomes part of the sale• We Must Sell continuously

To out compete your competitors• You must find the customers, know your market• Your chapters are more local than some of your

competitors• Use this to your advantage• You know the market and the companies• You have the contacts• If your competitors are local and have the same information as

you, you must work to have better information and use other topics that will be mentioned

Believe More in what you sell than your competitors do

• Some competitors sell the same APICS things we sell• CPIM/CSCP/Fundamentals, Lean Mfg., Global Sourcing• Seminars, Networking opportunities, PDM’s

• Some competitors sell similar programs but not APICS Programs

• Sell with more enthusiasm than your competitors!

Know More about your product and benefits than your competitors know• Features…CPIM/CSCP modules

• Functions…Who should have it and why

• Benefits…Because it can help reduce inventory while increasing customer service

• Availability…What is the availability of instructors or courses

• Competition: Know what they do well and what they don’t

Find out more about your market • Newspapers and Business Journals• Networking• Looking along side the interstate at the signs/buildings• Students• BOD members• Manufacturing directories• Other society meetings• Word of mouth• Always be on the lookout for information about your

market!

Draw your references like a gun!

Lets talk about some specific scenarios• Let’s say you find out that APICS Corporate services is

competing to sell 5 CPIM courses to Survive Medical company that is in your Chapter’s core area• What do you do?

• Do you have an existing relationship with Survive?• Do you have members at Survive?• Does Survive understand you are local and can provide courses at a

better price with no travel expenses?• Can you offer better availability and flexibility than the

competition?• Do you have specific medical experience in your instructor base?• Can you offer local references for them to talk to about your

chapter’s programs?

What if it is a For-Profit that is the competition at a local Software Company? • Could be one of Abe’s “official” partners or not….so

what!• They are for-profit, as a not-for-profit you should be

able to be better priced• Your chapter has been around a long time, do you have

more references?• Can you offer a public course because they really only

have 5 people attending?• Are you more willing to understand their business and

needs than the competitor?……remember they have to make a profit and you are not-for-profit.

What if the competition is another local Chapter or another association that is selling to the local Donut Factory?• Do you have an expert in Donuts?• Can you “build up” your own programs as superior

without disparaging the competition?• Value does matter!• Take the high road but don’t back down!

• Are you willing to undercut the prices?• Price does matter!

• Are you willing to make it more convenient to do business with you?• Are you willing to get in the ring and fight for the

business?• Use your references!

What if the competition is your APICS DBDM?

• NO, that would never happen! • If it does, see Bob Hopkins!

Don’t forget to talk to the Real Decision Maker as your competition may not!• Must sell to VITO• Very Important Top Officers• You must fish where there are big fish!

• Go Where the Big Fish Are.ppt

• Work on prospects that can and will buy!

• Consumers want to look at functions• Managers want to look at advantages• BUT VITOs are interested in BENEFITS• VITO will give us an appointment if you show benefits• Remember…VITOs approve checks!

Always know more about the Prospect than your competitors know• Remember in school how you used to research

topics for your term paper?• ALWAYS research your prospective customer!• Find out the details of their business• Find out their competition• Find out why they need APICS and what your chapter

can offer• Strategize how you can help them succeed!

Build Rapport better than your competitors!• No rapport = NO SALE!• Build long term partnerships• People buy from people they like• People buy from people they trust• People love to talk about themselves• People love to buy but hate to be sold• Send thank you cards, notes, etc.• Take time to build the relationship, your competition may

not take the time, especially if they are not local!

Contacts

• It takes 7-10 contacts with a prospective customer to get a sale• You have an advantage if you are local!• If your competition is local too, you have

to out run them here!

Ways To Make Impressions on Prospects

• Send thank you notes for orders, referrals, continued business

• Send short note about a something positive in the world• Send them a relevant article from magazine or newspaper• Send them something about their competition• Send them a Chapter APICS product announcement• Send them your Chapter’s APICS newsletter• Send them a notice of seminar that might be of interest• Send them a special sale of offer• Send them a reminder of a pending order

• This should be an ongoing effort to build a relationship!

Rules to Remember for Success• Establish a positive attitude• Believe in yourself• Believe in your product & organization• Keep learning how to sell better and about your

products• Understand the customer• Sell to help• Establish long term relationships• Be prepared!

Rules to Remember for Success• Be sincere• Qualify the buyer• Look professional• Use appropriate humor• Sell benefits not features• Tell the truth• Don’t put down the competition• Use testimonials & references

Rules to Remember for Success• Listen for buying signals• Anticipate objections• Follow up, Follow up• Use the power of persistence• Sell with passion and enthusiasm!• Dare to be dumb….ask questions• If you do not Compete then you will always lose

the order!

Available References

The Sales Bible: Jeffrey GitomerSelling to VITO: Anthony ParinelloExecute to WIN!: Robert RiefstahlEveryone is a Customer: Shuman/Twombly and RottenbergSales Rules of Roger Harris: rharris@msstech.com

Thank You and Good Luck Competing!!!

Roger W. Harris, MS, CFPIM, CIRM, C.P.M., APP, PMP, CSCP, CPSMTerra Grande District Staff

APICS Colorado Chapter, VP of Education

APICS Colorado Chapter, Past-President

VP & General Manager, MSS Technologies, Inc.

rharris@msstech.com

303-271-1818 x105