Distribution Business Articles

More often than not as a channel or product line matures, the existing sales team or component members are going to track in one of two different directions.

Some people are going to start to get board as the new product and channel turns into the older, aging, maturing channel and they are going to bring less energy to the table.

Some people are going to keep improving in their efforts to run and manage a maturing channel developing longer running relationships with the key customers, buyers and groups in the channel.  This group's sense of ownership and expertise will continue to grow and they will take on the role of mentors to both new sales people as well as to new buyers.

Now many companies cannot continue to push the same old product through the same old channel without bringing in some fresh products.  As the product life cycle matures, things need to be balanced out.  So at some point a natural need to split and reorganize a sales team will occur when new products and channels appear on the landscape.

New products and channels means new challenges for the salesforce.  This is an excellent opportunity for the portion of the force that is getting burned out on the older channel.  It also gives the part of the salesforce that remains with the older line, room to grow and expand their area of influence and develop better processes and mechanisms and to cycle new sales talent into the company.