PRIME+ Selling System Blog

BevAlc sales managers face many challenges. From staffing shortages to supply chain issues and more, every industry feels the fallout from the pandemic, making it even more challenging to keep sales teams motivated and customers satisfied. The advent of direct-to-consumer providers has also impacted sales. The alcohol beverage industry landscape is changing, and BevAlc sales managers must rise to the challenge.

This year saw us returning to in-person communication after working remotely and interacting primarily through email and Zoom meetings. Overcoming the hesitancy of sales reps accustomed to the efficiency of remote work, even though it's essential to reestablish face-to-face relationships, is one of the emerging post-pandemic challenges. Yet another hurdle for BevAlc sales managers is fulfilling orders despite rising prices, inventory shortages, and transportation woes that cause late shipments.  

Now more than ever, beverage industry sales managers have to ensure they make their business attractive to existing teams and new talent. Sales turnover is approximately three times higher than any other industry at 35%, so you need to provide the right incentives to attract and retain top talent. Additionally, your team must understand how to solve problems for your customers and present a compelling value proposition. Let's look at some of the pitfalls you should avoid moving forward and what to do instead.  

Three Things to Avoid in Beverage Industry Sales  

Being unprepared when competition is fierce, and businesses struggle to differentiate themselves is not the path to success. The landscape is evolving, but unfortunately, many managers still believe in the old tried and true methods that worked for their teams ten years ago. Make sure you are keeping up with what your customers and employees need by avoiding these pitfalls.  

1. Not Providing Learning and Development Opportunities to Your Salespeople

If you expect to exceed your sales goals, you must have a high-performing sales team. Industry-specific, accessible learning and development is the key. According to CSO Insights, dropping your sales turnover down to a low annual sales rep turnover of 11.9% is achievable with exceptional sales training programs.  

Strategic sales training not only improves retention but attracts higher quality talent, enhances performance, increases competition, and expands profits by teaching skills such as:  

• Enhanced communication skills - Communication is a two-way street. Successful sales reps are taught to ask the right questions and listen to what the customer needs to provide solutions.  
• Familiarity with the sales methodology - Consistent training is the key to deep understanding and expertise in your sales methodology. Teach your sales team how to listen and look for signals that the customer is ready to purchase.
• Techniques for overcoming objections - Inadequately trained salespeople may hear an objection and mistakenly think that means the customer isn't interested. With proper training, your salespeople can acquire the techniques to present solutions to customer problems or ask more probing questions about the reason for the hesitation to provide additional information.  

2. Depending on Relationship Selling Instead of Offering Clients Need-Based Solutions

Building a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with customers is critical. However, it is not the best strategy for long-term sales. Implementing a needs-based selling approach moves your rep from a position of touting the benefits of your products to becoming a trusted advisor. It shifts the dynamic when the sales rep intimately knows the customer's needs, challenges, and goals and can provide options that satisfy them.  

In an increasingly complex marketplace, need-based selling is much more effective than traditional selling techniques. With quality training, you can develop a high-performing sales team that responds more intuitively to your customers. A one-size-fits-all approach no longer works. Alcohol beverage industry sales training teaches your team about the distillers, vintners, brewers, and techniques used to create your products and gives them a deeper understanding of how your company approaches selling.  

3. Not Having Relevant, Quality Sales Collateral to Leave with Clients 

58% of sales pipelines are on hold at any point in time due to an inability of salespeople to add value. Providing leave-behinds with visually arresting, quantifiable what-if scenarios gives customers compelling evidence that your sales rep is an adviser who understands their needs and can provide the best solutions. The Sell-Sheet Generator from Fox Selling Solutions is a fact-based tool that gives objective profit and margin stories that meet the customer's needs and align with their goals.  

Stay on the Leading Edge of Sales Enablement with Fox Selling Systems 

Growing your sales organization and increasing your profits means investing in your teams. The key is to teach them skills that let them adapt to a changing marketplace while helping customers overcome challenges and reach their goals. Be a leader in sales enablement with a selling system that has consistent, predictable, repeatable results.