There was a time when you worried most about another plumbing and heating distributor moving into your sales territory. The competitive landscape has since evolved, with new competitors such as big box stores and online sales. In the past, they sold more to handymen and remodelers than to professional plumbing contractors, but now they’ve become significant competitors.
Selling product alone is not enough. Anyone can sell products, as the big box stores and websites have proven. Now you must be a valuable resource to your customers to help them succeed. You must get to know their business needs, not just their product needs. Here are the areas on which you can focus.