Strategy January 15, 2016
Distributor Salesperson of the Year Finalist - Pete Thuss
Q&A with Pete Thuss, Talbot (asi/341500).
Q: How would you describe yourself in one sentence?
A: I’m a driven person that does what I have to do to get the job done, business or personal.
Q: What’s the most creative promotion you’ve done recently?
A: This past year I did a cross promotion with a local radio station on a reusable Solo cup for two large outdoor country music concerts. The co-branded cups made it to a lot of people, including a number of the stars that performed, as well as a DJ on Sirius XM.
Q: How do you find new customers?
A: Generally, I find new clients through referrals from existing clients. I also use trade magazines in specific industries to target clients in those sectors. Another way I’ve been successful is by using my contacts and introductions through LinkedIn.
Q: What’s the greatest challenge you face in your job today?
A: I would say it’s continuing the balance of personal life and work life. I find the two are so interrelated as more and more clients become friends and friends become clients.
Q: What’s a top market to sell to in 2016?
A: I’ve had great success in the foodservice industry and am finding this is continuing to grow for me. In the past, not all foodservice outlets wore a uniform or coordinating clothing of some type. By offering an inexpensive solution to this, as well as branding continuity, it brings the image of the establishment up a notch.
Q: What’s the best sales advice you’ve ever gotten?
A: A late uncle of mine gave me some great advice and that was to never try to sell anybody anything. I’ve always taken that to heart and adopted my own motto: Inform the client of what’s available and then help them make the right decision.