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Charlie Morris sold six programs out of Sanders Automotive -- and watched smallaccounts turn into big purchasers. we said we're going to give them a 2% discount on their purchases up to their established quota, and then 10% of every dollar over quota. Now, we set their quotas good and husky, so if they make the quota, we're going to be giving the ten cents away. But it's after we've already put our money in the bank." Similar quota programs can be established for non-traveling dealers using the merchandise awards/spiff coupons. Howard ex plained to his smaller dealer ac count customers not taking advan tage of the travel that M&H will work with them "toward coupons where, at the end of the year, the dealer can do his Christmas shop ping, birthday shopping, whatever, out of the merchandise book. We think we can really generate a lot of loyalty and a lot of conversation by doing this," he explains. "It also gives our outside sales man a great entree when he goes in to talk to these customers. After all, if our salesman has nothing special to offer, what does he say other than, 'Hi, I'm here again.' We really need this kind of rapport with our smaller dealer customers, too, where we can offer them something special. This coupon program works especially well if the dealer's wife gets the coupon book and knows that her husband is earning coupons. Believe me, this is really quite appealing to our customers." There's no doubt that Howard recognizes an opportunity when he sees one; he even developed a way From left: George Spradling, sales manager at NAPA Indianapolis, and Charlie Morris visit with Sanders Auto motive customer Tom Vester. SPR NG SUCCESS STORIES "This coupon program works especially well if the dealer's wife gets the coupon book and knows that her husband is earning coupons. " to tie the Bargain Buys program in to the sales/travel incentive pro gram. M&H purchased a large quantity of Balkamp grease guns on the Bargain Buys program. With the money he saved on the Bargain Buys, Howard purchased travel certificates to be given away free to each dealer who purchased the grease guns at the regular price. "Effectively," he says, "by buying these items at the lower price and then giving the customer bonus coupons, it cost us nothing. But the dealer is much impressed -- especially the large fleet customer, for example, who will buy six or twelve grease guns at a time. This customer can get $15 or $20 at a time toward his trip. He's really impressed that M&H is do ing something for him to defray the cost of his trip." Other NAPA Jobbers are enjoy ing successes with NAPA'S 1982 incentive program, and many share Howard's opinion that it's a great way of building sales while played throughout Sanders Auto motive, located in Indianapolis. strengthening the bond between jobber and dealer. According to Charlie Morris of Sanders Automo tive (serviced out of the NAPA In dianapolis Distribution Center): "We sold six programs out of this store, two of which were small ac counts that never really bought much from us before. For example, we were able to changeover an Echlin cabinet at one of the sta tions and we've got another sta tion that's ready for us to change its cabinet over. These customers have changed over from what would have normally been a $200 a month account to what's now a $1500 a month account. So in this sense, it's definitely helped us with new business. And it's locked in our good accounts; the risk of losing customers through the season is pretty slim. "What's more, it's a family-type program now. That's basically what we've gotten into, because the dealers' wives are tied into the program, too. Nobody else in our kind of business has ever tried any thing quite like this before. "I think what it's done is tied us even closer to the dealers that we do business with," Charlie con tinues. "The people we've sold feel much closer to Sanders Automo tive and to NAPA. They feel more a part of the whole NAPA program. And I think that's terrific." Other NAPA Jobbers offered suggestions for making dealer meetings successful. Some used the most effective selling tool known to man: the testimonial. (continued on page 11) 9