I recently heard a distributor at a conference say something that stuck with me: "I manage 200 accounts. I don't have time to 'learn' your brand. I need you to tell me exactly what to do."

If you want your sales rep to actually move your product, stop being vague. You have to give them the What, Why, and How:

• The WHAT (The Target): Don't tell them to "sell more." Give them a "Hit List" of the 10 accounts on their specific route that are authorized to buy your product but aren't. That is a surgical instruction they can finish in a Tuesday morning.
• The WHY (The Proof): Give them a reason to care. Use your data to show that a neighboring route is doing 1.8 cases per week with your SKU. Wholesalers are competitive—tell them they’re leaving money on the table that the guy in the next county is already picking up.
• The HOW (The Easy Yes): Make the sale seamless. Give the rep the exact Price-to-Retailer (PTR) and the expected margin for the store. When they walk in, they shouldn't be guessing; they should be presenting a finished business case.

Distributors are logistics engines, not marketing agencies. When you provide the data, you aren't just another SKU on the truck—you’re the easiest sale of their day.

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