CNGA Looseleaf Oct/Nov 2018

“It’s very important to me to have a personal relationship with every customer. Some sales representatives back off when the season is slow. I call or visit anytime. When it’s slow, customers have more time to sit with you, and you can actually develop more of a relationship, which helps business in busy times,” said Kent Broome, who retired from 25 years as a sales representative for Bailey Nurseries in 2017 and now works part- time as an independent sales representative. As President of Rocky Mountain Horticulture Services, Broome now reps Baxter Wholesale Nursery and Bylands Nurseries. Though those companies have different plant selections than his past employer, he continues to find success with his tried-and-true practice of checking in with customers between deliveries and the next sales calls. “I strive for more face-to-face visits. The more in person I can do, the better, though I can also contact people by phone, email and Facebook messenger,” he said. He really enjoys helping out the mom-and-pop operations, but visits with the larger customers need to be scheduled first, based on sales order sizes. He also targets the companies that best fit the product lines available at that time of year. “As a sales rep, I analyze every company and formulate what their business model might be and how I fit into that,” he explained. He usually makes a couple key appointments every day, and then as time permits, drops in to a few others who he has already developed relationships with. The better he knows a customer, the more welcoming they are of spontaneous visits. While he mostly meets with purchasing managers, he knows many owners who will also visit with him, due to his long tenure in the industry. His purpose is to touch base, find out how they feel about the products they received and check if there were any issues with quality or shipping. “I want to be aware if they have any issues with the company or with myself,” he said. “Some people are so focused on the sale or getting something from the relationship that it can’t get better. You need to like visiting and caring about the other side,” he added. Ironically, by going into a conversation without a sale as the sole focus, what is learned from the “I strive for more face-to-face visits. The more in person I can do, the better, though I can also contact people by phone, email and Facebook messenger.” colorad o nga.org LooseLeaf  October/November 2018 14 Previous page: Kent Broome, right, visits Mike Gittleson at The Tree Farm in Longmont, Colo. Below: Kent Broome enjoys visiting with customers during a fishing trip in Wyoming.