Selling on the plant floor and line cards

In a niche industry, you don’t win by doing what everyone else is doing. Like David facing Goliath, you have to stand out by bringing something different to the table. My guest, Brian Uzcategui, Vice President of Sales for The Kinetic Co., is here to share how he is winning in the tissue industry and the concepts you can apply to your own work.

Selling in a Niche Industry

1. Selling in a niche industry is not easy. You only have so many competitors and only so many customers, which means every interaction matters. Your reputation travels fast, and you cannot afford to burn bridges.
2. In industries like Brian’s, everyone knows each other. Prices are not the differentiator. Relationships are. If you are not building trust and adding value, you will not last long.

Relationships Are Everything

1. When your market is small, your network becomes your greatest asset. Brian shared that success comes from treating every customer like they matter because they do.
2. This is a people game. You are not just selling a product. You are building long-term partnerships. One bad interaction can cost you more than just one deal.

Do Not Wing It

1. Preparation is what separates average sellers from top performers.
2. In this industry, you may only get a few opportunities each year to meet with a customer.
3. When you show up, you need to be ready. Know their history, understand their needs, and come in with clear value.
4. You are not getting extra time. You have to make your time count.

Bring Something New Every Time

1. One of the most powerful concepts Brian shared is simple. Always bring something new.
2. It could be a small training, a new idea, or a way to make your customer’s job easier. When you consistently add value, your customers look forward to seeing you.
3. You become more than a salesperson. You become a resource.

“Be the leader people want to serve. A service mindset goes a long way.” - Brian Uzcategui

Resources

1. Connect with Brian Uzcategui on LinkedIn.
2. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
3. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
4. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers

1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

1. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

1. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.