This is a story about my B2B sales journey in Peru, where I landed a $150,000 exclusivity contract on my first attempt.
Here I reveal the surprising twists and turns that led to success. Learn the secrets and lessons that helped me achieve more than I imagined.
My trip to Peru keeps one of the most remarkable secrets in my career.
I went there to land a customer for the company I was working for, and I succeeded.
Let me tell you how it happened.
For context, I was a B2B Sales executive for a Turkish company looking to expand its market to Latin America and Spain.
The goal was to find customers, and Peru was a specific market we wanted to access.
Despite being a challenging product to sell – automotive parts for trucks and buses – there was an opportunity.
There were few competitors in Peru, and our product’s quality was our advantage.
Before the trip, I contacted a Peruvian company – the potential customer – already purchasing from a Turkish distributor.
But our product was superior, and quality mattered in this sector.
Although they were loyal to their supplier, I was determined to win them over.
I sent numerous emails but no response.
I showed my manager the potential customer’s website, their current supplier, and the opportunity to offer our product.
Despite initial hesitation, my manager agreed to go since there was competition already.
But there was something my manager didn’t know: There was no confirmed meeting.
These potential customers had never replied to any of my emails or calls and had no idea about who we were or our brand.
But still, off we went to Peru.
During the trip, the potential customer had no idea we were coming.
It was an adventure arriving unannounced.
They were looking at us like who are you? And we were like “Ehh Hello! we are coming from Turkey, we need to talk with the founder.”
I knew the founder , but she didn’t know me, and that was one of the things that played a key role in our success.
Here I’m sharing with you the main reasons for our success on this business trip:
Know Your Potential Customers, Know Your Success
Knowing your potential customers sets you ahead of the curve.
I knew the most relevant things about the founder because of her LinkedIn.
I knew what she was purchasing and who she was purchasing from because everything was on the company website, including the prices.
This allowed us to estimate the approximate price and compete effectively as manufacturers with more competitive prices.
Let Your Products Shine [Presenting without Criticizing]
Our success was also attributed to our superior quality.
We assessed our competitors’ products and found that our quality surpassed the market offerings.
Sometimes, our competitors’ products were even more expensive because of their role as distributors rather than manufacturers.
We conducted several tests that consistently demonstrated the excellence of our products.
However, we never to spoke ill of our competition.
Talking negatively about them can backfire, as potential customers may question the reasons behind it and choose to buy from the competition.
Instead, it’s better to present your offerings and allow customers to draw their conclusions.
This approach helped us a lot.
Go the Extra Mile [Traveling for Customers Makes an Impact]
Keeping a strong presence with potential customers was crucial.
Traveling to their location, even from the other side of the world, made a significant impact.
While online meetings are increasingly common and effective, face-to-face interactions make a lasting impression and help establish a deeper connection.
Visiting customers at their companies allows you to be at their top of mind.
Unlike business fairs where customers are bombarded by numerous sellers; when you visit their company, they can focus on you and your offerings.
Transform Struggles into Solutions
Understanding what matters to customers is key.
In our industry, customers often struggled to find information on product usage.
As manufacturers, this was our specialty, and we addressed it by offering workshops during our first visits.
These workshops not only solved their longstanding problems but also created excitement and a sense of trust.
We even had the honor of being invited to have lunch with the Co-Founder, which solidified our relationship.
Although we missed our flight as a result, the value of that lunch far outweighed the cost of the flight.
Listen, Understand, and Connect
Building strong customer relationships has been a critical factor in exceeding targets throughout my career.
While I lacked technical knowledge, I focused on connecting with customers and understanding their needs.
By listening to them, I provided value and developed compelling offers.
Technical details mattered less to customers than being heard and receiving personalized attention.
Final Thoughts
This approach led to my first client in Peru during my initial visit to that beautiful country.
They sent a physical copy of the $150,000 contract, making them the official distributor of our brand in Peru.
Despite the challenges of missed flights and long-distance travel, it was all worth it in the end.
