Pump Up Educational Offerings In Your Value-Added Service Menu

Two new Cabela’s stores opened in July in Texas, with much fanfare. The hunting, fishing and outdoor-gear retailer celebrated the grand openings over 10 days and brought in dozens of outdoor “celebrities,” from anglers to authors, hunters to television hosts and other big industry names.

Cabela’s also reported its Q2 earnings in July — total revenue increased 23.2 percent over the same period a year before.

What sets Cabela’s stores apart from others is not the products they’re selling — it’s all the extras. From museum-quality displays of mounted game animals to laser-shooting galleries and onsite restaurants, Cabela’s stores are a virtual amusement park for outdoorsy types.

Some noteworthy statistics: people often drive more than 200 miles to get to the store nearest them, and spend up to 10 hours inside once they’re there. The average person spends four hours during a single visit.

When customers aren’t enjoying all the “extras,” they’re no doubt buying. At least that’s what the recent earnings report would lead you to believe.

Cabela’s unique business approach — and its success — struck a chord with me as I was writing this month’s cover story, “The Distributor As Educator.”

As I interviewed distributors for the article, it became clear that what breeds customer loyalty and increased profits is not necessarily the products you sell; it’s the “extras” customers get when they do business with your company. Customers want a commitment that distributors will help them improve operations, not just sell them products.

Today, distributors are travelling to customer facilities and making tailored presentations for cleaning staffs. They’re also developing ample seminar lineups and holding them in state-of-the-art training centers. They’re dedicating personnel to uncovering customers’ most pressing problems, then applying their knowledge to find solutions. These distributors define the term “consultative seller.”

This education-focused approach is positioning distributors as valuable resources when customers need help with the challenges their organizations face.