Tell me about a time you built a strong relationship with a hard-to-reach farm account or rural dealer that led to increased sales.

Situation

In my previous role as a field sales representative for a consumer goods company, I was assigned a territory with several rural sari-sari store owners who were loyal to a competitor brand and wary of new suppliers.

Task

I needed to gain their trust and convince them to allocate shelf space and try our products, aiming for a 20% increase in order volume within three months.

Action

I visited each store twice a week at times convenient for them, often early morning before their peak hours. I learned about their business challenges, like slow-moving inventory and customers requesting brands they didn't carry. I shared simple tips on product display and bundling, and offered small free samples for them to test with their regulars. Over time, I became a familiar face they could rely on for timely deliveries and honest advice, not just a salesperson pushing products.

Result

Within two months, four of the five targeted stores tripled their orders, and I exceeded my quarterly sales target by 30% in that territory. One store owner even referred me to two other dealers in the area.