From the Job Site to the Sales Team (S1.11)

In this episode, we sit down with Corinne Parsons, one of our Territory Managers for Ontario, as she shares her journey from Office Manager at a Plumbing Company to selling Plumbing & Waterwell Accessories for the manufacturer. Discover what inspired her career shift and hear the tips and insights she’s picked up along the way to build stronger connections with her customers.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hi Corinne, welcome to the Contractor Relate podcast. Thanks for joining me today. Thank you for having me. So I'm Corinne. I'm the Ontario Territory Manager for Beauchard Industries. I joined Beauchard about three years ago. I cover a large portion of Ontario stretching from the Tri-Cities down to London, the Bruce Peninsula, and then up through Barrie, Sault Ste. Marie to Timmins and all of the small towns and cities in between. So lots of driving. Yes, lots of driving.

unknown 0:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Before that, I worked for a smaller plumbing company just outside of Kitchener, Waterloo. I was the office manager there for just over 10 years. My job consisted of the day-to-day scheduling, ordering materials, planning, plumbing rough-ins, and quoting jobs as well as custom new home construction. So I'd have uh homeowners come in and they'd pick out their selections if we were renovating their basement or doing a big custom home. So it's interesting. I went from the trade, the contractor trade side of things to now working for the manufacturer. And it's kind of given me a wide view of the business.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

Yeah, for sure. So with your background, like what do you think that when you made that switch, what was the biggest maybe similarity and what was maybe the biggest difference from you know going from what you were to going into sales? Maybe what surprised you the most about that change?

SPEAKER_01 1:30

What surprised me the most was the amount of books I'd probably have to read. Um no, I was surprised to see how structured sales was. Uh coming from working in the office, I dealt with a lot of sales reps. They were always in there, and I really didn't realize how much went into planning a meeting. Um, you know, they probably did come in prepared with what they wanted to talk about and an agenda for how to lead their meeting, what products they wanted to focus on. Those were things that I didn't really see until I stepped to this side of the business and I realized what kind of preparation work goes into preparing for those meetings and also the follow-ups. So I didn't realize that we'd use things like a CRM sales tool to try and keep track of everything and that, you know, there'd be all these notes to put in. There'd be a pipeline and a deal that you would have to follow along. Those were things that I didn't see the similarities to. Um I guess for something I did would be just like I always got to go and attend the trade shows. It's different to be now standing behind the booth and not the one walking around.

SPEAKER_02 2:34

What is one thing that you learned from your background that you brought into this role? And you're really happy that you had learned that in a different role.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

I would say just understanding the full process of plumbing. So, what it takes to do a plumbing rough in, um, what are all the stages that you have to go through? And I think sometimes like the most important part is just making sure that you have all the material. Um planning everything out, there's so much that goes into it. Um, and it depends what kind of plumbing that we're talking about, if we're talking about residential or if it's commercial, if you're talking to a service guy and the difference between having shop stock or having stock that goes on their van, um, it looks vastly different depending on what kind of jobs and service that they're doing. But just getting a better understanding, I guess, of that and what it takes to be prepared.

SPEAKER_02 3:26

Do you find that knowing all of that, kind of like in the plumbing industry that you were in, did that help with your confidence when you made the switch and you started talking to customers? Or how did that help you?

SPEAKER_01 3:37

I would say so. Like if I'm at a trade show, one of the first questions I'll ask somebody is like, who are they and what do they do? Right. So if I'm talking to an apprentice, I'm probably gonna ask them, you know, what term are they in? Um, how's their schooling coming along? How's their hours going? When do they write their test? If I'm talking to a journeyman, I want to know, are you a residential plumber? Are you service? Are you new construction? Are you commercial? And then that way you can kind of lead the conversation in the right direction. Um, we cover a lot of products, right? So it's definitely not everything that we sell is gonna fit to every single person who's buying. Um, if I'm talking to a residential city plumber, I'm probably not gonna talk about pitless adapters. They don't know what it is, or they really don't care because they're never gonna use it, right? So that'd be something where I'd want to like shift and talk about maybe PVC swing checks. Um I guess an example would be like answering the phones for the plumbing company. I got so many phone calls about the sump checks. So, say you have like a smaller bungalow house and their bedroom is right above the mechanical room. At night when the house is really quiet, the PVC swing check opens and closes. And I mean, for me or for a plumber, we're like, okay, good, that's working. That's awesome. For the homeowner who's trying to sleep at night and it's keeping them up, it's driving them absolutely bonkers. Um, so one thing like when I'm at a trade show and I find a residential guy, I'm always trying to show them like the quiet PVC swing checks and what's the benefit to that. And one thing that I know about plumbers is like they really like to take things apart, right? So it's like, here, unscrew the union, pull it apart, check it out. Like, what's the difference to the spring load and why upsell your customer right away instead of having them call like come back to you? Um, I think one of the biggest and most important things is like your reputation, right? So installing good products right from the start and not having those callbacks and that service. Um if you look at like squeezing a callback into a very busy day is a nightmare for a plumber. It's uh yeah, it can put a wrench into everything, right? So it's hard to fit that in, I guess, or it means that somebody's gonna be home late for dinner or you have to bump another job. So Yeah, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Yeah, making sure that we're selling good material and and you would have that insight of what they're interested in or what you think they need, right? Like you would know that coming from this background. So then what would spark your decision to leave that and go into sales?

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Yeah. Um so my aunt, Wanda Hagen, is the regional account specialist for Western Canada. And she's been with Beauchart for over 15 years. Um and Wanda was always calling me to tell me, like, hey, we just came out with this, this is kind of new. So I knew all about Beauchart. I knew about like the innovation, the products, I knew about the company in that she was really happy working here. Um and if and so she called me and she said, like, hey, we're hiring direct for sales. What are your thoughts? And you know, if you asked me 10 years ago, I would have absolutely said no, it wouldn't have worked for my schedule. I had a young daughter at home. Traveling would not have worked, but sales is not a nine to five job. Like, you know that. Um, there's a lot of long, long days, uh, trade shows that were gone to sales meetings. So now my daughter's a little bit early older, and I'm able to do that travel, I guess. Yep. Um, so that's part of the reason I made the jump, is just the company sounded good. I was excited to join and be a part of the culture. She never had anything bad to say about Beauchart. So it was just time for a challenge and to make a jump. A good opportunity at the right time, kind of thing.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

Yeah. Yeah, it just fell in and the timeline just aligned. Nice. So then, like, do you feel like you approach sales a little bit differently than somebody who doesn't have the background that you have? Like, would you have advice for anybody who doesn't have that background of things that maybe they should research or look into before they take the leap into sales?

SPEAKER_01 7:44

I would say it's hard to sell something if you don't know how to install it or where it goes, like what how to sell the full system, right? Um, so my advice would be get out on site, you know, ask lots of questions. Don't try and BS your way through a conversation because the trades will humble you. They will see right through that. So it is so much better to just say, like, hey, I don't know. Can you teach me more about that? If you're at a trade show, you're standing in front of these guys who are experts at what they do. So I'm not scared to be like, how do you use that? You know, where does that fit into the system? Can you tell me more about that? And, you know, I'll turn I'll flip the script and tell them about something I know about too. But it's good you've got these experts right in front of you, utilize that or people that you work with, find a good mentor. Um, but I would say, yeah, the biggest thing is like if you can get out on site and see how it's really done in person and maybe ask those questions uh as they're installing. I know for myself this year, well, I guess it would be last year, I was able to attend the Welltech training course with Warren Lesk. Um so I got to learn a little bit more about like groundwater safety and see what it means and what these guys go through to get Welltech certified. Um, so that was really interesting to listen and sit in on that and meet some of those people. And for myself, I really want to get out onto like a drilling site this year. So, yeah, if there's any drillers listening, please invite me out. Yes, call me. I'll bring some coffee or some lunch. But yeah, I want to get out and I want to see like the drilling rigs and the different processes that they use to pull water and how do we go from you know, just getting a rig on site to actually getting the water into somebody's house and and where does Beauchard's products actually fit into all that? Because I mean, I've looked at, you know, our moving the water from the ground up description and the the sheets that we have and everything we have, but it's so much different to actually see that in person and and you know, see the installation and step by step how we go through and do it.

SPEAKER_02 9:42

Yeah, because also a lot of people don't maybe know all the stuff that we carry because there's so much of it. Man, I don't even know all the stuff we carry. Exactly. So in accelerator courses, we talk about like upsell opportunities and stuff like that. And so we talk about different products that you know work with these ones. If you're purchasing this, you should be purchasing this and stuff like that. So learning how it actually works in a system and what goes together is a good key to start that and then be able to teach somebody else it. So um, I just want to shift into a little bit um women in the industry. There's not a lot of women that's becoming more of a thing. You're seeing a lot more. Is there something that you would give like advice to any women who are starting in the industry, starting in sales? Like what would you say to them?

SPEAKER_01 10:25

I would say just like don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Um I mean, if you look at a company like Beauchart, we've got a strong female leader as our president. We have Julie, and there's so many people in key leadership roles here at Bauchart. If you look at the skilled trades, I mean, 50 years ago, there probably wasn't very many, if any, women in HVAC and plumbing. And there's there's so many different groups and things available now. So I mean, there's the women's network with the CIPH, uh, there's women in HVAC, there's if you look at the social media, there's so many women that you can follow on there that are skilled plumbers or in the HVAC that you can check out and see like how do they go through their day-to-day. Um, I would say it's a growing industry, right? So don't be afraid to take chances and to to go for it and don't disqualify yourself, right? Um, I know one thing is for myself, anyways, like I'm always trying to be over-prepared and over-organized. And I know that helps and it helps build your confidence, but don't sit there and wait and let an opportunity fly by because you don't feel like you're qualified enough. You need to just go for it sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 11:36

So would you have anything that like a mindset shift that like helped you succeed in a male-dominated environment, or like anything like that that like really helped you that could help somebody else?

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Early on, I would say I definitely let the little comments and those kinds of the situations like if I messed up and I I didn't do something properly, say we had a plumbing ruffin and the guys called me and they're like, Corinne, where are the bathtubs? It's 10 o'clock, they're not here yet. Things like that, you know, you learn from your experiences. So don't let the little stuff throw you through a loop. You know, don't let it get to you at the end of the day. Figure out what you did wrong and learn from that mistake and just push forward. Um I guess too, like the other thing I'd say about maybe being sometimes the only woman in the room is it might give you an advantage, to be honest. Chances are they're gonna remember you, right? So yeah, focus on being confident, being prepared, knowing your agenda, what you're gonna talk about. And I think everything else will just fall into place.

SPEAKER_02 12:38

Do you have any tips or tricks for being prepared that like you like to do before a sales call or anything like that?

SPEAKER_01 12:43

Yeah, I will sit down, I'll review all of my numbers. Um, I'll make sure that I have a bit of an agenda depending on the type of meeting that I'm going into. And I think it's different whether you're having a meeting that's gonna be at a counter or you're going to site and you're going to visit a plumbing company or an HVAC company, or if you're going to sit down in like a leadership executive boardroom, right? So a lot of that just comes with practice, but it you have to shift and change depending on what kind of meeting that you're gonna have, right? So just going through and yeah, know your numbers, know what you're gonna talk about, be confident in that sense.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

Do you see any opportunities right now for women in trades? Like, is there anything that you would recommend or sales right now?

SPEAKER_01 13:28

I would say it's a growing industry and it's one that we're always gonna need. Um, maybe the residential side is a bit slower right now, but we've definitely still building in commercial, right? Um I think that there's still tons of room for opportunity and skilled trades is always going to be something that is going to continue to grow at least.

SPEAKER_02 13:48

So if you could speak then to your young younger self starting out, what would you say to you? So whether that is how you started out in the plumbing industry or whether that is where you are right now, how what would you say?

SPEAKER_01 14:01

Don't quit on the hard days, just keep pushing through. Um, honestly, when I started, I knew nothing about the plumbing industry. And it took me 10 years to figure out what I was doing as an office manager for that plumbing company. And I'm three years into Beauchart, and I'm still figuring out what I'm doing. I'm still learning every day. And that's the thing about this industry too. Like the plumbing code's always changing. There's always new products that are getting brought out. So just keeping up to date with what's happening in the industry, what's going on in the market, what new products are out. Take advantage of the trade shows. Go walk around, talk to people, talk to people who are, you know, professionals in their own industry and ask questions, feed off that, and figure out what are other people doing. Um, yeah, I think one thing I figured out is like talking to other sales reps too. Um, asking them for advice. I don't know. When you go to these trade shows, sometimes they're like two days long and you end up with like a whole group of people that you've never really met before, but you got to sit down and eat with somebody. It's nice every once in a while instead of by yourself. So I'd ask them like, hey, what's your advice? Like, say you've got a 10-year guy who's been a sales rep for 30 years. And the one that really stuck out to me, and I guess that's one that I've kept, is like when you're in sales, um, it's important to know your customer, but also know what their wife's name is or their spouse's name, know their kids, how many they have, where do they like to vacation. Take those little details and write them down. If that means like putting it in your phone or putting it in your CRM, keep track of that stuff. And then next time you go to see them, use those little details to follow up and and you know, say, Hey, how's Susie doing? How's your vacation in Cabo? Like, go through that stuff, ask those questions because those little details that you remember help build that big long-term relationship and that partnership over time.

SPEAKER_02 15:53

Right. It makes it memorable, right? Like people will remember that you cared. And then when you go in the next time, they'll feel good about like a conversation with you because they'll be like, oh, she actually, you know, cared about my kids or what they're doing and stuff like that. So um, do you have any like fun icebreakers or anything you like to do when you are meeting somebody for the first time? Is there anything you like to do to just, you know, break the ice, get situated, not feel too many nerves or anything like that?

SPEAKER_01 16:21

Yeah, again, probably depends on who I'm meeting and where I'm meeting them. Um, my personality probably shifts and changes a little bit depending on, you know, who I'm meeting and where. And I think part of that like comes from, I guess I didn't tell you about my first sales job. Did I ever tell you that I sold magazines? No, I did not know that. Um, oh geez, it was a long time ago now. But just out of high school, I worked for a company and I lived out of my car for a couple of years till I had my daughter, and then that was the end of that sales job. Um but yeah, I sold magazines and I would go into different places. That was before everyone had cell phones, and you'd actually sit down and read a book, right? So I'd go into doctor's offices or I go into mechanic shops and I'd go into, you know, grandma's house down the road because she wanted to get a monthly magazine. So you have to kind of shift and change depending on who you're talking to. Um, you're not gonna use the same kind of body language, you're not gonna use the same words. Maybe if I'm standing in a plumbing shop, my terminology is gonna, my body language is gonna be a lot different than if I'm sitting down in a leadership room with an executive team. I'm probably not gonna swear. Or I'm gonna try not to. Try not to, anyways. Yeah. Um, but yeah, I guess for icebreakers, like I usually would just tell people who I am, where I came from, you know, how I got to where I am today, uh, ask them a few questions, right? Get to know somebody. Maybe even before I talk about me, ask about them, right? If you can figure out who you're talking to, then you can kind of figure out how to lead that conversation.

SPEAKER_02 17:59

And so then when you prepare to go into these sales calls, do you kind of do a little bit of research on who you're talking to and then kind of pull out, you know, those kind of little tips and tricks for those specific ones, or how do you approach doing them?

SPEAKER_01 18:13

Yeah, I'll take a look and like sometimes I'll creep through their LinkedIn or or just kind of review, like maybe there's some other notes, or you know, there's a lot of people who have been at Beauchart for a long time too. So maybe I'll just ask somebody here, like, hey, have you ever dealt with so-and-so? Do you have any experience with them? Do you have anything that, you know, or take a look around. If you get into somebody's office, you can take a look and see like, what do they have on the walls? Is there any memorabilia? Do they have different books? Do they have like pictures of their kids? I don't know. Do they have like a picture of them holding a fish? And you're like, hey, I love to fish. Like, what are the good spots anywhere up here that you'd recommend to go to, right? Um, break the ice that way sometimes. Or I don't know, you get to figure out who your customers are with time, right? I work in the north. I know like when hunting week is and not to bother anyone because listen, like they're running on minimal amounts of people um working like on the cruise. And then also if you look at, I don't know, the wholesalers, there's probably a lot of people that are off for hunting season because you do not deny that.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

Yes, yep, yeah, you're right. And that's like knowing your customers, right? Like knowing those things. So I just want to go back. You did mention when you did magazine sales about that nobody had cell phones. So, you know, social media has become a big thing. I know you're heavily on social media. How do you think that's shifted in sales and how you can use that as a tool?

SPEAKER_01 19:41

Yeah, I mean, even just the Instagram and everything, trying to connect with people that way. There's people that I've connected with that I probably would never have met before because they're not even maybe necessarily in Ontario. Um, but you know, you connect with them, they like your posts, or I've posted things about like some of our different fittings, or I've gone out because I've got a lot of friends that are still plumbers. And I don't know, I'll tag along to their job sites if they're just doing like a private job or whatever, just to see like what they're installing, especially if it's Beauchart, right? Yep. Um, yeah, I'll post some of that stuff on social media and then say they reach out and it's just a good way to connect with people that you there's people you never would have spoken to before, right? So it's a good way to get your name out there, or I don't know how many times I'll go into a place and they're like, oh, Beauchart has the best social media, right? They love the TikToks, or I'll be talking to like the branch manager at the counter, and he's like, Man, all my wife does is watch Beauchart TikToks. Like, um Yeah, so it's just a it's a good way to get your name out there to maybe not necessarily always just show product, but just brand recognition. And if you look at it now too, like people's mechanical rooms are like their pride and joy, right? And people take pride in their work. So I think just being able to share that with everyone and keeps people accountable, right? They're not doing sloppy work or they're not gonna be posting it on the internet because they're not gonna want to get shredded for it.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

Yeah. And I find customers now are using Instagram and Facebook and stuff like that to find plumbers or things like that, right? They're not Googling anymore. They're going to Instagram. They want to see the photos, they want to do all sorts of stuff. And I was at a trade show and um people would come up to me and say, Oh, I need to meet marketing because what they do on social media is so it's it starts a conversation also. You get to meet new people from social media. So as we slowly start to wrap up here, is there anything that you just want to, you know, one last piece of advice or one last thing that you want to leave everybody with?

SPEAKER_01 21:46

I think just uh keep pushing forward, keep collecting stories over time. Your confidence will grow as you make it through. I know for myself, like I'm still working on building that confidence. It's not something that happens overnight. And I still get nervous when I'm sitting on a podcast, or I'm uh if I'm sitting in a boardroom, I think practice makes perfect, right? So every day it'll just get easier and every year it gets easier and easier. You just have to keep pushing forward.

SPEAKER_02 22:18

All right. Well, thank you, Corinne, for joining me today. Thank you for having me.