Yakima Products Inc.'s new go-to-market strategy calls for getting a lot more face time with reps and retailers this year. The effort will kick off in June at an invitation only preview of its 2016 line and include a greater presence at regional rep and Grassroots shows and visits by tech reps.
The maker of car top boxes, racks and other cargo carrying products is inviting reps and key dealers for a first-ever event near its
headquarters in Portland to preview its 2016 lines. It will also increase its presence at regional rep shows, the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Summits and local consumer events and dispatch a crew of tech reps on a cross-country tour to engage the retail floor staff with hands on brand immersion, product presentations and training sessions.
“This is an exciting time for the Yakima family of brands,” said Ryan Martin, CEO of Yakima. “We believe this fresh approach will foster deeper partnerships with our retailers and allow us to showcase all that Yakima has to offer through in-depth, highly personalized experiences. The relationships between Yakima and our sales reps, our vendors and our customers are at the heart of our company, and this new plan will enable us to strengthen those relationships even further.”
Yakima will continue to exhibit at both the Outdoor Retailer and Interbike trade shows.
The new sales and marketing direction is the result of a recent organizational transformation that has realigned the sales, marketing and product groups within Yakima’s delivery infrastructure. It also aligns with a number of long-term initiatives that are converging over the next 12 months, including new merchandising and packaging, enhanced technology platforms, refined sales and training tools, plus a significant number of new product introductions for Spring and Fall 2016.
“We want to meet with our dealers and reps in their local market,” said Yakima Senior Director of Sales Jason McGibbon. “We are heading to the regional shows and hosting local training events in order to provide the best avenue for meaningful dialogue and hands-on product training. We will also provide superior support with a completely reworked set of sales and training tools. “We are challenging the status quo by re-examining and re-imagining every aspect of our go-to-market processes with the sole aim of being the best possible partner to our retailers.”
