Know Your Players: How the Hunter-Farmer Sales Model
Drives Growth for Distributors Three distribution executives share how they define sales roles, manage handoffs, and align talent to maximize both customer acquisition and account growth.
N
ot all revenue is created the same way — and treating it as such can slow growth. In a
By Tim O’Connor Communications Manager and Editor
40 FEDA News & Views
distribution environment where even mom-and-pops are competing on a national level, the hunter-farmer sales model can provide one framework for successfully pursuing new business while still cultivating existing relationships. The premise is straightforward. Hunters thrive on prospecting, momentum, and the thrill of opening new doors. Farmers excel at deepening trust, expanding value, and ensuring that hard-won accounts stay and grow. Popularized as a way to balance the customer pipeline with long-term account management, the approach recognizes what sales leaders often discover through trial and error: the skills required to close a new customer often differ from those needed to retain and develop one. In this article, three distribution executives — Dustin Bennett, president of The Kitchen Guys; Eric Schmitt,
president of Rapids & Affiliates; and Dave Stafford, president and CEO of Stafford-Smith — share how they apply, adapt, and build upon this model in their own sales organizations.
Defining the Roles
For Bennett, the distinction maps closely to the traditional inside-outside sales divide. Hunter roles belong to outside salespeople pursuing new business, while farmer roles are filled by inside sales staff managing inbound requests and existing accounts. The difference, in his experience, comes down to temperament as much as job description.
“Hunter candidates are more difficult to attract as they are not looking for a lot of boundaries and rules,” Bennett said. “They are seeking the next best opportunity and are not averse to risk.” Schmitt draws the distinction in terms of purpose. At Rapids & Affiliates, hunters identify and pursue relationships where none existed before. The role requires someone
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
