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Discuss TRAVIS PERKINS: Are we wasting our time targeting the top man? Or is it the best. in the British & UK Tiling Forum area at TilersForums.com.

D

Deleted member 1779

Imaginge: You have a product that a company could sell.
And: You want their buyers to take notice of you.
And: That after five years of trying its no dice.

Question: Is it worth pitching to the head man. Will you get anywhere by pitching to the MD of Travis Perkins which incidently practically own the whole world, including BSS group (Who own PTS plumbing).

Here is the letter I sent. This forum post is July 2011. So the next question is will this pitch work?


===================================================================================================
Geoff Cooper – Managing Director
Travis Perkins Group Travis Perkins, Lodge Way, Harlestone Road, Northampton, NN5 7UG

Geoff, As you begin taking a fresh look 2012 for the Travis Perkins business I expect you are looking out for opportunities to increase profit. And in particular identifying new innovative products relevant to the plumbing sector with high profit margins and a proven market demand even during a recession.

For plumbers I invented a solution to make their life easier which has become a toolbox essential even in these difficult times. It started when I renovated my home in Hertfordshire and discovered how difficult it was to drill porcelain tiles. I gave up my job and started a company to produce the solution. My wife is a Certified Accountant and Finance Director and she supported us both while I set up the factory and brought the product to market.

In developing this product we also focused on exceptional customer service with a keen awareness on how to make the buying experience valuable, We have a highly reliable supply chain plus a trusted distributor in place that you already work with. With your permission I would like to send you 365Drills best selling product, The BATHROOM FITTERS KIT and later to meet and discuss how adding it will generate you very profitable margins, plus long term growth via repeat purchases along with a merchandising strategy that compliments drawing foot traffic and additional purchases for related items.

Our Bathroom Fitters Kit makes life easier for plumbers by solving the difficult and growing problem of cutting holes in very hard porcelain tiles, granite, marble and stone. Each kit has seven cores in five essential sizes and is an all in one solution. As well as four small cores to cut holes for red and brown rawl plugs the unique selling point is that unlike other products in the market our kit also contains critical larger sizes for service pipes like radiators, shower heads, waste pipes.

We have a time proven and market proven product with high demand in the plumbing sector over 5 years. It is such a critical item for a plumbers toolbox that not only do Corgi-Direct have it in their catalogue (and they are flying off the shelf) but they have put it into all three supplements for Dec Jan Feb due to high volume sales demand, product popularity and growth which we have evidence of.

An important point is these popular kits are consumable ensuring return visits to your branches to purchase replacements plus other products guaranteeing healthy future sales growth.

This UK produced product will definitely be a customer offering that shows your company to be on the innovative leading edge during this recession by providing products and solutions that are value for money and great quality. Can we arrange a brief introduction so that I may understand better how I may be able to help you achieve your goals in 2012 and beyond.

=========================
1) Why did I mention that I live in Hertfordshire? Because an article said thats where he lived.
2) Why did I mention my wifes job? Becuase he started off via the accountancy.


How do I know? Well I read this little article, courtesy of the Daily Mail

Had his life taken a different turn, Geoff Cooper could now be hanging out with Fabio Capello, instead of members of the construction trade.

Mr Cooper was one of four candidates shortlisted four years ago to replace Mark Palios as chief executive of the Football Association but, during the selection process, quit the race to become chief executive of Travis Perkins.


Running Britain’s biggest builder’s merchant has seldom been quiet since Mr Cooper succeeded Frank McKay at the end of February 2005. That January’s heavy snow meant that barely a week into the job he had to issue a profits warning. Another followed four months later as a slowdown in consumer spending hit sales of kitchens and bathrooms at Wickes, for which Mr McKay had paid £950 million.


Things improved in 2006, as the housing boom got into full swing, while the arrival of an army of Polish builders, plumbers and carpenters provided a low-cost labour force to do up the homes of those who were not moving.


Since mid2007, TP has found life tougher again, admitting yesterday that trading is little changed since TP’s last update in October. However, Mr Cooper insists TP is winning market share from rivals, keeping its branches open despite big closure programmes at rivals Wolseley and MFI.


He told The Times: “We’ve seen, across the board in retail, 500 branch closures in the past two months. As they close, more business is available for us.”
Mr Cooper, 54, was born in Tottenham, North London, but grew up in Hertfordshire. He took a BSc degree in Systems and Management at City University in central London before qualifying as a chartered management accountant and working in management consultancy for Arthur Young and Spicer & Oppenheim. He then joined one of his clients, supermarket Gateway – now Somerfield – as finance director in 1990, taking that role at drugs distributor UniChem four years later.


He was the architect of the firm’s merger with Alliance Sante where he was first finance director and later deputy chief executive.

Well-liked by investors and City analysts, he had been tipped to head the business, but left in 2004.


He and his wife Barbara – whom he met at school – celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary next year.

They have a son, 25, and a daughter, 22. True to his roots, he is an avid Tottenham Hotspur supporter.

=================================================================


kit2.jpg


Who knows in 6 months time this kit could be in every branch of whatever TP happent to own...
:drool5:

:lol:
 
U

user123

Re: TRAVIS PERKINS: Are we wasting our time targeting the top man? Or is it the best

Honestly? I think it's too long, I would have just sent a letter saying "please look at this link/youtube video/ .. this is a product that I KNOW you will love to take a closer look at - just think of the benefits to your business."

If he's a busy man, or his PA a busy man/woman, they will probably never read such a long letter, or put it aside to read 'later'. Just my opinion of course. Good luck anyhow :)
 
D

Deleted member 1779

Re: TRAVIS PERKINS: Are we wasting our time targeting the top man? Or is it the best

Fair comment! (Its actually a posted letter single side) but agree its a bit wordy.
What I intend to do is sent about seven things in the post over time.
Not really follow ups. But snippets etc. Thats how previously we got in front of the MD of PTS plumbing (Alan Ball).
Just for info we got in front of Alan Ball at PTS who loved it. But when he passed it down to his buying team they blasted it out of the water and killed it dead. That was three years ago. And the downer is that Alan Ball left PTS..
 
J

jwatson

Re: TRAVIS PERKINS: Are we wasting our time targeting the top man? Or is it the best

It is definatly too long, this will be a very busy man, who probably has someone else open his mail and proberly gets 100's of letters a week with people pushing there products. your pitch needs to be more consice snappy and with testimants from users of your products. I.M.O. maybe get your product to buyers underneath him(easier said than done) or like mosaic girl says link tto youtube??/
:smilewinkgrin:

Incidently since your profit margins are so vast, does that mean i get a huge reduction in price when buying your products :lol:


Cheers Joe :thumbsup:

Honestly? I think it's too long, I would have just sent a letter saying "please look at this link/youtube video/ .. this is a product that I KNOW you will love to take a closer look at - just think of the benefits to your business."

If he's a busy man, or his PA a busy man/woman, they will probably never read such a long letter, or put it aside to read 'later'. Just my opinion of course. Good luck anyhow :)
 

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