An Example of Small Town Creativity  
On December 2, 2002, I had the pleasure of listening to an after-dinner presentation by our SMEI President, Willis Turner, CSE as our Buffalo/Niagara Chapter celebrated their 60^th Anniversary.  Willis mentioned that our SMEI members are encouraged to submit interesting sales stories for publication.  Here is mine:

Several years ago, I interviewed the Sales Manager and President of a small company in Ellicottville, New York.  The article that came of that interview was published in a weekly newspaper that I was writing a weekly column for.  This was a story of small business sales creativity in the face of potential disaster.

Stride Tool, at that time, had just 22 employees producing a wide variety of automotive hand tools.  Stride had been selling their products to the European market through two wholesalers in Paris, France, for about 2 years before their primary customers surprised and challenged them. 

Their Paris wholesalers voiced a threat to the sales relationship.  Become ISO 9001 Certified within 18 months or lose the European business.  Lori Northrup, President of Stride Tool, undaunted by the ISO 9001 challenge, not only agreed to the certification process and expenditure, but took a most unusual step that, I suspect, most of us would not have thought of taking.

Lori retained the services of a local French teacher at the Ellicottville Central School.  I was somewhat surprised that Lori found a French teacher in Ellicottville.  The town's school system has fewer than 500 students.  Ellicottville has a population of about 900, and is located about 45 miles South of Buffalo.  Its primary "industry" is skiing and it boasts the largest (and in my opinion, the finest) ski facilities within 200 miles. 

Every employee of Stride Tool attended weekly Conversational French lessons for the next 18 months as the ISO certification process was undertaken.  When certification was obtained, Lori closed the plant for one week and surprised all 22 staff with an all expenses paid vacation in Paris France.

Imagine the surprise of the French employees of the two wholesalers when these American employees toured their facilities and were able to speak their language.  Stride Tool not only retained the European business but its business in Europe has since grown dramatically.

Sometimes in business, problems and challenges become our finest opportunity to grow our business and open new markets.  The creativity of Lori Northrup does not surprise this Buffalonian.  After all, brainstorming was "invented" here in Western New York by Alex Osborn, back in the early 1950s.  Osborn became the "O" in BBDO Advertising, the world's largest advertising agency (at least it was at the time of my story).
Phil Wiggle Honored with Lifetime Certification Emeritus by SMEI President, Willis Turner, CSE and SMEI Buffalo/Niagara President Gary Kenline
 
In my capacity as a Professional Speaker and Corporate Trainer, as I speak to business groups and corporations throughout the United States and Canada, I often tell the Stride Tool story and challenge the audience to express their own creativity in sales and marketing.  Sometimes it takes a potential disaster to rock our boat sufficiently to begin thinking outside the box and "find" new paths to higher sales and profits.

By the way, I can always use a new story or two for inclusion in my presentations.  Please send yours to me at my Email address (below).
 
Philip Lawrence Wiggle, CSE CME CPA became a CSE CME Emeritus in December 2002.  He is a past president of Buffalo/Niagara Sales & Marketing Executives and is one of two CPAs in the USA to become a CSE and CME.  In the mid-1990s, Phil served as a Director at Large for SMEI, an honor he remembers with great pride. 
 
Email: phil@aspenspeakers.com Phone & Fax:  716-688-6157
Web site:  www.aspenspeakers.com