The New Sales Guy Project

Frank Hurtte, founder of River Heights Consulting, Davenport, IA, has well over 40 of experience in the distribution industry as a consultant, sales coach, distributor and manufacturer. After getting a degree in computer science from the University of Illinois, he started a 14-year career with Allen-Bradley, where he learned the ins-and-outs of the automation business.  Frank’s family was in the distribution business with Texaco and after his many happy years at Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation, he  decided to take a  management post at Van Meter Industrial Cedar Rapids, IA. His entrepreneurial urges eventually got the best of him, and after 14 years with Van Meter, Frank launched a consulting business to help distributors and manufacturers in the electrical and automation market grow their businesses.

At River Heights Consulting, Frank has authored several books, including The Distributor Manifesto on fee-based services, and most recently The New Sales Guy Project,  to help the new generation learn to build enduring sales relationships.  His new book is now available in paperback on Amazon for $42.50.

In researching The New Sales Guy Project, Frank  interviewed more than 200 salespeople and their sales managers about their rookie strategies, sale tips and techniques

Says Frank in explaining this epic project, "I have been personally involved in the sales process for knowledge-based distributors for a very long time – 47 years at last count.  I have assisted new salespeople in some way or another for at least 30 years.

"As a knowledge-based distributor salesperson with over 47 years of experience, I acknowledge that most of the skills and methodologies I learned early in my career are outdated.  While most experienced salespeople do not have as much experience as me, it’s safe to say sales leaders who started their journey after the launch of the iPhone in 2007 have a completely different experience from mine.

“Knowledge-based distribution has always needed a steady flow of new salespeople to survive. At the same time, the complexity of the skillset required of these new salespeople has grown at an exponential rate. New sellers struggle during their first year. Frustration sets in, and many exceptionally talented individuals drop out of the industry. Sales managers complain as they lay out massive sums of money waiting for their sales numbers to grow.”

When he is not writing or reading books on sales, Frank plays in a band, fixes up bicycles and donates them to families in need and reads books on the U.S. Civil War.