When an internal team only sees roadblocks and obstacles after the launch of a new product line, an external agent is needed to bring in some new insights.
Client
Undisclosed
Year
2025
Role
GTM Specialist
Techstack
NewNewproductproductlauncheslaunchescancanbebetrickytrickytotorollrolloutoutacrossacrossaawidewidegeography.geography.ThisThisisisthethemainmainissueissuethatthataaEuropeanEuropeangroupgroupfacedfacedininmakingmakingsuresurethatthattheirtheirnewnewproductproductlinelinewouldwouldbecomebecomeaasuccesssuccessininthetheFrenchFrenchmarket.market.OnOntoptopofofthat,that,smallsmallsalessalesteamsteamscancanfrequentlyfrequentlyrunrunintointosalessalesfatigue.fatigue.AsAstheytheytrytrytotomanagemanagetheirtheirexistingexistingportfolio,portfolio,macroeconomic,macroeconomic,competitor,competitor,andandmarketmarketpressurespressurescancantaketakeaaheavyheavytolltollandandmakemakethemthemfeelfeelasasififtheytheydon'tdon'thavehavethetherightrightresourcesresourcestotokeepkeepgrowinggrowingtheirtheirportfolio.portfolio.TheThefrenchfrenchteamteamininchargechargeofofsellingsellingthisthisproductproductlinelinedidn'tdidn'tfeelfeelproperlyproperlyequippedequippedtotogo-to-marketgo-to-marketandandmakemakethetheproductproductlaunchlaunchaasuccess.success.
SoSoIIwaswascalledcalledinintotobringbringaafreshfreshnewnewperspectiveperspectiveandandapproachapproachtotothisthisproductproductlaunchlaunchandandunlockunlocknewnewopportunitiesopportunitiesforforthethesalessalesteam.team.
TheThegoalgoalwaswasclear:clear:bringbringinin3030in-depthin-depthinterviewsinterviewsperpermonthmonthwithwithdecisiondecisionmakers.makers.TheTheinitiativeinitiativewouldwouldlastlast33months.months.
InInFrance,France,thetheworkwearworkwearmarketmarketisistotallytotallydominateddominatedbybydistributors.distributors.MostMostcompaniescompaniesrelyrelyonondistributorsdistributorstotofulfillfulfilltheirtheirneedsneedsandandthisthishashasbeenbeenthethestatusstatusquoquoforfordecades.decades.ItItdoesn'tdoesn'tcomecomeatataasurprisesurprisethatthatwhenwhenananindustryindustrydoesn'tdoesn'tgogothroughthroughmajormajordistributiondistributionshakeupsshakeupsinindecadesdecadesthatthataalotlotofofplayersplayersbecomebecomecomplacentcomplacentandanddon'tdon'treallyreallygogooutoutofoftheirtheirwaywaytotoofferofferoutstandingoutstandingservice.service.
TheThefollowingfollowingtabletablesummarizessummarizesthethefindingsfindingsofofthethemarketmarketresearchresearchdonedonepriorpriortotogoinggoingtotomarket,market,specificallyspecificallyconcerningconcerningthethedistributiondistributionchannels.channels.
| Channel | Role in France | Trend | Implied relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized distributorsrevendeurs EPI/workwear | Default channel for most companies, especially SMEs. Aggregates multiple brands, handles personalization. | Stable | Largest Dominant by default — most companies cannot outfit a full workforce from a single manufacturer. Intermediaries are structurally necessary. |
| Industrial supplyLyreco, Manutan, fournituristes | Strong for large accounts and public sector. Broad catalogue beyond workwear. | Growing | Large Overlaps with specialized distributors; increasingly displacing them for large-account procurement via catalog leverage. |
| Workwear rentalElis, Rentokil Initial | Significant in hospitality, healthcare, food processing. Effectively indirect procurement. | Stable | Medium Meaningful but sector-specific. Captures a captive share of hospitality and food industry demand that rarely goes direct. |
| Direct from manufacturerPaul Boyé, Cepovett, etc. | Large enterprises and public procurement tenders. Price-driven, institutionalised contracts. | Growing | Moderate Real but structurally limited to buyers with purchasing departments. Public sector tenders are the main driver. DTC push is slowly expanding this. |
| E-commerce & online platformsAmazon Business, brand sites | Emerging across all buyer sizes. Accelerated post-Covid. Often replaces catalogue distributors. | Fast growing | Small but rising Still a minority share in B2B workwear, but the fastest-growing channel. Procurement digitisation is cutting traditional distributor lead times. |
| DIY retailersLeroy Merlin, Castorama | Recent entrant. Mainly serves individual artisans and consumers, not corporate buyers. | Growing | Smallest Negligible for B2B corporate buyers. Growth is real but concentrated in the consumer/artisan segment, not enterprise workwear procurement. |
TheTheteamteamdecideddecidedthatthatweweneededneededaafreshfreshapproach.approach.AlthoughAlthoughthethemarketmarketisisindeedindeeddominateddominatedbybydistributordistributorgroups,groups,couldcouldititbebethatthatsomesomecompaniescompanieswouldwouldpreferpreferdealingdealingdirectlydirectlywithwiththethemanufacturer?manufacturer?AAfewfewexistingexistingdirectdirectclientsclientsseemedseemedtotoindicateindicatethatthatthethethesisthesiscouldcouldbebetrue.true.
SoSoasaspartpartofofourourGTMGTMstrategystrategywewedecideddecidedthatthatwewewouldwouldspendspendaaconsiderableconsiderableamountamountofoftimetimegoinggoingdirect,direct,althoughalthoughwewewouldwouldspendspendtimetimereachingreachingoutouttotonewnewdistributors.distributors.
ThisThisproductproductlinelinewaswaspositionedpositionedwithwithtwotwobigbigdifferentiatingdifferentiatingfactors:factors:
TheTheteamteambelievedbelievedthatthatthesethesetwotwofactorsfactorsofofdifferentiationdifferentiationcouldcouldhavehaveananimpactimpactononthethemarket.market.
TheTheresearchresearchwaswasdone,done,thetheGTMGTMlistslistswerewereenrichedenrichedwithwithprospectprospectinformation,information,thethetechstacktechstackwaswasreadyreadytotogo,go,thethescriptscriptwaswashoned.honed.OnlyOnlyoneonethingthingwaswasleft.left.ActuallyActuallypickingpickingupupthethephonephoneandandmakingmakingthethecalls.calls.
AnyoneAnyonethatthathashasdonedonecoldcoldcallscallsininthethepastpastwillwillunderstandunderstandthethebutterfliesbutterfliesininmymystomach.stomach.Doesn'tDoesn'tmattermatterhowhowmanymanytimestimesyou'veyou'vemademadecoldcoldcallscalls–especially–especiallywhenwhenaanewnewprojectprojectcomescomesaround–around–thethefirstfirstfewfewcallscallsarearenervenervewracking.wracking.ButButIIpushedpushedthroughthroughit,it,knowingknowingwellwellthroughthroughexperienceexperiencethatthatthethefasterfasteryouyougetgetthethefirstfirstfewfewcallscallsunderunderyouryourbelt,belt,thethesmoothersmootherititgoes.goes.
ToTomymyabsoluteabsoluteshock,shock,onceonceIIgotgotholdholdofofaafirstfirstcontactcontactandandgavegavehimhimmymyopeningopeningline,line,askingaskingforforananopinion,opinion,hehepausedpausedandandstartedstartedgoinggoingintointoananansweranswerthatthatlastedlastedaafullfullminute.minute.AndAndthisthiswaswasaadirectdirectprospect,prospect,notnotaadistributor.distributor.ImmediatelyImmediatelyIIknewknewthatthatourourassumptionassumptionwaswasrightrightandandthatthatthetheprojectprojectwouldwouldseeseegoodgoodresults.results.
GettingGettingthatthatfirstfirstsuccessfulsuccessfulcallcallisissuchsuchaathrill.thrill.IImightmighthavehavedonedoneaaminiminicelebratorycelebratorydancedanceatatthetheconclusionconclusionofofit.it.NeedlessNeedlesstotosay,say,IIimmediatelyimmediatelysentsentaaSlackSlackmessagemessagetotothetheprojectprojectstakeholdersstakeholdersgivinggivingthemthemthethefirstfirstcallcallreport.report.TheTheteamteamwaswasthrilled!thrilled!
OverOverthethespanspanofof33monthsmonthsIImanagedmanagedtotoconductconductoverover100100interviewsinterviewswithwithkeykeydecisiondecisionmakersmakersininthetheindustry,industry,ininbothbothcorporatecorporateandanddistributordistributorroles.roles.
100+
Expert interviews
With key decision makers across corporate and distributor roles
20%
Qualified lead conversion
Of all conversations turned into qualified leads
15%
In-person meeting rate
Of conversations converted to face-to-face meetings
20K+
Employee reach
Via major construction and logistics groups buying direct from manufacturers
AtAtthetheoutsetoutsetthetheclientclientbelievedbelievedthatthatthethesustainabilitysustainabilityangleangleandandhyperpersonalizationhyperpersonalizationaspectaspectofofthetheproductproductlineslineswouldwouldproduceproduceaabigbigimpact.impact.WouldWouldthisthisassumptionassumptiontranslatetranslateininthethefield?field?AfterAfterconductingconductingmoremorethanthan100100in-depthin-depthinterviewsinterviewsititbecamebecameapparentapparentthatthatoneoneofofthosethosewould…would…AndAndthat'sthat'sthethesustainabilitysustainabilityaspect.aspect.
EuropeEuropehashasambitiousambitioussustainabilitysustainabilitygoalsgoalsforfor20302030andand20502050andandlocallocallegislationlegislationisismakingmakingsuresurethatthatbusinessesbusinessesalsoalsoadoptadoptsustainabilitysustainabilitygoals.goals.AlthoughAlthoughworkwearworkweardoesn'tdoesn'tusuallyusuallyrepresentrepresentthethebiggestbiggestcarboncarbonfootprintfootprintcontributorcontributorwithinwithinaacompany'scompany'sactivities,activities,mostmostdecisiondecisionmakersmakersIIspokespokewithwithmentionedmentionedthatthatsustainabilitysustainabilitywaswasaanewnewgoalgoalonontheirtheiragendaagendaeithereitherforforthethe20252025oror2026 year.2026 year.AsAsaaresultresulttheytheywereweregoinggoingtototaketakethisthisfactorfactorintointoaccountaccountwhenwhenchoosingchoosingaasuppliersupplierinintheirtheirnextnexttender.tender.
TheTheclientclientwaswasadvisedadvisedtotokeepkeeppushingpushingsustainabilitysustainabilityandandevenevenorganizingorganizingsustainability-relatedsustainability-relatedeventseventsandandwebinarswebinarstotokeepkeepnurturingnurturinginterestinterestfromfromprospects.prospects.
TheTheshockershockerhoweverhoweverwaswasthatthathyperpersonalizationhyperpersonalizationdiddidnotnotseemseemtotomattermatteratatall.all.OutOutofofthethe100+100+interviews,interviews,lesslessthanthan55expressedexpressedsomesomeinterestinterestininthisthisoffering.offering.InInfact,fact,mostmostprospectsprospectscitedcitedthatthatbudgetarybudgetaryconstraintsconstraints(given(giventhethedownturndownturnininthetheeconomy)economy)waswasmuchmuchmoremoreofofaaconsiderationconsiderationandandthatthathyperpersonalizationhyperpersonalizationwouldwouldeasilyeasilytaketakelesslessprecedenceprecedenceoverovercostcostsavings.savings.
InInfact,fact,oneoneofofthethebiggestbiggesttakeawaystakeawaysthatthatweweintroducedintroducedtotothetheclientclientwaswasthatthatinsteadinsteadofofgoinggoingpremiumpremiuminintheirtheirproductproductlines,lines,thethemarketmarketwaswasreallyreallyfeelingfeelingfinancialfinancialconstraintsconstraintsandandfavoringfavoringbudgetbudgetoptions.options.TheTheclientclientwaswasalreadyalreadyknownknownforforproducingproducinghigh-qualityhigh-qualityworkwear.workwear.ButButforforthethenextnextfewfewyearsyearsahead,ahead,theirtheirproductproductofferingofferingcouldcouldbebecompletedcompletedwithwithmoremorebudget-friendlybudget-friendlyoptionsoptionsthatthatdodonotnotcompromisecompromiseononquality.quality.
AllAllofofthetheresultsresultswereweredelivereddeliveredoveroveraacustom-madecustom-madeAirtableAirtabledashboard,dashboard,wherewhereallallstakeholdersstakeholderscouldcouldalwaysalwayshavehaveeasyeasyaccessaccesstotovisually-friendlyvisually-friendlyinformationinformationononthethecampaigncampaignstats.stats.
TheTheprojectprojectwaswasaasuccess.success.NotNotonlyonlydiddidititdeliverdeliveraasolidsolidquantityquantityofofnewnewleads,leads,butbutititalsoalsogavegaveaanewnewapproachapproachandandnewnewinsightsinsightsintointohowhowtotododothingsthingsdifferentlydifferentlyininthethemarket.market.
Stefano was instrumental in making this project successful. He rolled up his sleeves and found a GTM approach that the client's team was incapable of seeing. He delivered on-time and was always very agile in his execution throughout the project. Amazing work Stefano!
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