Power User Spotlight: Barbara Rausch, RRD
Barbara's Hack: Find Creative Solutions for a Customer's Problems
My customers are etailers, and etailers are innovators. They are entrepreneurs and go-getters. Before I started my career in sales many years ago, I was a customer service representative. I was on the other end of that phone, usually fixing something my previous organization had done wrong. As a salesperson now, it’s my job to think ten steps ahead and find creative solutions to my customer’s complex problems. Balancing my customer’s budget, their transit needs, and their customer’s expectations when shipping a package across the planet is a delicate matter – one that can be done with innovative ideas and the right team of people to make it happen. That’s where RRD makes that magic happen for our customers.
etailinsights Power User Interview
Barbara, what is your favorite restaurant in Los Angeles and why?
Mastros Ocean Club in Newport Beach is one of those amazing restaurants where the service and food are second to none. If you don’t mind a decent dent in your credit card, this place is fabulous for an amazing anniversary, birthday, or any special occasion. It’s on the coast of Newport Beach, and if you’re lucky (and early), you may be able to score a window seat with the view of the beautiful California coastline. My husband and I celebrated our anniversary here last year, and the meal was one we will never forget.
What drove you to begin a sales career in eCommerce?
I was an early user myself of eCommerce, with my family on the other side of the country I found it to be an easy way to purchase gifts and ship directly to them. When I began my career in the early 2000s, I started in mail logistics, but I could see the trend of mail declining and the eCommerce business as the future of logistics. The eCommerce business has exploded in the last ten years, and I believe it will only continue to grow as time goes on.
How does RRD help etailers?
RRD partners with hundreds of e-retailers around the country, providing cost-effective shipping solutions for domestic and international destinations. Our goal is to provide our customers with an effective logistics program that reduces their costs, improves delivery and the customer experience, and grows their business in the global marketplace. Our solutions provide a seamless transaction between our customers and their valued customers.
How are you using etailinsights to source eCommerce Leads or build a Directory of Online Retailers?
I find etailinsights to be my #1 resource for leads. I use the platform to search a geographic area I want to target, search by size of the company, type of goods sold, number of transactions, and create a list of leads that I will use to cold call. Having the executive information with email and LinkedIn contacts is a valuable resource to sales, as half the battle is finding the right person to contact and getting in touch with that person. This cuts out so much time spent in those efforts, so we can focus on targeting the right individuals that can benefit from our services. Understanding the size and scope of the particular business we are targeting also assists me in understanding what challenges and opportunities this particular customer may be encountering in their business.
What is your favorite Top 40 eCommerce Conference and why?
It’s hard to pick just one! The IRCE is at the top of my list because it’s held in my favorite city in the world and my hometown, Chicago. I also find it has a great variety of partners, seminars, and speakers for etailers. There’s also the Subscription Summit, which is a new conference that is only in its second year, but I think it is going to do well in the years to come. With the subscription market growing year over year, this event will become a great resource for companies in the subscription eCommerce space to learn and make contacts within their industry.Any other hacks you would like to contribute to help salespeople save time, find more prospects, and close more business?
Use etailinsights!! My recommendation is to set aside an hour of your day to go through the site and drill down to a certain segment you want to target, for example, if you find that your sweet spot is apparel companies over $5 million in revenue – create a search of those companies and set it as a saved search so you can go back to that list for your daily prospecting. Do this for any specific market or geographic segments that you want to target. Also, if there are any companies that you know are a hot prospect for you, set them up as a “Watched” company, and you’ll receive updates from etailinsights anytime something changes in their profile.
