Case Study - Levy's Leathers, Canada
Levy's Leathers is one of the top guitar strap brands in the MI market with extensive global distribution.
The Challenge
Despite Levy's multi-million dollar sales in their biggest export market, America, they felt that with all their marketing investments in turning their commodity product into a global brand, growth in the US might be behind the curve. The issues were: how to know if that were true; what to do about it if it was; and how to protect current relationships whilst building new ones.
The Solution
Trust Network:
- Devised and executed three parallel analyses to cross-check Levy's position in the American market
- Analysed the results to reveal large untapped potential
- Carried out a distribution review to find ways to reach it
- Created a set of quality options
The Result
- Two new coast-to-coast distributors were added to the tele-sales operation already running. The respective modus operandi of the two new distributors complemented each other and the tele-sales operation well.
- Because one of the new distributors was the largest in America at the time and had its own employed field sales reps, and because proprietary status was secured for the Levy’s brand in this distributor’s catalogue, in-store presentation of the Levy’s brand could begin to be upgraded. By the work of the distributor’s reps in the field and their relationships with their music dealers, US storeowners could adopt Levy’s bespoke in-store display systems. The rate of sale per storefront could then match that of Levy’s most successful markets.
- Very significant levels of additional new business were placed in opening orders.”
Harvey Levy - Vice President, Levy's Leathers Limited, Canada. www.levysleathers.com
"The first thing that impressed me was the level of professionalism Trust Network brought to the task. Their language skills and diplomatic style made me very comfortable in allowing them to conduct a search on my behalf. Trust Network would burn no bridges. Their insistence that the search take place in an atmosphere of openness fit well with how I thought the search should be done. The search was conducted over a period of three months and I was amazed at the firm’s ability to maintain an objective attitude throughout the process. Candidates got an equal opportunity to present their qualifications and in the end I had the information I needed to make an intelligent choice. In the end I knew more about the specific market place in which the search was conducted, the potential for growth and the number of potential distributors than I could have discovered on my own."
