Episode #10 Nick Ostendorf and Andy Gerver

On the show this week, I sit down with Nick Ostendorf, an Abrasive Sales Trainer at 3M, and Andy Gerver, a Channel Marketing Expert with over a decade of experience. They share their thoughts on mastering distributor training for 3M’s abrasive systems. We talk about strategies for maximizing engagement, driving value-based selling, and ensuring consistent messaging across diverse markets and distributor networks. 

You’ll also hear practical tips on creating focused, actionable, and interactive training sessions, along with real-world stories about what happens when sales teams go beyond transactional selling and truly connect with their partners.

Outline of This Episode

• [0:00] Sales best practices from 3M specialists Nick Ostendorf and Andy Gerver.
• [6:11] Standardizing distributor training content enhances efficiency, aligns with metrics, and targets key markets and products effectively.
• [7:30] Track results across channel partners to steer efforts effectively and focus on key products and programs.
• [11:36] Collect data for competitive testing and analysis during demos.
• [14:13] Connect, focus, and act. Reps should align with channel partner priorities for growth.
• [20:17] Stay specific and on track, use a “parking lot” for off-topic questions, and address them later.
• [21:50] Create an accountability-driven incentive program for distributor reps.

Shaping Distributor Success

Sales organizations are constantly seeking ways to stand out in a crowded marketplace. For 3M’s Abrasive Systems Division, the answer lies in empowering distributor partners through targeted, value-driven training. Nick Ostendorf and Andy Gerver join me on the show to unpack how structured training programs can revolutionize distributor performance, foster real-world application, and drive growth.

Distributors often juggle thousands of products, making it challenging for any given brand to capture their attention. As Nick Ostendorf says, structured training is essential for cutting through the noise by eliminating ambiguity and providing clarity for 3M’s team and their channel partners. Rather than overwhelming distributors with vast product portfolios, focused sessions zero in on a handful of key solutions, their market position, and actionable next steps.

This approach is strategically designed to boost “mindshare”, the share of attention and priority that a distributor grants to a specific brand. When distributors are equipped with the right knowledge about where and how 3M’s products fit, they’re far better positioned to spot opportunities and become advocates for 3M in front of their customers.

Transitioning from Transactions to Value-Based Selling

One persistent challenge in distributor sales is the tendency to focus solely on price, treating abrasives as commodities interchangeable solely on cost. Andy Gerver shed light on how 3M disrupts this cycle. Their training pivots the conversation from product price to total customer value, a critical shift considering product performance and labor savings.

By demonstrating, in hands-on training, how a seemingly higher-priced 3M solution can drastically reduce labor time (and therefore customer costs), distributors begin to internalize and sell on value, not price. For example, comparing the time it takes to do a job with a standard product versus a 3M solution and quantifying labor savings makes a powerful case. This approach allows distributors to defend their margins, avoid the race to the bottom on price, and become partners in their customers’ success.

Creating Consistency and Accountability Across Channels

Standardization is another key pillar of the 3M distributor training model. By developing and rolling out standardized content and demo-focused training tools, 3M creates efficiency for its reps and delivers a consistent, high-impact experience for every distributor. This uniformity enables the company to better track key performance indicators (KPIs), compare results across markets, and iterate on best practices.

Training doesn’t end at education, though; it’s about accountability. Every effective session concludes with clear, measurable action plans for 3M reps and partners. This includes providing product samples, utilizing MDF (Market Development Funds) incentives, and establishing agreed-upon KPIs. Follow-up sessions and ongoing coaching ensure that learnings are turned into measurable marketplace wins.

Designing Engaging and Memorable Training Experiences

Effective training isn’t a one-way information dump. Both Nick and Andy emphasize the importance of keeping sessions conversational, focused, and hands-on. An ideal session starts with a quick overview of the market problem and 3M’s solution, followed by an in-depth, experiential demo. Storytelling, relatable examples, and incorporating distributor feedback ensure content remains relevant and memorable.

By driving home actionable next steps, providing sample products, and leveraging incentives like contests or rewards for performance, 3M boosts both engagement and retention. The ultimate goal is to equip distributor reps to confidently have value-based conversations with their customers and drive real change in buying behavior.

If there’s one takeaway for sales trainers and reps, it’s this: keep it simple, focused, and value-driven. Distributors are busy, and clarity is key.

Connect with Nick:

• Nick Ostendorf on LinkedIn

Connect with Andy: 

• Andy Gerver on LinkedIn

Connect With Paul Watts

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

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Game-Changer Moment: Can you share a specific instance where a distributor’s success was
directly tied to the training they received from 3M?
 We recently did a 30-minute training on Safer Surface Prep (wire wheels vs. Scotch-Brite Clean &
Strip) for BlackHawk Industrial. The training was simple – see wire wheels, sell Scotch-Brite. Two days
after the training, one of the distributor reps got a PO from a customer for $5,000 in Weiler wire wheels.
Instead of simply taking the order as usual, the distributor called the customer asking if they’d also be
interested in trying a safer, faster alternative to wire wheels and immediately connected us to the
customer for product testing.

 Best Practices for Distributor Training: What are your top three strategies for ensuring distributors
retain and apply value-based selling techniques?
The first is to ensure trainings are done with a specific competitor and product in mind. You need
to create a benchmark for which 3M performance and price is compared.

 Second, you should create a meaningful demo that is easy for a distributor rep to replicate. For
example, remove 12″ of this weld with this $3 DeWalt grinding wheel. Document the time. Then do the
same with the 3M product and demonstrate your benefit (faster, less vibration, improved quality of part,
etc). Always show the differences on paper (pencil sell) and ensure the distributor understands how to
talk to each part of the value story.
c. Third, you arm the distributor with the samples needed to demo and replicate on your behalf.
Connect with them to see how things are going in the field following the training. Are customers seeing
the value the way you intended? You may need to go and work with them to hone their skills post-
training. Once they are demoing on your behalf and taking orders, you’ve added another person to your
value-selling army.

Common Pitfalls: What are the biggest mistakes companies make when training their distributors,
and how can they avoid them?
Some of the biggest mistakes are trying to discuss too many items in a given training, teaching
above or below the distributor’s experience level, and lacking a clear call to action.

To avoid these mistakes, set clear expectations ahead of time on what the distributor is willing to
commit to. Are they interested in only joint calls? Are they open to doing demos on your behalf? What
products do you expect them to identify opportunities for? How familiar are they with the markets,
applications, and competitive landscape for those products? Keep the training content focused on your
identified products. The more you try to show them what else we offer that isn’t being committed to act
upon, the less likely they’ll remember what you told them.

Essential Training Takeaways: What are three critical messages every distributor should walk
away with after attending a 3M training session?
a. Every distributor should walk away with these three messages:
i. 3M’s technology should be used to take share in the market
ii. 3M wins by creating value at the end-user
iii. 3M’s value goes far beyond product

Future Trends in Distributor Training: With evolving sales models and digital transformation, how
do you see distributor training changing in the future?
The future of distributor training is virtual, and right now that simply means a live web stream into
the CAM Center. We’ll always have a time and place for in-person training, as there is no substitute for
hands-on experience. However, if we truly want to capture the mindshare of more distributor reps and be
able to scale quickly, being able to conduct virtual trainings in a meaningful way will set us apart from
competition and set us up for further success.

Connect with Nick and Andy
Nick Ostendorf LinkedIn URL – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nostendorf/
Andy Gerver LinkedIn URL – https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-gerver-ab42163b/