Strategy January 09, 2019
2019 Distributor Salesperson of the Year Finalist - Christine Courtemanche, Lineaire Infographie Inc.
Get to know Christine Courtemanche, a 2019 Distributor Salesperson of the Year Finalist!
Salespeople of the Year: Get the complete list here
Distributor Finalist
Christine Courtemanche
Lineaire Infographie Inc. (asi/253727)
Christine Courtemanche’s distributorship in Quebec is seeing big numbers. The company’s revenue is well over a million dollars with sales increasing by an average of 15% every year. Meanwhile, the distributor is serving 5,000 clients, including some of the biggest names across the province. It’s impressive for any company, but doubly so for a husband-and-wife team with a home office. Even more impressive for Lineaire Infographie Inc., Courtemanche does the selling and relationship-building virtually singlehandedly.
“Clients don’t know how small we are,” says Courtemanche, the company’s vice president, “but if they ask, we’re honest with them. We’re more efficient than the big companies – there are fewer distractions, and less red tape.”
Promotional products weren’t always on Courtemanche’s radar. In 2001, she started as an administrative assistant for a major food retailer. But two years later, her career was thrown into uncertainty after she was injured in a car accident and couldn’t go back to work.
“I didn’t know what to do,” she says. “But then my husband Guy, who’s a graphic designer, decided to build a website selling products and I could take care of clients from home. We decided to try it.”
They started with just one promo product order a week, making about $30,000 a year. In two or three years, they were making $300,000 – a total they’ve now far surpassed. Courtemanche has never looked back. Now, she and her husband serve all the school boards across their home province, as well as government agencies, banks, hospitals, real estate brokerages and pharma companies.
“Every day, I receive new, big-name clients,” says Courtemanche. “I don’t put pressure on anyone and I don’t solicit. They come to us.”
When asked about her success, Courtemanche cites the energy she brings to the job, and how she always makes herself available. “Clients can reach me any time,” she says. “I love what I do, and it shows. So many customers say to us, ‘We should have come to you first!’”
Getting to Know You
Sum up your selling style in one word.
Low-pressure
What industry trend are you most excited about?
The single-use plastic ban in Montreal has been good for us. We’re seeing even more demand for reusable bottles and bags. These products have been on the market for years, but sales are definitely increasing. If I wasn’t working in promotional products, I’d be … I honestly can’t imagine not being in this industry! I absolutely love it.
What’s your favorite promo product?
Bags, stress balls, USBs and lapel pins, all items that have been in the industry for a long time, are getting more and more customized. People love them, and the prices we’re able to offer are amazing.
What’s your best advice for other sales reps?
Be kind to your clients and always be patient.