If you’re walking the floor at The PPAI Expo in January, don’t be surprised if you hear a new phrase pop up in conversations: predictive selling.
It may not be everywhere yet – we’re still early in the curve – but you’ll notice hints of it. A supplier demo that feels a little more intuitive than last year, a software platform promising to “anticipate client needs” or a conference day speaker talking about what’s around the corner.
Tanaisha Dunbarger
Project Management Lead, PPAI
These are the first signals of something that could reshape the way distributors work with clients.
What Predictive Selling Really Means
Picture this: Before your client even thinks about restocking event giveaways, you’ve already shared three fresh ideas with pricing and decoration options. Not because you guessed or set a reminder on your Outlook calendar every six months, but because your system spotted the pattern and notified you at just the right time.
That’s predictive selling. It’s about using data such as order histories, buying cycles and seasonal trends to forecast what your clients will want next. Other industries have been doing this for years. Amazon nudges us with products we didn’t know we needed. Netflix queues up the next show before the credits even roll. There’s no reason our industry can’t do more to harness that same power.
How It Could Look In Promo
Most of us today rely on our instincts and our relationships, and those will always matter. They’re not going anywhere. But predictive tools could make us sharper. There are tons of possibilities:
- Smarter CRMs that don’t just track activity but suggest when to reach out with specific products.
- Trend-driven dashboards that say, “Eco-friendly drinkware is trending in your client’s industry – here are three options.”
- Automated timing alerts that keep you ahead of the reorder curve.
- Cross-sell prompts that surface relevant add-ons, like suggesting branded apparel when a client orders uniforms.
The point isn’t replacing the human touch. It’s about showing up ready, informed and on time as the kind of partner who seems to always know what’s next.
The Roadblocks We Face
Let’s be honest: We’re not quite there yet. A few suppliers are experimenting, and some solutions providers are building the tools, but predictive selling isn’t woven into most distributors’ daily work.
The challenges are familiar. Data is often siloed across multiple systems. The technology can be expensive to implement. And many salespeople trust their gut more than an algorithm’s suggestion.
Still, that’s where other industries started, too. Over time, those barriers came down. Ours will soon enough.
Technology never waits for us to feel ready. Costs come down, systems get easier to use and adoption spreads. It’s not far-fetched to imagine walking The PPAI Expo floor in 2027 or 2028 and seeing predictive selling baked into the standard platforms we all use.
That’s why it matters to pay attention this year. Even if the tools aren’t dazzling yet, you’ll start to see the direction we’re heading. And by the time it becomes mainstream, you’ll already have a head start.
A Final Thought
Predictive selling isn’t about replacing relationships and experience; it’s about enhancing them. The distributors who lean in first won’t just be order-takers. They’ll be the ones showing up with solutions before the client even knew there was a need.
That kind of service builds loyalty. It builds credibility. And it positions you not just as someone who sells products, but as a true partner in your clients’ success.
So when you’re in Vegas this January, keep your ear out. Predictive selling may sound like a buzzword today, but soon enough, it’s going to feel like common sense.
