Order Guides & the Next-in-Line Mindset, Formula for Sales Success
Congratulations to Greg Youra of US FOODS Chicago who was named AFDR’s DSR of the Month for August 2025, earning him a permanent spot in the AFDR DSR Hall of Fame. Greg’s territory is in Chicagoland, where he also lives, which is not far from his warehouse.
In this episode of DSR Live, host DSR Dave talks with Greg Youra, US Foods DSR in the Chicagoland market and AFDR’s DSR of the Month. With 21 years in the business, Greg has mastered two game-changing principles for foodservice sales reps: building your own order guides and positioning yourself to be “next-in-line” when the competition slips.
Greg shares how his career journey—from kitchen manager at Old Country Buffet to long-term success with US Foods—was shaped by patience, preparation, and a service-first approach.
He explains why building order guides from scratch is more than an inventory exercise—it’s a roadmap to uncovering opportunities, understanding customer usage patterns, and creating lasting value.
Greg also breaks down his prospecting philosophy: start as a customer, learn the operation, connect with decision makers, and respect loyalty while staying visible. Instead of trying to replace a current supplier right away, he focuses on building trust so when a problem arises, he’s the first call they make.
Along the way, Greg and Dave swap stories from their early days, compare training experiences, and share practical strategies for handling cold calls, learning new products, and avoiding the trap of bashing competitors.
This Episode Includes:
- Why order guides are one of the most powerful sales tools you can create yourself.
- How to position yourself as the next-in-line without burning bridges.
- Tips for warming up cold leads and finding decision makers faster.
- How being a paying customer can unlock valuable insights and rapport.
- First Two Years:
- Supported senior reps by covering their routes during vacations, allowing Greg to learn from experienced DSRs
- Rode along with veteran reps, absorbing their work ethic and approach to customer relationships
- Training Advantage:
- US Foods’ structured training program prepared new reps well, but cold calling and multitasking (selling, collecting, troubleshooting) remain challenging for new DSRs
- Greg compares his early role to a backup quarterback learning the system before taking the lead
- Learning Products:
- Built order guides by physically inventorying kitchens, storerooms, and coolers
- Discovered new products by observing what customers used, even if not sourced from US Foods
- Researched establishment numbers to identify manufacturers and learn about lesser-known brands
- Order Guide Importance:
- Views order guides as a roadmap to success, similar to a restaurant’s menu
- Physically building order guides provided deep insights into learning products and product usage
- Example: Noticing high-volume vs. low-volume items to prioritize sales efforts
- DSR Dave’s Insight:
- Order guides are critical for success, especially when built manually to ensure they don’t drop off if not ordered regularly.
- Sales history printouts (e.g., top 100 items) helped identify high-moving products to focus sales efforts on what products we are best at in our market
- Adding non-stocked items to order guides (using custom codes) expanded opportunities if a customer does order at some point
- Approach to Cold Calls:
- Admits discomfort with cold calling, even after 21 years, but preparation builds confidence
- Focuses on warming up leads by leveraging existing truck routes and creating density in his territory
- Uses fluency in Spanish to connect with staff (e.g., servers, busboys) to identify decision-makers
- Research and Strategy:
- Visits prospects as a customer first, spending money to learn about the operation
- Studies menus and websites to identify opportunities
- Assesses decision-makers’ personalities to ensure a good professional and personal fit
- Avoids taking on accounts with unappealing operators
- When first visiting prospects orders a mix of personal favorites (e.g., burgers) and items to evaluate US Foods’ strengths (e.g., value-added fried cod vs. hand-breaded)
- Uses his family for carry-out orders to sample multiple menu items, building rapport and gathering insights
- Handling Resistance:
- When prospects are satisfied with competitors, Greg explores what they value in their current relationship
- Highlights US Foods’ strengths (e.g., his 21-year stability vs. competitor turnover)
- Positions himself as “next-in-line” without bashing competitors, respecting customer loyalty
- Avoids criticizing competitors to prevent insulting the customer’s decision-making because they are using that competitor
- Commits to periodic check-ins with relevant offerings to build trust over time
Be a Resource and SELL SOMETHING!!
