What Paul Lange GmbH & Co. KG – responsible for Shimano distribution in Germany – put in place last year is more than a marketing campaign. It is a new model for the question every brand with selective specialist retail knows: How do you truly activate dealers – and not just on paper?
In this interview, Jutta Glückselig shares insights into why a centralised European solution didn’t deliver the desired results, what was done differently in 2025, and what learnings can be transferred to other industries with specialist retail structures.
Jutta Glückselig
Business Partner Strategic Development | Shimano
Jutta, please introduce yourself briefly – what is your role at Paul Lange?
I currently work as Business Partner in the area of Strategic Development for the Shimano Aftermarket and Marketing at Paul Lange.
I have been accompanying the company for many years in various roles – from Key Account Management to Business Development through to brand responsibility for Shimano Retail Brands. This gives me a thorough understanding of both the dealer structure and the internal processes.
Today my focus is primarily on driving new topics forward, developing structures, and fostering closer collaboration between Marketing, Sales and Trade.
Why is specialist retail so crucial for your marketing?
For us, specialist retail is absolutely central – especially in the service and repair business. Many of our products require explanation and are installed and recommended right there.
That means: if we want to be visible as a brand, we need to be present where the consultations take place – directly at the dealer.
You have worked many years in Key Account and Business Development – how has your view of dealer communication changed over time?
In the past, the focus was often more on centralised measures and classic marketing approaches.
Over time it became clear that, especially in specialist retail, the local level is decisive. Dealers need solutions that simply work and fit into their daily operations.
This very shift in perspective – away from purely centralised approaches towards genuine local activation – is, in my view, one of the most important steps of recent years.
You had already been working with a centralised solution from Europe. What did you feel was missing?
The solution was made available, but not truly activated. Dealers and field sales were largely left to manage on their own.
And that is exactly the problem: if a tool is not explained, guided, and actively used, it simply gets shelved in day-to-day operations.
What was different in 2025 compared to previous years?
A lot changed internally. Marketing and Sales are working much more closely together today than before.
This allowed us to set up the initiative in a completely different way – not as a mere tool, but as a joint project that was truly carried into the organisation.
What personal role did you play in this process?
Through my role in Strategic Development, I sit close to the interfaces between Marketing, Sales, and Trade.
I accompanied this topic over a longer period and kept bringing it forward internally. Especially during the re-launch phase, a lot of the work was about bringing perspectives together and creating a shared understanding of how dealer activation works today.
Voice from the trade:
What did you like about the campaign? The campaign was a very efficient way of gaining reach and thematically matched the current time of the season start perfectly – when else is a well-maintained bike more important?
What advantages do you see in using the platform? The advantages are clearly the easy implementation of social media content without much effort. Especially during the season, there isn’t much time to create a polished social media presence – socialPALS is a wonderful help here, with pre-made posts that can either be scheduled to run automatically or published manually.
How do you rate our personal support? The personal support from socialPALS is excellent.
Radsport Nagel
Gummersbach
Kevin-Leon Wegner
What did the test with the Shimano Service Centers look like in practice?
We deliberately started with a clearly defined group of dealers and introduced the initiative in parallel internally and externally – with both the field sales team and at dealer events.
What was particularly important was close accompaniment, so that everyone involved understood how they could make use of it for themselves.
What results did you see in the test?
The results were a clear signal for us:
- Over 80% activation rate
- Campaigns were in some cases fully booked within just a few days
- Early on, we were already able to achieve over 50% onboarding in individual areas
This shows how great the willingness in the trade is – when the initiative is implemented properly.
Were there also challenges during the rollout?
Definitely. Especially at the beginning, it wasn’t immediately clear to everyone what was behind it and what added value it would bring. The field sales team also had to get up to speed with the topic first. What proved decisive for us was not just explaining the topic digitally, but actually going out to the people. Together with socialPALS, we presented it at trade fairs and internal events, actively bringing both the sales team and the dealers on board. This personal exchange was particularly important for creating a shared understanding. In the end, it’s not just about a tool or a concept – it’s about bringing people along and making the topic truly tangible in everyday practice.
What was your biggest aha moment?
Clearly the combination of activation and reach.
Seeing how many dealers actually take part – and what visibility is created as a result – triggered a completely different dynamic internally.
What role does socialPALS play for you in day-to-day operations today?
For us, it has become a central tool for efficiently supporting a large number of dealers with marketing measures.
Especially with many smaller dealers, it would otherwise be extremely time-consuming to reach everyone equally.
How do your dealers respond to the topic?
The feedback is very positive. Dealers embrace the offering well – above all because it simply works and requires little additional effort.
What role does this play in your overall marketing strategy?
An important point is that we can support our dealers in a targeted way – for example with specialist products or during weaker sales phases.
This allows us to deploy marketing budgets significantly more efficiently while simultaneously strengthening the trade.
What's next for 2026?
For 2026, we are planning to expand to up to 300 dealers within the Paul Lange network.
We are also exploring how the model can be transferred to further brands in our portfolio – we see considerable potential here.
Conclusion:
The Paul Lange case shows that successful dealer communication requires more than a centralised tool.
Especially in an industry with strong specialist retail, local activation is ultimately what determines success. Those who manage not only to reach dealers, but to genuinely involve them, create a completely different form of visibility – and with it, market impact.
The combination of clear structure, close coordination between Marketing and Sales, and active dealer support is increasingly becoming the decisive success factor.
Want to find out how your brand can digitally activate specialist retail too? Request your platform demo now!
Voice from the trade:
Zweirad-Center Schicketanz
Bad Liebenwerda
Act now and use MDF more effectively!
socialPALS brings brands and retail partners together, creating a win-win situation that unleashes previously untapped potential. The innovative software solution simplifies complex processes through automated retail marketing and strengthens stationary retail through regional brand campaigns. Get your obligation-free platform demo today and become part of the socialPALS success story.
