Business of Print

Sales and Technology Alignment

Here's that alignment stuff again. Each week as I speak to printing company owners and leaders I hear of their interests in moving their business forward in many different ways. Adding digital capabilities, expanding web portals and client store fronts. Expanding their database technology offerings and introducing PURLs to their clients and transitioning to a MSP or integrated services provider. I applaud these movements as these leaders are looking to position their businesses as leaders when the economy takes a turn upward.

The catch is when I speak to the sales people who work for these leaders many if not most have no idea how to sell this, who to sell it to and how selling this is good for them. Adding these capabilities and services is not like adding another 640 to the press line up. It's a different drill and requires a different sales approach. The industry pundits have been preaching this for years now. My message is invest into advancing the skill sets and understanding of the sales force and you'll increase the ROI on all that new stuff you're buying.

One and Done?

Great work! You did the research, made the calls, got the appointment and made your pitch. They look up once you finish talking and kindly respond "we'll keep you in mind." What the heck does that mean?! 

It probably means that either:

• They don't have a need, 
• They don't have a need that they think you can handle, 
• You have underwhelmed them with your presentation or, 
• You didn't uncover anything that's worth meeting a second time for to discuss. 

Now, maybe they really will keep you in mind. OK, good luck with that. The goal of that first meeting is to interview the prospect and determine how well they would/could fit into your account mix and if they do fit to set up a time to meet again. Give them a compelling reason to see you again and they will be hard pressed to say no. Give them no reason and you're looking at a one and done.

Never Assume

In these days of email, twits, smart phones, CRM's, texts and yes, even blogs we assume, at least I did that most sales folks are up to speed with how to use many of these digital tools. Boy was I in for a rude awaking as I introduced some basic spreadsheet tools to several companies over the last few weeks.

It is very sobering to see how many (not all) of the reps reacted when asked to enter text into an excel spreadsheet and attach it to an email. Granted the content that I was looking for was new to their way of thinking but the basic computer skills are not where they need to be. I even had a couple of them say that they'd like to do it but that they do not have excel installed on their work computer...interesting. 

Well, as long as all this computer stuff is for internal use only and as long as customers don't ask us to communicate or share information electronically we'll be just fine. Oops...this is not a pretty picture.