Thank you for joining me for my pseudo-triumphant return to The Printerverse Blog Party. I know I tried to underpromise and overdeliver on the frequency of my contributions last year, but alas, I only underdelivered. But this is a new year, and a new me. And please forgive me that I am more than a little sad at the passing of the Original Space Oddity, Mr. David Bowie. May you rest in peace on Mars or wherever your soul ends up, dear one. Rest.
So onward. And I can only promise to do my best to contribute every month this year. And also because Deb made me promise and threatened me with bodily harm if I don’t. So there’s that.
And here, in some particular order, are my predictions VERY SPECIFIC to YOU, my dear PrintAddictedLoverOfInkandPaper.
1. You will finally accept that you will be reaching your clients, and even more so your prospects, on channels other than the telephone. Primarily, this will be email, but will also entail texting, Twitter, and other social channels. You will accept this. Because you have no other choice. So you will spend this year amping up your game with regard to effective and creative ways to get your message across using email. Version 2.0 of this is that you will actually begin not only to engage but to sell using these tools. By that I mean you will overcome objections, make presentations, and deliver content in ways that you never thought possible.
2. You will stop downplaying your ass-kicking successes. Right now. You will start singing your own praises from the roof top to your sales manager (or in most cases the owner who is only barely masquerading as a sales manager.) Every meeting you schedule. Every big quote you deliver. And of course every big project you land. Let me tell you a little secret. Many bosses out there are skeptical about what their sales people are doing all day long. So you tell. Tell what you do all day long. Which is kick ass. So you tell it. While you’re at it, give yourself a moment or two to celebrate yourself when these triumphs happen. Yay You!
3. You will finally become more engaged in the industry from an extracurricular perspective. This can include joining an industry association, and actually attending a meeting or event, or it can mean jumping on #PrintChat on Wednesdays at 4:00 EST. There is a whole subculture of your tribe out there to be met and enjoyed. There are others like you that work and toil in print, and they love it, and you have much to learn from them. You also have much to teach them, which in some cases is even more fulfilling than to learn.
4. You will find someone to mentor and someone to call your mentor. EVERYONE should have someone that looks up to him/her and someone to call hero. For me personally, I have many mentors, Deb Corn and Bill Farquharson just to name two of them. There are other bloggers that I read, who, when I see them in person, I act all fluttery and silly like I am meeting a celebrity, because I am. And, for me, I am lucky that all (or most) of my clients would consider me their mentor, as well as some of you out there who read my blogs.
5. You will try something that you have never done before. You will write a blog and get it posted somewhere on an industry site, or even better, your own. You will try shooting a promo video or video sales call. You will get on Twitter if you have thus far been afraid of that little blue bird. You will identify something that makes you uncomfortable, and you will get over it. And even better, you will tell me about it.
Because I welcome your calls, emails and texts. I am here to help and serve you in any way that I can. And, for the very short future, I am offering 20 minute mini-coaching calls FOR FREE. So hit me up at Kellyquinn1969@yahoo.com and let’s schedule your call.
DO IT! Happy New Year and here’s to the best year you’ve had in a LONG time (I hope)
As a sales and marketing coach and consultant at Success In Print, Kelly Mallozzi advocates for graphic arts companies to start a revolution and fight to keep print relevant. She may be irreverent, but what she lacks in convention, she makes up for in smart-assery.
Connect With Kelly: Twitter @SuccessInPrint and check out her weekly blog on Printing Impressions.
