This PMC podcast travels over to my side of the pond to hear from Matthew Parker, print consultant and founder of the website profitableprintrelationships.com. Matthew was a print buyer himself for 20 years, working for a variety of organisations before striking out on his own on the consultancy side.
Now, he uses his inside knowledge from the other side of the tracks to help businesses grow their engagement, relationships and profits. As well as a print consultant, he runs sales and mentoring workshops and sessions and creates lots of accessible content in the form of blogs, newsletters and e-books.
In the podcast, Matthew explains why print salespeople selling print can be a problem, and the pitfalls of the ‘price service quality’ triangle in print. He also offers up some insight into the errors print salespeople make, such as common website blunders, failing to ask for referrals and keeping your capabilities a secret.
He also covers differences in trends across territories, and reveals how the US market could benefit from keeping an eye on us Brits. As well as the masses of content he gives away, businesses can gain further from Matthew’s expertise in a number of ways, from one-day workshops to Skype mentoring sessions, and a number of online products available for purchase.
He also has a new e-book up for grabs, ‘How to Succeed at Print Sales’. Through Matthew’s conversations with mentees, he discovered businesses aren’t devoting enough time to winning new customers despite print industry research stating print companies lose around 15 to 20 percent of their business each year.
The book offers companies guidance on creating a new business strategy and helps them effectively measure its success. The book is available on his website and as an audio version too.
Connect with Matthew Parker on Twitter and LinkedIn, or visit profitableprintrelationships.com.
Karis Copp is a UK-based writer, journalist and communications expert. With a background as an editor and public relations specialist in the print industry, she now works on a freelance basis covering events, writing on industry news and trends, and working with businesses to help them tell their stories and connect with their customers. Follow her on Twitter @KarisCoppWrites.
