In round one of my blogging duel with Matthew Parker… it’s fair to say #UKvUSA Whose Responsibility Is It To Educate Print Buyers? was won by TEAM USA! Going into round two I am equally as focused for the win, but with an opponent like Matthew representing the UK, it could easily swing his way this time – and every time!
Quickly – here are the rules:
Each month Matthew and I formulate a topic question and both write posts in response that are 500 words or less. We set a deadline, and trade posts to see what the other has written, and post our blogs on our respective sites. I include a link to Matthew’s response at the end of mine, he does the same, and then we leave it up to all of you to decide which answer is best – however you define that. Some might agree we me, or with Matthew, or with both of us, or neither – whatever it may be, we want to know!
Please leave a comment below or where it best suits you and follow #UKvUSA on Twitter for some extra fun! And now… on to this month’s duel!!
#UKvUSA – What Should Printing Companies Sell?
My one word answer to this question is… NOTHING!
As a buyer, I do not want to be on the receiving end of a sales pitch, let alone one I didn’t request. So not trying to sell me will immediately give you an advantage to continue our conversation over someone who is.
Now, not trying to sell me something isn’t equal to getting me on the phone and trying to get me to tell you what my “pains” are. Truth be told, I get very offended by that approach. If I have a pain – which I also think is a way overused and meaningless sales term – I am not sitting around waiting for a random salesperson to solve it, I am proactively seeking a solution, even if temporary, to my immediate problem. I call that doing my job.
Printing companies should be focused on one thing these days – ADDING VALUE! And what that value is and how it’s defined, may differ from company to company, customer to customer.
A few month ago I wrote a blog for Printing Impressions titled Do Your Customers Have Holes In Their Wine Lists? that was sparked by a reality TV show. The basic premise was this – don’t “sell” the customer/prospect on what they already have, and might have vendors in place for, add value and introduce what they DON’T HAVE!
Taking that approach opens up a new world to the customer/prospect, and invites conversation and engagement that has value beyond a quick sale – that quick sale you lowered pricing to get because you are competing with the vendors already in place – who lowered their pricing to compete with the vendors there before them – and so on.
As far as identifying what is missing, printers need to figure that out and take the lead – this is the whole point. And it will take time, and effort, and research… but approaching me with that knowledge has already sold me on YOU as an ally, and a valuable partner versus a sales call. I’ll buy that any day!
Next month: #UKvUSA takes on “Three Questions Every Print Buyer Should Ask A Print Supplier”
