News
Influencing People
Why the Web will never replace face-to-face
"To Ben Harris, selling is a way of life!" That's how an article in The Counselor started some 20 years ago. It was Charley Pahl's appraisal of a Selling Seminar Harris conducted for the Rocky Mountain Region's 6th Annual Sales Seminar. Pahl titled the article Ben Harris: The Fine Art Of Selling, and there was no more fitting description of the man or his message.
I was privileged to attend a recent Selling Seminar, once again sponsored by the RMR and hosted by Harris. It was a testament to the Fine Art of Selling and Harris' message was much the same as that given 20 years ago. What struck me was how timely the lessons were and the reaction from both seasoned promotional product professionals and new sales associates alike.
In this age of paranoia about the coming of the dot-com revolution and the death knell of distributor salespeople as we know them, Harris' message was clear: Salesmanship is a fine art learned and nourished and held by people.
Twenty years ago we heard many of the same scares we hear today, but then it was the coming of the telecommunications era. We heard that soon phone conferences and faxes would make the sales call obsolete. However, we learned thenand again a few weeks agothat selling is, as Harris puts it "the art of influencing people." And the best influence is provided by people with their knowledge, ideas and experience. The most successful people have developed a way to utilize knowledge to show a prospective buyer what results can logically be anticipated, before actually showing an item.
One great advantage we have as salespeople over a Web sales catalog is the interaction and ability to evolve and direct a sale with the prospect. A Web site can only wait for the customer to ask for the sale. We have the ability to show them the way and be creative in program development to ensure that the product will accomplish something beneficial.
Harris advises us to not "be afraid to make a suggestion; they will respect you more for it." A Web site rarely has the opportunity to make the suggestions that drive a sale.
So during this next wave of alarms, keep a perspective...the fine art of selling promotional products is reserved for peopleeducated, logical, creative influencers of other people. Thanks Ben for reminding us again!
By Mary J. Kilburn
Mary J. Kilburn is a principal of DinoMar, a consultative sales and marketing firm specializing in the promotional product market of the advertising industry. She and principal Barry Dobb bring a combined 42 years of service in the promotional products field. Serving with three of the top 25 leading distributor firms, Dobb & Kilburn have histories of developing programs and procedures for increasing sales and devising innovative marketing strategies to increase customer loyalty and gross margins. For more information, visit www.dinomar.com, email strategies@dinomar.com or phone (970) 887-9510.
Direct News
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Newsbrief
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Newsbrief
Ennis Shows Second Quarter Profit
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For the six month period, sales were $101.9 million, compared to $77.8 million last year. Net earnings were $7.6 million, compared to $7.1 million a year ago.
Ennis attributes the increase in sales to its newly acquired businesses, Adams McClure, American Forms and Northstar Computer Forms. Net earnings were affected by charges related to the closure of the company's Louisville plant, charges related to the acquisitions and last year's pre-tax gain resulting from the sale of a rental property in Nevada.
Newsbrief
Custom Becomes CBF Solutions
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Newsbrief
Adams Announces Merger
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For further information, contact Joe Figlewicz at (314) 542-5474.
Newsbrief
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