Marketing and Sales

So far, 2008 is awfully unlucky for printers, but hey, who cares? We “only” sell the stuff. And, as the economy tanks, we may soon be the only ones “up-and-running” on the sales side. Mismanaging management staff, from Quebecor on down, are firing sales and marketing personnel for no other reason than to cut costs. These same people, who gambled on capital investments in the good times, are counter-intuitively shifting blame to the working ants in what our trade associations call “the current period of challenge.” Opposite of salespeople who are passionately outward-directed and customer-centric, the bosses are typically inward-directed toward their

New York-based leadership consultant Kelly Higgins had an idea for a new business initiative—a membership continuity program to give her consulting clients more support and value while increasing her visibility and enhancing her “expert” status. She thought about how to move the idea forward and discussed it with colleagues and friends. Six months later, though, she was involved in other projects and seemed to be making little headway with the more heart-connected effort. Kelly began to doubt herself, and couldn’t decide if she wasn’t managing her time well, if her priorities were off kilter or if she was just being lazy. Perhaps she really

Industry veterans know it takes more than luck to sell a promotional product. And, it takes more than a promotional product to drive an effective marketing campaign. With heavy concentration on creativity and ingenuity, this particular market demands more of distributors, which the novice salesperson must consider before testing the promotional waters. Gregg Emmer, chief marketing officer, vice president of Kaeser & Blair (K&B), Batavia, Ohio, elaborated. “This industry has followed many different paths over the years. Great ideas have always built business, not the products. Product peddlers have their place, but those [who] sell great ideas and the promotional products that support them

To launch a successful marketing campaign using promotional products, follow these steps provided by PPAI: • Define a specific objective. • Determine a workable distribution plan to a targeted audience. • Create a central theme. • Develop a message to support the theme. • Select a promotional product that bears a natural relationship to your profession or communications theme. • Don’t pick an item based solely on uniqueness, price or perceived value. • Partner with a qualified promotional products consultant. For more information, visit www.ppai.org.

Not all sales interactions run smoothly—even the best salespeople occasionally hit a bump in the road. Here are the six most common mistakes salespeople make and tips for overcoming them: 1. Fearing the customer’s reaction. Instead of anticipating what a customer might say, think of it as an opportunity to find out what the customer really wants. For example, salespeople dread hearing, “Your price is too high.” It’s almost a knee-jerk reaction to offer a lower price. Be proactive, and try to uncover the unique buying criteria important to the customer so the price objection never becomes an issue. 2. Taking it personally. A

Besides having strong professional relationship-building skills and in-depth product knowledge, effective salespeople also seem to be proficient multitaskers. Take Rose Shorma, for example. On the day she graciously took time to speak with Print Professional for this story, the vice president of marketing for American Solutions for Business (ASB), Glenwood, Minn., was in Las Vegas attending the PPAI Show, which took place Jan. 14-18 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Cradling a cell phone as she made her way from the registration area to the show floor, Shorma simultaneously looked up booth numbers, greeted industry colleagues, fielded questions from ASB associates she encountered

Half of b-to-b marketers love doing trade shows; the other half hate it. The difference is, those who think trade shows are worthwhile understand success depends on preparations made before and after the show. The members of the other group seem to simply set up their booths and wait for qualified prospects to stop by and identify themselves. Convincing people to visit your booth requires several efforts, including scheduling visits with prospects and advertising your event. The following preshow promotional activities can help your company generate more qualified booth traffic, ensuring you won’t be standing around: • Send free exhibit passes to past inquirers

The Spanish have an old saying ... “Tomorrow is the busiest day of the week,” and for many of us, it’s too true. Procrastination gobbles up our most precious resource: Time. There are things you’re putting off, goals you’ve been remiss about pursuing, projects waiting endlessly for completion. You’ve tried discipline and will power, but neither have much staying power. Since one definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, it’s time for a new set of strategies. Here are five radical procrastination strategies to experiment with: 1. Embrace your imperfections…and stop trying

Few things can waste more valuable time and resources or cause more morale problems than mismatching the person and the job. As a busy executive, you want to get the most out of your people while protecting your investment in their training. Good employees turn up not by magic, but good hiring practices, and smart hiring starts with smart interviewing. After you’ve asked the usual “resumé” questions (e.g., job history, education, salary expectations, etc.), probe prospects with questions that will illuminate their hopes, goals, inclinations and reservations. Consider the following suggestions: • Tell me about yourself—all of the exciting and interesting things. Many people,

“What’s in it for me?” This is often the old tape running through your mind when another person suggests you accept his or her proposition—both in business and your personal life. While the offer could be any one of an array of possibilities, your mind still questions it. Allowing this freewheeling mind tape to control you is weak positioning on your part—you are abdicating your control. Why give others the power to determine the value you need in a particular situation? The key to receiving usable value from others is to achieve clarity on what creates value for you and your enterprise. A good