Marketing and Sales

Distributors can prosper by pushing the envelope on mailers. After making a few initial phone calls to inquire about the state of affairs for mailer products within the forms industry today, it was clear that manufacturers have mixed feelings on the issue. Some simply reported such an insignificant sale of mailers—due to too much competition and changing technology—that they preferred to not report on them at all. But, others have found a way to prosper via the mailer. The prospering is true, despite the drastic decline of installed impact printers over the past several years, which has significantly reduced demand for continuous custom products—namely

Serving the insurance market is a smart way for distributors to cover their assets. Got insurance? If not, it's a beneficial market for distributors to add to their prospecting lists. Like health-care, it's an industry driven by regulations and drowning in paperwork, conditions that signal strong potential for distributor opportunities. "Even with the integration of technology that allows for paperless transmissions, there will always be a need for a hard copy, which ensures continued growth," said Jim Magdaleno, marketing director for Oxnard, California-based TFP Data Systems. Other similarities include the tendency for larger organizations—such as one Allstate facility in Northbrook, Ill.—to do a

Proforma's annual meeting was held in July, and I took the opportunity as a visitor to audit a few educational sessions. Proforma does a nice job with its meetings, and all of the sessions were well attended. One of the titles that intrigued me was How to Become a Marketing Agent. The session was led by Mike Paulus, Proforma's chief marketing officer, who has many years of experience in the marketing field. According to Paulus, there is no secret formula for achieving marketing success. In fact, distributors have some advantages over traditional marketing agencies, including access to products. Distributors have the ability to take concepts

When it comes to self-promotion, individual distributors do it their way. Distributors specialize in helping companies run and grow their businesses. So, it stands to reason that these savvy sales professionals would know a thing or two about promoting their own products and services. Here, three distributors discuss their strategies for increasing customers and profits. Interestingly, all three reported a reluctance to seek outside assistance, the general consensus being that advertising and marketing firms cannot fully comprehend the unique role distributors play in the marketplace. Tenacity with Finesse For David Donnelly, president of Suncoast Forms & Systems, Sarasota, Fla., the most effective

Distributors discuss how value-added product and service solutions impact sales approaches. Offering customers the very best is not a new concept for industry sales professionals. They will tell you that this has always been their mission. But just as technology and a progressive marketplace have changed the way business is conducted, so have they changed the way salespeople approach their customers. Today, these professionals use contemporary marketing terms and their thinking has become more proactive than reactive. This is mainly because product and service solutions are far more sophisticated; they are value-added. This requires manufacturers to educate their distributor partners who, in

Telemarketing is touted as a fast, efficient and cost-effective sales source. While to some the word "telemarketing" may have all sorts of negative connotations, to others the action of telemarketing is quite productive. Particularly business-to-business telemarketing, which is used to inform, update and connect with clients. As such, telemarketing is actually seen as a friend, not a foe, of many industry professionals. In fact, when it comes to propelling sales, J.R. Montalvo, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Global DocuGraphix, Lincolnshire, Ill., said telemarketing (or inside sales as the company calls it) is one of the most effective tools to do so. "Our

Take advantage of resources that can boost business. What exactly it take to succeed as a print distributor? While there may not be one answer to fit all, one of the main components is the utilization of the right tools—especially in today's business environment, according to Tony Kegowicz, owner of AJOK Business Solutions, Scottsdale, Ariz. "It's harder to gain new customers in the current economy," said Kegowicz. "Therefore, distributors need to stay ahead of the game by continuing to build their customer base rather than relying on the one they've got." To do so, Kegowicz suggested making full use of basic bro-chures and

Despite a softening economy, the retail market keeps moving along. What goes up must come down. It's a law of gravity—and economics. But even in a sluggish economy some markets manage to stay afloat and help buoy sinking consumer confidence, and one of the best is the retail market. Scott Mollahan, sales executive, Applied Graphics, San Rafael, Calif., has been designing retail print work for the wine industry for seven years. Although he admitted that business slipped a little bit last year, over the long haul, he said, it's remained pretty solid. "One of the great things about the retail market is that it

Ride the e-commerce express to opening new accounts. Maybe it seems all too obvious to tout technology these days. After all, it's no secret that everyone is jumping on the e-commerce express to bigger and better business. But the fact still remains that a lot of clientele within the forms industry have yet to catch up to modern times—which is why flashing the technology ticket when targeting new clients can yield a smooth ride for distributors. Webb/Mason, Hunt Valley, Md., is one distributorship flying high on its tactic to target with technology. Anticipating $45 million in sales this year with a 27-member sales team

For forms distributors, the cash is in the college market. You don't have to be a Rhodes scholar to realize that a forms distributor's opportunities can be limited when selling to public school districts. With laser printers practically in the classroom, office supply superstore competition and, most of all, bidding regulations, what are distributors to do? If they're smart, say those who have been there, they'll skip school. For colleges, appearance is everything, providing opportunities for distributors who can handle commercial print jobs. This brochure, for example, was created by Rick Lewis and Debra Bradfield of ProForma Preferred Systems in Long Beach, Calif., for