Selling Print and Mail - It's No Longer an "Ink on Paper" World!
How many times have companies tried to sell print and mail services to a
customer only to be told, "The price is cheaper over at XYZ Company".
This may be true, but the problem is not the price at XYZ, it's the paradigm
that print and mail services are a commodity. This stems from the outdated
belief that print and mail departments and service providers are basement
industries. We all know that this is simply not true.
Direct mail has now surpassed all other media in terms of dollars spent
annually for marketing services. This is certainly not an industry that
should be relegated to the basement.
When shopping for certain items, it is absolutely okay to purchase solely
on price. However, in the complex world of print and mail, price should
be discussed at the end of the sales cycle, not the beginning.
Why would a customer wait until the end of the deal to
discuss price? The key is selling value. The only way to sell value is to
truly understand the needs of your customer. This is accomplished through
active listening-which is a very difficult task indeed! However, without
drilling down with the customer to determine exactly what his or her needs
actually are, the discussion veers away from value and toward selling the
company's capabilities and skill sets.
In actuality, the customer cares very little about what type of presses,
laser printers or inkjet machines a company uses. What your customer cares
about is having a certain need fulfilled. As a service provider, it is our
job to determine what that need is and suggest value-added ways to take
care of that need. Once the customer understands that the focus of the discussion
is on them, not us, you are on your way to selling value. Entering into
these problem-solving partnerships are the key to truly differentiating
your company from the competition.
Why is it no longer an "Ink on Paper" world? Let's face it, there
are many, many companies out there that can provide basically the same products
when it comes to print and mail. The real winners will be those companies
that can truly partner with their customer, listen, and fulfill their individual
needs.
