USP charity begins at work Selling for a good cause during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
rest secured
Why now is the time to discuss security with clients
A brave new world
Sales guru Sean McPheat reflects on the changes in the world of sales
September 2011 ISSUE 96
THE EDITOR’S LETTER CONTENTS 03
NEWS PITCH INVADERS All the products and news to help you deliver the perfect pitch
04
MARKETPLACE FRAUD IS A BOOMING BUSINESS The sales potential for protecting large business against ID fraud
07
TALKING ABOUT A REVOLUTION How dictation is changing the working environment
10
Selling the potential of charity for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
MATT JANE As I write this, the World Athletics Championships have been in full flow and have served up the usual damp squib of disappointment, particularly for the British team, with Jessica Ennis and Mo Farrah both falling short. This year, even part-man, part-cheetah Usain Bolt got in the act by jumping the gun for the 100m finale, ruling himself out. One event in particular always carries the promise of failure for the British: the relay race. It would seem that British people have an innate inability to pass a little pole from one runner to the next. Unlike British athletes, the team here at USP Towers hope we have better success at passing on the baton, as indeed I must do this month. From next month, there will be a new face on this column in the form of new editor Nina Rosandic, who promises to bring a new vigour and enthusiasm to these hallowed pages. I have enjoyed my time at the helm of this leading office supplies sales magazine, but alas all good things must come to an end. I will still be knocking around for a little while yet though, so don’t be surprised if my name crops up in the magazine from time to time, but I will be taking a step back to allow Nina her time to shine. Also like all good things, I am going out on a bang. We have a bumper issue for you to enjoy this month, with everything from features on dictation to ID fraud, a fantastic projector up for grabs and some cracking sales advice from one of the best sales gurus in the business – there is plenty for everyone. See you around!
M att Ja ne Editor
USP EDITOR MATT JANE | matthew.jane@intelligentmedia.co.uk MANAGING EDITOR JULIA DENNISON | julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR VICKI BALOCH | vicki.baloch@intelligentmedia.co.uk SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER – MEDIA SOLUTIONS MATTHEW MOORE | matthew.moore@intelligentmedia.co.uk ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE – MEDIA SOLUTIONS KRYSTLE DAVIS | krystle.davis@intelligentmedia.co.uk
CHARITY BEGINS AT WORK
DESIGNER SARAH CHIVERS | sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk PRODUCTION ASSISTANT SINEAD COFFEY | sinead.coffey@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHING ASSISTANT/ CIRCULATIONS MANAGER NATALIA JOHNSTON | natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHER DAVID COLLINGBOURNE | david.collingbourne@intelligentmedia.co.uk DIGITAL MANAGER DAN PRICE | dan.price@intelligentmedia.co.uk
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SALES ACADEMY BREAK TIME Fun and games and a pocket projector up for grabs
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A BRAVE NEW WORLD Sales guru Sean McPheat reflects on the changes in the sales industry
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LIVE IT HOW TO SPEND IT Goodies from films to gadgets – spend your break right here
04 ON THE COVER 04 REST SECURED
Why now is the time to discuss security with clients
10 CHARITY BEGINS AT WORK
Selling the potential of charity for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
14 A BRAVE NEW WORLD USP magazine is published by... Intelligent Media Solutions | Suite 223 | Business Design Centre | 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH tel: 0207 288 6833 | fax: 0207 288 6834 | email: info@intelligenmedia.co.uk | web: www.uspmagazine.com Follow USP on Twitter at Twitter.com/uspmagazine Printed in the UK by Buxton Press www.buxtonpress.co.uk
Sales guru Sean McPheat reflects on the changes in the sales industry
NEWS PITCH INVADERS 03
Some snappy info about this brill page and the heady delights that are held within it
PITCH INVADERS
PENTEL PRODUCT Mid-August saw the launch of the second stage of Pentel’s integrated consumer marketing campaign in support of its EnerGel brand. The initial phase of the campaign ran in the spring, focusing on the main exam and pre-summer holiday period, and this second burst runs through October. The campaign, which targets millions of potential liquid gel pen users, including office workers, students and parents, once again incorporates national press and online advertising, a viral advertisement and sampling activity. Through the campaign, which highlights the superior features and benefits of EnerGel ink, Pentel invites consumers to ‘see the story unfold’ via a viral advertisement on its website, YouTube and Facebook. More than three million commuters a day would have seen an EnerGel ad that ran in the Metro newspaper in August and will run again this month. Advertising on social networking sites, with the potential to reach 80% of the UK’s online audience, will run until October. Pentel sent samples to students, parents and teachers at UK universities, Manchester’s Trafford Centre and the Touchwood Centre in Solihull. The company is also using its presence at the Office Show at Earl’s Court, 15-16 September, to demonstrate the pens to office managers.
STELJES PEOPLE IT distributor Steljes has promoted Mark Mason from regional business manager for Scotland and the north of England to national sales manager. Prior to his promotion, Mason helped make Scotland and the North the top performing territories for the company. He will continue to be based in Scotland, making use of the Steljes offices in Edinburgh, Leeds, Bagshot and shortly Greater Manchester. Mason will be spending much of his time helping to accelerate customers’ adoption of Steljes technologies. “Based in Scotland and holding a national position, I am living proof that you don’t have to travel to all meetings to be truly effective,” he said.
NEC PRODUCT With flexibility and usability a priority for today’s demanding corporates, the Office Cool range of displays from NEC is designed to be ergonomic, versatile and lightweight to complement the modern office environment. The EX201W 20-inch-wide LED backlit panel delivers good picture quality with a low power consumption, further supported by eco features, including a human sensor, ambient light sensor and an auto-brightness function. The EX201W delivers a 25,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 250cd/m2 brightness for crisp text and bright colours.
MIDWICH PRODUCT Midwich has agreed to distribute LG’s CF3D passive 3D projector, the world’s first single-lens full-HD 3D cinema projector. Alongside the CF3D, Midwich’s portfolio of LG products includes large format displays, video conferencing products, and TVs. Employing the same 3D polarised light technology used in cinemas, the CF3D offers all the same thrills but in more intimate environments. A projector that can comfortably stretch to 200” wide, the CF3D boasts a brightness rating of 2,500 ANSI-lumens and a 7,000:1 contrast ratio, producing superb pictures. Thanks to the TruMotion 120Hz, the CF3D practically eliminates blurring from even the fastest action sequences, which also helps produce the sharpest possible images for 2D content. “The CF3D is an outstanding projector in every respect – convenience, brightness, resolution and even design,” said LG’s Warren Lewis. “Along with our Cinema 3D TVs and Blu-ray players, LG is on course to become a global leader in 3D entertainment that can help transform social and leisure venues throughout the UK... The latest entertainment technology can be the differentiator that really draws in the business.”
SEPTEMBER 2011
USP
04 mARKETPLACE security
Big business of fraud With recent high profile security breaches in large organisations, salespeople have the perfect opportunity to discuss security options with their bigger clients. Matt Jane looks at some of the options
The recent cyber-attacks by computer hacker consortium LulzSec have highlighted the fact that nobody is safe when it comes to invasions of privacy and corporate security. The hacking group claimed responsibility for taking down Sony’s website, and even found a way into the CIA, proving that even the biggest organisations can leave a door open somewhere. Fortunately these attacks provide the perfect platform for office supplies salespeople to discuss security solutions with clients and to ensure everything is done to ensure their ship is as watertight as can possibly be achieved. Every organisation will be keen to avoid the embarrassing invasions suffered by Sony and the CIA, and, while international ‘hacktivists’ will be unlikely to target the average office supplies salesperson’s customers, it is well worth using these incidents to highlight the potential risks and suggest key solutions to the threats. “Organisations are more willing to invest in counter-measures as no one wants to be the next in the headlines,” says Marc
USP
september 2011
Legge from Duplo International. “Companies realise that securing IT systems is now just as important as more obvious measures like shredding old documents. A CD is not much heavier than a sheet of paper, but can hold thousands of pages of data and so the demand for multi-purpose paper/CD/credit card shredders is on the rise.” Given current trends for mobile working, cloud computing and advances in technology, the places that data is accessed are growing. “On the one hand, companies need their staff to work on the data as flexibly as possible, but on the other hand, the security implications are vast,” says Barry Robbins, national sales manager for office technology at HSM. “The best protection organisations of all sizes can buy is electronic protection, such as robust firewalls, to protect data from external hackers while the data is in use. At the end of its life, data stored on disks or paper needs to be shredded, which is the only way to be absolutely certain that the data is destroyed.”
mARKETPLACE security 05
SAFE PRINTING One area of technological innovation that large companies need to be increasingly aware of is printing. Chris Hale, product marketing manager for document and print solutions at Sharp, suggests that with printers and multifunction devices (MFDs), there is a concern that documents could be left uncollected in output trays or data is vulnerable during the print process. “For example, in transit to the printer, stored on the printer (either temporarily or more permanently) or left in the printer electronics as working files deposited as part of the print process,” he says. “Files and papers like these can contain sensitive information, including personal and banking details and the exposure of this information may place the organisation in difficult commercial or legal circumstances.” There have been considerable advances in printing security features as the importance of protection in this area becomes better understood. For example, Phil Jones, sales and marketing director at Brother, points to ‘secure print’ features, which mean valuable or private documents do not print until the user enters a password on the machine. “SSL encryption is another function that is widely used in e-commerce to prevent unlawful access to customer’s bank and credit card
Only 56% of businesses have actually put in place a clear policy on how to handle documents with sensitive information, with 29% of employees admitting to always throwing sensitive documents in the bin details,” he says, adding that this is now being incorporated into laser printers. “It encrypts data sent over the network so that it can’t be captured by anyone during printing unless they have a unique digital key. It can be configured on both wired or wireless networks and works with other security, such as WPA keys and firewalls.” With a wide range of printing solutions available, Jones says it is important that salespeople are confident with the latest technology advancements and understand how they can benefit different sectors. “For example, a doctor’s surgery may have very different
security requirements to a school but each will have their own needs, whether it is data protection of patient records or restricting pupil access to various printer functions,” he says. ALL BASES COVERED Alongside watching out for new electronic threats, large organisations also need to ensure the basics are covered. Unless companies protect their everyday data, all the high-tech solutions will count for nothing. Research conducted by Fellowes shows that only 56% of businesses have actually put a clear policy on how to handle documents with sensitive information in place, which can perhaps be explained by the fact that 29% of employees admitted to always throwing sensitive documents into the bin. While companies will need to consider how they destroy their data, it is also important that they have a robust system of data storage. “With a 14% rise in burglary in 2010, companies need to make sure items with personal and business details are safely secured away from potential theft,” suggests Mark Hawkins from Sentry Safe. He recommends a safe or secure fire and water resistant filing cabinet as the best way for businesses wto store any data that does not require shredding. When selling security solutions, salespeople need to firstly consider their target audience. With large companies taking data protection increasingly seriously, procurement of solutions is increasingly moving away from the traditional stationery buyer. Robbins suggests arranging meetings with the best person to discuss security. “Talk to them about the dangers and cost of off-site data destruction compared with having suitable shredders and a document shredding policy in place across the whole organisation – not just at the main site, but at people’s home offices and branch offices,” he says. It is also important to avoid the suggestion that a single product will be the sole solution. “As with all security systems, for it to run well and achieve its aims it requires the full cooperation of the people who use it and rely upon it,” says Hale. “Products with secure features are the cornerstone of security in an organisation, but will always depend upon correct set up and operation to well established policies and procedures operated day in, day out by the staff.”
september 2011
USP
OFFICE TECHNOLOGY
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10.08.2011 17:06:38 Uhr
mARKETPLACE dictation 07
Talking about a revolution Dictation equipment has advanced significantly recently and it is now easier than ever to record note, memos or entire meetings. Matt Jane considers why this is good news for both salespeople and clients
Digital dictation equipment has transformed many working environments, eliminating the need for endless minute taking in meetings, removing the need to transcribe medical notes and making secretarial duties far more efficient. For office supplies salespeople, it has also provided a valuable and highly desirable product range to explore as well as allowing for dialogues with a new customer base. While digital technology has increasingly become accepted as the only viable option for dictation solutions, the market for digital dictation is increasingly one for analogue users. Jordy Onrust from Ordiginal believes that 75% of the business in this area comes from analogue users switching to digital solutions, proof that there is still a large business base for selling digital hardware. One change that is occurring in this market is the customers themselves, as they become more
astute, demanding and knowledgeable on how they wish to use digital dictation solutions within their organisations. Onrust suggests a range of topics that customers are seeking solutions on. Firstly, the security of files is a key concern. With the well-documented punishments for companies that fail to take adequate steps to ensure data protection, customers will be keen to hear how digital dictation files can be moved over the network, PIN/PUK and file encryption. This demand for robust and secure solutions is also important when considering the changing working patterns, which have seen many employees working across mobile platforms or remotely. “Mobility, linking with smartphones and even recording on smartphones has been the innovation,” says Onrust. “With this way of working, the author can easily send dictations to wherever he or she is.” In terms of functionality, many customers are also seeing the benefits
september 2011
USP
08 mARKETPLACE dictation
Users are far more demanding on not only the quality of the recorder or microphone, but also on the quality of the pre-sales and after-sales care of speech recognition as a means of speeding up the dictation process. There is also a demand for better quality recordings and customers are no longer willing to have to decipher poorly recorded meeting notes, and this demand for quality has repercussions throughout the sale. “Users are far more demanding on not only the quality of the recorder or microphone, but also on the quality of the pre-sales and after-sales care,” says Onrust. “Installation, project planning and user training need to be at the highest quality level.” The latest dictation solutions have superior recording quality and can be tailored specifically to the environment to optimise performance. Jessica Baldry from Philips points to equipment designed for meetings and small conferences, which can eliminate the need for traditional note taking. “Specialist microphones allow 360° pick-up around the meeting room, and the advances in digital dictation mean that the recorded meeting file can be encrypted, emailed, transferred via local area network (LAN), or processed for transcription,” she explains. Within certain sectors, there have been advances in technology that is allowing dictation equipment to be used in a variety of settings. For example, Baldry highlights the incorporation of the SpeechMike product, which is specially designed for medical environments such as general practices and hospitals. “Its antimicrobial coating reduces bacteria in areas where hygiene is paramount,” she explains.
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september 2011
DIFFERENT DEMANDS While the advent of the digital revolution brought with it new innovations and technological breakthroughs, the demand for reporting information is not a new phenomenon. This new technology has merely allowed for more efficient working practices. For example, workers in the field have always needed reports, but traditionally these may have been typed out. “Now they can dictate their reports and send it easily via email to the backoffice or to a speech recognition tool,” explains Onrust. “This saves them a lot of time and gets more accurate information. With cassettes this was not even possible.” In light of these changing practices, salespeople must ensure they are providing a service that is relevant to customer requirements. This begins with an initial assessment of the customer’s needs before presenting the available solutions and their relative merits. “In instances where the author or secretary require, or may require, more flexible ways of working, then a digital solution with emailable job functions and customisable transcription solutions would be recommended,” says Baldry. “Where a site has a traditional office set-up, then transferring of work via LAN may be preferred. Similarly, in an environment where PCT stations are not typically used, then the LAN docking station, which transfers dictation files for typing files for typing without the use of a PC, would be ideal.” ONGOING SERVICE With current dictation trends, it is important for salespeople to understand that the service
is not just related to providing the hardware, as was the case with analogue devices. “Here we see a need for consultancy, additional services, and even support and maintenance contracts,” says Onrust. “For resellers, it is more interesting to sell digital solutions, upgrades and support, than it is to sell analogue.” Dictation equipment and the changing technology and requirements associated with it offer salespeople the perfect opportunity to develop long-term relationships with customers and engage in regular dialogue. With a move to a more consultative approach, customer contact becomes easier than it has ever been. “Together with support and maintenance contracts the customer is also committed to stay with his reseller instead of shopping on the web,” suggests Onrust. Salespeople should be prepared to monitor customers’ ongoing needs, not just those identified at the initial sale. “Change of working legislation and advances in IT technologies mean that customer’s requirements can become more become specific, or they are now able to take advantage of some of the more advanced areas of digital solutions,” says Baldry. Whatever industry a customer is involved with and whatever their current dictation setup, there is a great deal of scope for salespeople to explore new opportunities and offer a service that will improve current working practices. By ensuring ongoing dialogue in this area, salespeople can ensure they enjoy longterm custom, while clients will be able to take advantage of this rapidly evolving market.
10 MARKETPLACE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
CHARITY BEGINS AT WORK
USP
SEPTEMBER 2011
MARKETPLACE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS 11
With Breast Cancer Awareness Month approaching, offices will be gearing up for a pink makeover. Matt Jane looks at the opportunities for salespeople to get involved with this charitable cause Every 10 minutes, someone in the UK receives the devastating news that they have been diagnosed with breast cancer, which equates to 50,000 people each year. This shocking statistic emphasises the importance of increasing public awareness of the illness and the warning signs for women to look out for, as well as offering support and reassurance to those battling cancer. Office supplies salespeople are well placed to get involved in this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which runs throughout October. There will be a host of products and initiatives for people to get involved with, all aimed at raising publicity of the organising charity, Breast Cancer Care, with the traditional pink theme promising to inject a flash of colour into offices across the country and ensure the charity receives the valuable publicity it deserves. “Breast Cancer Awareness Month offers a very special opportunity for dealers and retailers to make sure their marketing plan includes products from manufacturers donating to charities to continue to fight against breast cancer,” explains Wendy Vickery from Pentel, which is hoping to raise £500,000 for Breast Cancer Campaign in time for October. “If they only engage in one piece of activity, this is the time of year to do it.” Pentel’s campaign has seen the company raise £464,000 so far through sales of pink pens and correction fluid, with a percentage from every pen sold going to Breast Cancer Campaign. Vickery explains that the partnership with the charity has continued to flourish, even in the difficult economic environment. This is as a result of three essential criteria, which she says include the product position in-store, which should be as close to till point as possible or
next to complementary products; the price of the product, which needs to be affordable enough to facilitate an impulse purchase; and the relevance of the charity itself to the target audience for the product. “Sadly, despite ever improving levels of detection and treatment, far too many families are still affected by breast cancer, which means there’s a great deal of awareness of initiatives to raise money to support charities such as Breast Cancer Campaign,” says Vickery. POWERFUL PRODUCTS By aligning products with a charitable promotion, salespeople can also take advantage of the commercial benefits that this delivers. For example, if customers are given the choice between two products, with one promoting a recognisable charity, the consumer is likely to be far more inclined towards the charitable offering. This is a particularly strong sales incentive during this time of year when awareness around breast
water bottles in a shade of pink and specially designed Nestlé confectionary. As well as the products, salespeople and companies can get involved in activities to help promote the good cause. For example, earlier this year a team from Antalis McNaughton, Grupo Soporcel and a group of customers took part in the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer and raised £14,000, as well as showcasing their commitment to corporate social responsibility. “Supporting charitable causes such as Breakthrough Breast Cancer has a number of benefits including raising money for an important cause, whether that be through staff team building and fun activities or customers purchasing an item knowing that they are contributing to a worthy charity,” says Samantha Brown from Antalis McNaughton. In order to get the most benefit from charitable promotions such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, salespeople should have a focused push and try to generate a buzz around the activities and products that run through the event. Brown suggests blitz days with internal sales teams and also hosting events at customers premises to help “highlight the importance of breast cancer, have some fun, sell product and also raise much needed funds”. With such a wide range of activities and a huge product range, there is plenty for salespeople to choose from in order to help their customers showcase their pink credentials. With breast cancer survival rates improving all the time, largely as a result of earlier detection and improved treatment, the human benefits of supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month are plain to see.With a whole month to get involved with the activities, salespeople would be well advised to plan ahead to ensure they are ready to help their customers, and more importantly, the worthwhile charity.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month offers a very special opportunity for dealers and retailers to make sure their marketing plan includes products from manufacturers donating to charities to continue to fight against breast cancer cancer is at its peak and companies will be keen to prove their support for the cause. There is a huge range of products for salespeople to explore, all designed to raise the pink profile. Pink pads and pens of all varieties will provide a good sales opportunity, while more unusual items also promise to be in high demand, such as Highland Spring
SEPTEMBER 2011
USP
12 SALES ACADEMY BREAK TIME
Breaktime
To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, simply answer the following question: Projectors use which element to display images? A: Witchcraft B: Light C: The fifth
Send your answer with the subject line ‘Projector’ to matthew.jane@intelligentmedia.co.uk. Closing date for entries is 23 September. Winners will be chosen at random. Only successful candidates will be notified. Judge’s decision is final.
Fancy taking a break from the sales calls, client meetings and proposal writing? Put your feet up and switch your brain on to our break time puzzle. No prizes, just the satisfaction in beating the grid.
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3 5 7 1 6 4 4 7 2 1 2 6 9 SEPTEMBER 2011
1 - Who is the king of the gods in Greek mythology? 2 - What is a squirrel’s nest called?
3 - Which football club has the nickname ‘The Blades’? 4 - What was the name of the snail in ‘The Magic Roundabout’? 5 - Something described as ‘tactile’ relates to which of the senses?
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7 - London’s Ritz Hotel overlooks which park? 8 - The pipistrelle is Britain’s smallest what? 9 - In which country is the Harz mountain range?
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We may not be able to provide the beer or nuts, but this little teaser should keep you entertained during your morning briefing.
6 - In US law enforcement, what do the initials in SWAT team stand for?
DO YOUR NUMBERS
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PUBQUIZ
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10 - Who was the religious member of Robin Hood’s band of outlaws?
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11 - Who was known as ‘The Lady with the Lamp’? 12- The alcoholic beverage kirsch is made from which fruit?
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ANSWERS 1: Zeus; 2: Drey; 3: Sheffield United; 4: Brian; 5: Touch; 6: Special Weapons and Tactics; 7: Green Park; 8: Bat; 9: Germany; 10: Friar Tuck; 11: Florence Nightingale; 12: Cherries
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MORE FOR THE OFFICE Introducing new laminator models from Fellowes Fellowes is proud of its track record of constant consumer based product development, and this year it launches 15 new laminator models. Fellowes first major innovation was the development of their 100% Jam Free system, giving consumers the confidence to use laminating creatively without the worry of jamming. HOME OR HOME OFFICE The new Lunar A4 and Lunar A3 is ideal for home users and offers the 100% Jam Free* promise, at a very attractive price. The new Cosmic2 machines are the latest version of Fellowes award winning home range. There are a host of great features including HeatGuard, Fellowes revolutionary patented heat protection system that reduced surface temperature. MORE FOR THE OFFICE USERS, LARGE AND SMALL The new Saturn 2 offers all the features of the Saturn, plus push button controls for cold, 75, 100 and 125 micron settings. Used in combination with Fellowes high quality pouches, the Saturn 2 offers stunning results.
There is also a new two roller laminator, the Callisto, available in A4 and A3, which offers the benefits of the Saturn with the added feature of Hotswap, allowing users to swap between 75 to 125 micron in seconds. For more frequent users, the Vega2 A3 and Neptune2 A3 bring a new level of performance in a compact design. The four roller machines offer speed and quality, plus an auto reverse feature that stops creased or misfed laminates from going too far into the machine, ensuring the rollers are not damaged and maintaining Jam Free* performance. MACHINES FOR THE MOST DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS Fellowes has also launched a range topping model called Proteus A3, designed with large office and copy centres in mind. This six roller model is ultra-tough, ultra flexible, offering a wide range of heat and speed settings. *100% Jam Free when used with Fellowes brand pouches For more information about the new laminators from Fellowes please contact your Account Representative or call 01302 836835
14 sales academy sales evolution
Author Bio Sean McPheat is a bestselling author, sales authority and international speaker. He heads up a team of 20 trainers at MTD Sales Training (www.mtdsalestraining.com). For more information on his book, eselling, visit www.e-selling.com.
USP
september 2011
Sales academy sales evolution 15
A brave new world Sales guru Sean McPheat guides us through the evolution of selling and how the internet has kept salespeople on their toes If you’re anything like most of the sales professionals I’ve encountered over the past few years then you’re in desperate need of a lifeline. The economy has taken a massive beating, the type and usage of technology has seen a rapid increase and buyers seem to want more and more and want to pay less and less. There’s much more in play than the ‘economy excuse’ of why you’re not meeting your sales targets. The nature of relationships between salespeople and customers has shifted. Your clients are busier than ever before – calling them during business hours sets their teeth to a grind. The environment for selling has also changed to a radical degree. The internet has put unprecedented amounts of data and information at the fingertips of everybody. Today’s buyer (buyer 2.0 if you like) is a lot more sales savvy and knowledgeable than their predecessor. They can conduct research online about your products and services, your company, your competitors and can even find out information about you (so be careful with those stag do pictures you posted on Facebook). They come armed with print outs, price comparisons, and online brochures. Couple this enhanced version of the modern day buyer with the current state of the economy, and they feel that they are firmly in control, commanding the very best that you have to offer and expecting you to practically give it away for nothing. It wasn’t always like this though and to redress this balance of power it’s useful to look at the evolution of selling.
The show up and throw up era This was when salespeople got a bad name. The objective was to sell, push, cajole – do almost anything to close a sale. In what was more like a monologue, someone always seemed to “win” and someone always seemed to “lose”. There was no way to check up on what the salesperson was saying and a lot of sales were really down to whether you connected with the salesperson or not. Consultative selling revolution As people got more wary of the old sales processes and tactics, some moved into a more
The research age With the development of the internet, prospects and salespeople alike began to use the internet to research any and every subject, which led to the research age. Conducting research via search engines was proving to be very fruitful to the modern day buyer as they could at last inform and educate themselves on products and services, prices, features, company information – you name it. Suddenly the buyers were taking more control over their buying decisions. Then social media came on the scene and this added another dynamic to how research is conducted.
No matter what industry you’re in, you are no longer the gatekeeper for information about your products and services consultative two-way dialogue between the salesperson and the prospect. Some began to think of customers more as clients, which comes from a word meaning a person who is under the care and protection of another. A client-oriented sale is more collaborative and focused on the needs of the client rather than the quota of the salesperson. Consultative selling should still be used as a basis for selling but until the advent of the internet, the buyer was still largely at the mercy of the salesperson for accurate information about their products and services, and those of the competition.
Future of selling While a client or prospect may have gaps in their knowledge about a solution, they are still likely to be well-prepared. They will research a basic lay of the land for their problem, possible solutions, and your products, and they will also check up on you as well. They will use social media sites to speak with friends and acquaintances, or find discussion groups where your customers are already talking about your products, or the products of your competition. No longer will your clients and prospects wait for you to tell them about how your product will help them. Your meetings will be about how you, and your business, will deliver on those solutions. They may not be correct in their identification of what they want and why, but it does mean they are further along in the thought process than before and they may have a bias to what they already believe to be true.
september 2011
USP
16
live it
The best way to spend your free time and money
Film
BIT OF BANTER
Warrior The recent success of The Fighter ensured that the genre of pugilistic movies remained on the public’s radar. This latest offering in the long line of fighting films is a fair addition to the scene, taking on the increasingly popular sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Warrior is the story of two estranged brothers, Marine Tommy Conlon (played by BAFTA-winner Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton), whose paths come into a collision course during SPARTA, the biggest winner-takes-all event in MMA history. Tommy, trained by his father (played by a snarling Nick Nolte), blazes a trail through the competition and is soon facing the prospect of taking on his brother, who is an ex-fighter turned teacher who is making his ring return in a desperate bid to save his family from financial ruin. The film is described as a “rousing ode to redemption, reconciliation and the power of the human spirit”, which is one way of describing this no-holds-barred emotional and physical rollercoaster. While The Fighter’s success may have been down to the real-life drama of boxing, Warrior forges a dramatic trail through the realms of sporting adventure. While it may not hit the heights of other films based on the sport of the square circle, it is an enjoyable watch and helps keep the enjoyable genre on the tip of movie-goers tongues. Released 23 September
music
drink
Loney Dear
Kirin Ichiban
With another disappointing summer behind us, we can look forward to the delights of winter – and this sixth full-length album from Swedish multi-instrumentalist Emil Svanängen, aka Loney Dear, is the ideal soundtrack to usher in the cold. The haunting orchestral harmonies, combined with Svanängen’s mysterious vocals give this album a unique quality, described by the record label as “in between joy and darkness”, which is perfect for watching the falling autumnal leaves to.
When we think of the great exports from Japan, we often think of cars and electronics. However, having sampled this delightful beer from the land of the rising sun we should ensure that drinks are added to that list. Using a unique ‘first press’ process, Kirin Ichiban delivers a pure, crisp finish, with a taste that is luxuriously rich, yet beautifully smooth, making it the ideal accompaniment to Eastern cuisine and European flavours alike.
Released October 17
Available from www.beersofeurope.co.uk
USP
september 2011
i don’t like where this is going
good Church Anyone who has sat through Sunday mass will know religious services can be a bit dull. One Polish priest has found a unique way to keep parishioners happy – by opening a full-sized bouncy castle church. Father Krzystof Kowal came up with the idea after his plans to build a conventional church were turned down. While it must make for a more entertaining service, I imagine inflatable bells would be a nightmare for the bell-ringers.
Snakes Justin Timberlake has been referred to as ‘Trousersnake’, a testament to his insatiable libido. However, one serpent lover may be more suited to the nickname after he was arrested at Miami International airport with seven exotic snakes and three tortoises stuffed down his trousers. The unusual secret was discovered as he went through a body scanner, but officials refused to give an explanation for his companions.
bad
d n a t s o t t Wanin the crowd? out W o n p u n g i s
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