USP Magazine June 12

JUNE 2012

USP DIGITAL DICTATION

The latest trends in the world of dictation

It’s time to start stocking up for the next academic year

GET MOTIVATED

Five steps to sales success

LIVE IT

The latest film, music and products to check out

THE EDITOR’S LETTER CONTENTS

JULIA DENNISON

04

Welcome to the June edition of USP Magazine. Back to school is the name of the game in this issue (see p4). It’s not that we want to wish summer away, it’s just important to be prepared for your September selling before you go away on your holidays, particularly those of you who sell to schools. Buyers in schools like to think ahead and with this autumn promising to be a busy one, what with changes to the ICT curriculum that could see more schools buying technology, salespeople need to be on the ball.

Speaking of vertical markets, we take another look at dictation (p9). With the rise of voice-recording apps, could it signal the end of the dictation device? Survey says no.

Professionals, like GP surgeries, need robust hardware with intelligent software, which only a dealer could provide.

Lastly, in our sales academy section, we look at how to make sales – even if you think you can’t (p14). Surprisingly, there are a lot of you who get into this industry because you’re a people person, and less because you love cold-calling, this article could change your mind. See what you think anyway.

Here’s wishing you a glorious start to the summer. Please get in touch with any news stories or updates on editor@dealersupport.co.uk. Enjoy!

NEWS 03 PITCH INVADERS The latest news and products to help you deliver that perfect sales pitch

MARKETPLACE 04 READING, WRITING AND RETAILING Salespeople: get ready to go back to school

09 THE GREAT DICTATOR Could apps signal the end of dictation? Computer says no

HIGH ROLLERS 12 SPOTYA The latest nominee for Salesperson of the Year 2012 Managing editor

SALES ACADEMY 14 THINK SALES

USP MANAGING EDITOR JULIA DENNISON | julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk EDITOR BILLY TAYLOR | billy.taylor@intelligentmedia.co.uk REPORTER GEORGE CAREY | george.carey@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHER 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 DESIGNER SARAH CHIVERS | sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk DESIGNER / PRODUCTION PETER HOPE-PARRY | peter.hope-parry@intelligentmedia.co.uk CIRCULATIONS MANAGER NATALIA JOHNSTON | natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk

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

How getting in the right frame of mind could clinch the deal

LIVE IT 16 HOW TO SPEND IT The latest film, music and technology to spend your commission on

PITCH INVADERS

All the products and developments you need to deliver the perfect sales pitch

GREEN OFFICE WEEK 2012 INSPIRES ECO WORKING Last month marked the fourth annual Green Office Week run by Avery Office and Consumer Products. A nationwide awareness week, this year’s Green Office Week inspired and empowered office workers everywhere to think about the environment and change their working practices.

Bigger and better than ever before Green Office Week 2012 attracted high profile support and collaboration from a wide range of leading environmental organisations including the Carbon Trust, Forum for The Future, Global Action Plan, OxTreeGen, First Mile Recycling, Energenie and many more.

This year’s campaign saw a whole host of new features including an exciting online Green League with points and prizes awarded to workers for sharing their green activities and making real changes in the office, as well as taking part and encouraging participation in the Green Office Week daily themes. The league proved to be big hit with employees everywhere downloading Green Office Week’s helpful tips and tools, uploading pictures of their green efforts and opting to purchase environmentally friendly office products.

The Green League’s star prize of an upcycled Trolley Chair designed by Dragon’s Den winner and junk modeller-extraordinaire Max McMurdo went to Dave Vickerstaff, Architect & Environmental Manager at Architects Design Group.

PENTEL WINS NATIONAL CHARITY AWARD NEWS International stationery company Pentel has been awarded Breast Cancer Campaign’s ‘Outstanding Corporate Partner Award’ for raising £500,000 at the end of 2011 to help the charity fund research into the disease.

The company has supported the charity for five years, in which time it has raised the fantastic amount through the sale of 2.8 million pink pens and other stationery items. Staff also take part in events for the charity, helping to boost their fundraising total.

Wendy Vickery, Marketing Manager of Pentel, said: “We’re honoured to receive this award from Breast Cancer Campaign and thank everyone who has bought these pink products to help us reach this fantastic milestone But, it doesn’t stop here: we’re well on the way to a magic £1 million and will keep pushing to reach this figure.”

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, said: “Our fundraising and volunteer awards recognise the fantastic achievements of our supporters, who are dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer. Congratulations to Pentel and all the award winners – their passion means we can continue our vital work funding research into the disease.”

Managing director Eiichi Hatsumi and Wendy Vickery from Pentel were awarded at Breast Cancer Campaign’s awards ceremony on Thursday 24 May 2012 at the House of Lords.

If you want to be in the running for next year’s award, then contact the charity to find out how you can be part of the cure for breast cancer, by visiting: breastcancercampaign.org,

FREE SAMPLE CAMPAIGN FOR HP COMPATIBLE COLOUR TONERS NEWS Dealers are converting customers to the new high margin range of remanufactured HP colour compatible toners from MediaSciences a brand of Katun Corp and achieving great results using Katun’s free sample programme. ‘Try before you buy’ is the best way to encourage customers to switch from the OEM product with total confidence.

“Our customers are happy as they are receiving great savings and a great quality product. We are happy as our margins have increased significantly.” Paul Liggins, MD, Peter Handley Stationery.

Media Sciences’ products have the equivalent page yield as the OEM product, with no reduction in quality and performance providing high dealer margins.

Call Katun’s Richard Betts 07738 642507 or Mark Brown 07780 833190

PENTEL LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE PRODUCT Pentel are excited to announce that their new website site is officially up and running, providing visitors with major improvements in appearance, content, navigation and accessibility. The website is packed with detailed information on all of the company’s products and also boasts an engaging new design and imagery to match. Other highlights include a gallery, product videos, a new FAQs page and an improved stockists list. In addition, visitors can now sign up to the Pentel e-newsletter and be the first to know about new products, competitions and giveaways. Why not have a look around, visit www.pentel.co.uk

04 MARKETPLACE BACK TO SCHOOL

ST TRILLIONS The back-to-school period is a great time to get in touch with schools and help them stock up for the coming year. George Carey looks at the opportunities open to dealers and the best ways to capitalise on them

USP

JUNE 2012

MARKETPLACE BACK TO SCHOOL 05

As another school year comes to a close, it’s time to start looking ahead to the next. With Michael Gove seemingly determined to leave no school behind in his drive for academy conversion, an increasing amount of schools will find themselves with a bigger budget and the autonomy to spend it as they see fit; free from the confines of procurement frameworks.

With this in mind, many will be planning their budgets for next year so it’s the perfect time for dealers to get in touch.

LOOKING FORWARD As school leaders start to wind down, in preparation for a much needed rest, they may be more receptive to an approach from dealers, rather than during an action-packed mid-term schedule. Phil Jones, deputy MD, Brother subscribes to this theory and feels that it can yield long-lasting results: “The back to school period is a terrific opportunity for people. It’s significant, because it’s one of the key times of year when the people in charge of strategic delivery in schools have a break. A window opens up when you’ve got a bit more time to try to engage with education. There’s so much going on in the sector.”

Jones believes that this is a great time to talk strategically with new technology-led schools about the future and try to establish long-lasting, lucrative supplier agreements. He also asserts that a visit to these schools, if nothing else, can make dealers aware of the sheer scale and variety of technology in use in education; which could provide inspiration when talking to other schools. “I’d be going to one of these new schools to have a look around and see what it actually looks like, working out how we can engage with other schools to make them look more like that.”

He continues: “Back to school isn’t just about consumers now, it’s really about how a dealer connects with the head of a school and their strategic leadership team to try and actually get them delivering smarter learning for the kids.”

STAPLES While the technological advances in education are varied and exciting, it’s important to remember that there is still great demand for the basics, which shows no signs of abating.

Leslie Konrad, category manager for Sharpie, emphasises the point: “At this time of year

we should always cater for a surge in demand for stationery as, despite the dominance of computers in the business market, school students continue to require these products for day-to-day use.” Konrad also points out the importance of educating customers, so they realise that cheaper prices do not always equate to better value: “One of the most important things to all back-to-school shoppers in the current economic climate is the durability and longevity of the products they are buying.

Parents and students are on the lookout for reliable brands which they can trust to last all the way through the academic year, not just for the first term.” She continues: “Knowing what consumers want and being able to recommend products to suit them is paramount to succeeding in the overcrowded back-to-school marketplace.”

THE PARENT TRAP While schools will, of course, provide the greatest opportunities, it is also a great time of year for dealers to target parents. It seems at this time of year that parents are willing to invest in premium branded products. A broad range of products is crucial as supermarkets and high street chains will focus on bulk sales of the basics. Dealers should cover the basic needs first with competitively priced branded products but also ensure that items not offered by supermarkets are included as these may also offer stronger margins.

While still in its early stages, there is a trend spreading through some independent schools for bring-yourown technology. For those particularly wily dealers, this could be a great opportunity to offer parents discounts through the school, in exchange for preferred supplier status; opening the door to a whole new revenue stream, with a fresh set of student customers starting every

Back to school isn’t just about consumers now, it’s really about how a dealer connects with the head of a school and their strategic leadership team

year.

While the thought of going back to school may terrify some, it’s time to return on a very different mission and make sure that, this time at least, you pass the test.

JUNE 2012

USP

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH STAEDTLER STAEDTLER’s Back to School range for 2012 will receive a massive promotional boost from a concentrated burst of television advertising in August. The campaign builds on the success of the company’s award-winning television debut in 2010/11 which saw sales and brand awareness levels rocket. Positioning STAEDTLER as the dependable choice for premium quality yet desirable BTS items, the main 30 second commercial will be re-run on national television, along with two 10 second advertisements featuring desktop boxes of key pens and coloured pencils.

Catering for all the writing and drawing needs of children from primary school right through to college, STAEDTLER’s 2012 collection focuses on core elements of the range. In addition to classic school products such as the Noris pencil, 309 handwriting pen and Mars plastic eraser, there are enticing added value offers on key lines, such as free leads or a free eraser with selected mechanical pencils and free products in multiple packs.

STAEDTLER

0845 600 5930

sales@uk.staedtler.com .

STAEDTLER is driving sales of its famous Lumocolor range of permanent and non-permanent pens and markers this summer with an exciting, easyto-enter consumer promotion to win a luxury trip for two to New York.

The fabulous first prize comprises a three night trip for two to New York, including luxury 5 star accommodation, premium tickets to a Broadway musical, a helicopter ride and £500 spending money. There are also two runner-up prizes of £350 Virgin vouchers.

Entry is simple, all customers need to do is send a text to 80878 with the word Lumocolor followed by a barcode from any Lumocolor product or packaging. Commencing on 1 July, the promotion runs until 30 September 2012 The Lumocolor range comprises universal pens and markers as well as special purpose pens with unique product characteristics. The brand has been in existence for over 50 years and offers superb writing and marking results on virtually all surfaces.

STAEDTLER 0845 600 5930 sales@uk.staedtler.com .

SALES ACADEMY REVIEW 07

SUMMER SALES CONFERENCE REPORT SET TO GO FOR THE GOLD The Integra sales conference delivered to dealers the tips and motivation needed to compete with the best.

BILLY TAYLOR travelled to Crewe to attend.

A stunning Jacobean mansion perched at the end of a long drive in Cheshire provided an ideal setting for this year’s Integra Sales Conference. Crewe Hall was one of England’s largest houses in the 17th century, has been home to politicians and nobility, and was even a prisoner-of-war camp for German officers in WWII, but for two days in May the doors were opened to guests of Integra.

The Go for Gold sales conference commenced with a speech from Integra MD Aidan McDonough, followed by practical workshops aimed at ways to improve dealers sales techniques.

The breakout sessions included a talk on presentation skills delivered by Gary Naphtali, P1 Training Solutions, helping dealers to learn the core requirements of an impactful presentation, as well as a workshop on the importance of being informed and successful by Dougie Ford, OSSC Ltd, highlighting how knowledge is paramount to being successful in the industry. However, it was the Neuro Linguistic Programming session, presented by Michelle Naphtali of P1 Training Solutions, that had everyone talking.

Naphtali explained that modern research into learning styles has indicated that most people can be divided into one of three preferred styles of learning. There is no right or wrong style, however, once a dealer can identify traits from each of the three – visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic – they can better tailor sales pitches to clients. Half the fun of the afternoon was observing Naphtali call on members of the audience to determine, with astonishing accuracy, their style of learning through seemingly unrelated observations.

The final session of the day came from businessman, motivational speaker, and winner of the first series of the BBC’s version of The Apprentice, Tim Campbell. Speaking to the audience on what he considers to be a recipe for success, Mr. Campbell emphasized the importance of service: “For me, what differentiates successful companies from others is quality – quality of service and quality of products – because people will return for that. People will come back and pay for quality of service.”

Campbell believes a strong quality of service can be achieved, above all else, through a strong culture in an office: “Yes [business] plans are really important, they allow us to focus on where we are; but in my opinion, for most of the companies that I have seen, the business plan is in a drawer somewhere, and it stays over there. What actually lives and breathes at a company is the culture of the organization: the way that people focus their energy and attention to deal with the problem that is in front of them.”

“All of us have sales targets, or other sets of targets, and we put them in lovely documents and make them pretty – but actually, you have to invest in the people to make them happen. If the culture is right you will overcome any issues and find talented individuals that will flip things on their head to overcome the problem.”

AN OFFICE FRIENDLY AFFAIR This year’s Office Friendly annual sales conference was held in the Nottingham Belfry Hotel. Attendance at the event was up with an impressive 92 sales delegates, 44 suppliers, and 206 participants in total all coming together for a full day of seminars, sales training, and an evening of entertainment.

The subject of the day was Facility Management with VOW’s Europe category head, Debbie Nice speaking to the audience about the opportunities available for dealers in 2012. Paul Magee, the author of S.U.M.O. (Shut Up, Move On), delivered an inspiring key note address focused on maximising sales opportunities.

Dealers left the conference encouraged in knowing that a market still exists to expand into and although not easy, there is a great opportunity for single source supplying in their grasp.

Steve Harrop, Office Friendly MD, said: “The event proved to be an outstanding success with members taking a positive message back to their teams about selling into a new and exciting channel.

“When we see focused young sales people performing so well and interactively it makes me feel positive about the industry’s future.”

JUNE 2012

USP

MARKETPLACE

TECHNOLOGY 09

DIGITAL’S TURN TO DICTATE When it comes to the world of dictation some might feel it’s a tool best left in the past, but don’t count it out just yet. Billy Taylor presents an introduction to a new wave of digital dictation technology

The rate at which office technology has developed over the last couple decades is enough to make one’s head spin. Even the most diligent and well-read dealer can inadvertently leave customers in the dark by failing to keep-up with advances in technology. And in regards to dictation – techniques and tools once found in every office but now often thought to be nearly obsolete – this is no exception.

Until the proliferation of the desktop computer, the suited professional could not imagine working without a trusted secretary ready and waiting to take dictation. Trained in short-hand, they would sit and jot down ramblings to later type into a finished product. It wasn’t until the invention of the cassette transcription machine, as well as a push for more equal opportunity policies, that such traditional office landscapes began to change. And soon executives were speaking into hand-held, or desktop, dictation devices to be passed to an assistant to replay, type, and format at their convenience.

JUNE 2012

USP

10 MARKETPLACE TECHNOLOGY

However, once computers became a common desktop accessory, executives quickly adapted and found it easier and faster to type their own work. This change caused dictation devices, and their status in the office, to fall from one of the most import items in the supply closet to something largely left to the legal and medical professions. But while we weren’t looking, the technology and applications surrounding the world of dictation have changed.

DICTATION DEVELOPMENTS In the past few years, technological advances have slowly and steadily changed how we use dictation devices. The old cassette, or analogue, devices of the past have largely been replaced for sleek digital alternatives, and smartphones equipped with dictation apps have challenged old stereotypes and inspired new followers.

“Dictation has been around for decades,” says Georgina Pavelin, a marketing product specialist for Olympus. “It all started in 1969 when Olympus unveiled the world’s first microcassette recorder. In no time at all, it became the benchmark for anyone who needed a recording device for dictation and transcription purposes, or a speech to text system for interviewing or recording meetings.”

Pavelin notes that digital technology has now advanced to a point that devices can deliver crystal clear files, with the ability to archive or forward, without any quality loss: “After inventing the microcassette, Olympus once again caught the imagination with the introduction of its first digital recorder.” But it’s not just the devices that are changing.

The increasing usage of the mobile phone has caused a resurgence of interest in the way we use dictation devices. In fact, it’s not uncommon for the average smartphone to have the capabilities to download an application that can record and instantly email a digital file. This makes it possible for the modern executive to draft emails, memos, and reports in almost any environment.

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Steven Coltman, a UK spokesman for Grundig, explains that the mobile phone era is ultimately changing the way people feel about dictation: “What we can see today is almost a parallel with the camera market, in that you have cameras on mobile phones that have improved; and you can see how that has changed the sales of cameras.

“Where the cameras for professional or amateur photographers remain, the lower end has kind of disappeared because you have it on your phone anyway. So if you’re just doing some light dictation you would use your mobile phone, whereas if you were interested in doing serious dictation you would use a portable device.”

PUSHING INNOVATION

In the past few years, technological advances have slowly and steadily changed how we use dictation devices We have all heard that increasing productivity helps a business to stay competitive, but in today’s challenging business environment it is something every organisation must consider.

Nathan Dawes, a product manager for the Vasanta Group, VOW’s parent company, believes there are still opportunities for business professionals to consider: “Digital dictation would give them so much more flexibility, not to mention improving the efficiency of their document creation.

“The opportunity to send dictation sound files in to the office from wherever the authors are working means that their documents can be created so much faster.

Dictation files can be transcribed in any order the typist chooses.”

Dawes notes that digital users have a lot of options available to them from portable handheld devices and desktop microphones, to smartphone apps or speech recognition software. He believes an organisation should investigate all that’s offered: “Some people see smartphone apps as the only way to dictate and therefore believe that they do not require dedicated devices whereas others view the ability to dictation using an iPhone or Blackberry as an extension of their existing digital solution.”

Regardless if it’s recorded on a smartphone or a dedicated device, the topic everyone’s watching is: speech recognition.

Over the past couple of years the accuracy of speech recognition technology has drastically improved, leaving us to question how we can practically implement it into our offices. Neil Grant, a regional sales director for Nuance Communications, believes that digital dictation, combined with speech recognition could ultimately help an organization hit its productivity goals: “They are natural complements to each other, because products like Dragon NaturallySpeaking for PC and Dragon Dictate for Mac quickly and accurately transcribe data, information or comments that have been captured on the digital recorder.”

Grant says that digital dictation devices and speech recognition are particularly well-suited to mobile working and professions that require workers to be on the road and out visiting different sites or customers during the day: “While they’re not tied to a desk, post-meeting they still need to prepare reports, estimates, quotes or recommendations quickly.” He explains that whether it’s transcribing the notes captured on a digital recorder or of that dictated directly to a laptop in between meetings and site visits, speech recognition technology will facilitate the modern worker in the future.

12 HIGH ROLLERS SPOTYA

S POTY

SALESPERSON OF THE YEAR AW USP’s Salesperson of the Year Award returns.

The second nominee for 2012’s SPOTYA competition comes from Integra in the shape of James Ashley, client account manager at Tangent Office Resources

SPONSOR: INTEGRA USP’s Salesperson of the Year Award is sponsored by:

Integra Office Solutions is the leading dealer group in the office and IT supplies industry, providing independent dealers with buying power based on membership revenues of over £600m, differentiated marketing programmes, comprehensive IT solutions and business support services.

NOMINATION: JAMES ASHLEY

James Ashley of Tangent Office Supplies was recently announced winner of the Integra 2011 Sales Person of the Year Award at the group’s Go For Gold Sales Conference held on 25 May 2012 at Crewe Hall. This award is designed to recognise individuals who have proactively achieved sales growth through the successful opening of new accounts and profitable management of sales volume and revenue through existing customers. Integra is delighted to announce that James will also now go forward as a nominee for the USP Sales person of the Year Award.

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HIGH ROLLERS SPOTYA

YA

WARD 2012

“James was nominated by his MD, Chandra Sharma, due to a fantastic rapport with customers. The judging panel felt James was an extremely worthy winner for not only achieving excellent account retention but also achieving sales growth whilst maintaining his margins” Sian Haskell, marketing manager, Integra

Tell us about your background.

I started in a part-time role with Tangent Office Resources nearly four years ago, supporting the sales manager at the time. This was my first real job after university. Following the departure of the sales manager, I was given full time hours to continue to retain and develop our client base.

with them to develop a long-term relationship based on mutual trust and respect.

Can you describe your role?

I am responsible for prospecting for new clients, managing our existing client base and for ensuring that we provide the highest level of customer service.

What’s your best piece of sales advice?

Never give up on a prospect – if you don’t succeed first time, try and try again!

Why are you in sales?

I enjoy working with people and developing client relationships. I get a real buzz out of winning a new client’s trust and then working

What’s your best achievement in this job?

My best achievement has been to grow my sales in a recession whilst maintaining a healthy margin, despite some stiff competition.

Describe how you feel about the nomination.

I was very surprised by the nomination as I have been in the industry a very short time compared to other people. However, I feel very proud and honoured to have been nominated.

VITAL STATS NAME: James Ashley TITLE: Client account manager COMPANY: Tangent Office Resources

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14 SALES ACADEMY TOP FIVE TIPS

FIVE STEPS TO SALES SUCCESS In the world of sales, getting into the right mind set can make the difference between success and failure, and according to Alan Fairweather, aka the Motivation Doctor, it all starts with the right attitude

The single most important characteristic that distinguishes the successful businessperson from the rest is attitude. Being in the right frame of mind will determine success in making a sale.

However, this can be a challenge, particularly in difficult trading times. Business is much more competitive, and it’s easy to become demotivated. It is also a challenge to remain positive when you lose customers or they fail to use more of your products or services. It is easy to become downhearted when a potential customer is unwilling to accept what you’re proposing.

That’s why you must take charge of your own physical and emotional well-being. You cannot rely on anyone else to motivate you; you have the power to do it yourself.

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ABOUT Alan Fairweather has spent a total of 23 years in sales, customer service and management and is author of How to Make Sales When you Don’t Like Selling.

SALES ACADEMY TOP FIVE TIPS

1

THINKING How you think and your relationship with yourself, is what will decide how well you communicate with everyone connected to your business. And that will decide your success. The most important relationship you will ever have is the one you have with yourself, so you must get that right. How you think will control your emotions and resultantly how you act. Too often we react to our inbuilt programmes and don’t think. The successful business person does not react – they think.

2

5

DO IT If you want to make more sales, and I’m sure you do, then you need courage, you need to take action, and you need to do it now. You need to pick up that phone, make cold calls, talk to people at networking events, ask for the order, and any other action you need to take,w to further your business.

BELIEVING No one is going to believe in you until you believe in yourself. Your belief in yourself is so apparent by the way you talk, walk and conduct yourself.

Not many people are drawn to a person who is so overflowing with

self-belief that it makes them impossible to deal with. However, you still need to constantly work on your self-belief.

• Concentrate on what you do well, not what you don’t.

• Concentrate on what you’ve done, not what you haven’t achieved.

• Concentrate on what you do, not what you don’t.

3

ENERGISE YOURSELF Your success in making more sales is highly dependent on your levels of energy. You need energy in your brain and you need energy in your body. However, just like any other form of energy, it is constantly being consumed and your batteries need recharging.

Dealing with people; your customers; your suppliers; your bank manager; and all the people in your personal life, drains your brain and your body. So you need to hold onto as much energy as you can, and generate more.

4

RELATING TO OTHERS It makes sense to say that successful sales- and businesspeople are good at relating to others; they are good at building rapport. Some people are naturally good at relating to people, while others just have to work that little bit harder.

Relating to other people is not just about talking to them; it’s about listening and building a bond with everyone you meet. You’ll note I say ‘everyone’, and I mean everyone. If you are in business and you want to sell your product or service, then you need to regard everyone as a potential customer or someone who could influence a potential customer.

The person beside you in the gym changing room, the parents of your children’s friends, and everyone you come into contact with, could be a potential customer.

And forget what your mother said about not talking to strangers – always talk to strangers!

TO DO OR NOT TO DO If you’re like me, you probably have a ‘to-do’ list of some kind or another; and if not, why not? It might be part of a sophisticated online planning system, or written in a diary or notebook, or even scribbled on the back of an envelope.

However, I am now suggesting that you have a don’t-do list, or a stop-doing list.

I once had an assistant who one day proudly showed me her to-do list with 54 activities on it. In the time it took her to write this list, she could have completed 75% of the activities.

If you have a huge to-do list, sit down and take a closer look at it.

Ask yourself if you really need to do everything on that list. Perhaps you have a partner, a member of your staff, or even a member of your family who you could delegate some of these tasks to.

Remember the saying ‘Only do it if only you can do it’.

There may even be activities on your list – and brace yourself – that you don’t really have to do at all.

Here’s another question to ask yourself – ‘Is what I’m doing now getting me to where I want to get to; is it helping me to achieve what I want to achieve? If the answer is ‘No’, stop doing it.

JUNE 2012

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LIVE IT

The best way to spend your free time and money

FILM

A FANTASTIC FEAR OF EVERYTHING Written and directed by ex-Kula Shaker frontman Crispian Mills, A Fantastic Fear of Everything, sees Simon Pegg play Jack, a dorky children’s author, who decides to shift creative gears and attempt to write a gothic horror. However, his detailed research into Victorian serial killers turns him into a paranoid wreck; constantly hounded by an irrational fear of being murdered.

There’s not much that Jack isn’t scared of – fire, the dark and a visit to the launderette to name but a few – but the root of his problems appear to be a cuddly hedgehog, which has leapt from the pages of one of his children’s stories into terrifying life.

The film has all the quintessentially English, silly humour that you’d expect from Pegg but with a deliciously dark element. It’s a welcome return to form in a starring role for him, after the overwhelmingly underwhelming Paul and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. Add in a love interest and some embarrassing y-fronts and you’ve got the recipe for a great film.

Released 8 June

MUSIC

DRINK

HOT CHIP

EL DORADO RUM

Everyone’s favourite electro-super-geeks, Hot Chip are back with their fifth album release, In Our Heads. After experimenting with some successful side projects, the boys are back on form and delivering all the whimsical synth-based charm that we’ve come to know and love. The first single, Flutes seems destined to pound the airwaves for many months, with an intoxicating mix of looped vocal samples and hypnotic beats.

For those of you growing tired of the spiced rum revolution, El Dorado provides a refreshing return to good old fashioned rum. Available in 12, 15 and 21-year old varieties, it’s made with sugar cane from the banks of the Demerara River in Guyana. According to El Dorado the tropical heat accelerates the aging process, making a three-year old rum, equivalent to a six-year old whiskey. If he’s been particularly good this year, it would make an excellent father’s day present.

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JUNE 2012

BIT OF BANTER I’M GETTING A TATTOO!

WHERE?

GOOD A JUMP IN THE DARK A group of French pranksters came up with an unusually inventive way to trick their friend on his stag do. The condemned man was blindfolded and attached to a harness before being led to a ledge and told that he had to do a bungee jump. After many terror-filled moments of hesitation, he took the plunge, only to realise that he had in fact been standing three feet above a duck pond.

TAKE OUT THE TRASH A man in Tyumen, Siberia, was so desperate to escape an argument with his girlfriend that he put himself in a rubbish situation. The 31-year old jumped down the waste chute of his apartment building and plummeted three floors, before becoming trapped in the narrow space. The emergency services were called after residents heard his screams, and arrived in the nick of time to cut him out of his detritus dilemma.

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hallenge Pioneer C mber 2012 te 17-28 Sep

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE? With the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games coming up this summer, this year is undeniably a year of sporting achievement. If you’re feeling left out of the fun, here’s your chance to do something good for yourself and others.

Dealer Support magazine is partnering with Antalis McNaughton and Pioneer Paper to take on the Pioneer Challenge 2012, to get the office supplies industry on their bikes in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Taking place from 17 to 28 September, the goal of Pioneer Challenge is to have 20 riders on each of the 10 stages of the relay. If every rider can raise around £100, with all the expected participants we will blow the £20,000 figure of last year.

The challenge Cycle one or more of the stages from Aberdeen to Brighton (each stage is around 85 miles)

The charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, dedicated to saving lives by finding the causes of breast cancer, improving detection, diagnosis, treatment and services

The dates 17-28 September

How to enter Please go to www.dealersupport.co.uk to find out more about the challenge, dates, cycle routes, setting up a donation page, logistics and cycle support, then email matthew.moore@intelligentmedia.co.uk with your choice of date/s.