Canvas Magazine | Why I Canned My Client

P4 Ask Yourself P12 Greening the Marketplace P21 Product Spotlight DEVELOPING HIGH ACHIEVEMENT IN PRINT SALES

P28 Of the Essence P36 Sales Candy P40 Book Recommendation

FEBRUARY 2008

Why I Canned My Client Printers tell why certain clients just had to go

FEBRUARY 2008

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Publisher’s Thoughts Never Enough of It

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Ask Yourself Nine questions to help you reach your sales goals.

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Greening the Marketplace Can sustainability initiatives be used as a selling point?

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Product Spotlight Neenah Paper’s STARWHITE® Papers FSC-Pure labeled brand, Green-e certified and carbon neutral Kodak Web-to-Print Solutions feature KODAK INSITE Storefront System.

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Why I Canned My Client Industry veteran Linda Bishop asks printers point blank why certain clients just had to go.

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Of the Essence Print industry personnel share their thoughts on improving time management.

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Sales Candy How too much of a good thing can make you sick.

PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL BOARD

mark potter

lisa arsenault

aaron grohs

MANAGING EDITOR

McArdle Printing Co.

Consolidated Graphics, Inc.

ART DIRECTOR

gary cone

ron lanio

brent cashman

Litho Craft, Inc.

Geographics, Inc.

peter douglas

randy parkes

Lake County Press

Lithographix, Inc.

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graham garrison

CONTRIBUTORS Linda Bishop, Ryan McNally, Peter Ebner

The 80-20 Principle Getting the most out of your best customers.

CANVAS magazine FOR MORE INFORMATION: 678.473.6131 6555 Sugarloaf Parkway Duluth, GA 30097

CANVAS, Volume 2, Issue 1. Published bi-monthly, copyright 2008 CANVAS, All rights reserved. Subscriptions: $29.00 per year for individuals; issues are sent free of charge to print representatives. If you would like to subscribe or notify us of address changes, please contact us at 6555 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 307, Duluth, Georgia 30097. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CANVAS, 6555 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 307, Duluth, Georgia 30097. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors.

CANVAS Magazine is dedicated to environmentally and socially responsible operations. We are proud to print this magazine on Sappi Lustro Offset Environmental (LOE) Dull Cover 80lb/216gsm and Dull Text 80lb/118gsm, an industry-leading environmentally responsible paper.

LOE features 30% Post Consumer Waste, FSC Chain of Custody certification, SFI Fiber Sourcing certification and Elemental Chlorine Free bleaching process. 100% of the electricity used to manufacture LOE is generated with Green-e certified renewable energy.

CANVAS

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Never Enough of It

T

Time is an interesting commodity isn’t it? I am always worried that I don’t have enough or that I am not using it effectively. I’ve read countless books on managing time and increasing productivity, but still seem to expend a lot of energy on finding more time. And I don’t just mean 9 to 5 time. I want more time to be with family, learn new things and play golf.

Getting organized and managing time can be a job in and of itself. When I am at my best and most

happy, everything flows from a core set of values. When my activities are dedicated to a goal that subsequently satisfies a value, I thrive. For example, building a stewardship to the printed word is obvi-

PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS

ously important to me. All my work activities should align with this goal, and anything that does not advance this endeavor probably is not the best use of my time.

In this current issue of CANVAS, we have talked with a broad range of readers to explore best practices with regards to time management in the article “Of the Essence.” In turn, we delve into

In fact, roughly 20 percent of our industry’s salespeople probably represent 80 percent of the revenue.

“Why I Canned My Client” in order to broaden the concept of time beyond the tactical. There is some skill in evaluating the best use of your resources (time) with regards to which customers you serve.

In our book recommendation, “The 80-20 Principle,” Richard Koch highlights the “Pareto Principle,” which states that not only do 20 percent of your customers generate 80 percent of your business, but 80 percent of your accomplishments come from 20 percent of the time and effort. In fact, roughly 20 percent of our industry’s salespeople probably represent 80 percent of the revenue.

So, where do you stand? Are you part of the 20 or the 80? Are your activities value based? Do they fulfill who you are and what is important to you? If not, then maybe a quick analysis of your accomplishments and your current goals is in order. Consequently, if you are part of the group that produces big numbers, don’t be afraid to expand your horizons.

As you align your goals and values, remember these five points from Jason Jennings, author of “Think Big Act Small.”

1. Have a cause 2. Let go of tradition 3. Deliver complete satisfaction 4. Act like an owner 5. Be a steward All the best and “Be Great in ’08!”

Mark Potter Publisher

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

Ask

Yourself Nine questions to help you reach your sales goals.

By Peter Ebner

A

s Daniel Boorstin said in his book “The Discoverers “The greatest obstacle to discovering the shape the earth, the continents and the oceans was not i norance, but the illusion of knowledge.” It is this ill

sion of knowledge that prevents many salespeople from reachin their objectives.

Every day I meet with experienced salespeople that truly b lieve that they have mastered the art of selling. So instead of hol ing themselves accountable and improving their skills, they blam poor sales on forces that are out of their control. They are und the illusion that it is their territory, the economy or the competitio that is costing them sales, when in fact poor performance is alwa an indication of a lack of skills. So here are some simple exercis that will measure your ability to land the job.

Do your best to answer the following questions. Not only w they sharpen your selling skills, they will help you identify areas th need improvement.

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

CANVAS

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Ask Yourself

1. Why should the prospect order from you instead of the competition?

Studies have consistently shown that the No. 1 reason for lost sales is not that your price is too high or because your prospect is happy with his present supplier, but because most salespeople fail to make a presentation that distinguishes them from the competition. Unfortunately, most salespeople still believe that offering the prospect quality printing, competitive prices and outstanding services will land the job. These are the minimum requirements for doing business. It is what you offer your prospect above and beyond these minimum requirements that will set you apart from the competition and justify your higher price. In other words, if you’re not giving your prospect several reasons to order from you – then the only distinguishing feature will be the price. There is always someone that will print the same job for less.

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

2. Are you giving up on call-backs?

You rarely meet a new prospect who has a job that is ready to go to press. In most cases, landing a job requires several call backs. In fact, studies show that 80 percent of all new sales are made on the fifth or sixth call. Unfortunately, many salespeople (48 percent) give up after one call, and 25 percent give up after the second call, because few have learned to take advantage of the call-back. When properly executed, the call-back offers an excellent opportunity to build rapport and to gain the prospect’s trust – if you make the call-back a positive experience for the prospect.

All too often salespeople call back for the wrong reason. They call back because they want something – “Ms Prospect, It’s Peter from Lucky Print. I was in to see you about a month ago and I’m just calling to see if there is anything that I can quote for you at this time” – when in fact, the call-back must benefit the prospect.

Unless the prospect is ready to order, don’t play all your cards during the meeting; instead keep something in your hand that you can use as a reason to call back. For example, even though you may have samples with you, if your prospect asks to see them, don’t show them at this time. Instead, make an appointment to show the samples at a later date.

If your prospect’s job will not be ready to go to press for six months, look for reasons to call back every month. If the job is ready to be printed in six weeks, look for reasons to call back every week.

But what do your prospects want?

Do they want low prices, fast turnaround, increased response to their mailer, an improved corporate image, or better efficiency?

Unfortunately, many salespeople (48 percent) give up after one call, and 25 percent give up after the second call, because few have learned to take advantage of the call-back.

3. Do you know what your prospects want?

The secret to selling is to ver y simple, all you need to do is to give your prospects what they want.

But what do your prospects want? Do they want low prices, fast turnaround, increased response to their mailer, an improved corporate image, or better efficiency? The list is endless, and you have no way of knowing unless you ask, so before making a presentation, always ask your prospect a series of probing questions that identify his wants and concerns.

To maximize the benefit of this questioning period, your questions must be preplanned.

Select a target market (such as direct mail, small run magazines or corporate brochures) and write out 30 probing questions for each of these target markets.

CANVAS

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Ask Yourself

4. Do you have a sense of urgency?

Although you deserve to be proud of your tightly run shop that offers fast, efficient service, all too often your fast, efficient service costs you the job. Consider the following scenario; Prospect: “If I decide to go ahead with this, how soon could I get the job?”

Salesperson: “I can probably get your job on press by tomorrow and have it folded and delivered within the next three days.”

If the prospect in this example doesn’t need the job for another five weeks, he won’t order now, because the salesperson just told him that he can wait four weeks before placing the order and still get delivery on time. Well, a lot can happen during the next four weeks. The prospect could change his mind. He might shop around and get closed by the competition. He might even find someone who will print the same job for less! So never tell your prospects how soon they can get the job until you know how soon they want it.

Always keep in mind that if you don’t give your prospects a reason to order the job today, they won’t, and time quickly kills desire.

If you are quoting your prospect’s exact specs, you are forcing the prospect to compare quotes where the only distinguishing feature between you and the competition is the price.

5. What can your company features do for your customers?

Salespeople often get caught up in telling prospects about the wonderful things that they can do and about the state-of-the-art printing equipment purchased. They’re not interested! The only thing prospects want to know is “What can you do for me?” In other words, every time you mention a feature, you must translate it into a benefit. For example, telling your prospect that you’ve been in business for over 25 years is a waste of time unless you follow through and turn this feature into a benefit: “Because we have been in business for over 25 years, we have the experience to identify costly mistakes before they happen and that will save you time and money.”

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

Ask Yourself

6. What are some ways to change a job?

If you are quoting your prospect’s exact specs, you are forcing the prospect to compare quotes where the only distinguishing feature between you and the competition is the price. But when

A weakness is only a matter of perception, so by changing your prospect’s perception you can change a weakness into a strength.

you change the specs, your prospect can no longer compare identical quotes, and price becomes a secondary issue. Whenever possible, change your prospect’s specs, but keep in mind that any changes you make must benefit the prospect. Create a list of ways that you could change a job. For example, you could change the stock, the finish, the length of the run, etc…

7. What are your weaknesses?

There is no denying that all print shops have perceived weaknesses. It could be that your shop is too big, or too small; that your location is out of the way or that your equipment is outdated. While some prospects may feel that you can’t service them adequately because you only have one press, others may feel uncomfortable giving you their work because your shop is filled with too many presses.

A weakness is only a matter of perception, so by changing your prospect’s perception you can change a weakness into a strength.

For example, if you happen to be the new shop on the block and you’re consistently losing sales to prospects who say “We only deal with well-established printers” you could address this concern by boasting about it in your presentation.

“Mr. Prospect, the fact that we are the new printer on the block is exactly why you should be dealing with us. Our new state-ofthe-art presses allow us to print quality work at a lower production cost than many established printers and that means we can pass these savings on to you.”

Closing is a major stumbling block for many salespeople.

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

8. Can you answer your critics?

Most salespeople are losing jobs to the same four or five objections. For example, do you know what to say when the prospect says “I can get the same job elsewhere for less” or “I need three quotes before I decide”? If not you are losing jobs, but needlessly so, because the proven and tested techniques that easily overcome all objections have already been developed. Keep a list of the objections you hear and take the time to memorize the responses that turn these objections into sales.

9. How can you ask for the order without asking for a purchase?

Closing is a major stumbling block for many salespeople. All too often the salesperson will work hard to find a new prospect. He’ll spend time gathering the job’s details and writing a competitive quote and then he’ll just wait for the client to say “I’ll take it.” Unfortunately, eight out of 10 prospects will say “Let me think it over and I’ll get back to you” unless the salesperson takes that all important step and asks for the order.

But asking for the order once is not enough, since most sales do not occur until the third closing attempt. If you expect to increase your sales, you’ll need to ask for the order three times.

AUTHOR’S BIO: Peter Ebner is a professional sales trainer and marketing consultant with over 25 years of experience. He is author of 12 industry specific books and audio programs including “Breaking the Print Sales Barrier.” He can be reached at (905) 713-2274 or visit his Web site at www.ebnerseminars.com.

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

Can sustainability initiatives be used as a selling point?

By Graham Garrison

W

hen a customer asks Gary Pawlaczyk about sustainability, he pulls out a photo. Pawlaczyk, senior vice president, sales & marketing for Carlstadt, N.J. Pictorial Offset, has an image of the managing partners and some employees planting a forest at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville, N.J., offsetting the company’s carbon footprint. Working with the Conservation Fund in Washington, D.C., Pictorial purchased and planted 5,000 trees to obtain carbon neutrality.

“We loaded up into the bus, brought packed lunches, had a tour

of the nature preserve and then physically planted a couple hundred of trees,” Pawlaczyk says. “Coming on the heels of us were the Boy Scouts of America and other volunteers to plant the rest of the trees we purchased over a two-week period. So we have a small forest in a nature preserve of Pictorial trees that are absorbing the carbon that we emit on an annual basis.”

Editor’s Note: This is the final part of a two-part series on sustainability.

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Sustainability

Sustainability as a selling point?

Pictorial Offset has been incorporating sustainability initiatives into its business plan for years.

“Any time there is something that a customer values, then there is a selling point or advantage. This value is very dependent on the customer.”

— Al Hutchison, Hutchison Allgood Printing

It has dual ISO certifications in quality (9001) and environmental (14001) process control programs, and was the first commercial printer to offer FSC certified house sheets as an option to its clients, according to its Web site. It has increased its already large environmental commitment by offsetting its carbon footprint by planting trees each year.

Despite all of those tangibles, Pawlaczyk, who has been with the company for seven years, says that only recently sustainability has become a topic customers are interested in. “Seven years ago we weren’t even talking about it, we were just doing it,” he says.

Things change. Although pricing and services are still the biggest concerns, sustainability is coming up on the radar. Pawlaczyk says that now when he’s asked to go on sales calls with his reps, almost 40 percent of the time it’s to speak about their environmental measures. He’s asked to speak at about 15 industry engagements on the topic each year.

Because of the increased interest, printers nationwide are creating or fine tuning marketing models to highlight their environmental efforts.

Pictorial Offset managers and employees at the tree planting.

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

Flagship Press Inc. became FSC certified in July 2007. The printer plans on purchasing renewable energy certificates, and uses direct mailings to inform customers of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified papers they can use. It’s also using sustainability as a marketing point by purchasing a “Green” hybrid car to deliver products, and “it demonstrates our commitment to eco-reform,” says Chris Poor, vice president of sales for Flagship.

“Since we’ve become FSC certified and taken other steps to becoming a green printer, we want to scream it from the highest mountaintop,” he says.

Hutchison Allgood Printing has taken a less aggressive approach to informing its customer base, but still has the information readily available. It has adopted the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and FSC programs, changed inks to vegetable oils and no petroleum solvents, and installed “on demand” lighting controls to cut down on electrical consumption, among some of their measures. Al Hutchison, president, says that if the topic is important to a customer, then they will communicate the things Hutchison Allgood does to minimize its impact on the environment. He says that they don’t sell sustainability to their customers. It is either important to them or it’s not.

“Any time there is something that a customer values, then there is a selling point or advantage,” he says. “This value is very dependent on the customer.”

Green in style “Going Green,” may grow in importance to print buyers because of its exposure explosion in the mainstream media. It’s nearly

Sustainability

impossible to turn on the news without a snippet

she says. “Most people are aware of Wal-Mart, and how they

on the environment. “Going Green” is en vogue,

began to put demands on their supply chain, trying to green that

to the point where former Vice President Al

supply chain.”

Gore won an Oscar in Hollywood and Nobel

Paper is a major part of that supply chain. Neenah Paper has

Prize in Stockholm for his documentary “An

achieved carbon neutrality through net reductions in green-

Inconvenient Truth.” NBC’s Today Show and

house gas emissions that include the use of Green-e certified

ABC’s Good Morning America both did lengthy

renewable energy and energy saving upgrades such as a process

series on ways their audiences could “green”

water treatment plant. The manufacturer joined the Chicago Climate

their lives, from fashion to home redecorating

Exchange, a voluntary but legally binding greenhouse gas

tips. Television advertisements are boasting of

emissions reduction, registry and trading program.

companies’ environmental measures almost as much as their products.

“I think companies are trying to be more responsible, more sustainable, more aware of how they impact the community,”

Meredith Christiansen, product manager for

Christiansen says. “Part of that is reaching out to their suppliers,

Neenah Paper, says in the late 1980s and early

including paper companies, saying, ‘What are you doing? Tell me

1990s, the environmental push was more of a

about the products we’re buying.’ In turn, these organizations —

grass roots effort, locally based. Now, it’s grown

Bank of America, Nike — are able to disclose their efforts in their

to the corporate level. In fact, she says that it’s

CSR reports, and it’s reaching the end consumer.”

really being pushed at the corporate level.

“A lot of the sustainability initiatives are being

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Making it work for the customer

driven by the demand we’re feeling from Fortune

It’s to the printer’s benefit to pass on its environmental measures

1,000 companies, from the Fortune 100s espe-

to its customer so that the end consumer sees it. Pawlaczyk says

cially – a Bank of America, a Nike, a Starbucks,”

that a byproduct of Pictorial Offset’s sustainability initiatives is that

CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

the print buyer can incorporate Pictorial’s “merit badges,” the logos that go along with their certifications, into their printed documents.

“They can use it on their printed pieces if they fit the criteria, to be able to show their end users, share holders, the press and environmental groups that they get it,” he says.

“That they’re trying to do the right thing via the environment.”

Christiansen agrees that those logos can benefit the print buyers. “[End users] are asking not only which certifications do you have on which items and which grades but, ‘How can I pass these logos along to my customers?’” she says. “How can my customer then take credit. A lot of our end users, Target, Nike or Starbucks, they use the FSC and green seal logos. So there are a variety of logos that can be used by the end user.”

Providing logos and information isn’t just a step in the right direction for the environment, it’s also a good business strategy. Poor says that

“From a sales perspective, having sustainability initiatives is a good thing. It is an actual demonstration that the organization is taking steps to minimize its negative impact on the world we live in.”

— Al Hutchison, Hutchison Allgood Printing

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Sustainability

green principles will create revenue, and lead to an edge in the marketplace.

“We feel it gives us a step, or two, or five, ahead of the competition,” he says.

Pawlaczyk says that sustainability initiatives can drive sales.

“We’ve gained millions of dollars in new business because clients wanted to utilize it,” he says.

He used an example of a recent company in

Do print buyers care?

Margie Dana, founder of Print Buyers International (PBI) and Boston Print Buyers (BPB), has been following sustainability within the print industry very closely. She says when speaking at conferences in New Zealand and England, sustainability was one of the leading topics. In the United States, however, the interest is often more geographically based, if not individually based from customer to customer.

“It is certainly important to customers of printing, but I don’t yet see a groundswell of interest,” she says. “It depends on the company.”

She says that having initiatives “bumps you up a notch” in the sales arena, but in order for sales reps to make it more appealing to customers, she offers the following advice.

No. 1 Define your position Education is the most important approach when talking to customers about their sustainability efforts. Reps should assume that their customers don’t know even basic terms, and educate them properly. “If they’re FSC certified, they cannot presume people know what that means,” she says.

the homebuilding industry. “For them, FSC is very [important], in lumber as well as in paper.

“Since we’ve become FSC certified and taken other steps to becoming a green printer, we want to scream it from the highest mountaintop.”

— Chris Poor, Flagship Press

No. 2 Lay it all out Don’t just center on FSC certification or environmentallyfriendly paper choices. Include your company’s entire commitment. “There are other processes in a print facility that deal with environmental issues, whether it’s waste management, inks, water and chemicals. They should talk about those, too. Printing companies that ‘walk the talk’ make a lasting impression on customers.

It’s not enough to say you’re FSC-certified.”

They saw a perfect correlation with their building business and the FSC wood, to the printed products and FSC paper. The fact that we were the first ones to introduce them to that gave us a distinct advantage in the dialogue. [If other competitors] could accomplish that, what we then went to them with was our carbon neutrality. So on the printed piece, they not only have the FSC logo, but the carbon neutral logo.”

No. 3 Separate sustainability from price “It’s good to be pro environment, no one would argue with that, but there is a perception that it might cost more. If it costs more, for certain customers, that’s not a benefit to them. The value has to be divorced from price.”

Print Buyers International is an independent professional organization that serves those who purchase or oversee the purchase of print and related media through education and networking opportunities.

Their 3rd Annual Print Buyers Conference is scheduled for September 10 - 12th, 2008, at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Ma. For information, visit www.printbuyersinternational.com. PBI’s mission is to build bridges in the industry.

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

Good business Hutchison says that the value of sustainability from a sales perspective is that customers want to conduct business with people who do the right things.

“From a sales perspective, having sustainability initiatives is a good thing. It is an actual demonstration that the organization is taking steps to minimize its negative impact on the world we live in.”

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¾¾ Product Spotlight Neenah Paper’s STARWHITE® Papers FSC-Pure labeled brand, Green-e certified and carbon neutral Neenah Paper’s flagship STARWHITE Brand is now the first paper in North America a to meet the requirements for labeling as FSC Pure, according to the company. The FSC C Pure label means the paper is made only with virgin fiber that comes from a forest certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. STARWHITE, known for its “Whites for All Occasions,” is also now 100 percent Green-e certified and carbon neutral.

Neenah is introducing a “Soft Touch” finish that will be available in the Sirius and Natural colors on a 110-pound basis weight cover sheet. Joining the existing palette of four whites that includes Sirius (98+ brightness blue white), Tiara, Archiva and Natural, will be four pearlescent offerings: Stardust, Flash White, Flash Pearl and Flash Natural in both smooth and vellum.

Neenah is exceeding target reductions and is offsetting 100 percent of the emissions associated with the manufacturing of STARWHITE® Papers, now a carbon neutral brand.

STARWHITE is also made entirely with renewable energy, which is an alternative to energy derived from fossil fuels such as wind, solar, low-impact hydro and biomass.

Green-e is the nation’s leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy products Neenah has committed to purchasing over 48 million kWh of Green-e certified renewable energy annually from the Wisconsin Energy Corporation subsidiary We Energies’ Energy for Tomorrow program. By supporting its local utility, Neenah Paper is directly offsetting the production of electricity from fossil fuels in Wisconsin, grow-

Neenah has committed to purchasing over 48 million kWh of Green-e certified renewable energy annually from the Wisconsin Energy Corporation subsidiary We Energies’ Energy for Tomorrow program.

ing the utility’s renewable energy program, directly increasing demand for renewable energy resources and reducing local air pollution.

We Energies’ is one of only nine utility renewable energy programs certified as Green-e in the country. For the fifth straight year, it has been ranked among the nation’s top 10 green energy programs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For more information, call (800) 558-5061 and press “5” or visit the Web site at www.neenahpaper.com.

KODAK Web-to-Print Solutions feature KODAK INSITE Storefront System Kodak’s Web-to-Print Solutions include a robust storefront—custo customer—to provide greater convenience and cost savings for p and streamline customer service for print service providers. Onlin logs of frequently printed jobs can be created for ordering from a application and printing on demand, eliminating warehousing a inventory costs. Print service providers and customers can check the status of jobs from submission through shipping.

The KODAK INSITE Storefront System is designed for use in conventional, digital and blended production environments. It features an intuitive interface that makes it simple for print buyers to navigate the site and make purchases online, while reducing customer service expenses for print service providers. Flexible online payment features include the ability for business to business customers to enter a P.O. number when placing a print order online. Electronic global payment management and automa tion tools allow print buyers to pay for a job using a credit card, wh invoicing data can be transferred from the storefront to a print se provider’s existing MIS system to consolidate billing on one platfo The flexible and customizable pricing engine supports popular w value based pricing options such as matrix pricing with costs per unit, page or order.

Customer discounts and quantity price breaks are also supported.

Using powerful JDF-based device connectivity, the INSITE Storefront System connects directly to KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses via the KODAK PRINERGY DIRECT Workflow System. It fully integrates with the KODAK INSITE Variable Data Print System and KODAK PRINERGY Digital Print System, creating a true unified conventional and digital print business.

CANVAS

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“Y

es, I’ve fired clients. You don’t want to, but sometimes it’s necessary.”

Tony Harris, vice president of sales at Monroe

Litho, admitted this when we were having din-

ner together in January of 2007. The words stuck. When I was writing this article, I called Tony at his office in Rochester, N.Y., and asked him to tell me his story again.

“A couple of years ago, we were

Industry veteran Linda Bishop asks printers point blank why certain clients just had to go.

By Linda Bishop

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CANVAS FEBRUARY 2008

asked to quote on a project,” he began.

“It came from a buyer who does one big project a year. Along with the quote, the client asked for loads of information. We had to provide samples and referrals.

The whole package looked a lot like a mini Request for Proposal (RFP). Initially, they told me that they wouldn’t make a decision on price. Monroe Litho was a good fit, but when the final decision was made, we didn’t get it. I called to find out why.”

“In printing, there are times when we have to bend. When bending grows into breaking, then it’s time to have a serious look at the client.”

— Mike McCallion, Daily Printing

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anned My Client

“What did the print buyer say?” I asked.

“It took a little nudging, but I got her to tell me the truth. When it was all said and done, they made their decision on price and took the lowest bid,” he said.

“Some people use printers as quoting machines rather than as partners.”

— Mike McCallion, Daily Printing

“Monroe Litho is not a low priced printer.”

“We sell value.” Confidence filled Harris’s words.

“The following year, the print buyer called again. She wanted me to bid on the latest version of the project, again needing a whole package of information. I asked, ‘Are you going to make the decision on price?’ She was quiet for a moment, and then told me the answer was yes. I declined to bid,” he said.

“Why?” I said.

“It took a lot of time and effort to put the bid together. I don’t mind the investment if there’s a real chance of a return, but I’m not wasting my time or the company’s estimating resources when we know right from the start that we don’t fit the customer’s buying criteria.”

Not just a quoting machine The conversation with Harris echoed what Mike McCallion would tell me. McCallion is a senior account manager at Daily Printing, Inc., with 12 years of sales experience.

“Some people use printers as quoting machines rather than as partners,” he said. “They know from the get-go that you’re not getting the majority of projects, but they use your price as the benchmark for their preferred vendor. If you quote a lot and get very little, it’s time to have a talk. Find out how you can obtain more work, or quit quoting.”

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Why I Canned My Client

Harris and McCallion bring home three important points.

UÊÊ- iÊV i ÌÃÊwÌ°Ê- iÊV i ÌÃÊ` ½Ì°Ê-i ÊÌ ÊV i ÌÃÊÜ Ê recognize your value.

UÊÊ ÜÊÜ i Êi Õ} Ê ÃÊi Õ} °Ê ½ÌÊV Ì ÕiÊÌ ÊµÕ ÌiÊÜ i Ê you have no chance of getting the work.

UÊÊ1 `iÀÃÌ> `ÊÜ ÞÊÌ iÊVÕÃÌ iÀÊ > iÃÊLÕÞ }Ê`iV Ã ÃÊ> `Ê have closing conversations.

McCallion also commented, “In printing, there are times when we have to bend. When bending grows into breaking, then it’s time to have a serious look at the client.”

“The work was there, but this woman was never happy. Nothing ever pleased her, but that wasn’t the only reason why I let her go. It was how she talked to me.”

— Mark Adent, Bennett Graphics

Dealing with UNCOs Some companies cause so much pain that you should get rid of them. You know you’re dealing with one of them when they exhibit the following characteristics: UÊ/ iÊV i ÌÊ ÃÊÕ «À wÌ>L i°Ê UÊ/ iÊV i ÌÊ ÃÊÕ À}> âi`° UÊ/ iÊV i ÌÊ ÃÊÕ « i>Ã> ÌÊÌ Ê`i> ÊÜ Ì °Ê In other words, the client is “UNCO.” You know you’re dealing with an UNCO subsidiary when: UÊÊ/ iÊL ÃÃÊV Ì Õ> ÞÊV> ÃÊÞ ÕÊ Ì Ê ÃÊ vwViÊ`i > ` }ÊÌ Ê ÜÊ why the company is losing buckets of money on low-bid work.

UÊÊ*Ài«ÀiÃÃÊV> ÃÊÞ ÕÊ ÊiÛiÀÞÊ LÊÌ ÊV « > ÊLiV>ÕÃiÊÌ iÊw iÃÊ>ÀiÊ always screwed up.

UÊÊ/ iÊV i ÌÊ>À}ÕiÃÊ>L ÕÌÊiÛiÀÞÊ«i ÞÊ vÊiÛiÀÞÊ> ÌiÀ>Ì ÊV >À}i°Ê UÊÊ9 ÕÊVÀ }iÊÜ i ÊÞ ÕÊÃiiÊÌ iÊ1 "Ê«À ÌÊLÕÞiÀ½ÃÊ > iÊ Ê caller ID. UÊÊ/ iÊi Ì ÀiÊ« > ÌÊ Õ «ÃÊÌ À Õ} Êy> }Ê «ÃÊÌ Ê iiÌÊ1 "½ÃÊ killer deadlines and wins prestigious awards for their projects, and UNCO still complains.

Mark Adent, vice president of Bennett Graphics, is at the point in his career where he would prefer not to sell to UNCO companies anymore.

“Over time, you should strive to eliminate the mean people from your customer list,” he said.

“Did you ever have a client who was that unpleasant?” I asked.

“Just one,” Adent said. “The work was there, but this woman was never happy. Nothing ever pleased her, but that wasn’t the only reason why I let her go. It was how she talked to me.”

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Many salespeople take the subtle approach to firing clients. They raise prices, assuming the customer will get the message and vanish. With this buyer, Adent delivered the news personally.

“I told her, ‘Look, it’s better if we don’t do business any more because of the way you speak to me,’” he said.

“Was she surprised?” I said.

“Yes, but it made her think. She still calls me, but now she’s pleasant. I’ve done a few other projects for her, but I’m cautious. My sales are fueled on positive emotions. Helping people is what makes this job fun. You don’t want customers who are always unhappy. They drag you down.”

“What’s a warning sign that tells you that you a customer can drain you emotionally?” I asked.

“If a customer needs to win, and needs you to lose, look out. Those customers will never be happy or loyal,” Adent said.

Handing off Patsy Koepke, vice president of sales, Graphcom, a Consolidated Graphics company, has her share of loyal customers. “I’ve never actually fired a client,” she said, “But I’m getting ready to transition some of my smaller ones to a new rep.”

“Why did you decide to make the change?” I said.

“I want every single person who puts a job through Graphcom to have the same great experience, but I only have so much time. If I want to grow, I have to decide who I’m going to call on. By transitioning certain customers to newer reps, I insure that clients get the attention they deserve.”

I agreed. “The situation works out well for everyone. You free up

Evaluating Your Client If any of these stories resonate with you, evaluate your client list. Ask these questions.

UÊÊ iÃÊÌ iÊVÕÃÌ iÀÊwÌÊÞ ÕÀÊV «> Þ½ÃÊ value proposition?

UÊÊ ÊÞ ÕÊ > iÊi Õ} Ê iÞÊ ÊÌ iÊ account to justify the time spent servicing it?

UÊ > ÊÞ ÕÊ > iÊÌ iÊV i ÌÊ >««Þ¶ UÊÊ ÊÞ ÕÊ iÊÜ À }Ê ÊÌ ÃÊLÕà iÃÃ¶Ê UÊÊ ÃÊÌ iÀiÊ>ÊLiÌÌiÀÊÜ>ÞÊv ÀÊÞ ÕÊÌ Êëi `Ê your time?

time, the new rep gets a great opportunity, and the customer gets more attention,” I said.

Koepke wants more time to sell. Mark McCombs at The Covington Group will tell you, “There’s plenty of work out there.”

McCombs also places a high value on his time. He offered two stories.

The answer to the last question separates good salespeople from great ones because time is the one resource we all have in equal measure. Life is short.

Don’t waste it.

“I’m firing a customer right now. Our firm agreement was Net 30 day terms. I was nervous about this, so I made the terms clear, both verbally and in writing. The buyer promised to pay, but then broke his promise,” McCombs wrote in an email. “As soon as we get paid, I’m firing him.”

The other client had different issues. “His files were always a mess. We were willing to train him and show him how to make them better, but he wasn’t interested. The files had to be fixed, but this client doesn’t think he should have to pay us to fix them. I said, ‘Good luck at your next printer.’”

AUTHOR’S BIO: Linda Bishop has spent over 20 years in sales and marketing. She was previously vice president of marketing for IPD printing, presently owned by RR Donnelly. In 2005, she started Thought Transformation, a national firm dedicated to helping clients add sales dollars by developing an educated and professional sales force.

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Develop a system You can’t manage your time if you don’t ha the proper tools. Technology can help. Marya Pope, senior account executive at Lake Coun Press, calls ACT her “bible.” “I believe it’s one the top client relationship programs out there says Pope. “When I started using ACT, tha when my business boomed.”

Other print salespeople prefer Outlook. “I u Microsoft Outlook extensively,” says Fant Smith, sales representative at Courier Printing. “By using the provided tools to their maximum capability, you can focus on things that computer programs can’t do.”

In addition to ACT, Pope uses a program called JobZ, which she says is another big time saver.

“It’s produced by a guy who used to sell print, so he understands our industry. It allows us to electronically create RFEs, quotes to the clients, and much more. It’s so much faster than doing it by hand, and as you’re doing projects that get repeated or are similar to other ones, you can call up what’s in the system, and a lot of the information is retained.”

Of course, plain ol’ paper still has a place in the organization system for many print salespeople.

“I still use a day-timer,” adds Pope. “I still like to

In reality, as a print salesperson, your job will often resemble a carnival performer juggling 15 balls at once.

write stuff out. When I’m driving and I need to make a note, you can’t do it electronically.”

Once you’ve got your computer software in place, reading business books can help you develop a good foundation for effective time management. “I’ve developed my own system based primarily on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” says Jackie Priest, account executive for Geographics Inc. Keith Werstler, regional sales manager of Freeport Press Inc., has done the same.

“Covey talks about understanding all aspects of your life in terms of having influence over them or only concern for them,” says Werstler. “What he says is rather than putting efforts into areas of concern that you don’t have influence on, focus your time and energy on the areas of influence where they may be effective in bringing about the desired results.”

Prioritize According to a CANVAS S survey (see sidebar), print salespeople spend the biggest chunk of the day communicating with customers via phone and e-mail, with the next largest time allotment spent working on administrative tasks or paperwork. But what if you only had two hours per day? How would you spend them? Thinking in these terms may help you identify what areas you should be prioritizing. “If I only had two hours a day, I’d absolutely be in front of clients,” says Patsy Koepke, vice president of sales for Graphcom Prints. “The relationship is always and will always be the most important part of the business. If you don’t have that, you don’t have anything.”

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about administrative tasks? “I’d stomer a day, and then park at the Fi hot spot to crank out the adminis” says Priest. Also splitting her time o would divide her two hours 65/35 es tasks (face-to-face with clients, mail, phone) and implementation (with her CSR, ernal shepherding).

Some would stay in the office and work from ere. “I’d need to become an ‘inside’ sales rep d do all of my sales collaboration on the phone d on e-mail with pdf proof workflow,” says Paul rryhill of CK Graphics. Smith would also spend his time at the workplace. “I’d walk the shop and work the ‘inside sale’ (thank our employees for what they do) and write handwritten notes to my largest customers,” says Smith.

So how do you best juggle time devoted to real selling exercises with paperwork, job tracking, delegation and other administrative tasks? In reality, as a print salesperson, your job will often resemble a carnival performer juggling 15 balls at once. How to make sure they don’t all come crashing down on you? Streamline your time management system by minimizing distractions and procrastinations, fine tuning your timesaving strategies, and remaining flexible to the challenges that will inevitably arise at the most unexpected times.

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Eliminate time wasters Identifying potential distractions and causes of procrastination is a key step toward managing your time better. And paperwork seems

“At the end of the day you always need to have a list of goals, in order of priority, of what you need to accomplish the next day.”

— Patsy Koepke, Graphcom Prints

to be the top item print salespeople tend to put off. “I hate paperwork (billing), and in the past I was very slow about billing,” says Smith. “I now have a practice to bill my work the day I get it or the day after. I’m much more proactive about keeping the records well and am able to bill much more easily than in the past.”

Enthusiasm to score a new sale can lead to follow-up work on new or existing jobs piling up. “If I have the choice between taking the time to go over a new job that I have just sold with my CSR so she can get into production, or making a call or follow-up that I think might contribute to the prospect of making another new sale, then I will nearly always do that instead,” says Berryhill.

According to Werstler, it’s easy for a sales rep to feel like since a job has shipped and billed, the process is complete. “I often put off invoice reviews,” says Werstler. “But it’s important to remember that smaller customers sometimes need more help understanding miscellaneous charges and how to best avoid them in the future, and invoice review can help keep a customer from feeling frustrated and let them know you’re involved until the entire process has concluded.

Five Big Time Wasters Your goal is to become a well-oiled, super-productive print sales machine without an ounce of energy wasted among the precious hours in the day. Here are five time wasters to look out for: 1) E-mail. It can be a big time saver, if properly used, but there are pitfalls to avoid. Resist the urge to respond to e-mail every time your computer rings to tell you you’ve got an e-mail, and you’ll be a lot more efficient. “When you come in first thing in the morning, don’t start looking at your e-mails, because you’ll be behind the 8-ball,” says Pope.

2) Process management. It’s easy to get caught up in work ow when you’re in the plant. “It can take away from time spent cold calling or servicing existing customers,” says Werstler.

3) Miscommunication. Make sure everyone on your team — from estimating all the way to shipping — understands the expectations of your client. “If they don’t know the expectations when they touch the jobs, where’s the quality assurance that it’s going to get out correctly and on time?” says Koepke.

4) Travel. In urban areas, getting to and from appointments can take a chunk out of your day, so plan your face-to-face time carefully to maximize efficiency while you’re on the road.

5) Noise. Phones ringing, coworkers talking on the phone in loud voices, people yelling across the office — it’s distracting. Unfortunately, your options may be limited, but a pair of noise-reducing or noisecanceling headphones can do wonders in some situations.

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Of the Essence

Plan ahead Taking the time to plan and organize across the board is a huge part of good time management. “At the end of the day you always need to have a list of goals, in order of priority, of what you need to accomplish the next day,” says Koepke. “But always know that you’re probably going to have to switch that order when the day gets there because things change. You’ve got to be flexible with your time, but you’ve got to set those goals the day before so that you at least have a guideline.”

Keeping a detailed calendar is a great timesaving strategy, agree Pope and Smith. “I’ve always got the big picture of what my day or week or month looks like,” says Pope. “I’ve always got those client names and follow-ups in front of me.” Smith says he rarely

“I rely heavily on the scheduling function of Outlook and take it with me wherever I go via BlackBerry.”

— Fant Smith, Courier Printing

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has anything to do that’s not in his schedule, including recurring appointments. “Outlook and BlackBerry are probably the best time savers I use,” says Smith. “I rely heavily on the scheduling function of Outlook and take it with me wherever I go via BlackBerry.”

For Werstler, timesaving organization comes in the form of taking and keeping clear and decisive notes. “Having a detailed record of conversations or requests can reduce spec errors on the

original estimate and keep a salesman from calling a customer for information that has already been discussed,” says Werstler.

Berryhill’s best timesaving strategy has been setting up online remote desktop access from home and streamlining communication with his coworkers. “I created a unique set of communication shortcuts to empower my CSR to get up and running on the work,” says Berryhill. “This year I’m going to try digital tape-recording of CSR instructions on projects and see if that adds to the mix of shortcuts.”

The art of mastering time management may vary from person to person and company to company, but a few constants transcend these differences: Keep reading and talking to colleagues to keep up on the latest trends and tips, get organized and fine tune your time-management techniques, and remember to keep communications with your clients and team members flowing. As Berryhill says, “Time management is all about great systems, great listening skills, and a staff behind the rep that resembles a pack of eager bulldogs who never loosen their clench on those details until the job is out the door and the invoice is in the mail.”

CANVAS magazine asked the six print salespeople interviewed in this article, “On a ‘normal’ day, what is the average time you’d estimate you spend on the following activities?” The average percentages were as follows: On the phone/e-mailing with customers

30%

Administration/paperwork

21%

Face time with all customers

19%

Interacting with CSR personnel

15%

Planning/Targeting

12%

Interacting with suppliers

3%

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Sales

Candy A

key fundamental in PRECISE Selling is saying only words that will advance the sale and no more. It means knowing not to use a bunker buster bomb when all it will take is a sling shot. The reason we use only enough is because our ability to say less will help us say more. Think about it. When somebody is selling to

you and pounds you with too much information, do you have a tendency to shut down? And when this happens, isn’t it difficult to remember what the salesperson even said? But when they give you just enough to educate and excite you (and no more), aren’t you more satisfied? It’s like eating a bag of candy.

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As I wrapped my chocolate stained chapped lips around the second ButterďŹ nger, time stood still. Could number two actually be better than number one?

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Sales Candy

straight to the Butterfingers. At first I just grabbed one, then realizing it was Christmas, I changed my mind. “What the heck Mr. Cav, give me a whole bag of bite size Butterfingers,” I said.

Well, he did. After that first bite, I was in pure ecstasy, and the smell of Christmas in the air made my Butterfinger that much better. As I took my second bite, I looked at my full bag of candy

Don’t make the mistake of the average sales rep that keeps feeding the prospect with Butterfingers until they get to number seven and make them sick.

with conviction, fully aware of the daunting task ahead of me. As I wrapped my chocolate stained chapped lips around the second nd Butterfinger, time stood still. Could number two actually be better ter than number one? Yes. And never mind number three. Maybe myy ttaste buds were sleeping during the first two, because this “Finger” ng was awe-inspiring. I could hardly wait for numbers four, five, six s and seven.

However, r, two bites into number seven, something strange began to happen. a My stomach began to reject the seventh Butterfinger like a human body rejects a donor organ. Fight through it, Sullivan! You can c do it!

Now Butterfingers rfi are some tasty candy bars. They’re all crunchity, peanut buttery, e and chocolaty and go great on ice cream. But scientific research e shows there is a law of diminishing returns as it relates to the e Butterfinger.

After seven, ve my teeth had turned completely black, and I looked like I had camouflaged c my face with milk chocolate. As I took my second b bite, my stomach locked up and it felt as if somebody had put a ca car jack underneath the back of my tongue. What was happening? nin Well, it seemed the family of seven Butterfingers would hav ave rather spent Christmas day on the concrete surface of Fern

r

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PRECISE sales reps don’t let their prospects get sick When presenting your solution, look at your features and benefits as Butterfingers. Give your prospect only what they need, and no more. Instead, leave them in pure ecstasy and longing for more.

Make them so excited about those three Butterfingers that they can’t wait to sink their teeth into them. Don’t make the mistake of the average sales rep that keeps feeding the prospect with Butterfingers until they get to number seven and make them sick. If it takes seven to make them satisfied, great! But keep asking after each Butterfinger how your prospect is feeling. And when they get that big smile on their face, stop feeding them and move toward the final agreement. Don’t be surprised if they enjoy your sales candy so much, they keep coming back to the store for more!

Excerpts taken from Brian Sullivan’s book, “20 Days to the Top.” Available at bookstores everywhere and at www.preciseselling.com.

Sullivan is a member of the National Speakers Association and an internationally known expert on sales and leadership.

He delivers high-energy, no-nonsense, interactive seminars on his PRECISE Selling Formula to companies looking to become famous in their industry. He has been quoted in magazines such as Selling Power and Business Week. Sullivan also hosts a talk radio show on Hot Talk 1510, based in Kansas City, Mo. The show, called “Entrepreneurial Moments,” is dedicated to helping business people of all types.

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?

Book Recommendation

The 80-20 PRINCIPLE Getting the most out of your best customers.

T

cent of the causes - is the one true principle of highly effective people and organizations, according to author Richard Koch. In one of the decade’s most original, provocative and powerful books, The 80-20

Principle shows how you can achieve much more with much less effort, time and resources, simply by concentrating on the all-important 20 percent.

In The 80-20 Principle, Koch will open your eyes to the odd way the world really works. He drives home the truth and power of the Principle through a

If we can latch on to the few powerful forces within and around us, we can leverage our efforts to multiply effectiveness.

wide range of examples from business, personal and social spheres. Generally, 20 percent of products account for 80 percent of sales value and profits; so do 20 percent of customers; and of course 20 percent of the print salespeople.

Once the CANVAS reader absorbs this concept, then he/she can achieve so much more in the sales world.

CANVAS was actually launched based on 80-20 thinking, and we agree with Koch that the best performing people either work for themselves or act as if they do. Once you understand that the majority of your achievements and happiness come from 20 percent of your time, you can maximize your effectiveness. As Richard states, “the 80-20

Principle is the key to controlling our lives. If we can latch on to the few powerful forces within and around us, we can leverage our efforts to multiply effectiveness. Most of what we do has trivial results. A little of what we do really matters. So if we focus on the latter, we can control events instead of being controlled by them, and achieve several times the results.”

Go to www.the8020principle.com to learn more.

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