Empowering Marketing Service providers
september 2012
Splendid Insights How you can find that intangible spark to set your company in the right direction
The Hierarchy How Prophets Grow Your Business How to Sell Print in an Integrated Marketing Environment
NEW
Every paper we make. Anytime. Anywhere. The next time a client wants to talk about paper, don’t just describe what you’re thinking...show them. CabinetTM for iPad® puts all of our current swatchbooks— every texture and color—right at your fingertips. Only from Neenah Paper.
Search “Neenah” in the iStore for this and other apps from Neenah Paper Cabinet is a trademark of Neenah Paper, Inc. iPad is a trademark of Apple, Inc.
Just remember, no product sells itself. There is no such thing as “building a better mouse trap.”
Publisher mark potter Marketing Manager brandon clark MANAGING EDITOR michael j. pallerino ART DIRECTOR brent cashman
september 2012
P2
Publisher’s Thoughts The Hierarchy
P4
How Prophets Grow Your Business Why creating a solid ‘Leave Behind’ message inspires others to promote your story
Editorial board chris petro GlobalSoft tom moe Daily Printing dean petrulakis Rider Dickerson
P8
Best of Canvas Notes Self Reflection
P10
Splendid Insights How you can find that intangible spark to set your company in the right direction
david bennett Bennett Graphics
P16
tony narducci O’Neil Printing
10 tips you can use now
How to Sell Print in an Integrated Marketing Environment
CANVAS, Volume 4, Issue 5. Published bi-monthly, copyright 2012 CANVAS, All rights reserved, 2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400, Duluth, GA 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 P1
Publisher’s thoughts
The Hierarchy Somewhere along the line you may have taken a class where the instructor referenced Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs. It may have been a Psychology 101 class. You remember – the one you slept through during your first year of college. Regardless of where you heard this concept and whether you believe its validity, it does provide some interesting structure. Maslow’s theories have fallen under some scrutiny over the years because he lacked empirical evidence. Maybe it’s because guys like Sigmund Freud were busy studying more interesting things like abnormal behavior. Meanwhile, Maslow was busy studying people who were realizing their dreams and actually growing in each stage of their lives. He focused on the healthy side of the mind, while Freud focused on the sick side. I’m no psychologist, but I believe focusing on the positive side of things
The hierarchy of needs is about having goals, and then achieving those goals.
probably is a bit more gratifying. It’s certainly less stressful. Spending time trying to understand what’s wrong with people, as opposed to what’s right with them, just seems like a depressing strategy. The hierarchy of needs is about having goals, and then achieving those goals. What I find compelling is that once you reach a goal, you become better at reaching the next level, and so on. Your confidence grows. You begin to instill the habits of pursuit, hard work and character. In Maslow’s view, the idea is to achieve Self Actualization, where you become one with the world and are completely comfortable with who you are.
There is no debating that Freud is one of the most intelligent and insightful people in history. But his methodology does not translate to what we all need to accomplish in this day and age. I choose Maslow. He chose to discover what made the people who were mentally healthy tick. He chose to focus on what made the successful go. He chose to find the spark that ignited prosperity, and then he shared it with the world. Our goal continues to be to find the spark that lies with the successful people and companies in our industry. We want to enlighten our community of readers and provide them with their own structure for winning. Our cover article, Splendid Insights, is a must read. Gregory Coticchia helps us find that intangible spark to set your company in the right direction. In addition, just as Maslow could be considered a bit of a prophet, Mark Grace details how to create a trail of prophets by expertly using your leave behind material. This issue of CANVAS Digital actually marks our fifth anniversary. And I could not be prouder of the team we have in place and the work we all are dedicated to achieving. It is a privilege to serve this great industry and climb our own hierarchy of needs. We wish you a wonderful fall season. Happy selling. Warmest regards,
Mark Potter, Publisher P2
CANVAS September 2012
L O S E T H E S E L AT E LY ? Too much makeready? Registration problems? Underestimated dry-time? We hear you ... and we can help, before you lose your shorts.
Fujifilm Inkjet Technology
To learn more, visit us at booth #414. — Graph Expo, October 7–10, 2012 —
FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division www.fujifilmgraphics.com | Follow us on Twitter: @FujifilmGS
business insights How Prophets Grow Your Business
By Mark Grace
Why creating a solid ‘Leave Behind’ message inspires others to promote your story
Y
our product is beautiful. It exceeds all expectations. Your service gets rave reviews. So, if you get out there, hustle and sell, show your potential customers what you are all about, they should buy from you, right? That’s the way they did it in the movie “Glenngary Glenn Ross.”
your most important message, so it better be worth repeating. That’s why you must make your message simple and concise enough to repeat under the stress of their boss “pushing” them with questions. Give them an easy to use summary of the “hard copy” so that they can pull out your message on a
But customers have seen and heard it all before. To them, it all sounds the same: “We
print.
We
manage
your documents. We have speed, low cost, high quality…” Your customers used to buy from you on the spot. You had a good personality. The relationship was good. But the sales process has changed. We live in a connected and collaborative world. Nobody is going to buy from you until they talk
Your customers must be able to give your Leave Behind message to others in their network – those who can pass it on with the same clarity.
moment’s notice. We call this summarized hard copy the “Leave Behind.” Your customers must be able to give your Leave Behind message to others in their network – those who can pass it on with the same clarity. These connections become your prophets. You want them armed with the right tools and selling for you. Building
these
prophets
means your customers are your trainers. With a solid Leave Behind, they can repeat your
to someone else about you,
message exactly, which will
your product and how you
lead to the actions you want.
do business. Is your message worth taking to their network for their
has four points everyone
opinion and experience? Af-
must repeat:
ter all, their network decides on whether to buy or
escribe the essence of who you are 1. D
not. Their network can double or triple your sales.
2. Highlight strategic trends your product or
Your potential customers must involve others in the buying decision process. They must “repeat” P4
The one page Leave Behind
CANVAS September 2012
service positively impacts 3. P icture how your customers will be “after”
business insights
We live in a connected and collaborative world. Nobody is going to buy from you until they talk to someone else about you, your product and how you do business. they use your product
four quadrants, such as Figure 1, and answer the four
(or describe a “day in the life”
questions. You can use PowerPoint to insert four pow-
using your product)
erpoints into one slide. Or you can use your business
4. State how they can pay you and
card backside. Remember, your Leave Behind is meant for your cus-
work with you
tomers to repeat it precisely, so this is not an elevator The Leave Behind tells your entire sto-
pitch, which is not easily repeated a few minutes later.
ry and how the customer can participate
Speeches suffer from the “telephone game” and are
Preparing Your Memorable Leave Behind Who You Are? Be Clear Be Unique Be Relevant Be Experienced
Value - Before/ After? Day in the Life Intuitive Impact They Can See, Feel or Live It They Can Describe It
What Strategic Trends You Impact? Get in Top 10 Strategy Items We Fit in Your Picture
turned in to garbled messages. Nor is this a multi-page brochure, PowerPoint or some other collateral material. It is one page to be folded into a pocket or put onto a notepad
Have a Dialogue Where to Focus
(or easily sent via social media
How We Do Business?
or emailed electronically).
More Than Next Steps I Do What & You Pay Me How? How Do We Integrate? Who is in Control?
As you end a customer meeting, hand them several copies of your Leave Behind and ask them to share it with their colleagues. Do
(Figure 1)
not leave anything else. Ask
with you. If one of the four points is miss-
them to raise and address any issues or questions
ing from your message, it’s more difficult
related to the four points you laid out. The Leave
for customers to follow you and do busi-
Behind will raise any issues they have, which you can
ness with you. The Leave Behind directs
then address and change to meet their needs. Your
your conversation and ensures all impor-
customers will improve your Leave Behind by the ques-
tant decision inputs are considered and
tions they ask and their insightful suggestions.
checked off, and led to a quick close. To construct your physical one page Leave Behind, separate a page into
Leave Behind summaries engage customers, drive the buy decision forward to better closings and help double sales.
Mark Grace founded Beyondvia.com, where his visionary leadership helped transform industries such as oil and gas, utilities, industrial products and consumables to dramatically grow profits using the Better Way and the five approaches: Better Progression, Better Closing, Better Communication, Better Decision Making and Better On-line Operations. You can reach Grace by calling 656-595-6760 or emailing him at markgrace@beyondvia.com.
P6
CANVAS September 2012
Some paperS juSt aren’t meant to be pampered. moHaWK SyntHeticS.
WHat Will you maKe today? moHaWKconnectS.com/SyntHeticS
n o i t c e fl Self Re
it is d h ow n a e of blam raised culture e being r e a h s t to t id u rk it self in ed a bo ha t o u t t s lk s a e t if m n e e a e av c an m rld. It s a s t, I h t t ha t o u r wo n e n n the p o m c in o myr ta g hav see it in n t e n te a n t e s v wreakin n e o e f c Heck, I s. Whil orld o peers. urselve y o in a w m d a n d a h n a w t es s s. adults ing on ved on s g lfishne u n lo e c s u r o o s u f y u o y , r do want b ur kids best fo t re m e n nt the hat we e it in o a e w s w t I e o , y g h ll When sw Truthfu ally can blems. e eature o r r r c e p h w o s t d elfi ivity er if can lea roduct e are s I wond p it , r, t w a a f lo h t self. W oo ses and e with ogress taken t on’t pr no issu rk, excu g. But d o t in w s h t m ju a d I have s a ck of te . Thing rily a b t. selves. like a la ecessa happen s n n g t a we wan o in c n h out our t b is , a s t is in or e s ll e a lv r e e’re ec tion ourse w fl n n e r Self int o e o h s lf t u w foc lit tle se g able stantly ssarily e aybe a c e. Bein e M e im we con t n o t t e w ha t w r, s no i a f t om tim s t and r r s f o e e r d o r e g t n d e u min . nd the bla Self int ng. But taken lems. w a rd a n in o k n o lo t d ow ob hi may cu It . t r a bad t an lead to pr u ed in’t h u s c an t pur su s it c w e b ie v e nrs ar a n d co c tives w ot h e d o je e h b n o fi d . e n r w isely d u pon a us gro why ou other.” imprec prove plains ill help one an x e w h e b it ly y o w a t in can im nd K ta d le ealth, a e s te n o s t ce r mpatib ,” John w iv y o t m d c it c it e u je ly u q d s b s li r An “Ob plex o obviou ever pu book, arily or at “com ople n s h e s t p e In his t c is s e ea ealthie e n ot n . His id t ha t a r t s the w s s n t e direc tly n g e g u m e s s. ocus o ts any ele happin don’t f a t a t ha d I d e l if u a s t tain m r f ic n u . a oo y, pir never p ha t I w direc tly und s g nd em w o u in le s t o t p f e It n o y g . a e s a d w K iest p h need at I c a n ner s an h a t we e ha p p y selfis lude th s, par t t c m e g et w n n e e W o v t ha t t h li c r : c e n – our I could ss will s nclusio ot h e r s His co osophy g selfle lp il in w a nt . e gh h e h p b e , ’s h a t we the tou Kay o rd s ? If w w lf e it w e s h r s ’t u it r e n I u h w s t o If e h. In o . A sk y end u p look at se – do s o mu c s ea s o n ht just e s s en take a k g ig e a in m w m ll e e f myself e o and nc es ,w it kind ot h e r s ring th y w a nt ove. O n r e u n e p h d o t h t lf t s im t e a u n c rs bu et w h c a n fo you ca on you te s – g e n we reflec t d w ha t h n T o a t . r associa e g e t sh as oin lit tle tim d o b et as selfi n ou’re d e r y a a c t a le e Take a h p ut w lespeo a rea s w ay. n s abo reat sa ’ll see g e t w a every d h e t questio d r n u e a s v e h li c m e a es, I’ ing. I b anner e g re s s . ourselv re fulfill lfless m eal pro o r e s m g a h in c in k u a perate ’s so m s t ar t m , but it eople o y s p a s e le a ’t s It isn reat t. But g the res ards, st Reg Warme
I
r e t t o P Mark Follo
P8
CANVAS September 2012
ma r k w me @
ricepo
t te r
HOT SPOTS
HOT SPOTS
HP Indigo 7500
RICOH Pro C901/C901s
The HP Indigo 7500 delivers an unprecedented range of opportunities for PSPs, and sets new standards in quality, productivity and scalability, facilitated by innovative intelligent automation in both the press and the e2e production environment. Intelligent automation and low operating cost. • Using the Vision System, the press performs automated calibrations and intelligent diagnostics, bolstering uptime and generating more pages. • The HP Indigo Print Care package offers a set of tools including wizard-guided assistance for troubleshooting and webcam communications to increase uptime for mission critical and demanding jobs.
The Production Printing Business Group (PPBG) of RICOH Americas Corporation recently launched the RICOH Pro C901 Graphic Arts Edition, an advanced digital color production press designed specifically for professional production printing. This introduction expands RICOH’s color product portfolio, building on the highly successful RICOH Pro C900. With its remarkable image color and consistency, and the ability to handle a broad range of substrates, the RICOH Pro C901/901s Graphic Arts Edition is the ideal production system for print service providers seeking professional results at an affordable price.
Contact Info: https://h30413.www3.hp.com/GAP/country/us/en/ ContactUs.aspx?source=INDIGO&questionid=6
Contact Info: 800-637-4264, www.ricoh-usa.com/ppbg
ENVIRONMENT® Papers
PorcelainECO™ Comparator
As companies incorporate sustainability into their core values and mission statements, they realize the increasing importance of using high quality, premium recycled paper to help them communicate both their commitment to the environment and the stability of their business. Throughout the business world, sustainability continues to grow in importance, and with ENVIRONMENT® Papers, Neenah Paper provides the leading Writing, Text and Cover solution to meet the demand for environmentally friendly business papers. Available in four levels of post consumer fiber content, ENVIRONMENT® Papers are FSC® certified, Green-e certified, Green Seal™ certified, and Carbon Neutral Plus.
When commercial printers find themselves faced with decisions regarding paper selection, positioning your products to define and drive value can be a “game changer.” Today, value in print means doing more for less cost, and then doing more with the resulting savings such as printing additional pieces, adding more colors and enhancing results. With Unisource’s latest marketing tool – the PorcelainECO™ Comparator – you will be able to show your printer customers firsthand in a sideby-side test drive that PorcelainECO™ is an affordable print solution that meets even their most demanding expectations.
Contact info: For more information on Neenah Papers, contact the Neenah Customer Service Center at 1.800.558.5061. www.neenahpaper.com/askus
Contact Info: (770)209-6543 www.unisourceworldwide.com
iFlyMobi
New Envelope Yields Tear-ific™ Results
iFlyMobi is a solution that enables companies to easily generate mobile websites within minutes. Most estimates point to more than 50% of the U.S. population becoming smartphone owners by the end of 2011. Thus, it’s more important than ever before to ensure that the growing mobile audience can find what they are looking for when they’re visiting a corporate website on their phone. More and more people are turning to their smartphones to search for information on the web. Most corporate websites are not designed to present information properly in that small of a screen.
At Western States Envelope & Label, they know that nothing increases direct mail response better than pieces that are inviting and easy to open. That’s just what customers will get with their new Tearific™ envelopes. Tear-ific™ envelopes are a USPS approved mailing solution that eliminates the need for a letter opener. The envelope has a unique perforated design that delivers a direct mail message more conveniently and effectively. This product increases response by enticing and engaging recipients with a new way to open their envelope.
Contact info: Jason Pinto, CMO, interlinkONE 978-694-9992, http://iFlyMobi.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/iFlyMobi
r u o Y et
Contact Info: www.westernstatesenvelope.com 800-558-0514
G
Before they’re all gone... Contact for more information: Jim Bauschka • 678-904-4441 or jbauschka@thecanvasmag.com
Splendid Insights How you can find that intangible spark to set your company in the right direction By Gregory Coticchia
P10 CANVAS September 2012
S
omewhere in the mid ’90s, I was retained by the board of directors (mostly venture capitalists who had invested in the company) of Tartan Laboratories to help them with their strategy challenges. Tartan made software for specialized chips.
E n c o u r a g i n g
c r E at i v E
m i n d s
Founded in 1996, The Electronic document scholarship Foundation (EdsF) is a charitable, non-profit, that engages in programs designed to attract the best and brightest to the industry. By granting scholarships, fostering education, promoting research, recognizing leaders, encouraging innovation, and garnering and disseminating knowledge, we are helping build the next generation of digital content and delivery professionals. SCHOLARSHIPS
RESEARCH
EduCAtIOn
EdsF’s scholarship program makes it possible for students to receive the education necessary to pursue careers in the document management and graphic communications industry. What sets EdsF apart from other Foundations is the international scope of our operations.
EdsF sponsors academic research grants and partners with major industry research firms to provide businesses with cutting-edge data on trends in the document management and graphic communications industry. since 2001, EdsF has provided 30 research grants, developed a grant/mentor program and published over 25 white papers.
Through recognition of leading educators and educational programs worldwide, EdsF continues to build awareness about career opportunities in the industry, while ensuring that businesses have a talented pool of applicants to recruit.
more than ever before, there is a critical need for individuals and companies to support the future of the document management and graphic communications industry. EdsF’s scholarship program enables students to receive the education necessary to pursue careers in the industry, while providing much needed assistance in offsetting the ever increasing financial burden. Please join us as we work together to provide our future business leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to shape our industry for years to come.
S At JOIn u n CHICAGO xPO I nIGHt APH E
pm ASHI1P L O H C ber 9, 20 2 • 5o-m9 S F S Ed day, Octo ick Ballro
GR
ner Tues cCorm wn din Hyatt M rking • Sit-do s
ion wo ry Net & Live Auct EDSF or ll a c t Silent le ipNigh ur tab rve yo rg/Scholarsh e s e r To sf.o ww.ed visit w
Indust
The Electronic Document Scholarship Foundation For more information visit www.edsf.org or call +1 817.849.1145
Splendid Insights
Just remember, no product sells itself. There is no such thing as “building a better mouse trap.” By the time I was retained, Tartan
Aren’t we all? I thought.
had been in business for nearly 10
Fast-forward to last year, and history repeated itself.
years. It stumbled its way into nearly
At Approva, a software company that helps companies
$10 million in revenues, mostly by
gain regulatory compliance (think Sarbanes Oxley) with
selling to defense contractors that
their financial systems, I again was asked by the CEO
used the specialized chips pro-
and chairman to help formulate a strategy.
grammed by the Tartan software.
The situation was similar to Tartan. Once posting
While it racked up $13 million in in-
revenues of around $25 million, the company was in
vestments, revenues were not grow-
decline, while not rapidly; it was headed in the wrong
ing. And despite trying its hand at
direction. Like Tartan, it too had invested in a newer,
a new non-defense business in an
emerging market for its software. And like Tartan, it
emerging stage, the small company
wasn’t large enough or growing fast enough to cover
needed to either grow more rapidly
its revenue decline. Approva had $72 million. It too was
or sell – or both.
looking for a “splendid insight” – a way to restart its
But to do so, the board decided that Tartan needed a new strategy.
growth engine, and get the product and company on the right growth track.
That’s when lead investor David
Many of us are looking for “splendid insights” –
Morgenthaler turned to me and
that intangible spark that some companies either
said, “Greg, we’re looking for splen-
have or they don’t. At least right now, we don’t. We
did insight.”
may have had it and lost it. Our competitors may have it and we want it. Or we may have experienced it at our last company and want to re-experience it. Each of us have had those splendid insights. I have. My first recollection is 1987. I was with a company called Duquesne Systems (later named LEGENT Corporation and sold to CA Technologies). The company manufactured mainframe software that improved efficiency of these expensive assets. We built a software product to automate the datacenter operations. At the time of our offering, it was an emerging market. We had a few sales and a lot of hype. Our offering, after nearly being killed internally for a variety of reasons, was late to market, had less features than our competitors, and, despite being
P12 CANVAS September 2012
priced less than our competitors, launched with a bang. Six months later, we still hadn’t made a sale. It definitely was a missionary sale; since salespeople needed more time to sell it versus other products they had in their bag. Nine months later, we had under $100,000 in sales. In short, we were in need of a splendid insight. Greg Strouse, a colleague of mine at the time, described the market for automation software as, “You could get a roomful of people in Alaska at 2 a.m. on a Sunday night for a presentation on that product, but nobody is buying that stuff.” He was right. While others were leading the market, our sales should have been bigger. That resulted in an interesting trend. It was clear that other companies were looking for a way for the product to “fit in the bag.” Given the cards we were dealt, we decided to take a radical stance. Desperation has a way of doing that. We looked around at the other technology we had. One of them allowed us to log on to other
Many of us are looking for “splendid insights” – that intangible spark that some companies either have or they don’t.
Splendid Insights
The good news is that while we cannot guarantee a successful company, product or service definition, we can set the table for an optimized, commercially reasonable outcome.
products and create ways that,
The good news is that while we cannot guarantee a
while we couldn’t integrate to our
successful company, product or service definition, we
own product, we could integrate
can set the table for an optimized, commercially reason-
to every other one. This allowed us
able outcome. Just remember, no product sells itself.
to integrate with all of our compet-
There is no such thing as “building a better mouse trap.”
itors’ products and leverage their
Needless to say, we all realize there are plenty of
install bases.
products that draw us to them. These are the products
We had found our splendid in-
we must own. The current batch of these “must have”
sight. And it worked. Sales hit $10
products are from Apple. Steve Jobs had lots of “splen-
million in the first two years. At the
did insights.”
five-year mark, sales hit $50 million.
Take the iPod’s transition to the cell/mobile/phone device we call the iPhone. If you reflect on the days
Why splendid insights work
when only the mp3 player existed, the most “magical”
Splendid insights happen. But how
selected everything. It was how you communicated
do they happen? Can we apply a se-
with your iPod. No clunky buttons or slides to use
ries of tests or processes that enable
– just that “click wheel.” That ease of use helped de-
us to repeat our successes?
fine the brand.
P14 CANVAS September 2012
identifier of the iPod was the wheel from which you
So, when Apple wanted to morph its presence as an
over the “touch screen?” Why do we
mp3 player, it wanted to use the same premise. But then
wait until we are desperate before we
Apple decided to try something completely different –
look for ways to win in the market?
the touch screen.
There are ways we can avoid re-
The iPhone revolutionized the marketplace. Apple
peating the same behavior over and
delivered ease of use to a consumer base eager to em-
over again. And if we don’t think
brace its simplicity.
we can win more often, well, think
It seemed so simple. But can you imagine the internal
again. We can.
discussions behind Apple’s decision to drop the click wheel for the touch screen? Why do we make the wrong decisions when we make similar decisions? Why can’t we find our “splendid insights?” Why do we tend to stick with the “click wheel”
Greg Coticchia is an award-winning technology executive with more than 25 years experience in high tech products and services. Recently, as CEO and co-founder of eBillingHub, he grew the company from inception to establishing it in a leading market position that led to its sale to Thomson Reuters. He currently teaches both business-to-business marketing and entrepreneurial leadership at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business.
How to Sell Print in an Integrated Marketing Environment 10 tips you can use now
By Ron Strauss
A
s the name of this article indicates, the first key to selling print in an integrated marketing environ-
ment is to stop thinking of what you sell as print. Your customers aren’t necessarily buying print, they want to create demand and repeat business. Print is simply a means to that end. What they’re buying is prospects, conversions, customers and loyalty. Following are 10 keys to help you get into the groove.
P16 CANVAS September 2012
Learn more at gobizhubPRESS.com/engage
IN THE WINDY CITY
WE’RE ABOUT TO
BLOW YOUR MIND. Engage with us and separate yourself from the competition. Come to Graph Expo 2012 and experience Konica Minolta’s game-changing business solutions first-hand. We’re integrating innovation, service and technology like never before, to boost your profitability and revenue. For a competitive advantage that can drive your business forward in ways you never imagined, count on Konica Minolta. The game changes this October at Graph Expo. And online now at gobizhubPRESS.com/engage.
©2012 KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, U.S.A., INC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Konica Minolta is a trademark of KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC. bizhub is a registered trademark of KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Visit us at Graph Expo 2012 Booth #421 October 7-10 • Chicago
How to Sell Print in an Integrated Marketing Environment
Once the sales organization becomes adept at listening and learning, they’ll begin to understand how the various barriers to demand generation occur.
No. 1: You’re not in the print business — really
they’re buying on the basis of the lowest price, and
This distinction between selling print
very tight margins. In fact, downward pressure on mar-
versus selling what your customers
gins is one of the key issues facing the print industry.
you’re the “lucky” winner, you probably are experiencing
really are buying may strike you as
Yet, there are select companies in the print industry
simple semantics or a mind game. But
enjoying stable, and in some cases, growing margins,
it’s much more than that. By focusing
despite the headwinds facing the industry. What’s their
your mind on what your customers re-
secret? They don’t sell on the basis of having the lowest
ally are buying, you will start asking
price; they sell on the basis of having the best demand
them different questions, listening in
generation offering. They sell on value.
new and more powerful ways, and un-
Value is defined as benefits less costs. So, you can
derstanding their business and needs
charge a price that gives you reasonable margins if you
on a different level.
can raise the customer’s perception of the benefits you
The mindset of selling demand creation to your cus-
deliver in terms of demand generation given the cost of obtaining those benefits. High-
tomers is powerful. Think
er perceived benefits yield higher per-
about how most of your
ceived value at a given cost level.
competitors’
their
Correctly done, this approach creates
services.
a win-win. You win by being perceived
What they talk about to
as a “value added” vendor and getting
their prospects. How dif-
higher margins. Your customers win by
products
and
sell
ferent are they from you in terms of your basic approach? If the answer is “not much different” you need a new approach.
deploying better demand generation programs and reaping all the benefits. But this approach won’t work with lowest price only focused buyers – those who buy based on cost per page or print product by the ton. You must help them
No. 2: Differentiate or Die
understand the value of not focusing on price, but on
When your customers and prospects
the benefits of demand generation. If they can’t under-
don’t view you as being basically dif-
stand this basic premise, move on and find those who
ferent from your competitors, how
do. Failure to do so will lead to your failure.
will they decide among you? Everything else being equal, it’s based on
No 3: Listen and learn
who has the lowest perceived price
Many studies of highly effective salespeople show that the
or the highest perceived value. If
more time the customer talks, the higher the probability
P18 CANVAS September 2012
Current paper options no longer meet today’s needs What if you could get premium optics and performance at a price that reflects today’s economic pressure to get more for less? You can.
Sterling Premium ®
enhanced oPticS, an amazing Surface and Premium Shade – all at a number-two Price.
Shift Your thinking at www.ItShiftsEverything.com/cv
NewPage Corporation 8540 Gander Creek Drive | Miamisburg, OH 45342 877-855-7243 | NewPageCorp.com
NewPage is a leading North American producer of high-quality coated paper: a sustainable, renewable resource. © 2012 NewPage Corporation. All rights reserved.
How to Sell Print in an Integrated Marketing Environment
the call will succeed. Selling isn’t about
Often, in searching for and building a solution to cus-
the products and services you’re of-
tomers’ demand generation needs, you’ll find you don’t
fering, it’s about your customers and
have the requisite resources inside your company.
their needs. Highly effective salespeople wait to talk late in the sales call,
No. 5: Be a network aggregator — IMCS
and spend most of the time listening
Creating and building demand generation networks for
and learning.
customer segments will require you to “partner” with
Since every customer needs demand generation, the key to effec-
other product/service providers. You can’t do everything in today’s world in-house.
tive sales is to understand the inter-
The key to doing this successfully is to involve other
nal and external barriers to creating
“partners” you trust. Often, if you create the informa-
demand generation for that custom-
tion and insight, and bring others to the customer, you
er’s particular company. Each com-
can do it by making sure your customer agrees with your
pany will have its own barriers, often
proposed solution and views
unique to that company, but also
you as his key driver
often shared with other companies.
of the network.
The better you understand your
Is there risk in
customers’ barriers, the more on-
bringing other com-
target you’ll be when proposing
panies into a demandgeneration solution
value-based solutions.
network? Yes, but the
No 4: Not all customers are equally valuable
benefits outweigh the risks. What kinds of companies might
Once the sales organization becomes
be in this network? Market research,
adept at listening and learning, they’ll
graphic design, media planning, media placement, writ-
begin to understand how the various
ers and content curators, media (print, broadcast, video,
barriers to demand generation occur,
outdoor, whatever works), social media integration, search
and how they may “clump” together
engine optimization, lead fulfillment, customer service
among their customers.
centers, sales training, technology (SFA, CRM), etc.
In turn, this will lead to new ways
By working with your customer to create an inte-
of segmenting the market, and new
grated marketing communications solution in order to
solutions for each segment. As the
generate demand, you’re positioning yourself and your
organization learns, it can apply that
company as a key contributor to value.
learning in the form of new demand generation solutions.
No. 6: Under-promise and over deliver
Some of these newly defined seg-
One of the worst things you can do when using a solu-
ments will represent outsized op-
tions approach is to try to build a total solution across
portunities for growth and margins.
the whole system. This often results in over-promising
Some won’t. In many instances, less
results and under-delivering.
than 10 percent of the prospects will
One of the keys to success in building demand genera-
represent more than 80 percent of
tion solutions is to test solutions, and then scale them.
the potential value. Find them and
This keeps risks lower in the beginning, and creates the
love them.
opportunity to test and learn as you go along. Keep the
P20 CANVAS September 2012
How to Sell Print in an Integrated Marketing Environment
Selling isn’t about the products and services you’re offering, it’s about your customers and their needs.
customer in the loop – the more communication is shared between
needs change or his current vendor drops the ball, you’re “top of mind.”
you, the more the risk is shared. Make sure you define whom the customer
No. 8: You can’t start too early — don’t stop
is. It may be a team of people within
Another key is to start now. It takes time to build prospects’
the customer’s company. If so, keep
mental bank accounts. For most categories is takes at least one
the team in the loop.
touch per month to begin the process of building awareness, and establishing your company and you as potential assets.
No 7: Target, target, target – but not exclusively
course. Missing or skipping “touches” destroys value,
Often, a basic mistake in segment-
because in the early stages the value of your bank ac-
ing market niches is not defining the
count can quickly be lost. Mix in investigatory phone
segment too narrowly, but to stop
calls and emails to inquire whether the prospect re-
using broader reach communica-
ceived the mailer/letter/newsletter, etc., and if they have
tions as well. Striking a balance be-
any questions or comments about the content.
Once you start this process, be prepared to stay the
tween the two usually is optimal. tential segment and created a pros-
No. 9: Be your own best customer — leverage your assets
pect database. Now what?
One of the nicest things about a Nurture Marketing pro-
OK, you’ve identified a high po-
Sure, you can call them up and start making sales calls. But if they
gram is that you likely have some of the assets you need to create and deliver this program in-house.
don’t know you or your company, why should they see you? One way around this is to build a
No. 10: Ask for referrals/testimonials as part of the agreement
Nurture Marketing program. This
By asking for a referral and/or testimonial up front, you’re
uses a variety of methods to create
showing great confidence in the outcome. This is subtle,
“touches” with the prospect over
but real. Be specific about what you expect, how you’ll
time, building a “bank account” for
use it as part of your Nurture Marketing effort, how you’ll
your brand by sending the pros-
protect proprietary information, etc. By building this into
pect information of value about
your agreement or contract, you’ll be able to leverage
his served markets. Then, when his
your successes, building a virtuous cycle.
Ron Strauss is founder and senior executive officer of Brandzone LLC, an Atlanta-based brand-guidance firm. He also is co-author of “Value Creation: The Power of Brand Equity.” Strauss works with CEOs and their staffs in deploying the unique power of brands to motivate employees, suppliers, customers and other network partners to create meaning and purpose for all, sustainable competitive advantage, and economic value-added outcomes. Visit his Linkedin page at www.linkedin.com/in/ronstraussbrandzone
P22 CANVAS September 2012
ADD PROMO PRODUCTS TO YOUR PRINT QUEUE.
Mugs, T-shirts, car magnets, caps… your customers are buying these promotional products already. Shouldn’t they be buying them from you? Selling promotional products is easier and more rewarding than ever. Here are just a few reasons why joining the industry leader, ASI, would be great for your business. ● Increase sales with no inventory or investment in equipment. ● Gain access to over 3,000 ASI suppliers and all their products. ● Receive discounts from companies you use, such as UPS®, Sprint® and Costco®.
JOIN ASI TODAY. Visit www.asicentral.com/04CANVAS30 or call 800-301-9158