SEARCH

You’ve talked about Inkjet with a client or prospect. So, now what? As you have heard us say in these tips and in other content we’ve created, follow-up is key. However, how do we stay in touch and deliver a relevant sales call each time? The last thing we want to do is to make the Verizon-style approach: Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Make certain you stay in front of your prospect by communicating messages that are relevant and interesting. Make it worth their time, or risk being deleted or ignored. One possible path to take is to show that you understand their world and send them helpful information such as trends regarding their industry. This not only gives them pertinent information, but also lets them know you are paying attention. Another option would be to send information showing successful inkjet print examples.  If you choose to do this, understand that inkjet printing is not nearly as exciting to them as it is to you. So, spare them the …

Hey Kelly, I Have a Question… Bill: Hey Kelly, right off the top of your head, can you give me two sources for inkjet printing leads? Kelly: Absolutely! The newspaper and the Google. Bill: Okay, which newspaper and what am I looking for? Kelly: The Wall Street Journal and trends. Bill: Trends? What are you talking about? Kelly: The Journal does a great job of identifying companies and industries which are not just surviving 2020, but thriving. Once you become a steady reader, it gets very easy to know which markets are experiencing the kind of opportunities you want to be a part of. Bill: Okay. And what exactly should I be Googling? Kelly: Simple. How about, “Which industries are doing well during COVID?” Or how about, “Trends in banking, colleges, hospitals, etc.” Bill: Is it really that simple? Kelly: Yes. But remember, looking for inkjet print prospects does not have to be radically different than looking for any good prospect. You want to find a strong industry. You want to work …

Content marketing is your friend. You can attract attention and interest via your blogs, social posts, and other forms of information, but a different kind of content can be particularly effective in convincing prospects to become customers. Here, at the bottom of the sales funnel, you’ve identified a handful of prospects who have moved from interest and desire to action. You’re definitely a front runner, but you have to let these strong leads know what sets you apart from the competition, your unique value, and what’s it like being your customer. Here’s where different varieties of content will be your key in turning “hot” prospects into new business. Testimonials and Customer Reviews. You already have customers, right? Reach out to them about advocating on your behalf on how you’ve solved their printing needs. Besides addressing printing needs, these advocates can highlight your value-add contributions, including brainstorming, guidance, cost savings, and customer services. This can …

There is never a bad time to plant a seed…even in the winter. Let’s say you’re walking through Home Depot in search of a new snowblower. Walking towards that department, you come across this odd-looking curved saw at the top of a long pole. You’ve never seen such a thing and you ask a local clerk what it’s used for. Come to find out, this is the kind of thing used to trim the branches well above your head. In fact, it telescopes up to over 20 feet. “Cool,” you think, and you continue your journey. Roughly a year later, a windstorm comes through and damages the trees in your yard. Surveying the mess, you realize most of what needs to be cut is out of your reach. That’s when you remember your trip to Home Depot and that funny-looking tool with its unique capabilities. The seed that was planted has bloomed and brought you benefit. Just like harvesting a garden, harvesting your inkjet printing sales can only happen if you plant seeds. Now is the time to throw some seed down. Talk to your …

If people in marketing are being honest, a big percentage of their job is guesswork. Done by the book, customer profiling and focus groups give clues as to the need and direction the company’s target market is headed. Soon thereafter, new products and services follow and a marketing message is created. Not everyone follows that game plan, however. On one end of the spectrum you have navel-gazers who spend countless hours studying, analyzing, and crafting a message. On the other end, there are the Steve Jobs-types who will claim they know the market better than the market knows the market (famously, Jobs never asked. He told). But, regardless of how they got there, once a message is formulated, there is no guarantee it’s the right message. It is not unusual for a new initiative to tank even after great care has been taken prior to its launch. Wouldn’t it be great if marketers could test out a message before going all in? For example, Chevy car executives would not have been embarrassed …