How do you get hold of customers when they are working from home?
Homeworking is here to stay We have all been forced to embrace staff working from home by the spread of Coronavirus. Now many companies are now re-evaluating their working practices. A major company near me has five large office buildings. Three were closed at the outset of the virus. These three buildings will now stay closed permanently. Many of their staff are delighted to stop having to drive into work every day. Whilst it is certainly not for everyone, a large number of employees are delighted at being based at home. This creates a problem for sales people Trying to…
Four ways to improve communication with prospects and customers
Traditional communication often no longer works Here are some words from an interview that one of my clients carried out with one of their customers: “If they leave VM messages, I usually delete them. I HATE voice mail but I like email and would usually answer them, particularly if I know them. VM is the worst and it seems dated.” Naturally, this doesn’t apply to everyone Some people love the phone and hate e-mail. That’s why it’s vital to find out your customers’ and prospects’ preferred methods of communication.
13 ways to research your clients and prospects (do you use them all?)
Here’s a little challenge for you Prospect research is vital. Everybody knows that knowledge is the key to successful sales. However, I am always surprised at how little many print sales people are able to tell me about their clients. They are often unable to answer basic questions when I run sales workshops. How much client research do you do?
3 reasons why you should interview a customer this week
Do you want to find out more about what makes Apple tick? Here’s a great interview with their chief of design, Johnnathan Ive. John Arlidge, the interviewer, gives us a real sense of the culture at Apple and what drives one of their chief innovators. Just like journalists, print sales people can gain great insights by interviewing people. But, rather than current affairs or technology, their insights will about their customers.
Three things printing companies must do at Christmas
Would you be able to plan your Christmas in just 30 minutes? I was told about a couple who entered a supermarket only 30 minutes before it closed on Christmas Eve. The husband raced round to get all the ingredients for their Christmas lunch. Meanwhile, the wife was busy buying presents. I hear they made it to the checkout with seconds to spare! However, I can’t help thinking that it was all a bit of a rush. Surely things would have been more enjoyable if they had done some planning first.
How stickiness creates more loyal print customers
The pdf is a curse for the modern print industry. The very advantages of the pdf create problems for print companies. A pdf is a small file that is easy to send. It is portable and convenient.
How the seven myths of print sales are destroying our industry
Do you believe in the tooth fairy? My daughter recently lost her first tooth. She carefully wrapped it up and placed it beneath her pillow. It was great to see her excitement the following morning as she unwrapped the paper and found a shiny coin. I love being able to give her pleasure through the story of the tooth fairy. But the time will come when she no longer believe in tooth fairy. You and I know that the tooth fairy is no more than a myth.
Why failing to educate customers can lead to print companies going bust
I have an important duty as a parent. It is my duty to educate my daughter. It is my responsibility to make sure that she behaves properly. It is my responsibility to make sure that she understands how to interact with other people. And it is my responsibility to make sure that she is capable of leading a fulfilled and happy life when it is time for her to leave home. But parents are not the only people who must educate in this way.
Do you hate cold calling? How content marketing can get you sales more effectively
Call. Next call. Next call. We all know the life of many sales people. It’s one cold call after another. It’s a constant slog to get new prospects interested and then to keep in contact with them. But there is another way.
How to love your customer on Valentine’s Day and increase client loyalty
It’s Valentine’s Day this week. I hope you have prepared your significant other a nice card. Perhaps you have also bought them a small gift. Or are planning to have a nice meal with them later. Relationships are important on Valentine’s Day.
