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UKvUSA: Prospecting Print and New Business in 2024 

Want to win new business in 2024? Matthew Parker and Deborah Corn are here to help!

👉   A reminder of how UKvUSA started

👉   2 tips from Matthew and 2 tips from Deborah

👉   Plus the power of mystery shopping

There’s even a point where we agree!

How do you plan to win sales in 2024?

(Scroll down for all the show links and also a transcript)

PS If you liked what I had to say, make sure you sign up below for regular updates from me

Get your free copy of “10 Common Print Selling Errors And What To Do About Them’ (worth £19/$29) right now

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Mentioned in This Episode: 

drupa.com: https://www.drupa.com/

drupa Next Age (drupa DNA): https://www.drupa.com/en/Program/Forums/drupa_next_age

10 Common Print Selling Errors and What to Do About Them: https://profitableprintrelationships.com/e-book/

10 Social Media Rules For Print Sales People: https://profitableprintrelationships.com/use-social-media-create-print-sales/

Matthew Parker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profitableprintrelationships/

Profitable Print Relationships: https://profitableprintrelationships.com

Deborah Corn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahcorn/

Print Media Centr: https://printmediacentr.com

Partner with Print Media Centr: https://printmediacentr.com/partnerships/

Project Peacock: https://ProjectPeacock.TV

Girls Who Print: https://girlswhoprint.net

PDF Transcript

[INTRODUCTION]

[00:00:02] DC: Print Buying UKvUSA is a series dedicated to helping producers create stronger, more meaningful, and more profitable relationships with print customers on both sides of the pond. I’m Deborah Corn, founder of Project Peacock and principal at Print Media Centr.

[0:00:20] MP: I’m Matthew Parker, the champion of print at profitableprintrelationships.com. We may not always agree, but that’s when it gets interesting. So, turn up the volume, get out your notepad, and welcome to the program.

[EPISODE]

[0:00:40] DC: Hey everybody, welcome to Podcast From the Printerverse. This is Deborah Corn, your Intergalactic Ambassador. More specifically, we are here with the UKvUSA podcast, which means on the other end of the microphone is Matthew Parker from Profitable Print Relationships. Hello, Matthew Parker.

[0:01:04] MP: Hello, Deborah Corn. How are you today?

[0:01:07] DC: I’m fantastic. If anyone is new to the podcast, can you please explain what Profitable Print Relationships is and how you help people?

[0:01:15] MP: Thank you. So, the quick version is, I used to be a print buyer. I left my previous job to set up a consultancy, which I thought was all going to be helping people buy print. I own all my old suppliers, rang me up and said, “Matthew you are really tough. So, can you come in and teach us how to deal with people like you?” And that’s what Profitable Print Relationships does. It helps printing companies better understand the mindset of the buyer on the other side, and I help companies create better sales messages. I help them with sales strategies. I train their staff. I mentor one-to-one for smaller companies. And I write content as well. The other thing that Profitable Print Relationships does, is it’s available in Europe and the UK to present and do keynote speaking at events or to help host events.

[0:02:01] DC: You also offer eBooks and speaking engagements. I know you said you go and you train companies?

[0:02:08] MP: I do. So, we’ll put the link up for this show. But I do two free eBooks. One is 10 Common Print Selling Errors and What to Do About Them. If nothing else, download it and do a little test. What do you score out of there? Then, I do another one on how to build warm relationships on social media, which I think is really important. Sometimes you forget, it’s about building up those right relationships. So, we’ll put the links, please sign up to them. Let me know what you think of them. You’re also signed up to my View from The Buyer newsletter full of rants, tips, stories, and advice. But that’s absolutely free. Of course, you can unsubscribe from that at any time, and I would never ever use your email address for anything other than sending out that newsletter.

[0:02:48] DC: Excellent. And to continue with that background, I mean, Matthew and I met a long time ago, right when I started Print Media Centr. Because Matthew’s background was more, I’m just going to throw out this term, was more like corporate procurement in many ways. You were doing big buying programs. And I came from the advertising world, which was like, “No, we need to – it’s not about procurement. It’s craft, not commodity.” We used to get into it, like fights over one or the other, until the world came together in a different way, since 2009. Now, our perspectives worked together a little better. But this podcast is called UKvUSA, because it’s guaranteed Matthew will say something that will set me off in every –

[0:03:46] MP: Absolutely. I miss our fights that we used to have, or not fights, but arguments. These days, we have come a lot closer as the world is homogenized and things have come together. I think the other important thing to say is that I still think that the print world in the UK and the US are still very different. I’d argue that the US is often 5 to 10 years behind some of the UK trends in print and I’ll keep with that one. I’ll stick with that one. I see things happening over here, and I see them at a much earlier stage in the US.

So, it’s great to have those different perspectives. You coming in from a different print way and reminding me of maybe how things should be, and me may be looking a little bit to the future compared to how you see things. I love that we bring those two different perspectives to our discussions.

[0:04:33] DC: Right. So, I want to address that comment about the United States. I do not disagree with you. Yes, I just said I agree with Matthew Parker.

[0:04:42] MP: That’s a good one.

[0:04:43] DC: Hold on. That is one. One in 2024. I’m not going to give you much more. So, definitely take it.

[0:04:50] MP: I’ll take it.

[0:04:51] DC: I agree with you by proximity to where a lot of the manufacturers are, that Europe is ahead in the adoption of new technology. But when it comes to supersizing, it when it comes to using it in crazy ways that the Europeans don’t necessarily gravitate to, because I’m going to say this with all due respect, you people over there are pretty – you like your traditions. In America, we kind of like to be like jazz hands about it.

So, I think that you – I agree that Europe adopts earlier, but I think that the Americans push the possibility. So, I think it’s an interesting perspective that we will –

[0:05:33] MP: Interesting one. So, I don’t think we’re traditional over here. I could certainly see some good printing companies that really do push the envelope, although there’s plenty that don’t. But what I would say is, I see several commercial trends in the way that buyers print market develops, that happen here before the US, and that’s where I’m really thinking of it. You’ve got tons of companies out there who’ve got really good advanced workflows that are just as good as once in the UK. It’s more that I see certain commercial trends happening over here, which then go over to the US afterwards, generally. And I’m sure you’ll be able to show me the exceptions to those as well.

[0:06:11] DC: I’m just saying that we’re a little more jazz hands about everything out here. We’re a little more about the showmanship and being loud and things like that. And the Europeans can see the Americans coming a mile away, and they’re like, “Oh, God. Here comes very loud, enthusiastic people”, and that’s what I mean by, you’re like, you guys are a little more traditional over there. You have your kind of set processes and ways and it is difficult at times to convince people otherwise, because you’re not only being ahead of us in adopting technology, you’re ahead of us in civilization by years.

[0:06:52] MP: But I’m not going to go there and start a complete war between the UK and the US.

[0:06:57] DC: Yes. You know what I’m saying. Your traditions are really based in traditions hundreds and hundreds of years before the Americans came along. Anyhow, all that to the side. That’s a little bit about how this podcast came about, how you could work with Matthew Parker. And when we come back, we’re going to discuss our first topic for 2024, where Matthew and I are both going to offer advice for prospecting this year and beyond.

[MESSAGE]

[0:07:26] DC: It’s back. Citizens of the Printerverse, it is time to make your plans to attend drupa 2024. The world’s premier printing event returns May 28th, through June 7th, in Düsseldorf, Germany. With 18 halls filled with the products, services, and companies you need to drive your business forward.

Drupa also offers visitors a variety of topical daily programming with speakers covering packaging, textiles, sustainability, and trends shaping the industry. Stop by Hall 7, I’m co-hosting the drupa next age forum with Frank Tueckmantel. Drupa dna offers 11 days of sessions, interviews, panels, co-located events, global networking, and of course, a little fun awaits. Visit drupa.com and get your ticket to the future of your business today. Links in the show notes. Drupa long and prosper.

[EPISODE CONTINUES]

[0:08:30] DC: Welcome back, everybody. Okay, Matthew Parker, prospecting in 2024 and beyond. We’re each going to have two points to share, or two ideas, concepts, targets, however. You want to frame it something else I want to say to the audience listening, first of all, thank you for listening. I really appreciate it.

[0:08:50] MP: Yes. We love it.

[0:08:51] DC: Also, Matthew and I always – no, not always. We just started at least having like the top-line topics. So, we both know that we’re each going to be talking about two concepts around prospecting. But we do not know what the other person is going to say, which is why it makes this podcast entertaining when I don’t agree with Matthew Parker.

[0:09:15] MP: The really interesting thing is, so far, and now today, it’s not going to happen. But so far, neither of us has come up with the same suggestions as the other person. We’ve always come up with something completely different. Today, having said that, you or I will kick off another possibility. That’s what I was going to say. But let’s see how that goes.

[0:09:31] DC: All right. Well, you start. Let’s see. You get the first one.

[0:09:35] MP: Right. Okay. So, my first thing is prospecting. Everyone these days tends to measure in audience numbers and how big is our list of prospects, and it’s all about big numbers. So, I’m going to say that when it comes to prospecting, you should prospect for one person. Now, that may sound a little crazy, because obviously you want more than one extra customer. But if you think of one person, and often it’s an existing customer, and you can build up a sales approach built around them, their companies, their needs. It’s amazing how well that scales to other similar companies, and how well your other prospects will then relate to that.

So, what I’m suggesting is, potentially use a current customer, or if not, a prospect you know really, really well and you make sure you understand them fully. Now, when I train people, I run a masterclass course how to stop buyers choosing on price. And one of the things I get people to do, is to do a profile of their target audience. It’s amazing how many people know so little about their best customers, and they admit it at the workshop. They’d say, “Well, there’s questions on here, I can’t answer. I never knew I didn’t know so little about my customers.” I had the managing director of one of the largest printing companies in Ireland come to the workshop. He said, “Matthew, I’m here, because I want to get this particular customer over the line.”

He did this exercise. He said, “The big takeout that I’m taking from this is that I really don’t know as much as I should about them.” So, can you tell me a profile of their company, including their business challenges. So, this isn’t just about print, but about the company overall, their business challenges, what they plan to do over the next two to three years? What your contact is like, as a person? What drives them to get out of bed in the morning? Why they come to work? If you can answer all those things about that one person, the chances are that the other prospects in the same sector that you’re looking at, will be very, very similar. I don’t know what you think about that, Deborah?

[0:11:39] DC: Well, unfortunately, your nightmare scenario has come true, which this is actually my first item about prospecting, which is to go to your current customers and increase your wallet share with them. I think, I’m framing it a little bit at the same way as you, but mine’s a little less process-y, and a little more about not, “Hey, Deb. It’s the printer. What do you got going on?” Not any of those calls, because those are useless pretty much to customers these days. But instead, “Hey, Deb. I’d like to come over and have a new business development meeting with you.” “No, not my business development, your business development. What are your business goals for the next quarter, for the next six months, for the year?”

If you’re a restaurant, for example, what are the nights that – and things to discuss, right? So, what is that new business? Well, you go in there, and I’m just going to use the restaurant as an example. They say, questions you can say like, “What are the slowest nights of the week? Are people still ordering through online delivery apps?” which the restaurants are really trying to get away from now because although it was a major necessity in the pandemic, and it’s super convenient now, that consumers don’t want to give up. They do take money away from the restaurant, so they’re trying to get them off those apps to order in different ways.

So, discussing the ways that print can help them achieve those goals, and they could be minimum goals. But the point is to change the conversation. So, it’s not about sales, which makes it all about the salesperson, and it’s about new business development for the customer, which makes it all about the customer.

The other thing is that, and I’ve mentioned this in many previous podcasts. I mentioned it as much as I can when I speak around the world. I guarantee that your customers have no idea of everything that you can do in the print shop, and I always recommend a, did you know camp, email campaign. Did you know we make buttons? Did you know we make white banners? It usually is like the area of wide-format and those sorts of ancillary – if you can make hats and T-shirts and things like that, they’re on one 1-800 get me a button, 1-800 T-shirt. They don’t know you can do it. Because what they know is what they do with you and that’s a print customer for 25 years. I’m guilty of this.

Sometimes I speak at events and I’m like, “I cannot give you a reason why. I never even asked my printer if they had wide format capabilities. I just thought I had to go to the wide format printer.” But that is not the case anymore. So, we do agree on the first one, actually, that the best place to start is with your current customers. If nothing else, it’s a business decision. There’s not a customer acquisition price now. You already have them. And it’s not about upselling. It’s about letting them know the things you can do that they are purchasing elsewhere.

[0:15:09] MP: I agree. I think the most important thing to do is to have that conversation, that’s not a sales conversation, even though you hope you’ll get more business out of it. So, I think our two things are not the same, but they’re aligned. I think we should have that conversation. Your tip to get the most out of that conversation is to come out with some new ideas of how you can help them develop their business. My goal is get to know your customer better. Because if you understand their business issues, you can then talk about those same business issues to someone who’s assigned to the next restaurant down the road. And if your current restaurant is struggling, because Wednesdays are quiet, and you’re going to run a print campaign with them about that, actually, you can then go to the next restaurant. So, we haven’t spoken before, but we know that a lot of people around here are struggling from a quiet Wednesday. Is that the same for you?

Suddenly, you’ve got a conversation going on, rather than, “Hey, restaurant down the road, would you like some print? I offer great service, great quality, complexity, and price?” So, it’s such a different conversation, because it’s about them. But unless you know your customers really well, you may not know that Wednesday is a quiet day that they’re really struggling with, and they don’t have a problem on Monday and Tuesday, for instance. If you can go and show that you understand their sector, because you understand the quiet Wednesday night problem, then you are in such a better place for having a conversation and such a better place than your competitors.

[MESSAGE]

[0:16:36] MP: Are you fed up that all your conversations with customers seem to focus around price? Struggling to stand out from the competition? Or maybe you’re just frustrated, or trying to put together a realistic sales plan, or make the most of social media? I’m Matthew Parker, the Champion of Print, and I help printing companies with all these sorts of issues. What makes me different is that I’ve been sold to by over 1,400 different printing companies, so I know what works and I know what doesn’t. Visit www.profitableprintrelationships.com to find out more and download free resources.

[EPISODE CONTINUES]

[0:17:16] DC: Okay, so to add on to that, you get your new business meeting with the restaurant. It’s super important that you’re not pitching anything at that meeting. You’re listening, you’re taking notes. You say, “Okay, I’m going to go back and take this information to my team. I’m going to come back to you.” And then have a conversation about what a strategic plan for your new business development. And if possible –

[0:17:42] MP: That’s such a good point.

[0:17:44] DC: And if possible, act like an advertising agency at that point. Bring your free pass person with you to that meeting. Don’t worry about your files, we can help you create those. If data is involved, and you have an IT person or somebody who manages data in your place, bring them. Let them talk about security and what the processes about data removal and you know anything to do with that. It shows that print business, that you’re not just pitching them on something. You have a team in place that can really, really help them, and I think that that beats out – forget about the better quality, better price, better service people. If that’s what those customers are buying on, then that’s what they’re buying on, and leave them alone, and either play the game or don’t. But it’s going to be more difficult to just go in there and change them to begin with.

But to your point, once you have a few restaurants that you have achieved results, you can then take that show on the road and try to convince those commodity people. The other thing I just want to say is, any win is a win for the printing business. Wow, we had 10, 12 more orders on Wednesday night. Hopefully, they say, “What else can we do?” Right? What else can we do? If not, it’s a great time for you to say, “That’s amazing. Now, let’s look at the next item on your new business development list, or your business plan, or your business goals, and let’s see how we can achieve that.”

You don’t want to go after the whole elephant. You want to eat the elephant a chunk at a time. These are already your customers. You don’t want to pressure them. You want to let them know that you can really be a collaborative partner, and I don’t think there’s any commodity pricing at that point, unless, again, I’m going to put the people who only care about that to the side. The factor of, “Yes, but they really helped me, and this other one, I’m just sending things through an online ordering system and I don’t even know who’s touching my work”, will go a very long way in 2024 and beyond.

[0:20:10] MP: Definitely. So, two quick tips before we wrap this up. Firstly, going back to your point of, if you help them get another 10, 12 covers on the Wednesday, depends on the size of the restaurant, but turn it into a case study, because that could be, we increase your business on a slow night by 25%. Now, that sounds really good. Even if you’re not going to do any more business with that particular customer, it’s a great testimonial, a great set of results that you can take to other prospects. The other tip is just going back to that original meeting, this is a question I tell all my clients to use. I get all my people. I mentor anyone in training courses to use, and that is, when you’re in that first meeting, and you’re going through things is say something along the lines of, let’s just say that our company developed solely to work with you. What would that look like?

Now, some people would just go, well, actually, we don’t need you to change. But other people will go, if only you could laminate the menus, you could do an on demands ordering service –

[0:21:16] DC: Digital marketing.

[0:21:16] MP: Yes, all sorts of things will come out of that. Now, some of those, to your earlier point, will be things that you already do. And again, that’s great, we do that, and as a salesperson, I’ve been in that situation. I feel really embarrassed when I say that because I should have done a better job earlier on. But it’s great you discovered those, and others are potentially good opportunities for you either to expand your business, or to find a business partner so that you can offer a more holistic service to that client.

[0:21:43] DC: Totally agree, and that’s why you do not pitch anything at your new business meeting. You might need to go back to the office and say, “Okay, we need to find a partner to embroider. Everyone I’m speaking to is looking for hats, shirts, and work year, and they’re on 1-800 order me some work year and we can actually help them with all this stuff if we have a partner.” So, great points. When we come back, we will get to two more.

[MESSAGE]

[0:22:14] DC: Print Media Centr provides printspiration and resources to our vast network of print and marketing professionals. Whether you are an industry supplier, print service provider, print customer, or consultant, we have you covered, by providing resources and strategies that enable business marketing and creative success, reporting from global events, these podcasts, Project Peacock TV, and an array of community lifting initiatives. We also work with OEMs, suppliers, industry organizations, and event producers, helping you connect and engage with our vast audience, and achieve success with your sales, marketing, and conference endeavors. Visit printmediacentr.com and connect with the Printerverse. Links in the show notes. Print long and prosper.

[EPISODE CONTINUES]

[0:23:08] DC: Welcome back, everybody. We are talking about prospecting ideas for 2024 and beyond. Unfortunately, on the last segment, your nightmare came true Matthew. We had a similar, I would say, it’s the same with just with different, a plethora of ideas around the same concept of your best prospects or your customers that you already have. What is the next one? If it’s the same of mine, I’m shutting down the podcast, just so you know.

[0:23:36] MP: Okay. So, just cue a scream from Deborah when she hears that it is to say, well, hang out where your prospects hang out.

[0:23:42] DC: We’re clear.

[0:23:44] MP: Okay, few we can do the podcasts. So, I’ve seen more and more people hanging out behind email, fail phone calls, and social media. Now, a big fan of social media. But yes, I recommend people to go on LinkedIn. But only go on LinkedIn if your prospects are hanging out there. If you’re dealing with say small restaurant chains, and they’re all doing stuff on Instagram, or on TikTok, go and hang out there instead, because that’s where they are. Another radical concept I’m going to bring to this, is let’s bring back face-to-face a little bit more in 2024. So, I’m not so sure about the ones we’re meeting. It’s great if you can get them, but they’re really hard to get.

But if you’re off to restaurants, why aren’t you going to the restaurant conventions? Why aren’t you looking at where local restauranteurs get together to discuss business in your locality? Do they go to Chamber of Commerce, or something like that? Are you going there? If you’re aiming at a slightly bigger sector, are there events to put on for them? Could you sponsor those and get a speaking slot or your banner out there, so people get to know who you are, and you get to meet more of the attendees that way. If there’s nothing, can you create your own event for people? You could all come to you, and it’s not a print event. It’s an event for a particular sector, but you’re hosting it, and naturally, you’re going to be able to say something there, and who are people going to come to if they want some help with some of the services you offer the next time? It’s going to be you. What do you think about that, Deborah?

[0:25:17] DC: I think that’s fantastic, and what I would add to that is also be a customer of your customers and your prospects. If they own a restaurant and you’re not eating there, that’s a problem. If it’s a prospect, and it’s a car wash, then take your damn car to that carwash, so you can relate a personal connection you have, “Oh, my God. Let me just tell you, that egg roll appetizer you served on Wednesday night, what was in that sauce, right?” “Yours is the only carwash I will go to because the water always comes off the windshield. So, thank you for actually using that stuff.” That car washers get accused sometimes if not doing everything in the menu. But you know what I’m saying?

Be able to tell a personal story, I mean, that doesn’t mean change your vet or change your things like that. But you can have mystery shoppers, which is another great thing, for people to do. Let them know, I just want to let you know that we actually sent some team members to the restaurant on Wednesday when it wasn’t that busy to have dinner. they said that the staff was super accommodating. So, these are great things that you can share as testimonials and things of that nature. We’ve learned firsthand what the experiences, what the customer experience is, so we can help you in more authentic ways, which is super important.

[0:26:51] MP: I love it. I think it’s great. I don’t think I can add much more to that. Except, sorry –

[0:26:56] DC: We we’re so close, Matthew.

[0:26:59] MP: Well, no, I’m not adding anything to your point. You actually sparked another idea with me, so I’m just going for a little one. You mentioned about the mystery shopping and making sure that you have people who are going to new it. Actually, another thing you should do in 2024, is get a mystery shopper into your business. Find out how good you absolutely are, because I’ve done it for a number of companies, and it’s been very interesting sometimes what they’ve discovered from that. We’ve passed with flying colors. Some of mystery shop, they’re competitors as well. Said, “Matthew, can you go and shop at X, Y, and Z and tell us what they’re like, because we don’t know. We can’t go there.” And I don’t go there myself, but I get a network of people who go in and then report back to me, and I make a report.

So, do some mystery shopping, have some mystery shopping done on you, so that you know if everything’s great, or if there’s areas you can improve, and do some mystery shopping on your competitors so that you know what you’re up against, or what you’re not up against.

[0:27:56] DC: Yes. I would also suggest that you go home, get somebody in your family who doesn’t work in print or understand what you do, which I’m sure everyone’s like, “Oh, that’s my entire family”. Say, “Can you please go on my website and tell me what I do? Tell us what we do there?” Or, “Can you go on the website, and I want you to order business cards. Then I want you to come back and tell me what your experience was.” Some of the print shop owners do it themselves and they’re like, “Oh, my God. I had no idea because I was so invested in the workflow, and the automation, and the software that I didn’t really focus on the user experience that we’re offering on our website.” So, that’s a good thing to do, too. But let’s not detract with that.

My second tip is something that I heard on – I was listening to some podcasts. Podcasts commercials are getting very popular on that. I mean, podcasts are getting so popular that like brands and things are putting ads on them, depending upon how big they are, obviously. But I listened to this crazy stat, and I do apologize because usually I’m a, what’s the source type person. So, I’m asking everybody to give me a little grace. I understand this is not the best way to share information because I’m paraphrasing what I believe I have heard.

What I believe I heard was that there is a crisis with pediatricians, and the problem is that these like little offices pop up, and then they don’t really get off the ground. Then, parents are having to find new doctors for their children, and they’re just basically online doing these searches, and hoping that there will be some consistency with the health care for their children. So, I thought that that was really interesting and it pairs nicely with the customer service crisis that’s currently going on in the world, across every industry that’s out there.

So, my idea for prospecting in 2024, is to look for the legacy businesses. The ones who have been around, the ones who aren’t going anywhere, and help them communicate that to their customers, as well as all of the ways that they can get in touch if they have a problem, including, because we now know that print is personal. Let’s say it is a pediatrician’s office, right? Not somebody who’s trying to make a network, but just a doctor’s office that might have two or three doctors there. I get the information from the doctor that I see, and it gives me maybe not the doctor’s number, but it gives me the hotline to, “Here’s the number to call if there’s an emergency after, making sure it’s not a 911 emergency,” which is the first thing they always ask you. If it’s a real emergency, call 911, which I don’t know what – you don’t use 911 there. You use a different emergency number.

[0:31:15] MP: 999.

[0:31:16] DC: 999. Okay. You’re 999. But otherwise, you know, here’s the office manager – however, drill down you want to get. My point is that there seems to me based upon these patterns of lack of customer service, and not sure if the thing you’re going to go to is going to be there anymore. Case in point, Matthew, my dentists closed during the pandemic. I had no idea. I went to make an appointment. It was like, “Da, da, da.” We’re not in business anymore. They didn’t bother telling anybody. So, I had to go through this thing of finding another dentist and I made sure this time that that dentist had been there, it wasn’t part of some network. The dentist had been there and they weren’t like, of the, “Hmm, maybe they’ll be retiring in five-year age. I’ve got some time with this dentist.” It was super important to me.

So, I think that I’m going to use the word pitch, going in, and telling these businesses. Listen, we’ve identified a problem, a pain point for potential customers of yours, which is uncertainty and lack of communication. We’ve done our research on you. We work with other businesses. We’ve learned from them, how to help you. And what we want to do is go back and help you communicate with all your current customers to get those word-of-mouth things going. And then we want to help you get new customers based on this specific pain point and solving of it. So, that’s what I came up with.

[0:32:58] MP: I think it’s good, because what is based on is your actual experience, and a pain point that they should know of maybe they don’t. It comes back to the same thing as knowing what the pain points that business always are. So, I am, as you know, a great believer in the TPD principle, which is target audience, pain, and difference. So, the pain bit is so important, whether it’s from your experience, whether it’s from interviewing one of your existing clients, but coming up with that authentic pain is really important. Because I see so many printing companies who believe that the pains are around the poor service or something to do with print.

Your pains are not about print. If you’re out selling prints, you’ve got a tough job. If you’re out selling the solutions to business problems, which you’ve just illustrated excellently there, then you’ve got a very different conversation, and you’re much more likely to win some work and to win to work at a slightly more profitable level as well.

[0:34:01] DC: Yes, I mean, honestly, I would even go after family-owned businesses so you can put the entire family on the marketing and say, “Look, we’re not going anywhere. There’s three more generations behind us. So, if you bring your car to us, for an oil change, you’re not going to get a different person here every time you come. It’s not going to change names every time you come. They’re not going to undo the garage, but they’re going to change the owner of the garage, right?” Then, you’re starting from scratch again and again and again. It seems that people are over that.

So, I think that that’s a great way of just looking at an end, look right out your window. Look right down your street. We don’t need some national campaign for this. You want to start with a local business and go back to the first point we all made. Maybe you’re already working with them and you want to tell them, “Hey, I’ve got an idea for a direct mail campaign.” If it’s a doctor’s office, there’s certain times that – now people are getting flu shots and things like that. So, if you’re going to send a reminder, put a little copy in there, “Proudly serving the area for 25 years. We are here for you and we’re not going anywhere.” Messaging on it as well and just start putting that out there in the world. So, Matthew, I loved our points, actually, today.

[0:35:34] MP: Yes, not enough fighting compared to what we normally do. But it’s been a good conversation, and I hope that people who’ve been listening to this can take away some really actionable points that they can go out and put into practice in the next few days, and hopefully see some results from it.

[0:35:49] DC: Excellent. Well, thanks to everybody for listening, and until next time, print long and prosper.

[OUTRO]

[0:35:57] DC: Thanks for listening to Podcasts From the Printerverse. Please subscribe, click some stars, and leave us a review. Connect with us through printmediacentr.com. We’d love to hear your feedback on our shows and topics that are of interest for future broadcasts. Until next time, thanks for joining us. Print long and prosper.

[END]

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