Marketing

[Thomson Litho]

Hi guys,
i know this is technically the wrong section as this should be none work related topics but i am just wondering if you know what kind of advertising your companies do to attract new/retain customers and if these techniques change depending on the size of the potential consumers, i.e., Sony will hardly be enticed by an email?? We have a sales team that normally attend business working events however you do not have any advertising apart from WOM. I am looking into certain things, such as expanding our digital offerings with the mind to an online quotation devise specifically targeting small companies and so this would be an email campaign showing the new offerings, etc in the UK

Any comments very welcome,

Thanks

 

[Michael Josefowicz]

My two cents...

the thing about printing is that it is not sold. It is bought. The trick is to be "top of mind" when the buying event is about to happen. I ran a program about ten years ago that worked pretty well in the insurance business - identifying and selling to high value clients. It was before the days of digital printing, so it worked great, but was too labor intensive for me to scale. It's based on the idea that WOM is really the best way to sell, but it needs some help.

Here's how it worked:
Each salesperson was asked how much time they could devote every other day to make follow up calls.
Usually it was about 1 1/2 hours. About 10 minutes per call. (they could make more, but who needs the stress + if they got into a good conversation they felt rushed... so it was about 10 calls per session.

Then we got a mailing list of possible suspects. Broke the list down to manageable groups of about 100.
Then mail a postcard - very soft sell -to about 20 people.
Then make 20 follow up calls. The calls were easy. They went something like "Just checking if X received the postcard I sent. I'm planning to send one a week for the next few weeks. I hope that's ok.
Thanks."

Then - MOST IMPORTANT( this is the secret sauce) - make sure they get another postcard regularly over the next few weeks.
Then be super consistent in the follow up calls the day after the postcard is delivered.
The second conversation might be "Hi X (the gatekeeper) how's things going, blah, blah,. By the way do you know if Ms A had a chance to look at the postcard I sent. Thanks. Please feel free to call if there is something you think we could help with".

With every call, you cross off the non interested, or not appropriate, and add new ones to keep the active list at about 20. When you get lucky, you find the person who needs what you sell, at the price you're selling it for. It worked pretty well in insurance, I can't see why it wouldn't work for Print Sales. Especially if you have the digital equipment to produce high quality stuff 20 at a time.

 

[Thomson Litho]

i totally agree that a little and often is a way to go and we are not in an industry that can advertise to the masses. I think this tact is specifically true when dealing with smaller customers, it is all about raising awareness and making sure your company is top of the thinking list, then you will be able to quote and then it just depends.....

Just like anything, cold calling/lead generation seems the best way of doing this....cheers for your quick reply again!!

 

[Michael Josefowicz]

no problem about the quick reply. I have PrintPlanet on my RSS feed at Google reader

Although this may seem like shameless self promotion, I think in this context it's ok. I have a blog about selling printing that you might find interesting from time to time. It's at dr druck's selling print blog

Meanwhile, I'd be really interested in how whatever you decide to do turns out

 

[Hal Kohn]

cold calling/lead generation seems the best way of doing this....

That is a sure fire method, that has yet to fail.

In addition you may want to do Target Marketing and play to your strengths. If you weren't across the pond, I'd come over, but I need swimming lessons.

 

[Thomson Litho]

If you weren't across the pond, I'd come over, but I need swimming lessons.[/QUOTE]


ah come on, if michael phelps can win 8 golds surely you coud at least swin the atlantic......small feat?? anyway...... it surely seems that this is the best way, i have had a few jobs in this position but in different industries and just thought i would at least ask on this to see if there were any available alternatives as if there was why not just re-invent the wheel??

target marketing is very key and if we go ahead with my proposal we will be very specific in the way we approach certain consumers......

cheers for the comment

 

[Hal Kohn]

ah come on, if michael phelps can win 8 golds surely you coud at least swin the atlantic...

Well that certainly seems easy now that you mention it. If Michael Phelps swims next to me wearing all those heavy medals I just might have a chance ...

why not just re-invent the wheel??

My father always told me, "You don't have to re-invent the wheel, just improve it!"

Good luck!

 

[Lsmith3280]

On your home page, put a box which is interactive to read something like "10% off Any Job completed by...." and give a date....
Or offer for example "Order 1000 brochures, get 50 extra free"
Something like that.... The customer will be more willing to purchase if they get something for free or for a discounted price.