When asked to write an article on selling in the graphic arts industry, my first thought was, what hasn't been said? Every professional journal and magazine has an article on selling; the Harvard Business Review just devoted an entire issue to it; and corporations are spending millions and millions of dollars on multi-session courses for employees at every level of the organization. There's relationship selling, consultancy selling, soft selling. Google ‘sales course' and you get 198,000,000 hits.
So can anything new be brought to the equation? Probably not. Prospecting, cold-calling, establishing, relating, discovery, closure - there's no end of terms, delineation of steps in the selling process and no end of exercises, diagrams, charts, role play, etc. that explain and attempt to teach these skills.
So why doesn't every company have the best sale force? Why isn't each recruit brought up to speed and making substantial contribution shortly after hiring and training?
Maybe, just maybe, it boils down to the simple fact – you've got to have the aptitude to start with.
Skill would be a nice accompaniment to talent, but skills can be taught – aptitude cannot. Prospecting, cold calling – these are talents, not skills, believe it or not. Organization, frameworks, references, etc. are things that can be learned, that will help you reach your goals more quickly. But you have to really want to make that first call.
You've got to be born to sell. Then all of the courses, all of the books, all of the audiotapes – they'll just make you better.
So what's the basic qualification for a successful salesperson?
Easy! It's passion.
You have to be passionate about your product. You have to present the annual report, the car brochure, the DM piece you have worked on and be genuinely proud of the product. You have to see your contribution – the quality of the piece, the effectiveness of the piece, and the solution it provides. It's not just ink on paper – it's a story that should be told. And when told it will interest, and maybe even excite the prospect. People are enthused when you are enthusiastic, when you are telling them a story. It's not just a matter of presenting the product – it's your telling the story behind the product.
You have to be passionate about the people who support you every day. Prepress, press, bindery staff, etc. have to be recognized for their contribution. You have to respect and acknowledge their abilities. You have to be much more than an order taker – you can't just bring a job into your plant and then leave to round up the next one. You have to be a part of the team, be available and show commitment to those who are actually producing the product. It's not too difficult to say ‘thank you'; it just isn't done enough.
You have to be passionate about the technology. The most effective salesperson will take the time to have a basic understanding of the programmes (e.g. Quark, Photoshop, etc.) and the processes (e.g. colour management, perfecting, etc.). You should have more than an awareness of new technologies on the horizon, their advantages and disadvantages.
Nothing looks better on a salesperson than the ability to answer questions, advise of potential pitfalls or make suggestions on product improvement, all right at the source. There's nothing wrong with getting back to the client with information needed, but think of the impact of answering on the spot. You are now the expert in the customer's eyes.
You have to be passionate about your industry. The printing industry has done very little to promote itself to its members or to the communities at large. This is your job. Read the trade magazines, attend seminars, visit suppliers, walk the shows – find out what is so exciting about print. It just may surprise you. And it will give you something else to talk about when sitting down with a prospect or existing client.
You have to be passionate about your customers and prospects. You truly have to care about them. You have to become a working member of their team, which means you have to understand their goals and their frustrations. And although it may sound simplistic, you have to like them and they have to like you. It will make life so much easier (not to mention the 3:00am press approvals).
You know, this isn't brain surgery – it's just basic common sense. If you love what you do, respect the people you're doing it with and get delight in interacting with clients and prospects, you are going to be very, very successful. Plain and simple!•
Bob Weller is Sales Manager of Transcontinental Yorkville – O'Keefe, a Director of the Digital Imaging Association, as well as Chair of the Member Services Committee of the Digital Imaging Association.