Cultivating Customers Through Useful Information And Personal Contact
Published Articles
Published in: Georgia Printer, August 2006 Options for More Effective Personal Contact With Customers
"What are the options my sales reps should be exercising when developing new and current customers?"
The question asked was a fair one — and one I'm sure many graphic communications owners and managers have struggle with.
If you've profiled (or even identified the specifics on who your sales reps should be targeting (and outlined why the reps should be targeting these prospective customers) — and if you've profiled who your sales reps should avoid, then — and only then — are we ready to develop options for providing value through personal contact (and making it worthwhile for the buyer to invest time with your organization).
In today's. environment, buyers generally don't have time to see prospective suppliers. Repeatedly, research shows that in today's overcrowded schedule the key resource available for buyers to identify new suppliers is ... current suppliers. (Yet sadly, as one vice president of procurement at a top-ten commercial bank shared with me: "Too many commercial printing reps simply don't know what they're selling.")
To be effective, you have to do your homework and you have to be able to communicate the advantages of choosing your company as a business partner. Following are the types of information that should be pursued when preparing for an effective customer contact.
History of customer with your company.
History with a key supplier, whom you know.
History of customer's company, major events, and published articles.
Current suppliers as well as errors or miscues by previous suppliers.
Developing a profile of your target account's market differentiation.
Recently published articles about the customer's company and/or its competitors.
Target account's performance objectives or "sources of pain.
The key question buyers are silently asking during their initial contact with a prospective supplier (whether on the phone, in writing, or in person) is: "What does this supplier have that I need, and don't already have?"
If you cannot provide the answer to this question in a clear manner that affects the buyer positively, then you shouldn't expect the buyer to make time for you. The fear that cuts to the heart of the issue might be phrased: "What can I talk about or show that makes it worth her time to see me again?"
Buyers won't waste their time if they want to keep their professional position. And, at the end of the day, regardless of elevated social skills in a supplier rep, it's substance from a (prospective) supplier that counts. Buyers generally don't have time to "train" suppliers. Bottom line: If you don't do your homework regarding your target account, you may in effect dismiss your own self through demonstrated ignorance about the buyer's company and industry and what they expect from suppliers such as yourself.
"What can I talk about or show that makes It worth her time to see me again?"
Explore the following suggestions for conducting your homework and identifying contact opportunities. These actions can elevate your potential for success with a new contact. Keep in mind that each customer and buyer is different and no one contact approach works for all.
Options for More Effective Personal Contact With Customers
Do your homework regarding your customer before making contact. For instance:
1. If there is a history with your company, but business has fallen off and the account has been neglected, be sure to review previous job tickets and talk to folks in production and customer service about account details. If the prep department has electronic files from previous jobs, make a list of the files, names of jobs on file, dates, and even collect some samples if they're available. Offering useful information to your buyer often supports a reintroduction and demonstrates preparation.
2. Research published news or trade articles about your target account, its industry, and even its competitors, with interesting sections highlighted on the buyer's copy. You may want to make an extra copy for your buyer when you attach your note of introduction. If you're pursuing an agency, research one or two of its major or new clients and send research copies. There's always the potential they don't have this information. Note: This research process elevates your understanding of the account's business, your confidence, and your ability to obtain an appointment that's worthwhile for you and your buyer. (You only have one opportunity to make a great first impression, and every great relationship requires meaningful first steps.)
3. Enlist the help of your key suppliers and your own personnel. Some of your trade suppliers (such as paper suppliers, print finishers, and mail houses) understandably make direct sales calls on major target accounts — and may be a terrific source of information to you.
4. Obtain historical information about the buyer's company. This can be particularly helpful if the buyer is new to her company. New buyers often need additional information regarding our industry in general. A current edition of Pocket Pal, with a personal note on the inside cover can reap dividends — just because you were thoughtful and took action.
5. Add your buyer's "enlarged buying center" to your company's mailing list for announcements, newsletters, press releases, quarterly President's Reports, and general updates. Target customer personnel to include such as: president, director of sales and marketing, chief financial officer, print buyer as well as supporting cast such as designers or ad agency contact folks. These personnel are guaranteed participants and keys to any major award, or change in lead suppliers.
6. Take a key production or customer service or prep support person to meetings with important customers. This almost always elevates the buyer's perception of the value your organization brings (and it will surely elevate the value of the customer in your support person's eyes). Your key support personnel need to be prepared before the meeting as to what their role is; what issues to avoid; and who is to lead the discussion. You should also communicate to them: what you what you want to accomplish during the meeting; recent problems in regard to this account; and what internal performance issues your customer is struggling to accomplish. Consistently, I have found that with proper preparation, team selling can be most productive and it can enhance your organization's ownership of performance for your customer. When your key support personnel have a sense of ownership of a customer's working relationship, production performance tends to go well.
7. The all-powerful Periodic Business Review (PBR) should be conducted at least once a year. With fast-moving or major accounts, we recommend a PBR more often than once a year. Key participants from your organization should include the sales rep, CSR, president, and possibly someone from either production or finance.
8. Presentations of samples of recent projects, demonstrations of new workflow systems (for customers ordering online), and review of "what could be better next time a project is produced" can be educational to your buyer as well as meaningful for your future work together. In particular, improving your customer's revenues or productivity should be a relentless focus. (Customers can buy printing from a dozen or more sources. They can obtain a cheaper price if it's really important. What they are starved for, and informally look to suppliers for is: "How can we increase our revenues or what we accomplish?" Whether through personalization of promotion pieces, improved mailing specifications for improved or lower-cost USPS delivery, or improved Internet-based workflow systems, your buyer's organization is in constant pursuit of "improved revenues," and "faster and more effective resources." (Low price may be important, but improved revenues or productivity usually trumps a competitor's low price.)
"Too many commercial printing reps simply don't know what they're selling."
Your target buyer doesn't have much time. Current suppliers to that buyer are probably not neglecting her. But they may have stopped gathering information and stopped looking for ways to improve the account's revenues, productivity, or day-to-day communications.
All of your company's customers do not value your company the same. Some look on your company as more valuable than others. The key for your improved career and productivity is to:
- Identify the customers who value your company the most.
- Conduct a discovery process to figure out what the common qualities are for the customers who do value your company the most.
- And with that profile "about right," pursue current and prospective target accounts who are worth your time and to whom you can make a positive contribution — beyond ink on paper.
Beyond that, make every communication meaningful and worthwhile for your buyer. Preparation shows. But so does "trying to wing it." Buyers can distinguish the differences in the supplier reps they meet. Each one is given an evaluation. Over time, each supplier rep and his or her company either moves to the back of the line ... or to the front of the line.
Each day, we all make choices. What choices are you making? Believe me, your target buyers know!