Listen In On a Digital Pep Talk

Okay, I hate to sound elitist up here on Mount Digital, but I am hearing some complaining coming from the mouths of certain digital equipment salespeople that the prospects they are calling on are less than ready to sit and meet with them. Listen, if you are going to accept the appointment, please be ready by doing at least some homework. Like my father-in-law once told me, “Stay away from my daughter.” Oops, wrong conversation. No, he said, “Do the free things first, the cheap things second and then spend the money.”

So what are the free and the cheap things that need to be done prior to speaking with a digital equipment sales rep?

Talk with your customers about digital. It is better to stay ahead of your customer than your competition, as my friend Dr. Joe Webb puts it. Digital is right for you when customers say it is. It costs nothing to speak with them about their future plans and to listen for clues as to where and how digital print or variable printing might fit. If they're launching a new product this year, make inquiries into sales and marketing strategies and think about how targeting or personalized printing might be of benefit to them.

Also talk with customers about the status of their databases, especially if they are thinking about variable-data printing as an option. There's no use going digital if customers have a bunch of random names written on a napkin in a file. This is another free question, and one worth asking.

Talk with your salespeople about digital. It might surprise you, but often your salespeople are, um, shall we say, “disinclined” to sell something new, especially if that something requires a new approach. It is critical, then, to learn about their comfort and interest level prior to signing on the dotted line. Why aren't they interested in digital? Let's listen in on a sales meeting discussing the installation of the new digital device:

“Okay everyone, I want to announce the addition of the new Nexeroxdigomapress 5000. The final bolts are being screwed into the ground and we will be up and running soon. What we need is volume. Now, there are a few things you ought to know. First, the selling cycle of digital is twice that of regular printing. So, the interest you generate now will pay off in nine to 12 months.

Next, you will be talking with a new buyer, someone more technically competent than you, resulting in your feeling rather inferior. Finally, the orders are smaller, so you will make less money for this complicated sale that takes longer than normal. Who's with me?”

See the problem? Talk with the reps and get them excited about digital.

And attend some trade events—PODi, Xplor, Dscoop, PIA and NAPL offer an array of events and classes that will broaden your mind without emptying your wallet. Get out of your chair and attend! Frequently, the best discussions are held over lunch or in the halls as you discover that others have solved problems you are currently facing.

Do the free things first. Do the cheap things second. Then, spend the money. On behalf of the digital equipment salespeople, we thank you for the time it will take to follow these suggestions. It makes their jobs a lot easier and after all, it is all about them!