If sales are down, why don’t we do something and increase sales? Here’s why as well as a solution.
Right now, sales are down over a three-year period for at least 70% of printers I chat with each week, if not more. But don’t slit your wrist. I’ve studied this off and on since the 1980’s and find sales are down for at least 60% of us in GOOD times. In bad times, it’s as much as 90%.
Most importantly, of those whose sales are down, nearly all do nothing about it.
That’s because, I believe, we don’t feel there’s anything we can do. After all, we’d rather our business fail than make cold calls and, besides, we’re not just going to do it.
So what’s a poor printer to do? Conventional wisdom is we can’t do anything so whatever happens, happens. I’m here to tell you something different.
There are lots of things we can do to increase sales without making cold calls.
Here’s one example: use the MONEY model to develop customer relationships.
CPrinters have used this for years with success and I’ve published it as a program at CPrint Academy for training CSRs, owners and salespeople. So learn it, teach it and use it and you’ll increase sales.
Now it won’t make you rich and famous, but it will increase sales without you having to make a cold call as this technique may be used with people who contact to you. Close more of those and you’ll increase sales without cold calls.
MONEY is an acronym for:
Me, Organization, Niche, Estimate and Yes.
It’s the five stages of acceptance that customers must affirm in order to buy from you whether they realize it or not. It also explains why all many prospects seem to care about is price. And it’s the method in which we show customers we can be trusted. All wrapped up into one.
- Me: the first stage is Me. The prospect has to be sold on me first and foremost. Everything else can be right, even your price, but if they think I’m incompetent; they won’t buy regardless of price or whatever I do. Rather they’ll blame it on the price being too high.
Why? Well, while some are genetically altered to negotiate a low price, most aren’t. No, the vast majority don’t want to insult you. They don’t want to say, “I wouldn’t buy from you if you were the last person on earth because you are incompetent and I can’t trust you with the job.”
So, instead of insulting you, they tell you that your price is too high whether it is or not. After all, even you would have to agree that if I can buy the same thing elsewhere for less, I should.
When all things are equal, price is the deciding factor. So never let all things be equal.
“I’ll be taking care of your account and I want you to know that I’ve had ten years of experience dealing with the needs of companies just like yours.”
“I’m relatively new so I can assure you that I work exceptionally hard in meeting your needs.”
- Organization: or our business. The prospect has to be sold on our shop being able to produce what they want. Everything else can be right but if they don’t think we have the equipment or skilled people to produce it, then they will not buy; rather they will blame it on the price being too high.
“We’re the largest job shop printer in Charlton County and have been since 1950.”
“We’re the largest digital print shop in this zip code and I know we will be able to handle your projects.”
- Niche: the specific product. While the prospect may have already defined their needs; they have to be sold on the product accomplishing their goal. Everything else can be right but if they aren’t sold on the product, then they will not buy; rather they will often blame it on the price being too high.
“Have you considered producing this sell sheet in full color? What few people realize is that color adds to the luxuriousness of the product and helps you support a higher price ….”
“May I suggest we add color to this as it’s an image piece? It’s not a functional document.”
Image pieces are anything that touches the customer. Functional forms and documents are anything that does not.
“You might consider a bleed … the purpose of it is to draw the reader’s attention into the message and it’s found to be very effective …”
Having product knowledge not only helps the customer judge what is appropriate but also adds immensely to your credibility which heightens trust.
- Estimate: yes, PRICE is important. But it is important within the class of products that will meet the buyers’ needs.
The buyer isn’t concerned with the lowest price. They are concerned with the lowest price among printers who can deliver the job on time, however. Therefore, all things are purchased in classes. Lexus, for instance, is a low cost auto. It is typically the lowest in cost among those autos considered to be luxury cars. No one makes a choice between the luxurious Lexus and the low priced Nissan Versa.
So limit your competition to printers who can deliver what the customer wants, when the customer wants it. I don’t care what kind of prices they get off the Internet.
Another technique is to reduce the price to the ridiculous. Specifically, that’s a per piece rate. Now, do not avoid the total cost. Tell them that it will be $2,000 or only one cent each. Utilize the per piece rate wherever appropriate but don’t duck the total price.
- Yes: may we go ahead and get this project off your desk? We assist the customer when we help them reach a conclusion. It’s not being pushy. So, never give them a price without asking if they are ready to buy.
“May we go ahead and get this project off your desk?”
“I’m not sure we can get this done by Friday? I’ll check with the Production Manager. If it turns out we can, may be go ahead with it?”
Conclusion
Even though customers may never ask you these five questions; they have to be answered to their satisfaction before they have enough trust to buy. Work the answers into your conversations.
So, understand the MONEY model and use it.
It is one thing we can do that will increase sales without having to make sales calls.
10 More Ways to Increase Sales without Cold Calls
Like the MONEY model? Well, there’s 10 more ways to increase sales without cold calls available to you now at https://crouser.com/shop/10-ways-increase-sales-without-cold-calls/
What are they?
- Price Faster, not more accurately
- Follow up quickly and know what to say
- Know these three numbers every day
- Plan for slow months, not the busy ones
- Ask for the sale using a non-threatening method
- Remind customers of repeating jobs
- Really put word of mouth to work for you, just don’t think you are
- Rejuvenate lost customers
- Let prospects know you are here
- Offer new stuff to your customers so they may buy it
And, as a bonus,
- Visit your neighbors.
These techniques work in all shops: digital, offset or even letterpress shops.
Available for only $5 a tip or $50.
https://crouser.com/shop/10-ways-increase-sales-without-cold-calls/
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