Bill Farquharson’s Print Sales Tip for the week of June 29, 2015

Good morning!

Have you got a morning routine?

That phrase is one that is typically associated with the elderly. My folks are in their 90s and follow a morning routine that you’d be wise not to interrupt.

Salespeople should have a morning routine as well, especially those of us who work from home. Contrary to popular belief, we can work harder and put in more hours than if we were commuting to an office. As such, a morning routine gives us a chance to do more than just grab a cup of coffee and head to the desk.

I have been in the workforce now for 33 years and all but 18 months of that have been spent working from an apartment, condo, or house. A while back I started getting into the bad habit of working shortly after getting out of bed. Doesn’t make for a very interesting life. And It wasn’t uncommon for me to still be in a bathrobe at noon time!

One trick I learned was to set the alarm on my iPhone for 7:30 AM and not allow myself to work prior to that. At first, it was very difficult. I love what I do and other than a good cup of coffee, it’s my job that motivates me to take my head off the pillow every morning.

Now, after waking up, I might exercise or read or play my guitar or garden and all of these non—work chores gave me energy, ideas, and overall satisfaction. My morning routine has made me healthier and happier, thus contributing to the quality of the work that I do.

This message probably runs contrary to common sense. Work less and get more done? How can that be correct? Hey, all I can tell you is that it worked for me. Do what I did and try it for a week.

In a future sales tip I will talk to you about the other end of the day and how to stop working. That one is far more difficult!

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New Sales Challenge starts July 5
http://www.TheSalesChallenge.com

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Have you taken the Sales Assessment Test? Do it today. It’s free and will tell you where you stand on the top aspects of effective sales. Plus, I will review it and send you back a personalized video. Also free. Hit the link at sales.epicomm.org

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Need to contact me? My email is bfarquharson@epicomm.org and the direct line is 781-934-7036

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PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Bill Farquharson’s Print Sales Tip for the week of June 22, 2015

Good morning!

Okay, we are on the cusp of a unique time of year, one that affords a unique opportunity.

Here in the States, next week and the week that follows sandwich the Fourth of July. This is typically a slower time of year and one where many customers grab an extra day off. If you are one of the fortunate who do as well, terrific. Enjoy it and get recharged.

If, however, you will be at work, like me, you might consider a different use of your time. Naturally, it would be ideal if you had appointments set up but I suspect that will not be the case.

Here are three suggestions:
Get organized— Clear off your desk, go through your notes, read old emails and just generally take some time to clean up. Typically speaking, we tend to get scattered and messy. Take the time to get refocused and centered.
Call existing accounts— Find out what their summer plans are, both personally and professionally. Perhaps it is time for an account review.
Prospect!— Think about calling a prospect and saying something like, “During the summer months when things slow down, isn’t this a great time to entertain some new ideas from a new vendor?” That just might land you an appointment.

The point is that this is not wasted time. You have an opportunity to do some things that you won’t have time for once business picks up again after the holiday. Take advantage.

Start now by making a list of those non-urgent, non-important to do items that you never seem to get to. Watch a few Ted Talks or perhaps a training video or two.

Now is the time to “Sharpen the saw.” Whether you are working during the slower days or not, make the most of them.

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New Sales Challenge starts July 5
http://www.TheSalesChallenge.com

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Have you taken the Sales Assessment Test? Do it today. It’s free and will tell you where you stand on the top aspects of effective sales. Plus, I will review it and send you back a personalized video. Also free. Hit the link at sales.epicomm.org

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Need to contact me? My email is bfarquharson@epicomm.org and the direct line is 781-934-7036

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PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Bill Farquharson’s Print Sales Tip for the week of June 15, 2015

Good morning!

I am feeling the need to circle back on a troubling topic… well, troubling to me anyway…

It has to do with, literally and figuratively, crossing your T’s and dotting your i’s. What I am referring to here is the practice of (tongue-in-cheek) writing good.

I have long believed that the written word is far more powerful than the spoken word. What we say can blow away like the wind, but put it in writing and it not only becomes more permanent but it is also subject to interpretation and, unfortunately, judgment of one’s character.

Have you ever read something and thought to yourself, “What a perfect way to express that thought.” Humorists such as Dave Barry have an extraordinary skill, that of choosing just the right words. Will Rogers was that way, too.

On the other end of the spectrum, however, are the rest of us. Imagine an introductory letter or a company brochure with typos. Even just missing a comma can turn, “Let’s eat, grandma” into “Lets eat grandma.”

We might not believe that it matters, but it matters.

Relying on Siri or other forms of speech recognition software (Such as the one used to write this sales tip) saves time but it also opens up plenty of room for error. Rereading a piece and speaking the words out loud, while time-consuming, is a worthy task when the goal is to sell yourself to a customer or prospect.

Believe me, I make more than my share of errors in this category, so I have plenty of room for improvement myself. Benefiting all of us would be one last look before hitting the “Send” button.

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New Sales Challenge starts July 5
http://www.TheSalesChallenge.com

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Have you taken the Sales Assessment Test? Do it today. It’s free and will tell you where you stand on the top aspects of effective sales. Plus, I will review it and send you back a personalized video. Also free. Hit the link at sales.epicomm.org

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Need to contact me? My email is bfarquharson@epicomm.org and the direct line is 781-934-7036

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PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Bill Farquharson’s Print Sales Tip for the week of June 8, 2015

What happens when we regularly arrive late to an appointment goes well beyond the inconvenience of cutting into the client’s time. It sends the customer a message.

There is an unintended side effect of making a phone call to a prospect from your noisy car while driving. You are saying more than, “I want your business.”

Or how about using a speakerphone? Or interrupting?

The phrase, “Actions speak louder than words” has a place in sales. What you say to a customer or prospect is important, as is how you say it. That is, the words and medium you choose are critical, but your behavior is a better example of who you are.

We all say, “I will work hard for you” and “People buy from me because of my customer service,” but those are just words.

I once heard a story of a sales rep getting a call from a client after he received his first order. It was 4pm on a Friday and the client called to say he was unhappy with the job and asked when the rep could come in to discuss it. The sales rep replied, “Now” and drove straight to the customer for what was sure to be an ugly meeting. When he walked in to the client’s office, the Buyer looked at his watch and said, “It’s a 30 minute drive to get here. You did it in 25 minutes. That shows me what you think of my business. There was nothing wrong with the job. I just wanted to see if you really were as responsive as you claimed. I am sorry to have misled you. Can we talk about the rest of my work? I want that kind of attention from a vendor and you are my new #1 printer.”

Is that a true story? I don’t know. The point is that we are constantly sending our customers and prospects messages from the non-verbal and subliminal sales actions we take. We are in the time business. We are in the common courtesy business. We are in the don’t be late and don’t use a speakerphone and don’t interrupt business.

Some of the key components of effective sales were taught to you by your parents or grandparents. Hopefully, you were listening.

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Have you taken the Sales Assessment Test? Do it today. It’s free and will tell you where you stand on the top aspects of effective sales. Plus, I will review it and send you back a personalized video. Also free. Hit the link at sales.epicomm.org

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Need to contact me? My email is bfarquharson@epicomm.org and the direct line is 781-934-7036

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PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Bill Farquharson’s Print Sales Tip for the week of June 1, 2015

This is also the subject of my blog tomorrow, but I am passionate about making the point so I wanted to talk about it in my tip, too….

Prospecting for new business is a marathon, not a sprint….ordinarily. But look at the calendar with me. Today is June 1. You have 5 full weeks—25 business days—between now and the Fourth of July. This is a sprint to the finish line! It’s your last chance to generate some sales momentum going into the summer.

What can you do about it? Here are three ideas:

Make a commitment to call every customer. On that call, thank them for their business, ask if they need your help designing any upcoming projects, and pick one product or service that you sell but they don’t currently buy from you and bring it in to the conversation.
Commit to making a set number of extra prospecting calls every day. Just 2 additional calls a day is 50 new business attempts. 4 extra calls a day is 1 00. Get the math?
Commit to making a set number of total sales calls (to both new and existing clients) every day. I challenge you to make 7 total sales calls a day between now and then. Don’t think you can do it? Download my free white paper cleverly entitled, How to Make Seven Sales Calls a Day. You’ll never guess what it’s about.

June is a transition month. It is also your last chance to beat the bushes and make some noise. If your sales volume dries up in July and August, think back on this sales tip and the advice it contains.

I tell you what. As I was writing and filming this sales tip, I had a thought. I am so committed to this idea and how it will impact your success that I am going to give you a tool to help, for free….

One part of the Sales Challenge program involves setting daily sales activity goals like the points I made earlier, and then holding you to them. As a gift, I will include you in this process for the next 5 weeks. I want you to see the value of being held accountable to your commitment.

Today is June 1. I will take all comers who email me before the end of business on Tuesday June 2. I need your name, the best email to use to reach you with the weekly Scorecard we send out, and the number of calls you are setting as your daily goal.

Every day for the next 5 weeks, I will email you at 4pm ET. When you are done with your calls for the day, hit the link, then give me your call count. Every Monday I will send a report back to you with your results along with everyone else who is participating. You will be identified by first name and initial only.

Stick with it for five weeks and see the difference. It’s on me. Hey, I am going to participate, too. You will see Bill F right there on the list. My goal is 7 sales calls a day. Come on. Join me. Send me an email and give me a number. I dare you!

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Did you like this tip? If you did, do me a favor and share. Thanks.

Got a Sales Challenge you want to talk about? Call me at 781-934-7036. And don’t forget to visit the Sales Resources page at sales.epicomm.org

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PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Bill Farquharson’s Print Sales Tip for the week of May 26, 2015

Recently, I stumbled upon a blog a few years back by a restaurant owner out in Salt Lake City. He was wagging a finger at us salespeople (in general, not just print sales people). It seems that shortly after he opened his restaurant, he received a number of calls from salespeople who were anxious to help them to fill his new establishment and each had a solution.

Josh, I believe his name was, reported spending over $10,000 on several Internet-based solutions that ultimately yielded practically nothing.But that’s not what he was writing about.

His blog took issue with the fact that none of those sales people followed up. After the sale was made, no one ever called him to ask, “How did everything go?” Josh found that curious, interesting, and annoying.

As I recall, he continued by saying that the only marketing initiative that did work was when he printed out 15,000 flyers for distribution and mailing. That, he said, was a winner!

Score one for the print industry!

But…

That sales rep, too, failed to follow up.

So, this tip is about follow-up. We should all be reconnecting with our existing customers with the following checklist:
First, thank the client for the business (just like your mother taught you);
Second, ask the question, “How did everything go” and find out if there are any issues you need to know about;
Finally, find out what projects are on the client’s front burner. That is, what are they working on? What is their hottest business issue?

Following this process will not only make Josh happy but is certain to result in a higher customer loyalty rate and a greater chance of expanding your business within that account.

Plus, as your mom would remind you, it’s the right thing to do.

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Okay, any stories of success from follow-up that you care to share? Either drop me a note or add a comment below.

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Did you like this tip? If you did, do me a favor and share. Thanks.

Got a Sales Challenge you want to talk about? Call me at 781-934-7036. And don’t forget to visit the Sales Resources page at sales.epicomm.org

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PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Bill Farquharson’s Print Sales Tip for the week of May 18, 2015

Okay, pop quiz…

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest, how prepared and organized are you right now? Don’t over think this, just come up with a number and write it down.

What I want you to do is to be aware of the relationship between the number that you just assigned to my question and the efficiency and productivity that you experience as the week goes on.

If it’s Monday, May 18, and you gave yourself a low score of two or three, you might find that you don’t get a whole lot accomplished.

If, on the other hand, you rate yourself with a high number (anything, say, seven or higher), my guess is that you will be VERY efficient and productive this week.

Keep in mind that I’m not talking about results. That is, being organized and prepared does not automatically mean that your sales are going to skyrocket. What is does is to give you the best chance at getting a lot done.

So, take out a piece of paper and write the words “Sales Efficiency, week of May 18” across the top and then put the number you thought of when I asked you to question underneath it. Then, tape it to the wall or to your desk. On Friday, or perhaps this time next week, compare that number with the week you just had. Did you get a lot done or a little?

Sales efficiency and productivity are directly related to organization and preparation. I want you to see that relationship so that you understand the importance of planning next week before you leave this week.

Have a great selling week everyone.

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Okay, let’s see those numbers. Write down your answer to that first question: on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest how prepared and organized are you feeling right now?

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If you liked this sales tip, do me a favor and share it. Thanks.

Got a Sales Challenge you want to talk about? Call me at 781-934-7036. And don’t forget to visit the Sales Resources page at sales.epicomm.org

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PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Print Sales Tip for the week of May 4, 2015

I don’t know about you, but there is no shortage of things to do in my life.

So, when setting some new goals recently, I had to think really hard before adding, “Get fed” to the list.

By “Get fed,” I mean, “Do more reading, learning, and creative thinking.” It means, spend some time sharpening the saw, as Stephen Covey would say. But after noticing that this advice is consistently doled out my nearly every smart and successful person that I know, I decided to FIND time in my day, every day, to learn.

What a difference it is made!

Think, for a second, about the challenges in your sales day. Your skill set needs to include organization, motivation, creativity, inspiration, and lots and lots of communication. The good news is, every sales challenge you are having has been faced and conquered by somebody else. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Sure, you could attend a seminar and get a temporary boost. How often have you walked out of the session feeling like a recharged battery. But very quickly, life takes over and you return to your previous state of mind, already in progress.

My suggestion is that you find something to nibble on at the start of every day. Whether it’s a book, an e-book, or (my personal preference) an audiobook, find a source of information that you can gain from an ongoing basis. If you are like me, you need to reread old favorites again and again.

And they don’t have to be books on sales or selling. You can read non-business books and gain business knowledge just the same. How to Win Friends and Influence People. The Four Agreements. Re-Awaken the Giant Within. A New Earth. Strengths Finder. Well-Being. All of these titles are not necessarily designed to make you a better salesperson but every single one of them does just that.

Just like sales growth is a process, so is personal growth. It happens one day at a time, one book at a time. If you want to get better at both, get fed.

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If you liked the sales tip, do me a favor and share it. Thanks.

Got a Sales Challenge you want to talk about? Call me at 781-934-7036. And don’t forget to visit the Sales Resources page at sales.epicomm.org

PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

Print Sales Tip for the week of April 20, 2015

Part of the Sales Challenge program that I run each month includes small group conference calls. Here, participants meet in teams of four or five and everyone brings one sales challenge to the conversation so that we can all provide input since we are all fighting the same fights.

Having done hundreds of these calls, I am rarely surprised at the topics that come up but last week a participant posed an interesting question and I thought it would throw it out there to all of you. Here goes…

A prospect asks you for a price and gives you the specs. You’ve met with this prospect and, as part of your vetting process, your Spidey senses lead you to believe that this guy is not just about price. So here’s the question: Do you provide an artificially low price or do you go in this first time with a normal quote?

The two arguments are these: a first time low price sets precedent. Sure, once you are in you might be able to increase your margins over time but you also run the risk of losing what could’ve been a great customer who sees through your tactic. Perhaps you should be honest and say something like, “Look, I could lowball this bid just to get in the door but I’m not going to do that. I would rather give you a fair and competitive price and hope that we can build a trusting and valuable relationship together.”

What do you think? Does that customer even exist anymore? What would you do in this situation? Add a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

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Did you like this video? Do me a favor: Share it. As always, the best ideas to drive your sales momentum and bring out your inner sales force are at sales.epicomm.org. While you are there sign up to receive these tips automatically.

Got a Sales Challenge you want to talk about? Call me at 781-934-7036. And don’t forget to visit the Sales Resources page at sales.epicomm.org

PagePath Technologies, Inc. Is a leader in Web-to-Print storefronts.

[Webinar] Becoming a Superhero in Print Sales and Marketing

Join us for a webinar on Apr 24, 2015 at 11:00 AM CDT.

The world is buzzing with the soon-to-be released second movie in the Avengers series. Once again we get to visit the world of Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow and more.

Diving deeper into the realm of superheroes, we find we can learn an amazing amount about print sales. In this newest Webinar from MyOrderDesk, Joe Kern, Vice President of Marketing, will show you how you can become a “Superhero in Print Sales and Marketing” by learning from this strong team – and its villains.

This Webinar is great content for Owners, Sales Associates, Marketers and Customer Service Representatives.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.