This week, I was stationed in Atlantic City for an Association event spanning three days. While being away from home for such a duration isn't my preference, the Association event serves as a robust platform for gathering leads for potential new prospects.
From 7 AM to 7 PM on Thursday, with half-day commitments on Wednesday and Friday, the schedule can be quite taxing for anyone. Thankfully, I had backup representatives assisting me on Wednesday and Thursday.
Prior to the event, I ensured we had two Ricoh digital whiteboards and a Ricoh CXW 2201SP wide format printer/scanner/copier on hand. Last year, relying solely on the Ricoh whiteboards felt limiting as we missed out on opportunities due to the lack of a wide format presentation option. Hence, the decision to include a wide format device this time.
Last year's event was unique as we were the only technology company present. While the whiteboards garnered significant interest, unfortunately, we didn't secure any orders from those leads. This year, I aimed for a different outcome by still showcasing the whiteboards but adding the CW2201SP to our arsenal to highlight our wide format capabilities.
Our Ricoh CW2201 arrived just before the vendor set-up deadline. As it was being wheeled to my booth, I was surprised to see another wide format device arriving right behind it. Another wide format vendor? Quite unexpected!
After overcoming the initial shock of the competition, I focused on highlighting what makes our device unique compared to the Canon TX series, which turned out to be the competing product.
Features of the Canon TX series included:
- Lower purchase price (Dealer & MSRP)
- High-quality graphics production capability
- Best image quality on inkjet paper
- On-board Windows 10 controller
- Copy/Scan/Print GUI via Software on Windows 10 controller
- Optional additional paper roll (up to 600-foot rolls)
- 5 ink colors
- Color Scan
- Scan & print from and to USB Drive
- Pigment inks (resistant to running or smearing when wet)
In comparison, here's how the Ricoh CW 2201SP device stacked up:
- Higher purchase price (Dealer & MSRP)
- Inability to produce high-quality graphics
- Gel ink Technology (resistant to running or smearing when wet)
- Good imaging on bond paper
- No Windows controller required
- No need to access software for Copy/Scan/Print
- Optional additional paper roll (up to 590-foot roll)
- Scan & Print to and from USB & SD Card
- Print from Hard Drive Library
Recognizing the strengths and weaknesses, I devised a plan to showcase the uniqueness of our product. I pre-printed about 16 color 24x36 plans and placed them strategically on the Ricoh, along with a small cup of water on the other side. This setup aimed to demonstrate the resilience of our prints to water damage.
Engaging attendees, I highlighted the water-resistant feature of our prints, emphasizing that our device is ideal for color CAD printing, offering cost-effective solutions with large paper rolls and lower ink costs. Demonstrating various functionalities such as printing from USB drives and ease of copying further reinforced our product's value proposition.
Despite facing some challenges with pricing and one potential lead ghosting, I'm content knowing that we delivered an exceptional demonstration, evident from the positive feedback received. Even though the competition boasted water-resistant prints, our focus on delivering a compelling demonstration ensured we stood out.
On the final day, a visit to the Canon booth reaffirmed the effectiveness of our approach. With no water demonstration or pre-printed drawings, and difficulties in showcasing interface functionalities, it became evident that our demonstration strategy had effectively communicated the superiority of our product.
-=Good Selling=-
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