MFP Copier Blog

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A little AI fun with Johnny Carson

You're sitting across from Johnny Carson, the legendary host, with the bright lights shining, the band playing a smooth intro. Carson leans forward with that sly smile, and in his signature voice, he kicks things off:

Johnny Carson: "Well, well, well, Art Post, ladies and gentlemen! This guy's been selling copiers longer than some of our audience has been alive! Art, 40 years in the copier business—that's a lifetime! I gotta ask, how do you keep it fresh? You’re not tempted to start selling something a little more... exciting, like—oh, I don’t know—jetpacks?"

Art Post: Wow! Jet Packs, really wish I would have been able to sell those, my sales would have been soaring!  Kidding aside, I treat every day as a new opportunity to sell a copier to someone who can benefit from my services.  It never gets dull when meeting new people and solving real business issues with office technology.

Johnny Carson: [Johnny chuckles softly, leaning back] "Now, I’ve heard some wild stories about copier salesmen, Art. Tell me, what’s the craziest situation you’ve ever found yourself in while trying to close a deal? You know, like someone saying they can’t sign the contract because their pet parrot needs to approve it first?"

Art Post: LOL, I've been in a few of those offices that had parrots, however thank goodness they weren't able to opine.  I'm probably going back 20-30 years old and I can remember sitting in a clients office well past 5PM try to close a deal.  I told myself I'm not leaving this office until I had the signed order. After each question I asked I remaining client until my client offered up an answer, it was sometime after 6PM when we finally agreed to the order.

Another great story, me and my buddy were scheduled to demo a copier at a house.  We knocked on the front door two to three times and no answer. Okay, maybe we need to try the back door?  We opened up gate to the fence and to our surprise we scared the crap out of the guys wife that was sun bathing nude in the back yard.  Needless to say we left in a hurry and never did the demo.

Johnny Carson: "And I hear you're trying to sell a new copier to Greg Walters. Now, we all know he’s a tough guy to impress. What’s your game plan? You gonna wine and dine him, or do you have some secret copier trick up your sleeve to seal the deal?"

Art Post: Greg?  How did you know that?  Guess AI knows all.  Greg is a tough cookie, however getting Greg to talk about his passions first (like bourbon) will open him open some.  We can then talk about the best bourbons is a reflection on the how good our Ricoh products are.  After a few drinks I think I'll be able to sell Greg whatever he needs.

Johnny Carson: [Johnny grins mischievously] "Well, you’ve definitely got the charm, Art. And I bet you’ve seen some serious evolution in technology since the days when you started. I mean, back then, a 'portable copier' was probably the size of a Buick, right?"

Art Post: Yes a Buick, oh man those were huge cars.  Back in the day and before I started in the industry some of original production copiers were almost equal to the size of VW bug.  Some installs would take three or four guys to get a copier up a few flights of stairs. Can you imagine being in a suit and tie in the heat of the summer lugging those copiers around?  However, those were great times and great commissions.

Johnny Carson: "Art, before we wrap up—now, this is just between you, me, and the millions of folks watching at home—what’s one thing you wish more people knew about copiers or your industry? Come on, let’s give ‘em something to think about."

Art Post: Copiers are still machines and they always seem to break at the wrong time, Murphy's Law right? When selecting a copier always look at the total cost of operation, than means supplies, service, support and the cost of the copier. In addition make sure you're working with a rep, of course like me that's knowledgeable and can point you to the right copier for your needs.

Johnny wraps it up with a laugh and a handshake, saying, “Art Post, everybody! The man who makes sure your documents are crisp, clear, and under control!”

-=Good Selling=-

Special thanx to Greg Walters for getting my creative juices flowing with AI

This doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's awesome!

I closed the sale in a single appointment, which doesn’t happen as frequently as it used to. On Friday, I received a lead from my Jersey Plotters site for a wide format device. It wasn’t a huge opportunity, but it was a new business prospect with better margins.

The client initially called for a service request on their HP device, and I had to let them know we don’t service HP machines. However, we kept the conversation going, and I provided a couple of HP tech support numbers that I had on hand. Naturally, I mentioned that we sell both toner-based and inkjet wide format devices, and I asked them to reach out to me if they couldn't resolve the issue with HP.

An hour later, the client contacted me again, asking for a quote on a new wide format device. We hopped on a call to discuss their needs and volume requirements. Within the hour, I sent over three quotes—two for inkjet wide formats and one for a toner-based model. I wanted to give them a range of options, from budget-friendly to higher-end.

When I followed up on Monday, we scheduled an on-site meeting for today with the decision-maker (DM). I made sure to bring order forms, though I left them blank since I had provided multiple quotes.

During the meeting, as we reviewed the quotes, I had a strong feeling that this could close on the spot. That’s when the salesmanship kicked in. Every time I asked a question, I waited patiently for the response—it felt like a classic sales scenario from the '80s. The DM’s final question was something along the lines of, "Why shouldn’t I check prices from other vendors?"

This was my cue. I emphasized the value I bring. "As a business owner, you know that anyone can beat a price, right?" He nodded. I then highlighted my expertise in wide format devices, my years of experience, and the fact that several of his industry peers are my current clients. He seemed surprised to learn that I support those accounts.

Finally, I asked, "Would you like to place the order for the wide format today?"

And yes—it was a great one-call close!

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Hacked!

9/23/2024

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-=Stay Safe=-

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This Week in Copiers Fifteen Years Ago

Third Week of September 2009

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Real Copier Sales

Like all companies our leadership has business objectives that we are held accountable to. We are graded at every interval imaginable; daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly. Over our career we are graded on how well we over achieve the objectives that are handed to us. No one cares about the economic climate, the stability of the environment how strong the credit market is or how much or little corporate leadership is going to invest into their infrastructure over a given time period. Really all they care about is did you meet your objectives and overachieve! Life is about revolving and ever growing budgets and making and meeting commitments... more here

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