Memoirs of a Copier Sales Person

Just Another Day of Prospecting for Demo's.....on the Weekend

Art Post · 4/29/148:42 PM

I've pretty much reached a wall when prospecting for new accounts.

Sometimes, I wonder if companies conduct an internal contest to see who is the rudest person in the company. The winner is then placed in charge of taking calls from salespeople. Personally, when I come across someone like that, I make a personal note to myself to tell as many people as possible about how "rude" that company is!! Bad news always travels quicker than good news, right?

But, yesterday, I had a heck of a day making calls. It all started with a prospect that I followed up with. He was super busy and the only day he had open for a demonstration was this Saturday. I looked down at my appointment book which had ZERO appointments for the week and then stated "hell yes, Saturday would be a great day for a demonstration". A few calls later I connected with another account that was also kinda interested, so WTF, I threw out the offer to come in on Saturday since I'll be there already to take a look at the new 80ppm color system that we have. Sure enough, he also agreed! That makes two demos for Saturday!

The rest of the day didn't go that well; however, I still have three more days to see if I can get a third demo for Saturday.

Saturdays are the ultimate demo day; you get to come in late, wear jeans, comfy footwear, and your favorite weekend shirt!! But more importantly Saturday for the prospect is equally pleasurable. No distractions, no time limits, nothing to take away from meeting with you and taking a look at what you have to offer.

Over the years, especially when I had my own dealership, these types of Saturdays produced orders. So, instead of the "honey-do" list this Saturday, I'll be out getting coffee, buying my favorite bagels (at Sheepshead in Holmdel), and then making my way to the office to share some coffee, bagels, and knowledge with a few of my prospects.

-=Good Selling=-

Memoirs of a Copier Sales Person

One Huge Copier Sales Tip from and Old Pro

Art Post · 3/18/1410:13 PM

It's been a few days since I've had the desire to write. I'd bet the ranch that if I were paid to write, well... let's say it would be like an actor having stage fright. Ah ha! That's it, I've had writer's block.

Today

The last few days, I've had no ideas, no thoughts, until today. Today, I found myself trying to reel in a deal that I thought was in the bag, only to find out that the fight was on from a competitor.

What happens when you can't or don't want to budge on price? We're taught to fall back on our value points. Reemphasize those value points, why we're better, right? Thus, what happens when that doesn't work?

Today, I found myself doing an old-fashioned side-by-side comparison for XYZ copier (leaving it as XYZ because my competition may be reading this and I don't want to let them know what I'm up to). I've written about the side-by-side comparisons before, and a great place to get these is from GAP TCO. Thus, there I was reading the GAP TCO spec report on the XYZ system, checking out the brochure of the XYZ system, checking my brochure, and then back to GAP again for additional specs on my own system.

Side By Side

I took a few minutes to recall the past few meetings with the prospect and was trying to remember what was important to them. Besides the feeds and speeds, besides price, what was one of their top concerns when looking at a new vendor? I recalled some of the conversation about maintenance, downtime, and how important that was to them. This particular customer can't afford to have their system down a few times a month due to their tenacious appetite for paper! The prospect understands breakdowns; however, they will not tolerate a service engineer that comes out, diagnoses the fault, then states that they don't have the part and need to make a return call. We know the drill, right?

All of the above brought back memories from my old analog side-by-side comparisons. Years ago, it was more about FAB (feature-advantage-benefit). If no luck with FAB, you would then look to the consumables, in particular, how long those consumables would last before a service engineer had to be on site.

Scenario

In the scenario I was working on today, it dawned on me that the drums in the XYZ system had to be replaced more often than mine. In fact, those drums had to be replaced every 300K compared to every 900K in my system. Digging deeper, I found that the same was true with the waste toner container; theirs was 30K, mine every 125K. Replacement of toners also had me ahead, for every two of theirs, we only needed one.

My road to earning the sale will be to educate the prospect that even with zero breakdowns, my competitor's system will be down at the very minimum three times as much as my Ricoh.

I'll let you all know how this works out, and remember to do those side-by-sides, and you can get all of the neat information that I used from GAP TCO.

PS

That appointment did take place. I started off with this question: "With our last discovery meeting, you told me that reliability and uptime are key factors when deciding on choosing a vendor, is that still true?" My prospect stated, "Yes, if we're not printing, we're not making money." "You're still considering that XYZ device, correct?" I stated. "Yup, pretty much it's between your copier and theirs."

"Got it, take a look at this. I printed this from our spec guide on the XYZ copier. Please take a look at what I highlighted. Do you see the life of the drum at 300k?" Our DM looked at the doc and stated, "Why are you showing me this?" I then added our DM to the spec guide for my copier and also had the yield highlighted on the drum. I told him that our drum will last three times longer than the XYZ drum. What that means is that the copier from XYZ will be down three times to our one, since the Drum kit will take almost an hour to install. You're looking at two hours extra downtime with the XYZ copier.

After showing those docs and specs, the rest was easy, and the order was brought home

-=Good Selling=-

Memoirs of a Copier Sales Person

10 Ways to Make your MFP & MPS Proposals Standout!

Art Post · 3/6/147:05 PM

Over the years, I've encountered a plethora of both subpar Copier and MPS proposals and exemplary ones.

The significantly inferior proposals far outnumber the exceptional ones. You've likely come across them—what we commonly refer to as "hack proposals": exceedingly vague, providing only a price per month with no mention of delivery, installation, return procedures, training, support, or network installation.

As much as we strive to directly reach decision-makers, there are occasions when access to them eludes us, and we must submit proposals to gatekeepers.

What distinguishes your proposal from the rest?

Ensure impeccable grammar and spelling, with no misspelled words, incorrect model numbers, or abbreviations. Abbreviations can convey laziness, implying a lack of effort in composing a comprehensive proposal, which could lead the decision-maker to perceive you as lazy or not fully invested in the task at hand.
Incorporate action items, including value propositions, a comprehensive list of features, and benefits tailored to the prospect.
Highlight a lockout solution or feature. A thorough assessment may yield solutions or features that set you apart. Clearly articulate how your solution or feature benefits the prospect—for instance, by addressing security concerns associated with unclaimed prints and safeguarding personal information.
If quoting multiple systems, consider including a floor plan illustrating existing systems alongside those to be relocated, replaced, or retired.
Detail the prospect's current expenses and juxtapose them with projected replacement costs, highlighting potential savings.
For leasing customers, furnish comprehensive leasing information, encompassing various term options. Offer flexibility by providing quotes for multiple models, allowing the customer to select the most suitable option.
Include a detailed Scope of Work (SOW), outlining both what the customer can expect from you and your expectations of them. This is particularly critical when upgrading or assuming leases not within your portfolio.
Visual aids such as pictures can enhance the narrative. Consider including images of the systems or available options.
Cover letters serve as a professional touch, reinforcing your company's commitment to professionalism.
Emphasize that proposals are non-binding. Alongside the proposal, include a completed order form, maintenance agreement, and lease documents. To demonstrate your dedication, consider including "sign here" sticky notes, conveying your expectation of the order.

Remember, your proposal represents not just a product or service but also your company and yourself. Make it easily digestible with larger fonts and highlight key points. Ensure printed materials are of impeccable quality, and present the proposal in a format that suits your comfort level, be it a folder or binder.

Good luck with your sales endeavors.

-=Good Selling=-

Memoirs of a Copier Sales Person

The Sales Appointment that Goes All to Well!

Art Post · 2/15/1412:14 AM

We've all had them, right?

At lunch today, we spoke about the meeting that was too good to be true. The person you met with (who was to relay the information to the DM) was engaging, energetic, giving buying signs—basically all of the right stuff that says this is a slam dunk.

You were so enthused about the appointment that you projected the deal to close in a matter of weeks. Then... the bottom dropped out. All of a sudden, your contact was dodging your calls, offering lame excuses about late lunches, not being at their desk, no returned emails, and the occasional excuse that so-and-so is out on leave.

I hate meetings like these, and before you say, "Well, you should have met with the DM," I can tell you that many of my appointments never get me face-to-face with the DM the first time. They will pawn that job off to a trusted person in the company who does not have the authority to sign an order.

So, what can you do to "avoid the appointment that goes all too well"? Well... nothing. You will have meetings that go like this, and you need to add some closure before you leave the meeting.

Who is the ultimate decision-maker?
Is there a reason they are not here?
Are you looking at other proposals?
What is your buying criteria, is it price, support/service, speeds 'n' feeds, features?
What is your budget?
When do you need to make a move on this?

Above all, if you have not presented the proposal yet, then BEFORE you leave, schedule a follow-up appointment with the person you just met with along with the DM. If you don't, someone like me will! One other item, assume that the order is yours and move forward until you are stopped!

You can lose orders for the following reasons:

Sorry, my boss's next-door neighbor also sells the same equipment and he or she ordered from them.
Sorry, my boss has an uncle, aunt, or cousin in the business and we ordered from them.
Sorry, another salesperson scheduled an appointment with my boss and we bought from them.

I could probably list another 25 or so. My point, even though the meeting was great and all the energy indicated that you were going to get the order, does not mean that you can lay back and WAIT for the order! You have to make something happen, and that's to schedule the follow-up meeting to sign the paperwork with the DM. Right, assume the order. If they balk, then that's an objection that you need to know.

Losers wait for things to happen, and winners make things happen!

-=Good Selling=-

Memoirs of a Copier Sales Person

Selling Office Technology & a "Head Full of Hope"

Art Post · 2/4/149:12 PM

"So, what the heck is a 'head full of hope'? I heard the phrase for the first time while watching the miniseries 'Klondike.' Yes, I am a GOLD Rush freak!

I enjoy watching these guys prospect because prospecting is something I do on a daily basis. But finding GOLD, now that's a whole heck of a lot better than making 50 calls and getting a solid lead.

As a kid, I would often venture out on my own in the woods of Iselin, NJ, to see what I could find. I can remember a place called Fossil Rock, which was located next to the Parkway. Rumors had it that if you could find this rock, you'd be able to break pieces of the rock away to find fossils.

I never found the fossils because I never found the rock. But, I found many smaller rocks that were the hiding places of many critters, most of them being snakes. At first, I used to turn the rocks over by hand; I changed to using a big stick because one day I turned over a rock by hand, and a large snake scared the crap out of me! Heck, at 10 or 11 years old, I was on a mission to find what I could find.

In those days, I guess I could agree that I had a 'head full of hope' because I would leave in the morning with the belief that I would find old coins, treasure, snakes, or critters. Most days I returned with some fine-looking rocks that I thought might be valuable. Yup, I had a 'head full of hope.'

To this day, I still have that 'head full of hope' when it comes to prospecting because, as I think back, prospecting is always something I enjoyed doing. If I turned over enough rocks, I would eventually find something that I perceived as valuable, cool, or even scary (I've had a few prospects who were even scarier than that snake).

Thus, the same is true with prospecting for new customers; as long as you make the calls (phone or in person), send enough emails, do a few mailers, and before you know it, you've got prospects! Of course, some of those prospects won't pan out; others will fall off the face of the earth (we know that, right?), but there's always a few that will buy from you!

While in the office today, I mentioned the title of this blog to Ricky and gave him the outline. He commented, 'When you come to think of it, I was always prospecting before I got into sales.' I asked, 'How is that?' Ricky then stated that in his younger days (before he tied the knot), he would frequent some clubs to meet new women! Well, in my book, that's prospecting, right? When you come right down to it, all of us have some sales traits, and we didn't even know it!

I also have a 'head full of hope' for the Imaging Business. I believe that paper will never just go away, but I'm in agreement that prints from printers and copiers are in decline. There, I finally said it!

But, I've got a 'head full of hope' that new technologies will keep us relevant in the Office Technology business. Thus, in essence, we are still prospecting for hardware, software, and technology that will help our clients and prospects do more with less, save them time, increase efficiency, and help to lower their costs.

-=Good Selling=-"

Leases Memoirs of a Copier Sales Person MFP Proposals

Demise of the 60 Month Copier Lease

Art Post · 1/18/144:08 PM

Below is a blog I wrote about a year ago on the old blog site. I'll be moving these over from time to time.

As we still struggle to keep margins on equipment, maybe we need to become better advocates for presenting shorter terms for leasing equipment. I've been tracking all of my sales for purchases and leases; 92% of them involve leasing the equipment with a third-party leasing provider.

Of that 92%, 89% of the leases I've written were for 60 months. I would tend to think that, give or take a few percent, this might be applicable to most of us.

60 months/5 years is a long time, right?

Dang, I'm tired of my cell phone after two years and my car in about three. Technology changes so quickly nowadays that I want the latest and greatest new car features, whether it's better gas mileage, more comfort, or new technology. The same is true of my cell phone; after only two years, I would like to step up to new technology that may enhance my lifestyle or make me more productive. Wouldn't our customers want the latest technology with their copiers and MFP's also?

Why are we not quoting and selling more 24 or 36-month leases?

Look at it this way: if you put a customer into a 60-month lease, you'll have to wait at least four years until you or the customer has an upgrade path, and 54 months would be the prime time to upgrade. Even at 4 years, the upgrade path may not be as rosy of a picture for your customer.

Putting your customer into a 36-month lease means that the upgrade path is now reduced to two years, and 30 months would be the prime time to upgrade.

A lot can happen when you have to wait 48-54 months to upgrade the system. Items like a major breakdown, a poor service call, your contact being replaced by someone else, and the added pressure from other companies prospecting the same account can put your upgrade in jeopardy. A shorter-term lease will reduce these risks for you.

Take a $20,000 lease that is booked for 60 months, and the customer will pay $24,000 over the term of the lease. Compared to a 36-month lease, the customer will pay about $20,500 (factor of .0284). That's a $3,500 savings to the customer!

So How Can We Get Better at Selling 36-Month Leases?

There's a lot we can do. The first that comes to mind is the savings on interest; that should wake someone up. The second would be to explain the additional costs in maintenance/supply agreements that the customer would incur. Most of us sell maintenance agreements that have an auto-escalator clause that allows the maintenance/supply agreement or the cost per page agreement to increase every year. These annual increases can be anywhere from 5%-10% per year. Do the math!

We'll make it simple. That $20,000 copier/MFP that's pumping out 200,000 pages per year will mean the first-year contract cost is $2,000. With a 7% escalator clause, the 2nd-year cost is $2,140, the third-year cost is $2,289.80, the fourth-year is $2,450, and the last year is $2,621. Add them up, and over years four and five, the customer would pay an additional $1,071 for maintenance and supplies over a 60-month lease.

Invoicing: our customer will have to process at least another 24 invoices. With a small to medium-sized business, the cost to process that invoice and pay it is $15-$35 per invoice. Let's use $20 per invoice, and we've added another $480 over the 60-month lease cost.

In total, that $20K lease will cost your customer an additional $5,000! You've got to have this financial talk with your customer. In addition, if you upgrade the 36-month lease, you will lower the customer's cost of maintenance and supplies cost/cost per page with the new system, and there will probably be a few new features that will increase the customer's productivity!

Show the Savings to Your Account

That $5,000 savings over 60 months would be $83.33 per month. It's a no-brainer. Would the customer like to spend 25% more on a $20K lease? I doubt it. Keep in mind that the 36-month lease rate is the most competitive lease rate from all of the leasing companies; they score additional profit for 24, 48, and 60-month leases. I'd rather have a chance to go back to my customer in 24-30 months rather than 48 to 54.

-=Good Selling=-

Newer Posts