Tagged With "Productivity Suites"
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Re: Selling Copiers "Opportunties Abound to Make a Few Extra Bucks"
Let me play devil's advocate here...First of all, usually it's not the dealers that forbid selling in other territories, it's the manufacturers, and dealers are bound by contract to uphold that obligation, which by the way is the only thing keeping us from having to compete with the internet. Secondly, if you receive any kind of salary and spend daytime hours selling a different product, that would be grounds for dismissal, regardless of brand or territory. If you question whether that is...
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Re: Selling Copiers "Opportunties Abound to Make a Few Extra Bucks"
Old Glory: Great comment, off hours would be the key. If you are salaried then you need to stick to working those hours for the company you work for, period! However, if you are a commissioned only rep, or looking to get out on your own, the opportunity stated above is a good way to get a start.
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Re: My Top New Years Work Resolutions for 2015
Hey Art, Was wondering if you set resolutions to get x amount of $$$ in your pipeline for the year?
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Re: My Top New Years Work Resolutions for 2015
Nope, no resolutions for x amount of dollars. It's my belief that if you do the prospecting you'll have the pipeline of dollars.
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Re: Ditching the Polo Shirt Can Increase Your Sales
Buttoned down shirt with a tie or jacket says "professional," "consultant," A polo shirt says "peddler" I don't care where you are or what the prospect says. A "peddler" in a suit WILL make people uncomfortable. A professional consultant in a polo shirt will most likely be seen as a peddler. I know I just skewered a lot of sacred cows but I caution you to not discount what I am saying just because you don't like dressing up. Some of the people reading this are better off in a polo shirt...
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Re: Ditching the Polo Shirt Can Increase Your Sales
I feel like many clients are intimidated by someone in a full suit and tie. You want to relate to the customer and I rarely even see ties in the workplace anymore. Millennials just don’t care about a piece of cloth around your neck. But I’m 30 so obviously there’s a generational thing here too. I do agree with the shoes though, studies show it’s the first thing someone notices about you. I think a nice polo with a company logo shows your part of the team.
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Re: Ditching the Polo Shirt Can Increase Your Sales
I can agree with not needing the tie & suite jacket with existing accounts. At least with net new accounts a suit with no tie is still appropriate. Appreciate the comment .
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Re: Five Ways for Copier Reps to Stay Productive on a SNOW DAY!
You better inform him that his is not supposed to send out mass emails!
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Re: Five Ways for Copier Reps to Stay Productive on a SNOW DAY!
Those blast (20-40) emails are going to existing accounts that have approved receiving enails from my constant contact account
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Re: Five Ways for Copier Reps to Stay Productive on a SNOW DAY!
Hey Art I know your day is probably done by now, But just a heads up in case you don't already know. Marketbridge (link is located in InfoCenter) has 60 + customizable email templates that you can utilize for an email campaign or to help you EFFECTIVELY stay in contact with your customers and prospects. The templates cover different verticals, different horizontals, as well as specialty products (ACE), request for appointments, follow ups and holiday messages. It is easy to use and its...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago, The Second Week in January 2014
One of my goals for this year is to garner more leads. You can do that with generating educational documents. I wrote this blog a few years ago, hope this helps. 31 Ways to Garner Net New Copier & Managed IT Business (2 of 31) Enjoy the threads from 5 years ago this week! This Week in the Copier/Office Equipment Industry 10 Years Ago (2nd Week of January 2004) Art Post · 1/12/143:32 PM it... Ricoh Dealer Meeting 1/8/04 9:48 AM Topic by Boston Mike Ricoh Dealer Meeting - Las Vegas, NV...
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Attention Sales Leaders... Your Sales Reps Must Get Valuable Before They Get Visible!
In my previous blog, "Attention Sales Leaders... How Well Are Your Sales Reps Opening New Conversations?" I shared, the way sales reps open up new conversations has a direct bearing on the close. The way sales reps open up conversations, the direction they take those conversations along with the strategy behind those conversations; all will have a direct bearing on the close of the sale. Let's dive into this a bit deeper as we uncover the next layer in effectively opening up new...
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Why Product Knowledge Can Vault You to Success
Would you agree or disagree with this statement? "You can have the best sales skills in the world, however, if you don't know your product you won't sell a damn thing". I'm a firm believer in the above, excellent product knowledge has allowed me to be extremely successful selling print devices. I feel bad for those sales peeps have the cheapest or lowest price along with zero product knowledge. The end result is guy and gals like me will eat them for lunch. LinkedIn is full of sales guru's...
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3 Dead Giveaways That You Are An Empty Suit
A true sales professional thinks before they act. They plan, prepare and practice as they build a structure of success. They lead with intention, and become the example. A great sales professional is precise with their decisions by aligning their vision and values to earn the respect of their clients. With purposeful intent, they engage in heartfelt activities benefitting those around them. And this is what your clients and prospects crave, right? They deserve a sales professional who is...
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3 Ingredients To Custom Fit The Empty Sales Suit
A custom fitted suit has a unique, empowering feel as it sits comfortably against your body. It's the statement you make about who you are and what you value regarding your appearance. Anyone can stroll into their local department store and pull a suit off the rack, but to truly “pull off” the suited look, one visits a tailor. A custom tailor is able to enhance all of the best features through the fit of the suit. Off-the-rack department store suits don't offer much in a variety of style,...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago (Second Week of April 2004)
In the last two blogs and in this blog I used some scene pictures. If anyone can tell me what country these are from we'll comp you a one year Premium/VIP membership at no cost. You need to post your answers in the reply section. Enjoy these threads from 15 years ago this week! Color On Demand from bizhub C350 4/9/044:56 PM punching with the addition of PK-501 Punch Kit. Printing and Scanning Capabilities are Standard The standard configuration for the bizhub C 350 includes color and B&W...
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Are You Building Relationships Or Burning Bridges?
You can be credible, reliable and loving but if it’s painfully obvious you only have your own interests at heart people will see through your charade. They will call you out for what you are, an empty suit. Whatever the position you have in sales, you’re the face of the company. You're the living testament of the corporate brand and its values. This places you in a unique position whether you believe or not. I encourage everyone in sales to think about the following... all of you have blind...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago (Second Week of February 2015)
It's Friday night and late. Tuesday evening I traveled to Atlantic City for our annual showing of wide format copiers and white boards. Our event started Wednesday in the AM and lasted until 1PM today. I'm getting too old to put in 10 hour days on the show floor (lol). I love doing them because of the interaction with potential clients and you never know who you're going to meet. We brought the BIG 65 inch white board and it was the sizzle that we needed to catch all of those prospects. All...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago for the Last Week in April of 2005
15 years, what were the hot topics in the copier industry? Better times for sure, take a peek at what was cool, what stunk. Take a trip back in time to remember some of the good ole days. You'll be glad you did! Most popular threads from 15 years ago this week!\ Konica Minolta Introduces the bizhub(TM) C450 Color Printer/Copier/Scanner Mike Sasso · 4/26/058:25 AM Konica Minolta Introduces the bizhub(TM) C 450 Color Printer / Copier /Scanner Featuring the New bizhub OP Open Platform, the...
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Is Buzzword Bingo Exposing You As An Empty Suit?
Buzz-riddled descriptive words may sound impressive but despite sounding important, there's usually little meaning nor substance behind the words. Way too many in sales are using the same standard sets of sales jargon to describe situations as a replacement for just speaking plain old normal language. They rely on buzzwords to communicate concepts rather than explaining what they mean. Let's get real for a moment... do you think this makes you sound or look smart? I bet it only adds more...
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Relationships Do Matter! Don't Become Relationally Vulnerable With Your Clients.
I'd like for you to grab a sheet of paper and pen. Write down your top 5 clients. Now, I'd like for you to think about them for a moment... On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your client knowledge? Go ahead and put a number score next to each one of them. If you agree your clients mean the world to you then how well do you know them and how well do they know you? I say this because deep meaningful relationships are necessary in this post trust sales world. Here's the deal... I'm keeping...
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COVID19 "Remote Working" Day Forty-Six of Sales
Yesterday I had my first appointment in the field in more than two months. It was time to get back in business attire, that meant the dress shoes needed to be shined, the pressed slacks removed from the closet and of course that neatly pressed dressed shirt that's been on hiatus for the past 10 weeks. Looking in the closed I spotted a nice blue shirt with very think white lines and thought that would do the trick for the day. As I reached for the shirt I thought that this can't be my shirt,...
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I have been Laid Off. What's Next?
I have been laid off. What’s Next? March 30, 2020 It has been a long time since I have uttered those words “ I have been laid off” , But here we are. I have to say that my previous employer has been pretty cool to maintain my Health care indefinitely. But, Having said that, I have been laid off. What does that mean. In fundamental terms it means I am unemployed. So what does that mean to YOU? It depends upon who YOU are, and YOUR comfort with risk. I mean after all I am 59 years old. And...
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Re: Oh my, when selling copiers door to door was so simple?
Schools typically buy in the summer and bought larger equipment. Back then, suits were mandatory...that IBM look. Imagine if you will what a demo was like after you had just unloaded a 300 lb. copier in 100+ degree heat while wearing a suit!!! And I was in Iowa at the time. I can't imagine what Texas was like. Ever had one of those stairmaster carts collapse, dumping that "already sold" copier onto the customer's floor. Yea, me neither. And that pencil sell..."Mr. Prospect, about how many...
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Re: Connect the MFPs you sell to any folder
Hi Timw, I would definitely recommend setting up multiple shared folders! I know this will save your customers a lot of time and really add value to the service you provide. Especially when every end-user gets direct access to the folders he or she uses most. Having this kind of conversation with your prospects is sure to give you insight into what is important to them and which solution will suit their needs best. You'll be surprised how many prospects aren't sure what the MFPs will be used...
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Data Analytics Raises Health Care IT Security Concerns
Health care providers have been somewhat under the gun when it comes to the integrity, security and privacy of patient data for more than a decade now, while breaches have increased in prevalence and damage. The onus has been decisively placed on individual medical firms to begin making more progressive changes to their IT security and general data management strategies, but the entirety of the sector is increasingly expected to invest more time and resources into these endeavors.
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Top Secret Tip for Locating a Prospect's Email Address
Copier prospecting without having contact information? How can you locate an unknown email address? I believe the year was 1995. I had taken my first copier sales job working for a Lanier direct location. Sales was a pretty straightforward...
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This Week in the Copier/Office Equipment Industry 10 Years Ago Fourth Week of October 2004
The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series title since 1918—and break the "Curse of the Bambino"—by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 3–0 in the fourth game of the 2004 World Series of baseball. Konica Minolta Launches the...
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Paranoia is Paralyzing
According to the definition in Wikipedia, Paranoia is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or...
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My Top New Years Work Resolutions for 2015
Many people every year enable some New Years resolutions that might include exercising more, eating healthier, quitting smoking, and saving more money. My friend to the left doesn't have that many options. But, how many of us...
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Are you Selling in a Vertical Market?
Today's offering from manufacturers is overwhelming to say the least. I can remember starting out on the business where one of the requirements is that you had to own or have access to a station wagon! One of the basic routines was to load a copier in...
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Selling Copiers "Opportunties Abound to Make a Few Extra Bucks"
Some dealerships forbid their reps from selling into other territories. Maybe they don't have the coverage, maybe they don't like selling out of state. Pahoda Image Products has created some exciting opportunities for reps who are interested in...
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The Harder I work the Luckier I Get
I wrote this just about 11 years ago. This may have been one of my first blogs, but was posted in the forums section of the Print4Pay Hotel. When I wrote this I had 24 years experience in down the street sales. Enjoy! Is a...
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16 Tips to Help You Sell More Production Print Systems
Where to start....hmmmmm, many years ago I had my first introduction into the Print4Pay Industry via the Minolta 450Z BETA copier. The 450Z was launched back in the mid eighties and the most unique feature of the 450Z is that this was one of...
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16 Tips to Help You Sell More Production Print Systems #2 of 16
It's no surprise to us old timers that in order to be successful we need to change. Case in point is production printers aka big iron. Many of us realize that Segment 3, & 4 systems won't pay the bills anymore and the mere thought of chasing pc's for MNS is frightening!! Thus many us of us have moved our sights higher with finding homes for our production line of copiers. Which leads me to a recent visit that I had with one of my "print shop" accounts. He's...
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16 Tips to Help You Sell More Production Print Systems #3 of 16
Many years ago we started "seeding" accounts with small A4 MFP's. We would offer them after the sale for cost when we leased a larger A3 device. Cost was under $400, thus at the signing of the lease we would ask the customer if they needed...
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16 Tips to Help You Sell More Production Print Systems #4 of 16
It's all about the prospecting, bout the prospecting not the leads! There's been much talk in the industry about the research that is performed by the customer via the web before they make their first phone to a potential supplier. ...
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16 Tips to Help You Sell More Production Print Systems #5 of 16
Eat, sleep and breath, something we do every day and we don't give it a second thought, it's just something that we do. If you want to be successful with selling Production Print Systems, then you need to know the specs of your competitions...
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This Week in the Copier/Office Equipment Industry 10 Years Ago (1st week of October)
I'll be you're wondering why the funky spaceman suit right? Back in October of 2003, China launched their first manned space mission the Shenzhou 5. Seems every week I forget to put in the additional search criteria for all of the manufacturers...
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Oh my, when selling copiers door to door was so simple?
Guest Blogger!!!! Harry's back with an awesome blog that takes us old timers back to a simpler time in the industry and all you newbies are probably wishing you had a station wagon to cart a copier around! BTW, Toyota pic on the left is what my...
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7 Social Steps I Used To Crush Quota As A Major Account Copier Rep
To hit quota or not hit quota... Yes, the harsh reality as a major account copier rep boils down to this question... Did you hit quota? As dealerships approach the end of their fiscal year, dealer principals along with executive management start thinking about the next year. One of the key parameters discussed are the sales quotas assigned to sales their sales reps. "Nobody is going to buy from you because you have a quota to meet. They are going to buy from you because they see value in...
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Attention Sales Reps: Is Your Digital Self, Digitally Referrable?
"Referrals aren't easily given. If you don't take the time to establish credibility, you're not going to get the referral. People have to get to know you. They have to feel comfortable with who you are and what you do" Ivan Misner How is your digital sales rep doing? I know, what the heck are you talking about? As a sales professional think of your online presence as the digital sales representation of you. How you choose to use your digital self will have a direct effect on your sales...
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Selling Copiers in the Seventies with Mike Stramaglio
I think the first time I met Mike Stramaglio (CEO/President MWA Intelligence) was at some National Ricoh event when he was President of Hitachi Koki Imaging Systems. At the time, I was with Jack Carroll (former principal of Century Office Products), I did not have to chance to speak with Mike at that event but listened carefully as Mike and Jack traded off a few stories about the Minolta days. After Mike had left, I asked Jack, "who was that?". Jack then proceeded to give me the low down on...
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Why Should I Talk With You Continued... Don't Be An Empty Suit!
What makes you valuable as a sales professional? People won’t ever engage in a business conversation nor buy from you if they don’t even understand why they should pay attention to you. In Why Should I Talk To You? Does Your Value Proposition Open Sales Doors? I asked you to think about what sets you apart from your competitors? It is up to you to prove it. The sad state is most sales reps just don’t flat do it. Instead, they try to impress prospects with general promises, corporate...
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Forces of Change, or Forced to Change. Of Course, it’s about Finding the Money
Taking Control of Operating Cost has never been more critical to the future success of the Imaging Channel, providing the needed resources for budgeting their growth to continuous relevancy. Dealers who sell in the imaging Channel understand the need to diversify they understand continuing to sell and service print equipment based on old lease practices and old service billing models will surely find themselves circumvented by the new or re-invented Innovator. The Imaging Channel is not...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago (Third Week of November 2007)
Kinda hard to believe that the Canon imagrePRESS 7000v is now ten years old. Man does time fly by. Speaking about time flying by, we're into the last six weeks of 2017 also. Work hard because if you're not someone else is outworking you. Enjoy the threads from ten years ago this week on the Print4Pay Hotel Weekend Copier Notes from 11/18/07 11/19/079:14 PM market worldwide, the fact that it is a Korean company apparently gives it handicap it can not overcome. - Sharp announced it has renewed...
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Seven Star Spangled Q & A's with Brian Pason of PHSI (VP Dealer Sales)
We were able to sit down with the marketing peeps at PHSI a few weeks ago to discuss ideas for a unique blog. After a few minutes we came up with the theme of the Fourth of July. Once we had the theme, we decided on using some key words that are associated with the Fourth of July for an upcoming interview with Brian Pason, VP of PWT Sales. Q: How can copier dealers see fireworks when it comes to their bottom line? A: Dealers should consider diversifying their product offering to increase...
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Yiddish Words And Sales Reps, Oy To The Vey!
Translated to sales... It's happening within many and I mean many sales bullpens! Reps complaining about lack of leads, crappy comp plans, too much paperwork, losing deals based on price; you name it they find something to bitch about. The chitter chatter, the moaning and groaning, "Why does Bob always get special treatment?", "Can't get anyone to return my calls", "Our prices are too high", "Our competitors are killing us", "We don't get enough support", "No one is returning my calls".
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Selling Copiers in the Eighties with Marian Janes
Marian and I have never met, however it seems we were both selling copiers in New Jersey in the Eighties. We connected on Linkedin about a week ago after I read one of her replies to RJ's comments for "Selling Copiers in the Seventies". While I was hustling copiers in Central Jersey, Marian was doing the same in North Jersey. Selling Copiers in the Eighties with Marian Janes How did you find your way into the copier industry? (feel free to us a story of how that happened) I received a degree...