Tagged With "B2 Raised Spot"
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Re: 7 Deadly Topics from 7 Deadly Sinners at Top 100 Summit (Part One)
No, Art. You're spot on. I haven't had many jobs outside the industry, but the majority of the old guard is so proud of the way they've always done it & receives so much validation from other dealers with the same mentality (via BTA, CDA, SDG, et al) that they often refuse to admit the need to change until it's practically too late. There are ideas & concepts that I brought up 3-5 years ago that were considered to be "interesting but not really necessary" that we're suddenly latching...
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Re: 7 Deadly Topics from 7 Deadly Sinners at Top 100 Summit (Part One)
Originally Posted by txeagle24: I disagree that you have to own the network in order to offer seat-based billing. Before I go into why, can we (imaging industry) please stop referring to Managed Services as MNS? No one in the IT world uses this term; it's industry jargon that makes you stand out as a copier dealer 1st and an IT Services provider 2nd. Managed IT Services, Managed Services...fine. MNS needs to die. Now, here is why I disagree that you have to own the network as a client's...
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Re: Ricoh Adds New Color Envelope Printer
Art, When you get the chance take a look at the iQueue software that comes with this system. It is a very complete package which includes the ability to automatically recognize Spot colors, and allows you to manipulate them. This software will output to just about any device you can load a print driver for. I tested it on a Fiery driven device with excellent results.
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Re: Sharp CEO States "I believe it is my responsibilty to...)
No money means no R&D. Sharp is getting destroyed in Canada. Since Konica Minolta purchased Pitney Bowes' imaging division (Sharp's largest dealer in Canada), they've been offering customers massive incentives to flip their Sharp gear into KM bizhubs. I think there's more value in Sharp's direct channel base customer list than the actual technology. I've always found the MX series to be lacking in quality and ease of use. Prices have come down on Tier 1 products which means Tier 2...
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Re: Ten plus Tips for Cold Calling in the Field
All great stuff. I'd like to add in a few more points. 1) Never use a cold call to sell, only to gather information. Receptionists and office managers are loaded with information because they are the primary users. Ask if they are having any problems with their copiers and you might be surprised with what you hear. 2) The 4 most important questions you need to answer in every cold call: What do they have? How long have they had it? Who is the decision maker? Who was their previous vendor? 3)...
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Re: BYOB... It is Not What you are Thinking...
Art you are spot on with your comments. As sales reps we must become more aware of our brand presence online. I can't stress enough how critical building brand credibility is to you as a sales rep. You may not believe it now but just wait for all of those change resistors as they see what the change creators have paved.
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Re: Losing is the Key to Winning!
Love it. This all played out in full between the first post and today. I lost a deal to a competitor that I truly have never lost an MFP to. I had my typical pissed off time period where I pretty much hate everything and anything and asked the customer the reasoning. He said the church board laid the proposals out and took the cheapest one. I will log everything in my CRM and follow up in 5 years. This is the second time I've lost the deal but I keep going back. I wished him luck and went on...
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Re: Linkedin Copier Sales Road Show - Chicago
Spot on Jason! Not only is Larry very knowledgeable about Linkedin, he is such a wonderful person who will always be available to have a conversation with you. So glad to hear the Roadshow was a great experience for you! Good selling.
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Re: 3 Promises Major Account Copier Reps Must Make To Themselves And To Their Clients
Art, Plan on attending in Dallas in April. A central spot for all parts of the U.S. Investing in growth is a good thing. I am sure Stratix will support your endeavors.
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Re: 3 Promises Major Account Copier Reps Must Make To Themselves And To Their Clients
haha, you're a funny guy!
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Re: 3 Promises Major Account Copier Reps Must Make To Themselves And To Their Clients
Re: 3 Promises Major Account Copier Reps Must Make To Themselves And To Their Clients
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This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago, The First Week in December 2013
Okay, we're back to doing three of these a wee. Where we look back on the threads from, 5, 10 & 15 years ago Enjoy these threads from 5 years ago this week! Canon U.S.A. Unveils Océ VarioPrint 6000+ Series of High-Speed, High-Volume Digital Production Printers Art Post · 12/5/139:45 PM deliver critical savings to print providers. This black-and-white printer is ideal for burgeoning industries -- such as on-demand, digital book printing -- due to its registration accuracy, outstanding...
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What Does It Mean To Sell From The Heart?
Selling From the Heart goes against everything that standard sales training teaches you. The world has changed and yet, how we sell seems to be stuck in past decades. No longer are the old-school or hard-nosed tactics working, it’s time for a change. So how do you sell in this current environment? From the heart!!! You put the needs of your clients first. You place them up on a silver business platter. You intently listen to their every word, what they need and how you can best fill it. You...
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Continuously Modify
“If you are forced to change you waited too long and should have Modified along the way.” Well, everything must end or at least it gets depleted. We have all found ourselves saying. “What do you mean that doesn't exist anymore.” “Customers buy outcomes; the means to their achievement always modifies.” Today we must Constantly Modify. If you're forced to change you waited too long. The marketplace customers either of business to business or business to the consumer are modifying quickly and...
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New Ricoh MP C501SP "A4 or A3 or a New Hybrid MFP?"
The first time I heard about the new Ricoh MP C501SP was a pic that a Print4Pay Hotel member posted on this site. That pic came from the recent Ricoh Convergence in Las Vegas a few months ago. I took a good long look at the device that's positioned as an 50 page per minute color A4 device. My first thoughts is well, it kinda looks too big, it looks very similar to another Ricoh device, and it looks like the MP C501SP has an A3 style document feeder. Alright, its just a pic, I'll just have to...
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A Selling From The Heart Professional Is Not A Sales Settler!
I applaud DirecTV with their bold and 'direct' ads on TV. They continue to make an impact within the cable TV wars; but they've also made a substantial impact within the sales world (more in a bit). In a sales campaign from a few years ago, they play on one single phrase which showcased a frontier-era family in a suburban neighborhood stuck in antiquated ways such as a horse-and-buggy and, by the way, cable. “We’re settler's son, we settle for things,” explained the father in “Neighbors”...
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Attention Sales Leaders... These 3 Blind Spots Could Be Holding Back Your Sales Team!
Blind spots, we all have them and they have the potential to be damaging. Unfortunately, everyone but ourselves can see these as clear as day. For sales leaders, these blind spots create unwelcome consequences. They interfere with decision-making, reduce our scope of awareness, and sabotage sales results. A blind spot could be an unrecognized weakness. Within this context, it has the potential to undermine sales growth. The most dangerous blind spots affect those sales leaders who are...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago, The Fourth Week in July 2008
Last week seemed to be pretty interesting. I've been working on an order for about six months and was told the paperwork was ready to pick up tomorrow. As soon as I have the docs in hand I'll be writing about this, till then mums is the word. Weekend Copier Notes from 07/27/08 Neal · 7/28/0810:46 AM Russian investors are considering acquiring the company. - Kodak announced it has sold a NexPress 2500 production color system to Mailings Unlimited, a print and mailing house in Portland, Maine.
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This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago, The Second Week in September 2013
Here they are. Our top threads from five years ago in the Print4Pay Hotel RICOH UNVEILS NEW AWARD-WINNING SOLUTIONS AT PRINT 13, PROVIDING SUPERIOR CONTROL FOR PERSONALIZED DOCUMENTS Art Post · 9/9/138:07 PM shops today and allows operators to easily implement logic-based ticketing, and choose media and finishing options that apply to statements of variable lengths - achieving identical output across Ricoh , Xerox and Kodak devices, saving time and increasing asset utilization in the...
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Another Sales Tragedy Caused By Leaky Bucket Syndrome
What's your focus on keeping and growing your existing clients? A smart sales team doesn't chase new clients at the expense of keeping and growing existing clients. 80% of future revenue will come from just 20% of your existing clients– Gartner Group It’s 50% easier to sell to existing clients than to new clients– Marketing Metrics Repeat clients spend 33% more compared to new clients– CMO.com What do you think is required to move your client relationships from good to great? GOOD TO GREAT...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago (Third Week of March 2014)
Wow! Hard to believe that the end of the first quarter is a mere two weeks away. Twenty five gone and Seventy five percent of the year left. How is your first quarter going? Would love to hear from you in the reply section of this blog! These were the top threads from 5 years ago this week. Enjoy Konica Minolta Honors Pacific Office Automation of Beaverton, Oregon with 2014 Pro-Tech Service Award for Service Excellence Art Post · 3/19/1410:16 PM Colorado. The company is also one of the...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago (Second Week of April 2009)
Super thread below titled Where do you see this industry in 5 years???? A must read to see what everyone thought back in 2009 about 2014. Enjoy these threads from ten years ago this week! WEekend Copier Notes from 04/12/09 Neal · 4/13/097:17 AM print color systems, the PRO C 550EX and PRO C 700EX: - Base MSRPs of $54,290 & $62,690 - C 550EX offers 55ppm full color and 60ppm b/w - C 700EX offers 70ppm full color and 75ppm b/w - Uses engines from the MP C 6000 and C 7500 mid-range color...
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The Print Equipment and Services Industry must separate their deliverable.
Recently I had an opportunity to speak at ITEX, An Industry event for technology resellers. During that talk, I discussed the three types of deliverables or more importantly the three types of end-user customers within the print equipment and its services industry. This industry is strangling their full profit potential as they continue to deliver these different types of customers with the same processes. Here are the three equipment customer types: 1. High-Volume segments 6,7, and 8...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago, The Second Week in November 2003
So it was fifteen years ago that Ricoh launched the first GBC puncher. I remember it well, chads were evenly distributed through out the entire device! One of my accounts had to vacuum their GBC puncher once a week. Enjoy the threads from 15 years ago this week! Toshiba America Business Solutions Introduces the Flagship Model in its Workgroup Color Printer Line Boston Mike · 11/10/036:05 PM in TABS color printer product line. Boasting a powerful 600 MHz processor and 256 MB of standard RAM...
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Color Label Press University "Glossary of Terms" Part Ten, Course One
In the past I've called my self a hunter of wide format devices. I'm know moving on to call myself a hunter for color labels, which will lead me to placing net new label presses. Over the last month or so, I've noticed multiple rolls of color labels in Wawa's, Quick Chek (both of these are gas station/food markets here in New Jersey). In addition I also scoped multiple rolls of labels in McDonalds and Dunkin Doughnuts (or Dunkin as they have re-branded). See and ye shall find color labels...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago (First Week of February 2005)
Struggle, struggle and more struggle seems to the topic for the month of January. I'm in a slump and need to pull out of it. Today I had three planned calls after driving back from our 2020 Kick-off meeting yesterday. It was more of laying the seeds to reap in coming months, actually more like the third quarter for this year. Two calls went well and the other company moved on me. Thus, I need to do more leg work. Seems next week will be a complete week of working the phones and emails! Enjoy...
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The Consequences of Delivering Out-Side Market Realities Come With Awareness
It seems as more of the same is the mindset for many in the Imaging Channel. Over the last year, as print volumes continue declining, as dealers continue over-specking and over-selling, nothing seems to wake up the channel to the threat of consistently delivering out-side market realities. However, soon the end-users un-awareness will end. "The channel's threat is a new competitor who takes advantage of where the customers are going while the legacy way attempts to keep customers where they...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago (Second Week of April 2015)
For each of the next few blogs I'll be inserting some tips from what other dealers and sales peeps are doing on a daily basis from around the globe for staying relevant with their clients and prospects. 1. Promote yourselves and our business daily on social media Enjoy these incredible threads from 15 years ago this week! This Week in the Copier/Office Equipment Industry 10 Years Ago Third Week of April 2005 Art Post · 4/12/157:15 PM . Built-in Wi-Fi in printers could make a tech's 4/18/05...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago for the Second Week in April of 2015
For those of you that are new to the industry, there's a cool blog I wrote about making the phone calls. Believe it or not the phone is your friend. You can read that here or below. Fourty Eight Hundred Phone Calls a Year Can Equal a Lot of Dough! Enjoy these awesome threads from 5 years ago this week! Bid Tabulation for Xerox_Sharp_Samsung_Canon_Kyocera.pdf Art Post · 4/14/1512:55 PM Topic Konica Minolta Expands and Enhances Corporate Communications Team at US Headquarters Art Post ·...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago (Last Week of February 2010)
Recently we had a contest for all of the salespeople at Stratix. It was not a demo contest but more about telling the awesome Stratix story to our clients. There were judges and then group winners for each branch. The group winners would then have the face off. Years ago we had this contest and I failed miserably, I was so bad that I wanted to be shot. I have a hard time memorizing anything that has to be word for word, not sure what my issue is but I have an issue. This will make a good...
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3 THINGS Your Dealership Needs To Do To Recover From the Pandemic
The Global Pandemic has hit the Imaging Industry hard. We are not alone though. All businesses are experiencing extreme hardship, and that should make us feel better about that, correct? I agree; me neither! This Global Pandemic is a first time for everyone. No one had a playbook on how to do business in a post pandemic world, however, here are three things your dealership can do to get things started on the road to recovery: Reduce your inventory Inventory is money. Converting that...
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Sales Professionals Do Not Suffer From Social Attention Disorder, Do You?
We are still amid a crisis, however; one pandemic I've become witness to recently is known as SAD. It's unfortunate but many are suffering from Social Attention Disorder or commonly known as SAD. It's a rampant epidemic brought about by empty suits, facades and narcissistic digital behavior. Self-absorbed with themselves you love using the word "I" and "Me" Folks, it's not about you! Sales professionals are not consumed with winning the academy award for best social actor. They are consumed...
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This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago for the First Week of May 2005
Back in 2005 I was just 2 years into having a real web site for the copier industry. I started back in 2000 with an message forum with MSN communities. It was really cool because there was no on-line forum where sales people and principals could chat, share ideas, share war stories, share information, share competitive info and the list goes on and on. Twenty years later there is still no site like the Print4Pay Hotel. Did I do something right? We're still the only site that allows members...
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Color Label Press University "Glossary of Terms" Part Sixteen, Course One
Over the last few years I've blogged about the importance for dealers to diversify to other avenues of print. Especially if they want to stay in the "break and fix" model for servicing and selling devices that print. One of those opportunities is color label printing. The list of the types of color labels is enormous. Bumper stickers, political stickers, custom groceries, branding, safety, food labels, CBD, beer & wine, cannabis, the list goes on and on. Post COVID19 recovery will...
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COVID19 "Remote Working" Day Thirty-Eight of Sales
So much went on today and I'm not sure where to start. I'm thinking I won't get back to full time prospecting until next week and that's because I've be digging to try and hit that magical number of 200K for May. As of today I have about 30K in opportunities that could close in the next 2 days. After that it's going to be a struggle, however after tomorrow there are still eleven selling days in the month for me. What's good about the eleven days is that I still have more than 50% of the...
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Re: Selling Copiers and MFPs "Earning Mental Toughness"
Well said Art. What I have just read there, is what a lot of us that have been in the business for a long time need to remind ourselves of, if or whenever motivation and the will to succeed begins to ebb, in this mature and ever changing market. I have been selling copiers for 35 years, and what you posted there is spot on, mate !!!
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Why Selling Copiers is a lot like Fishing
On my recent vacation in Deerfield Beach, Florida, I had the chance to catch up on some fishing. The day before I was going to fish, I thought I would check out the pier and see what types of rigs were being used, what was being caught, the type of bait they were using and possibly what was the best time to go fishing. I figured I would get an early start and made it to the pier by about 6AM. The fishing pier was about a quarter mile long and was shaped as a T at the end. I noticed there...
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Don't Be Afraid to Ask "Why?"
That was a statement I made to our newbie rep today. We were discussing a potential order that he was looking for guidance to close. I forget what he stated, but I chimed in with, don't be afraid to ask "why?" adverb 1. for what? ...
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Top 8 MFP Copier Sales Tips "Be Prepared"
There's an old saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks! I don't believe it! I'm still learning new stuff every day! Here's a few tips that you must have before going to any appointment. Lease Documents: Yup, have...
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Don't Become Sales Settlers
I applaud DirecTV with their diversity. Not only are they continuing to make an impact within the cable TV wars; but they have also made a substantial impact within the sales world (more in a bit). Their recent campaign plays on one single phrase, showcasing a frontier-era family in a suburban neighborhood who stick to antiquated ways such as a horse-and-buggy and, by the way, cable. “We’re settlers son, we settle for things,” explains the father in “Neighbors”...
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Print Audit 6 & "Eric the Office Worker" Keeping it Green
You just bought or leaseda shiny new Color "Green" Copier akaMFP that can print/scan/copy & fax.. You know the system, your salesperson touted the "Green" features such as default auto off, default power save mode, default duplex copying, the small carbon foot print, scan2email, scan2folder, scan2usb, scan2dropbox, scan2googledrive, scan2sdcardand of course it was the end of the month special deal just for you! So, what good is all of this...
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The Transition of the Copier Industry "According to Art"
The Transition of the Copier Industry "According to Art" Part One: I can only start from the early eighties. Six months after graduating a copier tech training school, I had sold my first copier. I'm pretty sure I remember the building, but not the name of the company. On a recent drive by that company was no longer in that building, I was kinda bummed because I would have enjoyed to cold call them again If you bought or leased a copier in 1981, the only function of that copier was to copy.
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Top 19 Old Copier Manufacturers that FADED Away
Did you sell these copiers, did you ever see one, or maybe you weren't even a twinkle in your Mom's eye when these copier manufacturers were the King of the Road! "Tell Us About Some Old Copier Companies", was a question we posed to our...
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The New Sales Mantra, "Always be Helping"
“Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life.” ( Arnold Schwarzenegger) Acronyms are used across every industry and throughout all walks of life. Texting and instant messaging has given rise to a whole new series of acronyms. Acronyms and buzzwords are riddled throughout the sales community. As...
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Top Ten MFP Copier Industry Predictions for 2015
Looking back 2014 was one of my best years in the business. The fourth quarter of 2014 was the best quarter I've ever had! I can only hope that 2015 will be as good as 2014 if not better. Last years Top Ten MFP Copier Industry Predictions...
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To Ricoh "What I Want for Christmas"
For each of the past three years, I've included a small ditty about Christmas traditions. I've also included an awesome picture of mans best friend with a Santa's hat. Enjoy!! In Quebec Province , celebrations finish on January...
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I Want It All, I Want It NOW!
With just thirteen days left in the month and the year, I find myself $70k short of securing a spot to our Presidents Club trip in 2015. However, I still have eleven selling days left to the month. Thus, the way I think of it, is that I...
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Top 10 Winners for Worst Copier Web Site in the World
Last week I posted Worst Copier Web Site in the World blog. The Blog centered on the copier sites that were nominated and the threads about those sites from our Print4Pay Hotel members. Even though our poll was not scientifc...
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10 Awesome Tips for a Great MFP/Copier Demo
Demo, what the heck is that? In other posts I've mentioned that demo's were the way we used to sell copy machines many years ago. One of the requirements of a copier sales person is that you needed to have some type of station...