http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/RSS.ashxThe Canvas Mag April 2008 PagesThu, 11 Dec 2008 04:53:49 +0100http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=1http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=1P4 Tools of the Trade P12 At a Crossroads P21 Product Spotlight DEVELOPING HIGH ACHIEVEMENT IN PRINT SALES P30 Authoritative Selling P36 Feel the Pain P40 Book Recommendation: The Go-Giver APRIL 2008 Will I Be Relevant? What salespeople need to know to ensure they’ll be alive and thriving five years from now.2008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=2http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=22008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=3http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=3APRIL 2008 P2 Publisher’s Thoughts Who’s with Me? P4 Tools of the Trade The Print Council is developing resources that benefit sales reps for an industry-wide cause. P12 At a Crossroads Reps can avoid solving today’s problems with yesterday’s tools by educating themselves on new services. P21 Product Spotlight Sappi Fine Paper North America Launches Tempo™ NAPL SOI: 2008 Strategic Perspective. P22 Will I Be Relevant The print world is changing rapidly. Here’s what salespeople need to know to ensure they’ll be alive and thriving five years from now. P30 Authoritative Selling How sales reps who embrace the authoritative sales approach will have a leg up on the competition. P36 Feel the Pain Why the word “no” should get to you. PUBLISHER mark potter EDITORIAL BOARD lisa arsenault McArdle Printing Co. gary cone Litho Craft, Inc. peter douglas Lake County Press aaron grohs Consolidated Graphics, Inc. ron lanio Geographics, Inc. randy parkes Lithographix, Inc. P40 The Go-Giver A little story about a powerful business idea. CANVAS magazine FOR MORE INFORMATION: 678.473.6131 6555 Sugarloaf Parkway Duluth, GA 30097 MANAGING EDITOR graham garrison ART DIRECTOR brent cashman CONTRIBUTORS linda bishop, ryan mcnally, peter ebner CANVAS, Volume 2, Issue 2. Published bi-monthly, copyright 2008 CANVAS, All rights reserved. Subscriptions: $29.00 per year for individuals; issues are sent free of charge to print representatives. If you would like to subscribe or notify us of address changes, please contact us at 6555 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 307, Duluth, Georgia 30097. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CANVAS, 6555 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 307, Duluth, Georgia 30097. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors. CANVAS magazine is dedicated to environmentally and socially responsible operations. We are proud to print this magazine on Sappi Opus® Dull Cover 80lb/216gsm and Opus Dull Text 80lb/118gsm, an industry leading environmentally responsible paper. Opus contains 10% post consumer waste and FSC chain of custody certification. CANVAS P12008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=4http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=4Who’s With Me? A time and patience. A close friend of mine tells me that I am willing to “jump off a cliff” for what I believe. She also tells me that it is very difficult to get people in our industry to do the same, and that demonstrating value takes Despite the tremendous respect I have for my friend, I am going to slightly disagree with her. Our industry has changed and will change so much so that a dramatic transformation in the way we all think is in order. We can no longer work ourselves to death just to maintain our market share or squeeze out an extra point in margin. We must change our thinking and provide “solutions,” whatever that may mean. Yet, how long will we wait to take action? Print providers must become marketing service providers. New ideas and new tactics must be employed. We’ve all discussed it openly, and the consensus is that our industry is in a unique position to offer more to the world. PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS We must “jump in” and engage in significant market analysis, segmentation, and educating our people on understanding new types of customers. Recently, I was fortunate enough to hear Tom Carroll, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer at RR Donnelley, deliver a passionate speech about generational diversity and the values different demographics hold. His message was that we are not all the same and that new generations have beliefs that differ greatly from traditional groups. Strategies that work for “Traditionalists” or “Baby Boomers” will not work for “Generation X” or “Millenials”. My conclusion from Tom’s presentation is that it will take very strong leadership and a commitment to the marketing process to engage these new demographics. In turn, “jumping off the cliff” is the only way we learn and the only way we can start to connect with the new marketplace. CANVAS is a jump in itself because it is different, and that can be scary for people. Our belief is that it is not enough to merely talk about new sales and marketing concepts. We must act. In addition, training our salespeople the same way we always have and hiring the competitors’ people will not reap extraordinary results. We must “jump in” and engage in significant market analysis, segmentation, and educating our people on understanding new types of customers. We must look at new avenues for communication instead of the traditional vehicles, and recruit people based on the way they think and how well they relate to these new groups of customers. In addition to the changing shape of our demographics is the unmistakable pressure that comes from a difficult economy. It is easy to deduct that the GDP won’t be giving us a boost anytime soon. So, cutting back and divesting becomes a norm. Doing the opposite, however, will enhance our future and expand our horizons beyond our wildest dreams. Selling in bad times may seem like a daunting task, but focusing on what you do to come out of the downturn stronger than you went in is the only way. As a wise man once told me “you cut to survive, but you invest to prosper.” And that means investing in yourself and investing in new ways to market. So who is willing to get out of their comfort zone? Who will learn new things and actually execute on them? Who is with me? Jump. Mark Potter Publisher P2 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=5http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=52008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=6http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=6P4 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=7http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=7Tools The Print Council is developing resources that benefit sales reps for an industry-wide cause. of the Trade T he arguments are as varied as the competition. Web-based competitors thump their chests at the possibilities of a new medium, while seasoned foes in the airwaves and media conglomerates try new tactics that could mean decreased sales opportunities for printers nationwide. More and more, print sales reps are facing questions from customers on the value of print vs. these new mediums. CANVAS P52008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=8http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=8Tools of the Trade The Print Council, a business development alliance formed by the graphic arts community, is trying to meet those questions head on. The goal is to influence and promote the greater use of print media through education, awareness and research, according to its mission statement. It’s deployed Web-based resources as well as traditional tools to get the message out, and it’s a message every print sales rep should consider for their own sales strategy. CANVAS recently spoke with The Print Council Executive Director Ben Cooper about how the print industry is working toward finding one voice, and how The Print Council resources can benefit print sales reps. We did not want to do an awareness campaign. We did not want to do “Print Is Beautiful,” come up with baseball caps and T-shirts and bumper stickers. In promoting print, the marketing professionals told us over and over again, that what [they] want is data. CANVAS: What is the goal of The Print Council? Ben Cooper: The goal of The Print Council is two-fold. Our true goal is that we’d like to increase the recognition, awareness and ideally sales — of print. Those are high goals, but really, our simple goal is to promote the broader use of print media. CANVAS: What are some initiatives to help the print industry compete against the increased competition? Cooper: We did not want to do an awareness campaign. We did not want to do “Print Is Beautiful,” come up with baseball caps and T-shirts and bumper stickers. In promoting print, the marketing professionals told us over and over again, that what [they] want is data. They want real hard facts to demonstrate return on investment. The initial effort that The Print Council undertook was to try to get some of these marketing materials together. What we discovered to our dismay was that there wasn’t as much out there as we thought, and it wasn’t well organized in a place. P6 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=9http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=92008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=10http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=10Tools of the Trade Probably the single biggest thing, in my opinion, that we have accomplished in The Print Council is funding the creation of a clearing house at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology), “Print in the Mix,” which is Web-based, into which we have brought every study we can get our hands on about the role of print communications. If one goes into that site now, you can actually find a treasure trove of marketing research that has passed academic scrutiny. We will not, for example, put proprietary research promoting a piece of equipment or a company’s particular focus. We will, however, put research there that stands up to an academic review. That’s why we chose RIT to do this. We wanted to pick an academic institution that could do this for us. We’ve actually funded a full-time librarian who does this research. She has the support of the academic faculty there, as well as the support of a broader group of universities that are our academic partners. CANVAS: How do print sales reps benefit from the RIT Web site? Cooper: There are a couple of ways they could benefit. In my opinion, one of our weaknesses as an industry over history has been the tendency to take orders as opposed to generating business. There is probably a continuum of salespeople. On one end of the continuum, you could find the pure order taker, the one who sits in the office and waits for calls. Or you can find the order taker who has a book of business, a group of clients that they call on periodically that it’s time to do this or that piece again. On the other end of the continuum is what can be accurately described as a sales-marketing professional who is creating ideas and solutions for their customers that go well beyond taking orprintinthemix.rit.edu ders. They are creating opportunities. In order to do that, I think you’ve got to go into a potential client armed with facts and figures. There is undeniably a belief among some buyers of communication tools that you have to have an Internet campaign. An Internet campaign may or may not be appropriate for a certain type of market, but if you’re not aware of the studies that support that belief, then you’re going P8 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=11http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=11to have a hard time convincing your client. We’re trying to put together that source of information, so that someone who is going into even a pizza shop or any other kind of local small business, you need to go in and talk to them in terms of facts and figures, return on investment. “If you do this, you’ll get this type of return. We’ve got studies that show that, and here are those studies.” This is being done in other industries, and frankly it’s being done by our communication competitors. CANVAS: What are the benefits of a smaller printer joining The Print Council? Cooper: A small printer can not be expected to do market research on their own. They are going to have to pull this information from some other source. We’re trying to be that source. The reason we want support is not so much to grow and become a multi-million dollar association. Our goal is to be able to have enough support to develop enough marketing tools that would be helpful to the industry and then ideally to develop using those tools to have a campaign that will go to agencies and other large national buyers. Using the words of Gina Testa of Xerox, who is chair of the marketing committee, we’ve divided our world into two targets: the air war and the ground war. The ground war is depicted by our brochure, “Why Print,” and the continuity post card campaign that we did based on the “Why Print” brochure. To some degree, the clearing house is part of the ground war. By ground war, I mean a printer taking data to help them promote print to their market. The ground war issue can also be used by a trade association that wants to promote print within their field of vision whether state, regional or national. The air war is different. It’s a much more subtle campaign that would be targeted not to printers, but to “media specifiers.” Those would be the people who make large media-buy decisions. To go to those people, you have to have data, it has to be part of a well-organized campaign, and that will take some If you’re an individual printer, and you’re able to increase your sales because of The Print Council, then that’s a success. It’s difficult to come up with metrics to determine success if you’re looking at it from a national standpoint. CANVAS P92008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=12http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=12Tools of the Trade Print is very powerful in a complimentary fashion. If a client is combining print with another media, they may get more effectiveness than print by itself or the other media by itself. Resources Reps Can Use “Why Print” Brochure The Print Council produced a 24-page marketing brochure demonstrating the value and effectiveness of print communications. Entitled “Why Print? The Top Ten Ways Print Helps You Prosper,” the full-color brochure is the first in a series of materials The Print Council is making available to printers to influence media decision makers’ appreciation of the value of print. Printers are encouraged to download and use any or all of the materials provided in their own marketing materials to underscore the power of print communications. For more information, go to theprintcouncil.org/whyPrint.htm money. We feel that we are almost ready, we have a meeting coming up, and will have to create the campaign, but once we do that we’ll be in a position to begin the air war effort. So, from a small printer’s standpoint, there’s a great deal of material that they can glean from our efforts, to use in their local markets. CANVAS: How would you define success for The Print Council? Cooper: Increased sales in print, but that is hard to define. There is no one person who can tell you what total sales in print is. You can’t get a single national number, if you ask three economists you’ll get three numbers. That’s because it is difficult to calculate. A lot of marketing success is in perception. If there is a perception that the industry is getting the recognition and attention we think we deserve as a communications/advertising medium, then we will feel that we’re successful. In a declining market, increased sales may mean that you don’t decline as much. If you’re an in- Print in the Mix Print in the Mix: A Clearinghouse of Research on Print Media Effectiveness, is designed to collect and summarize research on the effectiveness of print advertising and marketing – a site demonstrating the role of print as a viable information medium in the marketing mix. For more information, go to printinthemix.rit.edu dividual printer, and you’re able to increase your sales because of The Print Council, then that’s a success. It’s difficult to come up with metrics to determine success if you’re looking at it from a national standpoint. CANVAS: What are some goals in 2008? Cooper: We’re doing several things in 2008. We’re having our marketing professionals at companies do a series of articles using “Print in the Mix” data for marketing purposes. In the P10 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=13http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=13ideal world, we’ll have different people in the industry do these articles, with our help, based on the marketing data that we have collected so far. We are also trying to determine if we can develop a peer group marketing exchange, within the RIT program. My personal goal for 2008 is to begin the process of the air war campaign, developing the information that will go to the media specifiers. CANVAS: How can sales reps differentiate their products from those of other mediums? Cooper: Salespeople have to be knowledgeable about the other medium. They have to know what works and what doesn’t work. They have to be well-versed in multi-channel marketing. They have to understand that if a company wants to use Internet to promote its product, they have to know that the use of print enhances Internet. If they want to go to an e-mail campaign, they have to understand that the response rate is very low. All of these things are facts and figures. The greater degree that a salesperson calling on a customer, the greater degree to which they understand the competition, the other mediums, is a degree to which they’ll be in a position to sell what they sell better. Sales people today also have to understand distribution needs. If a product is going to be mailed, the sales rep has to understand the basics of postal rules and regulations. Failing to understand these rules can actually cost the client or the printer significantly more money. Print is very powerful in a complimentary fashion. If a client is combining print with another media, they may get more effectiveness than print by itself or the other media by itself. Those facts and figures are available through “Print in the Mix.” I would encourage anyone who is selling a company’s products to understand what their customers think and what their needs are, and their customers’ needs are return on investment. That’s really what it comes down to. Being armed with those facts and figures is very significant.2008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=14http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=14Reps can avoid solving today’s problems with yesterday’s tools by educating themselves on new services. By Bill Gillespie P12 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=15http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=15learned about fulfillment the hard way. I had sold a POP kit that was going into drug stores around the country. It was a sweepstakes and it involved an entry pad and poster. The winner in each local market would win a skateboard. It was a new client and I was excited to have the sale. I wanted to collect my purchase order and get back to the plant before anyone could change their mind. Before I could leave, the buyer looked at me and asked, “Do you fulfill?” To me, this meant that the client was simply asking if I was able to ship his kits to the 2,500 drug stores participating in the sweepstakes. I CANVAS P132008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=16http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=16At a Crossroads “Of course,” I responded. “I do it every day.” I let him know that we were not only a “full service, high quality, commercial printer”… but a fulfillment company as well. I had just increased my sale by whatever the fee would be to drop ship. I was a regular printing sales genius. About the time we were finishing the bindery work, my boss rushed into my office completely out of breath. “Bill … do you know anything about some skateboards? There’s a driver trying to unload some in receiving,” he said. Now I don’t know if you have ever seen 2,500 skateboards in one place … but you can’t exactly stack them in the corner. They took up more space in our warehouse than our total paper inventory at the time. To this client, fulfillment meant holding valuable inventory and shipping to the winner in each market. It meant storage, inventory liability and a whole lot of record keeping. I had increased my sale, but had plunged my company into something we knew nothing about. The long and short of it is we lost our shirts … and it was my fault. I didn’t know what I was doing. New skill sets, new opportunities Fast forward to the present. What does the skill set landscape look like for today’s printing rep? What do you need to know and how do you go about getting educated? What happens if you bluff knowledge about the new service horizon? Your degree of service makes a difference, but as the playing field becomes more level, your days are numbered. Eventually, a competitor that expects to meet your standards but delivers more value is going to steal your customer. P14 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=17http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=17It’s safe to say that many of the services that are popular today didn’t exist 25 years ago. Today you need to understand variable data, digital printing, Web-to-print solutions and postal regulations. That isn’t all either. You also need to understand FSC certifications, remote proofing, online proofing, fulfillment services, data management, PURL’s and response rates. To be relevant to today’s marketer, you need to understand each of these tools, how they work and the business problems they solve for your customers. Your clients need help to navigate the endless sea of options and arrive at the right combination of solutions so their initiatives are successful. You have to help them make money. You have to help their marketing dollar deliver a ROI that demonstrates you are valuable. Successfully delivering a set of specifications, on time, only makes you a commodity. Your degree of service makes a difference, but as the playing field becomes more level, your days are numbered. Eventually, a competitor that expects to meet your standards but delivers more value is going to steal your customer. The competitive pressures on every mature business dictate that your clients will continue to trade up and increase demands. Expertise required A few weeks ago one of our clients said, “Bill … we are a Fortune 500 company. Why aren’t you sending me Fortune 500 representatives?” She went on to clarify her point by saying she expects a consultant (we love to call ourselves that don’t we?) that will educate her and train her staff on the latest and greatest tools available to help maximize their marketing dollars. She is expected to2008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=18http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=18At A Crossroads If your company hasn’t made the plunge, potential vendors will visit and happily conduct a sales meeting on your behalf. They will demonstrate the power of their tools and help you see how others are making money with the technology. deliver results and has elected to surround herself with suppliers that help her make that happen. When she proposes a solution to her superiors, she intends to be confident that the best tools and expertise are being employed. She intends to do that even it means my company doesn’t get hired to help. Imagine printing in 1978. If you could print a four-color job in register and hold color close to the OK-sheet you could have all the work you wanted. The invoice included hours of prepress charges and a boatload of film. The client paid for all of it and you made commission. For the last 18 years, the clients have been doing the prepress work. You do file repair and charge a nominal fee for proofs and output. The revenue vanished and reprints are as portable as a DVD. You have been forced to embrace new services and have no choice but to become an expert in each of these areas. It is this expertise that can anchor your work and replace some of your lost revenue. P16 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=19http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=19Becoming educated The Industry Measure says that in 2006, 47 percent of printing establishments did some sort of digital printing including variable data. That’s cool. It demonstrates that almost half of our industry has adopted this solution. It’s not a fad. It is here to stay. You had better become an expert. Your clients are going to buy it. You want them to buy it from you. Web-to-print tools are starting to catch hold too. After a slow start, this type of application is beginning to gain traction. As marketers evaluate how they sell and how they support their channel partners, services that provide flexibility and speed to market are going to become routine. This type of sales dialogue is destined to become as commonplace as color corrections were in the ‘80s. You need to become educated. It isn’t difficult either. The vendors that sell these tools and services have deep, elaborate presentations, sales aids, white papers and case studies. If your company has embraced these technologies, your vendor partners and fellow employees can help you become an expert, quickly. If your company hasn’t made the plunge, potential vendors will visit and happily conduct a sales meeting on your behalf. They will demonstrate the power of their tools and help you see how others are making money with the technology. They will shower you with examples and samples for you and your clients. CANVAS P172008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=20http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=20At a Crossroads At every crossroads there are people that choose not to go forward. For reasons of comfort they stick to what they know and elect not to advance or learn about the next tool or service. You can also ask to visit their facilities for training and onsite demos. Every digital press manufacturer has a scripted presentation designed to knock your socks off. The same goes for the Web-to-print solutions, remote proofing tools and PURL providers. With a few phone calls, you can arrange to see enough to confidently stand in front of your client very well educated. You will be able to talk with them about variable data, direct mail, how to prepare a smart campaign, imbed PURL’s and watch the response data be collected and measured in real time. You can help them make good decisions. At every crossroads there are people that choose not to go forward. For reasons of comfort they stick to what they know and elect not to advance or learn about the next tool or service. They yearn for what they remember. They want what made them comfortable to continue. Unfortunately it doesn’t. Eventually, these people see their relevance and income start to diminish. They feel their clients are no longer loyal. They feel that all the good they have done is no longer appreciated. That isn’t true at all. It’s just that they are no longer helping. The client still has needs. The competitive landscape has evolved. The resistant rep has not. He’s trying to solve today’s problems with yesterday’s tools. It won’t work. Bill Gillespie has been in the printing business for 33 years, and has been in sales and marketing since 1978. He was formerly the head of operations for Color Graphics (an Atlanta commercial printer). In 2005, Bill assumed the role of executive VP Operations for Brown Industries, a global POP company. He can be reached at (800) 241-4698, or bill.gillespie@brownind.com. P18 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=21http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=21www.thecanvasmag.com Sign up online and receive a year of CANVAS free. For more information contact us at info@thecanvasmag.com or 678.473.61312008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=22http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=22DEVELOPING HIGH ACHIEVEMENT IN PRINT SALES FREE subscription To receive your FREE subscription of CANVAS, sign up today online at THECANVASMAG.COM or fill out this form and fax to 678 473 6129 or mail to 6555 SUGARLOAF PARKWAY, SUITE 307, DULUTH, GEORGIA 30097 Please Print Below. Name ____________________________________________ Title _______________________________ Company/Facility ______________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________________________ City __________________________________________________ State ___________ Zip ____________ Phone__________________________________________________________________________________ Business Email Address __________________________________________________________________ An industry-specific publication developing high achievement in print sales. An exciting new foray into the realities of today’s printing industry, CANVAS is the first publication that focuses on what is truly relevant to the world of the graphic arts sales professional. It investigates the challenges of an industry that is decidedly global, while at the same time, intimate and local. This new, sophisticated endeavor explores intelligent sales techniques, marketing models and best practices. By delivering the insights of industry leaders and innovators, CANVAS supports the printing and graphic arts industry and the sales professional’s role within it. Now Offering Marketing/Consultation Services CANVAS offers its insight for creative solutions to your marketing needs For more information on how CANVAS can work for you email: marketing@thecanvasmag.com2008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=23http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=23Product Spotlight Sappi Fine Paper North America Launches Tempo™ Sappi Fine Paper North America announced the launch of Tempo™ – the only paper product that enables printers to increase press room productivity while containing costs without any capital investment, according to the company. Tempo offers printers the opportunity to cut standard ink setting time in half, enabling back up in record time. In addition, a two-sided printed sheet is ready for bindery twice as fast as standard coated paper. With these attributes, Tempo is the ideal house sheet to respond to quick turn requests and will change a printer’s business through increased productivity and associated profitability improvement. “Every business knows that time is money – Tempo is our answer to our printers’ needs to increase productivity while maintaining quality,” said Mark Gardner, president and CEO, Sappi Fine Paper North America. “We heard from our printer customers that they need a product that allows them to produce a finished product faster – we have answered this need with Tempo. In fact, we believe so strongly in Tempo’s performance, we are guaranteeing the paper will set ink in under 30 minutes and dry ink for processing at the bindery in under two hours.” Tempo’s benefits include: mance on press Tempo is available in North America in Gloss and Matte finishes and in basis weights of 70 – 100 lb Text and 80 lb cover. Tempo is available in press ready mini-skids and carton put-ups for Text and Cover and will be available in Sappi’s distribution centers. A Silk finish version of Tempo, manufactured in Europe, was introduced to that market earlier in November 2007 and is quickly gaining momentum. www.sappi.com NAPL SOI: 2008 Strategic Perspective With the economy softening, find the critical questions your management team should be reviewing and actions you’ll need to take to protect your bottom line in the NAPL SOI: 2008 Strategic Perspective, $285 (NP381). www.napl.org/store (800) 642-6275, option 4 CANVAS P212008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=24http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=24P22 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=25http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=25Will I Be The print world is changing rapidly. Here’s what salespeople need to know to ensure they’ll be alive and thriving five years from now. By Ryan McNally Relevant? T There was a time when print sales were all about price, quality and service. Salespeople would talk about ink on paper and what type of paper they were using, approaching the discussion as a commodity battle. From start to finish, it was all about the print. That time is over. Print is increasingly becoming part of a bigger picture as salespeople take on more of a consultative role. The sales process has also become increasingly complex, with a myriad of factors that demand the print salesperson be an expert on more than just the technical side of printing (though that’s still an essential skill). In the next five years, powerful forces will change communications as we know it, and new products, services and solutions will emerge. Thoughtful printers and print salespeople will need an edge moving forward. CANVAS P232008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=26http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=26Will I Be Relevant? Today’s new world The fundamental model of print sales has changed in recent years. Selling print today is not about selling print, it’s about being a solutions provider. “Customers are interested now in solving bigger problems than where to get the job printed,” says Daniel Hanson, vice president and general manager of Branch-Smith Printing. “There are all kinds of needs the customers have on the content side where printing organizations have the opportunity to create value-added services.” According to Howie Fenton, senior consultant for NAPL, the most successful companies today are the ones adding more value-added services. “It’s getting increasingly more difficult to make money just selling the printed page, because the printed page is perceived as being a commodity,” says Fenton. Printers today are part of the communication food chain, and print is one of several options available. That’s why it’s important to talk solutions with customers rather than just taking an order. Customers may be able to find multiple printers to print a project, but print salespeople can distinguish themselves from competitors by designing the right customized solutions to solve customers’ problems. And this process requires more know-how. “The successful printer of the future will serve multiple functions for its clients,” says Kevin Joyce, chief marketing officer for Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group and vice president of Eastman Kodak Co. “To do that, printers must be much more knowledgeable in a variety of marketing, business, and technical issues.” With many successful print companies focusing on strategic acquisitions, product specialization, and differentiated value-added services, it’s essential for print salespeople to evolve their sales strategies to focus on consultative selling. “This means researching and truly understanding clients’ business objectives,” says John Laabs, vice president of sales and marketing for Independent Printing. “It also involves asking the right questions, listening carefully and providing effective solutions.” “I think there’s this huge movement going on, and companies are developing technologies that allow us to location shift and time shift our communication consumption, and that’s hugely powerful.” — Rick Littrell, Magicomm Communication skills Given the massive changes in communications during the last five years — from the omnipresence of cellular phones to widespread high-speed Internet availability to the emergence of the iPhone — you can count on powerful new forces shaping communications in the five years to come. At the forefront of this charge will be the Internet, which will continue to shape the industry as printers and print salespeople consider how to best use it to their advantage. “We’ll be looking for ways to integrate print with electronic forms of communications to provide highly effective and measurable ‘layered’ advertising campaigns,” says Laabs. “Rather than competing with the electronic world for precious marketing dollars, we’re integrating the Internet into our digital print solutions and other value-added services.” As more options are given to people regarding how they choose to spend their time and gather information, mobile communication will continue to be a focal point of technological innovations. Consumers today want information when they want it, where they want, and in the format they want it … no matter what time it is. “I think there’s this huge movement going on, and companies are P24 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=27http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=272008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=28http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=28Will I Be Relevant? developing technologies that allow us to location shift and time shift our communication consumption, and that’s hugely powerful,” says Rick Littrell, president/CMO of Magicomm. “You just start looking at the technologies and how it’s starting to play out — it’s society-level, it’s cultural-level, it’s way beyond our industry. And there’s no way to turn it back.” As customers take more control of the information they receive through Web sites, instant messaging, cell phones and PDAs, savvy businesses will look to harness these preferences to target marketing communications content. “By far, the most powerful force that will impact print over the next five years is mass customization, which is essentially the personalization of mass marketing print media,” says Joyce. “Printers have an opportunity to drive revenue growth by tapping into the power and preferences of the increasingly media savvy individual.” “Print salespeople are going to have to embark on an educational mission — reading, seminars, hanging out with business people and trying to determine what drives them.” — Daniel Hanson, Branch-Smith Printing New services, new solutions As new technologies develop, print companies will look for different ways to best use these innovations to solve customer problems. Digital services will increase. “Digital transformation is a reality,” says Michael Ring, chief marketing officer and vice president of business development, Xeikon. “The question is what aspect of print will not be touched.” Highly technical types of products and more complex packaging will abound. “It’s more than just putting ink on paper now,” says Hanson. “There will be more integration of print and publication markets. You’re going to see more integration of print tied to IT solutions when it comes to distribution and logistics.” The print industry can also expect much more on-demand and high-level automation during the next five years. “I think the goal will be that all the products you’ll see for printers will have a strong connection to automation,” says Littrell. “They’ll recognize it’s bigger than print and start integrating more of the best business practices and systems.” According to Joyce, online portals will change the way customers order print by enabling them to customize the control, and control how and when they receive print. And Laabs foresees the development of processes and tools to help marketers measure ROI of their advertising dollars by more effectively integrating market research and database management into advertising campaigns, lead-generation initiatives and CRM programs. Gaining an edge As printing, communications and technology changes during the next five years, how can heady printers and print salespeople get a leg up on the competition? Keeping an open mind and educating oneself to new trends, developing a marketing mentality, and staying attuned to customers’ changing needs will all be critical factors for industry personnel who want to say ahead of the curve. “Print salespeople are going to have to embark on an educational mission — reading, seminars, hanging out with business people and trying to determine what drives them,” says Hanson. “They should be thinking about how they’re going to affiliate themselves and learn how to become a business partner with customers where they’re helping them make better decisions, and they’re selling at a high level.” P26 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=29http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=29The Last Salesperson Standing By Linda Bishop, Thought Transformation Bob sold pagers. He took the job in 1985. Back then, signal range was limited and all of his clients were hospitals. During the next five years, Bob made a comfortable living while scientists made improvements. By 1990, wide-area paging had been invented. Bob was in the right place at the right time when pager sales exploded, and he made big bucks. No one knew more about pagers than Bob. His customers loved him. They appreciated his expertise. As the 1990s progressed, mobile phone technology improved. Bob’s company embraced the potential new market, but Bob didn’t. He still made plenty of money selling pagers so why change? Bob’s clients embraced the new technology, too, because it made their lives easier. Bob’s commission checks began to shrink. Finally, he struggled to make his draw. After a string of bad months, the boss called Bob in and said, “I’m sorry, but we’re closing the pager division. I have to let you go.” Bob was fired because he was no longer relevant. He ignored innovation. He refused to learn new skills. He didn’t open his eyes to the changing needs of his clients. There are plenty of Bobs in the printing industry. If you’re reading CANVAS, you’re probably not one of them. Learn and apply When the client is ready to buy, you want to be the last salesperson they talk to. You’ll get that opportunity because your client looks to you as a trusted advisor instead of their vendor. You can earn that role by taking the following steps. Be the bearer of news and information about current industry concerns. Be prepared to talk about PURLs, green issues, and variable data. Most of us don’t have to be experts — yet — but all of us should be familiar enough with the subjects to sound intelligent in a conversation. And yes, one day we will have to be experts. With that in mind, why not start down the path today? Learn about marketing. Would the chief marketing officer enjoy a conversation with you? If you want the answer to that question to be an enthusiastic yes, then you need to understand their concerns and point of view. Invite all department heads in your plant to lunch and discuss changing technology and green issues. You’ll sell more if you know more about these areas and how your plant is adapting. Embrace the technology your clients embrace. If you’re still using a cell phone, replace it with a BlackBerry, an iPhone, or another PDA device. If your boss won’t pay the cost of the upgrade, spend your own money. Invest in a better way to respond to your client. Invest in yourself. You’re worth it. Know how advertising works on the Web. Understand the meaning of basic terminology. Look at the Google Analytics site and know how it works. Like it or not, the Internet is now one of your competitors. Ignore it at your peril. Don’t make the mistake of thinking all this green stuff is just another pet-rock fad. Get educated or get left behind. CANVAS P272008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=30http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=30Will I Be Relevant? “It’s the role of the salesperson to take the time to really understand the customers’ needs and develop a multifaceted marketing and printing plan to meet those needs.” — Kevin Joyce, Eastman Kodak Co. Part of developing an effective new selling mindset involves a shift in thinking from traditional print sales strategies toward marketing, a focus that many print salespeople lacked in the past. “The print salespeople who will be successful think like marketers,” says Littrell. “You’ve got to be thinking about the best way to market and promote this thing. It’s marketing savvy. Most salespeople are short-term focused, they don’t [care].” But they should, because the most forward-thinking printers and salespeople see themselves as marketing service providers and understand the marketing needs of their clients. Analyzing client needs and defining a value proposition beyond, “We provide general commercial printing” will be key to growing print business in the years to come. “Those organizations and print salespeople that anticipate the changing needs of their customers and make the necessary investments in their business can both gain and maintain an edge,” says Laabs. In some cases, that may even mean turning a print job down if it’s not in the client’s best business interest — a counterintuitive move that can create longterm trust and build more business in the future. As it becomes increasingly difficult to compete on price alone, salespeople will need to find new ways to differentiate themselves. “The leaders in our industry are looking much more at customized By 2010, State of the Industry report participants expect to derive over 37 percent of their revenue from something other than lithography. Offset Lithography Digital Value add services 2004 All $3M or Less $3M+ to 5M $5M+ to $10M $10M+ to $20M $20M+ to $40M $40M+ 77.0% 72.7% 82.2% 78.8% 83.4% 78.7% 71.4% 2010 58.2% 52.9% 59.4% 60.0% 65.3% 64.1% 59.8% 2004 8.2% 2010 21.1% 2004 9.9% 9.6% 2010 16.2% 14.4% 11.4% 26.8% 5.8% 6.0% 5.4% 7.9% 4.5% 20.4% 18.5% 16.9% 15.7% 11.5% 10.3% 18.0% 10.5% 18.0% 6.5% 12.3% 10.3% 18.9% 16.4% 20.4% Source: NAPL State of the Industry Report 2007 P28 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=31http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=31solutions and consultative sales,” says Fenton. “They’re not just asking, ‘Hey, do you need some print?’ but instead are saying, “Explain to me what you’re trying to accomplish here, and let me see if I can put together a group of services that will help you achieve your goal.” With the advent of new print technologies, sales reps will be better apt to serve the customer, but only if they truly understand the needs of the customer. “Selling has always been about listening,” says Ring. “Just because you have the bigger or newer press doesn’t mean you get the sale. Appreciate the predicament of your customer.” At the end of the day, businesses still have to close sales and still have to define what success is, and that’s true even as selling morphs to a more solution-based model. “For most business-to-business marketing and communication initiatives, the need for highly capable and effective salespeople has never been greater,” says Laabs. “The only difference moving forward is that people don’t want to be ‘sold’ something, they want to be consulted, and then provided with the best solution for their needs.” Whether print salespeople take the time to understand and educate themselves regarding these needs will be critical to whether they remain relevant five years from now. Is selling dead? With all the changes in the industry, is print selling on its way out? The short answer is “no,” but it is changing dramatically. Basic, lowcost commoditized products such as business cards are moving to online, automated systems that eliminate the salesperson. But high-level, increasingly complex sales opportunities will continue to develop during the next five years, and it’s critical that printers and print salespeople understand this aspect of the business. “When you move past the discussion of print as a commodity and start talking about selling solutions and applications that will meet customers’ marketing service needs, you see the customer start to understand and embrace the opportunity,” says Joyce. “It’s the role of the salesperson to take the time to really understand the customers’ needs and develop a multifaceted marketing and printing plan to meet those needs.” The good news is that for print salespeople willing to do more than just go out and sell printing, opportunities are there. “Selling has risen to a whole other level,” says Hanson. “It’s a much more involved sale. It requires an entirely different level of expertise, professionalism and maturity. We need our salespeople working on the selling and really qualifying with the customer, understanding their needs and designing the solution for them.” CANVAS P292008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=32http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=32Author How sales reps who embrace the authoritative sales approach will have a leg up on the competition. By Peter Ebner Selling D During the pa past pas 30 years, print sales has undergone a number of cha changes. However, the indus industry is about transformation f yet. As in to undergo its it most dramatic the past, those shops that embrace change will flourish, while those that try to hold on to traditional selling models will quickly find themselves struggling to retain market share. P30 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=33http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=33itative CANVAS P312008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=34http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=34Authoritative Selling Selling is show and tell “Anyone that can sell, can sell printing; after all, sales is sales” was that mantra of the ’70s, and thousands of printers proved it correct. Any shop that was fortunate enough to employ a skilled pressman gained instant success. During this period there was no need to train salespeople because selling was little more than a “show and tell” activity where salespeople could land a job by simply showing a sample of their high quality work. But by the ‘80s, things had begun to change. Better presses meant that more and more shops were producing excellent work, so quality was losing its competitive edge. Furthermore, the advent of new digital technologies brought about the realization that the show-and-tell approach to selling was inadequate; print sales now required a specialized set of skills. Printing had become more than putting ink on paper; it had evolved into a diversified and complex procedure. Shops quickly realized that they could gain a competitive edge by ensuring that their salespeople were knowledgeable and had a full understanding of the printing and prepress process. The print sales professional The ’80s and ’90s was the era of the print sales professional. Print buyers were in the dark; they didn’t understand the application of new digital print technology. It seemed like the whole process had changed. Prepress had gone from paste-up to computer generated graphics, jobs could now be run offset or digital, short runs, print-on-demand and variable data were all options to consider. Print buying had become complicated and confusing, and the print sales professional was perfectly positioned to clarify the process and help the buyer make the right decision. Print sales had become synonymous with print knowledge. Shops across North America quickly realized that they could gain a competitive edge by getting their salespeople up to speed. Training was the order of the day and salespeople flocked to technical and production seminars. By the turn of the century, the print sales arena was not only overcrowded with print sales professionals, these salespeople had exhausted their usefulness. Digital printing had lost its mystic, it had become mainstream and print buyers no longer needed the help of a salesperson to explain the process; they were familiar with digital applications and were capable of writing their own specs. In this new environment, the print sales professional was quickly losing ground. The consultative sales approach Since the existing sales strategy could no longer sustain current sales targets, a shift to the consultative sales approach offered a vi- Consultative selling is founded on an old, outdated sales theory which states “If the salesperson can identify a problem and offer a solution, the prospect will buy from that salesperson.” And although the “finding a problem and offering a solution” methodology sounds correct, in practice it fails miserably. able solution. In fact, consultative selling appeared to be the silver bullet, the goose that laid the golden egg and the Midas touch all wrapped into one, and any salespeople that embraced the consultative approach flourished. While the print sales professional was busy quoting jobs and competing on price, the consultant offered alternative print solutions. This new breed of salespeople was able to differentiate their services and gain market share by changing the specs. While the consultative approach appeared to be the ultimate solution for competing in a crowded marketplace, the strategy P32 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=35http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=352008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=36http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=36Authoritative Selling was short lived. By 2004, was beginning to show serious signs of failure because the consultative sales approach has an inherent flaw; it focuses on printing. This sales model was built on the misguided belief that prospects are looking for solutions to their printing problems. Consultative selling is founded on an old, outdated sales theory which states “If the salesperson can identify a problem and offer a solution, the prospect will buy from that salesperson.” And although the “finding a problem and offering a solution” methodology sounds correct, in practice it fails miserably. As most print salespeople have already discovered, uncovering a problem is not a challenge – 90 percent of all jobs can be improved. So offering the prospect new ideas that enhance quality, reduce cost and increase efficiency is easy. But these solutions The authoritative sales approach The print sales model is once again undergoing a major change, and the emerging authoritative sales approach is unlike anything the industry has seen before. Although the progression from show and tell to print sales professional to consultative selling showed some remarkable advances, all three sales models collapsed for the same reason – they were built on the misguided belief that printing can be sold, when in fact nobody wants printing. In other words, prospects do not want brochures, business cards, catalogues or product labels; they only invest in these products because they believe that they (printing) will help them gain market share, increase sales, generate leads and improve brand recognition. They want to reach their business objectives. Without the benefit of these business solutions – no one would order printing! Unlike previous sales models, the authoritative selling approach focuses on offering business solutions. In order to provide these solutions, salespeople will need to transform themselves into Not only will the authoritative salesperson outsell the competition, selling will become easier then ever before because positioning oneself as an industry expert creates a paradigm shift. Instead of being viewed as an adversary who is trying to get top dollar, the authoritative salesperson is perceived as a business partner who can provide valuable solutions. usually fall on deaf ears because contrary to accepted sales theories, people don’t fix problems; they only fix big problems and printing is rarely, if ever, a big problem. Furthermore, the consultative sales approach has lost its uniqueness. While, as little as 5 years ago it was refreshing to meet a print salesperson that did more than quote the job, nowadays asking probing questions and suggesting print alternatives is common practice. In fact, it is so common that price has, once again, become the primary point of differentiation. As a result, the consultative sales approach is dying a slow death, and any salesperson that clings exclusively to this approach will suffer the consequences. P34 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=37http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=37industry or product experts. Which means that authoritative salespeople will not offer their prospects brochures, catalogues, labels, mailers and general commercial printing – because diversity dilutes expertise. Instead they will focus their efforts on a niche market and become the recognized authority in that market. For instance, direct mail is a billion dollar industry, and thousands of printers are clamoring to get their share of this lucrative market. But competition is tough because printing has become a price sensitive commodity where pencils continue to be sharpened every day. Even so, the authoritative salesperson will make huge inroads into this market by positioning himself as a direct mail expert. This new breed of salesperson is not only familiar with the printing processes, he also has an in-depth understanding of direct mail. He knows which color sells best; what type of envelope is most likely to get opened; how to use postscripts to increase direct mail response; which type of postage to affix and which type face to avoid. He’ll be able to answer questions like, “Should I save money by printing on both sides of my sales letter?” “Which pulls better, a two-page or a one-page sales letter?” “When writing an offer, which gets a better response, half price, buy one get one free, or 50 percent off?” He’ll also be familiar with the latest postal regulations and he’ll be able to advise his prospects on how to manage their mailing list. Not only will the authoritative salesperson outsell the competition, selling will become easier than ever before because positioning oneself as an industry expert creates a paradigm shift. Instead of being viewed as an adversary who is trying to get top dollar, the authoritative salesperson is perceived as a business partner who can provide valuable solutions. Here’s a short comparison of the consultative and authoritative selling approach. Consultative Selling Authoritative Selling new business. asking probing questions. run the job. The winds of change are already blowing as more and more salespeople turn to the authoritative sales approach. Those that embrace this concept will find print sales more lucrative and more enjoyable then every before, while those who resist will watch their commissions erode as they struggle to maintain market share. Peter Ebner is a professional sales trainer and marketing consultant with over 25 years of experience. He is author of 11 industry specific books and audio programs, including Breaking the Print Sales Barrier. He can be reached at (905) 713-2274, or visit his Web site at www.ebnerseminars.com. CANVAS P352008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=38http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=38P36 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=39http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=39Why the word “no” should get to you. By Brian Sullivan OK salespeople … say it with me. “I love the word ‘No!’” Again. “I love the word ‘No!’” Now try this one … “I love rejection!” Again. “I love rejection!” The reality is, we hate the word “no.” We detest prospects who tell us “no.” In fact, we detest everything that the letters N and O stand for. We loathe no’s attitude, its appearance and everybody “no” associates with! I hope you feel refreshed. Why? Because we finally said what salespeople actually feel. “No” just plain sucks. The sales gurus for years have been telling us to love “no,” adore rejection, worship objection and ignore the nervousness that sets in when a customer asks to “think about it.” Everybody expects us to go on with our life as if it all never happened. Well dangit, it’s tough, and it hurts! Just because we hate it does not mean customers are going to stop doing it. It would be nice to anticipate and halt the sounds of rejection seconds before they were ever uttered, wouldn’t it? Perhaps a sudden, “Don’t say it Mr. Prospect. Don’t even go there.” And think how fun it would be to just put your hands over your ears like a 5-year-old child as you deliver a deafening, “Blah, Blah, Blah … I can’t hear yoooooooouuuuuuuuu.” CANVAS P372008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=40http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=40Feel the Pain Well, as fun as this would be, this behavior probably wouldn’t help fatten the monthly commission check. While you need to peacefully coexist with the word “no,” feel free to despise it. In fact, hate it even more than you do now. I want you to hate it so much that you will do anything and everything to confront it. Notice how I said, “confront.” The “no” word is amazingly powerful and the rejection that comes with it is the single biggest destroyer of sales numbers and sales careers. Look it in the eye and say, “Bring it on!” The reality is, while rejections come rolling in, you have two choices to make: You either wimp out and make excuses, or you let your loathing of rejection motivate you to work longer hours, hone selling skills, manage time better and enhance your creativity. Use that sick pit in your stomach whenever you lose an order to inspire you to come out fighting for new sales. Act like a wild animal that has been backed into a corner. Pain is a gift from above that prevents you from doing things that hurt. If you hold your hand over a burning flame, nature tells you that you’re nuts and that you’d better rethink what you’re doing. That’s what I want you to do with rejection. Use that pain to do your job even better. Now I understand that “keeping your chin up” might convince your boss and everybody around you that you are immune to rejection, but if I were your sales leader, I’d have more fun seeing you “burn” inside. I want to see the pain. Fume like Tiger Woods does after he just double bogeyed a hole. Pain and the need to never feel that pain again are remarkable motivators. Pain is often a signal that you could be doing things better — that you should be doing things better. Isn’t that the purpose of pain? Think about it. Pain is a gift from above that prevents you from doing things that hurt. If you hold your hand over a burning flame, nature tells you that you’re nuts and that you’d better rethink what you’re doing. That’s what I want you to do with rejection. Use that pain to do your job even better. Don’t continue with your job following a lost sale or customer as if nothing ever happened. Instead, confront that rejection and analyze why it happened. Let the emotion be the fuel of curiosity. If you use it correctly, you will identify things about that last sales call, or that series of sales calls, that you can improve upon. Was it your preparation, your product knowledge, your follow-up? P38 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=41http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=41After your analysis, make notes about your performance. Your mind is often full of “woulda, coulda, shouldas,” so make good notes and write them down as you build a resume of rejection. Before your next big sales call, pay a little visit to that periodical of sales punishment, relive the pain, review the learned lessons that the pain helped deliver, and use it to drive you to do everything possible to avoid that awful feeling. There is a great quote by American Philosopher John Dewey (1859-1952) that sums it up nicely. He says: “Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks, learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.” Therefore, the next time you hear “no,” and the next time you fail to close the big sale, don’t just accept that rejection and move on. Instead, let that awful feeling motivate you to look for answers. You will find in the end that it will be your loathing of “no” that will deliver you to a lot more “Yeses.” Sullivan is a member of the National Speakers Association and an internationally known expert on sales and leadership. He delivers high-energy, no-nonsense, interactive seminars on his PRECISE Selling Formula to companies looking to become famous in their industry. He has been quoted in magazines such as Selling Power and Business Week. Sullivan also hosts a talk radio show on Hot Talk 1510, based in Kansas City, Mo. The show, called “Entrepreneurial Moments,” is dedicated to helping business people of all types. WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE? Now Offering Marketing/ Consultation Services CANVAS offers its insight for creative solutions to your marketing needs For more information on how CANVAS can work for you email: marketing@thecanvasmag.com2008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=42http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=42Book Recommendation The Go-Giver A little story about a powerful business idea. By Bob Burg and John David Mann M “ ost people just laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving . Then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were.” The Go-Giver is a wonderful tale of a young man who learns the true measure of success and reminds us all that by putting others’ interests before our own leads to extraordinary returns. Bob Burg and John David Mann use an inspirational parable to map out five values that when executed with sincerity will If you realize that “your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment,” you will reach a higher level of performance and happiness. bring you tremendous success and meaning to your life. The values detailed in this book reminded us of why we created CANVAS and validated our cause. Although these rules may seem simple, following through and truly living them is the challenge. If you realize that “your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment,” you will reach a higher level of performance and happiness. The laws of the Go-Giver, are 1. The law of value 2. The law of compensation 3. The law of influence 4. The law of authenticity 5. The law of receptivity The book is a quick read, but one you can read over and over again as a reminder of what is truly important. We highly recommend this book and living your life and conducting your business in the spirit of the Go-Giver. Go to www.thegogiver.com to learn more. P40 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=43http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=432008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=44http://ipaperus.ipaperus.com/TheCanvasMag/April2008/?Page=44PRESORTED STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ECP 6555 SUGARLOAF PARKWAY, SUITE 307 DULUTH, GEORGIA 30097 THECANVASMAG.COM P994 CANVAS APRIL 20082008-12-11T04:53:49+01:00