Margie Dana

Time has passed since our annual Print & Media Conference last October in Chicago, when 75 senior-level print buyers from a range of industries came together to learn and network over two days. As I look back on that event, I’ve made some key observations for print company owners and sales reps, which can help them make a bigger impact as they prospect for new customers in 2013. Here they are:

1. Right out of the gate, your sales reps and marketing efforts must spell out what differentiates your company from all the others. Don’t say price or service or quality. Be very specific and creative in how you articulate this.

2. Don’t sell to print buyers. Well, sell to them AND to marketers. I wouldn’t have said this 10 years ago, but today, everything’s different. You have to impress the marketers.

3. Sophisticated print buying pros know equipment. They came to Chicago for our event and to visit manufacturers at Graph Expo. They are seriously interested in new equipment, especially digital presses. They know what they’re doing. I’ve found that in many cases, they’re more knowledgeable about equipment than sales reps.

4. More corporate print buyers work in Marketing or Purchasing departments within their organizations than anywhere else. This is a gift from me to you.

5. Corporate print buyers are extremely interested in personalization. What opportunities exist today? How can they take advantage of this technology? Can they push it to the extreme? I say, if you’re a printer who offers this, sell it now. Feature it in any way you can.

6. Print buyers love meeting peers. If you can swing it, host breakfast meetings or lunch events for your customers. Make education a focal point, and whatever you do, avoid SELLING at these events.

7. Printers who find ways to help their customers work leaner and be more efficient will gain loyalty. I’m not suggesting you work for zero profit or steer work to a competitor who’s cheaper. What I am suggesting is that you and your sales reps always keep in mind the pressure that buyers are under to be efficient in their purchasing strategy. What suggestions do you have to help them? Don’t sell print; provide answers to their problems.

I hope you’ll share these ideas with your sales teams and make good use of them in 2013. Print buyer intelligence is hard to come by. Acting on these observations will help printers find more customers and build stronger customer relationships. I’ll bet my career on it.