WARNING! This column may be monitored or recorded for quality purposes. This means you, Marvelle Stump. No cussin' while you are reading. No snoring. No spillin' barbecue sauce on the pages of this magazine. No sassy back talk! No drinking Jack Daniels, chased with Pabst Blue Ribbon, while you're reading this column.
I'm still mad from last month's column that was all about this lousy economy. I'm tired of hearing from printing companies all over the United States that are down on their luck.
You all must have been on vacation and didn't read my September column. Or, if you did read it, then you ain't doing what I asked, and you are doing nothin' about fixin' the economy. Right?
Come on, guys! Let's get busy! I laid out a plan for all of you on how this great printing industry could single-handedly lead the way to the restoration of prosperity for at least the middle class folks who make under $5 million annually. That $5 million, by the way, was one politician's definition of the middle class.
This is the big Graph Expo edition of Printing Impressions, and it will be read by a lot of printing executives who are at McCormick Place in Chicago to look at equipment and supplies. They need some HOPE.
They need some CONFIDENCE that the economy is going to improve. They need to read the details of the Mañana Man's 2008 Economic Recovery Plan. First, I will summarize what I wrote in my September column. It's worth repeating.
The Mañana Man Trickle-Up Graphic Arts End the Recession Plan:
Step One--You can't shake the pocketbook blues hangin' in your office in a fetal position under the desk. Keep that up, and you won't have a desk. You've got to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go call on 10 prospects/customers each day. Remember, your low-life competitors will be in fetal positions under their desks or, even better, home in bed with the covers pulled over their heads. There's your motivation.
Your competitors are in bed. Soon you will start getting orders, and then, no more anti-depressants. OK, that takes care of your attitudes.
Step Two--All owners must raise prices by 11.5 percent. Most of the customers won't even notice the increase but, if they do, tell them your costs have zoomed up during the past 20 years. Remember, we must have 100 percent participation among all printing companies, in all printing segments.
Now our sales are up 11.5 percent, and you can start paying on time and hiring back some of the good people you laid off. Your suppliers are doing better, and they can hire new people and pay their suppliers on time, so there is spreading of the sunshine, and no more anti-depressants. We put a dent in unemployment and are beginning to invest in wind farms and solar panels. Gosh, I'm good!
Step Three--Owners have to spend four hours each day figuring out who the salespeople will call on the next day. The buyers will get the idea that you want their business.
Now this thing is spreading like a wind-driven forest fire, feeding on itself and, yes, we will lose some of your crummy competitors who didn't read this column. You can damn sure make 10 calls per day to end this economic tragedy, and it ain't gonna get better until you make it better.
Step Four--You have to adjust this plan to your circumstance. You could be serving an industry or buyer segments that don't even have 10 buyers, and they are spread across the United States. But don't quibble with me or whine, just adjust and be creative.
Here are more components of my economic recovery plan.
1) If you are reading this on your laptop or Blackberry in a Starbucks, and you've been there more than 30 minutes, then walk out right now! Go call on a prospect.
2) Call all of your outstanding proposals (live quotes). I once rode 50 miles in the dead of winter through Iowa with a print salesperson. It was a team call on a great prospect. My salesperson asked the buyer about the quote she provided in August. The buyer responded, "Oh, I awarded that job in late August." Inexcusable. The salesperson had made no effort to sell when the decision was still open.
3) If you are working a crossword puzzle, put it down and start listing your prospects. Or start writing creative letters to prospects who have not returned your phone calls.
4) If you are watching TV six hours per day, stop now! Start researching your prospects and customers on Google.
5) If you eat lunch in the car in the company parking lot and then take a nap, stop now. Invite some prospect to lunch or at least take a nap in a prospect's parking lot.
6) If you play Solitaire or Backgammon on your Blackberry or some other handheld device, stop now! Go do something that will contribute to your sales growth. For example, you could read one of the Mañana Man's books for a few minutes to help you come up with an idea that leads to a new customer.
7) If you are wasting time texting your spouse, significant other or insignificant other, stop it now! Instead write "thank you" letters to every customer that printed with you last month. This is called marketing, and it's called staying in front of the customer. You are building positive awareness. Less than 2 percent of all print salespeople send thank you notes.
8) For that matter, less than 5 percent of all print salespeople made four prospect calls last month. See how easy it is to win and move into the middle class? Soon you may have five or six houses.
Your economic efforts will spread across all industries and the White House, the old president, the new president, senators and U.S. representatives will all take credit for saving the economy. But you guys will know. It all started here with your beloved Mañana Man, and he spread it to you, and you spread it to your customers, and the trickle-up effect wiped out the great recession of 2008.
Now, put down that coffee. Close the magazine. Push yourself out of your chair, and get out there and sell something! We are on a mission to save the economy. PI
--Harris DeWese
About the Author
Harris DeWese is the author of "Now Get Out There and Sell Something," which is available through NAPL or PIA/GATF. He is chairman/CEO of Compass Capital Partners and is an author of the annual "Compass Report," the definitive source of information regarding printing industry M&A activity. DeWese has completed 141 printing company transactions and is viewed as the industry's preeminent deal maker. He can be reached via e-mail at HDeWese@CompassCapLtd.com.
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