Business Management - Marketing/Sales

Printing sales reps give away far too much power in the process of gaining appointments. In this week's blog, Bill Farquharson ponders that issue and calls on The Bobs for help.

How many times do you have to reprint a project because of legitimate errors? How many times do you offer a discount to a client who agrees to keep the piece as is? Let's hear some of your thoughts on how you would handle clients that are not happy with their printed piece, even if it might be exactly what they specified.

When I follow a printer on Twitter or Facebook, and then click through to his or her company URL, I fully expect to see a site that resembles the Twitter and Facebook page in the look and feel. I also expect to find the SM sharing buttons in an easy-to-spot location on the home page (and every page).

Hey Bill—It’s Kelly. Hope you’re having a super fantastic time in Italy. So one of my clients who is also a fan of our Short Attention Span Webinars gave me some grief over this week’s post about what to do when it’s “Slow.”

Everything is sailing along and then...BAM...you're fired! What happened is not just a failure to sell but a failure in sales management. Read all about it in Bill Farquharson's blog.

Printers who establish balanced relationships will also achieve more powerful partnerships. This is because they will be respected by their customers rather than being treated as a commodity supplier. Printers who fail to establish balanced relationships are likely to suffer problems.

This is a tough industry facing some tough times. You certainly can whine the day away and be perfectly self-justified in your own mind. Prices are indeed brutal out there and the definition of the loyal customer has absolutely changed. Change with it or perish. Adapt or disappear. Step up or step out. You certainly will not be missed.

In her column this month, Margie Dana shares seven human behavior triggers that were presented by Nancy Harhut, chief creative officer for the Wilde Agency in Westwood, MA, at a direct marketing conference hosted by NEDMA (the New England Direct Marketing Association) in May.

Think next week is going to be a useless sales week? Think again! In this week's Short Attention Span Webinar, Bill and Kelly give you a way to make the most of your time.

Creating a branding document will help ensure your brand is properly and consistently represented across a wide range of promotional and marketing activities.