Here’s How a Bar of Chocolate Stopped Me From Losing a Prospect
So how does chocolate help print sales?!
Recently I made a presentation at a print show. At the end of the presentation, the managing director of a printer came up to me. He gave me his business card and asked me to contact him after the show.
When I came to call him, he was very short with me. From what he said he had clearly mixed me up with someone else. Fortunately, I was able to easily set him straight. During the presentation I had been comparing the price of two bars of chocolate. I had had the actual bars in my hand.
As soon as I realized that he hadn’t recognized me, I mentioned the chocolate. He immediately laughed and we got on fine. I have a sales follow up booked with him very soon.
Do you use props?
If you have something unusual in your hand or are wearing something unusual, it’s a great way for someone to remember you. You stand apart from the many other people that they meet.
Remember, most buyers meet a large number of people every week. It can be very hard to remember everyone, even if they are happy to continue a conversation with someone. If you want a prospect or client to remember you, it is vital to stand out.
This technique is known as pattern interrupt
If you do something unexpected, prospects are unsure how to react. It’s the same if you have a prop or an unusual piece of clothing. When we see everything as normal, the brain carries on as standard. When something is out of the ordinary, the brain changes its pattern. This makes you more memorable.
Being known as the chocolate person can be a great way to improve your print sales. And it gives you an excuse to make sure that you have chocolate with you at all times!
P.S. Find out more ideas on how to increase sales with today’s buyers: download my free e-book “Ten Common Print Selling Errors and What To Do About Them” right now at http://profitableprintrelationships.com/e-book/ You’ll also receive my regular “Views from the print buyer” bulletin, full of ideas on how to sell print effectively. Also, for more practical sales tips like this, check out my guide on “How To Improve Your Print Sales In 23 Minutes A Week”
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Many printing companies are frustrated how hard it is to engage buyers in today’s world. That’s where Matthew Parker can help. He is a gamekeeper turned poacher. Parker has bought print for more than 20 years and received over 1,400 print sales pitches. He now uses his buyer’s point of view to give practical advice to printers. He helps them engage with prospects and customers to create profitable relationships.
Download his free e-book, "Ten Common Print Selling Errors And What To Do About Them" and check out his recently launched book, "How To Succeed At Print Sales: Setting targets, planning the right activities and making sure goals are met."
