Close Mouth, Open Ears and Sell Something

On February 9, I invited you blog readers to get a head start on my National Scavenger Hunt for Graphic Arts Company Growth (easily remembered with the acronym (“NSHGACG”).

All readers had to do was e-mail me and ask for my March column manuscript. That column contains the rules for the Scavenger Hunt.

Mark Smith, who is Printing Impressions’ Supreme Blogger Boss (“PISBB”), posted my blog in the daily Printing Impressions newsletter on the Internet around 4 p.m. and the e-mails requesting the manuscript began arriving at 4:03 p.m. It’s now 12:32 a.m., and I have just finished answering all the requests.

One of the responses came from a famous person, Charles Edwards, who is one of the world’s greatest color experts. He is a printer of the highest order. Charles has consulted on countless important color projects for many Rembrandt color catalogs. Charles wanted to add a question to a list of buyer questions in my blog. His response went like this: “Harris, Love your column. In case you missed a vital question, here it is. ‘Are you color blind? And have you ever been tested?’”

I had forgotten that question, Charles, and I know how many times that question went unasked in your head as you were doing color OKs with folks who lacked your skilled eyes. Charles is an artist who knows his dots.

—Harris

***This ongoing blog series is derived from a book Harris DeWese wrote several years ago—“A Year of Selling Profitably.” The book was written for printers to use as a guide in training their sales teams through a series of two-hour sessions over 48 weeks.***

In this blog, you will practice your listening and questioning skills. Some of the exercises may appear mechanical, but I have found that this is the best way to drive home good listening habits. I urge you to follow the guide and make the sessions rigorous.