Do You Know What You Don’t Know?
I have a confession to make. I listen to NPR. Every time I get in my car, even with the kids, I am listening to All Things Considered, This American Life, even Car Talk. I like NPR because I learn stuff. And if there is one thing the wisdom of my 43 years has taught me, it’s that there is a LOT I don’t know. And I realized that I didn’t know what I didn’t know until I knew it. (Yogi Berra, anyone?)
And it got me thinking about our industry. Things are moving pretty fast technologically speaking. And I like to think I’ve learned a lot about print in the 20 or so years I’ve been working, and yet I know I don’t know everything.
What about you? How do you stay informed enough to stay ahead of your customers, not to mention your competition? Here are a few suggestions for those of you out there who don’t know everything already.
1. Read the blogs. What the heck is 3D Printing? Is it going to ruin your life? Should you be afraid that someone can go out and make a digital press without having to invest the million dollars that you did? When I want to know something, I Google it. And then I look at the sources that are coming up in the searches. I read many of the blogs on PIworld.com, What They Think, and even some of the other sales coaches out there. I follow certain printers on Facebook and Twitter. I retweet stuff that looks cool.
2. Listen to your customers, and ask questions. We are a society that seems to engage in conversations that are very much—I talk then you talk. Slow yourself down. Ask, “Why is that important?” Or “What does that mean to you?” or “Tell me more about that.” You will learn something. I guar-on-tee it.
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.
