Just Do It!

Many printers spend hours and dollars trying to come up with the best solution to drive business to their company. Too often it doesn't work because they left out one component: what they do once you get the lead.

Today printers have a multitude of ways to get customers interested in using their company. Digital technology makes it easier for the customer to buy. Web sites offer customers many advantages. Run lengths can be shorter. Color is more affordable. This is going to interest some customers.

But what happens after the customer gets interested? What do printers do with the leads they have? Printers have to develop a plan to close the sale and open a new account, not just get a lead. It means getting out and getting in front of the customer.

Getting leads is a lot easier today. Sign up on Linkedin.com and visit the different online communities right in your own backyard to find prospects. Follow Twitter.com and see what local business leaders and owners are interested in this week. Visit local blogs and learn who is doing what. You can generate more leads than you can visit.

You have the lead. Are you ready to get in front of the customer? Can you probe and ask questions to find out the real needs of the customer? Do you know how to qualify a customer and know if they are worth your time? Do you have a procedure to open a new account? Can you tell the customer what you do?

Printers need to quit planning and get out and make a sales call. Will you visit your Top 25 customers this month and try to get new business out of them? A push of the button of your print management system will give you that list. Do a Google search for specific types of businesses and find prospects you've never heard about in your town. There are leads all around you.

Want to be a successful printer? Get out of the shop and make a sales call. The print owner needs to be out asking for business. He or she wants new business from old customers and new business from new customers. You got the leads: Just Do It!