Print Solutions Magazine

The first sales training course I attended was almost 45 years ago. It was an in-house program at Hallmark Cards Inc. Upon reading this, your reaction may be, “So what? Does representing Hallmark involve real selling given that company’s market dominance?” Well, back then there were five major greeting card publishers. Not too many years earlier, a Massachusetts-based firm called Rust-Craft was the largest company in the industry.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Hallmark Cards’ sales training involved the creation of perceptions, some of which may have led to the booking of orders in the short term but which led to a steep price being paid by the seller in the long run. Those lessons couldn’t be more relevant to the graphic arts industry in 2005.

The two occasions during which indelible impressions are frequently created:

• Behavior during a disagreement or dispute

• The first and second sales calls on a prospective account or on new buyers at an existing account

Years after a disagreement or dispute, the customer may have forgotten the issues. However, it is more likely that several statements by the salesperson will be remembered, if not resented:

• “I’ll see what I can do.” Fair or not, this statement is viewed as a stall, a lack of urgency. The customer wants an explanation of the action the salesperson will take.

• “It’s not our policy.” This response is not easily forgotten by an aggrieved customer.

• “You have to understand.” The customer is the customer, and doesn’t have to understand anything.

It’s axiomatic that a marriage or any other relationship can be strengthened by the way difficulties are, or aren’t, resolved. As a manager, I often heard “war stories” from customers about individual salespeople. Almost always, the highest praise was reserved for the reps who did more than take orders in an efficient, professional manner. Customers remembered the salespeople who somehow overcame procedures, policies and the norm to satisfy them.

Impressions and perceptions created during prospecting are especially difficult to overcome. Before proceeding with this discussion, let’s agree that not all buyers are created equal. Some buyers have circumstances that preclude them from getting beyond the price issue. This column assumes you have qualified a prospect before the first sales call, or at least tried to do so.

“Bait and switch” is illegal in retailing. It is perhaps the world’s oldest sales tactic. That doesn’t stop many business-to-business salespeople from doing it routinely and assuming that the buyer is oblivious to it.

Yes, sometimes you’ll succeed in getting “a foot in the door” by “low-balling price” and anticipating the higher prices on subsequent orders. This tactic appeals to the worst instincts of the buyer. And it’s unfair to accuse that buyer of disloyalty for changing suppliers even if the original jobs with “low-ball” prices pleased the client and were delivered on time.

Self-inflicted sales wounds can also be created by the rep who emphasizes products to the exclusion of non-product capabilities, benefits and solutions during new account development. This often results in the buyer saying, “I didn’t know you did that!” A longer-term consequence is “slotting,” which is when the buyer perceives that a salesperson specializes in a relatively narrow range of products and services.

In this highly competitive, commoditized environment, it’s natural to “go for the jugular,” to seek the largest, quickest sale possible. In doing so, there may be a long-term price to be paid.

With the exception of a home with a leaky basement, an automobile that’s a lemon, or some other potentially large or catastrophic loss, people tend to remember the human aspects of an event years after they may have only a vague recollection of the event itself. For instance, I remember the extraordinary treatment by airlines, both negative and positive, even though I’ve long forgotten the actual events that led to a confrontation.

In new account development, sell the value as well as the price. Understand the impressions and perceptions that led the new customer to drop an existing supplier to do business with you. Make sure that the buyer accurately and thoroughly understands your value proposition and capabilities, both product and non-product.