Print Solutions Magazine, May 2005 -- Strategic Sales

I dislike the word "marketing." It's frequently used to describe my alleged area of expertise, but I never have used it to describe my field of play. To the extent that I've established diplomatic relations with that word, it has been in response to a request that "sales" be distinguished from "marketing." (My response: "Sales" involves getting rid of what you have while "marketing" involves making certain you have what you can get rid of.)

Is there a better word or term? I think so. It's "business development." If nothing else, it's descriptive. Unlike "marketing," the term "business development" is understandable to everyone.

Having said this, the academic community appears loath to concede this point. Equally as important, it's the rare college or university that has a strong business-to-business marketing program, even though evidence exists that business-to-consumer activities account for less than half of all transactions in the United States. Beware: Star graduates with MBA degrees are unlikely to be well-versed in concepts and trends relevant to the graphic arts industry.

But I do know some important principles of business-to-business communications, principles that address frequently-asked questions about brochures and other forms of self-promotion:

• Frequency of contact is at least as important as the complexity, expense and aesthetics of the contact vehicle. I recommend that businesses contact every active account (and even high-potential prospects) at least every 30 days. The contact can be in the form of a newsletter, samples, an advertisement or a promotion, a thank-you note to good accounts, or any other medium.

• Information has great value to customers. Help them become better buyers. Provide ideas for more effective use of the products and services you provide. The information could be about improved file preparation, changing postal regulations, paper selection, paper prices, type selection or suggestions about handling proofs. If nothing else, it's tangible evidence that you're a sustaining resource for your customers and are interested in helping them achieve their business goals.

• Never publish a document or newsletter that mixes information and promotion. Promotion tends to corrupt the credibility of information. How many times have you been reading a helpful newsletter only to suddenly come across the commercial message? I'm not recommending that you abandon communicating either information or promotion. I'm simply advising you not to mix them in the same document.

• No promotion is sufficiently clever, eye-catching or brilliant to overcome the absence of a compelling, differentiated message—a unique reason to do business with your company. That's fundamental. Buyers and prospects must be offered a stated or implied reason to buy from you.

• Buyers are bombarded with unsubstantiated claims every day, so avoid them in your promotion. Focus on facts and actual results. Evidence is essential. Testimonials, customer survey results, samples and other devices are powerful. Also, avoid inherently meaningless words such as "quality" and "service."

• Understand the concept of integrated marketing communications. (Obviously, I didn't invent this term. It contains that terrible "M" word.) Not too long ago this was a theory, but today there is overwhelming evidence that it works. Integrated marketing communications means that using several media with a consistent, differentiated message has a multiplier effect. An example: A credible "unique selling proposition" expressed in a direct mail piece may have an impact of 1x. A combination of direct mail and a phone call to the same recipient may have an impact of 3x. Follow that with a seminar or the same message carried by another medium and the impact may be 7x.

You're busy making sales calls and serving customers. What should you do with the information in this column? The first step is to compile, then conscientiously maintain, a mail list. Include the names of decision-makers in the organizations to which you're selling. In most cases, your daily buying contacts won't view these as messages going over their heads. You won't be asking for an order or implying the need for management intervention.

The next step is to put together a promotion calendar that ensures meaningful contact with every customer and high-potential contact every 30 days. The communication may include a newsletter, a letter about a unique product or service, a thank-you letter to customers who pay promptly or prepare files well, or samples.

The results are unlikely to be immediate. But in the long run, you'll differentiate yourself and your firm, providing value to customers outside of the product.