By: Sid Chadwick
October 7, 2024
In post-graduate school studies on the West Coast, I learned – “the power of improving performance - through sharing useful information - in Group Discussions” – and then brought those principles to: (a) Business Development Education & Training sessions, and (b) Press-Room Workshops - with Ray Prince – who loved them.
At Business Development Education & Training sessions (usually every other Monday morning), we recognized that Account Executives were:
(a) Having difficulty getting follow-up appointments,
(b) Buyers were starved to learn about Graphic Communications,
(c) There was an invisible wall between Production and Sales (not helpful – to anyone), and
(c) Account Executives usually only knew details of projects they’d won, and followed-managed through Production.
Our Solution:
Each Account Executive and CSR was encouraged to bring a Sample of a project they’d managed, that they thought was unusual. (Details of why they’d won the project, other than “low price” were important.)
Each attendee to the session received a Sample – as the Sample’s customer and technical issues were explained by the Account Executive and/or CSR.
Production personnel were encouraged to attend, and often offered useful technical points they knew, but which were sometimes overlooked or not known by the person presenting the Sample.
Rare Take-Aways of Value:
By utilizing this format for Sample Reviews in a Group Discussion, our Account Executives and CSR’s learned much about most of our organization’s work, and each other’s sales skills with customers - and not just about the projects they managed…!
Our customers became used to receiving an ongoing stream of Graphic Communications education - through technical reviews of Samples, which noticeably helped our Account Executives receive their next appointments, and ultimately more business…! (My Rule: “Two pieces of Useful Information – on every Sales Call – were to be shared.”)
Production and Sales personnel – publicly gave each other credit in these sessions – no small accomplishment…!
It’s not just about “Low Price” – for winning Buyers’ Projects - IF you have something better to offer…!
Did we review more than Samples at these Monday morning sessions…? Yes, of course - but that’s for next time.
Sid Chadwick, President
Chadwick Consulting, Inc.
336-558-4939
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