Self-promotion does not need to be expensive. Here are a series of low-cost options - all proven winners - that when implemented with consistency and care, can provide a steady, long-term stream of new business.
Every 90-120 days, send your major customers (and almost major customers) the updated list of their electronic files you have archived. (Expect to start receiving more work, not based on price.) Customers need to know where their projects’ electronic files are archived. (Outside contractors like agencies and designers have too much personnel turnover, who take their computers and files with them.) Knowing that you are organizing and archiving a customer’s projects – tends to cause them to send you more of their projects.
If you have meaningful storage facilities not being utilized, make frequent offers to free-up expensive storage space for major customers. As they send you materials to store and ship, you receive revenues not previously received. Also, as you store their (print) materials from your competitors, you should pursue receiving that work, also (saving time, and shipping costs.) Most organizations with unused storage space don’t recognize it’s value for major prospects – especially prospects who are buying other companies, reducing inventories, and reducing inventory and storage locations.
“Drip New Account Program” – Blast emails, mid-week, twice a month, to 100’s of prospects and accounts with significant potential. After 90 days, you should be receiving multiple inquiries – each month. Make sure those inquiries are handled professionally, and with care. Create opportunities for follow-up. Practice how to ask questions, that lead to more opportunities.
Offer to conduct an audit of a target prospect’s mailing list, at no charge, promising to save money on multiple levels (printing, processing, mailing, etc.), and increase their response rates. Duplicates can only be ferreted-out by personal examination. And when Direct Mail recipients receive multiple requests from the same mailing, those recipients tend to discard those requests, as the non-profit appears to have “money to burn.”
Hand-out Press-Check and Plant Tour Surveys. (Our clients should have Master Survey copies to personalize, with pre-stamped and pre-addressed return envelopes, handed-out as the customer is about to leave.) You’ll learn a great deal, create opportunities to make your company more customer friendly, and your customer/Prospect will be impressed – probably their 1st written Survey ever for that purpose.
Offer Multi-year Agreements. Multi-year Agreements add significantly to the value of your company, such as providing a more predictable revenue stream. They also save lots of time – for you and your customer. Some organizations find their annual and semi-annual reviews of these agreements to be noticeable opportunities to improve profitability through improved planning.
Buyer Education Program titled: “What You Should Expect From Your Print Supplier.” Practically no one is offering this today. Buyers generally don’t know what they should expect. (You and your program will never be forgotten, and your Buyer’s supervisor will also be grateful.)
Create a Catalog of your Die-Cutting Designs. A Die-Cut Catalog of your die-boards makes it easy for agencies, designers, and marketing departments – to buy. (Your Catalog also serves as a stimulating source of creative ideas.) Your Catalog should be updated annually, as your volume steadily increases from new requests. (At agencies, make sure each designer gets a personal copy.)
Develop Professional Bios of your Management Team – for Major Quotes…and RFQ’s! Your organization has a treasure of key personnel, with multiple certificates and training experiences. Buyers, on seeing this multi-page list of credits, will take another look at your proposal. You’ve given them reason to start using your organization, or using you more.
Document all company improvements in the Last year or two - for Major Quotes…and RFQ’s! Buyers like to buy from progressive suppliers. And most commercial print organizations are making improvements – every week. Imagine their reaction to your entry: “Our Top 75 Improvements in the Last 18 Months”
Schedule one major Periodic Business Review (a.k.a. PBR) – each month. A written Report of discussion accomplishments, commitments made, and next PBR scheduled - should be issued. (Most organizations skip this last step, which is an expensive omission.)
Hand-written “Thank You” and “Congratulations” Notes. If you have 5 Sales Reps, and 5 CSR’s, that’s 10 hand-written Thank You Notes - each week. (That discipline can create a wave of Goodwill in a community, no competitor can match.)
Bimonthly Printed (not emailed) Newsletter. Printed documents tend to be read (eventually), kept in a notebook, reproduced, and “Passed through the Management Team.” You have access to information many of your Buyers and Buyer Management Teams want and need to know. Examples include: (1) future predictions for paper and (2) postage pricing, (3) new postage and/or packaging regulations, (4) improvements
in ink-jet technology, (5) new studies on cost-effective changes in catalog designs (e.g., use of QR codes) and frequency for creating retail sales improvements, (6) opportunities re. targeted short-run publications, (7) federal changes in personnel laws, (8) accomplishments, certificates earned by key employees, (9) new company certificates, capabilities and equipment (including customer benefits), (10) professional backgrounds of key employees, (11) new services, products and capabilities, (12) how customers are using targeted capabilities from your company to grow their performance (offer one in each issue).
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