Soft Persistence Wisconsin

Last month I wrote about having reasonable expectations when you're trying to land a whale-sized customer. I made the point that it will take persistence and a plan, and I stressed the point that it should be a "soft" persistence. It's going to take time, so you should turn time to your advantage, and not shoot off all your big sales/marketing guns at the first opportunity.

You should also try to avoid getting categorized as a pain in the butt!

I'm Different!

As I wrote last month, if I started the selling process with a whale-sized suspect tomorrow, I'd expect it to take at least a month to secure a face-to-face appointment. I'd go into this expecting that my suspect is already getting a lot of attention from other printing companies, both the one(s) he's already buying from and the others who are hoping to win his business. The first challenge is going to be simply standing out in that crowd.

I might start off with an e-mail (after first identifying the decision-maker, of course). "Joe, I'm a salesperson from a local printing company, and I'm sure you get a lot of e-mails and calls from people like me. Well, not quite like me. I think there are several ways in which my company and I are different, and several good reasons why you should meet with me. The first of those is that I'm not "cold calling" you. I've done some research, and I have some idea of your printing needs. Now I'd like to meet with you to see if you've had any difficulty in meeting those needs. What do you think?"

When I send out this e-mail, I'll be fully prepared for a negative answer—or no answer at all! That's okay, because my plan will include a second e-mail to be sent out four to five days after the first, this one stressing one of the capabilities I think will be relevant to this individual. The next week I might send out another e-mail, or possibly some samples or other documents through the mail. As noted, I'm trying to demonstrate persistence and build recognition and interest.

Build is the key word. I don't expect anyone at this level to stop what he (or she) is doing and call me when my first communication arrives. And I fully expect them to say "no" until I build up enough reason for them to say "yes."

Add, Don't Subtract

Most salespeople are willing to be persistent, but calling week after week with nothing new to say doesn't add anything to a relationship. In fact, it usually does just the opposite. You'll have far greater success with a plan that adds to, rather than subtracts from, their perception of you.

David M. Fellman is the president of David Fellman & Associates, Cary, NC, a sales and marketing consulting firm serving numerous segments of the graphic arts industry. Contact him at 919/363-4068 or visit his website at www.davefellman.com.