Graphic Media Alliance

Complete Story
 

01/10/2024

A Different Sales Approach

I don’t think this is an original thought, but my friend Kelly Mallozzi often says, “if you keep doing what you’re doing, you will keep getting what you’re getting.”

Entering a new year, we make pledges and promises. We set goals. The common denominator comes down to one word: Different. That is, what will you do this year that is different from what you did last year?

In answering this question, your mind might go to sales activities: more calls, more new business, etc. Or, you might think of your target market differently and go after a different kind of account or a different sized company. What I am suggesting is you get more basic than that.

I want you to re-frame WHAT you do and think of it in a completely different manner.

Start here…

Someone asks what you do for work. What is your answer? Is it, “I sell print/signage/labels/promo…?” Are you a bit more grandiose and say, “I am in the graphic arts”?

While that is your job, it’s not what you actually do. What you do is to help your clients grow. You help customers find their customers. You help them differentiate. You solve problems. You find solutions. It just so happens the tools used to solve these problems are print/signage/labels/promo.

Why is this even a thing? Why is it important?

Because people who sell print/signage/labels/promo quote numbers, sell on price, and have temporary client relationships. Those who see what they do in a different light sit at the ‘Cool Table’, consult with clients, and win their orders based on ideas. Their opinions are sought after. They form life-long bonds with customers.

You are one simple mind-shift away from joining them.

So, I will ask you again, What do you do?

Watch Bill present this week's sales tip


The Sales Vault, created by Bill Farquharson, is a subscription-based resource and sales community featuring a calendar packed with live workshops, on-demand sales courses, peer-to-peer discussion groups, and 35+ years of sales training content all searchable by sales challenge. Think of it as a sales conference where the seminars and workshops, full of instantly applicable ideas, are ongoing and more programs are added constantly.

The Sales Vault is available on a monthly subscription basis, normally at a no-brainer monthly price of $45/participant, but… GMA members can take advantage of an exclusive offer: FREE membership for 30 days followed by a discounted monthly subscription price of just $40/participant. 

Bill has been a friend of GMA for many years and is, no doubt, known to our members as a top sales trainer and content creator for the graphic arts.

Other Vault resources:

  • NEW: Replays—Insider exclusive recordings of Office Hours sales discussions
  • Downloadable prospecting letters
  • One killer-good intro letter only the bravest of the brave send out
  • A downloadable voicemail script
  • 15 on-demand video sales courses
  • Archived sales content searchable by sales challenge

Check out the Sales Vault!

Printer-Friendly Version



2025 Wage + Benefits Report Now Available / Trends & Analysis Webinar Soon

How competitive are your company’s wages and benefits compared to others in the printing industry? Are you keeping pace with shifting workforce expectations?

Read More

Annual Advisory Council Meeting

Graphic Media Alliance invites all members to join us for our 2025 Annual Advisory Council Meeting, bringing together members from across every region to celebrate another successful year and help shape the future direction of the Association.

Read More

Printing Industry Diversification: Adding Non-Printing Products and Services

In this study, the survey will examine how printing companies are diversifying beyond traditional print offerings and what that means for business success.

Read More

6 Things HR Should Know About Intermittent FMLA Leave

It’s important for employers to keep a good-faith mindset that employees who request such leave do so because they need it.

Read More

Sedgwick Enrollment Deadline and Stress Management

Don't miss the opportunity for significant savings on your workers' comp premium and learn the causes of workplace stress.

Read More

The LinkedIn Handshake

Imagine working hard to get an appointment and then, after "Hello," you have no idea what to say. That's what making a LinkedIn connection feels like. If you want a plan for what to do, check out this week's Short Attention Span Sales Tip.

Read More