Since I've been selling in the industry for far too long, I've been able to see the transition the industry has taken over the years with our products.
Years ago copier sales people not only sold the products, but we were also responsible for the delivery, the install, prospecting, and on-site training to the end users. Dealerships also kept more inventory, and a demo fleet of copiers that were ready to be demo'd at the customers office at a moments notice.
When the industry made the transition from analog to digital we also had to learn how to install the print drivers, the scanning, demonstrate these features and train the customer on how to print and scan. Believe or not we found the time to get all of this done and it wasn't a bad thing. Sales people had more interaction with the customer after the sale, more interaction with what the copiers could and couldn't do (because we had to train the end user), and we were able to sell extras and learn more about the customers needs on a daily basis when it came to copying, printing, scanning and faxing.
Somewhere along the way we've forgotten our past . Today I see sales reps that have no clue about how the print process works, nor could they explain it if asked. Ask them to demonstrate the product and to focus on FAB (feature, advantage and benefit) and they are clueless. Along with this, the bean counters of our industry transitioned us from on-hand inventory to just-in time inventory, and less demo units. Todays sales reps or most of them are not involved with the delivery process, nor the installation and the worst of all we are not involved in the training process once the equipment has been installed. Most of the new reps in the industry are brochure sellers and that's a bad thing. How can you get someone excited or enthused about a brochure? There's no sizzle in presenting a brochure! When a prospect views the brochures they equate that all of the systems are equal, thus most of the time the buying decision becomes a financial decision.
Now, I'm all in favor of us not doing the install, nor the delivery. I can remember those days of trying to get a 500lb system up a flight of stairs with no stair climber. But, we're missing the boat with not demonstrating or offering trials. I still try to put in trials or schedule a demonstration so that I can demonstrate the features, advantages and benefits of my system. In most cases this will lead to an impulse sale. You can't get an impulse sale from a stinking brochure!
Our first meetings need to be more about closing for the demo or the trial, whether it's in your office or theirs. Then hone your demonstration skills and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts you'll close more sales.
On a side note, did you ever wonder why management wants you to make 100-150 calls a week? I'll be going over that in my next blog.
-=Good Selling=-
Comments (0)