December 2021

I forgot all about this interview and the Erik Cagle did a great job with this. Starting year 42 in less than 4 hours!#sales #copiers #mfp #officetechnology #officeequipment

If you’re reading this, chances are quite good that you’ve already heard of Art Post. He has become a ubiquitous presence in office technology circles through his blogging, motivational speaking and Print4Pay Hotel online community of more than 2,600 industry professionals. A sales extraordinaire who has enjoyed the most successful campaigns of his 42-year career in the teeth of the pandemic, Post has plied his craft with Stratix Systems in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, for the past 23-plus years.

His stories are renowned for tying together the past and the present, and he’s written on essentially every aspect of the office dealer experience. Given the significant changes that have transpired in office technology since the early 1980s, Post is uniquely qualified to offer a broad perspective of where the sector has been and where it’s going.

Post qualifies as an ENX Magazine Difference Maker on several levels because...read more here

If you liked the video please like and subscribe for future updates and my quest to reach 1,000 subscribers in 90 days.

Five Reasons I’m Stoked about the KIP C600 Color Plotter

Every now and then one of those technology marvels cross my life.  I can remember the awesome IBM Selectric II Typewriter (so many years ago), the Minolta 450Z, our much loved Ricoh MP 240W (wide format plotter) and now the incredible KIP C600 color plotter (wide format).

I’m a tech junkie and any phrase that starts with “State of the Art Technology” has my attention!

1. KIP utilizes contact control technology which enables the KIP C600 to control the placement of toner particles.  Controlling these particles at each stage of the image development allows for the greatest level of color and black image quality.  What it means to you is awesome print quality day in and day out!
2. In many cases wide format users only want to copy or scan a certain portion of that wide format blue print or black line drawing. Why print the entire document when you can cut, or crop the image you need?  With workflow automation our KIP C600 allows you to control what portion of the pages that you would like to cut or crop any image. What is means is that clients don't have to waste toner or paper when all they need to print is a portion of the drawing!
3. Color scans and copies that can last a lifetime. Another CCT technology feature allows the KIP C600 to produce prints that will hold up to friction, heat, scratching and everyday handling of documents. The CCT technology enables the LIP C600 to produce waterproof, smear proof, V resistant, highlighter safe and archivable documents. This means that your documents are made to be used in the field and clients don't need to worry of the lost f printed data points.

1. KIP Cloud Connect allows multiple users to connect multiple cloud platforms like Box, DropBox, OneDrive, GoogleDrive and MS SharePoint. Some of the other cool features are;
   1. Print from KIP Could Connect
   2. Scan to KIP Cloud Connect
   3. Unlimited Cloud Connections
   4. Choose files from Multiple Cloud Sources for Single Print Job
   5. Collated Print Sets
2. Print only plotter is available and it’s awesome because on many occasions there are clients that have existing high end scanners that they would like to complement with a color plotter.  In addition having a print only device saves the client money because a scan and copy feature is not needed.

When you compare apples to apples and feature for feature there is no other dry toner color wide format device like the KIP C600.

-=Good Selling-

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"Illusion is needed to disguise the emptiness within."

Arthur Erickson

What are you disguising? What are you hiding? Is there an illusion being portrayed?

Let's dive into this for a moment and look int the essential meaning of illusion as defined by Merriam-Webster...

Something that looks or seems different from what it is: something that is false or not real but that seems to be true or real

An incorrect idea: an idea that is based on something that is not true

How are you presenting yourself to your clients?

How are you being viewed by your clients?

Does the walk match the talk?

What is true and not true?

"We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality."

Iris Murdoch

Let this quote sink in as I take you back in time to 1977 as I introduce you to Styx and the Grand Illusion... As some of you are reading, you're singing this out loud...

Welcome to the Grand illusion

Come on in and see what's happening

Pay the price, get your tickets for the show

The stage is set, the band starts playing

Suddenly your heart is pounding

Wishing secretly you were a star

You see, sales professionals deep down inside, do not wish they were a star, they know they are a star... in the minds of their clients, future clients and out into the community.

They lead with intention. They are congruent with their actions. They carry themselves with confidence. They are the example. There is no illusion.

Sales professionals align their vision and values to earn the respect of their clients. With purposeful intent, they engage in heartfelt activities benefitting all those around them.

Your clients do not want a grand illusion nor an empty suit. Your clients, future clients and community crave a sales professional who is heartfelt, sincere and fills out a suit with empathy, emotion and excitement.

SALES PROFESSIONALS ARE LEADERS, NOT EMPTY SUITS

“Being a self-leader is to serve as chief, captain, president, or CEO of one’s own life”

Drucker

Sales professionals hold themselves personally accountable and self-manage themselves to a higher degree of standards than all the other empty suits.

They are effective in opening business conversations as they speak the language of leadership.

With confidence and conviction, they communicate insight and ideas to the hearts and minds of those whom they wish to move to action, their clients and future clients. They keep the conversation simple.

How well are you communicating the language of leadership?

How well are you engaging your clients in business conversation?

How are you being perceived by your clients?

"Empty pockets never held anyone back, only empty heads and empty hearts can do that."

Norman Vincent Peale

Sales professionals are not empty suits in the eyes of their clients, future clients and community.

ARE YOU BEING VIEWED AS AN EMPTY SUIT?

The words you use and the messaging you use determines how someone views you.

Buzz-riddled sales jargon, industry acronyms and phrases... all of this may sound impressive to you but despite sounding important, there's usually little meaning nor substance behind the words or messaging.

Are you using the same overused sets of sales jargon to describe situations as a replacement for just speaking plain old normal language?

Are you relying on industry buzzwords, catch phrases and acronyms to communicate concepts rather than explaining what they mean?

Let's get real for a moment... Do you think this makes you sound or look smart? I promise you this... It only adds to more confusion as opposed to clarity.

Words matter and you must choose them wisely.

Sales professionals communicate in a way that brings them to life.

When you hide behind catch phrases and buzzwords this will only expose you and then label you as an empty suit.

These words drive your clients bonkers...

• Turnkey
• Streamline
• Think outside the box
• Best in class
• Cutting technology
• Leading edge

Nothing worse than an uneducated sales rep who recites information off the back of a brochure or from other empty suits!

EMPTY SUITS HIDE BEHIND BUZZWORDS

We all know how hard it is to gain access to the C-suite. When you do get that coveted meeting, it’s mission critical you maximize every minute.

The last thing you want is to have decision makers walk away empty handed, or worse, leaving them confused or none the wiser.

Are you being viewed as being an empty suit? Would you know?

Listen up... Empty suits cover up their lack of understanding and experience with sales jargon, all because they think it sounds good. All this does is confuse, alienate and label you.

In George Orwell’s essay, “Politics and the English Language.” he shares his opinion on our reliance on “dying metaphors,” “pretentious diction,” “stale similes and idioms,” that have clouded our thinking.

He understood that if we only recite clichéd and meaningless phrases because they sound nice, we’re spared the effort and challenge of not only crafting our thoughts and opinions into fresh language, but confronting what our thoughts and opinions really are.

In other words, using unclear and cliched sales jargon reflects upon you with unclarity and canned thinking.

How do you want to be viewed by your clients?

ARE YOU WORTHY OF A CONVERSATION?

"Self-worth comes from one thing - thinking that you are worthy."

Wayne Dyer

You must live, walk, talk and breathe as a sales professional.

Do you believe in YOU and your messaging?

Are you carrying yourself with confidence?

An executive appearance, presence and attitude may open some business doors of opportunity, however; without competence those will quickly dissipate.

I would like all you to stop for a moment and think about this scenario...

What happens in a first meeting, when an executive shares their vision, business initiatives and challenges and all you can contribute to the conversation is a stream of buzzwords, canned pitches and sales jargon?

This my sales friends is an empty suit.

AVOID BEING LABELED AND JUDGED

I encourage many of you in sales to remove the mask and become your true self. You must ditch the facade, buzzwords, and sales jargon.

There are way too many sales reps who believe they are ‘A’ players, but in essence they are nothing more than ‘C’ players hiding in an empty suit.

If you find yourself being labeled or judged as an empty suit, stop and then ask yourself...

Is it true?

Is it limiting you?

Take all of this to heart as you control how your clients and future clients view you.

Expensive name brand suits are no substitute for business acumen or business substance.

Fine clothing is not a substitute for brains.

I encourage you to look in the mirror...

• Are you being sincere with your clients?
• Are you bringing substance to your clients?
• Are you engaging in business conversation with your clients?

We can control what we can control, and this is how we carry ourselves. If you want to avoid being labeled as an empty suit, then it is your sole responsibility to do something about it.

I understand, I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I am fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects and heartfelt strategies into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.

Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback, kindle and in audio. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market.

In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market.

With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social and Selling from the heart inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.

What the Digger Award meant for me and how the last two years have been spectacular for selling office technology #officetechnology #sales #netnewbusiness