Skip to main content

MFP Copier Blog

7 Paper-Based Processes Killing Your Productivity

Is X-ray vision part of your skillset? That’s the only way to find particular documents in a pile of paper easily. By digitizing these documents, you’ll be able to locate the one you need instantly without waiting for your company’s next benefits enrollment to offer a choice of superpowers.

If you're beginning an office automation project, where should you start? We've put together recommendations guaranteed to help you meet your business goals.

Common issues caused by relying on paperbegin

Finding Documents: Traditional filing systems require physical access, and time is often wasted on a trip to a file cabinet or file room looking for a misfiled document. Or perhaps the document you’ve been searching for has been sitting on your very own desk in a stack of folders all along.

How do you get the information you need today, and is the time you spend hunting for it stopping you from doing bigger, better things?

more here

3 Reasons the Office Supply Boom Benefits MPS

Business experts received an unusual surprise as the numbers for late 2021 rolled in earlier this year. Despite the shutdowns, pandemic concerns, shipping issues, microchip shortages, and other local and global problems, companies are making a concerted effort to return to the office. However, the “office” of 2021 and beyond is shaping up much differently from what was common in 2019.

Today, companies are turning to a wide range of configurations, including segmented scheduling, hybrid workforces, and completely remote work. And these new designs call for an entirely new way of stocking the most basic business needs, office supplies. The result is a significant increase in stationary sales, pens, post-its, and other standard requirements for everyday office life. Here are three ways this new office supply boom benefits managed print services and printer leasing providers.

Price Is Not All That Matters

Pandemic response taught a lot of people about convenience. And a significant part of that accessibility is leaving behind the in-person retail portion of their purchase. So, as retail office supply sales saw a very slight jump, eCommerce sales have grown seventy-seven percent over similar sales in 2019, according to NPD Group.

In years past, the primary driver for online purchases of office supplies has been price. However, recent shipping, manufacturing, and other disruptions in the global supply chain have made it harder for retail businesses to keep items in stock. As a result, even eCommerce businesses are often out-of-stock or have extended lead times. This is especially true for more specialized office supplies such as stationery, printer paper, ink cartridges, and toner.

Many companies are discovering that printing supplies are in especially high demand while toner and ink cartridges are still in backlogs at US ports. The solution for many businesses has been to find alternative sourcing options or even other options to replace their usual supplies. Today’s companies aren’t turning to eCommerce seeking a reasonable price point. Instead, they are looking for availability and an ability to deliver.

Printer services businesses such as managed print service providers and printer leasing companies have an unprecedented opportunity. As printer and printing supply experts, they have the knowledge required to efficiently and adequately source printing and office supplies. In addition, when supplies are limited, print service providers know exactly which brands and configurations offer reliable alternatives that will work appropriately with the printers and equipment running in each office.

Convenience Means Efficiency

Another big reason offices are turning to eCommerce for their supplies is the ease of use. Big online retailers like Amazon have made it simple to reorder or return. But online retail innovations go far beyond easy reorders. The past two years have also seen a significant boost in subscription services for everything from toothpaste to cat litter. Applying this option to office supplies was only a matter of time.

Printer services businesses have a unique opportunity now to take advantage of the tools eCommerce offers and convert businesses as they adjust to their new office formats. For example, converting sales orders to an online cart system provides the at-a-click purchasing for which most businesses are searching. And, once a single office and printer supply sale has been established, it is even easier to expand a long-term relationship through subscriptions. In addition, printer service companies can position themselves better if they convert all of their products and services to an online format, including help desk access and service requests.

Catering To More Locations

The most significant contributor to the sudden lift in office supply sales is the proliferation of multiple office locations through hybrid and remote work growth. Each site requires the basics for employees to continue operating at peak efficiency. Usually, this means at least some notebooks, pens, and pencils. But many remote offices also require printing access or onsite printers along with the paper, ink, or toner to operate the machines efficiently.

In addition to the added locations, different offices and workstations run through their supplies at different speeds. As a result, monitoring supply levels and arranging for timely ordering can be a struggle for office managers and administrators. In addition to keeping offices steadily supplied, availability and convenient shipping are yet more problems with which companies must contend.

Unlike the standard business, managed print services and printer leasing providers are built on the ability to provide for multiple office locations. When it comes to monitoring supply usage and configuring schedules for paper, toner, and ink, printer services companies have the technology and planning down to a tee. Now is the perfect time for printer businesses to reach out and offer to apply this knowledge and expertise to current and potential partners who may be facing the dilemmas posed by new, expanded office setups.

Whether it is offering a reliable resource, providing added efficiency, or the ability to help juggle the needs of multiple locations, print services businesses have been given a unique opportunity. As companies work to reopen in this newly transformed market, office managers and administrators need the knowledge printing experts can provide. Because the office supply boom is more than just a return to the office. It is an indicator of how hard many businesses are working to resupply and reconfigure their businesses for future success – a success made easier with a reliable printer services partner.





Supply Chain Day One........Not Really

COVID is still so fresh in everyone's mind. For those of us in the copier industry we jumped from one frying pan to another frying pan at the end of COVID.  That second frying pan is the supply chain issues that we've been dealing with for some time now.

I believe it's been 8-10 months since the problems really hit home with many of the dealers and sales people.  For most of us the back orders are insane! Never in my 42 years of selling copiers did I every quote delivery might be expected in 3-5 months. In most cases in the past when asked, "When can we get the copier" it was not a question of telling the client 5-10 days the answer was always,  "When do you want it?".

I know of one manufacturer (Sharp) that is fairing better than others with delivery time to dealers and from what I've heard it's more about the relationship with Foxconn and chips. Seems once you break away from Sharp, then most manufacturers and dealers are having a really tough go of it.

My goal for this new series is not too post something every day but more maybe one or twice a week. In addition I would love to turn over some of the blogging reins to other members so they can blog on this issue as well.

I'd love top do done every day, however my goal for this year is to sell 3/4 of a million in back orders with down the street sales

PM me or hit up the response/reply to this blog and let me know if you want blogging rights.

-=Good Selling=-

Attention Sales World... Are You Having Real Conversations Leading To Real Connections?

"There is a deep power in words that speak the truth"
P. C. Cast

Allow this to sink for a moment... All progress starts by telling the truth.

With trust and credibility in sales being low already, think about the depth of your conversations.

Are you holding real conversations, leading to real connections?

I ask you to think... are you engaging in conversations that express how you truly feel, think or desire? And then listen and accept how others interact with you?

Conversations that are insincere, inauthentic and meaningless; possibly built around a facade, will get you exposed as being empty.

This reminds me of the book, "Overcoming Fake Talk", written by John Stoker. He goes on to say,

“Fake Talk can be defined as any time a person intentionally misrepresents the truth, is unintentionally vague or unclear, when people go along to be agreeable or not rock the boat, and when people are focused on being politically correct rather than discuss and understand the finer nuances of what is going on."

How many in sales are unintentionally vague or unclear with their communication?

Urban Dictionary has defined "Fake Talk" as,

"The opposite of real talk, something that is not true, can also be substituted for the word B.S."

In other words,

Fake talk is not authentic talk.

A real conversation is between people who are present in the moment, clearly focused and carry themselves with intentionality. Are you present in the moment with your conversations?

Why is having real conversations so difficult? Does it have to be that way?

Why do so many worry about fitting in, and saying the right things?

Why do so many doubt themselves?

Why do so many open conversations with sales jibber-jabber?

When we are so preoccupied with what to say and what is in our heads, we forget to be present and just listen.

WHAT IS A REAL CONVERSATION?

A real conversation serves a purpose. It is the beginning of friendship, the opening or deepening of a relationship. It’s simply connection. It’s sharing stories, ideas, information and opinions.

Relationships begin with an “hello”, learning the art of conversation allows you to foster meaningful connections, strong partnerships and client communities.

In the article "The Patterns of Effective Conversation", Dave Pollard shares a list of purposeful conversations.

To get you thinking about your conversations, here are a few...

  1. Information: to obtain, surface or convey information or understanding of facts (know-what), processes (know-how) or contacts (know-who). To learn from each other.
  2. Sense-making: to make sense of something (beyond just obtaining facts), especially a complex issue.
  3. Perspectives or viewpoints: to obtain different points of view or gain consensus
  4. Change: to challenge and shift someone’s viewpoint or intentions (mine or others’)
  5. Ideas: to generate ideas, surface and imagine possibilities
  6. Deepening or creation of relationships: to connect with other people, to build relationships
Sales professionals engage and connect because they truly care and are committed to building relationships through the art of conversation.

I believe when salespeople are engaged in meaningful conversation, they are more likely to speak the truth openly. And isn't this what you want?

Theodore Zeldin is an Oxford scholar and he went on to say,

"Real conversations catch fire. The kind of conversation I like is one in which you are prepared to emerge a slightly different person.”

Are your conversations catching fire with your clients?

What are your clients learning from you because of your conversations?

A learning conversation leads to connection. This type of conversation is one in which everyone strives to make sense of an issue, actively works to understand the meaning the other person is trying to convey, and where they are each prepared to change their views.

Are these the type of conversations you are having with your clients?

These types of conversations require listening not with the intention to reply but with the intention to understand and help others articulate their thoughts.

Real, open, genuine and authentic conversation is rare, especially in sales and this is concerning.

Meaningful conversation has untapped potential to alter how we interact and relate to each other. Think about how this could be applied to your sales life and how you interact with your clients and future clients.

Love what Brené  Brown says,

"Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives."

What would happen if you engaged in curious conversation without any judgement whatsoever?

With your client and future client conversations set expectations for yourself and practice the following:

I will not interrupt. I will encourage. I will pay attention. I will listen, deeply and daringly. I will be present.

SALES PROFESSIONALS REALIZE GENUINE CONVERSATIONS LEAD TO REAL CONNECTIONS

Why is having a genuine conversation a lost sales art? Furthermore, is having a business focused conversation even more of a lost sales art?

Conversations are the strongest sales tool salespeople have to effectively build credible relationships, connections and collaboration.

Curious to know... When was the last time you had a conversation with a client, or a prospect and you heard this...

“Wow, this was one of the best conversations I’ve ever had!”

Sales professionals facilitate conversations by making someone feel comfortable. They lean in and encourage conversation through curiosity and intentional listening.

Sales professionals understand that a real conversation means they are delivering more than a message, it means they are inviting the other person into the conversation with them.

Healthy business conversations happen when your clients feel safe enough to discuss the “undiscussables”. This can only happen when you make them feel comfortable enough with you that in turn, they become comfortable sharing uncomfortable business issues or challenges.

You never know when one conversation will lead to exponential sales growth.

Conversations build relationships, and relationships drive businesses.

People do not care about your canned pitches, pattern interruptions and all about you messaging.

Stop pitching, puking and pushing conversational crapola and start opening a human connection and conversation.

Sales professionals understand that engaging questions lead to engaging conversation, leading to connection, which leads to relationship building.

SALES PROFESSIONALS AUTHENTICALLY LISTEN IN ORDER TO CONNECT

Authenticity, it's a choice. It's not easy, but it's the difference between just getting by and making it happen.

My question to every sales leader, sales manager and sales rep out there...

What has happened to authenticity and more specifically authenticity within your conversations?

It's not about you nor your company nor your wallet. It's about deeply and genuinely understanding the other person.

When you engage in conversation, remember the person you're in front of may be saying this to themselves:

  • Do you see me?
  • Do you hear me?
  • Does what I say matter to you?
Sales professionals intentionally listen to facilitate deeper conversations, while sales reps listen long enough to interrupt conversations.

BE REAL WITH YOUR CONVERSATIONS

Conversations are the most powerful tool you have at your disposal to foster relationships.

In a connected world, how do you have connected conversations?

Quite simple... You listen with intent. Listen with your heart. Listen to learn. This has a direct impact on your conversations.

Are your conversations filled with business substance or just plain old sales jargon?

Let's all rise-up and unite in how you connect with your clients to encourage healthy and meaningful conversations. This can only happen by truly giving a rip and inviting your clients into conversations, not pushing them away with all your interruptions.

I will leave you with this... imagine for a moment connecting with real conversations to the mind of your client's, thinking together for business betterment, and then where all of this exponential sales growth will take you?

No alt text provided for this image

Would you like to increase your sales success and fulfillment?

This was my goal when recording all-new materials for the new Selling from the Heart Masterclass, to increasing your sales success and fulfillment in your business.

If you enjoyed the Selling from the Heart book, you’re going to love this masterclass! It takes the tools given to the next level.

Have yet to read Selling from the Heart? No worries, you will receive an audio version as a part of the Masterclass. As an option you can get a free signed copy of Selling from the Heart (just pay for shipping and handling).

You can get your copy here - https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/book

Together, we will go on a journey where we’ll dive into how to apply the ideas in the book to help you achieve even greater sales success.

With each of the 10 sessions, you’ll receive questions that will help you increase your sales in a way that also makes selling more enjoyable and fulfilling.

This masterclass is configured with you in mind where you can complete the course in chunks from any mobile device, iPad or computer, based on your availability.

You’ll also discover fun bonus materials throughout the course.

ACCESS THE MASTERCLASS HERE.

Hybrid Offices Change Printer Service And Office Supply Industries

As 2022 progresses, businesses have begun to settle in and either bring employees back into the office or capitalize on the proven productivity boosts seen with hybrid and at-home work. Whether selecting a hybrid format or bringing employees fully back on-site, there is an increased need for office supplies and printing to support these efforts. But, just like everything post-COVID, the bounce-back has been heavily influenced by the habits and trends formed during lockdowns.

Ecommerce Takes Over

office supply retailers increased revenue

Bigger companies have traditionally held accounts with office supply businesses, including the big-box supply stores such as Office Depot and Staples. With the rise of Amazon and other eCommerce businesses, these in-person retailers have seen year-over-year revenue declines since as early as 2005. The mass office closures and cutbacks caused by the pandemic response continued to drop industry revenues by as much as six percent in 2020.

Now, however, companies are ramping up productivity with eyes firmly back on revenue growth. And with that refocus, there is also a need to replace, update, or expand office equipment and supply availability. This should mean big money for office supply retailers. But rather than returning to prior vendors and purchasing habits, many offices are implementing their newly acquired preference of buying strictly online. So, while supply stores saw a smaller decline in 2021 (0.9%), slowing in-store purchases remains a problem.

Online office supply retailers, however, are seeing a significant boost. According to NPD, eCommerce office supply sales grew eighteen percent year-over-year in 2021. And 2021, sales were seventy-seven percent higher than in 2019. NPD’s executive director and office supplies industry analyst have noted e-commerce’s share of core office supplies, and stationery categories have stayed around twenty-seven to twenty-eight percent. That number is up around eleven points since pre-pandemic.

Growth for Office Electronics

Supplies such as paper, ink, toner, and writing implements are not the only things to see increased sales and interest. As office work returns or transforms, there is also a new demand for the equipment needed to keep work running smoothly. As a result, the sale of office electronics such as computers, tablets, and even printers grew ninety-five percent in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic sales.

Some of this growth in electronics sales can be attributed to personal purchases for home offices and schooling. But companies who choose to continue with at-home or even hybrid work are realizing their quick pivot to remote employment in early 2020 did not always include all of the software, security, and hardware necessary to facilitate at-home or hybrid work as a long-term or permanent solution. As a result, offices looking to take advantage of the productivity, employee health, and other benefits realized by the changing employment environment are investing funds to equip their workers properly. These plans include essential changes such as updating equipment, regulating internet and server connectivity, increasing security, and accomodating remote office printing.

An opportunity for Printer Services

Two factors seem to be feeding into the growth of the office supplies and electronics markets. The first is the need for businesses to re-establish business as usual. The second is the necessity of building out remote spaces for home and hybrid workers. In both cases, the equipment and supplies necessary have changed drastically from the pre-pandemic office space most people remember.

Large printers have, in many cases, given way to smaller and more efficient models to serve lower in-office employee numbers. Rather than less secure consumer-grade printers, many companies are selecting to equip remote workers with smaller, networked desktop printers such as the A3 and A4 models many popular manufacturers now carry. But these equipment purchases mean an ongoing need for ink, toner, and paper. All of these items are things many small businesses used to get from major office supply stores and now scramble to find with other online retailers.

Fortunately, businesses are still in the process of figuring out their supply pipelines and budgets for their “new normal.” But unfortunately, office administration and IT do not always have the expertise to properly determine the best printer configuration and capabilities for a single office, much less for equipping a large number of remote locations. Adding to the trouble are the logistics of providing equipment and ongoing supplies.

Printer leasing, managed services, and office supply providers can seize a part of this industry growth if they pivot quickly to implement robust online sales and eCommerce options. These include supply subscriptions and additional services that make office supply adjustments, tracking, and ordering more straightforward and convenient. Enterprising printing industry professionals should reach out now to help their current and potential partners build out their vision for the new office structure.

With the current mass return to work, the office supply industry is experiencing the boom it needs. However, printing and office supply industry businesses that fail to see the new trends and take advantage of the opportunities in eCommerce sales and supply delivery will be at a fast disadvantage. Now is the time for printer leasing and managed print services businesses to pull in a piece of this unprecedented growth opportunity.

Vacation Time

Taking some time off before and after our Presidents Club trip to Bahamas! Feel free to post any press releases, facts, questions, ideas, gripes and or pricing/proposal you may come across.

Be well my friends!

IT, MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for April 24th 2022

Sponsored by

April 24th, 2022

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients.

S-NET Communications Expands Its Partnership with Versa Networks to Offer Secure ...

  • Will offer Versa SASE as part of its portfolio of managed networking services
  • Versa SASE and Secure SD-WAN services will enable S-NET’s multi-location clients to deployment and administration of branch security services

Brother Unveils High-Performing Desktop Scanners to Meet Evolving Customer and ...

  • Announced two new scanners, the Brother ADS-3100 and ADS-3300W high-speed desktop scanners
    • Hi-Speed USB 3.0 local connectivity
    • 40 pages per minute scan speed
    • 60-page auto document feeder capacity
    • features a 2.8" color touchscreen
    • wireless connectivity and mobile device scanning

NWN Carousel Launches Consumption-Based Hybrid Work Solutions

  • Reported on CRN.com
  • two new hybrid work kits include At-Home Essentials and Office Collaboration Room-as-a-Service
  • selling these solutions through its own channel of partners and taking the kits directly to its thousands of end customers

What is Identity Access Management (IAM)? - CrowdStrike

  • Identity and access management
  • framework that allows the IT team to control access to systems, networks and assets based on each user’s identity
  • two main components
    • Identity management
    • Access management

Acquisitions

  • Ellucian, a higher education technology solutions provider, announced the completion of its acquisition of CampusLogic
  • Datapath, an MSP located in San Francisco acquired MobileTek Services in Dublin, Ohio
  • Rimstorm, an MSSP located in Herndon, VA acquires Elevate Networks which provides Managed IT and security services in Mid-Atlantic region
  • Meriplex offers cybersecurity and IT solutions acquires Cyberian Technologies and MSP located in Indiana
  • MSP CTI Technology Acquires Apple Specialist MacHero

The Halifax Group Forms Exclusive Partnership with Seasoned IT Executive Ed Nalbandian

  • announced that it has formed an exclusive Operating Executive engagement with Ed Nalbandian
  • this partnership will now help lead an initiative with the firm to build a managed services platform
  • Halifax Group is a private equity firm

Difenda Shield Managed Detection and Response for Operational Technology now ..

  • announced the availability of Difenda MDR for OT in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace
  • launched MDR for OT powered by Microsoft Defender for IoT to help critical infrastructure companies reduce cyber risks
  • MDR for OT offers a turnkey, rapidly deployed, agentless extended detection and response (XDR) solution

CyberEdge publishes report

  • 3% or organizations surveyed have experienced a cyber attack
    • 7% hit by 6 or more attacks
    • 71% hit by ransomware
      • 9% pay the ransom
    • Shortfall of skilled IT security personnel is top factor that inhibits adequate defense
    • Also low security awareness among employees
    • 7% of IT budget on average spent on security
      • 2% are increasing the spend
      • 9% of healthcare IT budget is spent on security
        • Will increase budget by 3.6%
      • 76% of healthcare organizations predict increased attacks
      • 6% claim to have endpoint detection security solution in place
        • Endpoints include copiers, fax machines, scanners and printers
        • 8% plan on buying in 2022
        • 3% claim to have endpoint hard drive encryption
          • 2% plan to get in 2022
        • 1% outsource cybersecurity detection and response

Cybersecurity Notes

  • Microsoft reveals volume of its security incident monitoring:
    • Monitor 24 trillion security signals per day
    • 200,000 detection failures per day
  • Black River Falls School District of Wisconsin notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after cyber incident.
  • Abraham Oliver was sentenced to 61 months in federal prison in Maryland for buying identities on the Dark Web and using to get credit cards to fraudulently obtain funds.
  • Whitefish School District of Montana notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after data breach.
  • Bloomberg News published results of survey:
    • 80% of companies expect to increase technology spend in 2022
    • 72% will increase budget by 9% or more
    • 53% feel cyber threats are higher this year
    • 87% report that cybersecurity is important to business
  • Advanced Medical Practice Management of New Jersey notified an unknown number of patients that their PHIwas exposed after cyber attack.
  • Snap-On Tools Corp. of Kenosha, WI notified an unknown number of customers that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
  • 44% increase of insider-caused breaches in past year, according to Ponemon Institute survey
    • Negligence = 56%
      • Average cost = $484,931
    • Malicious/criminal = 26%
      • Average cost = $648,062
  • MetroHealth of Cleveland, OH notified 1,700 patients that their PHI was exposed after a “data breach”
  • Ballad Health of Johnson City, Tennessee notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • SummaCare, headquartered in Akron, Ohio, notified 1,100 patients that their PHI was exposed after data breach.
  • Wellstar Health of Atlanta, Georgia notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
  • SuperCare Health, headquartered in Downey, CA notified 318,379 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
  • Colorado Physician Partners, headquartered in Denver, CO, notified 12,877 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack

Sales Professionals Lead Their Life Based On A Mission, Morals And A Manifesto.

"A personal mission statement becomes the DNA for every other decision we make."
Stephen Covey

Having heavy conversations is a necessary part of working and business life, especially in environments that encourage continuous improvement.

Business as well as your sales growth is dependent on a repetitive cycle of monitoring, evaluating and development, enabled by a proactive system of constructive feedback.

If we can have these types of conversations in our professional lives, then how many of you consistently, routinely and with rhythm are a having a personal growth conversation with yourself?

How many of you are you keeping on top of what you might need to work on the most, YOU?

Eleanor Roosevelt once said,

“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”

Are you rising to the occasion to change the course of your sales career? Or are you allowing the circumstances in front of you to control your narrative?

Are you asking yourself difficult growth questions?

Many will shy away from themselves because this can be uncomfortable. However, this is where the greatest growth potential lies. Are you willing to get a bit uncomfortable?

This means asking yourself questions such as:

  • What could I have done differently?
  • How did I contribute to this not working out?
  • Am I prepared to do what it takes to become better?

To quote the great Peter Drucker,

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

When it comes to personal growth, are you holding yourself accountable to you?

When it comes to self-leadership, what is your personal mission?

MISSION STATEMENT

Successfully run corporations have well defined corporate mission statements.

These are statements describing what they are all about, including areas such as corporate responsibility, strategic focus, customer value, and how they take care of their employees.

A mission statement explains the origination's reason for existence and answers the question,

"What business are we in?"

So, what business are you in?

A sales professional embodies the foundation of a corporate mission statement to form the basis of their own personal mission statement.

A personal mission statement may answer and give you a sense of direction around:

Who am I?

What is my purpose/passion in life?

What are my core values? And how I live my life by them.

What phrases guide you?

Steven Covey once said,

"The power of the personal mission statement lies in your values and in a commitment to that vision, that purpose, and those principle-centered values. They will control your decisions, determine your outlook, and provide the direction for your future."

What is your vision and purpose? What are the set of values that you lead your life by?

At Selling from the Heart, it is my personal mission to bring authenticity, business substance and true sincerity to the forefront in the sales profession.

We do this based on our core set of values... integrity, honesty, trust, servant leadership, care, compassion and heart centered.

Sales professionals live by their personal mission statements because:

  • It is a self-discovery tool - know thy values, know thyself
  • It provides direction for the present and the future
  • It strengthens relationships both personally and professionally
  • It holds them accountable

The great Zig Ziglar once said,

"Outstanding people have one thing in common: an absolute sense of mission."

Again, I will ask you... what is your mission?

Now, we're going to take this a couple of steps farther... A true sales professional understands their personal mission statement, however; a selling from the heart professional combines their mission statement with a moral framework and a manifesto.

MORAL FRAMEWORK

A moral framework can be defined as a particular set of rules, ideas or beliefs which you use in order to deal with problems or decide what to do.

How many times in each day, week or month, are you tested with this in sales?

A moral path in sales requires that you honestly take stock in what is appropriate and not.

What guides you in sales?

What guides in working with your clients?

To quote Tabitha Coffey,

"Sometimes, in order to follow our moral compass and/or our hearts, we have to make unpopular decisions or stand up for what we believe in."

Are you willing to stand up for what you believe?

What is your code of conduct?

With trust and credibility constantly being challenged, I ask you... how will you carry yourself?

When it comes to your moral framework, think about these words... And now think of the sales profession:

Character, decency, goodness, honesty, integrity, wholesomeness, ethical, principled, blameless, virtuous, noble, righteous, purity, ideals, uprightness

Are you starting to smell what I am cooking?

PERSONAL MANIFESTO

A manifesto is a declaration of one’s beliefs, opinions, motives, and intentions. It's a document declaring what's important to someone. This serves as a statement of principles or even a call to action.

A manifesto may challenge assumptions, foster commitment, provoke change or may even challenge the status quo.

A personal manifesto can help serve the following:

  • As inspiration to live your life with purpose.
  • As a foundation upon which to build your life.
  • As a frame for your life
  • As your sales NorthStar

Stop, think and reflect upon this for a moment... could a public declaration of your intent, help you rise above the sea of sameness within the sales world?

May this change the perception around what you do and who you are?

A personal manifesto gives your sales life meaning.

Combining this with your mission statement and moral framework, this becomes extremely valuable and serves as a consistent source of inspiration.

Now, imagine sharing these with others. Think about sharing with your clients, future clients and friends. Imagine how this could elevate your status within their minds? It now becomes your public creed through which you're presenting yourself, your beliefs and your future self.

Today, where the trust factor with salespeople is at an all-time low, how will you stand out? What makes you different? Why should someone trust you?

A personal mission statement, a moral framework and a manifesto separates the sales professionals from the sales pretenders

SELLING FROM THE HEART MANIFESTO

As the last chapter of Selling From the Heart ends, I incorporated the Selling From the Heart manifesto.

Here's a snippet...

A selling from the heart sales professional is a new class - genuine, authentic, the real deal, in touch with who they are and are brutally honest with themselves.

A selling from the heart sales professional wages a war and becomes a minister to their clients in a profession riddled with unscrupulous, fake and disingenuous sales reps.

A selling from the heart professional leads with the heart and not the wallet.

A selling from the heart sales professional brings the human approach to sales by making it about their clients and what's important to them.

A selling from the heart sales professional seeks first to be understood as they turn transactional sales opportunities into transformational experiences.

You can find the entire manifesto - here

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

I encourage you to clearly define your purpose and stay true to your values. When you fail to uncover or struggle to clearly define your values, you wind up drifting along with your sales career.

Living a sales life without core values and a set of guidelines is mentally exhausting, leaving you feeling empty, lifeless and unfulfilled. Conversely, living a sales life in line with your core values brings you purpose, direction, happiness and a sense of well-being.

Some of you may think all of this is not necessary, and to that, I would say go continue to do what you're doing.

However, those of you who want to elevate your career, elevate your sales status and build trust in a profession that sorely needs it, please take this to heart.

"Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity."
W. Clement Stone

When all is said and done, the true hallmark of a sales professional is embodying what you believe in and having the guts to live it. This is what selling from the heart is all about.

I will leave you all with this...

Your clients would rather connect and do business with a sales professional who sells from the heart as opposed to a sales rep who is an empty suit.

No alt text provided for this image

Would you like to increase your sales success and fulfillment?

This was my goal when recording all-new materials for the new Selling from the Heart Masterclass, to increasing your sales success and fulfillment in your business.

If you enjoyed the Selling from the Heart book, you’re going to love this masterclass! It takes the tools given to the next level.

Have yet to read Selling from the Heart? No worries, you will receive an audio version as a part of the Masterclass. As an option you can get a free signed copy of Selling from the Heart (just pay for shipping and handling).

You can get your copy here - https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/book

Together, we will go on a journey where we’ll dive into how to apply the ideas in the book to help you achieve even greater sales success.

With each of the 10 sessions, you’ll receive questions that will help you increase your sales in a way that also makes selling more enjoyable and fulfilling.

This masterclass is configured with you in mind where you can complete the course in chunks from any mobile device, iPad or computer, based on your availability.

You’ll also discover fun bonus materials throughout the course.

ACCESS THE MASTERCLASS HERE.

This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago

This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago

Last Week of April 2007

Sponsored by EveryOne Print

Check out the banner for Cloud Print above!

Last month I pulled a zero, I have two orders to book on Monday and should receive another.  Thus I double up and caught back up to where I need to be, all except for new business.  New business is lagging BIG time and I need to find a way to get what I need.

Enjoy These Great Copier Threads from 15 years Ago This Week!

Ricoh Introduction of the FAX1180L

Art Post (Guest) ·
Ricoh is pleased to introduce you to the new Ricoh FAX1180L, an affordable multifunctional device engineered to deliver greater all-in-one productivity, outstanding image quality and unmatched reliability. Ideal for the home office, small business or executive suite, this compact unit offers high-speed faxing, PC faxing, laser printing, full-color scanning and convenience copying making it the perfect space-saving solution for low-volume environments. Replacing the highly successful Ricoh
Topic

Japanese firm Ricoh increased its operating profit

Art Post (Guest) ·
Ricoh shows strong profits Wednesday, April 25 2007 by Ciara O'Brien Japanese firm Ricoh increased its operating profit for the fiscal year ended 31 March, as strong sales and cost cutting measures boosted the bottom line. The company sells office equipment, including printers, copiers and fax equipment, in addition to other office supplies such as blank optical media. It also deals in digital cameras and other electronic devices, and offers business services such as document management
Topic

Why are MFP manufacturers not GREEN!

Art Post (Guest) ·
You've hear it over and over, it's all about capturing pages, especially in the SMB market place. So, why do MFP manufacturers like Canon, Xerox, Ricoh and Konica Minolta continue to manufacture stand alone laser printers that have a high per page cost with thier AIO cartdiges (All In One) and are not good for the environment? Since I have sold Ricoh for so long, I'll start with a Ricoh MFP161, this unit can be purchased as just a copier, ..... go here for rest of article
Topic

24-04-2007: Canon 1Q profit up 22%, lifts outlook

Art Post (Guest) ·
roughly in line with the Nikkei business daily's prediction of about 210 billion yen in an article last week. Merrill Lynch had forecast a profit of 189.9 billion yen. Canon raised its operating profit forecast for the year to December to 790 billion yen from 765 billion yen. Canon's upbeat report echoed earnings last week from US-based office equipment rival Xerox Corp, which said quarterly profit rose 17% on healthy sales of printing supplies and high-margin colour machines. Prior to the
Topic

RATIO to Show CAD|STATION Printing System at IRgA

Art Post (Guest) ·
, CAD|STATION sets new standards in the wide-format color printing sector. Due to the flexible combination of up to three CANON iPF printers, the CAD|STATION is able to print different document sizes, i.e. from ‘C’ to ‘E’, in one plot set, without the need for a manual roll change. This is another key feature that underlines the big advantage this solution provides to throughput speed. RATIO’s CAD|STATION is the first solution to combine high-speed and quality color plotting at an attractive price
Reply

Re: hp news!

Art Post (Guest) ·
printing easy for users by providing one driver and one interface for virtually all networked and direct-connected HP printers. The HP UPD allows IT staff to rely on a single driver for virtually all HP LaserJets when migrating to Windows Vista rather than spending valuable time qualifying hundreds of drivers. The HP Universal Print Driver, version 4.0, is expected to be available at the end of April at www.hp.com/go/UPD . To help IT staff better manage their printing environment, HP also expanded
Topic

Ricoh is pleased to announce the release of the Ricoh SP 5100N

Art Post (Guest) ·
Ricoh is pleased to announce the release of the Ricoh SP 5100N. The new high-speed network connected mono-laser printer, priced affordably yet has the ability to provide advanced features. Primarily targeted at business environments with small to medium sized workgroups and individual users. This is a new monochrome laser printer in our product line-up and does not replace any current model. The SP 5100N boasts high productivity with a robust maximum duty cycle of 200,000 per month, and 1200 x
Topic

RICOH AMERICAS CORPORATON SELECTS

Art Post (Guest) ·
print characters clearly and concisely, making for accurate depiction of the routing numbers and symbols. “We are extremely pleased to extend our already excellent relationship with Ricoh to include their workgroup line of laser printers in our family of MICR products,” said Rob Hullar, president and CEO, Rosetta Technologies. “Ricoh’s unique and robust printer technology has provided a strong technical base to work from, helping us to create very secure MICR printers that drive performance and
Topic

@ Remote update!

Art Post (Guest) ·
In mid-2005, Ricoh introduced the first phase of the @Remote Intelligent Remote Management System to help you and your customers simplify the tasks associated with monitoring and managing connected printing devices. We are now pleased to announce the availability of the service features for the @Remote Intelligent Remote Management System. With the addition of Remote Firmware Upgrade and Automated Service and Toner Alerts, @Remote is now a complete Device Management system that will change the
Topic

Ricoh 240 compatability

·
Is the 240 compatable for MAC users??
Topic

Variable Data and the Printing Industry

·
This press release was posted in the daily digest for the Data Driven Publishing forum. PIA/GATF is the professional association for the printing industry, and this announcement is one more sign to me that variable data printing (or data driven publishing) is going mainstream. Thought I'd share this for all my colleagues who sell variable data solutions and for all my colleagues who sell in the Print4Pay market: PIA/GATF Adds Variable Data Consultant Source: PIA/GATF, 2007-Apr-23 "PIA/GATF
Topic

improved DocumentMall v9.0.

Art Post (Guest) ·
Ricoh is pleased to announce the availability of the all-new and improved DocumentMall v9.0. This major upgrade of Ricoh’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) document management solution is packed with new features that make is easier to use and easier to integrate into a wide range of business environments. New features include: Convenient methods and tools for importing documents into DocumentMall such as Drag and drop documents from the desk top to DocumentMall Deep folder import of folders as
Reply

Re: Ricoh Introduction of the FAX1180L

·
Is this a ricoh box? Relabled samsung? Anyone know? Thanks
Reply

Re: Savin 2400WD Windows Vista

·
Does anyone have any updates on Vista availability and also Autocad 2008? Also, if by chance something can be turned off in Vista to allow printing from clients, any idea whether there would be a problem in printing from Acad 2008? Lastly,do we know what it is that can be turned off in Vista? Thanks!
Topic

Out of Territory

·
I have a customer that has multi-location in different states. They are a small company with total potential of less than 50K. I am trying to use DMAP but level 1 is now 50-150K. Any suggestion on how I can send a machine out of state using DMAP. I have try calling Ricoh major account rep, but he has not call me back in a week. SURPRISE.
Post
×
×
×
×
×