THE TRENCHES Your presentation should not be focused on sales, and that should be clear from the beginning. You can include salespeople as part of the presenting group, but they should be accompanied by one of your executives or someone else in your organization that has no financial interest in making a sale.
YOU’RE THE EXPERT – DON’T KEEP IT A SECRET! BY MIKE PORTER
Information, Image, and Awareness The idea is to let clients know about new developments in the customer communications business and what your organization has done (or is doing) to address these changes. By bringing this information to your client’s attention, you elevate client perception of your organization. They see you as a knowledgeable entity — someone to rely on for current, accurate information and news.
POSSIBLE OUTREACH EDUCATION TOPICS } Multi-channel communications } Mail tracking
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lients of print/mail service providers aren’t usually customer communication experts. They view their vendors as the last step in a process. Data goes in, and mail comes out. When it comes to ideas about improving on those communications, it’s a classic case of the clients not knowing what they don’t know. It’s up to the service providers to educate them. I have long been an advocate for outreach education in our industry. Whether your organization is a print/mail service provider or an in-plant operation, customers will benefit from your knowledge of what is going on in the communications business — but you have to make the effort. Your clients probably don’t know half the story related to the transitions in our industry over the last several years, and a good part of what they do know could be wrong or incomplete. Passiveness Is Costly If your organization is not making an effort to reach out and inform your customers, one of your competitors might be filling that void. That could lead to revenue loss before you even know an 10
JULY-AUGUST 2018 | MailingSystemsTechnology.com
account is in jeopardy. Why would you risk that? I suggest putting together a program relevant to your business and of interest to your clients and push for meetings where you can present the material. You will probably have to speak with clients in person or on the phone to pitch the benefits of this meeting. An email or letter asking for an appointment is too easy to ignore. You may find offering a small gift or other incentive will help get you on the calendars of busy customers, but they should be interested in meeting with you. They have committed some portion of their budgets to paying your organization for the services you perform. Helping them learn how to maximize their investments is in their best interest. For distant customers where travel is not an option, set up an online session. You might even invite analysts or other outside entities to participate in online meetings. These people provide perspectives clearly separate from your own agenda and lend credibility to your messages. I recommend tailoring each meeting to individual clients. A broadcast webinar will not be as effective.
} Triggered communications } Informed Delivery } Workshare postage discounts } Mail and millennials } Data accuracy and enhancement } Move update } Variable data } Digital printing } USPS developments and issues } Augmented reality } Latest figures on direct mail effectiveness If you are stuck for ideas about what to include in your presentations, see the sidebar above. I’ve listed a few of the items you could cover. Choose topics that make sense for your markets and your clients. Remember your clients are not exposed to this “inside” information every day. What seems like old news to you will be new and thought-provoking for them.