every time we speak if I gather any new information, I add it to their notes. Here are some gaps that I try to fill in as and when I can: • Name of partner • Children's names and ages • Pets • Birthdays or anniversaries • Where they like to holiday • Hobbies • Favourite sports team These are just a few for starters. There is a fine line between being an efficient salesperson and a stalker at this point but imagine the next time you're in a meeting with them and you can come out with: • How was your weekend? Did you and Tracey get up to much OR how are Ben and Angela, do they have any plans for the school holidays? • Did you manage to get out for a game of golf at the weekend? • I see Man City won on Sunday, were you at the game? It's important to show your customers that you pay attention, that you care, and that you continue to build your relationship. As you get to know them better you might even want to send them flowers at an anniversary or a restaurant voucher for a birthday. This is your chance to gather information and stand out from your competitors. When first getting to know the customer there are some key questions you want to ask: What is your current annual spend on print? Not everyone will be happy to part with this information but you can explain your pricing is calculated based on potential spend and you want to be able to give them the price from the beginning. Which suppliers are we up against? Again, they might not be forthcoming but if they don't tell you now, they likely will further down the line. What are your biggest pain points with your current suppliers? This will hopefully allow you to come up with some solutions as to how you can make their ordering process smoother. Is there anything else I could offer as a supplier that would make your decision to work with us much easier? This opens the floor to their way of thinking and gives you access to what their ultimate supplier would be. It's now up to you as to whether you can fulfill that or not but if you can, that customer should be yours. Now you might not manage to get all these questions answered the first time you meet with the customer but the quicker you can fill these gaps, the sooner you can get on with winning their print work. I also like to build a full profile not just of the business but of the person as it goes a long way to building that relationship so ▲ Listen to your customers and properly understand their requirements Sinclair McDermott gives a nod to this popular book for advice on building connections in business ▼ 46 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk July / August 2024 - Issue 349 INDUSTRY TIPS / THE ONLINE PRINT COACH
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