Here’s what your fellow professionals from our LinkedIn group had to say in October.
How do you get clients to stop talking about price?
I tell my clients that “it costs what it costs” and that the price difference between my company and other comparable quality companies is minuscule. The majority of my established clients know we charge a fair price and do not even ask for a price before production – only a confirmation of what the cost will be for their budgeting. Small independent printers cannot survive by entering price wars. I tell those clients who say they can “get it cheaper online” or elsewhere to do just that. It’s amazing how quickly they come back. My best line is to encourage people to go waste their dollars at Vistaprint on junky $2.00 business cards that end up costing more than I charge for business cards…. and then come and see me!
Michael Santer, owner, The Jamida Group
What do you do when competitors badmouth you to clients?
I would not take action because I don’t think it would deserve any attention. However, if a client approaches me directly about a concern, I would give them an honest answer without breaching any confidences. There’s no sense fighting fire with fire – it looks tacky. I agree with many of the comments here… it reflects poorly on the competitor. I find it amazing that people still utilise this tactic in a sales presentation. I like to compliment a competitor when good work is done. Generosity begets generosity. If the work or service is sub-standard it speaks for itself.
Victor Stranges, business development manager, Erwin’s Printing
Speed of turnaround has taken priority over quality and in some cases price. Service cannot be compromised. Those who wish to survive must leverage turnaround time to succeed. Whether servicing existing clients or developing new ones, turnaround is top three in consideration of print service providers. Apart from price, turnaround has become the deal sealer! Every year turnaround times are getting tighter. When asking clients why, the most common response is with digital technology comes changes in expectation. Another is time restraints and urgency per project. Times are a changing – the race is on to keep up with time.
Art Tchetchenian, managing director, Kopystop Digital Print Solutions
What’s the best thing about being in print?
It is the people you meet and deal with. During the course of a day you could deal with clients that make chocolates to clients that deal in turf fertiliser. Not only do you offer them a solution to their problem but you get to learn a bit more about how their business works. But most of all it’s knowing that you are working in an industry that reaches out to people from all different walks of life and does it in an environmentally sustainable way.
Peter Cottam, sales and marketing manager, United Printing & Packaging
How do you get buy-in from your workforce?
It depends entirely on who is part of your workforce. Some people just don’t respond to anything except loss of commission or a ‘negative incentive’ type structure, while others need virtually no motivation whatsoever and go out there and make it work no matter what you do. It all depends on the person, their personal motivations and their ethics really. I’ve worked in large companies where people have worked around the incentive structures to the point where they are on the brink of committing fraud, and two desks over there’s an honest person who just can’t make any bonuses because the incentive is geared so badly towards driving dishonest behaviour. Some people need a stick, some people need a carrot, and some people don’t need either. The hard part is being able to figure out quickly what would work best for each person in your employment and then finding a fair system to implement that covers all the basics.
Stephanie Gaddin, business manager, Dolphin Worxs
How seriously do you take trade shows?
Trade shows are great events. They give everyone a good chance to see the latest technologies all in one place! It makes comparing, negotiating and testing a whole lot easier and less time consuming. A couple more in the southern hemisphere would be a good idea.
Tony Perini, general manager, IntoPrint
Printing was once considered an art. Now it is considered a glorified photocopier with no heart and no soul. All based on a lowest possible price and a just-in-time mentality…
John Risso, business development manager, Planet Press Group
What separates a successful print business from an unsuccessful print business?
What is success? Is it money or achievement? A successful printing company is the place where the team can fulfil their goals and purpose. Using what’s in our hands to fulfil what’s in our heart. Definitely it needs a vision, communication, plan, hard work, good product, perseverance and profitability!
Desiree Meoushy, director, Rainbow Printing
What do you think when you receive a CV with a profile photo?
On the front cover of a CV is an absolute no. CVs are a window of your career. They’re essentially about experience and attributes, not what you look like. It’s much too easy for recruiters or employers to make a judgement before they have even reviewed your qualifications.
Matt Ritson, marketing manager, Fujifilm
[Related: What your fellow professionals said in September]
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