Tips for Prospecting Print Sales While Working Remotely
We’re all doing our best to adapt to a new landscape of work life. Some have managed fairly seamlessly. Others are still working on finding their new rhythm.
For those of you in sales roles, prospecting during this nation-wide slowdown can be tricky. That said, there’s no reason to let social distancing stop you from keeping your pipeline full.
Here are 4 tips on how to make the most of your prospecting time while working remotely.
Ramp Up Your Online Networking
Now that social distancing is preventing you from meeting with potential clients in person, this is the perfect time to hone your online networking skills.
That includes using social to your fullest advantage. LinkedIn is the big one, and will most likely be where you spend most of your time prospecting online. You can use it to research potential clients, learn about their background, find shared connections, and craft a personalized pitch with this information.
Social media is great for reaching out to prospects. It can also be used to keep in touch with people who know about you and your product but aren’t yet ready to buy yet. Things like retweets, comments on LinkedIn posts, and shares on Facebook might seem inconsequential, but when you’re playing the long game, every interaction counts.
The key to success is organization. Make it a point to block time each day to tackle your social media checklist.
Nail Your Web to Print Demo
Many print providers understand the benefits of using a modern web to print platform to acquire new clients. Not only can a strong web to print platform keep you ‘stickier’ with your existing customers, it can also get your foot in the door with bigger clients who wouldn’t otherwise be an option. Read more about modern web to print HERE.
The kicker is that you need to be able to present your web to print platform in a way that connects with your prospective clients. Having the tool is great, but it isn’t worth much if you don’t know how to leverage it to win clients. So work on your web to print demo presentation. Do some test runs. Learn as much as you can about your platform, especially in terms of how exactly it will make your future clients’ lives easier.
See more about this exact topic in a previous blog post of ours: 4 Musts to Rock Your Next Web-To-Print Sales Demo.
Consider Webinars
With all this time we all have at home, there is an opportunity to experiment with new avenues for reaching prospects online. Webinars are a powerful method of connecting with those who are most likely to convert.
Webinars have it all. They’re engaging, live, informational, persuasive, visual, and interactive. It’s one of the best ways to establish your authority on the subject and get people thinking about what you have to offer without being pushy or “sales-pitchy.”
But, the downside is that it takes work to create a successful webinar. If you’re considering jumping into webinars, there’s no better time than now to start preparing. It would be worth doing some research to start. Look up webinars that have gained some traction, maybe some you’ve seen in the past and found particularly memorable. Study the format and the structure.
When you’re designing your own webinar, start with the “why.” You shouldn’t be treating a webinar like a long advertisement. There should be story, or a compelling educational hook that will draw in the types of prospects you want to connect with.
Know Your Competition
Now is a great time to do some research on how your company compares to other players in your space. This includes visiting their websites and social media pages. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to create battle cards on a few of your competitors. Knowledge is power.
If and when you are asked about how your company is different from your competitors, you will be prepared. And this goes without saying, but always focus on your company’s strengths and not your competitors’ shortcomings.
Prospecting Print Sales from Home
Your time is your most valuable resource during this slowdown. Sales activity might be slower, but that doesn’t mean productivity has to fall. Spend this time to take a closer look at your prospecting strategies, your remote working routine, and the web to print platform that can help you win your biggest clients.
Activity will ramp up again, and when it does, you want to be ready to close as much as possible. Happy selling!
