Can You Get to See A Prospective New Print Buyer?

Don’t take it personally if a print buyer prospect declines to meet with you. She (or he,) is constantly working on multiple projects. They’re not all print-related, either. They might be doing project management, budget development and mailing and fulfillment. It’s possible they are in charge of procuring other products and services as well. And I have a suspicion that many buyers are getting more involved in other media for their employers’ marketing communications needs.

Print buyers’ roles are changing drastically, because print is no longer the primary medium of choice.  (If this is news to you, either you’re a new sales rep with no history in the field or your ears are blocked from having your head planted in the sand for the past 12 months.)

Keep in mind that print buyers today work with a small number of print providers. In fact, most buyers work with between 6 and 10 printers. This is typical of most corporate print buyers.

Buyers are already getting what they need (or at least they believe they are) from their preferred printers, and most of them they have neither the time nor the interest in interviewing other printers who offer the same services.

Do you think that you offer something totally different? Well then you had better prove it. You will have to be able to convince a prospect that your products and services are hugely different — measurably better — than her current printers.

Most print buyers enjoy the status quo when it comes to print providers. “If it’s not broke, why fix it.”

But there’s a particular type of print buying professional who stands apart. They want to know who else is out there and what they’re offering. This tends to be the buyer with years and years of experience—the one who loves print for print’s sake. It’s much easier getting appointments with them…as long as you can convince them that you’re different and that you have some exciting new capability that would benefit their firm.

What could you say to her that would convince her to let you rock the boat?

We believe at Kestrel Printing Limited that by having a great company profile, professional people, great customer service, producing a quality product, you will have all of the back up that you need.