You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. Our clients tell us: “You’re selling a commodity. All copiers do the same thing and service is not a major concern. Just give me your best price!”
Yup, you’re thinking the same thing I’m thinking after hearing that statement. Is it time to walk away? Could it be time to drop back to your value points? Should you play the price game? Would you sell the system at your cost to get the revenue? Or time to tell the client that “poor service is long forgotten after a cheap price”?
Ah, when you’re at this stage in the sales cycle, all is lost for profit and value. Might was well just take the revenue and move on to the next opportunity.
So what went wrong that both the seller and the buyer got to that point? For one, there are many clients like this and no matter how good your presentation is, they are a price buyer and not even the greatest sales person alive will convince them otherwise.
For me, it all starts in the discovery process. That’s the time that you have with the DM or the gatekeeper to mull over their needs and your recommendations. In the discovery process we all ask this one basic question: “What sized paper do you need to print, copy or scan?” How many of us are asking: “I understand that you need letter and legal, but can you tell me what type of paper you’ll be using in those paper trays in SMB (small to mid-sized business) accounts?”
The reason I asked that particular question is because I’m looking for a special application. I want to know if they are printing on letterhead and/or checks. If I get a “Yes, we are using letterhead and or checks,” then my next series of questioning focuses on the security process for letterhead and checks. Different businesses will offer up different answers. Some may not be concerned with missing letterhead paper, but most everyone is concerned with missing checks!
Lockout Feature
This entire scenario leads me to present a lockout feature. A lockout feature is something another vendor does not offer or isn’t aware that the client has a need for my lockout feature. In this case the lockout feature is tray paper locks. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive. However, I was the only rep that dug deep enough to find a pain, want or need. Therefore, the odds of me winning that order goes up dramatically!
Just the other day, Czech (P4P member), posted a comment that his Canon device allows him to edit a scan at the MFP before that scan is sent off to the scan repository. I can’t do this with my Ricohs, therefore Czech has a lockout feature. He just needs to find or convince the client that they need that feature. If he does, then he’s won the deal!
You may be thinking: “Darn! The MFP’s that I sell don’t have options for paper tray locks.” Hold on there. I used the paper lock lockout feature as an example because the paper tray lock is an accessory that will work on most copiers.
Take the time to know as much as possible about all of the features of the devices that you sell, and if you do, I guarantee you that you’ll sell more copiers because you’ll have more of those “Ah ha!” moments from probing and listening to your clients needs.
