New to Copier Sales: Cold Calling Post COVID-19 is More of the Same

There is great pressure in the sales realm no matter what you’re selling. But for those of us in the imaging industry, the stress is exacerbated. Our volumes were dropping before COVID-19, consolidation was a daily occurrence, and layoffs happened almost every month. COVID-19 kicked all that into high gear, accelerating the transformation in a most turbulent way. 

Today the talk about town is working from home, the death of the office, and surviving the next month. Few meetings are centered on new copiers and toner supply management. When the world presents chaos and uncertainty, returning to our core values and foundational skill set is both rational and confidence building. 

Back to the basics like blocking and tackling, throwing, catching and batting, dribbling, jump shots and layups — for the selling professional it’s more like clear messaging, open-ended questions, relevant talk tracks, and phone calls. 

That’s right. Cold phone calls. Chills run down your spine, don’t they? 

Fear not – there are volumes of books on coaching, dozens of techniques, and hours of seminars chock full of advice and wisdom. 

 Unfortunately,... Read the Rest, here.

The Day After: 9/12

All planes forced to land. No Planes in the Sky. First time. Blue.

 

911, 2020 - 19 Years.

 

It seems incredible to me, that I was around during the most transformative 30 years in our history - from the 20th to the 21st century, the attacks on the Towers and Covid19.

If you haven't been to Freedom Tower, I recommend you do.  Stunning.

The Channel Revolution Nobody is Talking About

"If you keep staring at the sun, you won’t see

What you have become, this can't be

Everything you thought it was

Blinded by the thought of us, so

Give me a chance, I will

Fuck up again, I warned

You in advance

But you just keep on starin' at the sun”

The End of the Beginning -

There is a revolution afoot few recognize or acknowledge.  This event will obliterate every business model in our channel. Most of corporate America, the Fortune 1000, have decided to keep employees working from home, they’ve canceled yearly company get-togethers and will not be sending anyone to shows or conventions.

Are You Considering Managed Services ? - What You Should Know and What your Service Provider Should Know

On April 7, 2009, I published an article titled, "Are You Considering Managed Print Services? - What You Should Know and What your Service Provider Should Know."

Today, July, 2020, I replaced each mention of "MPS" and "managed print services" with "Managed IT Services", just to see if the content would still be relevant.

What do you think?

###

Managed Services is still being defined - or is it?

I am a firm believer in "the best advice is the advice you ask for...", please don't give me any advice - unless I ask.

New to Copier Sales: Four Tips on Selling During COVID-19

2020 has been a rough one, but if you’re reading this you’re still in the business – in the fight.

Schools, bars, buses, trains, planes, manufacturers, retail shops, and even copier businesses are frozen in time. The fear created by COVID-19 has paralyzed everyone. We’ve all gone from thinking five years in advance to crossing our fingers and looking 60 days ahead.

The landscape has completely changed. Your newly learned skills: phone work, value proposition, bond and rapport, open-ended questioning, presentation, and demonstration talent are not nearly as important as your resolve.

And forget product knowledge. Speeds and feed, for now, are irrelevant.

Fourth of July, 2020 in Wisconsin

Kids in a pickup with water pistols...so many laws broken.

The Fourth of July, 2020: 

1. Attended an unsanctioned, non-corporate sponsored, 'illegal' 4th of July parade - kids on bicycles. The most patriotic 4th of July, ever. 
2. Witnessed fireworks across the landscape - both illegal and certified. DID NOT SEE MORE THAN 5 MASKS. 
3. Had a 'passionate' discussion regarding Columbus and statues with a collegiate sophomore. Yes. I went exactly as you think it did.

The Parade -

While sanctioned riots roll over the country, the cancel-culture wimps have cancelled most 4th of July events including parades.

It was a secret.  As the days of Paul Revere, times and locations spread via word of mouth, "There might be a parade at 11AM, pass it along."

Why Are Copier Dealers Demanding Staff Return to the Office?

June 2020

The past few months, paid ‘experts’ yelled “change or die”.  It’s been a broken record for decades.  In the end, no matter how loud and often these pundits shout, “You are not changing!”, you HAVE changed – you ARE changed.  It is inevitable – everyone and everything transforms. 

Instructing us to change is nostalgic.

 

Today, in the turbulence that is Covid19 are the ways of 2019 still viable? Your customers have changed.  They now wish for fewer face to face meetings, prefer working with an existing relationship, and no longer consider “remote” a dirty word.  Many companies are moving to a remote working relationship with employees.

 

#ArcDrive Easily Work From Anywhere

Make the move from paper to digital. 

#ArcDrive is affordable management and workflow processing. #ArcDrive is an affordable appliance that combines workflow, document capture, supply, and user management. Improve your accounts payable, accounts receivable processes, and enhance customer service. 

Convert paper into searchable digital documents and keep them at your fingertips - in the office or your family room. 

• Do you still have piles of paper everywhere? 
• Did Covid19 reveal challenges in your current workflow processes? 
• Wondering why document management solutions are so expensive? 

We designed #ArcDrive to be affordable, easy to use on a familiar platform, without confusing conversations about clouds, and complicated software. 

 

Reach out to me to schedule a time to talk.  Greg@thearcdrive.com

The Covid19 Illusion: IV Manifest NightMare

May 13, Wisconsin was released from Covid19 lock-down and just like that, the virus disappeared. 

Not really.

The Covid19 Illusion: III

How mad would you be if you found out that shutting down the country was the correct tactic executed at the correct time but delaying the removal of lockdown(s) was not based on reality?

Would you be mad enough to 'peacefully protest'?

'They' said there would be a spike when we opened the polls and voted in person - it did not happen.

'They' said if we didn't maintain 'six feet' distance - indeed, 'they' sent cops out to backyard parties, unapproved haircuts, dangerous playdates, hooligan sports activities and small businesses trying to stay afloat - this was just in Oconomowoc.  

Again, 'they' predicted a spike and again, no spike was had.

'They' squawked and whined after the supreme court ruled 'No Mas' - and again exclaimed 'the spike! the spike!' Nope.

'They' shamed everyone with ears but no mask. "If you don't wear a mask, you're killing everyone around you. SHAME."  Guess what?  No spike.

State Fair, Summerfest, Germanfest, Beer gardens, bandshell - all canceled because of the spike(s) that never were.

Fear is the motivator...

The Covid19 Illusion: II

Tell me what you see? 

Is there 'science' on this graph? 

Tell me how this is wrong? Tell me how the complete lack of social distancing since re-opening has caused a spike? 

 And then tell me why there are still lockdowns. Tell me again why we destroyed the greatest economy in history? Tell me why we can't throw the switch. Tell me why most of the casualties occurred in Democrat-run states. 

Tell me again why a barber in Michigan lost his license. Tell me again why they arrested a hairdresser in Texas. Tell me again why millions were spent on an unused hospital at the fairgrounds, why both hospital ships, after being rushed into service, left without utilizing more than 10% capacity?

While you're at it, tell me why Summerfest & The State Fair are canceled. 

Tell me again why so many tattle-tales in Lake Country turned our Police Officers into hall monitors. I EXPECTED to see a jump in Covid19 - Lake Geneva was PACKED with both 'Sconi's and IllinoisMe people. But... 

Maybe the spike is there, buried under statistics. 

Maybe the spike will happen in Oct & Nov. Either way, it sure is quiet out here on the interwebs...