Try to think about the industries that are the busiest right now. Clearly all the state and federal health organizations and local health providers, many non-profit organizations, trucking firms, food processors, insurance firms, some types of lawyers, and companies on the frontline of essential services are apt to be busy in the middle of a pandemic and happily these firms are going to need printing services. Additionally, there are innumerable agencies who assist with disaster relief from hurricanes to forest fires. Your job is to identify which companies are working and which ones aren’t. Don’t think about your client base like you always have but try to imagine who still needs printing and who might need even more of it than they did before the pandemic.
Marketing Your Print Brokerage Services in the Middle of a Pandemic!
The economy sucks!
There, we got that out of the way right up front, but regardless of the economy we all still need to find a way to feed the kids. Excuses don’t cut it, when you’re sitting around the dinner table looking at your hungry children. So, let me help you market your services in the middle of this terrible pandemic.
Marketing 101 - Seek Clients that are Busy
Finding Leads in Difficult Times
Look for opportunities among firms that are busier now because of the pandemic, or because of changing world events. Take for example the companies that provide disaster response; like firms that provide road repair, construction companies, flagging agencies, organizations that provide essential services to forest fire crews (like portable toilets, food services, potable water trucks) and disposal and remediation providers, just to name a few. Also, the real estate markets are hot right now, so real estate agencies are going to need extra printed materials.
But how can you find these companies? Here are some suggestions. Read news articles, identify who the thought leaders are in any field and reach out to their firms. Pick categories of businesses that are in the news then search LinkedIn for firms in your area that are hiring new staff. For example, I searched LinkedIn for Disaster Relief Portland Or and further refined my search by just looking at companies that had job opening. My thinking is, if they are hiring, they are probably busy, and if they’re busy they are going to need printing. In my limited search I found 5 pages of 25 listings each for a total of 125 possible leads in just this one category. These are all companies I could reach out to about their printing needs. Some are more likely to be approachable, but the availability of leads is endless, if you take a little time to do some research.
Use Zoom
Additionally, you can use available technology to make your sales connections safe. The new normal is to connect via Zoom or Skype to maintain social distancing but still make your sales communications personal. Try to schedule sales calls with your prospect’s operations or marketing staff. When you schedule these meeting use the Value Formula described in Print Your Success, as your USP (unique selling proposition). You can find the Value Formula in Chapter 7 in the book, but for those who need a review here is the Value Formula. It’s simple but profound.
Value = Benefit – (Cost + Hassle)
Value equals benefit minus the sum of the cost plus the hassle
Reduce Hassle to Increase Value
Commit yourself to finding ways to reduce hassle for your current and new clients as they navigate the uncertain times of a global pandemic. Help them realize that you’re available to assist with all aspects of production, from design and creation to handling, shipping, distribution, and fulfilment, if that’s what they need.
Also, remember that many of your clients are working from their homes and may not have all the resources available to them that they would have in their offices. So, help them. Maybe they need a place to store a large order of donation envelopes, since their office is closed. Don’t make that their problem, make it your problem. REDUCE THE HASSLE, all of it, if you can. The more hassle you can take out of that formula the more benefit your clients will enjoy and the more value they will get by working with you. And ultimately the more you can charge for your services without sacrificing your client’s perception of value.
Your USP
Use the Value Formula as your USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Own it. Build a reputation on it. Make it so much a part of your service that your clients immediately think of you when they are faced with a new challenge or print problem.
Example of Reducing Hassle
Here’s are a couple of examples of ways to reduce hassle. With some of my regular clients, I do a usage analysis of the most commonly ordered products to let them know when they might be running low on those items. Since many of these clients are not in their offices, they can’t easily check the storeroom to confirm what their inventory levels are, so they appreciate the heads-up about their AP checks running low, or window envelopes, or work order forms. For other clients they may need temporary off-site storage because their warehouse is closed. You can arrange for short term heated storage or introduce the benefits of working with a fulfillment house, where the printed materials can both be stored and distributed as needed without the client actually handling any of the materials.
Own the Value Formula
My suggestion is that you embrace and own the Value Formula and figure out how to incorporate it into the service you provide to every client. Find out what most annoys them then think of ways to eliminate that hassle. If you market yourself as their go-to problem solver, and deliver on that promise, you will have plenty of work to do in this pandemic, and plenty of food for the kids.
