MFP Leads "Are you looking hard enough?"

In all my years of selling copiers and now MFP's, I'll make a comment "Where's the Leads?" Too often I forget that leads are all around me, and sometimes I can't see the forest through the trees.

Just last week, I ran across three leads when I wasn't even looking. The first one was a paper store; I had to buy specialty paper to run some print samples for a client. As I was making my purchase, the clerk printed a sales order/sales receipt on a dot matrix printer with pre-printed three part carbonless paper.

It clicked; I asked the clerk why do you print these like this? He just gave me a dumb look and stated "cause that's the way the boss does it", okay I thought. I then asked for the owners name and the best time to contact him. Done, it's a lead and a solutions lead at that. Pre-printed carbonless forms can run as high as .25 cents each or higher. Now it's just a case of finding out how many forms are printed each and every month to make a viable ROI presentation.


While getting lunch the other day at a WAWA (NJ is big on WAWA's), I picked up a new homes booklet (just something to read at lunch). While thumbing through the booklet, I realized that this can be printed on a ComColor device. Thus another reason to call the publisher for additional details, such as how many book are printed monthly and how often are they printed. I made the call, and found out that they print hundreds of thousands and these books and I was way outta my league. But, in my discovery process I found out that they had a new for a new MFP and I was able to schedule an appointment. Thus, another viable lead from getting lunch.

The third came on Sunday at church, yes indeed it was the church bulletin, but my call was not to the church but to the company that prints the bulletins in 11x17 format, saddle-stapled and the front and back cover was color. I'm still trying to get a hold of the contact on this one. But, again another viable lead with a hardware solution.

Cutting to the chase, being a Copier/MFP sales person means you've always need to be looking for leads. Ask yourself why is this printed like this, where is this printed, is there a different solution that will save the customer money and time. I once sold a digital duplicator just to print restaurant place mats. Being at the right place at the right time helps to, and remember the three foot question. Whenever I get within three feet of someone, I'm asking how they do this or that when it comes to documents, prints or just about anything printed on paper!


-=Good Selling=-