The Seasons Beatings of Sales

Well I never thought I'd be saying this so soon but the Holiday Season is once again upon us, and people of course are watching their dollars and cents. Even in the sign business, many companies are finding themselves making strategic moves that will keep their homes heated this winter. The real question is are the tactics you are using really saving you money? Or are they costing you money in the long run.

For those of you who are looking to make a sound investment into the world of digital graphics, you've got a lot more going for you than you may think. Many people sometimes consider November and December to be a little slow going each year, but the right people will use this time to learn to tricks, take advantage of some end of the year write offs on new equipment and head into 2010 more fired up than anything else.

Having that said, let's get right to it..

Sign Show or Shark Tank?- Many people head to Atlantic City, NJ for the USSC Sign Show every year looking to upgrade their existing equipment, meet with their local vendors or shop new ones, or even start up a business. Unfortunately, there are some that just go to shop price and nickel and dime dealers so that in the end no one wins. Why do I say "No One wins"? Simple. The customer loses out because he spends so much time trying to work the best deal on a piece of a equipment that they really lose focus of the features of the machine, the value, and can it even help them accomplish their goals. The dealers lose out because while they are spending their time playing "deal or no deal" with a price shopper, people who are actually there to learn are soon to be considered "missed opportunities.

Not to mention, as dealers, the name of the game should not be "snag em and tag em". We are there to educate, guide these individuals, and help them learn all the ways they can make money with their equipment. Lacking confidence in our own abilities is what leads us to sell on price and price alone. In the end you have a frustrated customer, who may have saved a buck or two at a Sign Show but lost thousands in time and aggrevation when they aren't properly trained.

Personally, I don't believe in "shaking people down for money" or taking their credit card information when I know they aren't ready, and the practices I believe in aren't just ones that I follow, but they are practices that I encourage not just my staff to practice, but my customers as well.

So when you visit the Sign Show this year, think about why you are there. What are you looking to learn? Are you there to walk the show, meet with experienced individuals who can teach you all the latest techniques and new product offerings? Or are you going to make a quick deal and snag a free pen. Let it be known that in going from booth to booth grabbing and FREE handouts all weekend, you won't find anything worth re-wrapping and giving away at Christmas.

Just WHAT Exactly Are You Looking To Accomplish? -Here's a scenario, a customer comes into my showroom with a mind set that he wants to produce a certain type of product. When he finds that the machine he is looking for is going to cost a lot more than just the sticker price on the machine, he seems to toss his ideas to the wayside and just go the "cheaper route"

Now why is this so ridiculous? Here's several reasons..

1. Never sell yourself short in ANYTHING you do. You set out to reach a goal. Accomplish a dream, so why let the price of the equipment package make you restructure your entire way of thinking all inside of 30 seconds. You have to spend money to make money. There is no "easy way". Don't believe me? Wake up at 4am sometime and see how many informercials are on tv and then think about how many people you actually know that made a million overnight with that garbage.
2. Buying a machine is easy. Running a business isn't. A lot of customers seem to think equipment purchases are like purchasing a car. WRONG. You buy a car, you drive it off the lot, it depreciates. It loses value INSTANTLY. A car doesn't make you a dime. It costs you money. A printer makes you money. It's such a simple thought process yet it is so overlooked.
3. You can never expect to go and buy a printer and nothing else and you're going to make it big. Look, I know people out there get a little discouraged when they hear they need a laminator, software, a computer and all that. That's the name of the game. When a machine comes out that designs, prints, cuts, laminates, weeds, and applies, you be sure to let me know, but until then, you're going to need to get the right equipment. Here's the thing, you shouldn't be saying "Do I have to buy a laminator?", "Do I have to buy software?" No, you're right, you can buy a house, but do you have to heat it? You can have kids, but do you have to take care of them? These are things you should WANT to buy. You want to produce high quality images from high quality equipment that produce high profits. No rocket science needed. It's simple business.
4. Accept that you don't know as much as you think you do. Many people take offense to this statement, but why? If a customer walks into my showroom looking for nothing but a great deal and is shopping on price alone, sometimes I take the deal and sometimes I send him elsewhere, but the result is the same, when they need support they always come running back to me. You have to sit and ask yourself "Can I really do all this work the right way on my own?" You want to make money and be successful right? You need to consider all the things that go along with this equipment, and I don't mean supplies and ink. How much do you know about networking? Color Management? Design Software? Application? Pricing? These are things that I teach my customers inside and out, and they understand the value.

In closing, take a look at the bigger picture when getting started in the business. Decide what typs of business you see yourself becoming in 5 years. Think about who you are looking to buy from. Consider all the values and education that comes along with your purchase. Once you learn that this business and buying equipment isn't all about price price price, then you'll begin to focus on the tools that will make you money.

This is the difference between people who want to be box movers and people who want to provide you with professional help and educate you the right way. This is the philosophy of TyrrellTech on a whole. We firmly believe in standing by you and supporting you 100%. We have the experience of all the "other guys" out there combined and it's what sets us apart from all the rest.

Good luck and have fun! Passion is everything!

Until next time..

Daniel Ramm