By Sid Chadwick
“I’m not allowed to pursue…or add….another customer….. until we get past July…”……President, Sales Manager -- of Publication - Commercial Printer
INTRODUCTION:
That comment was shared with me….. this morning….. by that company’s president.
As that company is in search of hiring approximately 15 additional, experienced Pressmen and Bindery personnel --- that comment…is for real.
Their company founder and CEO ---- believes deeply in developing “Company Equity” -- to insure that profits don’t slip away, aren’t short-term… or an illusion.
They have (a) “outside” Sales Reps, (b) “Inside” Sales Reps, a new MIS System ….and on a year-in-and-year-out basis --- are continuously adding to and upgrading their equipment and technology arsenal.
They are also not the cheapest supplier for their targeted customer markets. That fact --- is reassuring --- to them.
Their targeted customer market --- includes short-run, regional, special interest, repeat publications. (There are….well over one- hundred thousand….of them….!)
If you haven’t looked recently, the short-run, regional, special-interest publication market --- IS…BOOMING…!
SUMMARY:
If you elect to pursue supplying short-run publications, you can develop standards….and production records --- that improve…your margins--- with every “cycle”.
Paper merchants love to provide special “deals” …. for predictable grades…..and quantities.
And don’t worry about competing against the “Big Boys” (a.k.a. RR Donnelly) --- most publishers want “reliable, top-notch service” --- and --- to be important to their supplier.
That means --- Go visit…and… Always take Useful Information…!
--- Ask Important Questions….and…..Listen closely….Take Notes…..!
--- Learn your Publisher’s Ambitions…..!
--- Travel with your Publisher’s Ad Reps….help them make a sale….!
--- Introduce your Publisher….. to your Team….!
--- Send hand-written “Thank You Notes”…at every opportunity….!
Special Information Resource --- for working with Ad Reps: www.magazine.org
Technical Information Resource for Publishers & Advertisers: www.bluetoad.com
What’s so valuable about regional, special interest publications….?
“You don’t understand……People will pay for information they want, and can’t get otherwise”……..Warren Buffett (When asked why he bought 50 “local newspapers” --- in one purchase.)
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