A Holiday Message to All --DeWese

At the risk of being politically incorrect, I want you to know that Christmastime is my favorite time of the year. I'm a Presbyterian, so we celebrate Christmas.

If I was Jewish, I'd be celebrating Hanukkah. If I was African American, I'd be celebrating Kwanza. If I were some other nationality, ethnicity or religion, I'd really be into celebrating whatever is appropriate. If I were agnostic or atheist, I'd probably make up something to celebrate.

I think I've covered all the possibilities, so I'm now politically correct and not in violation of the U.S. Constitution or the East Goshen Township Code (where I live and where I author these columns). See? I realize that my column audience is diverse—indeed a veritable potpourri of people employed in the printing industry—and I don't want to offend anyone.

That's enough of my disclaimer for political correctness. I'm a Christmastime fanatic!

For me, it's all about the giving. I'm not much of a receiver. There's not much I need or want. Except, I need the funds that I want to give to others.

It may be as simple as giving my grandchildren the thrill of watching me climb a 12-foot ladder to string lights on the house and my many evergreen trees.

It may be as complex as purchasing all the gifts to fulfill the wish lists of some underprivileged families. Actually, I just supply the money. Attila the Nun, my spouse Anne, is the shopper who spends hours buying the right sizes and finding the toys listed on the wish lists.

It may be as easy as slipping a little cash to our building guys, the men who haul away our garbage, the guy who brings the newspaper and the mailman.

It may be as complex as buying and shipping large quantities of gifts to our clients and friends.

It is as tedious as my hand-addressing dozens and dozens of Christmas and holiday greeting cards. Nowdays you can print cards on your ink-jet or laser color printers. But that's not for me.

No, I want offset lithography for my Christmas cards. And if they are diecut, foil stamped or embossed, so much the better. Laser and ink-jet printers don't help any printing companies. I go to the mall and buy the most expensive cards available at the Crane's stationery store.

I'm grateful year round, but Christmas is the time of year when my gratitude just bubbles over. I want my clients and friends to know how much I appreciate them. So I travel the extra miles to find the right cards and then spend the extra hours to hand sign and personally address their holiday greetings.

Going the extra mile and spending the extra hours can't be limited to some special occasion. In our fiercely competitive business, print salespeople must provide personalized sales service year-round.

Stick Around After Sale

Sales service is different than customer service. Customer service in our industry happens after the sale has been made and when the job is in the shop. Of course, great customer service can lead to repetitive sales. Too many salespeople abdicate their futures to the customer service department. Unfortunately, these salespeople—caring only about their commissions—bring in a job, dump it in production and leave the customer communication to the CSRs.

These salespeople don't realize that their best opportunity to build a better client relationship is when there's a job in production. Furthermore, they don't know that their customers perceive sales service as part of the value bundle that they are buying. They don't know that the bigger and better the value bundle, the more money clients are willing to pay.

Print buyers become loyal to value bundles that contain exemplary sales and customer service. Although they frequently can't articulate precisely why they are loyal, all things being equal, customers would rather buy from the printing company that makes them feel good. Or, from people who are the most professional. Or, from people who are the most fun. Or, from people who give them the most peace of mind. When customers would rather buy from you, they are more apt to care a little less about your prices.

I'll give you a few examples of how quality or service is remembered long after the price is forgotten.

I'm a great cook and a great food shopper. Attila the Nun hates to cook and food shop. Now, I could go to the supermarket and buy meat that's been cut in the back room by some butcher I never see. It's wrapped in plastic and may even be on sale. But I don't. I go to Worrell's Butcher Shop in Malvern, PA, where I'm greeted warmly by the Worrells, John Sr., Ernie III, and Jen and Jack Haughey.

They remember my preferences, like the way I want my boneless chicken breasts cut and wrapped. Their steaks, pork chops, veal and roasts are the best. I don't even want to think about the premium that I pay Worrell's for the great conversation while they cut and wrap my meat. I could care less that I'm paying more because they know about my interests, they remember what I normally buy and they take my phone orders.

When my order is ready and I've paid them, a Worrell even carries my bags to my car! They insist. I could carry the bags, but they insist.

I am a perennial gardener of the highest order and I buy all of my trees, plants and mulch from Potters Landscaping. The manager is Ed Payton. The main plant experts are Jack Elinsky, Erin Clarke and Helen Dennison. Garth Potter does all of the deliveries.

Gabbing With Garth

Now, I could go to Wal-Mart or Kmart or some other discount store to buy my plants, but I wouldn't get them delivered when I want them or where I want them. Deliveryman Garth Potter even hangs around a few minutes to see how I'm doin' and to comment on my gardens. I wouldn't get Erin or Helen, who personally escort me around the nursery and advise me on the habits and needs of some exotic Hosta variety.

In the nursery market, I am considered a major account. I could probably save a couple of thousand every summer if I went to the discount stores. But what would I do if something died? Do you think they would come get my banana tree and winter it in their greenhouse? They don't even have a greenhouse at Wal-Mart. So, I pay more for the service—and the friendship.

You see? You can build a value bundle if you are outwardly focused on your customers and prospects. If you are simply concentrating on yourself and your commissions, I can guarandamntee that you will always be in a price war when it comes to winning print jobs. Guaranteed.

Okay. I'm gonna build a fire, find some chestnuts to roast and turn on the outside Christmas lights. You probably didn't exceed your quota for 2004, so you need to get out there and sell something!

—Harris DeWese

About the Author

Harris DeWese is the author of Now Get Out There and Sell Something, available through NAPL or PIA. He is chairman and CEO at Compass Capital Partners and is an author of the annual "Compass Report," the definitive source of information regarding printing industry M&A activity. DeWese has completed more than 100 printing company transactions and is viewed as the preeminent deal maker in the printing industry. He specializes in investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, sales, marketing, planning and management services to printing companies. He can be reached via e-mail at DeWeseH@ComCapLtd.com.