Imagine Selling More Printing Online AND In Person

Imagine a world where you’re able to sell more printing online AND in person.

(This isn’t some dreamy place beyond the realm of possibility.)

It sounds easier said than done, but it is VERY possible.

A recent experience of mine with my cell phone company touched on one of the most important goals to not overlook in selling more printing: having an in-person AND an online focus for your business.

My Experience(s)

Let me start by saying I hate dealing with the details of cell phone agreements and contracts.

When my kids were young and impressionable, I told them, “Hate is a strong word.”

I don’t use the word “hate” lightly, but I hate trying to make sense of cell phone agreements and contracts. Recently, my wife and I decided to add our youngest child to our family’s cell phone plan. I approached the task with a combination of fear and the perseverance of a bully-mindset where I got my way by taking no prisoners.

Ordering Online: The Path of Least Resistance

I went for the path of least resistance: online ordering, here I come!

It was more convenient and, quite honestly, it empowered me to make better decisions.

If I need to solve an issue, I tend to look for the self-serve options first. (Tip for you: Your customers have those same feelings, too. Studies show that self-serve options are increasing in preference every single day.)

I started my online research and was then prompted to start a chat session, but it got deep quickly. The chat went on for almost two hours and totally disrupted my morning. Although I wove the chat into my morning routine the best I could, online chat was not the ideal method to solve this problem.

I gave up. When I printed my chat transcript, it was seven pages long. YIKES!

Getting it Done In Person

It was time to take this issue to the local store.

It was time to talk face-to-face.

I walked into the store, explained my goals, presented my challenges and concerns about the combination of phones, transferring numbers, existing promotions, and data restrictions. It was the same set of concerns when I started the online chat, but the rep and I were eyeball to eyeball. He could read my body language. He knew when my defenses were up and when I was starting to feel some relief throughout the decision-making process.

He got the job done.

I got the new cell phone plan wrapped up in less time than it took for the online chat (including my drive time). And the cell phone company even made more money on me!

Back to Chat

But, I wasn’t done yet.

Now that I was shuffling phones, phone numbers, and sim cards, there were still details to iron out. Armed with rock-solid details, I went back to the chat. My expectations were met, and my issues were resolved accurately and efficiently.

Don’t Settle for “Or”

The moral of the story is this: it took both online and in-person venues to get the job done effectively.

Other industries have already figured this out, so why has it taken the printing industry so long to catch up?

Printers, now it’s our turn.

You can be just as good at being the answer your customers are looking for, both online and in person.

And that’s why I’m so excited about where we’re at with Odyssey, our new Print MIS.

So many MIS solutions focus on EITHER online or in-person instead of BOTH. That just can’t happen anymore.

Your customers expect to be treated well in both venues. Odyssey solves the problem of using two different processes to address both of those venues because Odyssey is adept at servicing your customers both online and in person.

Imagine a world where you can have one system that takes care of your customers where they are, both in-person and online.

The technology is here to bring all of this within your reach, without the huge price tags that have always been associated with cutting-edge tech. It’s time to run an “and” business, not an “or” business!


Written by

Dave Hultin

President, Marketing Ideas For Printers

Dave Hultin is the president and visionary behind Marketing Ideas For Printers. He's on a mission to lead printers to success by providing powerfully innovative online ordering solutions and impossible-to-ignore content. If you're looking to sell more printing and grow your business, follow Dave on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/davehultin/.