Get, Serve, Keep: A 3-in-1 Approach to Running Your Print Business

Running a print business is hard work. But did you know that you need to be running more than just one business? That’s right. You need to be running three!

(Hold on now, take a deep breath, and keep reading!)

While that might sound incredibly overwhelming, it’s not as scary as you might think. The truth is, you’re already running three businesses; however, you might not be giving them the attention they deserve.

Three Businesses in One

Your three businesses are:

1. Your “Get” business,
2. Your “Serve” business, and
3. Your “Keep” business.

Each business represents the different ways of approaching your customers and prospects, and the purpose of each of these “businesses” is different:

1. Your “Get” Business

The goal of your “Get” business is to turn prospects into customers.

Your “Get” business communicates the value you offer and encourages print buyers to use your service for the first time. In this business, you’ll need to remind your prospects over and over again on why they should choose you as their printer.

Your success in the “Get” business will be measured by how many of your prospects become first-time customers, and it will depend on your efforts to ensure a steady stream of prospects are available. In your “Get” business, it’s vital to have a marketing program that runs on auto-pilot each and every month.

Need a shortcut that can provide the fuel you need to run a successful “Get” business? Click here to check out our newest monthly direct mail package, National Direct Mail. 

2. Your “Serve” Business

Your “Serve” business is where you do the work of providing printing; it’s all about making sure your existing customers are being cared for and have good experiences with you.

The success of your “Serve” business will depend on meeting and exceeding the expectations of your customers as you manufacture every order they place. Your message in this business needs to validate the decisions your print buyers made to do business with you.

These days, so much of those experiences happen online. So, ask yourself:

• Does my website make it easy for customers to send files?
• Is it easy for my team to manage proofs and provide status updates on existing orders?
• How are the face-to-face visits my customers experience with my team?
• Does my team approach each conversation knowing they’re helping to run my “Serve” business?

3. Your “Keep” Business

Within your “Keep” business, your goal is to turn existing customers into repeat customers. What can you do to keep them coming back for more?

The focus of the “Keep” business is to create customers for life!

The success of your “Keep” business depends on the number of repeat customers you have, and repeat customers result from the successful operation of your “Get” and “Serve” businesses. So, if your “Get” and “Serve” businesses are performing well, then your “Keep” business is well-positioned for success.

But your “Keep” business doesn’t succeed just because your “Get” and “Serve” businesses are performing well. There’s more to it than that.

Your “Keep” business should make it easy for your customers to be repeat customers by identifying the products that your customers will frequently order. Then, take it a  step further and make those products available for easy reordering by proactively setting up and training print buyers on the use of the Reorder Forms Library.

When you have your “Get,” “Serve,” and “Keep” businesses running right, you’ll find they all contribute to the success of your one business.