Welcome back to another edition of “Sell More Printing,” where we consider sales and marketing strategies that can significantly boost your printing business. In this issue, we’re spotlighting how your Management Information System (MIS) can be so much more than just a management tool; your MIS can also be a key element of your sales and marketing framework.
Keep reading below, but also watch the replay of the Your Marketing-First Blueprint for Website & MIS Success webinar to discover how this strategy unfolds in more detail. This all-in-one solution, with its one-of-a-kind approach, specifically addresses the challenges of running a print business.
In today’s competitive market, integrating your MIS with your marketing strategies is not just innovative; it’s essential. If your marketing strategy is designed to lead your prospects and customers to your website’s order forms, why can’t your website ask for the sale when they arrive, “Ready to make a purchase?” Why can’t your MIS tell your website to say to your customer, “Thanks for your order!” and then turn to your production team and say, “I’ve got a new order for you to print!”
Odyssey Connects Marketing to MIS
That’s exactly what happens with Odyssey, the Print MIS that lives within every website provided by Marketing Ideas For Printers, every time an order is placed.
The magic is in the order form. The printing order is instantly and flawlessly handed off from your website to your MIS, traveling all the way through production to a finalized status in accounting to collect the money for a job well done.
How This Helps You Sell More Printing
Today, your MIS could be one of the most important members of your sales team. With your marketing efforts strategically directing customers and prospects to the Odyssey-enabled order forms found on a website powered by Marketing Ideas For Printers, this scenario is a reality. Your MIS is now a key contributor to your sales funnel! Orders placed on your website enter the funnel and seamlessly flow all the way through to accounting, ensuring that no sales opportunity is missed.
Consider these benefits of inviting your MIS to become the newest member of your sales team:
- Automated Efficiency: Each order form acts as a proactive sales agent. Your MIS captures and processes information directly, minimizing errors and accelerating order fulfillment.
- Enhanced Customer Experience: Your print buyers enjoy a smoother, more responsive service. The direct link between website inquiries and your MIS ensures their needs are promptly met, enhancing customer satisfaction and retention.
- Streamlined Order Input by Staff: What happens when print buyers prefer not to use the website’s order forms? Your staff can still use these forms to place orders on the print buyers’ behalf! This method maintains efficiency and standardizes entry into your system, ensuring manual entries benefit from Odyssey’s streamlined processes.
When your MIS is on your sales team, your marketing efforts can now work hand-in-hand with your MIS, making it a marketing-first system. Under this new paradigm, consider these steps to harness the full power of your MIS:
- Review Your Current Systems: Assess how well your existing MIS integrates with your marketing initiatives. Reflect on these critical questions: Are your marketing efforts effectively directing print buyers to your website’s order forms? Do these forms flawlessly and instantly transfer orders to your MIS?
- Reevaluate Your Marketing Strategy: Are your current marketing efforts effectively creating sales opportunities for your MIS to manage? Consider a complimentary marketing audit from Marketing Ideas For Printers to identify and leverage new opportunities.
- Watch the Webinar Replay: For an in-depth exploration of integrating your MIS with your marketing strategy, click the image below to watch the replay of the Your Marketing-First Blueprint for Website & MIS Success webinar. Not only will you learn how the system works, but you’ll also see how this all-in-one solution specifically addresses the challenges of running a print business with its one-of-a-kind approach.
Adopting a marketing-first approach to your MIS isn’t just about leveraging new technologies—it’s about redefining how you manage and expand your printing business. By integrating your MIS into your marketing efforts, you position your business for increased efficiency, enhanced customer satisfaction, and significant growth.
A version of this article originally appeared in the June 2024 issue of NPSOA magazine. For more information on how you can become an NPSOA member and enjoy the many benefits offered there, contact Member Services at membership@npsoa.org or head to their website at NPSOA.org.
