MAIN TAKEAWAYS:
Understanding what clients want and how to maximize their ROI is key for new print sales reps. Knowing what the client needs and how to solve their challenges also increases the likelihood that a one-off job turns into a long-term relationship.
Printers today must go beyond simply executing on a vision that a client brings to the table. Printers must act as strategic advisors and educators, helping clients discover new ways to create cost-effective print that generates ROI and drives revenue.
This is where print sales reps come in, but creating this kind of collaborative partnership can be difficult for new sales reps who don’t have a wealth of experience in the print space. Here, we’ll look at a couple of things new print sales reps can position to clients to help maximize investments in print, and — hopefully — turn a single job into a longstanding partnership.
One common objection to direct mail is cost. Postage represents a significant portion of those costs, and educating clients about the substantial discounts available for eligible mail pieces — and how to qualify for them — can make printers vital allies in a client’s marketing strategy. Below are a few key postage discounts printers can help clients leverage to reduce mailing costs, boost engagement, and increase response rates.
The USPS® Mail Growth Incentive offers postage reductions for companies that increase annual mail volume. MGI participants can earn up to 30% postage discounts on eligible mailings above their previous baseline or the 1 million pieces mark. This year’s MGI is open to eligible mailers until December 31, 2025, and PSPs can find more information about the MGI by visiting the USPS Business Customer Gateway.
The USPS® promotions program is an annual offering of about five different initiatives designed to help companies reduce postage costs and create innovative direct mail campaigns that better engage target audiences. These promotions reward companies with discounts of up to 10% for creating mailers that incorporate digital technology, sensory components and more. There is no minimum mailing volume in order to qualify.
USPS® Informed Delivery® enables companies to better engage consumers through digital previews of incoming mail. This multi-channel approach gives mailers an additional communication touchpoint and gives recipients more incentive to engage with mailers when they reach the mailbox. The Informed Delivery® add-on provides an additional 1% discount.
The sustainability add-on also provides an additional 1% postage discount for mailers that use sustainably harvested paper, such as Accent Opaque rolls that are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®).
Making printed materials more interactive helps clients strengthen engagement, increase message retention and recall and enhance brand recognition. Print sales reps can collaborate with clients to design more interactive print materials through techniques such as:
Emphasizing more interactive experiences makes printers more of a creative partner. This dynamic also helps printers learn more about their clients and the audiences they’re trying to reach. With this more detailed level of understanding, printers can establish long-term relationships with clients as opposed to one-off jobs.
No two consumers are exactly the same, and personalized print via variable data printing is the first step in creating a custom, individualized communication experience. With this kind of data-driven approach, sales reps can recommend:
Helping clients track, analyze and report on print performance — especially for applications like direct mail — is important for clients in demonstrating the ROI of print materials. PSPs that can support their clients in this endeavor can use performance data to refine their processes and best practices, and analyzing performance can also help print sales reps pitch additional work.
For example, reporting data on direct mail performance can help sales reps identify areas to adjust and optimize to increase response rates. This can include adjusting CTAs, tweaking headlines or varying creative elements to ensure mailers truly hit home. With this performance-oriented mindset, a sales rep can turn a printer into an end-to-end partner, ensuring the conversation continues long after the project has been printed or mailed.
These strategies can help print sales reps transform a printer from a vendor to a strategic print partner that a client looks to for long-term guidance and support. Part of this guidance is helping clients identify the right paper for their needs, and establishing a relationship with a paper mill in addition to a merchant helps you stay better informed about paper offerings. This helps enhance the level of customer service you can provide to clients.
For new sales reps, partnering With Accent® Opaque’s wide variety of Text and Cover options — not to mention The Heavyweights — we can help your customers maximize their investment in print.
Contact us to learn more.