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01 June 2022
Posted by: a
What if we told you that value doesn’t always equal dollars?
That providing your customers with value for money, could mean something other than providing them cheap prices?
We have come a long way when it comes to consumer expectations. And whilst budget is still a factor for any customer, the experience of buying print products has become more important than the pennies. Customers want to choose a brand that provides an experience beyond that of the initial purchase.
As a print reseller, it’s easy to think that being competitive is synonymous with being cheap. But if ‘competitive’ is actually achievable with solid customer service and superior quality products, then it’s possible to maintain strong margins without sacrificing sales.
Ditch the endless discount
Don’t fall into the trap of daily discounting in the hopes that it will land you more customers. Don’t get us wrong, everyone loves to bag a bargain. That’s why finding a trade printer who provides transparency when it comes to their own sales calendar is so important. The trick is to mirror their markdowns, so your margins remain high and your business remains profitable.
Build on your base
Much like value doesn’t always equal dollars, increased sales doesn’t always equal new customers. If you’ve already got a client base, then you’ve already got huge potential sales growth channels ready and waiting for your marketing magic. Not to mention that investing in new customers is between 5 and 25 times more expensive than retaining existing ones.
It’s much easier to sell to a customer that you’ve already built a relationship with. There’s pre-prepped trust and an existing open dialogue - don’t miss the opportunity to upsell because you’re too busy trying to entice new leads with excessive discounting.
Find a trade printer you trust
You’ll no doubt be aware that the reputation of your reseller business stands (and falls!) on the trade printer supplying your products and services. Making sure you’ve partnered up with a printer who provides quality products and guaranteed turn-around times is a must.
Extra points if you can find a printer that stocks all your products - this will halve your order processing time, and provide your clients with consistent products across your entire range.
Ultimately, your customer is not just paying for the tangible product. They’re paying for you to have their back, and provide a high quality experience. In fact, 76% of business buyers expect that you will know and understand their unique needs (no pressure!), and meet their expectations. Another 89% are more likely to buy from you again if you achieve those goals.
So don’t feel like the only option in order to stay competitive is to lower your prices. In reality, not only is that tactic unlikely to be successful long term, but it takes away from your ability to focus on what will actually provide value to your client base.
Quality products, delivered pronto, with pleasure.
#yesplease