PrintingNews.com

It takes 30 seconds to win or lose a sale. In the sales profession that 30-second first impression could cost or earn you the biggest sale of your life.

There is no better use of time and effort for printing salespeople than creating a positive first impression with executives who control buying decisions for print and print services. Studies show that in the first 30 seconds or less of initial meeting, buyers have already made a lasting and unshakable perception of the salesperson.

Salespeople tell me that it is unfair for customers to judge them solely on their first impression. Unfortunately, human nature dictates that the initial contact proves to be the image that lasts in a person's mind. Once the image is set in a customer's mind, it is very difficult to change it. In selling, you seldom get that second chance.

It is those first 30 feet of your entrance, the first 30 seconds of the sales call, and the first 30 words you speak that can determine the course of the potential sale.

Creating interest with decision makers is a key sales skill. The chief purpose of any initial approach call with an executive is to create enough interest in a printing company's offerings, to obtain their permission to gather requirements within the account. Without this agreement, the sale cannot go further. It is this step that determines whether a customer is a qualified prospect. Creating a great first impression is crucial to the eventual sale.

Here is a scenario: A New York metro printing salesperson has heard from a college friend that a large wholesaler of scientific testing equipment has hired a new director of marketing. His college buddy is a neighbor and a good friend of the director of marketing. The wholesaler has more than 2,500 distributors worldwide who sell some or all of their products. The printing salesperson, after numerous phone calls and e-mails, was able to obtain an appointment to meet the director of marketing. The marketing team managed by the director has a substantial budget for printing and is looking for new ideas. This scenario is every salesperson's dream. It may be an opportunity to gain a new customer.

In this scenario, most salespeople know that it is very important to make a great first impression. Too often we have seen salespeople miss great sales opportunities by not walking through the door with the confidence and the knowledge to take control of a room and get people to want to listen.

The Threshold 30

A lot has been written and discussed about the "Threshold 30." It is those first 30 feet of your entrance, the first 30 seconds of the sales call, and the first 30 words you speak that can determine the course of the potential sale.