Imagine the awards and new leads and thus nicer margins if Xerox got into printernet publishing. A simple 4 pager in color sent every two weeks to all of their customer's customers.
The problem to be solved is that printing is not sold. It is bought. The way to get new business is to be "top of mind" when the printing event is about to occur. The paradox is that if you try to stay "top of mind" with relentless calling, the customer sees you as a nag and slightly desperate for business. You may be top of mind, but you get put into the "hard to business with" bin. The bin you need to be is in the "easy to do business with."
To resolve the paradox is a four page 10 1/2 by 13 1/2 full color bleed iGen produced newsletter sent to the customer every two weeks. Here's how to do it.
1. Do the deal to get the content from The Good News Gazette. The owner is a very experienced MBA who recently left one of the global search companies. She started this site while she is looking for the next big thing. She has a great deck describing Printernet Publishing as the next big thing. I'm on her Advisory Board so I can kibbutz in private without getting sucked into a day job.
Plus she's starting to post good news videos at YouTube. That means a QR code to get the kids to play good news on the mobiles. It's a killer app. In fact the whole newsletter could be just big high design QR codes with some advertising in Print. They'll love it in Japan, Australia and the UK.
On her site it says
Why good news? Because it makes you feel good, and the more you read, the better you feel. Our mission is to bring you stories that highlight the positive, inspiring and heartwarming, that help you feel good while reading the news. Happiness is contagious, and we’re here to help spread it. Welcome to the Good News Revolution!
3. Front page is snippets and the name of the OPM/PSP in question. Maybe some QR codes going forward.
4. Page 2 and 3 are filled with feature articles. One or two beautifully illustrated stories of interest that week or in different parts of the world. Make a deal with the Christian Science Monitor. They have gezillions of just the right kind of story and they recently went web only and open to new business models.
Page 2 and 3 could just be a 13 by 19" bleed image taken from the NASA on line library. The stars and colors will reproduce beautifully on the iGen. Or a wonderful poster.
5. Use text only ads in the far right column. Think Google AdSense. You can sell ads to Adobe or Apple. If you can get the right person on the phone, it should be a no brainer. If you can sell enough ads, it should be a zero addition to SAG at the mother ship.
6. Put a correctly prepared, customizable PDF in the Cloud. Maybe supply an HTML version for the Printers website.
Win-win-win = "Why wouldn't I do that?"
The OPM/PSP wins because he doesn't have to waste time doing marketing materials or getting "educated" in business development. He also wins because he stays top of mind with no counterproductive prospect calls. Plus the salespeople will have time they need to do value added sales, instead of being forced to be overpaid under motivated prospectors.
The customer wins because getting good news once every two week helps her have a nice day. Helping someone have a nice day is a huge value given.
Xerox wins with no cost marketing and thus improving margins by getting SAG closer to 16%, not by reducing headcounts or even slimmer margins on boxes. Plus it would eliminate most the money for "educating" the customer. Just send them the Mail Program in the box. Maybe most important it would harvest the awesome value created by the network of more than 600 Premier Partners.
Xerox Honored for Leadership Excellence -
@Printing Industry News from WhatTheyThink:
Thursday, May 28, 2009
NORWALK, Conn. -- Xerox Corporation received top honors from channel publications and their readership for its strong partner program, leadership and innovative technology.
For the third consecutive year, Xerox was named 'overall winner' for workgroup color printers in CRN's 2009 Channel Champions Awards, taking the top spot in all three sub-categories - 'expected sales,' 'competitive pricing,' and 'product margins, SPIFs and rebates."
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