One Channel at a Time

One Channel at a Time
May 28, 2015 Dave Lewis

We put on our multi-channel just like you do. Our recent webinar on how to sell multi-channel services was a huge hit. We had more sign ups, more attendees, and more post-webinar inquiries than any of our other webinars – by far. Obviously, figuring out the best way to sell new services is on the mind of the SnailWorks community. Of course you can see a recording of our webinar, “How to Sell Multi-Channel Marketing to Your Print and Mail Customers” right here, or even download a white paper on the same topic right here – and if you didn’t attend the webinar and/or haven’t read the white paper we urge you to do so. In our next few newsletters, we are going to focus on some of the steps involved in the multi-channel sales process in a little more depth. The primary steps in our multi-channel sales process are (spoiler alert! if you haven’t read the white paper yet):

Pick a client;
Look at their mail pieces as a marketer;
Interview your client;
Introduce Some New Channels To Their DM Campaign;
Show them results – expand your services;
Pick another client – Repeat!

Our focus today is on: Picking the right client for multi-channel services. Who is the ideal candidate for multi-channel? Well, really anyone who is doing direct marketing is a candidate. Enhancing their offers in multiple marketing channels can only help their efforts. Still, we have found the following characteristics in choosing our best candidates:

It is a company with which you have a solid relationship. If you are making a transition from selling a client production services to providing true marketing services, you need to have a solid relationship with them. Choose a client you know well, and who will trust your guidance in how to improve their marketing. There’s nothing wrong with a client who has you bid on their work regularly with whom you would like to form a deeper relationship.
Not too big, not too small. It can be problematic trying to sell new services to a one-person company, as well as trying to sell to a Fortune 500. The little guy does not have the time and energy to really dedicate, and the big company thinks they already know everything. The rule of thumb we use is that we want to work with companies that have a marketing department, and preferably a small marketing department – 1-3 people. That way you have someone to dig into a new approach who can share in a win, but who will appreciate the help in executing it.
Regular efforts. Developing a successful multi-channel campaign can take some persistence. You want your first client to be someone who will be willing to use multi-channel for a few efforts to fine tune and measure results. A client who mails every few months is probably not an ideal candidate for trying multi-channel. It’s best for regular efforts.
Breadth of experience. It’s ideal if your contact at the company has some experience with other channels – better still if it’s with you. Maybe you did an email blast for them, created a web page. Having worked in other channels a bit is different than creating a multi-channel campaign, but experience working with you in these other ways can be valuable.

Some of the multi-channel clients we have identified using these criteria:

A small (7,000 member) trade association – renewals and member acquisition;
A heating and air conditioning contractor – quarterly promotions;
A Financial Services Firm – weekly cross selling program to existing clients

Of course, with whomever you choose, they need to be committed to direct marketing, and interested in making it better. So go ahead and pick that ideal client. You’re about to give them more than they ever expected from you! Next issue we’ll talk about reviewing your client’s materials – and yours, too – as a marketer, the next step in selling multi-channel.

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