Happy New Year!   As you may know, our good friend Kelly Mallozzi, who does sales and marketing consulting for us, is speaking at the BIA conference this year in Dallas.  Here is the blog she guest-wrote for their page in preparation for the talk she’ll give there….

ENJOY!

5 Reasons You Should Consider Focusing on Sales and Marketing RIGHT NOW

In today’s business world, using current sales and marketing strategies can be daunting. This article comes from guest blogger, Kelly Mallozzi, speaker at the 2014 BIA Annual Conference and contributor to the Success.In.Print. blog at PIworld.com.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done” –—Nelson Mandela

What a spectacularly simple quote from one of the world’s greatest, bravest, and most influential leaders.

Viewing something as impossible often has to do with fear. Fear is what keeps us from acting.  There are all kinds of fear—fear of the unknown and fear of rejection are just two. So here are five reasons to motivate you to get beyond your fear and take some action with regard to your sales and marketing efforts today.

1. Your competition is doing it. There is someone out there right now who does what you do and thinks they can do it better than you. And they are telling that story all over town.  In fact, they are telling it to your customers. Please don’t get outsold because you are complacent or comfortable.
2. The world has changed. Technology is not only available; it is the preferred method of communication for entire generations of people. While that may seem scary, it is also a fantastic opportunity. You can use technology to communicate with huge groups of people at once very cost-effectively.
3. Your customers expect it. Websites, blogs, and social media presence are all considered MUST HAVES for any business today. Prospects will notice your absence in the sandbox.
4. It’s not as hard as you think it is. See the quote above—while it’s not exactly a piece of cake, much of social media participation just requires showing up and sharing your knowledge.
5. It is more than worth it. Making sales calls, focusing on your target market, developing a multi-touch communications strategy—these will all pay off for you. I promise. Just go ahead and try to prove me wrong!

After 15 years in selling print, Kelly Mallozzi is now a consultant helping printers of all sizes sell more. Kelly joins a lineup ofinfluential speakers at the 2014 BIA Annual Conference. In her session, “Selling the New Technology Economy”, she shows conference attendees how to optimize technology, including social media, to drive sales through case studies, demos, and more.

Register For the 2014 BIA Annual Conference at www.printing.org/biaconference, heldMarch 30–April 2, at The Fairmont Dallas Hotel, in Dallas, Texas.