Tackling the monumental task of managing overwhelming amounts of documents and data can be a huge struggle for businesses. Enter the game-changing solution of document management – a sure-fire hit to sell, or is it? Keep reading to see five of the biggest mistakes sales reps make when selling document management – and how to fix them!
1. Trying to boil the ocean.
Some salespeople have visions of grandeur thinking they should be selling document management to larger enterprise accounts instead of starting with a small to mid-sized account. Smaller accounts will help you sell more, and faster because they tend to have less complicated workflows and a local decision-maker who can say yes. By focusing on SMBs and popular workflow opportunities that exist in Accounts Receivable and Human Resources, you should be able to enjoy success quicker than trying to secure an enterprise-sized deal.
2. Not attaching a dollar value to the savings.
When mapping out current vs proposed workflows, it’s important to attribute a dollar value to each area that represents a time or cost savings. Elite sellers know to pre-qualify the prospect to an hourly rate before proposing time savings, and they also spend the time to calculate hard cost savings such as printed pages, on and off-site storage costs, couriers, etc. Just like justifying a printer or copier, the bigger the current cost of a workflow, the more you should be able to justify for your document management system.
3. No buy-in from an executive decision-maker.
Most document management sales cycles start with the person or department that has the most pain. That said, some salespeople spend an exorbitant amount of time doing assessments, workflow mapping and creating proposals only to fall on deaf ears because the executive decision maker has no interest in changing the current state. Knowing this, elite sellers will ask the decision maker or their contact to ask the decision maker if a document management solution could be approved if the need was justified. Without some form of executive buy-in at the beginning, you may be wasting valuable time that could be spent on better-qualified opportunities.
4. Not using the customer’s actual workflow for demonstration.
Help your customers visualize the positive impact on their business using their unique documents and workflows. Too often, salespeople rely on generic samples that may be unclear to the prospect as to how the system may actually perform in their environment. When it comes to demonstrations, personalization will be the key to success.
5. Failing to engage your specialist early enough.
Unfortunately, many salespeople spend too much time on document management sales cycles without qualifying if there’s an actual sales opportunity. Inviting a specialist to attend early discussions can help determine if there’s an application fit, what workflows should be prioritized and what is required for approval in the client’s decision-making process. Like any technology sale, experience helps when qualifying, selling, and implementing a document management system.
Ready to take your business to the next level? Let us help you win more deals and drive growth with IS Docs. Get the sales, technical, and marketing support you need to succeed. Contact us today and discover how Impression Solutions can transform your business!
About ISI
Impression Solutions Inc. is a value-add, full-service distributor of printing and imaging solutions. ISI offers their dealers, resellers and their end users unparalleled service and support as an OEM full-line authorized distributor of Kyocera monochrome and color printers, MFPs, Wide Format Printers, printer accessories, printer supplies and customized printing solutions.
Recent launches include Virtual Inventory Services and IS Docs, a turnkey Document Management program for Imaging Dealers to grow their monthly recurring revenues (MRR).
ISI maintains a full inventory of over 2,200 SKUs of printer products ready for same-day shipment from their 35,000 square feet of warehousing space in 5 distribution centers from coast to coast.
