Images_Digital_Edition_April_2019

www.images-magazine.com 54 images APRIL 2019 Marshall Atkinson is a leading production and efficiency expert for the decorated apparel industry, and the owner of Atkinson Consulting, LLC. Marshall focuses on operational efficiency, continuous improvement and workflow strategy, business planning, employee motivation, management and sustainability. He is a frequent trade show speaker, article and blog author, and is the host of InkSoft’s The Big Idea podcast. atkinsontshirt.com Try the following three-step process: ■ Name the pain Get your potential customer to identify what is their biggest problem or fear. Simply ask them. This immediately se ts the stage for you. If there is more than one challenge, get them to prioritise them. ■ Rate the earthquake You have to make it relative to their business. Scientists rate earthquakes so everyone can comprehend the magnitude of the situation. You need to do the same. Not necessarily with a rating scale, but what you want to find out is ho w big the problem is, and what would happen to them if it instantly went away. What would change for the better? Would their financial situation improve? Maybe there is a significant time-saving with your potential solution? ■ Get buy-in If you have identified the challenge and discussed the magnitude of the situation, the next step is obvious: “Would you like me to solve that for you?” Solutions selling step three: Outlining your strengths Problem solvers build trust quickly because they make things easier. So, can you articulate that? To help, here are six brainstorming ideas that you can use to help build a better narrative for your shop: 1. What expertise do you have that others may not possess? This could be creative talent, years in the industry or some special training or certification you’ve received. 2. How are you making your experience easier and frictionless for your customer? What steps have you eliminated in your process for them to make it more convenient to order from you? 3. Do you save them time? Outline what they Stop selling ink on cotton. That’s not your value. Any goofball can throw out a quote and print on some shirts BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT could be d oing w ith th eir tim e instead. 4. What a bout money? When working w ith you ar e they saving mone y in any w a y? Wha t could they be doing with all of that cash? 5. Do y o u mak e them money? Mayb e they are reselling your work. Prove your worth. 6. Do es your customer get any extra s ta tus by buying your work? For exa m p le, a streetwear brand may pro mote community or affiliatio n in their marketing. Some problems aren’t for you At some poin t someone is going to call or walk into your shop with the worst o r der ever. This is a job that you hav e zero business taking. Resist the urg e to say yes. It’s tot a lly okay to either say no or refra m e what you can do so th e customer understands. This skill is just as important as solving problems as it protects your schedule and company from jobs that you won’t make money on. “Hey, I need to get six different shirts printed by Friday. These are all samples for a new apparel line I’m putting together. If you do me this favour, I’ll be sure to use you when I hit it big.” While the chances of them hitting it big are fairly slim, you can pull two types of ninja moves here. The first is to redirect them t o your competitor down the street “ w ho specialises in this work”. Let th e m lose money on that job. The second is t o hand over a prepared rate sheet for how you work, your minimums and what they need to do to get started. Sure, they only want six shirts… but your minimum is 48 per design. Bonus: Accept the order and print them using a DTG printer. Price this to make money. For solutions-based selling to work, you have to want to offer the solution. Some challenges should be avoided like a pothole in the street. Just swerve around it on your way to make more money down the road.