34 Fliers in a Sales Kit? Maybe That’s One Too Many

Three Hours and A Basket of Fliers
I’m organizing the production of a new photo directory for my church. We’ve contracted with a company to help us out.

My initial consultation with the company lasted three hours. The sales representative gave me a packet of information that included 34 fliers (look at the photo I took!), and he insisted on talking about every single one. I tried to cut the meeting off – several times, actually. I was sold after the first 30 minutes, but the sales rep. insisted on continuing.

The sales rep. was so concerned about telling me what he had to offer that he didn’t take time to listen to what I needed. I didn’t need any more convincing after 30 minutes, but he just kept on going.

Been There, Done That
I know exactly how this company ended up with 34 fliers. Every time something new comes out, the owner says to the marketing department, “we need a flier for this!” Then the folks in marketing create a flier because the boss said so. That’s how it starts. Five years later, they’re left with a sales kit that has 34 fliers and lacks any sort of cohesion.

Move it Online and Move it Along
The sales kit could have contained five fliers or less, but nobody was paying attention to the big picture. The fliers should have pointed me to their website if I wanted to know more details. And the meeting should have lasted 30 minutes – that’s as long as it took to sell me. Get to the point and send me to the web if I need more details – that’s what I have come to expect when dealing with vendors.

Add This to Your To-Do List
Take a look at your printed marketing materials. Can you cut the amount of those materials in half by moving some of the content online? Nobody can digest 34 fliers no matter how important you think they are.

Now take a look at your sales presentation. Can you trim five minutes off of it? How about ten? Find out what your customers really want to know and stick to that.

Get to the point faster, and save some paper in the process. You’ll save time and money. And who couldn’t use more of both?

There’s never a lack of ideas.

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