Why blog? Brad Roderick can tell you why.

I'm (Amy) sitting in on Brads blog class at World Expo. He is asking the hard questions.... and not getting a lot of answers. What do you think about blogging? Why do you blog? Or why don't you blog?

Brad's 8:30 sales training

It is bright n early here in Vegas and Brad is almost thru his first presentation. The room is virtually full!

Don't miss Brads presentation tomorrow at 1. Also, head to the managed print pavalion at 10 this morning for a mini-managed print presentation!

InkCycle Awarded Best New Product

Being the best is a lot of fun! We were reminded tonight at the Recharger magazine Readers Choice Award (RCA) ceremony just how great our dealers are. To think that at a time when everyone seems to be tightening their belts, InkCycle has been able to not only succeed, but to thrive! And it is all because of how much we value our relationship with you: our reseller.. Thank you for the votes, but more importantly, thank you valuing our quality and remaining loyal and excited about the InkCycle product offerings.

It is time for the show to begin! We will see you all at booth2618. Don't forget to come by the booth for your private invitation to our MPSuccess training sessions and our Thursday night dealer VIP reception.

InkCycle's MPSuccess Training Program - LIVE AT EXPO!

Already going on online, the MPSuccess Training Program is being offered LIVE at World Expo four times to make it easy and convenient for you. Also not a bad place to put up your feet and take a break from the show floor (which we are sure hoping has carpeted hallways this year!).

Check with your InkCycle Sales Manager for times and to secure a reservation.

What will you get for your hour investment? Well, hear it straight from our Dean of MPSuccess University, Carl Little:

"Managed Print is here, it's now and it's the ticket to getting into into larger, better accounts which will help you solidify your book of business and add much value to your dealership." Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? But wait... there is more.

"We will teach you how to approach these accounts, who to call on and even make initial calls with you to teach you how to do it. For those truly committed, we'll hold your hand through the process on the first few deals so that you are completely prepared to do it on your own."

Thanks for all of your support and the business and we look forward to seeing you at World Expo!

Don't Miss our Next Selling MPS Webinar!

Can't make Expo and still want to learn how to make money selling Managed Print solutions? Or maybe you are going to be visiting us at Expo and want a good refresher. Either way, we've got you covered. Join us on August 25th for the next webinar.

MPSuccess at Expo Managed Print Pavilion

You asked for it... you got it. InkCycle will now be exhibiting in the Managed Print Pavilion along with our booth space and holding informational seminars and training in our suite in Mandalay Bay. As the rush begins to do final preparations for the show, we will keep you posted here on the blog for new updates on times, schedules and locations where we will be throughout the show.

Having a presence in the Managed Print Pavilion, on the show floor and with the suite, we've tried to make it as convenient for you as possible to get caught up with the InkCycle Team. Please contact your InkCycle Sales Manager if you would like to schedule specific meeting times or just drop by... we're everywhere!

Tips for Non-Exhibiting Attendees

You are going to the show and want to make the most of your time. You are looking for new opportunities, new knowledge and likely exploring new vendor relationships. In other words, you are looking for solutions to business issues such as increased revenue, greater profits or manufacturing issues. The great news is that there is a tremendous amount of information available at the show. The bad news is that there is a tremendous amount of information available at the show.

How do you make the most effective use of your time? Here are some tricks that are used by veteran tradeshow and convention attendees.

TIP 1: DECIDE IN ADVANCE WHAT YOUR GOAL IS.

There will be too much information for you to take in during any worthwhile show, and the natural tendency is to get distracted.
Plan in advance what you want to accomplish and stick to your plan.

TIP 2: SHARE YOUR GOAL.

Make your goal part of your greeting. When stepping up to a booth, introduce yourself and clearly state what your goal for the show is.
I am at the show to see what new products I might add to increase my sales next year”.

TIP 3: COLLECT USEFUL INFORMATION.

Leave the material collection bags in the lobby.
Instead of becoming a pack-rat (I probably still have somebody’s marketing material from last year’s show in a box, file or pile somewhere, unread of course), print out pre-addressed mailing labels and hand them out to people from whom you truly desire information. Let them ship it directly to your office for you.
Saves you money, time and cuts down on the amount of junk you don’t really want or need anyway.

TIP 4: DON’T EAT ALONE.

Even in a crowd, there remains a tendency to eat alone.
If you see someone sitting alone in a restaurant wearing a show badge, ask to join them or ask those waiting in line to join you. Remember to tell them why you are at the show, they may have found the perfect solution for you.
Who knows, you might be the perfect solution for them!

TIP 5: ENTHUSIASM.

Exhibitors, contrary to what you may think, are humans just like you. They get tired standing, just like you get weary walking.
Greet exhibitors with enthusiasm and friendliness and they will show more interest in you and your needs. Exhibitors have made a large investment to help you! And like buyers, exhibitors are looking to do business with people they enjoy spending time with.
Approach a booth with bored or arrogant attitude and chances are, you won’t get much from the show.

TIP 6: FOLLOW UP.

Keep a small notepad (or index cards) in your pocket to write down the names of the companies and people you want to make a point of contacting after the show.
Don’t leave it up to the exhibitor to follow up (though they should) as contact information can become lost.

Plan, Qualify and Follow-Up

Here's a link to some basic tools for Trade Show Success. Even though we ALL know this stuff, they are good reminders of what it takes, whether as exhibitor or attendee.

Trade Show Tips by TradeShowMarketing.org

Hmmm, "Plan, Qualify and Follow-Up"... sounds a little like SELLING!

Tips for a Great Summer

Now that we're in the dog days of summer, it's time to look at some ways to spend our time between now and the big event of World Expo, here's some great tips.

OK, maybe you were looking for something more than basic grilling tips. So, let's look at a few things that you can do this summer to improve your sales efforts.

1. Go out and sell! Seems obvious but the majority of salespeople have the tendency to coast through summer. After all, "summer time is the slowest part of the year, I might as well kick back" can be heard in the corridors of a lot of sales offices. But if you think about it, since the competition is probably taking it easy, doesn't it make sense that this would be the perfect time to get out there and take some of their business? Doesn't it make sense that their customers just might be needing some help?

2. Plan for success. Assuming that you are going to be spending some time prospecting this summer, you might want to think about how you will be supporting the new business when the rush of September business hits your doors like it does every year. Take a day and put together your Time and Territory Management program for the balance of the year.

3. Vacation. Yes, summer is "the" vacation time of the year and you are probably going to take a few days off so you might as well make them both fun and profitable. Consider dropping your customers post cards from the road. Let them know where you've been and thank them for their business. Make the notes personal and fun. If you want a really cool idea, here's a secret... Arrange a "post-card trading program" with your customers. Let them know you'll be sending out cards during your vacation (this is a lot better than a note saying "I will be out of the office and for support, please contact...."). Ask them to send you some from their vacation! Trust me, this can be a lot of fun and it helps create great personal relationships.

Human Interest Insight

OK, this post may be a little less "worthy" than the usual one, but right now we're sweating over the details of the catering schedule for meetings in our suite. If you haven't gone through this before, all you need to know is 1) It's ridiculously expensive and 2) it's ridiculously expensive. Maybe next year, we just buy a restaurant. The things that go on right before a big show!

To keep this a little more "professional", we'll remind you that you might want to check out some of the classes and seminars being held at Expo this year. Experienced or industry novice, there's always something for you.

List of Programs

Shamelessly Seeking Votes!

Voting time is drawing to a close and if you are like some of us, time just seems to have disappeared this summer. If you haven't taken the time to get online and make your opinions heard, please take 60 seconds to cast your votes now.

The InkCycle Team wants to thank all of our business partners for nominating us for a record-breaking six awards!

1. Best New Product
2. Quality Leader: Inkjet
3. Quality Leader: Toner
4. Best Customer Support
5. Most Memorable Marketing/Ad Campaign
6. Best Article

Don't forget to vote by clicking on the logo above!

And again, THANKS! The entire team at InkCycle appreciates you and your business!

A Little Monday Humor

Who know the whole printer and cartridge thing could get so emotional! Ok, most of you probably do, but if not, here's a humorous reminder. Couldn't help myself for sharing this, blame it on Monday.

Managed Print - Fad or Future?

Many of you have asked whether it is necessary to offer Managed Print Solutions. Many feel that the concept is "decades old and it hasn't really effected us, so is it just a fad or is it real?" The short answer (best for a blog) is: It really depends on whether you want to protect your existing large accounts and land new large ones. If you do, the answer is an unequivocal, "you may not be able to survive without some type of Managed Print offering!

Just take a look at the latest activity by the OEMs.

OKi's Entry into Managed Print


HP's Managed Print Guarantee

Join us at World Expo for Exclusive Training on How to Sell, Implement and Launch Managed Print with InkCycle's MPSuccess Program. Contact your InkCycle Sales Manager today for reservations as seating is limited!

Rule 5: Learn from the Pros

RULE 5: Learn From The Pros.

LIQUIDS.

For the geographically impaired, Las Vegas is in the desert. Low outside humidity and lots of indoor climate control greatly increase the chances that the unprepared will succumb to dehydration.

In its mildest form, dehydration leads to fatigue, lethargy, cotton mouth and bad breath!
Unfortunately, by the time you recognize some of the symptoms of dehydration, you are behind the curve and will find it difficult to get back on track. Rookies drink expensive “re-hydration” mixtures, pros start drinking extra water the day BEFORE they begin their travel.

To clear the air, beer, booze and coffee will not rehydrate you, they only make it worse. They cause bad breath, sweaty palms and quite possibly, stupid comments. They also have the potential of delivering dark stains to light colored khaki pants and shirts.

COMFORT.

The one area of clothing that can greatly impact your comfort is footwear. Skip the brand new pumps.
Wear comfortable, broken in (not broken down) shoes. Rookies bring one pair of comfortable shoes, pros bring two (pairs not shoes). Long term show vets know that one of the tricks to re-energizing yourself is to switch shoes (pairs, not feet) mid-day.

LEFT/RIGHT.

This is an old trick, worth its weight in gold. If you are wearing a jacket, keep your business cards in your breast packet and the ones you collect in your pants pocket.
For those of you like me, working a show with a jacket on is simply not an option. For my jacket-less brethren, keep your business cards in your right pants pocket and the ones you collect in your left. Lefties may want to reverse this.
Send follow up “thanks for visiting cards” sent while you are STILL at the show! Who else does that? NOBODY!

LOST ART.

Shaking hands is becoming a lost art. Too few people shake hands as they greet one another.
At a trade show, or any networking activity, focus on physically drawing people close to you by offering your hand. One trick of the trade is to keep a handkerchief or wadded up tissue in the pants pocket on the side of the hand you use to shake with. This allows you to quickly “dry off” those sweaty palms.
When you couple a good, firm handshake with open-ended questions, your audience will find themselves fully engaged with you, which, given the distractions in large group setting, is precisely what you are trying to accomplish!

ENGAGING QUESTIONS.

Certainly, we want a friendly booth atmosphere so as not to repel folks. However, there are two common mistakes that people in pursuit of this atmosphere generally make.

1. First, extroverts often times believe that a big smile combines with a little add-lib, they are prepared to greet the masses.
2. Second, less outgoing personality types tend to become nervous and self-conscious when they first meet a person and as such, they are too rigidly focused on what they are saying (speech vs. dialogue), just to get through it.

By preparing three to five open-ended questions, you are ready to engage your audience in a conversation, with your goals in mind, and without worrying about what you will say.
For this to work, practice, practice and practice!

MOST OBVIOUS, MOST NOT DONE.

The single most obvious tip from any trade show vet is, FOLLOW UP! Seems obvious, but rarely is each and every lead followed up upon.

Think back to your last show, how many people contacted you afterward? Bet it was less than one in twenty (if that high).

Rule 4: Personality

RULE 4: Personality…Feel Free to Fake It.

Douglas MacLean (President of MacLean Marketing, a tradeshow consulting firm) lists five character traits for selecting booth staff;

1. Assertive (without being pushy)
2. Outgoing
3. Other – Directed (focused on the needs of attendees)
4. Persistent (physical and emotional stamina)
5. Positive.

Let’s assume that you find yourself slightly lacking in one of the character traits and that you cannot undergo a complete change in your character in the next few days. The answer? Fake it! Remember, you will be on stage, it’s a show baby!

Rule 3: Attitude

RULE THREE: Attitude.

Remember, the event is a “tradeSHOW” (emphasis on the “show”). Develop an attitude of showmanship combine with customer focus.

Attitude = Showmanship.

• Smile,
• Meet,
• Greet.

Work the crowd and make it entertaining. Pump yourself up with some Rocky music or listen to a great comedy tape before you go “on-stage”. Why comedy? Comedy makes you smile. A warm, genuine smile will attract more people to your booth than the best booth graphics. Remember, this is work, but as physically and emotionally demanding as it is, it should also be fun. The more fun you appear to be having, the more people you will attract and the more they will want to be around you. People buy from people, not just any people, but people they like! Don’t you prefer to be around people who exude enjoyment? Guess what, so do your prospects.

Attitude = It’s All About Them, Not You.

Comedians teach us more than just how to present a friendly face. Take Cosby or Foxworthy, both comedians that rely heavily of “life and family” experiences. Neither comedian approaches the stage as a platform to tell you about their family or their life. They approach the stage with a single goal, to make you laugh (and get paid for it). Foxworthy’s audience is not emotionally interested in how to become rednecks, they watch and listen because they want to laugh! The goal of the comedian’s audience is to laugh. The goal of your audience is not to talk to you or to learn about your products, get a copy of your new brochure or even to get a price list! The goal of your audience is to find out what you can do to help their business (if that’s not their goal, move on, they are not as serious about their success as I hope you are about yours). Address their problems with your solutions and you won’t need dancing bears and bikinis to have a successful show.

Rule 2: Prepare and Practice

RULE 2: Prepare, Practice and Practice More!

Remember how Mom told you that you only have one chance to make a good first impression? Well, at a trade show, you are going to make a lot of first, second and third impressions, some in the booth, some in the hallway and more at the bar and in restaurants. At this late date, you should be preparing yourself mentally and physically.
Prepare a list of three to five open-ended questions to engage visitors as they near and enter your booth.

Skip the, “How are you enjoying the show” and “Can I help you” questions.

The same questions work in taxi lines, check-in lines and yes, even at the bar.
Practice shaking hands and asking your questions. “Why shake hands?” you ask. Shaking hands physically draws you and the prospect closer and when combined with your open-ended questions, if performed well, you will be sure to fully engage a greater number of prospects.

A Series of Show Tips for Exhibitors and Attendees

First in a series of on-going tips for people who want to make the most out of their Expo 2009 experience.

RULE 1: Take Personal Responsibility For Your Success!
Adopt the “The Buck Stops Here” mindset. You are investing your personal time in this thing, so take nothing for granted. Make appointments NOW for people to come and see you, don’t wait and hope to run into them.

More Ideas on Making Your Trade Show Profitable

Back at the ranch, we are feverishly working on our trade show preparation. Preparation is just one of the keys to having a successful trade show. Here's a great video for more ideas.




For a look of some of the things that you definitely DON'T want to do...

Sneak Peak at Upcoming Contest

Want a chance to win an iTouch? It's easy! We will be looking for the funniest World Expo 2009 photo. Check back in a few days and the full details will be announced. All you will need to do is upload your photos to our site and right after Expo everybody will get a chance to vote. Keep in mind that this is a G-rated site. The winner will be announced on September 1.

Managed Print Sales Training

Two sessions on Wednesday and two sessions on Thursday. The perfect time to get out of the "Theory of Managed Print" and into "Learning How To Sell Managed Print". Sign up now to learn from the best in the business. With over 30 years of copier sales success, Carl Little will be teaching the tricks, tips and techniques that the copier guys use to sell Managed Print! Contact your InkCycle Sales Manager today for registration. Space is limited.

Record Breaking Awards Nominations!

The InkCycle Team wants to thank all of our business partners for nominating us for a record-breaking six awards!

1. Best New Product
2. Quality Leader: Inkjet
3. Quality Leader: Toner
4. Best Customer Support
5. Most Memorable Marketing/Ad Campaign
6. Best Article

Don't forget to vote by clicking on the logo above!

And again, THANKS! The entire team at InkCycle appreciates you and your business!

Making the Most of Your Trade Show

Links to resources to better prepare you and your team mates for a successful trade show event. Check out the following links:

For Exhibitors

More For Exhibitors

Even More For Exhibitors

If you are attending and not exhibiting, are there tips and techniques that you can use to make your experience productive and profitable? ABSOLUTELY! Here are a few:

Attending a Trade Show

More Attending A Trade Show

... And maybe the best thing you can do as either an attendee or an exhibitor is spend some time with the fine folks at InkCycle's booth or private meetings in our suite.

Events During Expo

Well, World Expo time is drawing close... so our Marketing Team better get on the ball and finalize all of the events and activities. Be sure to check future postings as well as past postings that include the word "EVENTS" for all of the tools and activities InkCycle will be offering up during Expo 2009. More will be added as the date draws near but for your early planners, here's a glimpse:

Managed Print Sales Training: 2 sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. To schedule a session, contact Carl Little or your InkCycle Sales Manager.

Mingle with the Managers: 4 - 7 Thursday night - a great time spend some time getting with your InkCycle Sales Manager and to meet the rest of the folks from InkCycle. By reservation only, please be sure to drop by our booth to pick up your free passes. And if the thought of getting to visit with us in person isn't a big enough draw - we'll be throwing in some drinks and appertizers.

Beat the rush and sign up now for any of these events.