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QUESTION
Joseph G. Scott, MAS
Vice President
Scott & Associates, Inc.
UPIC: SCOTTASC
Wow, you got a smackdown for
going above and beyond, and not being
an order taker. I’m glad to hear that you
understood their objective (probably
their message and their target) and real-
ized that their idea was not the best. I
used to get “sales-Tourette’s syndrome”
on occasion, and now we bill for our
time. Perhaps next time, ask if they
would like to hear alternative ideas,
which will be less than, equal to and
greater than their budget.
Michael Crooks
VP, U.S. Operations
Weepuline, LLC
UPIC: WEEPULS
Spontaneously throwing out other
suggestions over the phone basically
invalidates your client’s ideas, which they
may take a bit personally. It’s usually
best to focus on what your client wants
during the phone call. Then prepare to
present exactly what they asked for. That
way they know that you heard them and
they can feel validated. After you have
shown them what they asked for, then
you can show them alternative ideas.
This is where you put your best foot
forward in an attempt to serve their best
interests from your perspective. If they
still like their idea over yours, then you
sell them that. This way you validate
your client and your client’s team. You
show them that you have thoughts also,
but you do so without disrespecting
their ideas or enthusiasm.
Joe Joslin
President
Joslin Advertising & Marketing, Inc.
UPIC: JOSLIN01
If she depends on you, as a profes-
sional, she should at least listen to you
and why you think the product she
selected is inappropriate. If she doesn’t
want to listen, I suggest two solutions:
Get her what she wants, and if the cam-
paign fails, it’s her fault. Or don’t take
the order. It’s a no-win situation. I am
not sure you want this kind of client in
the first place.
Laraine Hicks, CAS
Owner
Laraine’s Promotional Products
UPIC: C602899
I would get a sample of what she
wants and also what you suggest and
compare them. You could gently give her
the pros and cons of both. I had an
opportunity to do something like this
and, after seeing the sample, the client
found it was not right for the audience.
Q
A Distributor Asks:
My client called me with a product request for a campaign she’s
planning. She and her team were really enthusiastic about the
idea, but I thought it was all wrong for their marketing objec-
tives. I said I could get her what she wanted, but I also sponta-
neously threw out some other suggestions over the phone. She
accused me of trying to upsell her and said she wanted to stick
to the original idea. What is the best way to offer alternative
product ideas when clients have their mind set on something?
CHANGE YOUR MIND
JANUARY 2015 •
PPB
• 21
INNOVATE