TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR BEING THE VENDOR OF CHOICE by Joyce Schwarz, presented at NAB, 2007:
1) Remember clients pick people not just products.
2) Price is ALWAYS negotiable…just make sure you and your client are getting a something for something deal.
3) Don’t just sell—get the prospective client in on the planning process.
4) Problem solving – their problems are yours….nothing less than fanatical support is acceptable.
5) Know their business, not just yours. Attend seminars on their vertical with them if possible.
6) Their alliances and partnerships are your business too—help them form them or you may be left out.
7) Build your brand, not just a product line. Productize and brand your offerings. People buy brands not just products.
8) Get out there with demos/pilot programs/betas etc. Don’t just sell the stuff, sell your expertise too.
9) Sell tomorrow, not just today. Most people are overwhelmed by today. Sell them the vision of tomorrow and then deliver it. Build it WITH them.
10) Strengthen your own partnerships and alliances, collaborate or disappear!
Joyce A. Schwarz, JCOM, has helped her clients close more than $500 million dollars of deals in her career. Her firm JCOM, emerging media & technology, specializes in emerging entertainment technology, platform and media launches. She is the author of several books on new media including: Multimedia: Gateway to the Next Millennium, Harcourt Brace. Joyce co-wrote the NAB’s first book on multimedia “MULTIMEDIA: 2000” in 1993.
You can reach her at www.joycecom.com, 310-822-3119, [email protected] and she blogs at www.hollywood2020.blogs.com and just launched the What’s Next column at www.ihollywoodforum.com. She served as the Asia chairman of GSAM when it was first organized. Schwarz combines more than 20 years experience in advertising, publishing, television and film production and of course new media background.
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