There's a classic marketing adage: "No one wants to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want to buy a quarter-inch hole." In the world of production inkjet printing, your printed product is the "drill," but the desired business outcome, like increased sales, stronger customer engagement, or enhanced brand loyalty, is the "hole." Clients don’t invest simply in inkjet-printed materials; they're looking for tangible business results.

What Your Clients Are Really After

Many production inkjet print service providers focus heavily on features: the sharpness of imagery, speed of production, print quality, vibrant colors, and personalization capabilities. These are essential, of course, but too often the conversation stops there. Feature selling places the spotlight on your product and your capabilities rather than addressing the deeper "why" behind your clients' needs.

Your customers aren't excited by spending money on printed products alone. They're excited about solving their business challenges. For example, high-quality, personalized direct mail can directly boost response rates. Consistent, timely publications help reinforce brand reliability and enhance customer retention. Variable-data campaigns can significantly improve customer engagement and loyalty, ultimately translating into increased sales and business growth.

Your clients are eager to reduce the cost per lead, boost engagement with personalized materials, or improve their market positioning. Understanding the specific business outcomes your clients desire and clearly linking your printing solutions to achieving those outcomes elevates your value far beyond a mere commodity.

And here’s a hard truth: when you focus only on product specs, you turn your offering into a commodity. And commodity status leads directly to price pressure. Why? Because if the customer sees no difference between you and the next provider, the only question left is, “Who’s cheaper?” You don’t want to win that race. Winning on price means losing on profit. And if your value gets boiled down to price alone, you’ve already lost.

The Strategic Role of Print

Personalized direct mail isn't simply about quality printing. It’s about achieving higher open rates, greater customer engagement, and increased conversions. Similarly, timely, high-quality printed publications aren't only visually appealing; they also reinforce your client's brand reliability and authority, improving retention and satisfaction.

By explicitly connecting your inkjet print solutions to the tangible business outcomes your clients are aiming for, you position yourself as a strategic partner. Rather than just selling print, you're enabling your clients to achieve their larger goals.

So ask your clients more questions. Not just “What specs do you need?” but “What are you trying to accomplish?” Not just “How many pieces?” but “What result do you need from this campaign?” When you uncover the true business drivers, you can position your solution as essential, not optional.

Sell Into the Why

Why does emphasizing the "why" matter so profoundly? If you stay trapped in feature-based selling, you inevitably find yourself competing mostly on price. But when you sell into the "why" - the deeper outcomes and strategic goals - you step into a space where your expertise, solutions, and unique approach can command a deserved premium.

Sell into the why, and your inkjet solutions become indispensable tools for achieving the business results your clients truly value. Sell the hole, not the drill.