Missing the Point With Sharp

Posted by Tom Callinan on Monday, August 27, 2012

There have been numerous commentators providing opinions as to Sharp’s future in the copier business. An article by Nikkei suggested that Kyocera was in discussions to buy Sharp’s copier business. Sharp US has stated that the article is not accurate and that Sharp is not currently in discussions to sell the copier division. Commentators have focused on the fact that the copier business is one of Sharp’s more profitable businesses. That is the correct focus but I think the commentators arrived at the wrong conclusion.

→ Read more

Measuring Sales Performance

Posted by Ed Carroll on Sunday, June 19, 2011

The methods for evaluating sales performance can take many different forms.  You can look at performance on a company basis and compare it to the previous year (hopefully your revenue is growing).  You can look at sales performance on segment basis and compare it to a plan.  If you are looking at resource performance you can look at the sales team performance to quota.  And you can drill down to an individual level to measure how individuals are doing compared to quota. 

All of the methods mentioned will allow you to measure sales performance.  And depe

→ Read more

June's sd|webEd - our free monthly education webinar series

Posted by Kelli Jones on Monday, June 13, 2011

Be sure to check out the topics for sd|webEd, our monthly free educational webinar series:

Selling Services to the CFO

Gain insight into the CFO decision-making process regarding managed services and managed print services. According to Gartner Inc, CFOs are playing a bigger role in IT decisions than in the past.

→ Read more

Strategy Development Schedules Next Sales Series - Sell With Success

Posted by on Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Web-Based or Onsite Training for Sales Professionals in the Imaging Industry

Strategy Development is launching its next series of Sell With Success. This course is available as a ten-week webinar series, with the next series starting Tuesday, June 7th, 2011, or as an on-site, two-day workshop.

→ Read more

Time For Change In Your Approach

Posted by on Wednesday, May 11, 2011

I love to travel and I love to read.  Thus, I read travel magazines and I have subscriptions to many different travel publications. One of which is Conde Nast Traveler.  On March 31st the new April edition showed up in my mailbox and I came across an interesting article that I was excited to read.

The 15 Best Places to See Right Now – here is how it opens. 

→ Read more

Debunking the Myth: MPS Needs To Be Sold On TCO Not CPP

Posted by Tom Callinan on Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Want to start a riot at an MPS event? Mention MPS, TCO, and CPP in the same sentence. I realize MPS has attracted practitioners from many, formerly different, business models: supply companies, printer service companies, VARs/resellers, managed services company, printer and copier OEMs, and BTA dealers.

→ Read more

It’s Time to Grow Your Equipment Revenue

Posted by Tom Callinan on Monday, June 28, 2010

You survived a tough economic environment; let’s hope the toughest you’ll need to endure in your career. You made the necessary expense cuts and hopefully, you’ve optimized your service operations so you are experiencing returns greater than 52% (if not contact Mike Woodard at Strategy Development) and invested in an MPS program. Stay that course: keep driving down expenses, improving service returns, and growing your MPS program.

→ Read more

Should You Acquire Companies To Grow

Posted by Tom Callinan on Tuesday, May 18, 2010

There is a common belief that acquisitions are the sure fire method to growth: Are they?

→ Read more

MPS: The 30% Catastrophe

Posted by Tom Callinan on Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Many commentators in the MPS space like to talk about the 30% savings companies receive through an MPS agreement. I guess it helps them sell research, advance the theory of displacing printers with departmental MFDs, or helps the weak sales person generate some commission and retain his (her) job for a period.

But I have to ask a simple question, what is the rational to deliberately taking 30% of the revenue out of our industry?

→ Read more

Where’s the Silver Bullet

Posted by Tom Callinan on Tuesday, December 8, 2009

I talk to many business owners that are looking for the cure to their ailment—and they would prefer something that cures them quickly. What is the ailment? Lower revenue and operating income. Some want to recreate the good old days of growth and can’t understand why that would be so difficult. Heck, in the 80’s we just worked hard and revenues increased: Why can’t we do that now? Are the new Generation X, Y, or Z kids simply lazy? My experienced reps just can’t seem to get the appointments they were once able to achieve.

→ Read more