One of the most effective ways to close a sale with your screen printing clients is with an in-person visit. Whether you’re cold-calling prospective clients or following up with a formal, pre-arranged sales call, having face-to-face time with your customers gives you time to answer all of your clients’ questions and increase their level of comfort in hiring you for their screen printing needs. Knowing how to carry out an in-person visit is just as important as scheduling appointments with your clients. By following the right steps through your in-person sales appointments, you can complete more sales with your prospects.

Schedule all sales calls, including cold calls.

The biggest mistake screen printers make with in-person visits is not scheduling them. With so much already on your to-do list to keep your screen printing shop running, finding the time to visit clients and potential clients can be difficult. The key is to schedule sales calls regularly. Have a set number of in-person visits you will aim to make each week or month. When you don’t have enough customers ready to meet your personal commitment to calls, fill your schedule in with cold calls.

Do your research.

A successful sales call begins with knowing your client. If it’s a cold call, know who the decision makers are and make it your goal to meet them. If it’s a company whose representatives you’ve spoken with previously, take the time to learn more about their company. Know who they serve and what they do. Asking questions about the company that are easily answered by looking at their website or Facebook page can look lazy, while demonstrating that you’ve done your research will show your potential customer that you’re serious about learning their business so you can effectively assist them.

Don’t go empty handed.

When you make an in-person call, you need to have something to leave behind. At a minimum, you should leave behind your business card. If you’re visiting a client that you’re trying hard to book and anticipate a big order from, it’s smart to take samples of products with their logo on it. It’s wise to have product brochures with a list of your most popular items and services along with pricing to leave behind with any client. After you’re gone, your business prospect will have something to peruse to get a better feel for how your screen printing business can meet their needs.

Have an objective.

You can’t declare a business call a success if you don’t know what you’re hoping to achieve. Go into every client visit with a plan. If it’s a cold call to a new prospect, you probably won’t be aiming for a sale from your first visit. Instead, make your goal an introduction or the leaving behind of your product materials. If it is a follow-up visit, have a pitch that you can get your client to get behind; if you’ve already interacted with your potential customer, you should have a good feel for what their needs are and what products would be ideal for them. Be ready with a quote for likely products in the quantities your client is likely to need.

Voice your plan for following up.

The interaction with your prospective client doesn’t end when your in-person visit is over. As you leave, you should set a plan with your client for following up. For a cold call or introductory visit, attempt to schedule a follow-up visit with your prospect during which you can sit down and go over your products and services, or ask for permission to follow up with a phone call after giving them the opportunity to review your materials. If you closed the sale, promise to follow up from the office to confirm any order details or to update your new client on their order.

In-person sales calls are the best way to boost your business. In-person sales calls can help you reach new customers, retain your existing customers and get your existing customers to upgrade their orders. To complete sales for your screen printing business with in-person sales calls, make customer visits a priority and have a strategy in place for growing your professional relationship and booking the sale.

Want some more tips for increasing sales at your screen printing business? Check out these blogs:

Boost Your Sales! Strategies to Help You Sell More Screen Prints

Prosperous Prospecting: Tips for Finding New Screen Printing Clients