Three "how-to" keynote sessions on sales techniques and emerging technologies
PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative, announced its keynote speakers and general sessions for this year's AppForum conference, March 31 â April 2 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NV. These experts will share their perspectives on emerging, print-related opportunities and sales techniques for print and marketing services. Their presentations will be delivered with a strong bias towards practical application rather than theory.
Rab Govil, President, PODi, kicks off the conference with a new perspective on the sales approach. New research has found that the customer buying process is far along before they even engage a potential vendor. The role of the sales person has shifted from supplying product information to challenging and engaging prospects in meaningful business conversations. Rab will show the most effective way to communicate this critical information for maximum effect.
"In the new buying process, customers don't need a product or solution expert," says Rab. "What is really needed to gain the customer's attention are stories that are focused on the customer's need. The salesperson who can tell the right story, at the right time, in a way that resonates with the buyer will win every time."
The first day will end highlighting new technologies discussed firsthand by people actually implementing them in their businesses. "It has become a tradition at PODi to end the first day of the conference with a look at emerging technologies and business opportunities," notes Dave Erlandson, General Manager of Caslon & PODi. "This is the time to put aside your daily struggles and take a look at possible future opportunities."
The first technology discussed will be 3D printing. Jim Corliss, co-owner of Braintree Printing in Massachusetts, will provide information and insights he's learned over his past year of offering 3D printing service. The opportunities and challenges he shares will help attendees determine whether this is an opportunity worth pursuing.
Second, while QR Codes have been used to make print interactive for quite some time, there are new technologies poised to replace them which add new advantages and value. Robert Jozefowicz, Vice President at Freedom Graphic Systems, will describe these new technologies to prepare AppForum participants for the next generation of cross-media integration.
Third, while there are many Apps for mobile phones and tablets, few are integrated with cross-media marketing campaigns. Merging these two existing technologies together can offer exciting new business opportunities. Clint White, President of WiT Media, will show how his firm has created Apps that get integrated in marketing campaigns for clients in the non-profit industry.
The final day of AppForum will open with a session providing attendees with valuable information and insights on selling to one of the largest markets for direct marketing campaigns: the non-profit sector. Lawrence Henze, Managing Director of Target Analytics, is one of the leading experts in the U.S. on this topic. This top-rated speaker from previous AppForums will talk about the kinds of solutions non-profits want, how to get in the door with these types of organizations, and how to develop solutions for them that interact with donors in meaningful and personal ways.
If these sound practical, they are. They reflect the new "how to" focus of the PODi AppForum Conference designed to ensure that attendees leave with real, actionable knowledge that can be applied to growing business and improving profitability.
Conference registration is now open and there are still rooms available at special AppForum rates at Caesar's Palace. The 2014 AppForum digital printing conference will occur March 31 â April 2, 2014 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas