One thing I’ve been thinking about lately…
Most sales leaders want to see growing pipelines. But in commercial printing, that metric can be misleading.

Why?

Because many print sales reps aren’t creating demand—they’re responding to projects customers already know they need. A customer calls with a brochure, signs, annual report, or apparel order and asks for a quote.

The rep is busy. The estimator is busy.
But after all that work…
The prospect ends up staying with their current vendor, postpones the project, or simply disappears.

One of my clients described it perfectly this week. She said she spends hours helping prospects, involving estimators, preparing quotes, and then never hears another word.

That’s not just frustrating. It’s expensive.

I think there are only two ways to improve the odds.

Option 1: Have a much better conversation before the quote is ever created.
Instead of jumping straight to pricing, slow the process down and ask questions like:
• What objectives or goals do you have for this project?
• What is your decision-making process, and what stage are you in now?
• Where do you expect challenges during the project?
• What happens to your organization if you don’t move forward with this project?
• Is there a compelling event driving your timeline?
• Do you have a budget range established for this project?
• If the quotes you receive are higher than expected, would you be willing to let me help you explore other options?

Those conversations help determine whether you’re simply providing a price—or helping solve an important business problem.

Option 2: Spend more time creating opportunities before a project exists.
This is where the best salespeople separate themselves. They start conversations with organizations that fit their Ideal Customer Profile long before a project materializes.

They bring insights, ask thoughtful discovery questions, and help identify operational or marketing challenges that keep organizations from achieving desired business outcomes. They create a buying vision that helps the customer understand what may be possible.

When that future project finally appears, they’re no longer just another printer submitting a quote. They’re the trusted advisor who helped shape the decision.

Busy doesn’t always mean you’re building future revenue.

Sometimes the fastest way to grow sales isn’t by quoting more projects.

It’s by having better conversations and influencing buying decisions before the specifications are ever written.

Kate Dunn, President, Evolve Sales Group