Making Sales to Corporate Clients
Like everything else, selling to corporate accounts is changing primarily due to the weak economy. Companies in the Chicago area still opened new offices, expanded locations and remodeled, but to a less frequent degree as the year progressed.
Successful framing sales to corporations require creative ideas and products that go beyond traditional offerings.
It is key to become involved early in the budget process of all corporate projects. One way to do this is to create a small “frame shop” inside the larger corporate design companies you service. Giving those designers access to mouldings and mats greatly improves the chances that art and framing will be part of early presentations to their clients. Our company is aggressively working to get these sample materials in the hands of these designers.
Except for key focal pieces, corporate art selection has been scaled down to prints. It is important to understand that budgets have been trimmed and investment in the actual art is going to be minimal. We see this trend continuing for the following year.
Design companies that use our service for corporate sales are asking us to do much more of the service than usual because of staff cuts. Our strategy is to include services like delivery, hanging, and art procurement as a part of the bid. We stress that these are included as part of our package when we submit a price.
Because art sales are so difficult to get, we have committed to making presentations that include fabric covered framed bulletin boards and simple mirrors for employee gathering areas.
We are planning for a challenging year in the corporate sector this coming year. Adding service values such as delivery, installation and art procurement will are important aspects of a strategy that will enhance your ability to be chosen for corporate projects. Adding nontraditional products like the fabric covered bulletin boards and mirrors can lead to additional sales that were never considered by those companies that traditional only considered art for walls. Another idea for generating additional revenue is using CMC’s to cut corporate logos into mats. These designs can be sold as wall art near entrances and customer service centers.
Part of that strategy involves doing lots of homework when presenting a plan for companies. Image, logos and company culture need to be studied and plans should reflect these important aspects of integrating art and framing. Companies are watching every dollar, and therefore questioning every investment. Therefore it is more important than ever to provide a reason for the art and framing- reinforcing the corporate image they market to clients. This strategy goes beyond just providing something to cover the walls, builds excitement, and results in faster approval of sales.
In summary, there is no “business as usual.” Framing companies who will experience success in the coming year will expand their service to make it easier to do business. They will do their homework to learn about the business they are servicing so that the presentation goes beyond just art for the walls and includes enhancing the company identity. Finally, successful sales to corporations will require creative ideas and products that go beyond traditional offerings. Those that do these things will continue to grow corporate sales.
