In literature about hiring sales people it’s often stressed that in-depth product knowledge is an absolute necessity. You must know what it does, how to use it, what customers want from it, how to adapt it to unusual requirements, and so forth. But in many cases, given that the Canadian graphics industry largely consists of small businesses, that salesperson is usually you, the owner.
So, if you’re going to enter a conversation with a potential customer you’d better know all there is to know about every aspect of the technologies and materials that your shop uses. You must know what can and cannot be accomplished with your resources and, above all, you must have a firm grasp on the economic aspects of all that stuff.
It’s not just a case of can we or can we not do this, it’s very much a case of can we or can we not do it profitably. Without an in-depth knowledge of every aspect of your business you’re neither well equipped for salesmanship nor ownership.