Business Development Strategies Drive Growth and Profitability
Figure 5: An example of a customer testimonial shared online by Cushing & Co. | Credit: Cushing & Co.
Another effective type of referral is customer testimonials. The goal of customer testimonials is to resolve any prospective customers doubts. Good testimonials are authentic and relatable. Figure 5 is an example of customer testimonial shared online by Cushing & Co., a Chicago-based printing company that specializes in wide-format display graphics. The company recently launched an in-house graphic design service and the testimonial focuses on that new service.
Reimagining Product and Service Offerings
Business development also focuses on developing new products/services, and entering new markets. The recent COVID-19 economic shutdown demonstrated the importance of customer and product diversification, as many key industries that use sign and display graphics — including events, retail, and restaurants — put their businesses on hold and reduced print spending.
Lisa Cross is the principal analyst of NAPCO Research (a unit of NAPCO Media) where she conducts market research and analysis on emerging trends and changing dynamics in the commercial, in-plant and packaging industries, and the market forces that are driving those changes. With decades of experience covering the graphic arts and marketing industries, Cross has authored thousands of articles on a variety of topics, including technology trends, business strategy, sales, marketing and legislation.
