It's tempting to think of traditional paper checks as a hard sell in today's increasingly digital world. Since they're so stable and work in almost any type of business, physical checks definitely have appeal. If you've been finding it difficult to connect with potential clients, then you'll want to check out these four ways your content-based campaigns can actually sell other business owners on the necessity of commercial paper checks.
1. Post Some Creative Designs on Your Blog
One of the biggest advantages of paper checks is that they constitute yet another opportunity for small businesses to show off their brands. Post images of any creative check designs that you've been tinkering around with, and see if that doesn't help attract some more people to your sales organization. Make sure that you have the right to distribute whatever designs you post. Small companies that don't have anything in their portfolio can instead show off their templates or even create a few samples for this purpose. New customers who look these over will immediately know what kinds of artwork and typography they can expect from your organization.
2. Share Examples of Legibility Problems
Consider writing a blog or making a short video about some times when people misread online checking account information and ran into trouble. These sorts of problems wouldn't be an issue if the people involved were using professionally made laser-printed checks, which look extremely crisp. Physical media is also much easier to hold onto. Financial analysts will sometimes misplace a computer file, but physical checks will always stand out on their desks. These could very well be some of the most convincing arguments to discuss with potential clients.
3. Talk About Security
Physically printed material provides an immediate audit trail. If someone has a check, then they can always prove to their bank that they're owed a certain amount of money. Direct deposit errors are difficult to sort out because it's so hard to prove that someone was supposed to pay another party. By sharing this kind of information with your clients, you're helping them to recognize the real benefits of physical checks that aren't always apparent. You can also highlight the security features that are included on paper checks so fraud and other financial crimes aren’t as common.
4. Focus on Other Checking Products
A majority of sales representatives who sell checks focus on the commercial payment market. Pay stubs are a big part of the industry, so it makes sense to heavily emphasize this area. That being said, there's no reason not to mention cashier's checks and various other specialty products. Wiring money internationally often means someone needs a special type of physical check to prove that the money really exists. Travelers' checks are still popular in spite of the fact that international retailers tend to accept debit and credit cards.
No matter what techniques you decide to try, make sure that you don't portray checks as something dated. There are still a number of reasons someone might want to use a paper check, so it's much better to focus on the checking industry's future rather than its past.
