Stepping Into the Storm: How to Sell Copiers and Services in a Recession Using Ai-Fueled Strategies

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​A Work By Celeste Dame

Introduction

In a world of economic turbulence and tightening budgets, the need for effective, agile sales strategies has never been more important. This series of three articles, titled "Recession-Ready Sales: Harnessing LLMs to Thrive in Turbulence," is designed to equip sales representatives with both timeless sales fundamentals and modern Ai-powered techniques. You will learn how to navigate uncertain markets while leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) as your dynamic partner in research, personalization, and negotiation.

Ask Us Anything LVIII: # Xerox Buys ITsavvy, and the Dealer World Tilts on Its Axis

What It Means for Independent Dealers, the Channel, and the Future of Selling

Xerox’s acquisition of ITsavvy gives independent dealers instant access to enterprise-grade managed IT services without the capital cost of building their own MSP infrastructure. It opens doors to new customers, changes competitive dynamics, and creates a new standard for what it means to sell “solutions”—but it also demands a mindset shift, new sales motion, and stronger alignment between print and IT services.

 “I’m rebranding the whole company,” Earl said, half serious, half grinning.  

The Machines Are Selling: Ai, the New Closer in the Room

By Robert G. Jordan

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The first time I saw a chatbot close a deal, it was unsettling. The prospect had asked a technical question, something obscure buried halfway down a product sheet. The rep froze. The bot didn’t. With a cheerless efficiency, it fetched the data, cross-referenced it against two knowledge bases, then returned with a plainspoken answer.

​The customer nodded. The sale moved forward. And just like that, one more slice of the sales job was carved away.

You're Already Late: Ai Has Changed Copier Sales Forever

 The copier sales rep who ignores Ai isn’t competing with their peers. They’re competing with extinction.

By Celeste Dame

It begins with a simple idea. The tools we use shape the way we work. But sometimes, a new tool doesn’t just shape, it shatters everything that came before. That’s what Shopify’s CEO, Tobi Lütke, is talking about in his memo. It isn’t just a call to use artificial intelligence as a tool. It’s a declaration that Ai is the new baseline. Not optional. Not experimental. It’s the new starting line. Either you're running with it, or you're watching from the sidelines.

Now, take that mindset and drop it into one of the most resilient and, let’s face it, change-resistant sales channels in the world: copier sales.

Don’t Hire an Ai Consultant. Really. I’m Still Serious.

Originally published July 10, 2024. Revisited, April 2025.

🚀☄️

We’re still here.

A year ago, I said: Don’t hire an Ai consultant.

Today, I say: Still don’t.

You don’t need an intermediary. You don’t need a guidebook. You need a question and a pulse. Maybe twenty bucks for the premium plan.

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Since that first post, the world has shifted, sure. But not in the ways we were promised. Executives scrambled. Consultants rebranded. LinkedIn filled up with “prompt engineers” and “Ai strategists” selling complexity where simplicity lives.

The truth?  

Post & Walters Ask Us Anything LVII: From Scanners to Cyborgs, This One Had It All

A live session that started with Twain and ended with android repair strategies. 

Just another Friday with Post Walters.

By Cole Jensen

It began like many other Fridays, with Greg Walters opening the doors to the always-chaotic, never-scripted stage of Post Walters: Ask Us Anything. On this particular episode, the fifty-seventh in the series, what began as a discussion about document scanning evolved into a far-reaching, fast-moving conversation about everything from humanoid robot maintenance networks to the failure of Ai sales webinars to actually teach anyone anything.

"Scan is the new black.” — Art Post

New to Copier Sales: Shifting into New Vertical Markets

We’ve talked about vertical markets before so you probably know that verticalizing your sales attention provides a structured way to grow sales. The more familiar you are with an industry, the better you can speak its language. Understanding common challenges builds credibility, and before you know it, you’re the go-to expert in that space.

But sticking to one vertical isn’t always the best move. Expanding into new markets opens more opportunities, helps you stay ahead of competitors, and keeps your sales pipeline full. You won’t max out an entire industry on your own, but competition can push you to look elsewhere. Shifting into a new vertical might not be top of mind when you’re still getting a handle on machines, software, and leasing, but it’s a natural next step that builds on what you already know.

​The Robot Revolution and Your Copier Dealer

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How Office Technology Providers Could Own the Future of Humanoid Robotics

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By Cole Jensen

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It’s captivating to picture a near future where humanoid robots become as common in homes as microwaves and washing machines. Robots handling everyday chores like folding laundry, loading dishwashers, and even preparing simple meals is no longer just fantasy. Current technological advances suggest this could happen sooner than we think.

Still Standing: Xerox’s Relentless Crawl Back

- Celeste Dame

Xerox Holdings Corporation's announcement to acquire Lexmark International for $1.5 billion reverberates across an industry where every decision echoes through supply chains, service models, and competitive strategy. This merger, rather than a simple expansion of portfolios, signals Xerox’s latest attempt to realign itself in a sector it once dominated but now finds increasingly complex and fragmented.

Fujifilm’s Andrew Gunn Talks Disruption on Ray Stasieczko’s End of the Day with Ray

Fujifilm Cranks Up the Disruption Dial

by Celeste Dame 🚀🧠

“We’re democratizing the ability to do high-end production but at an entry and mid-level price,” Gunn. 

In the latest End of the Day with Ray, Fujifilm’s Andrew Gunn sat down with Ray Stasieczko for a candid discussion about Fujifilm’s escalating ambitions in production and business print. What began as a standard product reveal unfolded into an in-depth exploration of how this $20 billion global heavyweight intends to stir up the U.S. market.

Fujifilm Cranks Up the Disruption Dial

by Celeste Dame 🚀🧠

​In the latest End of the Day with Ray, Fujifilm’s Andrew Gunn sat down with Ray Stasieczko for a candid discussion about Fujifilm’s escalating ambitions in production and business print. What began as a standard product reveal unfolded into an in-depth exploration of how this $20 billion global heavyweight intends to stir up the U.S. market.

Straight out of Chicago, Gunn wasted no time. 

Dealers gathered around as the machines roared to life, filling the room with the scent of fresh ink and the rhythmic hum of possibility. “We did our big reveal where we launched three new exciting products,” Gunn shared. The lineup? The Revoria Press EC2100, the Revoria Press SC285, and the Jet Press 1160CFG, all engineered to deliver high-end production capabilities at prices that command attention.

Scanning Is the New Black: The Evolution of Document Management and Its Impact on Office Technology

By Gary Stringfellow Locke

Print is fading. Paper is disappearing. What used to be the foundation of office technology is now a shrinking market. But something is growing in its place: scanning, a technology that is no longer just about archiving but about intelligence.

New to Copier Sales: The Common Mistakes

Being new at anything has its challenges, and everyone around you has advice. Often, the warning of what not to do is simply a statement based on the advisor’s personal experience, with no substance beyond, “This is how I’ve done it; this is how we do it. This is how you will, too.”

That’s not necessarily bad, but it’s just one person’s experience. It may or may not fit your situation.

I’ve put together a few common areas new selling professionals overlook and often fall victim to, along with insights on how understanding sales dynamics can help you make the transition.

Post Walters Show - Scanning 2.0: Why Dedicated Scanners Are Reinventing the Document Workflow

by Celeste Locke

On a recent show hosted by Art Post and Greg Walters, industry insiders took a deep dive into the world of scanning and digitization, revealing just how far we have come from the days of relying solely on photocopiers for office tasks. Their discussion touched on high-speed dedicated document scanners, compliance requirements, Ai-fueled analytics, and the impressive range of ways scanning solutions can transform businesses, whether it is a small medical clinic or a massive government archive.

New to Copier Sales — Begin the Self-Training Journey With AI

Manager to new copier rep: “Learning how to sell copiers around here is like drinking from a fire hose.”  It’s one of the many sales mantras that echoes for eternity, and it’s timeless because it’s true.

Traditional learning methods consist of one person telling the newbie how they did it, how one method or a combination of protocols worked well for them, and the many thousands of other sales reps before them. This is not a lie, but it is not the entire truth.  As a matter of fact, the most used method of sales training is baptism by fire: “Here’s a list of the prospects in your territory, it’s a good one, reach out to every one of them and secure as many appointments as possible.”  That’s it.

Toshiba Outlines Ai Strategy at ECS Scottsdale

 

by Celeste Dame

​Scottsdale, AZ — At the recent Executive Connection Summit (ECS) in Scottsdale, Toshiba executives detailed the company’s evolving approach to Ai and automation, emphasizing its application in sales, service, and operational efficiency. The presentation, delivered to an audience of industry professionals and dealers, aimed to showcase Toshiba’s strategic direction and highlight the potential benefits of Ai-driven tools for its dealer network. 

Xerox at ECS 2025: A Bold Bet on A4, AI, and the Dealer Channel

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By Celeste Dame, 2/5/20250 

Xerox took the stage at ECS 2025 with a message that was both bold and familiar. The company, long synonymous with print, declared its intent to redefine itself as a data and workflow powerhouse. It wasn’t the first time Xerox promised transformation, but this time the message carried weight. The stakes are higher, the competition more aggressive, and the expectations from dealers and customers more pressing.

One of the biggest headlines came with the announcement of Xerox’s intent to acquire Lexmark, a move that signals a full-scale assault on the A4 market. A4 is the only segment of print that’s still growing, and right now HP dominates it. Xerox, by bringing Lexmark under its umbrella, is making it clear that it sees A4 as its best path forward.

Key Insights from the Executive Connection Summit By Charlie G. Peterson

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AI’s Transformational Role in Office Technology

By Charlie G. Peterson, 2/5/20250

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At the Executive Connection Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona, artificial intelligence was no longer an abstract topic for the future—it was at the heart of nearly every discussion, signaling a new era of business strategy and innovation. While diversification, managed IT services, and cybersecurity were major themes, AI emerged as the true force reshaping the industry. The conversation made one thing clear: companies that fail to embrace AI risk falling behind, while those that integrate it strategically are already seeing significant gains.

New to Copier Sales — Begin the Self-Training Journey With AI

Manager to new copier rep: “Learning how to sell copiers around here is like drinking from a fire hose.”  It’s one of the many sales mantras that echoes for eternity, and it’s timeless because it’s true.

​​A Counterpoint to Ray's "Desert Mirage": Rethinking Industry Innovation

By Robert G. Jordan

In a fiery critique delivered in "It's the End of the Day with Ray," the discussion leans heavily into skepticism, dubbing industry efforts toward modernization as misguided quests fueled by emotional fervor rather than rational business strategies.

​This response article aims to explore the opposite side of the coin, advocating that the pursuit of innovation, despite risks and occasional missteps, is not only justified but essential for the evolution of any industry.

Year-End Predictions: Familiar Ground and Bold Frontiers

Year-end predictions are like sales forecasts — they are always wrong.  Well, most of the time. Predicting what will happen in our little niche is more and more difficult with every turn of the calendar. This year is no different.

With AI reshaping everything — industry consolidation, people in offices, the ongoing decline of print, and dealerships merging into larger conglomerates — predicting the future of the copier industry, even just 30 days from now, let alone in 2025, is inconceivable. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

But we’ll do just that. There is much to look forward to in office technology and good tidings in the future. I hope to cover a few of them here today.

​Gar's 2025 Twelve Predictions for the Future of the Copier Industry

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By Gareth P. Tenet

The office technology industry is on the brink of a transformative shift, powered by Ai’s rapid advancements and the relentless push for digitization. For example, global Ai investments in business operations have surged by over 50% in the past three years, reflecting a widespread recognition of its transformative potential.