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

#1

​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

​

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.

​

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.