Selling Recurring Media: A Guide To Growing Profits

Follow the Money

Every business student knows about the ‘blade and razor’ model—the idea that when you’re selling razors, you can just about give away the handle because you make your real money on the blades. In the world of business technology, it’s not quite that simple… but it is true that you can make more money and serve your customers better by focusing on consumables.

We’re talking about printers, and we’re talking about profit. When you sell the label, receipt, barcode, and form printers your clients need, you should also be selling the supplies that make those devices useful. Finding the right hardware for your customer should be the be- ginning of an ongoing relationship in which you provide the right support and supplies as needed. In economic terms, you’ll be tying the aftermarket to the platform.