Alexandria, VA (May 3, 2002) – Printing Industries of America, Inc. (PIA) and Print Tec University present a new interactive sales training program that combines online courses and conference call discussions—an effective way to train busy printing sales professionals at an economical price. Available on the Graphic Arts Information Network (GAIN) at www.gain.net, these courses have five components critical to success for participants: feedback, accountability, personal touch, convenience and ease of use. The two six-week courses, Learning to Sell Digital Printing Profitably and Enhancing Your Sales Management Skills, will be taught by Bill Farquharson, President of Print Tec Network, in partnership with the Digital Printing Council (DPC) and Sales and Marketing Executive (SME) Section of PIA. Farquharson has extensive experience in training sales representatives and is a frequent speaker at trade shows and seminars. "These courses are invaluable to new hires and senior sales executives. It is a non-threatening way for sales people to learn at their own pace," says Carole Greene, Vice-President of Ground Floor Exposure, Baltimore MD. Each online course will consist of three training modules, followed by a conference call where participants will put lessons into practice and share experiences with the group. In Learning to Sell Digital Printing Profitably, participants will learn to: speak the language of digital, identify applications and qualify prospects, and learn to overcome objections to digital printing. In Enhancing Sales Management Skills, participants will learn to: manage printing sales professionals, help sales reps efficiently organize their time, and sell consultatively. According to Jim Witt, President of Lester Litho, "Sales training is a process not an event and a definite priority at our company." For more information, click on the Careers and Education Module on www.gain.net. Or, contact Beth Parrott, SME program manager at [email protected] or 703/519-8137 or Joanne Vinyard, Director of DPC, at [email protected] or 703/519-8170.