If there’s one sentence that sums up Thomas (Tom) Hexamer’s philosophy of what makes an effective salesperson, it’s: “Listen more than you talk.”

It’s a philosophy honed over more than 30 years in the direct mail universe. While earning his Bachelor of Marketing from Ball State University, Tom participated in multiple sales internships. But it was a call from a recruiter in the print industry that set Tom on the path to where he is today—Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Services at SG360°.

“My concentration was in advertising. I really wasn’t aware of what printing plants did,” Tom recalls. Once exposed, he immediately gravitated to the direct mail channel. “The direct mail samples were clearly the most visually interesting; they had a real ‘wow’ factor. All the colors and shapes were very eye-catching.”

Today, Tom manages existing client relationships as well as the staff who oversee those relationships. He’s also responsible for leading growth efforts to develop new relationships. “I have great empathy for what our clients are trying to achieve, as well as respect for what they have to do every day to be successful in generating leads,” he explains.

“Customers’ needs vary and the best way to help solve their problems is to be a subject matter expert. That expertise could be focused on production, analytics, or even the customer’s industry. The point is, the more you know, the easier it is to say ‘Yes, we can help you’,”

Equally important, according to Tom, is telling the customer what they need to know. “Don’t shy away from uncomfortable truths. Understand what the client is trying to solve rather than focusing on what you’re trying to gain.” That tenet is reflected in what Tom identifies as SG360°’s greatest differentiators in the direct mail industry: the size and diversity of our data and production platforms coupled with decades of direct mail best practices knowledge. According to Tom, “We have direct access to massive amounts of current consumer data to perfect targeting, decades of creative expertise in what does and doesn’t work in direct mail, and the capabilities to produce literally any kind of mailer—all under one roof. And let’s not forget the analytics that provide real insight into how campaigns perform and why that is. In short, we provide what the client needs to succeed rather than selling them just one thing we do well.”

When asked for his top piece of advice for clients looking to improve their marketing performance, without hesitation Tom says, “Holdout strategies. They are essential to understanding where your results are coming from, yet maybe 20%—at most—of direct mailers are doing this.”

In his down time, Tom’s favorite thing is to spend time with his wife and children. He enjoys watching a variety of sports, the news, and documentaries. He is also, in his own estimation, an expert at losing golf balls.