GrayMatter

Dr. Joe Webb - Digital Print Advice

At the recent OnDemand show in Boston Dr. Joe Webb participated in a panel sponsored by Xerox.  Dr. Joe is an extremely bright individual who is well known within the print community.  He comments to questions about the business and what printer's can do to differentiate and survive in this difficult market.  Dr. Joe's interview is MUST READ if you are involved with print sales and interested in growing. 

Some highlights from Dr. Joe's comments include:

• Be true entrepreneurs
• Giving ideas to your customers and how to they apply to the client's business
• Redesigning your business every 18 months
• Digital printing is still developing a base from which to grow.....and is a tool but not the only one

Read the full interview here.

Power of Podcasts

Ever listen to podcasts?  I do, and subscribe to a number of pretty cool ones through Apple's iTunes.  Best part is they are all mostly FREE.

In the iTunes Store there are tons of podcast topics to explore from business to computing, real estate to travel, arts to technology, something for everyone.  I listen to Zig Ziglar's Inspiring True Performance as well as ones from the Harvard Business Review and Business Week.  They are not only informative but pretty inspirational and help generate IDEAS.

You don't have to be on iTunes to get these.  Most offer podcasts (MP3 downloads)  through links on their websites.   

There are also a few print related podcasts through iTunes, one from NAPL and one from a client, C2Media.  Another form of multi channel communication expands your reach.  It does not take a lot to start one of your own.  Happy listening, learning or casting.

Workshop for Digital Print Success

We have a great event organized for the end of this month to help you grow your digital print business and plan for next year.  Titled, E3: Eductae, Empower, Execute!, Building Digital Print Sales Success.  This is aimed at helping printers take advantage of growing applications, sales strategies to build your digital revenues as well as plan for 2008.  Whether you are new to digital, have been in the game for a while or looking to expand into new areas there is something for everyone.

The event will be held at the Xerox Knowledge Learning Center in New York City November 28th.  This is the week after Thanksgiving on Wednesday so hopefully you'll be well rested.  It's also a half day event so we won't keep you tied up away from the excitement of production or sales.  The agenda is filled with some top notch industry experts and a chance to develop your own "roadmap" for the coming year.  I hope you have the time to join us in what is already shaping up to be a great gathering and discussion.

When? November 28th, 2007

9am-1:30pm (breakfast starts at 8:30, lunch at 11:30)

Where? 245 Park Avenue (46/47 street), New York, NY

Why? Grow your digital print business, develop sales strategies for 2008, learn how to build VDP and W2P capabilities

Who? Gavin Smith: Xerox VP Worldwide Commercial Print/Pre-press, Peter Muir: President at Bizucate, Inc, Larry Zusman, Manager Worldwide Marketing XMPie

How? www.xerox.com/registernow 

Relentless Marketing

Do you use your own technology and creative ideas to sell more pages and print projects? Remember the old cliche "Drink your own Kool-Aid"? I heard a new one this week, "Eat your own dog food". Besides a funnier take on the phrase it has a lot of meaning + sounds a little better than the overused one from the 60s.

With all those amazing digital and offset devices you have invested money, sweat and loads of time in, are you using these printers to generate your own marketing? Since you have the technology, skill and expertise I encourage you (pardon me if you're at it already) market relentlessly to your client and prospects all the time with print materials.

Send out newsletters. Mail postcards. Invite clients to an open-house. Hold a seminar. Give away cool ideas how to communicate graphically. Keep sending print marketing to generate more print marketing projects.

Do it every month. Track the response.

Mix it up with other media efforts like email and your website. In-cent people to enter their info into your site....build your database (which is gold by the way), send targeted and personalized mailers. Follow up in a timely manner.

Oh yeah another important tidbit......make it relevant and interesting. Share 2-3 proven ideas that have helped other clients be more successful. Develop a case study and show people that the ideas you share translate into actual business and tangible results.

Be relentless, mix it up, don't stop at one mailing and expect a huge response. The cost to send out print marketing to a select audience or a wider one on a frequent basis won't cost you all that much since you own the gear and do it everyday for others. You will build more awareness about XYZ Printing-Graphics. Give voice and a face to your company. Show them what you are all about and why they should do business with you through being a credible expert.....an agency with cutting edge ideas.....a consultant that they need.....a valuable resource.

Eat your own dog food.

Do You Have a Business/Marketing Plan?

The importance of having a business-marketing plan is a vital aspect to growth in the printing/graphic communications business. Many organizations and companies have plans or goals but they may not be documented as a roadmap to that next level.

Have you sat down to outline what your printing company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are? Where you would like to expand into and what things are blocking your success?

Why is this so important? More than anything it helps you to keep your goals and plans organized, well thought out and structured. It is also a key differentiator from your competitors who don’t make the effort to do so. When expanding you may need additional support and resources from a financial lender or partner. Having a plan in place shows your organization, thought process and drive to succeed.

A business and marketing plan will help connect your sales, marketing, operational and production efforts in a way that you may not have seen before + puts a tangible tool in place you can measure and adjust each year.

Xerox can help you map out a marketing plan through our ProfitAccelerator Digital Business Resources.

Xerox has developed a Marketing Accelerator Kit that will help you create your own detailed marketing plan to promote and sell digital printing. Let me know if you have interest in learning more about this program, 212-716-4727.