Printers are Transitioning their Approach to Generate Growth
Generating growth is harder than ever. Today, printers must look deeper into their customers’ processes and understand print is a byproduct of implementing a comprehensive solution for a client, not the lead in.
However, the biggest challenge for printers is taking the “print googles” off and understanding how they can solve their clients’ biggest marketing pain points.
When you finally uncover the bigger picture, you realize growth opportunities are more than one. Printers that leverage brand management, cross media marketing, direct mail, and fulfillment services as well as offer software solutions such as web to print, marketing storefronts, and integrated marketing campaigns solutions are those printers that have more room to generate growth.
Here are some general pointers to help you get there.
1. Forget print is your “holy grail” and understand print is a derivative of larger umbrella of marketing communication challenges.
2. Understand you are in the communication business not the print business.
3. Uncover the bigger picture and understand how you can tap deeper into your customers’ processes and create more opportunities for printed products.
4. Remove the “print googles” from your sales force. Their approach towards clients should start with conversations around THE CLIENTS’ pain points. Don’t lead conversations about print products, capabilities, prices, quality, lead-time, etc – be patient that will come.
5. Implement services and software solutions for couple of clients first and scale from there. Build it and they will come is not always the way to go. Learn from that client and scale.
6. Make sure marketing efforts mirror your new approach.
What about mom and pop print shops?
I get this question all the time. How can small print shops implement a growth strategy if print production services is all they can afford to do?
Here is an angle. Small print shops can implement a marketing solution for a client that needs it and scale from there. Like I said, don’t implement a huge solution and hope clients will pour in -not unless you have money to throw away.
Today, software solution providers offer plans that grow with you and don’t require a large upfront investment. With plans starting around $500 a month, small print shops can afford to implement a growth strategy that scales at their own pace.
Are you saying print is dying?
NO. I personally don’t think print will ever die, I simply think the print industry is going through a transition where printers are more communication services providers than print service providers. Print will always be a valuable marketing channel for marketers.
Unlimited creative opportunities are unique to this channel. Printers simply have to offer their clients solutions that facilitate how print is integrated into the marketing mix.
Conclusion
Growth lies on your ability to step out of your print comfort zone and offer complementary services that open opportunities for printed products – and of course your sales force ability to adapt and sell.
Get familiar with your clients’ marketing communication process, uncover their marketing challenges, and apply services and software solutions that stimulate growth. Understand print production is a byproduct of implementing a comprehensive solution for a client, not the lead in.
