Breaking Print Traditions - One Myth At A Time

The print industry has taken the proverbial beating over the last few years, with the rallying cry of ' Change or Die ' ringing loudly in the ears of some of the most dyed in the wool old fools. A printing press can chug along with band aids and rubber bands for many years and just like an old dog it will get there eventually. One of the greatest myths that has prevailed in recent years is that as long as the cylinders are turning we must be making a profit. Or if the presses don't run, we'll be out of business quicker than you can say, 'how much do you want me to print that for?' Sadly the bargaining power in a buyer's market leads to the print owner to blink first. It is hard enough to find customers in the first place, work with them on specifications and costs, only to find the company down the road will print it for half the cost. As you scratch your head and try to figure out the economics of it you realize there is no profit in that and wish them good luck. As you re-think your whole business strategy and costing model break with another tradition and strike down the myth that the customer is always right and if they need to buy it below cost, that will be a problem going forward. As you negotiate your next contract read the fine print, most buying entities now have a sustainability clause, that allows for you to maintain a healthy profit. I use the analergy of a customer going into Walmart or the Post Office and negotiating the price on every item they buy. When you give a customer the postage price on a mailer they do not argue, when you give them the price to print, they say 'how much'? Think about why this is, for years printers tried to up charge for everything, the buying market got wise and now what ever price you set is too much. Set your prices in the low to medium range and build a trust with your customer base, the more consistent you are, the more loyal your customers will be. People still have a personal relationship with their printers, it is a matter of trust and oh, you could throw in some honesty as well

Print Tip of the Day

When designing a direct mail piece the Post Office now have on line resources to guide you, they also have human beings and classes to help. Yes, real human beings.

Hash Tags of the Day

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