Marketing Print as a Consultant
Marketing a company’s printing services, whether sheet-fed, web, digital, or even grand-format, has become much more challenging in the last few years. As the attrition rate of print-service providers has increased due to the economy and downward pricing pressures, the remaining print service providers must respond with new ways to position their services to differentiate them from the competition.
Today’s younger print and graphic buyers are much more computer-literate and price-savvy in their approaches, but often overlook the technical issues and limitations presented by the equipment used to manufacture their projects. In some cases, what they are looking for is beyond a simple press run, and requires a collaborative effort on the part of the client and sales representative to focus on ways to turn vision into reality.
Although the standard lithographic processes still include challenges; due to chemistry, ink and water, and paper (substrate) all working together to reproduce a given vision, the process still requires an expert eye for color, competent pressmen, and an understanding of the equipment’s limitations to deliver the best printed product possible.
Today, one of the most effective ways for a company to provide print services is to market itself and its company as a consultant. And through the collective effort among the creative team, production manager, and printer, a company’s dream will undoubtedly transform into reality.
Rick Rainey
Account Executive National Accounts