How Do You Spell "Progressive Printer"?
V-A-L-U-E   A-D-D

There's a whole lotta shakin' going on in the printing industry. . . surely you've noticed. Companies are changing in significant ways, and it's generally good news for print customers, as long as you're aware of the trend.

Printers are shedding their printing label, literally and figuratively. Some are changing their names. Out goes "printing" and in come terms like marketing, cross media, communications, and print solutions.

Today's progressive printers have seen the writing on the wall: we print customers can buy ink-on-paper anywhere - across the country, overseas, and online. Printing quality is pretty good (as in 'good enough') just about anywhere you go. Printers now turn around jobs in a few days. Estimates are given even quicker (24 hours). Prices are competitive, especially within a specific geographic region.

So how are print manufacturers doing more? By acquiring and/or leveraging other capabilities, ones that today's corporate customer really needs (and will pay more for). Lumped together, they're known as value-add services.

Common add-on services include mailing, fulfillment, promotional items, and web site design and development. Some printing firms are taking advantage of their on-staff IT expertise. They're adding muscle in database management, so that they can help their customers leverage their corporate databases effectively, efficiently and creatively when communicating with their own prospects and customers.

Commercial printers also offer digital printing. They have either purchased digital equipment or have agreements with digital printers. I don't know any print customer who doesn't buy SOME digital printing.

Today, more printing firms offer web-to-print solutions, personalized URLs, customized printing on-the-fly, and media services such as CD ROM creation and duplication.

This represents a new wave of printers, positioning themselves to compete with different kinds of media and communications firms. Printers are getting into mailing. Mailing firms are getting into printing. Capabilities are expanding as printers branch out beyond ink on paper.

The business of printing seems to be moving to the background in many cases. Out in front come the new, add-on value services, which are more solutions oriented.

Print customers should be aware of this trend as they look for and evaluate printers. In the old days, you could recognize a printing firm by its name. "Printing, "Litho," "Offset, and "Press," used in a company name, were dead giveaways. Not any more. You have to dig deeper today to figure out a firm's services. As if it weren't difficult enough finding the right printer.

Comments? Talk to me at mdana@bostonprintbuyers.com.

©2008 Margie Dana. All rights reserved. You're free to forward this email to friends and colleagues: please do! However, no part of this column may be reprinted without permission from the author.

Print Buyer Conference Update

September 11th - 12th, 2008

Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, MA

Open for Registration!

You are all invited to register for our September print buyers conference in Boston, MA. Go to www.printbuyersconference.com and check out our Conference Overview, Session Descriptions, Print Buyer Boot Camp, and a List of Exhibitors. Register online soon - while Early Bird rates apply. Everyone is invited to attend.

September 10th: Full-day Print Buyer Boot Camp!

September 11-12th: 3rd Annual Print Buyers Conference

Questions? Contact info@printbuyersinternational.com.

Upcoming eSeminars!

Adobe and Print Buyers International are co-sponsoring two eSeminars to help you thrive in a competitive environment.

June 12
Cross Media Publishing: A New Opportunity for Print Buyers

In this session, print buyers will learn about cross media publishing solutions and the tools required for a successful cross media workflow, including Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, Partner Tools, and InDesign Server.

Sign up here and now.

July 24
Up Close and Personal with Adobe Acrobat Pro: The Power Behind PDF

In this session, you will learn how Adobe Acrobat Pro offers built-in support for high-end PDF print production workflows and makes it possible to integrate PDF and Flash for a more engaging user experience.

Sign up here and now.

Learn about more eSeminars!

Print Tips Archives!

Our Print Tips archives are public. Access them from the home page of our site
under Print Tips at www.bostonprintbuyers.com.