3 Print Buyer Trends: Hear Them Here First!

When print buyers speak, I pay attention. It's an honor to run buyer panels, and I love getting their emails and phone calls. Often, I get calls from the media and from trade organizations seeking my take on buyer trends.

I thought I'd share three of these with you here and now.

1. There are no hard-and-fast print buyer trends.

   People who perform this below-the-surface function - working with printers and buying print - are all over the map in every way imaginable. They can't be easily categorized, although this is my new favorite: new buyers vs. experienced buyers.

   This is how I most often distinguish buyers today: Those who have no experience and those who have a lot. If this were a high school, they'd be in separate academic tracks or curricula. It is that simple. Savvy buyers may be into direct paper purchase options, RFP negotiations, and perfecting color management issues. New buyers want help with finding and evaluating printers, understanding the language, and identifying buyer resources.

   Some buyers are gung-ho about green print initiatives - but not everyone. Some buy only locally/regionally; some look overseas. Some buyers bid every job out; others do not. Some want to learn and use every new printing process. I have met others who don't do any digital printing.

   It all depends on the buyer and his or her company's needs and budgets.

2. Buyers are struggling with two things: how to prove their value to their employers and how to add to their skills.

   The U.S. printing industry continues to slide, as newer media challenge (and often replace) print as a preferred medium. Printing companies go out of business far too often these days. More closings and mergers can be expected in this unsettling period.

   Print buyers are affected by this economy. They're saddened at the closings of favorite print shops. They wonder about the future role of buyers: will their function morph into something else? (I predict it will.) What skills should they start acquiring? If print is less relevant in their company, what does this say about them? It's scary.

   Most print buyers I know are also asking, "What is a more appropriate, more contemporary job title?" I have no answer yet. Most of them do more than buy print. Actually, most print buyers don't even have this title (though 2 out of 4 people on my print buyer panel two weeks ago DID).

   Are they business communications experts? Sourcing specialists? Should they be called media buyers? Business media buyers? Should "buyer" disappear altogether? It's a tough call.

   Certainly, they want to and need to educate themselves about newer media.

3. Print buyers are fiercely protective of their responsibilities.

   This isn't new, but it's important to note. When I ask buyers - particularly experienced buyers - about working with print managers or print brokers, they are generally not interested and very vocal about explaining why.* There's a lot of pride in their work. A lot of knowledge and years of experience have made them experts in printing, and they are, to a person, extremely proud of their positions. Even though they work for a firm in this or that industry, I'll go out on a limb and say that they identify more with the printing industry than their own.

   Much of their job responsibility involves being the internal printing expert. So it only makes sense that professional print buyers are not apt to let go of some of this responsibility to outside resources.

   Will this change as the print industry continues to shrink? Possibly. What do you think?

Our daily Roundtable Discussions at our Conference in September will address such hot topics. Buyers will convene and share their thoughts. Maybe the Earth won't move, but I guarantee progress will be made. Join us.

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.

*Earlier this summer I conducted a poll with buyers and with print brokers about working with brokers. I am developing a couple of Print Tips dedicated to the results.

Print Buyer Conference Update

September 11th - 12th, 2008

Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, MA

Here are our newest Exhibitors, who booked their space in June!

Firehouse Image Center	Indianapolis, IN	www.fire-house.net
J&A Printing Inc.	Hiawatha, IA	www.japrinting.com
Onsite Videos	Boston, MA	www.onsitevideos.com
MicroPRINT	Waltham, MA	www.mprint.com
B&W Press	Georgetown, MA	www.bwpress.com
Color Control Network	Dallas, TX	www.colorcontrolnetwork.com

There are only a few booths left. Don't be left out! Go to www.printbuyersconference.com and click on Exhibitors, or contact Barbara Graham at (978) 490-0010 for details.

Registration questions? Contact info@printbuyersinternational.com.

June 2008 Print Buyer Poll

Buyers, answer this question:
How important is a printer's disaster recovery plan?

Cast your vote on our home page at www.bostonprintbuyers.com.

PBI Patron Sponsor Xerox Premier Partners Presents:

Premier Partner Helps Adobe Design Community Connect

Fourteen Xerox Premier Partners from around the world now are printing call-to-entry posters and flyers in an energy-saving, distribute-and-print-on-demand network to publicize the 8th Annual Adobe Design Achievement Awards. Read all about it here.

Xerox is a Patron Sponsor of our 3rd Annual Print Buyers Conference.
Thank you, Xerox!

July Adobe eSeminar

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

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.

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.