We Gathered Together

Being at Graph Expo is both exhilarating and exhausting. My mind's buzzing with memories of conversations I had, comments I heard, and connections I made in Chicago.

For the second year in a row, I had the honor of chairing the Print Buyers Forum at the conference, and for whatever reason, this year's attendees seemed more engaged and interested.

Frank Romano spoke about new technologies, print buyer preferences, and the current state of graphic design and production in the US of A. Frank provides knowledge, experience, and a perspective that's unique in the field. I heard him say that next year will mark his 50th in the industry. (Talk about an excuse to celebrate!)

Peter Muir covered new media, delivering a lightning-fast session over breakfast on day two, and spelling out numerous ways for all marketers - including buyers - to take advantage of new opportunities. "Be aware of everything," he cautioned, "even if you don't use a particular medium."

Attendee feedback hasn't been tabulated yet, but I trust that the buyers who joined us at Graph Expo felt that they got their money's worth. In addition to Frank and Peter's excellent sessions, they sat in on my own two: a first-ever Buyer Brainstorming Session, in which tons of ideas were exchanged among the crowd - and recorded, so that they'll get a document that they can refer to. I led off the session with a topic close to my heart: what is the future of print buying as a career? Where will you go and how will you get there?

The next day I ran a print buyer panel, with four senior buyers from four different industries. We learned what their top challenges are, how they feel about green printing, what's happening to their roles as buyers, and what their favorite resources are. I love these panels.

I was impressed by the two or three printers/print managers at the forum. Where better can a printer learn what buyers want and need? I hope they took notes.

I learned so much from the audience.

In no particular order, I learned…

• Print buyers are involved in a lot more than just print. Do their suppliers know?

• Keeping up with technologies is pretty much a common challenge, and a serious one. There's no easy solution.

• As much as they like learning from "SME's" (Subject Matter Experts, a term Greg Mroczek taught me), they almost like networking with each other better.

• They really liked the opportunity to see equipment in action at the show.

• They'll have more competition in 2009 from out-of-work print sales reps, who now want to work on the other side of the table.

• Outsourcing print to other countries is a rarity.

• Green printing is not as major an issue among professional buyers as the trade press makes it out to be. It depends on who you talk to and whether or not going green is a corporate mandate. Is it a growing concern? Sure. And still misunderstood.

• Growth of color digital printing is, on the other hand, a common bond.

• Having to defend print as a medium of choice is getting more common. Is anyone besides me sad about this?

• Print buyers are also educators. They have to teach people in their organizations about print trends and technologies. It's not an easy thing.

• Beginning with this event, I stopped asking where buyers come from - it doesn't matter! What matters is where today's print buying pros are headed, considering the economy and the decline of print.

I want to help print buyers get to the next level of their career. With local events and our annual conference, new programming which will be announced shortly, plus new buyer resources on our web site, Print Buyers International and its sister group, Boston Print Buyers, will jump into 2009 with determination and renewed vigor. Are you up to the challenge? I know I am.

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.

Buyers on Brokers on Buyers

Many of you emailed me after reading last week's Tip about brokers. Thanks for your comments. If you are a print broker or a printer and want me to include your two cents in next week's "Brokers Speak to Buyers" Tip, please do so at mdana@printbuyersinternational.com.

First FREE Print Buying Session for Nonprofits Only!

Monday, November 24th
10 am till 12:30 pm
American Printing
Rumford, RI

Frank Romano and Margie Dana will deliver a FREE session on print buying and designing for print, limited to those who work for nonprofits. Seating is very limited; it's first-come, first-served! To register, send an email to info@printbuyersinternational.com.

American Printing has been a loyal supporter at our annual Print Buyers Conference for all three years. We are delighted that they will host our first free session for nonprofits. The session will take place at their American Premier Facility, 181 Narragansett Park Drive, in Rumford, RI.

PBI Patron Contribution

Four Fresh Ideas from Bob Wagner of Xerox

Bob Wagner, Vice President, Xerox Creative Services Business and Premier Partners Program, wrote a great article about creative products that you can print digitally to make lasting impressions with your clients and customers.
Click here to read Bob's article.

Newsletter Nugget from Corporate Sponsor Adobe

Advances in Color Control

Did you know that, by default, color management functionality is turned on in all Adobe Creative Suite 3 and 4 applications, and is managed from within a central location called Adobe Bridge?

The color control features built into the Adobe Creative Suite are designed to address and improve color consistency in any workflow environment – from simple to complex. Bridge serves as the hub where all color settings can be chosen and synchronized. This ensures consistency by confirming that all applications within the Suite share the same color management specifications.

For example, when you print from CS3 or CS4 applications, RGB is converted to CMYK using the device profiles selected in Bridge. When you export to PDF, choosing PDF/X-1a will convert RGB to CMYK using these same device profiles. Choosing PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4, or High Quality Print will create the PDF with device-independent color, and color conversion will occur during output from Acrobat or in the RIP.

For more information on color management, please visit: www.adobe.com/designcenter/creativesuite/articles/cs3ip_colorworkflow.pdf

Job Bank Postings

NEW position posted for John Hancock Funds in Boston, MA. They're looking for a Document Center Operator.

They are also looking to hire a Senior Interactive Designer.

Two current positions exist at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, located in Boston Massachusetts:
Web and Social Media Manager and Traffic and Proofreading Manager.

For more details, visit our job bank page.

Print Buyer Poll for November

Buyers, if a print rep goes over your head to get your boss to use his firm, which result is likely?

• My boss might be influenced - but let me decide.

• My boss might be influenced and tell me to use them.

• It would be futile: I have the final say for print sourcing

• I am the boss!

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

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.