Brokers on Buyers on Brokers

Two Tips ago, I shared with you comments from print buyers about print brokers. I also surveyed print brokers for their insights on why buyers have such strong opinions about the brokerage industry. In today's Tip, I am presenting pretty much all of these brokers' feedback. I received permission to use their names, too.

This topic interests me since it generates such strong opinions. Here's what the print brokers had to say. Once again, the Tip is so long that I am not including the full content here; rather, the full Tip is posted on our web site.

A quick refresher about print brokers: Unlike print sales reps, print brokers are not employed by printing companies. Rather, they represent several printers. This gives them the ability to place a wide variety of print projects with the right printer; that is, the printer who has the right equipment.

The broker takes the place of the sales rep, in a sense, as their customers deal with them, not the manufacturer. However, as brokers will remind you, they work for you - not the print manufacturer.

Newer terms for brokers have been cropping up in recent years, including print consultants, print managers, print distributors, print agents, and print specialists.

By the way, "print broker" is not synonymous with "print manager." I associate print management with a totally different business model. The print management industry - a real force in the UK - comprises large companies that manage entire creative and communications campaigns for clients, from soup to nuts. Business process outsourcing, print outsourcing - these are the phrases used to describe print management firms. I don't associate these phrases with brokers.

To read all of the collected print broker comments, click here to access the full article on our web site.

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.

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.

Educational Opportunities from Adobe, Our Corporate Sponsor

In November, Adobe will be hosting a 3-part eSeminar series on end-to end PDF workflows. Click here to view the session descriptions and registration information.

November 12th in NJ (a dreamy state)
There's a free Creative Suite 4 seminar in Edison, New Jersey, this Wednesday. It will cover all of the new features in CS4, including print, web and video presentations. Email me for details: mdana@printbuyersinternational.com.

Job Bank Postings

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

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.