Dave Hultin, Author at Marketing, content, & technology to help printers sell more printing

Previously, Sam Lewis tackled the challenge of managing client expectations after implementing minimum charges at Print Perfect. With the policy now in place, Sam begins looking ahead to new opportunities. Instead of viewing small jobs as obstacles, he starts to see them as stepping stones for growth. This month, Sam explores ways to build deeper relationships and turn low-margin interactions into gateways for larger, more profitable projects. Can these small wins pave the way for big success? Part 4: Small Orders, Big Decisions: Turning Small Jobs into Big Wins Sam had spent weeks refining Print Perfect’s approach to minimum charges and client communication. But as he looked over his books, he noticed that while the small jobs had become more manageable, they still weren’t driving growth. “There has to be a way to turn these into something more,” he thought, pondering how to make low-margin work a stepping stone for bigger projects. Finding Value Beyond the Profit Margins One afternoon, Sam discussed his thoughts with Laura. “I’m wondering if we’re missing out on opportunities with some of these small jobs,” he began. “If we could turn these clients into repeat customers for larger projects, that could really make a difference.”

In last month’s article, Sam Lewis began setting minimum charges for Print Perfect, a necessary but challenging step to sustain his business. Now, he faces an equally tough task: communicating these changes to his loyal clients. As concerns and questions arise, Sam learns that managing expectations is just as critical as implementing new policies. In this installment, we see how Sam navigates client conversations with transparency and tact, working to preserve trust while staying true to his business goals. Since implementing minimum charges, Sam had mixed feelings. Some clients understood and appreciated the change, but others raised concerns. Now, he faced the next challenge: how to communicate these changes in a way that would keep clients satisfied without undermining his business goals. One morning, as he prepared his usual cup of coffee, Laura approached him. “Sam, I think we need a consistent way to explain these new charges. We’ve been doing it one conversation at a time, and it’s a bit overwhelming.” Sam nodded, “You’re right. It’s time we establish a clear approach.” Building a Communication Strategy Sam decided to craft a message he could use across all client interactions. He drafted an email that outlined the reasons for the

Last month, we met Sam Lewis, owner of Print Perfect, as he began to face the financial strain caused by small, low-margin print jobs. With his shop’s resources stretched thin, Sam realized that change was necessary. Now, he takes his first step toward addressing the issue: introducing minimum charges for small jobs. In this article, Sam navigates the delicate balance between setting boundaries and preserving the relationships that make his business special. Will his clients understand, or will the change test their loyalty? Sam had been contemplating it for days: how do you set minimum charges without alienating loyal customers? He glanced over at Laura, his production manager, who was already juggling a backlog of small jobs, each barely covering costs. “Laura,” he began, “I think it’s time we take action on those minimum charges.” Laura nodded. “I agree. We’re stretched too thin, Sam. But we need a clear way to communicate this so clients understand why it’s necessary.” Sam paused, deep in thought. “I don’t want them to think we’re just hiking prices. How do we help them see the value behind it?” Crunching the Numbers Determined to dig deeper, Sam decided to analyze trends over the past

Welcome back to another edition of Sell More Printing, where we explore real-world sales and marketing strategies that you, as a printer, can adapt to boost your business. Today, we’re diving into a simple yet powerful idea: sending emails during the holiday season to capture auto-replies filled with new business leads. The Hidden Value in Holiday Auto-Replies While it may seem like the holidays aren’t the best time to send marketing or sales emails, they actually present a unique opportunity to discover new contacts. As out-of-office messages flood in, they often contain valuable information, such as alternate contacts and decision-makers within organizations. This gives you the chance to expand your network with new leads—people you might not have found otherwise. By sending emails during key holiday periods like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, printers can collect these auto-replies and use them as a source of fresh contacts, leading to potential new business connections. How This Helps You Sell More Printing How can this strategy translate into sales for your printing business? The key lies in the relationships you build with these alternate decision-makers. While your primary contact is away, a temporary interaction with their colleague could transform into a long-term business

Welcome back to another edition of  Sell More Printing, where we explore real-world sales and marketing strategies that you, as a printer, can adapt to boost your business. This month, we dive into a surprising lesson from the world of baking—yes, baking!—to uncover how making things easy for your print buyers can sometimes be too easy and what you can do to strike the perfect balance. The Cake Mix Conundrum: When Convenience Backfires Let’s take a trip back to the 1940s when the introduction of cake mixes revolutionized the baking world. Initially, these mixes were designed to be incredibly simple—just add water, and you’d have a cake ready to bake. But to everyone’s surprise, sales were disappointing. It turns out that people felt a sense of embarrassment when they realized how little effort it took to “bake” the cake. They wanted to feel like they had played a real part in the process. Enter the genius tweak: manufacturers altered the formula, so bakers needed to add an egg and some oil. Suddenly, sales soared. Why? Because this small bit of involvement allowed people to feel like they were truly baking rather than just using a shortcut. This same principle can apply to

Welcome back to another edition of Sell More Printing, where we explore real-world sales and marketing strategies that you, as a printer, can adapt to boost your business. Today, we’re drawing inspiration from a historic athletic achievement to explore how embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) can revolutionize your printing business. Breaking the 4-Minute Mile Before 1954, medical experts and athletic professionals deemed the idea of running a mile in under four minutes impossible. It wasn’t until May 6, 1954, when Roger Bannister accomplished this feat, that the barrier was broken. This achievement not only proved the experts wrong but also inspired many others to follow suit. Within a few years, over 50 athletes had broken the 4-minute mile, demonstrating the power of breaking mental and perceived physical barriers. Similarly, the adoption of AI in business has faced skepticism. For years, many have seen AI as a futuristic, impractical technology. However, continuing advancements and successful implementations across various industries have shown that AI can indeed drive significant improvements in efficiency, customer engagement, and cost savings. Training for AI Excellence Roger Bannister did not achieve his record-breaking 4-minute mile by chance; it was the result of strategic preparation. In the same way, to achieve true AI productivity,

Welcome back to another edition of Sell More Printing, where we explore real-world sales and marketing strategies that you, as a printer, can adapt to boost your business. This month, we’re going deep into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to consider how it can do real work that’s better, faster, and less expensive. The AI Journey: From Doubter to Believer My exploration into AI began with a sense of curiosity and a touch of skepticism. As someone who has always been interested in innovative solutions to enhance our marketing services at Marketing Ideas For Printers, I couldn’t ignore the growing buzz around AI. Initially, I focused on understanding how AI could help improve our marketing strategies, but what I discovered was far more profound. The challenge that set me on this path was to create an AI tool capable of delivering improvements in the order of 1,000 times better when measuring the time and money required to complete an existing task or process. The goal seemed ambitious, if not impossible. However, I embraced it because achieving a 1000x improvement would allow me to share this knowledge with you, helping you discover your 1000x improvements. The 1000x AI-powered Budgeted Hourly

Welcome back to another edition of Sell More Printing, where we explore real-world sales and marketing strategies that you, as a printer, can adapt to boost your business. This month, we dive into the powerful role of creating a welcoming environment in your shop, inspired by a modern banking experience and a cherished memory from my early days in the printing industry at Express Press in Fargo, North Dakota. The allure of complimentary cookies and coffee might be why some customers, myself included, prefer visiting their bank in person rather than speeding through the drive-through. This simple yet effective approach to customer care can transform a routine errand into a pleasurable visit, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Now, imagine applying a similar strategy to your print shop. How This Helps You Sell More Printing Reflecting on the early ’90s, I recall the innovative spirit of Mike Stevens at Express Press. Mike often credited his father, Jerry, as his “secret weapon.” Jerry was known for his humor and friendliness, and he introduced a unique way to welcome customers—by baking bread right in the lobby using an automated bread-making machine, a cutting-edge technology at the time. The delightful aroma of fresh bread

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries worldwide, and the printing industry is no exception. While many printers have dabbled in AI, few have harnessed its full potential. The missing ingredient? Training. As printers, we are constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and provide better service to our customers, and AI offers solutions to all these challenges and more. By leveraging AI, you can streamline your operations, automate routine tasks, and gain insights that were previously unattainable. The Power of AI Training AI training isn’t about becoming an expert overnight; it’s really about understanding how to leverage AI effectively for your print business. Earlier this year, I joined a community of AI experts and was transformed from a novice to a proficient user in just weeks. The AI Foundations course I took was the catalyst for this transformation, providing an intensive, hands-on experience that took me from a beginner (white belt) AI user to an advanced user (black belt). Hiya! Real-World Success with AI For Printers Let me translate this training into what it quickly became. As part of my AI training, I created an AI tool to help printers conduct a budgeted hourly rate (BHR) study. Typically,