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Have you ever had a phrase or cliché that just grated on you? You know, sayings like, “It is what it is,” “Only time will tell,” or “Every cloud has a silver lining”? For me, it’s the infamous “Enjoy the journey.” For some reason, whenever I hear that little nugget of so-called wisdom, my inner self just seems to roll its eyes. I don’t want to enjoy the journey. I just want to get there! As a natural planner and implementer, I see the start of a project, the finish, and for the most part, am pretty good at mapping out all of the in-between stepping stones to get there. But, here’s the rub. At some point, I began to equate success with “getting there,” wherever “there” may be. I thought that when a project was completed, a goal was met, or a new product was launched, then I could put a big ol’ checkmark in the box of success. You see, many of us tend to think that success is some sort of arrival point and, as such, constantly measure things by how finished they are. But how many things in life or in your print business actually stay

I’m not even sure when it happened. At some point, Fargo, North Dakota, the city in which Marketing Ideas For Printers calls its home, changed from a big little city into a little big city. And that means dealing with big-city challenges, which lately, haven’t been pleasant. An Upside-Down World A few nights ago, I watched a live stream video showing violence and destruction in downtown Fargo as visiting insurrectionists used the tension associated with the death of George Floyd to bring their dangerous message to our little big city. I know we’re not the only city wrestling with this kind of violence, and I pray you’re all safe. Along with this topsy-turvy violence, our society as a whole continues to adapt to the twists and turns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Again, I know we’re not the only city wrestling with coronavirus, and I pray you’re all safe. So, how do you handle the challenges brought to your doorstep? How are you adapting to lead others well in such tumultuous times? Here are three things I like to keep in mind. 3 Things to Remember When Embracing the Challenge of Change 1. Perspective is Everything There’s currently some internet wisdom

As the coronavirus continues to affect nearly all businesses across the world in some way, you might find yourself trying to brainstorm creative solutions to ensure your print business not only survives the pandemic but thrives after “normalcy” returns. Let me add to your brainstorming by throwing out an idea for you – an idea that could have exponential benefits for your company: adding a subscription-model to your print business. Now, before you dismiss this idea and quickly retort, “Yeah, but hold up. I’m a printer, and I don’t offer subscriptions,” consider the following: A recent study shows that 76% of Americans have a least one subscription service, while over 60% have two or more. The average subscription billing vendor is growing 30-50% annually. The subscription e-commerce market has grown by more than 100% percent a year over the past five years. Subscription-type businesses, whether in-part or in-whole, help businesses (like yours) weather times of crisis such as these because of the economic “moat” they’ve surrounded themselves with. How Subscriptions Could Benefit Your Print Business Subscriptions have a unique way of providing what consumers are looking for, such as personalization, convenience, and straight-up simplicity. There’s also the fact that: Subscriptions

Fear. Uncertainty. Stress. Those are the words being volleyed back and forth to describe the feelings of everyone from high school seniors missing out on their last weeks of school to small business owners being forced to lay off employees because of mandated social distancing. How do you lead well in times like these? How do you find that elusive balance between loving your neighbor, genuinely trying to help, and doing what needs to be done to fight for your own survival? Those are some seriously tough questions. But, even though it may feel that the waves are continuing to rise and overwhelm you, take heart. The uncharted waters ahead can still be parted to lead you on a direct path to a more prosperous future and a newfound hope. The following considerations will help you get there. 5 Considerations for Calming the Coronavirus Storm 1. Make Connection Your New Currency Now, more than ever, people are feeling isolated and are craving connection. This means that now is not the time to push pause on communication with your print buyers. Rather, this is the time to press in to what you do best: connecting through print! Focus on building relationships

At the time I’m writing this article, our country is adjusting to a new normal forced upon us by the Coronavirus. We’re all calibrating to this new normal by the day (if not by the hour), so by the time you read this there may be even a different version of the new normal. Here are some tips to help you survive (and even thrive!) in the new normal. Empathize with Your Message The Coronavirus update email faucet turned on wide-open once it became clear that the Coronavirus would be sticking around for a while. There are the obligatory emails from our kids’ schools and our church; those get an automatic pass through my personal “pay attention” filter. Then there are the emails that are nothing other than a disingenuous series of sanitized words carefully crafted to show the reader that a company was actually able to implement the common-sense virus-fighting suggestions and best practices. I’m sure you’ve received these emails too. The subject line is almost always a tip-off. Here are some examples of those email subjects, fresh from my inbox: A Message to Our Clients COVID-19 Action Plan Coronavirus: What you need to know Account Update: ____’s Response to COVID-19 COVID-19 and our commitment to you I understand that these messages are important (at least to the sender!) and may indeed even be necessary, but they sure are impersonal. They’re almost always

Next week, you might be one of the many printers passing through the Houston airport as you arrive for the 8th Annual Spring Conference for the National Print Owners Association (NPOA). I thought you might find it interesting to know that as you head over to claim your luggage at the baggage claim, you’re experiencing the result of some creative problem-solving. The Problem With Waiting Several years ago, passengers passing through the Houston airport often complained about how much time they had to wait to claim their bags. Airport management was concerned that the number of complaints was excessive, and as any good customer-focused business would do, executives at the Houston airport addressed the issue head-on. The Conventional Solution Additional baggage handlers were added, and the average time to wait for passengers to claim their luggage fell to eight minutes, which was a wait time well within accepted airport benchmarks. Problem solved! Or was it? Even with the reduced wait time, the complaints kept coming. The airport executives found they needed to explore the problem from a completely different angle. So, they zoomed out their perspective on the wait-time issue and learned that while the baggage typically arrived at the

A long time ago (back when my dad and I were the only “employees” of our family printshop), it wasn’t hard to figure out that if we wanted to make the money, we had to do the work. However, as any successful business grows, there is only so much you can do with your own two hands and feet, and soon, it became necessary to begin to add team members. As I started “recruiting” talent, I realized that I didn’t have much to offer in the way of benefits compared to the bigger, more established companies. I found myself hiring the folks that couldn’t keep a job because of whatever personal baggage that kept them from performing well at any company. Because I only had a paycheck to offer them, we became a revolving door for that type of talent. But then, I remembered an entrepreneurship class I took in high school that taught that benefits that matter most aren’t always limited to the usual health insurance, 401k, or other programs. I did some deep thinking about what would make me perform better if I were in their shoes and began offering some different benefits than my competition. Here are

Running a print business is hard work. But did you know that you need to be running more than just one business? That’s right. You need to be running three! (Hold on now, take a deep breath, and keep reading!) While that might sound incredibly overwhelming, it’s not as scary as you might think. The truth is, you’re already running three businesses; however, you might not be giving them the attention they deserve. Three Businesses in One Your three businesses are: Your “Get” business, Your “Serve” business, and Your “Keep” business. Each business represents the different ways of approaching your customers and prospects, and the purpose of each of these “businesses” is different: 1. Your “Get” Business The goal of your “Get” business is to turn prospects into customers. Your “Get” business communicates the value you offer and encourages print buyers to use your service for the first time. In this business, you’ll need to remind your prospects over and over again on why they should choose you as their printer. Your success in the “Get” business will be measured by how many of your prospects become first-time customers, and it will depend on your efforts to ensure a steady

When you need to grab the attention of your print buyer, you need a great headline. Whether your message is making its way to your audience through email, web copy, or direct mail, a great headline will snag the interest of your reader enough for them to want to read more. Here are a few tips to ensure you hit the mark with your headline every time. 7 Tips and Formulas for Writing Effective Headlines TIPS 1. Write for the Need Instead of trying to communicate value when writing your headline, go for the print buyer’s need. All of your print buyers are in need of something, and your product or service will solve that need. If you keep your focus on addressing the need, your headlines will practically write themselves. Remember, great headlines tell you the end result in a way that you want to see or read more about. 2. Be Clear and Concise Headlines are not the place to show off your fantastic wit. While some might get your cute idiom or play on words, more often than not, they can miss the mark for those who don’t get it. Be sure your headline is clear, concise,

Progress. Growth. Success. None of these things happen alone. Networking is an essential component of owning and operating a small business (print-related or otherwise). It acts as an incredible resource to help you find answers to your questions, bounce ideas off of others, or find encouragement from others in the same walk of life. 9+ Places to Connect with Others in the Print Industry To help you get started and find a networking niche of your own, check out this list of excellent places to connect within the printing industry (listed in no particular order): 1. National Print Owners Association The National Print Owners Association (NPOA) was founded “by printers for printers” to serve small to mid-size printers throughout the country. NPOA offers products and services that enhance the growth and profitability of its members, including operating a popular list server, known as the PrintOwners List, to share ideas and address questions and issues that members face in their daily activities. “NPOA provides a way for printers like myself to connect and exchange ideas and best practices, because someone else has already faced these issues and I can learn from them,” says Barry Martin, Owner of Copyquik Printing (Hagerstown, Maryland)

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