Networking Archives - Marketing, content, & technology to help printers sell more printing

Don’t miss the opportunity to join us at the 11th Annual NPSOA Owners Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Held from March 16-18th, this annual event is always one of the highlights of our year. We look forward to seeing and connecting with you there! It can be challenging to step away from the daily operations of your business, but it’s essential for your success. To get the most significant benefit from your time out of the office, you need to set goals and plan to make the most of this break. After all, if you’re investing money to attend a trade show, don’t you want to get something in return? Get the Most Out of Your Visit to NPSOA Conference with These 10 Tips! To ensure your hard-earned money and time are used efficiently, here are ten strategies to capitalize on this event and attain optimal returns. 1. Do Your Homework Before attending a trade show, you must do your homework to understand all available opportunities. To ensure you are adequately prepared for success, arm yourself with the necessary knowledge and resources to help you reach your goals. Here’s a list of items worth researching before getting started: The

It seems like it’s been a year since I was in a room with more than ten people. More recently, I’m hearing this a lot: “We’ve ramped up our direct mail and digital marketing to reach our market, but I really miss interacting with people. I’m ready to start “networking” again!” The word “networking” used to be confusing to me. I thought that in order to be networking actively, you had to be at a networking event. But over the years, I’ve learned that actual events have very little to do with effective networking and, therefore, the limitations put on us to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus also have very little to do with effective networking. What is Networking? Merriam-Webster defines networking as: The exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions specifically : the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business I really want us to focus on the last part: “The cultivation of productive relationships.” In a nutshell, that’s all networking is! Someone, somewhere along the way, realized that if we put a bunch of people in a room who were interested in “cultivating productive relationships,” it would remove some of the obstacles

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)

In just a few short weeks, hundreds of printers from across the nation will join up in sunny San Diego for the 7th Annual National Print Owners Association (NPOA) Spring Conference. We’ll be there, and we hope you’ll stop by and see us! This conference will be a fantastic opportunity for you to get away from the day to day of your print business and be able to invest the necessary time to work ON your business. If you’re getting ready to go, you can look forward to learning about what’s happening in the print industry as well as take advantage of the chance to connect with other printers in the same daily trenches as you. To make sure you make the most of this incredible networking opportunity, here are five things you can do to pump up the experience. 1. Get Social! Thanks to the wonderful world of the internet, some of your greatest connections might not even need to take place face to face: Don’t miss these social tips: Follow the NPOA Facebook Page to stay up to date on the latest things going on at the conference and to stay connected with others who will be in attendance. Take

We’ll be traveling to Chicago this September to take part in the Print 17 conference, and we want you with us! If you’ve never had the opportunity to attend “the largest gathering of print and graphic communications buyers, decision makers and suppliers in North America,” here’s your chance! The Print 17 Conference is coming this September 10-14th, 2017, to McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. We’ll be at the conference in Booth 351, ready to visit with you, and we’d love for you to join us! If you’re thinking, “what’s the big deal?” here are five reasons why you should attend and meet us there: 1) Learn What’s Hot See what’s new in the printing industry! You’ll walk away from the conference with an excellent grasp on the latest trends and innovations, and be able to bring yourself up-to-date if you haven’t made it out of the shop in a while. 2) Flirt With New Ideas Discover your next great idea in an environment that inspires creativity. Whether you’re looking for new products or ideas to overcome business challenges, or simply seeking knowledge to increase your productivity and efficiency, you’ll find that your experience and participation in the show will have an