NPSOA Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Marketing, content, & technology to help printers sell more printing

Welcome to the start of a new feature to help you Sell More Printing! This article aims to highlight the exceptional sales and marketing efforts of others so you can adapt them to help you sell more printing. First in our sights is the Money Tree, which provides a creative and clever way to show appreciation to your best customers. The Money Tree The Money Tree is an actual plant. (Its fancy name is “Pachira aquatica” if you need proof!) The name makes it sound like it has a centuries-old legend attached to it, but its story is just a few decades old. Its popularity started in the 1980s when a Taiwanese truck driver braided the trunks of five small trees in a single flowerpot. Here’s a picture of the Money Tree I keep sitting on my desk: Send a Money Tree to High-Value Print Buyers Here at Marketing Ideas For Printers, I now send a Money Tree to subscribers purchasing a premium subscription service by following this simple process. First, I make an informal YouTube video that shows my Money Tree and mentions how we’ll both be able to fertilize our Money Trees and grow together. We then have

We live in a world that’s saturated with data. Data can be ignored (like, did you really need to see how many new Facebook mentions you received in the last 90 seconds?), or data can be used for productive purposes, such as uncovering new sales opportunities. Today, I have two sales-related data stories to share with you. One is a data failure, and the other is a data success—first, the failure. Sales Data Fail Several years ago, we made a change in our office and installed a new water dispenser with an inline filtration system, replacing the previous dispenser that required us to swap out jugs of fresh water five gallons at a time. If you look at the picture above, you can see the water lines coming out of the wall. We moved into the modern era and no longer had to carry water! A few of my team joked that it looked like the water was now being delivered by Ethernet! Digital water, who would have guessed?!? After the installation of the new system, I called the original water delivery service and canceled all future deliveries of those five-gallon jugs. The vendor confirmed that they’d cancel

In a world full of clichés, many speak to the importance of doing what you love. But, it’s increasingly rare to find a genuine example of someone loving what they do and pouring their whole heart into doing it. When I met with Tom Lancaster of Litho Press, it was quickly and abundantly clear that Tom hits the ground running every morning, looking to see who he can bless in the world of printing. It’s incredible, and it can be an inspiration for all of us. Introducing Litho Press Litho Press (located in San Antonio, Texas) was founded in 1962 by Raymond Thomas. It began as a provider of printing services to the Government Printing Office (GPO) nationally. Over the years, it became one of the largest GPO providers in the country. Today, the company still fulfills printing services to government entities but has expanded to serve the commercial sector, which accounts for more than 90% of its business activity. Litho Press has a unique ownership structure as well. After Raymond Thomas passed away, he bequeathed the company to a local university. Trinity University later sold it to Thomas F. Murray, who has been the owner for many years. When

Big Red Printing has been providing quality printing services for businesses and organizations since January 1985. Run by president and owner Gene Walter, along with his partners Caleb Priebe and Joanna Sena, Big Red Printing is making an impact in Norfolk and Columbus, Nebraska. Gene says Big Red Printing’s start in the printing business happened in a way that most people don’t expect. “The origin of the company was to print for a guy that had a nationwide Apple software club for schools. He called his business “The Big Red Apple Club,” hence, Big Red Printing. However, living in Nebraska, almost everybody thinks Big Red Printing is because of Nebraska athletics.” Today, Big Red Printing offers digital and offset printing services, focusing on working with businesses and organizations and offering a wide range of printing services, including mailers, forms, postcards, and newsletters. Like most businesses, Big Red Printing faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the company was down only 3% in 2020, thanks to its marketing efforts, customer base, and staff. In 2021, the company bounced back and saw a 32% increase in its revenue, surpassing its pre-pandemic levels. Here are just a few things they attribute to their

BCP Digital Printing, located in the bustling metropolis of Baltimore, Maryland, is possibly the only full-time, Black-owned book printing company in the United States. Print entrepreneurs get their start in the printing industry in various ways. Some are born into it, watching their family start the business from scratch in the garage and carrying on the family legacy. Others are marketing-minded and see a unique business opportunity in the world of print. But the story of Paul Coates and his beginnings with BCP Digital Printing is different. His journey began with a relentless commitment to helping the incarcerated. The Heart of BCP Digital Printing: Helping the Incarcerated “The idea started with six or seven people who were ex-activists in the community. Some of them were labor activists, some of them were socialists, some of them were Black Panthers like me, and what have you,” explains Paul. “Coming out of the turbulent 70s, several people who were in organizations with me were in jail. Because a number of people in the organization got arrested all the time, I developed relationships with those incarcerated.” Cultivating relationships is one thing, but you might be asking yourself how building relationships with people in

Printers from across the nation gathered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this past weekend for the National Print and Sign Owners Association conference. What an incredible time of learning, connecting, and growing the future of the print industry! While events like these often leave you energized, all of your intentions can easily fall to the wayside when you find yourself back in the midst of the daily grind. That means there’s no time like the present to put your newly acquired knowledge into practice. Maximize your post-conference momentum with our top eight strategies! 1. Reflect on key takeaways Dedicate time to mentally process the information, insights, and experiences gathered at the conference. Make a list of the most important lessons learned, ideas that resonated with you, and trends that could impact your work or industry. Mapping out key takeaways will help you create a follow-up action plan. 2. Organize and review conference materials Sort through any pamphlets, business cards, and promotional materials collected during the conference. Review them carefully to ensure that no crucial information is overlooked and to refresh your memory on essential topics. 3. Restructure your personal notes Since notetaking during conferences can be somewhat scattered, it’s important to

Located in the “Valley of the Sun,” Cereus Graphics has called Phoenix, Arizona, home since 1973. If you do the math, you’ll quickly recognize that this one-of-a-kind printing firm is celebrating 50 years in the business this year! Five decades of service is quite a legacy, and it’s been made possible primarily because of the Cereus Graphics team, a group of stand-out industry experts and craftspeople who combine advanced digital technologies with traditional offset printing. Cereus Graphics has discovered the key to meeting a wide range of printing and packaging needs by accommodating even the most demanding schedules without sacrificing quality or precision. But who exactly is Cereus Graphics? To answer that question, you have to start at the beginning. Introducing Cereus Graphics Cereus Graphics began its journey as G&G Printers, founded in 1973 by Tom Ginter and his dad, George, and in 1995, Tom bought controlling interest of the company. From 2000 to 2003, G&G Printers underwent an interesting journey on its way to becoming Cereus Graphics. It started in 2000 when a company called PRINTSOURCE USA purchased both G&G Printers and Commercial Lithographers, Inc, which was also located in Phoenix. Six months later, Kelmscott Communications purchased PRINTSOURCE USA

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

Pioneer [payh-uh-neer] n., One who goes before to prepare or open the way for others to follow. Have you ever stopped to think how much courage it takes to be the first at something? Sure, it’s easy to spout off words like “pioneer” and “trailblazer,” but consider how challenging it is to go your own way and go there first. How do the pioneers, the trailblazers, know where to go and when? How do they find the strength within themselves to beat back the questions of self-doubt or the weariness and simply go for it? What’s more, some pioneers don’t even recognize that’s what they are. Cyndy Harkins of Pioneer Printing in Lincoln, Nebraska, is one such pioneer. Introducing Pioneer Printing Semi-retired, and having moved from Illinois, Cyndy’s parents, Bud and Genni Rettke, thought they needed something to do and wanted to give the world of printing a try. So, in 1980, they opened the very first Sir Speedy in all of Nebraska and Lincoln. Shortly thereafter, in 1981, Cyndy moved to Lincoln and began to help her parents in the print business as a press operator. “I wanted to help my parents out, so I moved to Lincoln and

“Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together is progress; Working together is success.” – Henry Ford Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, was a visionary on innovation whose love for learning and perseverance profoundly shaped the 20th century. Ford, and innovators like him, have the self-confidence, vision, and leadership abilities to see things differently, and the courage to change them. Innovators give themselves permission to think out-of-the-box, and they let their ideas percolate into fruition. So, ask yourself: Are printers innovators? Are you an innovator? Mike Jensen, President and Owner of Tri M Graphics in Owatonna, Minnesota, believes that innovation can not only help printers stand out, but it helps their print buyers as well. In fact, the foundational mission of Tri M Graphics is “Building Relationships through Innovation and Integrity.” But let’s back up a little. Introducing Tri M Graphics Centrally located in southern Minnesota, Tri M Graphics has a rich history. Like many family-owned printing companies, the beginnings of Tri M Graphics started as a garage hobby and quickly escalated into a future-changing family career. “My dad, Jon, was actually a sider before starting his printing company,” explains Mike. “In 1985, while hanging some siding on a

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