Time’s? They are a Changin’

Don’t take this the wrong way. Nobody loves actually buying print. Sure, some people who buy print absolutely enjoy the challenge of working with printers to help make the ink and paper come together “just right”, but for many print buyers the actual task of purchasing print is only a part of the job. Print buyers, at their core, are experts at solving problems, managing relationships, and ensuring that client projects are delivered on time, with a high level of quality, within the determined budget. That means a good deal of their time is spent talking with their clients, presenting them with options, and consulting on ways that a projects may be accomplished better, faster – and yes – cheaper.

Return on (Printing) Investment

Helping clients measure the return on their print dollars can result in more dollars for you

There’s no question that there is increasing competition for dollars in the print business. The industry seems to be experiencing a triple threat. Printers continue to compete with each other as always for the right to work with high-quality clients. Budgets, in general, appear to be shrinking in part because of the dramatic improvements in printing technology has made once expensive projects much more reasonable. Finally, clients are turning their attention to other media to implement their advertising and communication strategies.

Who Cares, Anyway?

Newsflash! Print buyers don’t care about your new gear

IF YOU WERE at Print World last fall you witnessed demonstrations of the latest and greatest equipment the printing industry had to offer. To be sure, the devices on display were faster and the quality more impressive than ever before. In the printing industry, despite the high costs of equipment, the pressure to continually upgrade in at attempt to gain the edge over the competition is relentless.

The industry certainly has changed dramatically over the last few years and the pace of change doesn’t appear to be slowing. But with all the changes and the high-priced equipment now in the hands of printers, does all that high technology really make a difference in the print buying decision? Does it matter if you’re producing the work on the latest 10-colour press or on a vintage machine in your brother’s garage?