Exceptional 24/7 customer service and a rare dedication to traditional values have made Markham-based company an industry leader in innovative direct-mail solutions
Rich Bassett could be your proud uncle, or kind father, or understanding boss—that is, if you’re very, very lucky!
What comes across loud and clear when you first meet the award-winning president of Bassett Direct is his warmth, obliging attitude, and genuine concern for both his customers and his employees.
Escorting me on a tour of his offices and plant at 165 Shields Court in Markham, Ontario, was like seeing old friends again—even though I had never met him or his staff before.
These were not employees acknowledging “the boss,” but rather friends and colleagues exchanging genuine smiles and handshakes amidst the usual hectic, deadline-filled production day.
What Rich Bassett really represents is a veteran of the printing and direct-mail wars who has somehow managed to instill in virtually every one of his 36 employees a personal commitment to every single customer. Some might call it pride, but whatever it is, rest assured it’s a rare commodity in the industry these days.
If you don’t believe me, check out some of the smiling faces on these pages. Or better still, visit bassettdirect.ca, click on ‘our team’ and see what Arthur, Pauline, Jennifer, Esther, Brenda, Sam, and all the other employees have to say. Their boundless passion, enthusiasm, and eagerness to keep up-to-date are obvious and might surprise you—but doesn’t shock their boss.
“Every single project we do, regardless of size or scope, is handled from start to finish by a dedicated team committed to total customer care 24/7,” says Bassett. “Quite simply, that’s our culture . . . that’s what we’re all about.”
That unwavering care occurs every day. But if you had to choose one incident that best illustrates that commitment, it would likely be one desperate phone call made to Bassett’s home on Boxing Day, 2004. The call was from World Vision, (one of his many not-for-profit clients) and came after one of nature’s cruelest inventions, a Tsunami, devastated Southeast Asia. It was a tragedy that shocked the world.
That very day, and each day throughout that holiday week, Bassett’s team leapt into action. When the printers stopped and the stamps dried, more than 500,000 personalized, direct-mail pieces, aimed at fundraising to help the victims of this tragedy, had been mailed—at the astounding rate of about 100,000 a day!
Speed To Market
Bassett calls this reaction STM, or Speed To Market, and it’s been one of the foundations of his company’s success since its founding in November of 1994.
“Our world today is an instantaneous one. You can go online and access anything in an instant. Clients now demand ‘faster and cheaper.’ And though printing is less expensive today than it was 25 years ago, runs and margins are shrinking for most printers across the country.”
Bassett believes that a major solution is STM through variable printing on demand. “It’s important to consider what drives printing technology, rather than simply the technology itself,” he advises. “In other words, think twice before putting that enormous high-end press on your plant floor until you’re 100% certain you have a loyal, ongoing customer base to keep it running regularly.”
The latest technology
Bassett did think twice recently, and because of increased business, he added a Xeikon 5000 and a Xerox iGen2 110 to his equipment repertoire.
The Xeikon is a roll-fed variable-imaging printer that has opened up tremendous creative possibilities, including virtually unlimited sizes. The Xerox can print on mixed stocks during a single press run. Bassett also has Bell and Howell’s Jet Vision Gold Video item-matching technology, which provides unsurpassed quality control, accurate reporting, and unique matching capabilities in the lettershop area.
The rest of Bassett’s equipment reads like a list of leading-edge ‘must-haves’ for the high-end direct-mail industry. It includes laser personalization equipment, ‘intelligent’ inserters and folders, and some unique bindery solutions.
But again, aside from this leading-edge technology, it’s really the people at this “customer care company” that drive its success. Data programmers, form creation specialists, customer service representatives, and accounting staff are all actively involved in every project.
For example, estimates are prepared within hours, work-back schedules are decided live with customers, invoices are generated immediately upon completion of a job, and all customer communication is direct and immediate.
He has many loyal clients too, besides World Vision—banks, advertising agencies, car manufacturers, insurance companies, loyalty programs, and a host of leading corporations, large and small.
Speaking of loyalty, most of his initial customers have remained with his company since its inception 14 years ago. Even more phenomenal is that Bassett Direct does not employ any salespeople.
In an industry where impersonal e-mails report progress to clients, Bassett adds that non-typical personal touch—they actually talk to you! It sounds old-fashioned, but it’s a fact.
An award-winning veteran
A graduate of the graphic arts management program at Ryerson University in Toronto (then Ryerson Polytechnical Institute), Bassett spent 25 years at Toronto’s Yorkville Press and was instrumental in transitioning that company from a commercial printer to a direct mail house.
In 1991 he became President, Corporate Marketing and Sales, for the Maclean Hunter Group of Graphic Arts Companies. Soon after the acquisition of Maclean Hunter in 1994 by Rogers, he founded Bassett Direct. Today, Bassett Direct is one of Canada’s premier direct mail production companies.
Bassett was named Direct Marketer of the Year in 1997 (DMAT) and received the Canadian Parketing Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. In 2003, he was chosen as one of Canada’s 50 most influential people in the Graphic Arts Industry.
Yet, through all the success and personal accolades, Bassett has managed to keep things in perspective and maintain his humility and infectious smile. A family man, father, and boss, you won’t find an ego here.
“To tell you the truth, I really look forward to coming to work each and every day. After all these years, it’s still very exciting and challenging for me,” he said. “That’s my passion and the people I work with share it, believe me. I consider myself a very lucky person in that regard.”
Legendary Green Bay Packers’ football coach Vince Lombardi once quipped: “nice guys finish last.” I guess he had never met Rich Bassett!
For more information (and to discover how that rare mix of warmth, traditional values, and non-traditional direct-mail solutions can help you), please call (905) 940-4740 or visit www.bassettdirect.ca.
With the 2008 trade show season in full swing, interest in digital press equipment at the On Demand Expo held in March in Boston was very strong, and I believe that interest in digital at drupa 2008 will also prove to be high. We are on the cusp of huge digital press advancement, which will take the form of digital presses with much higher speeds and higher quality; I believe that many of these advances will happen in the next five years.
In 2009, 53 trillion documents will be printed, of which only about 9 percent will be digital. Despite their currently small numbers, digital pages are growing much faster than analog ones, according to Stephen Nigro, senior vice president of graphics and imaging at HP.
According to a study done by InfoTrends on the future of direct mail, transaction, and transpromotional documents, North American respondents said they expect the share of their transaction volume printed in full digital colour to grow from 22.9 percent in 2006 to 33 percent by 2010. The firm also predicts 91 percent growth in full digital colour transpromotional output in North America between 2006 and 2009, from 1.62 billion images to 21.72 billion images.
So with this huge transition taking place in the digital web press arena, my column this month will focus on some of the industry leaders producing digital web presses.
HP Inkjet Web Press
Hewlett-Packard Co. introduced the HP Inkjet Web Press at a drupa preview in Tel Aviv, Israel. The high-speed digital colour printing unit can handle rolls up to 30 inches wide and is compatible with a variety of uncoated media, making it suitable for applications such as book and newspaper publishing. Its large format can accommodate full broadsheet pages.
The HP Inkjet Web Press, built around HP’s Scalable Printing Technology (SPT) platform, arrays printheads across a continuous-feed 30-inch paper path and outputs either to a rewind unit or to finishing devices. It is designed to perform in high volume, 24/7 environments, and has a target duty cycle of 70 million impressions per month (letter sized, 4/0 impressions).
Target Markets: Book and
newspaper publishing
The speed and width of HP’s offering makes it flexible for many different marketplaces, including direct mail and book and newspaper publishing. Its large format can accommodate full broadsheet pages.
Key Attributes:
• Up to 30 inch (762mm) web width
• 400 feet (122 meters) per minute speed
• Duty cycle of 70 million impressions per month
• 4 colour Variable Data Printing at full speed
• Compatible with a wide range of uncoated papers
• Automated, in-line process control
Océ JetStream 2200
With its new JetStream family, Océ has joined the colour inkjet race at full throttle, providing versatility and workflow integration in addition to sheer speed. Océ has now set the speed record for a commercial-quality variable imaging digital colour web press: the JetStream 2200 prints a whopping 2180 colour 600√ó600-dpi pages per minute.
Océ JetStream systems offer an integrated roll-to-roll configuration with a tight web for precise registration and control. A high-speed paper path produces CMYK full-process colour output at approximately 500 feet per minute with 600x600 dpi resolution. Paper processing options include a cross-perforation device for folding and a punch unit for creating pin feed holes. Optional roll slitter and folding units increase finishing options. Integrated finishing allows seamless workflow automation for uninterrupted production that requires little manual intervention.
Target Markets: Direct mail
and transaction segments
Service bureaus, graphic arts operations, letter shops, offset printers, and other commercial and corporate printers can deliver full-colour, variable data output with exceptional quality at high speeds and maximum productivity.
Key Attributes:
‚Ä¢ Up to 20.3” web width
‚Ä¢ Océ DigiDot piezoelectric Drop-on-demand inkjet technology
• 600 x 600 dpi resolution
• Speeds up to 500 feet per minute
• Duty cycle of 60 million impressions per month
• CMYK full-process colour output
• Supports a wide range of papers and weights
Xeikon 6000
The Xeikon 6000 is a fully featured digital press offering speeds of 160 pages per minute, has a duty cycle that can reach up to 5 million impressions per month, and features a variable web input module as a standard option. In addition, it can print on both sides of a substrate in a single pass.
The Xeikon 6000 is uniquely positioned to produce fully personalized, full-colour books on demand. It has a web width of 20 inches and virtually no restriction on the length of the printed page. Depending upon the page size, these book blocks can be produced 1-up, 2-up, or even 3-up on the Xeikon 6000, enabling book publishers and printers to achieve higher production volumes and economies of scale while reducing production costs.
Due to its format flexibility, the Xeikon 6000 is capable of producing large format book covers and wraps. In addition, the Xeikon 6000 can easily handle substrates from 27 lb text to 122 lb cover, providing a range of substrate options to its users.
Target Markets: Book production
The Xeikon 6000 can be easily integrated with various inline and offline finishing solutions. As a result, Xeikon technology can provide a truly streamlined book production workflow, generating fully converted ready-to-read books.
Key Attributes:
• Up to 20 inch print width
• LED array-based, dry toner electrophotography
• Up to 20 cm/sec (39 ft/min)
• 600 dpi with variable dot density (4 bit)
• Duty Cycle: up to five million pages per month
• Compatible with coated and uncoated paper
Xerox’s 490/980
Xerox Corporation entered the full-colour, continuous feed printing market with the release of their 490/980 Color Continuous Feed Printing System. The system uses xerographic imaging and flash-fusing technology with dry toner, making it compatible with a wide variety of substrates and able to produce documents at 600dpi resolution. Capable of printing 226 feet per minute or 493 images per minute two-up on simplex on 8.5” x 11” paper, it also features duplex printing and easily prints 986 images per minute in duplex mode. Another benefit of flash fusing is the ability to feed unique stocks that use adhesives or are pressure sensitive, such as cards, labels, self-sealing materials, foil coatings, and even RFID inlays. The 490/980 maintains top speed when printing full colour or black and white, regardless of the number of colours used or the weight of the paper.
Target Markets: Transactional, promo, and direct mail pieces; newsletters
The Xerox 490/980 colour Continuous Feed Printing System produces high quality, brilliant documents such as transactional statements, invoices with promotional marketing messages, and direct-mail pieces containing coupons, membership cards, and newsletters.
Key Attributes:
• Up to 18 inch print width
• Xerographic imaging and flash-fusing technology with dry toner
• 226 feet per minute (69 metres per minute)
• 600dpi resolution, for both full colour and black and white
• Pressure sensitive cards, labels, self-sealing materials, foil coatings, and RFID inlays
When running variable data jobs, one often needs to deal with thousands of small PDF files or one big fat PDF. In both cases, it can take quite a bit of Acrobat time to make any changes to these files, and your system will need all of its resources.
By using Automator, you can bypass Acrobat and quietly and quickly make many changes to your PDF files. The Quartz filter will be your friend here, and it runs as an action under the PDF Library in Automator. You can set it up using either Automator or the ColorSync Utility in the Utilities folder of Applications.
There are a list of default settings available, but it is best to click the plus sign, create a new setting, and give it a name. Click the button at the right and a contextual menu appears. You have several choices available to adjust your PDFs:
In the “Add Colour Management” component, you may choose Assign Profile, Create a Default Profile, Rendering Intent, Intermediate Transform, or Convert to Profile. You are able to apply ICC profiles for each colour space, and you have the ability to only apply said profile to specific objects such as text, graphics, images, and shading. The Intermediate Transform has choices of Brightness, Tint, Hue, and Saturation. While you are working in an Automator Flow window, there is a before and after sample image to show the profile effect. Keep in mind that you can have multiple instances of the above 5 choices in any combination.
In the “Add Image Effects” component, you may choose Colour Image Sampling, Grey Image Sampling, Image Compression, or Image Convolution. Both Sampling Filters allow you to Scale by percentage, adjust resolution, set up a maximum and minimum for pixels, and choose the quality for the transformation. The compressions offer Automatic or JPEG compression with a min/max slider. The last item is a blur/sharpen filter, also with a slider.
In the “PDF Retouch” component, you may select Spot Colour or Separation Policy settings and there is also a PDF/X-3 section. You can set the trim and bleed boxes manually, assign a Destination Profile, Flatten Transparency with a specified resolution, and set a trapped flag.
Under “Domains” you’ll find Applications, PDF Workflows, and Printing.
There is also a “Comments” component.
Making any small change to a large file or to multiple files can monopolize a workstation using Acrobat Professional with Optimizer settings. Even the batching setup with Optimizer takes time. Using an Automator workflow frees up your Acrobat and runs quietly in the background. When you are creating your workflow, it will automatically ask you to make a copy and direct it to a folder when you select the action. Here are some other additions to complete the workflow:
For multiple files, add the action Combine PDF to pages before or after applying the Quartz Filter.
Have the Rename and Move Finder Items actions at the end, where they will route finished files to an Imposition or Press hot folder.
These features are available in Tiger as well as Leopard. The mighty little Automator handles large files and multiples of files like a pro. For more information on Automator actions, go to http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/automator/.
Sitting in the last day of my Global Technology Trends class at Ryerson, I began reflecting on the changes in our industry. The number of printing students with in-depth technological knowledge seems to be increasing, which is great news for our industry, as it begins to react to the trends of digitization, convergence, and automation.
It is becoming increasingly important to understand all the technology available for print today. Complex equipment and workflow solutions are required in order to make the best use of what vendors have to offer. Gone are the days of buying equipment on managerial intuition, only to have it partially utilized—the pressure to lower our fixed costs is too high.
Managers today need to be able to identify the opportunities that are possible through leveraging technology. Moreover, they need to be able to filter these skills down to employees as we begin a full force change to “knowledge workers” in print. It is in light of these observations that I decided to enroll in a technology-specific MBA program.
After coming to the half-way mark, I strongly advise individuals who are interested in a career in print to consider a graduate degree. While I’m sure some of you are thinking that a graduate degree is overkill, just consider what the industry will look like 5 or 10 years from now. There will be fewer production jobs. Print will become a service, and it will be more complex. You will have stayed way ahead of the curve.
I am a part-time student in Ryerson’s MBA in the Management of Technology and Innovation program, at the newly built Ted Rogers School of Management. I am very proud to be part of the school and recommend it wholeheartedly. In thinking about what made Ryerson the right MBA choice for me, I came up with some key points.
The Classmates
Any experience is only as good as the people you share it with, and the caliber of people enrolled in Ryerson’s MBA is incredible. Business owners, directors, lawyers, engineers, and members of many other professions discuss technology from an unimaginable number of different perspectives. One says “gather data to drive customer value,” while another points out legal issues!
The Professors
The experience you gain in the classroom at Ryerson is remarkable. The professors in the program truly understand what it means to be a management graduate student. They aren’t teachers in the sense most of us are used to—they are facilitators. They manage open dialogue to help you learn in a way you never thought possible. We had a Prof leave the class one day, telling us to cover a chapter on our own (complete disaster!), only to come back a few minutes later and teach us about self-organization. I’ll never forget it!
The Involvement
Ryerson has been keen on taking part in many different types of competitions and events. These provide a great learning experience that takes you outside of the school. Even better is when you keep winning (see the long list on the left)!
The Streams
Ryerson offers several types of MBA programs. Under the “technology” umbrella are three streams:
• Supply Chain Management
• Information Systems Management
• Media Management
All three of these touch the printing industry in some way, so you can’t lose by choosing the one that interests you. You’re in marketing—learn more about media. You’re in upper management—get a handle on those ERP solutions. And so on‚Ķ
There are many other reasons why this is a great program: it’s affordable, the class times are flexible (running from 6:30-9:30 in the evening or on weekends), and the location is great (I love direct subway access)!
Now this is the point at which you pull out the list of excuses‚Ķtoo much work, I don’t have time, I’ve been out of school for too long. Forget them! We are moving forward as an industry, and you deserve to come along. Ryerson will work with you to get you ready for school and for the future in technology. You can get the degree in one year of full time study, or two years of part time. You’ll be done before you know it. At the very least, you should check out the school by attending an information session on either June 18th or July 23rd at 6:00 pm. They will be held in the Ryerson Business Building, located at 575 Bay Street (enter at 55 Dundas Street West), Toronto, Ontario.
You can contact the school with questions at mba@ryerson.ca.
Our Long List of Champions
• Second place in the Tata-Schulich Cup competition.
‚Ä¢ Competing at the 2008 National MBA Games from January 3rd to 5th at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, a team of Ryerson MBA and MMSc students ranked first overall to win the Queen’s Cup.
‚Ä¢ Canada’s Next Great Innovators can be found in the Ryerson MBA/MMSc program. A team of MBA candidates—Kent Chin, Maggie Yang, Gavin Yeung—and MMSc candidate Stephen Kershaw took first place at the 2008 RBC Next Great Innovator Challenge on February 21, 2008, and won $20,000 as a result.
• Ryerson University MBA and MMSc students are champions again after finishing second in the prestigious Leeds-Net Impact Case Competition held on February 22 and 23, 2008 at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
• Kent Chin, Han Liu and Maggie Yang have taken first place in the Oxford Properties Real Estate Research Competition, winning $10,000, and fellow MBA student Mia Colceriu came in third, winning $2500.
You’ve done it! You’ve done your research, you’ve selected your technology, you’ve put down tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of dollars on a digital press, and you’re ready to launch your variable data printing business!
Congratulations!
Just a couple of quick questions: What if you need a little help with your go-to-market plan? Think some business development advice would be useful? Your sales staff aren’t really sure how to speak to those vertical markets you’ve selected to target?
If any of these questions sound like things you’ve been thinking, I have some good news for you: the company from which you bought your new hardware is here to help you!
“Post-sales support” comes in a number of different forms, each designed to give you a safety net to ensure your success. Kodak and HP have direct sales forces and branded market development programs in place. Canon Canada, a subsidiary of Canon USA, has a program currently being rolled out in the US and being tested in Canada. Fujifilm Canada (Graphic Systems) personalizes its support for each customer, rather than delivering a structured, packaged program.
While each company has their own way of delivering the services, the intent—and final result—is to give their customers a “leg up” on their business and market development. Their goal and yours are the same: a successful print service provider!
Regardless of your equipment vendor, the post-sales support programs provide generally similar services; let’s take a look at each program and what’s involved.
Kodak MARKETMOVER Business Development Services
Working through a direct sales force and official resellers, Kodak offers a robust business and market development program. According to Bob Barbera, Kodak’s Director of Business Development Services in their Graphic Communications Group, “The move from commercial printing to print on demand and variable data printing is a transformation. It’s an evolution to which the entire company needs to be committed and the payoff is huge. However, it is a process, and because it is a process, it takes time.”
Kodak’s MARKETMOVER program combines tools, services, and support for Kodak equipment buyers in four areas, Bob calls them the “four legs”:
A base package is included with the purchase of a press, while the Targeted Sales Module is an additional purchase. Although the MARKETMOVER program is a mature program, Kodak continues to update it and add to it, with their focus always on creating successful users.
HP Graphic Arts Capture Program
By combining a structured business development program with the Digital Solutions Cooperative (Dscoop), HP helps Indigo users grow their businesses and move into new markets.
The Capture program provides business development tools, a wide range of training programs, and access to staff business consultants. “We have business consultants on staff that work with customers and prospects to explore what they’re doing, where they want to go, and what help might be required to get them there,” said Danny Ionescu, Vice President of Graphic Arts for HP Canada. “The business consultant essentially takes inventory of the prospect’s or customer’s capabilities and looks to find what can be leveraged from the current tools and processes. We don’t have proprietary solutions—we focus on an open architecture—and [we] have established a wide range of partnerships to ensure value to our customers; therefore we can find the solution that fits each customer’s individual need.”
HP’s staff business consultants dig deep into customers’ businesses with a one-on-one Agility Assessment Audit and market research. From the knowledge gained they can assist in marketing and business plan development, sales planning sessions, and sales training.
While the Capture program offers a wide range of marketing tools, one that is often used is an open house guide—a plan for developing and marketing a program to hosted print buyers. Open houses can be geared for specific applications or vertical segments; for example, a recent open house in Dallas brought a print service provider a number of prospects and customers who wanted to learn about short run—and economical—books on demand.
A component that makes Capture different from other business and market development programs is the addition of Dscoop (www.dscoop.org), a cooperative between Indigo users and HP that provides value to business owners, executives, and technical professionals. Found on the Dscoop webinar archive, for example, are a wide range of business webinars ranging from Selling Programs versus Projects to Make the Most of Plant Floor Space. Dscoop is promoted as more than a user group; HP sees it as a complete community.
Canon Canada Essential Business Builder Program
In June 2007, Canon USA launched a new program called the Essential Business Builder Program expressly to support buyers of its imagePRESS C7000VP digital press. Currently available only in the US, the program is being tested in Canada and will be rolled out in the near future.
This program combines internal analysis with external marketing and sales tools. A third element is an on-site mentoring component. The program offers a step-by-step approach to help printers develop the right go-to-market strategy.
“The Business Self-Assessment and the Gap Analysis tools are intended to be a presales program to ensure that there is a good match between the prospective customer and the technology,” said Mark Phillips, Product Marketing Manager at Canon Canada. “It is basically a way to measure organizational readiness to move into variable data printing. VDP technology is not particularly hard to use, but the workflow is more complex.”
As the printer walks through the self-assessment and gap analysis, he or she begins to think carefully about the business. Where are there weaknesses, what are the strengths, and is the company ready to move into a new business?
Once the printer and his or her management team have made the commitment to put the equipment in place, the program offers two “go to market” tool sets: the Application Tool Set and the Sales Strategies Tool Set.
To help the company market their new print on demand and variable data printing services, the Application Tool Set includes the full set of Marketing4Digital reports from the PIA/GATF’s Digital Printing Council, covering 24 key vertical markets.
From the perspective of each vertical market, the printer can propose market-specific services and has access to job samples, presentations, and “pitch” templates to use during the sales process.
The Sales Strategies Tool Set is designed to teach, enhance, and refine sales skills for approaching customers and prospects. Sales staff can show how the addition of variable data can measurably improve the value of the printed page, whether on simple static jobs or complex cross-media campaigns.
Fujifilm Canada Graphic Systems
Fujifilm Canada (Graphic Systems) takes a different approach to equipment sales and support because they are a reseller of products including consumables (such as plates, display graphics inks, and pressroom chemistry) and equipment (such as CtP systems, display graphics devices, and Xerox digital presses). The company provides professional services and consultation services from colour management to pressroom audits to commercial and digital printers.
“We are distributors of ‘best of breed’ graphic arts products as well as Xerox equipment and we are developing our own comprehensive business development program. We are also incorporating theories and philosophies from Xerox’s ProfitAccelerator Digital Business Resources program into our own structure,” said Carmen Chimenti, National Sales Specialist, Digital Printing, Fujifilm Canada (Graphic Systems). “For example, we have created a sales proposal using InDesign with variable elements that will merge text and images from our entire product line—CtP, plates, wide format devices, and digital printing equipment—into a personalized document. We are not only walking the talk, but we are learning how to do this in order to teach others.”
Maintaining the independence of a full-service distributor, Fujifilm Canada has the advantage of looking across the market to see what solutions—such as variable data printing and web to print—are available, and to discern what really fits into a customer’s environment. A financial application with a “closed community” requires a different solution from that implemented to open a site to a large geographic area with a web store.
“Each application requires a different type of VDP software, and we have the option to understand what it is the customer really wants to do,” said Dal Raimondi, National Technical Digital Graphics Specialist, Fujifilm Canada (Graphic Systems). “If our customer wants to implement a storefront, for example, we can suggest something that has been tested by Fujifilm Canada, and that will be a best fit for their requirements.”
In effect, Fujifilm Canada is applying personalization principals to business development programs. Rather than offering a pre-packaged solution, the sales and support teams consider the print service provider’s needs and wants, his or her hardware and software, and the company’s workflow to create a specialized solution.
While many business and market development programs are used to launch a company into a new business focus, they can also be used to help get a company back on track. For example, when Fujifilm Canada’s Graphic Systems team recognized a customer that was in trouble, they provided personalized service to help them out.
After integrating software and hardware into this particular company, it became clear that an operator was having trouble with the technology. Some additional technical training brought the operator up to speed, but the problem had caused the sales team to pull back. If a sales force perceives headaches from production, they aren’t going to be on board selling the solution. After correcting the production problem, tailored sales training, delivered with proper timing, got them over the hurdle and back to successfully selling.
By taking a “boutique” approach rather than a “big box retailer” approach to post-sales service and business development, the Fujifilm Canada team can develop the right solution for the right customer. The end result is personalization at work!
Challenge is the thing about Pollution Prevention (P2) that piques and maintains my professional interest as an environmental consultant. The first challenge for me was to learn how to change our industry’s business/environmental paradigm from grudgingly just complying with environmental regulations to embracing P2 as part of their profit centre.
It is amazing to think back to the 80’s and early 90’s when the “environment” was a real hard sell to industry. Our approach as environmental consultants, especially to small and medium enterprises (SME’s), was often totally wrong and arrogant. Our original focus was also mainly on waste management or treatment instead of prevention.
Here’s an actual incident from 1993: “Oh, hi John. I see you recommend that we start collecting our processor effluent and have it picked up for disposal at a cost of $200 a drum, ten grand a year, something about aquatic life forms eh? Well buddy, I got three little life forms at home that need their daddy to make some money, so when I see the fish swimming upside down I’ll worry about it then. You know where the door is...”
Seeing that treatment was not appealing to many clients, we then attempted “front of pipe” instead of “end of pipe” P2 solutions, but we still wore the enviro hat instead of the business solutions suit.
“Let me see, John. You want me to stop using XYZ solvent that has been working well for us for 10 years, is low cost, is readily available from a number of suppliers, and is a standard raw material in our industry. And you want me to replace it with a higher cost, slower working aqueous product available only from a couple of sources because it has less volatile compounts‚Ķthat would give my competitors a real edge‚Ķhmmm let me think about this while you show yourself out. You do know where the door is eh?!”
The P2 cause was helped, certainly, when tougher regulations came into effect. Most high profile and larger companies got on board in a hurry, but the majority of SME’s ignored the new rules until either forced to deal with them by inspectors or until they were shown a cost and efficiency benefit. Another challenge as a consultant, therefore, was learning the importance of understanding and relating P2 to their business model—in business parlance, reciprocity—I had to show a real Return on Investment.
The Toronto Region Sustainability Program, delivered through OCETA, has been very effective in making environmental stewardship more attractive to business owners. By offering a substantial cost-sharing inducement, the client becomes a contractual partner in the whole P2 assessment process. Now we can conduct a comprehensive, facility-wide confidential assessment, and make collaborative strides towards business efficiency, pollution prevention (P2), and community-based sustainability. The results have been amazing, leading to CCME and other national-award-winning success stories.
In our industry, we have come a long way in environmental awareness, and our current challenge is to promote and produce sustainable results in real reductions of persistent toxins and pollutants. This is best achieved by companies integrating waste reduction, R&D, and P2 procedures into core management systems. The approach has to be made from a cost saving or even revenue-generating perspective. Today, promoting a proactive “green” image is a growing marketing trend in business. As consultants, we must use a “consultative” approach, as that is what our clients pay us for. We need to feel their pain, share their problems, and, by becoming problem solvers, we will become a viable resource and therefore successful ourselves. Everybody wins: our clients, the environment, and ourselves.
One example is the printer who used an expensive, high-VOC solvent in a printing press auto wash system mixed 50/50 with water. He also had to pay a high price to have the spent waste solvent/wash picked up by a licensed hauler. By studying the process, discussing the background with the operator and suppliers, and investigating the options, we learned that the press equipment supplier dictates what type of solvent they use, according to the warranty on the press and the fact that they also supply the solvent. This type of monopoly really ties up the printer! He can’t use any different solutions without losing the warranty and technical support.
So we took another approach. I took a sample of the waste solvent/wash to a local manufacturer of recycling equipment. They modified a distillation unit to clean, separate, and recapture the solvent and the water. We tested the recycled solvent, both on the press and in the lab, and compared it with the virgin product. The recycled solvent proved successful, and the owner has realized an 80% savings, not just on the cost of the solvent but also on the reportable VOCs previously purchased. The savings on the waste haulage alone were enough to pay for the recycler in a year. Then there is the reduction in the delivery and pickup truck emissions (smog and greenhouse gases) and 21 tonnes of class 213I hazardous waste is eliminated. There is also a saving on the cost of floor space for inventory of virgin and waste drums and the manpower to handle them. The manifesting costs are saved, as is the reporting to the MOE—not to mention the tax credit for R&D and experimental scientific development. Cost savings were $45,760+ and VOC reduction was about 7.5 tonnes per year. This is just one P2 item with a whole lot of benefits for the business and the environment. (See P2 Case Studies examples on the OCETA web site for more details /www.oceta.on.ca/TORSUS/).
Most of us want to help “save the planet” (now there’s a challenge) from the negative effects of industrialization, consumerism, and ignorance. The old adage “think globally but act locally” is so true. If we are to succeed, we certainly cannot rely on our government. It’s up to us individually, and collectively, to educate, promote, and inspire others to take up “The Challenge.”
The sun is shining, the scilla, tulips, and daffodils are adding a much-needed touch of cyan, magenta, and yellow to the landscape, and spring is everywhere you look. It’s a season of change and renewal—what better time than now for a change and renewal of our cover?
“It doesn’t look that different,” you might be saying. “The logo’s the same...the fonts look more or less as they did last month...” But have you looked at the cover of your boss’s issue? How about the guys’ in sales? Or the issue that gets delivered to the pressroom?
You’ve probably guessed it by now—it’s our second variable cover! I won’t say it was a breeze (particularly since I’m not the one doing all the variable work) but the second one is certainly a lot more relaxing than the first one. It’s an appropriate cover for this month’s issue, because several of our articles focus on what you can do to personalize your sales pitch to each of your customers. A personalized pitch is a win for both parties—you become irreplaceable to your customer, and the products you’re printing for them in turn generate greater returns for their business.
Mailing and fulfillment were one of the earliest areas to see personalized printing—but we’ve come a long way from a simple unique address label affixed to each of thousands of identical letters or parcels. Jeanette Clinkunbroomer profiles two successful mailing and fulfillment houses and gives us hard data from the Canadian Marketing Association. She also talks about the potential affects of the Do Not Call registry that is scheduled for national implementation in September of this year.
More directly applicable to variable print is another valuable review from Peter Dulis, who tackles the emerging market of high speed digital colour web presses. Peter profiles the HP Inkjet Web Press, Océ’s JetStream 2200, the Xeikon 6000, and Xerox’s 490/980 and describes their target markets. These target markets overlap somewhat but don’t seem to be directly competitive—it will certainly be interesting to watch this market develop, and Peter’s piece is a must-read for anyone looking to invest in this (still unproven, in many ways) technology.
Finally, just to vary things up a little, I’d like to draw your attention to Leo Thibault’s tension-filled piece on lithographic dampening, which appears on page 32. Leo gives a great overview that will inform those unfamiliar with the nuts and bolts of litho and will remind the old hands among our readers of some important tips.
Happy Spring!
Put yourself in the position of a publishing or marketing executive for one moment. Your company needs to get the word out about its products and services, needs some means to receive customer responses, and also must deliver goods into the hands of the consumer. The broad range of media with which initial consumer contact can be made is overwhelming, as is the number of options for consumer follow-up, order acceptance, and delivery. How do you co-ordinate what could easily become a logistical mess? You turn to a mailing and fulfillment service, of course.
Mailing and fulfillment services can be stand-alone businesses with or without in-house printing capabilities. They work with publishers and marketers across all industries to distribute printed products. Fulfillment operations go further than simply mailing, and can include on-demand printing of customer catalogs and product information, as well as warehousing of the catalogs, information, and even the products themselves. The field requires expertise in postal and shipping regulations—often including import and export requirements—as well as the willingness to work closely with customers and in accordance with their stringent time limits.
Direct Mail
Direct mail advertising is a key segment of the mailing and fulfillment industry, and remains one of the most effective ways to reach both local consumers and those located across the globe. It’s a big business. The Canadian Marketing Association’s 2007 study, “Marketing’s Contribution to the Canadian Economy”, noted that direct mail activities resulted in sales of more than $20 billion, and that more than 140,000 Canadians are employed in some capacity in the direct mail industry.
In addition, based on research among its members last year, the CMA stated in November that it expects advertising in Canada to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.3% per year through 2011, with the greatest growth in the television, direct mail, and out-of-home sectors. However, CMA also predicts that the digital media sector will see the greatest growth in terms of adding jobs, and also that Canadian marketers will spend more than $3.3 billion on digital media by 2011, more than doubling their digital media expenditures of 2007.
While “new media” digital marketing appears to be encroaching on established business communications media, direct mail still has the distinct advantage of being perceived as less intrusive than telemarketing and even unsolicited e-mail advertising. According to a 2005 survey conducted by Canada Post:
Producing a direct mail campaign often conjures the image of high-volume web presses churning out millions of inserts or catalogs, but it’s an outreach technique that can be done on a smaller scale with the right mix of expertise and capabilities. Micro Mailing Canada, located in Scarborough, Ontario, is a small, family-owned company that has been providing mailing services for ten years to clients across several industries. Mini Burman, company president, and Ajay Burman, general manager, along with other employees, offer addressed admail, publications mail, dimensional admail, and lettermail processing services, as well as personalized data merge production and mailing, fulfillment, and polybagging.
Ajay Burman describes the company’s specialty as its data merge services. These combine client communications and messaging with the client’s mailing list to produce materials that are personalized and addressed to each individual customer. Data merged documents can range from sales letters to short-run black and white laser-printed postcards in volumes of 5,000 to 10,000. Micro Mailing can help its clients design and produce mailing pieces to meet Canada Post’s requirements for postal discounts for presorted and volume mailings.
Micro Mailing also assists customers in locating appropriate lists for targeted marketing projects—though to avoid conflicts of interest, the company doesn’t compile the lists—and keeps customer mailing lists up-to-date for timely delivery. Such record keeping can be quite complex, given the different classifications of mail and the specific requirements for each. Canada Post classifications relevant to most direct marketers include Unaddressed Admail, which offers the lowest postal rates; Addressed Admail, sent to targeted destinations in Canada; Dimensional Admail, defined as mailing pieces for three-dimensional packages; Lettermail, for items such as invoices and reports; and Incentive Lettermail for volumes of 1,000 pieces or more (which can qualify for discounted postal rates). In addition, mailing lists for Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) mail must be sorted and ordered per “postal walk,” which is the actual route taken by the mail carrier. LCP mail also must be processed and periodically reviewed to eliminate outdated names and addresses and update address changes based upon COAN (Change of Address Notice) data. Failing to maintain a 95% accuracy in one’s mailing list can result in penalties.
Canada Post has not only established the various classifications of mail and the specific requirements of each, but also has been assertive in providing support to small businesses in conducting their own direct mail programs—sometimes taking these potential jobs away from privately-owned mailing companies. Yet despite their sometime competitive conflict with private mailing companies, Canada Post clearly has a stake in supporting the growth of the direct mail industry. In 2005, admail accounted for about 20% of Canada Post’s revenues, and this number increased by 14.4% in 2006. The organization’s promotion of direct mail as an advertising medium may help to drive more Canadian businesses to commercial lettershops like Micro Mailing to get the work done on schedule and right the first time.
Burman remains optimistic about the future of his company, and even views digital media as a source of new business for Micro Mailing. “The internet has opened up avenues for people doing more from a single station. It can generate more business and more printing and direct mail opportunities,” he said. “We see ourselves growing conservatively, but still growing, over the next three years.”
Picking and Packing
The basic purpose of direct mail—or any kind of direct marketing—is to spark some kind of response from the customer. Fulfillment encompasses all of the operations that support that response and can cover a wide range of capabilities. Based out of a 26,000-square-foot production and warehouse facility in Mississauga, Ontario, Interlinc Direct Corp. offers integrated direct marketing capabilities that include fully automated lettershop processing for direct mail sent to Canada and the U.S., as well as order-taking through Internet data portals designed to match the client’s corporate brand, 800-number telephone response and order-taking, and warehousing and fulfillment of printed materials and other types of products.
“We do a lot of direct mail and mailing for a lot of publications and books,” says Neil Raven, president of Interlinc Direct. “We work through multiple channels, which is basically vertical marketing tied into TV and radio and telemarketing. But the only aspect we handle is response. We don’t get into the strategic planning end of it or offer mailing lists, though we will do data manipulation.”
Interlinc Direct works with clients in the pharmaceuticals, automotive, financial, food, and beverage industries, and with franchisers. The 19-year-old company has in-house web and offset printing capabilities, as well as high-speed laser printing for variable imaging. They print outgoing direct mail as well as orders for printed materials. They also pick and pack orders and provide kit assembly at their extensive warehouse.
For outgoing direct mail, Interlinc Direct provides a full range of services, including high-speed ink jet printing, labeling, postal indicia printing and stickering, automatic and “intelligent” insertion, shrinkwrapping, and polybagging. At the fulfillment end of the business, Interlinc Direct accepts orders for clients, and can accept credit card payments online with their full e-commerce capabilities. They also provide inventory reporting to keep clients up-to-date and to ensure that there is enough product on hand to fulfill orders.
“Typically what we handle are orders from our clients’ specific membership groups,” Raven said. “As far as printing goes, we actually produce a lot of the materials we send out. Many of the products we ship are pharmaceutical products.”
One service Interlinc Direct prides itself on is its ability to handle “special events” for clients, or specific and carefully-timed promotional campaigns. The company will provide telephone support for customer response—including a toll-free 800 number—and, for mail-in campaigns, will accept, open, and sort responses, reporting all results back to clients in customized printed or electronic formats.
Looking ahead, Raven noted, “People are going to see more print-on-demand versus warehousing large amounts of inventory. This can minimize the products that need to be warehoused and the cost of that, but the technology for it is still expensive. The cost-savings still are not quite there yet, but when the costs come down, we’ll expect to be seeing this service more widely available.”
Do not call
At the end of September, 2008, the Do Not Call registry, managed by Bell Canada, is expected to become operational, bringing with it fines of as high as $15,000 for violations. This registry could have a positive impact on direct mail, driving advertisers to redirect their budget dollars from telemarketing to mailing. However, while direct mailers may stand to gain somewhat from the list, they aren’t expecting a big boost.
For one thing, the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) has already been providing a self-regulating “Do Not Contact” service, accepting requests from consumers who do not wish to be telephoned or receive unsolicited admail or faxes. CMA’s membership may already have purged the names and addresses of uninterested consumers from their lists. In addition, since 1997, Canada Post has acknowledged requests from mail recipients who do not wish to receive unaddressed admail, the type of commercial mail sent to “occupant.”
The more broadly-based Bell Canada program may generate a new wave of phone privacy requests, but Do Not Call doesn’t apply to all organizations. Charities are exempt from Do Not Call regulations, as are political parties, public opinion pollsters, and general-circulation newspapers. Businesses that have an existing relationship with a consumer will be allowed to continue to contact the consumer by telephone. In addition, Do Not Call restrictions have no impact whatsoever on consumers initiating communications—for example, calling an 800-number to place an order for a product or service advertised in a flyer or on TV—and these are the types of calls taken by fulfillment centres. According to its 2007 study, CMA projected that telemarketing sales will actually increase by 2011, despite Do Not Call regulations.
The expected expansion of the use of digital media—e-mail blasts and other types of internet-based solicitations—would seem to pose the greatest threat to the direct mail industry. Thought it has often had the opposite effect, by compelling consumers to request more information, such as catalogs or other kinds of product literature. In addition, the growing area of “data mining”—gathering information about prospects through their website travels—can help to develop and fine-tune highly targeted mailing lists for personalized one-to-one marketing communications. Some commercial websites now allow consumers—or branch offices of a larger corporation—to pick and choose the items that interest them and order their own customized catalog including only certain types of items.
Despite competition, direct mail and fulfillment will likely continue to grow as mailing and fulfillment houses incorporate new technologies that increase operating efficiencies and improve profitability, and even small businesses may find that direct mail is an effective means of reaching and serving customers.
The Digital Imaging Association (DIA) featured an inspiring workshop at neXus, The Xerox Research Centre of Canada on Wednesday April 16, 2008.
Attendees were privileged to participate with presenter Rick Littrell, President and Chief Magic Officer of Magicomm, an integrated direct-to-customer solutions provider. Magicomm lives the experience of the new frontier that is direct marketing. The objective of the complex services Littrell and his team provide is to enable increased revenue opportunities, reduced costs, and improved brand awareness.
Littrell’s lively and passionate presentation delivered hard-hitting information from a person who has traveled uncharted territory and has both the scars and the successes to prove it. It was peppered with participation from the floor asking provocative questions and sharing insights from their own experiences and observations.
The Digital Imaging Association’s objective in selecting Littrell to lead this workshop was to assist attendees in overcoming the hurdles of developing and implementing strategic marketing plans that leverage digital technology – for themselves and for their customers.
Magicomm is a success model. Littrell advises companies to be their own case studies in developing a data driven multimedia campaign to market their own services. Why multimedia? Littrell exemplified the 3 seconds you have to gain someone’s attention. In today’s communications world people are quickly filtering out perceived extraneous information and are very particular about which media deliverable they are most comfortable with. So, says Littrell, communicators must use their 3 seconds wisely. Walk before delivering the talk. Magicomm does and it has helped them develop and evolve the robust recommendations they make to their clients.
And you can be a magician too. Variable data driven communications delivery is bigger than print. It is a media string, a mix of all the vectors of cross media, sometimes called integrated marketing or Transpromo. Regardless of the label, Littrell believes this is where we’re all headed. You’ll do it now or do it later, he said. We’re at the pioneer stage now of the new world of multi-touch campaigns.
An example of this was the development and implementation of Littrell’s presentation in concert with the DIA. Those who registered – and who had provided email addresses – received an invitation to the Magicomm Experience. A personalized URL (PURL) connected recipients to a landing page which enabled them to quickly enter information that generated a personalized newspaper. The demonstration of a database-driven document was, in very short order, delivered via another email with a link to each person’s unique document. The campaign was fun AND informative. The deliverable was fun, but what Magicomm received in return via the customized fields was a collection of data that defined individual hot issues. During the presentation Littrell demonstrated how organizations can use this type of campaign to self-qualify business prospects, thus shortening the sales cycle and improving customer satisfaction. Those who completed the form and received their personalized newspaper also received a follow up email of thanks with a “Refer a Friend” option. In the background, Magicomm was able to tabulate and quantify the number of hits to the landing page, the number of people who completed the exercise, the insight the personal information provided, the number of people who referred a friend, and who that friend was. Powerful!
The presentation and discussions that ensued explored some of the roadblocks and some suggested strategies to overcome them. Littrell clearly demonstrated that the skills for selling and delivering VDP are very different from those that successfully sell static print. Some salespeople and selling organizations can evolve and adapt, but more can’t. So, what should you try to do?
• package up a single-solutions offering?
• setup a different department within your existing structure?
• establish a separate company?
• train or hire specialists?
• partner with a service provider who can backfill?
Continuing discussion delivered the following additional insights:
• how to identify opportunities
• how to introduce your client to 1:1
• how to develop a marketing strategy and creative that will result in a campaign that has the best chance of achieving customer objectives
• dealing with less than ideal data bases
• estimating the project
• defining the ROI, project analysis and reporting
• technical deployment
You are invited to visit DIA’s web site, www.digitalimagingassociation.ca, where you will find a link to Rick Littrell’s magic. It will show you the message, but not the depth of experience that can only be achieved by attending and participating in our dynamic workshops.
Q. When I send Windows users a jpeg file from Apple Mail, they say they cannot open the attachment. I can send the same file to a Mac user without an issue. What is going on?
A. The problem is that you are becoming a victim of “Windows Friendly” mail messages. When you drag and drop an image into a mail message in Apple’s Mail application, it does not automatically select the “Send Windows Friendly” email option. The attachment then gets broken up while traversing the Internet.
The file does arrive at the PC, but the Windows mail application (or browser-based internet reader) doesn’t see the file correctly. The PC sees a file with the correct name but the wrong MIME type (application/appfile) as the jpeg, and also sees a piece with the correct MIME type (image/jpeg). When the Windows user tries to open the file, their PC opens the first part, which is not a jpeg and “has no preview.”
So, when you’re sending to a PC user, you should click the “attach” icon and browse to the file. Select the file and choose “Send Windows Friendly” attachment. The Mac will then send the attachment in “Base 64” and the receiving PC will not get confused about which piece to open.
Windows users can also open the incorrectly sent image by Right-Clicking the attachment and choosing Save As. They can then navigate to where they saved the file and open it. It can be annoying, though, as they’ve probably become used to opening the attachment in the email.
Q. Before upgrading to Leopard, I was able to see my photographs in the Finder. After the upgrade I can only see the “iPhoto Library,” so I cannot import images into QuarkXpress. Is there a way to import my iPhoto images into Xpress?
A. Apple has changed the way iPhoto stores images and has changed the “iPhoto Library” from a folder into a “bundle.” A bundle is a special folder that appears in the Finder as an object and, in fact, all applications on MacOS X are bundles. Bundles were created so that an application’s resources, such as icons and other support files, could be stored in the same place. When you click on an applications icon in the Finder, you are clicking on a bundle. So it would seem that you cannot access the images in the bundle.
You can see the contents of a bundle in the Finder by “right clicking” (or control clicking) the bundle, which opens a contextual menu. Choose “Show Package Contents” from the menu and the bundle will open like a folder. You can then navigate through the folders to view the resources inside. You can also use this method to find your images in the iPhoto Library. The original images are located in the “Originals” folder, sorted by year and date. Unfortunately, you cannot use QuarkXpress’s “Import Picture” function, so you will need the “Drag and Drop” Xtension.
Fortunately, the folks at Quark Labs (http://labs.quark.com) have made an Xtension that will allow images to be sent to a QuarkXpress layout. Download the “Image Drag and Drop” Xtension for QuarkXpress 7 and copy it into your Xtension folder. Once there, you can open iPhoto and drag an image onto the QuarkXpress layout. The Xtension is able to locate images inside the iPhoto Library bundle.
The Western Grafik’Art Trade Show premiered last month. It was held in Abbotsford, British Columbia from April 11 – 13. It was a relatively small show, but it was a great show by most other standards. Congratulations to Louie Bernard for doing such an outstanding job. I’m sure this is the start of many big events in store for the industry on Canada’s friendly west coast. Don’t miss our coverage in the next issue.
As you’ve probably noticed, our variable cover is featured in this issue. Please check out the front and back cover, as well as the inside front and inside back cover, to get a true picture of variable data’s ability. Notice also that your provincial flag is used on the front cover, linking you to Drupa, Germany. A special “thank you” to those who were a part of this project.
Be sure to mark June 13 down on your calendar, especially if you’re in the Montreal area. The Canadian Printing Industry Sector Council (CPISC) will present a forum entitled, “The Future of Print” from 9 am to 3:30 pm at the Delta Centre-Ville in Montreal. The Forum will benefit anyone who owns, manages or works in a printing and/or graphic communications company. Its panel will be mapping out the skills and technologies required for the present and future of our industry. The keynote speaker will be Warren Werbitt, President of Pazazz Printing. For more information call toll free 1-888-688-0293 or e-mail info@cpisc-csic.ca.
With all the negative news in the industry recently (i.e. closings, layoffs), it’s good to report that Xerox had a 13% growth in revenues in its first quarter. A few years ago the picture for Xerox looked rough, but they’re rebounding in a big way.
With the ups and downs in the market we have to stay positive and ride the waves. It gives us an opportunity to look constructively at our businesses and develop new strategies to better service our customer base. As they used to say in Ireland, “There’ll be dust on the road yet!” For those who don’t know the climate of Ireland, it’s similar to parts of B.C. where it rains a lot. So, as we ride yet another turbulent cycle in this industry, remember what goes down will come up again.
Finally, our condolences go out to Reg Johnson’s family and friends for their loss this month. There was a great gathering at his wake. He was a great Canadian who loved the graphic arts industry and will be missed. May he rest in peace.
Until next time, stay positive and stay focused.
Joe Mulcahy
Let’s face it, we all have difficult customers to whom we are required to sell. From the demanding, abrasive buyer to the individual who never seems to decide, we encounter challenging people regularly. Part of the reason this happens is due to personality conflict. This article will look at the four key personality types and how to improve your results with each.
Direct Donna
Donna’s name says it all. She tends to be forceful and always wants to dominate or control the sales call. Her behavior is aggressive: she points at you while she talks, interrupts you with challenges, and she seldom cares about the details of your new product or service. Instead, she demands that you “cut to the chase” and “tell me the bottom line.” Donna is very results-focused and goal-oriented, and hates wasting time.
To achieve the best sales results with Donna, be more direct and assertive. Tell her at the beginning of the sales call or meeting that you know how busy she is and how valuable her time is. Tell her that you will “get right to the point” and focus your conversation on the results she will achieve by using your product or service. Resist the temptation to back down if she confronts you, because doing so will lose her respect. With Donna, it’s not personal, it’s just business.
Lastly, be direct in asking for her business—you don’t have to dance around the issue.
Talkative Tim
Tim is a gregarious and outgoing person who is very ego-centric. He is often late for your meetings and his constant interruptions and long stories cause your sales calls to go beyond their scheduled time. He appears to greatly enjoy the sound of his own voice, which frustrates you because you don’t always get enough time to discuss your solution.
Relationships are very important to Talkative Tim, so invest more time in social conversation. Even if you don’t see the point in chit-chat, he will appreciate the gesture and will like you more. Tim often makes buying decisions based on intuition and how he feels about the salesperson.
Be careful not to challenge Tim, because he will feel rejected and will likely shut down and become unresponsive. During your sales presentation, tell him how good your solution will make him look to others in the company or how his status or image will improve. In other words, appeal to his ego.
Steady Eddie
Soft-spoken, Eddie is a “nice” fellow who seems more focused on his team and coworkers than on his personal results. He is very quiet compared to some of your other prospects and can be difficult to read. Most frustrating is his reluctance to make a buying decision. Eddie’s mantra seems to be “I’m still thinking about it, but thanks for following up.”
Structure and security are important to Eddie, as it is difficult for him to make changes. He often contemplates how the decision will affect other people within the organization. That means you need to slow down the sales process, demonstrate how your solution will benefit the team, and remove as much risk from the decision-making process as possible. Soften your voice and make sure your sales presentation flows in a logical manner. Use words like “fair,” “logical,” and “your team” in your presentation.
Analytical Alice
She reads every point and specification about your product or service and, regardless of how much information you give her, Alice always wants more, including written guarantees and back up documentation. She is difficult to read and it is extremely hard to get her engaged in an open conversation, because personal feelings and emotions do not enter the picture when Alice makes a decision.
Whenever possible, give Alice a written, bullet-point agenda of your meeting beforehand. Ideally, email it to her a few days in advance so she can prepare herself. Make sure it is completely free of typos, spelling mistakes, and punctuation errors. When you meet, follow the agenda in perfect order and, if you make any type of claim, have supporting documentation available for her to read.
While the different approaches necessary for each personality type may not make sense to you or seem completely rational, it is critical to recognize that your natural or instinctive approach may not be the best way to get results with someone else. Modifying your approach and style, even briefly, will help you better connect with your customers and prospects, which will ultimately better your bottom line.
What is the difference between a hunter and a fisher?
A hunter knows ahead of time what they are chasing—be it deer, pheasant, or rabbits. A fisher, on the other hand, casts a large net, hoping that what is caught is of use. When the net is pulled in, there may be some fish that are edible and quite tasty, but there will also be lots of things that simply get thrown back. The result for the fisher is wasted resources and lost opportunities.
The same analysis holds true for your exhibit program. If you are a hunter, you have carefully determined the profile of your quarry and are seeking said quarry with precise and targeted strategies. If you are a fisher, you are probably just hoping for the best.
Turning your program from fishing to hunting requires careful attention. You want to properly focus on the show visitors who will most likely help you achieve your exhibiting objectives. Rarely will you want to talk to every visitor who walks past your booth. The trick is to clearly identify who you want to spend your time with.
Defining your ideal customer’s profile requires time and skill, but once you have defined your customer, that definition should affect every part of your exhibit plan, from choosing the right show to post-show follow-up. The greater the depth of your profiles, the easier it is to focus your exhibit plans. Here are four typical tools that exhibit managers use to define their customers.
Using demographics to define your customer. Some examples of information in this category include industry, gender, marital status, geography, age, profession, wealth, and lifestyle.
Using psychographics to define your customer: what do they do? Some examples of information in this category include social responsibility, business style, position, affiliations, management style, family stage, and hobbies or leisure activities
Using behavioral analysis and asking: how do they do it? Examples in this category include such things as number of times they purchase, amount of product used, decision-making cycle, where a purchase was made, and how a purchase was transacted
Causation analysis is a final tool; why do they do what they do? The best way to develop this category is to focus on the benefits of your products and services and understand which of these benefits is of most importance to your specific customer profile.
While you are developing your customer profile, it’s not uncommon to unearth more than one ideal customer. That doesn’t present a problem, as long as you are able to articulate the difference between one customer and the next.
Once you have a strong profile(s), your next task is to use this information in your exhibit plan. Ensure that profile information is clearly communicated to all the people on your exhibit team, including your administrative staff, sales and marketing staff, display builder, show/event manager, and anyone else who will be involved in your program.
With a clear focus on the right people, all other decisions should fall into place faster and easier.
Lithography is a very simple process. Water and ink are metered to the plate simultaneously, at high speed, and with great precision. The ink and water mix with each other in a controlled way on the form rollers and then deposit separately, each to its own designated area on the plate. Experienced pressmen know that the secret of a good impression is a minimum of ink and a minimum of water.
Surface Tension
The lithographic process relies on the equilibrium of the ink-water mixture. One of the most difficult variables to control is the ever-changing relationship between ink and water on the plate surface. To ensure a minimal use of ink and water and to maintain ink-water balance throughout the run, a fountain solution with a surface tension varying between 32 and 45 dynes/cm, according to the type of the press used, is necessary.
Besides the ink-water balance, there is also a second important element contributing to the success of a good impression—the cleanliness of the non-image area of the plate.
A fountain solution containing a natural arabic gum ensures the continuous formation of a protective film, which desensitizes the plate’s non-image area. A good control over the protective film will ensure a minimal use of water in the process and allow a good ink-water balance.
The importance of a good fountain solution is now well understood. Its surface tension has important consequences for the printing process, since it permits the formation of a thin, uniform, and reproducible water film before each application of ink.
These two requirements—fast plate wetting and the ability to form thin water film—are critical for lithographic dampening systems. They are largely determined by the surface tension of the solution.
Pure water has a surface tension of 72 dynes/cm. In a dampening solution containing an alcohol concentration of between 10% and 25%, the surface tension will be reduced to 35-45 dynes/cm, enabling the solution to spread over the plate rapidly in a thin continuous film.
In general, a fountain solution will consist of water, acid and gum (as detailed above), corrosion inhibitors to prevent the fountain solution from reacting with the plate, fungicide, antifoaming agent to prevent build-up, and a drying stimulator that complements the drying of the ink.
Last but not least, we find in the fountain solution wetting agents, such as isoproponol or alcohol substitutes, which decrease the surface tension of water and water-based solutions.
When alcohol or substitutes are mixed in with a fountain solution on a press using a dampening system with alcohol, the surface tension is reduced. The result is that the alcohol (or its substitute) helps the water to wet the dampener form roller evenly, requiring less dampening solution. A thinner film of solution will help keep the non-image area of the plate clean and also help to properly spread water over the ink on rubber bareback form rollers.
A thinner solution film also helps to prevent water spotting, because the fountain has finer drops that are dispersed in the ink. It also suppresses foaming.
The addition of alcohol to the fountain solution increases the viscosity of water, which allows a thicker layer of dampening solution to be applied to the ink and non-image area and improves the performance of the ink, paper, and printing plates. When using substitutes, the fountain solution is metered by the squeezed rolls used in the majority of continuous contact-type dampeners. The immediate effect is that the dampener speed must be turned up, which leads many press operators to conclude erroneously that they must use more water to print with a substitute.
To partially offset the loss in the viscosity produced by eliminating alcohol, the dampening solution can be cooled (50-55° F). Substitutes differ from alcohol in several key properties, including how they affect viscosity, surface tension, pH, and conductivity of dampening solutions.
In alcohol-free dampening solutions, surface tension is reduced by additives called surfactants. Surfactants are organic chemicals that tend to concentrate at interfaces because of their polar molecular structures. They travel to the interfaces between the dampening solutions, the air, and the ink on the image areas of the plate. At higher press speeds, interfaces are used and reformed rapidly. Surfactants may diffuse rapidly to replenish the new interfaces. Too much surfactant can contribute to excessive ink emulsification.
Alcohol substitutes offer an excellent opportunity to dramatically cut the amount of VOC emissions from a press. Because alcohol substitutes do not have a diluting effect on ink when used in proper concentrations, less ink and water are needed for acceptable colour. Sharper dots are produced and there is less of a tendancy for dot gain.
In 1850, a group of journeymen printers gathered in the Tammany Hall in New York City to listen to the distinguished printer Horace Greeley discourse on training issues facing the industry at the time. “The curse of our trade is the ease of competition,” he said, and what was true then rings just as true today.
In a time when anyone can grab a digital machine and call himself a printer, we must continually defend our craft, and not only to those who would seek to replace print with radio, television, or the internet. We must also defend the craft of print when speaking to those looking to further their education in our industry.
Back when print was in its infancy, printers trained by becoming apprentices, or by working for their parents in the family print shop. From there, trade schools were established, and then college courses, and finally the university undergraduate, graduate, and even doctoral courses available today in the field of print. But is a degree in print the best educational investment for young people today? With so many other avenues available, is print the land of opportunity and creativity it once was?
The answers to these questions are so complex that I would not dream of suggesting that I know the answers, but they are nonetheless important questions to ask. To aid in answering these questions, I am working on a study regarding print workplace satisfaction, in conjunction with the Rochester Institute of Technology, which can be found at the following website: http://tinyurl.com/4dnnr6
I would be delighted to have as many Graphic Arts Magazine readers as possible filling out the survey, in order to help answer many important questions about education for the print workplace.
Once I have completed my research, I will be back with an article on my findings, but in the meantime I need to have findings to report on. If, at first glance, this survey looks similar to something you may have received as a Ryerson University GCM alumni, that’s because it is in fact the same survey. Alumni have received this survey through the Ryerson database, and if you have already completed it I thank you. If you aren’t a Ryerson alumni, I would still appreciate your participation. I want to see how graduates of established programs are doing and how their counterparts who have been educated in the workplace are doing.
We as an industry must understand our current state before we can make improvements in the future, and our education is the foundation on which we will build our future. By participating in this brief survey, you are helping me provide information back to you and to the industry as a whole. I thank you all in advance and I am looking forward to seeing the results just as much as you are.
If there are any questions please feel free to contact me at johnathonanderson@graphicartsmag.com.