Magazine Articles

It’s the DOC versus state lawmakers and the US printing industry I don’t know what’s more exhausting – keeping up with comrade Trump’s lies (now over 3,000 reported) or his proposed tariffs. Yes folks, like that hypochondriac in-law who’s been dying of the same illness for 40 years, the ad-nauseam tariff threats from the White … Read more →

In mid-May we attended Xeikon Café in Chicago, one the user groups that are proliferating around the industry. A mix of motivational speakers, printer panels and industry consultants produced a three-day event full of company updates, market intelligence and substantive advice for finding success in today’s evolving industry. It’s worth noting that this year marks … Read more →

…..both here and south of the border It’s so gratifying to see some of our industry’s best people and top companies succeed. Last month I attended Insource’s first-ever Insource Expo in Markham, Ontario. Several hundred attended the two-day event that featured industry experts giving personalized equipment demos, as well as the latest mailing, printing, packaging … Read more →

Saying thank you is an effective way to express customer appreciation As children, we’re taught that it’s good manners to say thank you. In fact we say thank you all the time: when we’re given a gift; when a favour is done for us; when we’re provided assistance; or simply when someone passes the salt. … Read more →

Here’s what you need to know to get the most from government funding  Just recently, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada announced that it will provide $950 million to five innovation superclusters spaced evenly across the country. The Ontario Supercluster, referred to as the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster, specifically highlights 3D printing innovation funding, an area … Read more →

Effective order forms are the key to building trust and selling online Trust is such an important part of selling printing online.  Creating trust is even part of the last step of the digital dialog we’ve been exploring together in the past few articles. Remember the definition of digital dialog: the online version of you … Read more →

Most trust print, as long as it’s relevant to them  It’s the age-old question:  what is the best way to advertise to the young? The millennial generation makes up a large portion of the population and they have spending power, especially as their presence in the workforce grows. But what media channels do they use … Read more →

We look at three companies that do it right What do Barack Obama and J.K. Rowling have in common? What about Walt Disney and Malala Yousafzai?   Barack Obama changed the course of history in 2008, winning the US presidential election by uniting the nation through story. J.K. Rowling has told some of the most … Read more →

All the pieces have to work together to create relevant campaigns Building a successful multichannel marketing campaign is a bit like making a cake. For the recipe to be a success, you need to add all the right ingredients. Let’s take a look at some dos and don’ts for executing multichannel campaigns that will keep … Read more →

 Here’s how The Paper Express Shoppe is making sure the answer remains “Yes” There’s no question that the print industry has changed in recent years, and printing customer demands are still changing. Tighter print marketing budgets, a push towards paperless billing and paperless transactions, and the incessant need for personalized print material to compete with … Read more →

And the Toronto Star actually adds more reporters I see my old alma mater, Toronto’s Ryerson University, and my former employer, the Toronto Star, are making news once again. The RyeTAGA (Ryerson Technical Association of the Graphic Arts) Student Chapter won the 2018 Helmut Kipphan Student Publication Award – for the 7th time in 10 … Read more →