{"id":1712,"date":"2011-10-13T08:27:31","date_gmt":"2011-10-13T16:27:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colorfxweb.com\/blog\/?p=1712"},"modified":"2015-09-23T08:19:39","modified_gmt":"2015-09-23T08:19:39","slug":"market-your-printing-services-or-die","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colorfxweb.com\/blog\/market-your-printing-services-or-die\/","title":{"rendered":"Market Your Printing Services or Die"},"content":{"rendered":"

You are the master of your own destiny.<\/p>\n

Clich\u00e9, while (by definition) often overused, are educational. A favorite of mine is that old adage: \u201cThere\u2019s never money to advertise until it\u2019s time to advertise Going out of Business.\u201d Printers<\/span><\/a><\/span>, no matter how much we want to believe it to be otherwise, are not immune to this business reality. Often we figure the costs associated with producing our products \u2013 even the overhead expenses (what a concept!) \u2013 but we fail to consider that funds are necessary to promote our printing business<\/span><\/a><\/span> so that there will be business tomorrow.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a fact of business life that there are more printing companies than just about any other kind of business; promotional budgets are not only nice to have but essential.<\/p>\n

In the marketplace, consumers pigeonhole their vendors. That is to say, customers have a preconceived notion about what the printing company<\/span><\/a><\/span> is capable of doing and more importantly how much their products and services are worth. Like it or not, a company\u2019s success depends on which \u201chole\u201d they are placed in. Customers make their judgment regarding a particular vendor largely based on the information the vendor provides. So, while the customer does the categorization, the supplier (in our case the printer) provides the input by which the customer makes his or her decision.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What this all boils down to is lacking a clear message and your company will be placed with the vast majority of all printers<\/span><\/a><\/span>. In this case, your firm will almost be always relegated to bottom finishing and awarded jobs only if your price is the lowest. Not a place you want to be. What\u2019s particularly sad about this situation is that most feel they have no control. In reality, you have enormous control unless of course the \u201ctraps\u201d that stop making businesses from taking required decisive actions are ignored. Printing companies who take action in the form of a marketing campaign designed to educate their customers will find their company removed from the \u201cprice\u201d pigeonhole and into the \u201cdependable\u201d, \u201ccount-on\u201d, \u201cquality\u201d pigeonhole. The choice is yours.<\/p>\n

Traps are numerous and easy for printers to stumble upon. These traps (also called excuses) give printers a reason why they shouldn\u2019t market their business. Successful owners and managers know firsthand why self-promotion is a \u201cmust\u201d. They simply look at their profit and loss statement at the end of every month and rejoice.<\/p>\n

A very common excuse that keeps printing companies<\/span><\/a><\/span> from engaging in self-promotion often contains the phrase \u201cthere\u2019s no money\u201d. An example of this phenomenon is the company has just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars purchasing new printing<\/span><\/a><\/span> equipment. They errantly figure that once the word \u201cgets out\u201d they have this new machinery, customers will beat a path to their door. Puzzling, wouldn\u2019t you say? How do these kinds of companies figure their customers will discover their new equipment \u2013 through osmosis? Telepathic phenomenon?<\/p>\n

One of the common reasons to not do any marketing is because the company is actually \u201ctoo busy.\u201d Huh? The perfect time to market your business is when you are the busiest. Money spent on promotions when busy is anything but wasted. By devoting marketing resources during these \u201cgood\u201d times, you will be assured of continuing the busy trend.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the age-old adage \u201cit\u2019s too expensive.\u201d What is infinitely more expensive is to miss out on businesses that could be yours if only you let customers know what you have to offer. I like to think that promotion for printers is one kind of \u201cexpense\u201d that really can\u2019t be too much. While it may be hard to imagine, as long as your self-promotion campaign is well-thought-out, executed, and the more money that is spent, the greater the rewards.<\/p>\n

Suppose you\u2019ve decided that a promotional campaign is necessary and you have the money. Your only roadblock consists of making a commitment that you feel some day you will be unable to continue; therefore you elect not to begin. Here\u2019s an idea: Hire out the creative side of your promotional effort. Chances are, as a printer, you will easily be able to produce the materials. So find a qualified competent source to provide the required pre-press materials. In this manner, you\u2019ll have what you need on a timely basis and your customers will get something from you regularly. You\u2019ll even be able to sleep better at night.<\/p>\n

No matter what it takes, self-promotion is one cost of doing business printing companies cannot afford to overlook. The kinds of jobs your customers vend to you, (and therefore the revenues you receive) depend upon it. Marketing is something completely within your control!<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"