 Online Publications Are No Substitute For Print!
Facing budgetary pressures, many organizations are considering changing their print magazines to online publications. A recent Virginia Tech study, however, indicates that this might not be wise.
Subscribers to Virginia Tech's alumni publication were sent either a print version of the magazine or an email invitation linking to the online version of the magazine, and then contacted by telephone and asked a series of questions about the publication. The results showed that:
- More people remembered getting the print magazine -only 49% of those who received the online version remembered getting the email, while 82% of those who received the print version remembered receiving it.
- More people opened the print magazine. The print magazine was viewed by 77% of those who remembered receiving it, while only 49% of those who remembered receiving the online invitation actually clicked through and viewed the publication.
- More people remembered articles from the print magazine. Respondents who viewed the print version recalled a significantly greater number of articles than did those who viewed the online version.
All in all, the print publication appeared to be more effective than the online publication. As the author surmises, "ceasing a print publication in favor of an online-only publication might hurt the effectiveness of an organization's
marketing communication, and managers should not make the decision based on cost alone."
Source: www.chooseprint.org |
 3 Essential Print Sales Activities For The Summer No-one does anything over summer, right?
That's the old sales theory. All the customers are away, it's too hot - let's regroup in September.
Carrying out sales activity now is a waste of time. Right? Wrong!
Certainly, not all your customers are as active as they might be. However, that doesn't mean that you should reduce your activity.
Here are three activities you should engage in over summer:
(1) Get your customers to plan. If your customers are quieter, they have more time to think ahead. Summer is a great time to start talking with them about the rest of the year. What will they be up to? When should they start on projects? If you manage to show them how much they have to do, you may even persuade them to bring some projects forward. That can be a good way to fill presses if you have some summer gaps. However, you should set your sights further than just your current customers. (2)Talk to old customers. Now's the time to start re-engaging with customers that you haven't spoken to in a while. Have they been using less print recently? This is a good opportunity to remind them why they should still be using print. Have they started using another supplier? Why did they do this? Is there an opportunity for you to win them back? If this is a quiet time of year for these customers they may have more time to speak with you. However, it's important that they understand the value of you and your company. That's where the third activity comes in. (3) Work on your sales message. When it's busy, you don't have the time to concentrate on your own performance. So if you have some spare time now, it's the ideal opportunity to focus on your sales message. It's time to make sure that it's as compelling as it can be. |
 Are Your Property Limits Accurate?
Imagine you get that middle-of-the-night call every business owner dreads: There's smoke coming from the roof at your plant. When you arrive, the entire building is in flames. The fire gets put out shortly after dawn, but it's evident the fire and water damage is extensive.
Your equipment is now scrap and everything else is ruined. Now imagine finding out that, while the walls and roof were insured at their full replacement value, not much else was.
Not calculating replacement value for property contents is a costly mistake some business owners make when valuing their business insurance limits. Don't be one of them!
When discussing insurance values with your provider, be sure you include anything that could affect value: new machines or equipment, inventory (raw material, in-process and finished product, etc.), property of others, remodels, etc. And, don't forget to consider inflation and other valuation factors. The amount you have on your balance sheet or the item's cost new may not be an accurate reflection of your contents' replacement costs. Remember, you probably had time to shop around and buy the items at the best possible price, but you won't have that luxury when you need to get your business back up and running as fast as possible.
Determining the replacement cost of your business personal property (contents) is involved, and it requires your time and expertise. Yes, it may be time-consuming to do a walk-through to list floor-to-ceiling contents and determine accurate costs, but it is the best way to calculate true value to help ensure you're adequately covered if you have a claim. WSPA partner Federated Insurance uses one of the finest building value estimation tools in the marketplace to help business owners determine adequate values. Doing what you can to make sure you are insured to value offers an added layer of peace of mind.
The extra time spent now will be much appreciated in the unfortunate event of a loss. And, to protect all your hard work, you will want to store the documentation in a safe, off-site location to make sure you can readily access it when it's needed most.
Source: Federated Insurance |
New PIA Online Course: 7 Basic Tools Of Process Improvement
Printing Industries of America has added another program, "The Seven Basic Tools of Process Improvement," to its growing series of online continuous improvement programs. The courses are contained within the association's Integrated Learning Center. Lean practices have been proven to save printers tens of thousands of dollars. See if this course can set you on your lean path. Visit www.printing.org/ilc.
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WSPA Book Of The Month
Job Definition Format (JDF) and Job Messaging Format (JMF), based on the XML standard, provide one of the most important recent innovations for the automation of print production. JDF Workflow: A Guide to Automation in the Graphic Communications Industry, demonstrates that it is more than just a data format by providing a comprehensive examination of the format as well as the workflow that can be built with the help of JDF.
Member price:$82.50
Nonmember price:$108.50
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
Printing Industries Press is proud to offer the widest selection of graphic arts titles in the industry. In addition to technical titles covering every aspect of the printing process, you will find economics, sales and marketing, and human relations information as well. Several types of resources are offered including primers, textbooks, training materials and how-to guides, and various downloadable products. Use the links on the left side of the the store's webpage to navigate through the subject categories and keywords to find what you're looking for.
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 Keep Top Customers In The Fold
Make a list of your top ten clients. Then, ask yourself how many times you or other members of your management team have visited them in the last year.
If there are some for whom the answer is zero, those are major clients ripe for the losing - either by them finding another printer or by your rep taking them when they get that new job with your competitor.
Regular visits of this kind not only strengthen the relationship but enable you to learn of new or challenging needs so that you can react to them.
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Water, Water Everywhere, But Can I Have A Drink? - by Andrew Schlak, PICB
Many jokingly say that the only things in life one can count upon is death and taxes, but in business there is a third equal and undeniable reality--Bad Debt! Losses to non-paying customers WILL happen! No matter the circumstances, whether if a customer closed its' doors or simply chose to ignore their obligation to pay, somewhere, sometime, some business will NOT pay for what is due. No matter how you attempt to mitigate the damages bad debt does not discriminate: It occurs to small and big businesses alike. It does not care if you are an old 'stalwart' or a new startup, and the losses are not just a consequence of giving credit but rather a bi-product of conducting business. So if bad debt is unavoidable, how we handle these financial setbacks can determine our own viability and stability. There is good news! Bad debt, when part of a business strategy, actually helps financial growth. Companies who take calculated risks on customers after a careful review of their company details will simply have more customers who pay their bills timely, while those businesses who simply grant terms without considering the consequences will more frequently experience loss -their money walked when the customer's doors were closed. My favorite analogy is to liken a business to a glass of water, the glass being the company and the water its' commodity-If the glass is left unattended eventually the water will simply evaporate leaving nothing but a scummy calcified ring, but if the water is replenished regularly it stays fresh and nourishes all those who need to drink. With the recent closure of several prominent companies many members have asked 'What do we do now to get paid'? The sad reality is most businesses today operate under water therefore once they shut down there is rarely any money left for the trade venders, hence the importance of understanding your rights before spending good money to chase what may already be gone. Remember once they have closed the doors the longer you wait to react the more likely any potential recovery is dissipated-Time is not a creditor's friend when the doors have closed. Questions? Feel free to contact the Printing Industry Credit Bureau at 847-265-0400 or visit www.picb-us.com.
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 Denver Golf Outing Next Month - Sign Up Before It Is Sold Out! The Denver golf outing is just eight weeks away - what are you waiting for? It will be held Friday, August 28, 2015 at the Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club.Described by Golf Digest, as "one of the best places to play in Colorado," the Arthur Hills designed course is a links-style 18-hole championship course that makes use of dramatic elevation changes, native areas, panoramic views and wide, accommodating fairways to appeal to players of all levels. Tickets are only $125 and include greens fee, golf cart and lunch. Foursomes and individual tickets will sell out fast so be sure to sign up ASAP. Don't golf? Join us for lunch for just $25. Interested in sponsoring a hole at the tournament for only $275? CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR A HOLE. For other sponsorship opportunities, contact Golf Committee Chair Sandi Neuman of Vision Graphics at 303-909-7410 or sandi.neuman@visiongraphics-inc.com.
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 Come Out and Play! WSPA's Phoenix Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at the stunning Arizona Grand Golf Resort.
Join colleagues and friendly competitors from the industry for a day of fun on the links followed by the Par-Tee on the Green (sponsored by Kelly Paper and Spicers Paper), where bragging rights will be on display and awards presented.
Tickets are only $99 and include greens fee, golf cart, lunch and two drink tickets. Foursomes and individual tickets will sell out fast so be sure to register as soon as possible!
Want to stay at The Grand Resort? Take advantage of special WSPA rates by clicking HERE.
REGISTER HERE FOR GOLF
Sponsorship OpportunitiesInterested in sponsoring the tournament? There are numerous opportunities still available including individual hole sponsorships - many helping to support future GCEF Scholarships. Platinum Sponsorship ($3,000) - 2 complimentary foursomes
- Signage, choice of (pick which item you want your name on) gall balls, golf towels, water bottles
- One hole sponsorship
Gold Sponsorship ($1,500) - 1 complimentary foursome
- Hole sponsorship (pick one of the contest holes) Men's long drive, Women's long drive, Men's Closest to the Pin, Longest Putt
- Combined lunch sponsorship with signage
Silver (Hole) Sponsorship ($300) - Signage at either the tee box or the green
All sponsorships include signage at the event plus recognition in program and on website. Email current HIGH RES LOGO in jpg, eps or vector format. In-kind raffle prize donations are also welcome.
For details contact tournament chairman Gary Matchinsky at 480-829-8890 or garym@bctarizona.com |
Weekly Photo Feature:
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Each week E-Connects will share incredible photos on just how lax individuals can be when it comes to safety.
The goal - to keep a safe work environment front and center on the minds of all of your employees.
Dangerous high wire act!
If you come across a funny safety pic you think should be featured, email Michael Makin at mmakin@wsprint.org.
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 Share Your News!
Have exciting news at your facility? For example, recognized for community service or install a new press? Hire a new employee you want to show off?
Let us know so we can share in a future edition of E-Connects.
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Quote For The Week
"If we fall, we don't need self-recrimination or blame or anger - we need a reawakening of our intention and a willingness to recommit, to be whole-hearted once again.""
Sharon Salzbereg
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