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Serving Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming
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Arm Your Company And Your Customers With Pro Print Facts
20% - Direct mail is far more persuasive than digital media; it has a 20% higher motivation response. (1) 77% - More people open print magazines (77%) - and view ads that are in them - than digital publications (49%). (2) 78% - Print gets read: 78% of households either read or scan the advertising mail that they receive. (3) 50% - Over 50% of shoppers use print at least once a week to get product information; that's nearly 20% higher than email, which is the closest digital touch point. (4) These are just some of the statistics available through the WSPA-endorsed Choose Print campaign. The goal of the campaign is to promote the effectiveness of print and to reinforce the fact that print on paper is a recyclable, renewable, and, thus, sustainable environmental choice. And the effort is working as we continue to reach out to designers, print buyers, and purchasing agents. The latest addition to this multi-faceted program is a six-part "Be Prepared" poster series aimed at you, the printer. It will give you strong, fact-based responses to address common objections you hear about print. Access and print these posters and print them prominently in your workplaces and certainly to your sales team. CLICK HERE for the artwork to print. Sources:
1 A Bias for Action: The neuroscience behind the response-driving power of direct mail (study from Research page)2 Online Publications Are No Substitute for Print (article from Downloads page)3 Print Drives Both Online and Off-Line Sales (article from Downloads page)4 Touchpoint Shoppers Survey (study from Research page) |
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Last Chance To Get Denver Awards Tickets
Tickets are still available for the Denver Print Excellence Awards.
This year's Denver event will be held on Thursday, April 28th at the Downtown Embassy Suites Hotel. To reserve your tickets or a discounted table, click on DENVER REGISTRATION.
Dress Code for Embassy Suites Denver: Business Attire
Detailed information on both events can be found on the WSPA Website. |
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Careful Who You HIre!
Every person you hire has the potential to be a blessing or a curse to your business. Most people you interview are trying to impress you, and some may not limit themselves to the truth.
Consider a recent study by American DataBank. It found: - 30% of employment applications contain false material and information;
- 40% of résumé information is misrepresented;
- 45% of potential employees have either a criminal record, bad driving record, workers compensation claim history, or bad credit history;
- 95% of companies are victims of theft, yet only 10% discover it;
- 72% of all negligent hiring suits are lost by employers;
- 40% of American drivers have a violation on their driving record and 25% of American drivers don't have insurance at all;
- 30% of business failures are caused by employee theft
Negligent hiring lawsuits, theft, and workplace violence are risks you take when you hire a new employee. Sometimes, a bad hire can have devastating financial consequences for a business when that person's actions cause property damage or harm to others-or worse. The good news is that your chance of hiring the right person is greatly increased when you follow professional employment screening practices. Completing a background check is a small price to pay to protect your company. As a member of WSPA you have a number of resources: - Discounts on background checks with Employers Choice Online.
- Discounts on personality profiles with Caliper.
- Employment screening services with WSPA Partner Federated Insurance.
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Sales Tips From Leslie: Make The Telephone Your Friend
How is your phone system serving you now?
When someone calls you or your company, does a human being answer the phone? Or do you subject your potential clients to frustrating phone systems that drive them crazy? When you're in your office and the phone rings, answer it! Don't drive your potential clients away because you don't want to interrupt your work of the moment.
We're talking about those answering systems that have the caller opt for a given individual before routing the call to voice mail. If you're in, why not just pick up, or at least pick up when the caller designates you?
If you can afford to hire a receptionist to answer your phones, make sure you train her (or him) well. When potential clients call, she (he) is the one who represents your company. Yes, such training is one more task for someone with your company. But it is critical that your receptionist and anyone else who answers the phone have a professional demeanor and provide valuable assistance to callers.
Source: Leslie Groene |
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Lessons From Lindgren: Overs/Unders
The historical trade customs provide that acceptable delivery is 10 percent plus or minus of the order quantity with the difference being charged/credited pro rata.
This works because when the client asks for 10,000 folders, they only rarely need exactly that number. Similarly, when we set out to produce the 10,000 folders, which may involve several press, finishing and mailing steps, makeready and running spoilage will vary at each step.
Clients who refuse to pay for overs but want full delivery force the printer to produce more than needed to avoid going back to press to make up a shortage. As a result, the client who believes that they are controlling their costs are actually making them higher. If anything, the trend toward shorter runs has increased the impact of spoilage which suggests that in these cases the percentage might be higher and 10 percent. In any case, the client should know in advance the policy on overs/unders to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Of course, if the printer routinely produces and bills overs on every job, the credibility with the client is undermined.
Bob Lindgren is the President and CEO of Printing Industries Association of Southern California, the largest affiliate of PIA. Mr. Lindgren has more than 40 years of experience in the industry and is an expert in the area of print finance.
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Group Buying Program Saves Small Printers Thousands of Dollars!
Printers with sales of less than $5 million a year are saving thousands of dollars a year with a group buying program with WSPA.
The companies are receiving cash incentives and price improvements in the following areas: small parcel shipment (through UPS), ink, coatings, prepress including plates, wide-format, pressroom and limited paper products.
The program is offered through Independent Printers Alliance (IPA), a division of Independent Printers Worldwide, Inc. (IPW), a national procurement group specializing in superior vendor programs for independent printers. It is ONLY available to members of Printing Industries of America or one of its affiliates, like WSPA. To see how your company might save thousands of dollars a year, CLICK HERE or call 1-855-747-7468.PROGRAM TESTIMONIALS
"Since joining the IPA program, I have seen significant savings through these programs with very little effort on our part. We are saving in excess of $6,000 dollars annually using just two programs. The opportunity for more savings is great. I would highly recommend IPA to any small printing business." Erik Johnson- General Manager, Johnson Printing "By simply joining the IPA program our company has realized savings of nearly $5,000 dollars annually. We plan to make this one of our top priorities this year to maximize the potential savings by working closer with the folks at IPA. I highly recommend this program to any printer with sales under $5 million." Mari Reid, President Dakota Press |
Book Of The Month (This Month Free!)
11+ Tips to Effective Self-Promotion Planning for Printers (PDF)
Several years ago, Dick Gorelick wrote a series of monographs for Printing Industries of America grouped under the title "Account Development Series" focused on the concept that the structure of the industry was changing and the sales function itself was evolving as a result. Today account development is an organizational effort encompassing many areas of a print and graphic communications company.
You will learn:
- What constitutes successful self-promotion
- How self-promotion fits in with your current operations
- The differences between branding, positioning, and differentiation
- Today's focus of self-promotion
- Matching your objective to vehicle and audience
- 11 points to consider in your planning
- The value of hosting seminars
- A recap of what-and what not-to do
Member price: FREE!Nonmember price: $5.00 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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Expand Your Influence Over Employees With These 5 Tips
Here are some simple tips for building your overall influence with your employees.
You influence your team in many ways, not just by telling them what to do. Here are some simple tips for building your overall influence with your employees:
Communicate face to face. Talk to each employee individually as much as you can instead of relying on emails and team meetings.
Understand individual motivations. Money isn't everything. Find out what drives each worker to achieve excellence.
Set objectives. Be clear about what you want to achieve. Goals should be concrete and easily measurable.
Give feedback. Provide updates on an individual and team level so employees know what they're doing well and where they can improve.
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Why Did They Leave?
Employees who are heading out the door may not seem to be a priority, but they have valuable information that you shouldn't necessarily leave to a human resources administrator. Though administrators or outsiders may be more likely to elicit honest feedback, they aren't in the position to implement what they learn. You are. Even if your company has a procedure for conducting formal exit interviews, find time to ask departing employees to share their thoughts with you.
Listen patiently without arguing or growing defensive. Then follow up on what you learn. Even a few informal comments can help you build a more welcoming environment for your employees.
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Ease Off On The Emails
Firing off an email may seem easier than walking down the hall to speak to an employee or colleague, but it's not always better. Use these guidelines to choose the best medium for your message. Email- You're sharing information that requires no response.
- You're exchanging simple information that requires little explanation
- You want to forward information to a large group of people
- You wish to maintain a written record of the communication.
Telephone - To explain a subject in greater detail
- To conference with people who are in several different locations
- To provide the opportunity to give feedback.
Face to Face - You're relaying sensitive or confidential information
- You're explaining controversial issues
- You're concerned about miscommunication
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For more information, CLICK HERE
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Weekly Photo Feature:
Are you Kidding Me?!
Each week, E-Connects shares 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. Pictured: High wire act. He must be high.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 Company 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? Held an open house or party?
Let us know so we can share in a future edition of E-Connects. Send your news to Michael Makin at 1-844-237-1550 (ext. 3) or email him at mmakin@wsprint.org.
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Quote For The Week
"Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself."
James Macnaughton
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WSPA | 844-237-1550 | wsprint.org
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