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Serving Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming
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Students Prefer Physical Over E-Books
In a new study conducted by American University linguistics professor Naomi Baron, researchers have found that an overwhelming majority of students prefer physical books over e-books for reading.
For the study, Baron surveyed over 300 university students from the US, Japan, Germany and Slovakia about their reading preferences.
When given options between physical books and electronic reading devices, 92% of students said they concentrate best with physical books.
"There are two big issues. The first was they say they get distracted, pulled away to other things," Baron told US magazine The New Republic. "The second had to do with eye strain and headaches and physical discomfort."
But the love of books goes more than just reading efficiency - readers are still charmed by the presence of physical books.
"In the Slovakian data, when I asked what do you like most about reading in hard copy, one out of 10 talked about the smell of books. There really is a physical tactile, kinesthetic component to reading," says Baron.
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Sales Tips From Leslie:
Strategic Selling: Tips To Make You Even More Successful
There are two ways to grow your business: find new customers and sell current customers additional solutions. We need to maximize our relationships and use effective selling strategies to maintain or grow our market share which can include new solutions. Now more than ever we need to prospect and find new opportunities. As our customers cut back or consolidate vendors it is apparent that there are fewer dollars of revenue to go around. Before you try and sell new technology or services, I recommend that you survey current clients to see what other solutions they are buying and may be considering using in the future. This survey can be done informally in person with the client (which is a great way to spend time with clients) or in a more structured way with an online survey resource. That way you can be sure that you are adding relevant solutions that you have a change of acquiring. You can sell only if you are personally convinced. If you are not sold on your product or service, it will be an uphill battle to sell someone else. your lack of conviction will scream through. Be clear and direct. When pitching your idea or solution, don't use complicated words. Pride yourself instead on being able to explain the product or solution as quickly, clearly and simply as possible. Know your client. Make sure to research your potential clients, know their challenges and their needs. One size hardly fits all, and you look much stronger if you care about their business enough to invest in the research. Its all about presentation. Building an amazing slide deck is critical to the sales process. Practice it, memorize it and be prepared to shift your emphasis based on how the energy changes when you give the presentation. Ask yourself, "is the flow of this deck right? Will it convince?"
Be passionate and exciting. Most presentations are boring. So create a show and make it exciting. Excitement is contagious - just like a yawn.
If you don't know the answer, don't guess. People will ask you rough questions, and you may not always know the answers. The person asking you may be testing you, knowing the answer full well. And if you fumble, it's very hard to rebuild credibility.
Answer questions directly and clearly. If you are asked a question and you give a "political answer" - in other words, if you don't answer the question - your credibility will decline and you will hurt your chances of making the sale.
You can always be better. Sales is an art, not a science. Which means the process is never perfect and you can always improve your game.
Bottom line. Sales is a critical function that is more art than science, so hone your art!
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Arm Your Customers With Pro-Print Facts
Often we hear customers justify digital media's lower response rates because of cost. We need to reiterate it is not an "either/or" situation, because print is a major driver of online sales. - 75% of consumers use catalogs to browse and research products, and 31% have a retailer's catalog handy when they make an online purchase (1)
- 78% of consumers react to direct mail immediately; when they're interested, 44% visit the brand's website and 34% search online for more information about the product (2)
- Direct mail is far more persuasive than digital media, with a 20% higher motivation response rate (3)
- Google's research confirms that print is a key stimulus to online research of a product before the purchase is made.
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 Even E-Los Angeles Companies Send Print Catalogs (article from Downloads page)2 Print Drives Online Sales (ChoosePrint website page)3 A Bias For Action: The Neuroscience Behind The Response-Driving Power of Direct Mail (study from Research Page)4 Print Is A Key Stimulus (postcard from Downloads page)
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Member Savings With Apple
As a member of Printing Industries of America through WSPA you are eligible to take advantage of preferred pricing on the latest Apple products and accessories.
Program Benefits
Special member pricing on Apple products
Exclusive promotions
Free shipping on all orders
Mac customization
Free engraving on all new iPod and iPad models
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Save Time When Keeping Your Team Abreast
In many organizations, managers gather their employees for a weekly meeting to report on the status of their work and projects.
One by one, employees update the managers on the progress of their work. This ritual can be a waste of time if nothing else happens. Try a better option - ask workers to provide in advance a brief written account of exactly where their assigned responsibilities stand. Then use the meeting to address possible snags.
You won't waste time on status reports that basically say "everything's fine" and you'll be better able to deal with problems before they become crises.
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Lessons From Lindgren:
Estimating System: Friend Or Foe
Your pricing policy will determine your bottom line. It can enable you to be paid for the value you provide for your clients, it can allow you to bring in work that will fill the plant, cover the overhead and get you into high profit territory, it can open up new client relationships or it can let you drift into oblivion.
Where does your pricing policy live? Mostly in your estimating software and, to a certain extent, in the minds of the folks who operate it. Your pricing policy also gets some input from your sales reps and clients but usually only to the extent that they think that's too high.
If you want your pricing policy to do the job of getting paid for value and building volume that will pay for the overhead, you must take control. That means thinking hour prices, not hour costs. That means identifying clients who know the importance of print to their success and are willing to pay for the best as well as those who like to get a lot of quotes and only buy on price. That means understanding that the cost of producing a job is just the amount we'll actually spend to get it done (paper, buy-outs, production wages, commission) and nothing more.
That means accepting that any job that we can produce for more than the out of pocket cost is a win and puts us closer to profit for the month. That at least a two shift operation with heavy overtime is essential to profit nirvana. That a sales compensation system keyed to your business interest - maximizing contribution dollars by recognizing both pricing and volume components is essential to success.
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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Bringing Art To The Blind
Since the invention of Braille nearly 200 years ago, advocates have worked continuously to improve access to the printed word for the blind. Today, technology makes access nearly immediate.
However, a new challenge exists. The next frontier is to provide the blind with access to photographs and art, not words that describe them, but access to the actual images.
3DPhotoWorks has devoted nearly seven years to developing a solution. The company converts any painting, drawing, collage or photograph to a 3 Dimensional Tactile Fine Art Print. Its prints have length, width, depth and texture. Using their fingertips, the blind experience our prints through tactile feedback. This feedback creates a mental picture that allows the blind to "see" (their words) the art, often for the first time.
Sensors are embedded throughout the print that when activated by touch, provide custom audio that grows the narrative.
There are 285 million blind and sight impaired worldwide. In the US, 1 person goes blind every 11 minutes. In North America, there are 35,000 museums. 3DPhotoWorks hopes to provide the blind with access to art and photography at every museum, every science center and every cultural institution, first in this country and then beyond.
Source: Inkondapaper.com
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Google wants to solidify its position as the premier search engine by improving the quality of its data. It needs the cooperation of business to provide the correct information about them so it creates a website where the business can log in and update information about themselves as well as post photos of the business.
Does it send emails to do this, capitalizing on its impressive market share with GMail? Does it wait for people to find its website? No! It uses print and the United States Postal Service.
Even better, it uses variable data in it's printed pieces to display how the business's listing might look on a smart phone. When firms respond to the printed piece, they are enabled to update their listing and Google gets to find out even more about them - a double win. Go print!
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How Are Decks Of Cards Made?
How are playing cards made? Take an exclusive tour inside the Bicycle playing card factory and learn the art, science, and craftsmanship that goes into making every deck of cards. Click on the video to see the the physical manufacturing in action.
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Time Running Out To Register For Denver Golf
The dates are set for WSPA's golf tournaments in Denver and Phoenix. DENVERWSPA will return to the Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club on Friday, September 9th.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 the tournament? Contact Golf Committee Chair Sandi Neuman at 602-228-5858 or sandineuman614@gmail.com. CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR
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PHOENIX The Phoenix Golf Tournament will return with a vengeance on Saturday, October 22, 2016 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, 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!
Last year the tournament sold out quickly so book your foursomes early! Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in sponsoring the tournament? There are numerous opportunities still available including individual hole sponsorships - many helping to support future GCEF Scholarships. 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.
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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. Some pictures showcase carelessness, others plain stupidity. The goal - to keep a safe work environment front and center on the minds of all of your employees. Pictured: Oh heck to the no!
If you come across a funny pic you think should be featured, email Michael Makin at mmakin@wsprint.org. |
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Refer-A-Member Incentive
WSPA is only as strong as its membership base and wants to continually grow to service its members. You can help by being an ambassador and referring potential members our way!
What's in it for you for spreading the word? If you refer a member and they sign up, we will send you a $50 gift card.
Send your leads toll free to Michael Makin at 1-844-237-1550 (ext. 3) or email mmakin@wsprint.org.
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Quote For The Week
"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
Colin Powell
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