The Print and Sign Shop Blog

Print Shops add value by suggesting Upsells

garryjones0 — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:59:30 +0000

You can boost your bottom line dramatically by adding value to your printed products and selling your customers on post-press & print finishing services like laminating, inserting, bursting, decollating, binding and even shrink wrapping. All of these processes not only improve the look of the final product, they increase the profits for you, the printer. Why It Works Valued added products like binding, corner rounding, or even simple laminating work because:1. They can’t be copied in a digital or online form. 2. They add valuable post-press labor hours and revenues. 3. They’re unique and appealing to the customer. Common Applications When selling post-press & print finishing products, you need to think of what will appeal to your customer. For example, the client that does regular direct mail campaigns may be interested in adding on a promotional loyalty card to send out to customers. Or the customer ordering a run of parking permits could be interested in security options like UV printing or coding. Maybe that customer who regularly prints forms would be interested in perfing or adding on removable response cards. The trick is to examine every project and ask yourself if there’s an opportunity to add functionality to it with post-press services. You don’t have to make it a hard sell, but often a friendly suggestion to your customers will not only boost the overall sale, but also demonstrate your interest in the project.

Winning: A guide to competing with the Big Box

garryjones0 — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:09:36 +0000

Focus on Business-to-Business Opportunities

You may not be able to beat the big box stores like Office Depot or Staples when it comes to advertising, promoting and marketing yourself to the mass public, but you can pin them to the mat on networking with other local businesses in your area. Business to Business Will Save Your Business By developing strong, personal relationships with other business owners in your area, you’re setting the foundation for future sales. For example, when my friend first started out in the print shop business, I told him to join his local business networking group and to do it quickly. He attended meetings, he joined golf clubs and he even bought tickets to breakfast lectures and do you know what he got? Direct, face-to-face contact with all of his current best customers. The big box stores can’t compete with you on that, so you have to capitalize on it. Make it Personal A big-box printer may be able to charge a few cents less per copy, but they generally have an untrained kid behind the counter anda limited amount of on-hand resources. What do you have? A trained staff that cares, can greet their best customers by name and has the equipment to do specialty jobs. Focus on really amping up that personal level of printing service and sales and you will see an improvement. When it comes to personalized business services from a trained printing staff, the big box printers can’t compete. Which brings us to part 2 of our series – “Get Customized“.

Yeah, the Legend 72 HUV Printer can do Cornhole Boards

garryjones0 — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:37:14 +0000

Not all of our print jobs are trade show signage or banner prints. Because the Legend 72 HUV printer can print on almost any surface, we’ve been able to try some cool things and make some pretty neat stuff. In fact, one surprise market has been the popularity of printing on plywood for customized corn hole games (also known as tailgate tosses). It’s great, clients come in with a design or a request and we can make a custom 2×4 plywood panel for as little as $150. We used to play this game for fun at family events, but it turns out people are actually pretty serious about corn hole. Did you know the American Cornhole Association sanctions Cornhole tournaments across the country? They’re everywhere. Corn hole may be a little silly, but it’s fun and it’s also a great example of howthe flexibility of the Legend 72 opened up a whole new market for us. Note: If you’re thinking about contacting local businesses or corn hole tournaments about making any type of custom games, make sure you stay away from orders that may involve copyright infringement. We get a lot of requests to put team logos on a board, but unless we can get the licensing for that client, it’s a legal no-no. (Check out our trademark & copyright print shop reference for more info on that.) Check out these cool corn hole boards created by an excellent Chicago based designer.

Indianapolis ID Badge Solutions

garryjones0 — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:46:13 +0000

Last year, we got a call from a local Indianapolis company that needed help with their ID card system. Because they had a number of locations across the greater Indianapolis area, they were dealing with multiple users across their HR department and wanted an employee access card system that was not only simple to use, but also easy to troubleshoot. We directed them to the Fargo DTC 550. Why? Because we knew we could deliver the needed supplies (ink cartridges, blank cards) on demand and Fargo had the support and customer education to back up their product. So, instead of spending days training their HR staff on a new system, they were up and running in hours. Lloyds of Indiana has been selling Fargo ID Badge Printers and supplies for years and one of the first things that attracted me to the product was their high level of customer and product education. On top of making high-quality ID card printers, Fargo has some of the bestcustomer training tools out there. One of our top-selling Fargo products is the DTC550 ID Badge Printer. It prints, encodes and even handles magnetic stripes. It also works on a network, meaning multiple users can access and print from a single printer. Most importantly, it’s easy to use and well supported. On top of our own in-house customer education here at Lloyds, I can send our clients right to the Fargo website where they’ll find videos and fact sheets that not only detail how their products work, but also how to choose the right solution. For example, their Card Selection System Selection Guide is a basic .pdf file that takes you through each of the Fargo ID Badge Printer products. This guide helps businesses identify their ID printing needs and the Fargo product that’s going to meet them. Another feature that I wish was more prevalent in the business-to-business equipment service market, is their easy-to-use support site. With its own domain and simple interface, the Fargo support site walks customers through common troubleshooting problems. So, instead of wading through piles of technical documentation, our customers can focus on identifying a problem and fixing it.

Copyrights and Trademarks for print shops

garryjones0 — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:58:32 +0000

Too many print shops shy away from printing logos or trademarked images because they’re worried about copyright infringement laws. The thing is, it’s easier to get the clearance licenses to print these things than you think. Consider this; sports franchises make most of their money through licensing deals. They want you or your clients to license their images and pay their royalty fees. It’s a business. So, the next time a client comes in andasks for a product emblazoned with a logo, don’t turn that business away. Instead, talk to the client about copyright and licensing, point them towards the pertinent guidelines, and help them through the process. I’m including a list of licensing guidelines for all of the major sports organizations in the U.S., but remember that you can apply these same principles to smaller, local sports franchises too: MLB – Major League Baseball NFL – National Football League NASCAR NBA: I have been looking for information on this forever. if anyone has a tip on this, please share! HLG – Henry Licensing Group (represents multiple licensors):

New Media Changes The Way We Interact

garryjones0 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:24:20 +0000

A few weeks ago, I went down and did a hands-on install at a trade show. We were working with a partner putting up an interactive surface and I just had to get down there and see this new technology for myself. Interactive surfaces, or digital signage, can turn almost any surface into a touch screen. Basically, it’s a sensor-equipped foil and film that’s applied to a glass, Plexiglas or vinyl surface. Then, a basic overhead projector projects an image on to that surface, transforming the surface into a massive interactive surface. They’re really popular with retail outlets that want 24-hour customer interaction or trade show exhibitors looking for that added edge. I was absolutely fascinated by the technology and the implications it could have for the print business, which is why I went down there. I wanted to see this new product in an up close and personal environment and get really hands on with it. It was absolutely incredibleto see this company turn our 2D vinyl image of a giant iPhone into an interactive touchscreen experience. We’re always trying to stay on top of new technologies and expand the print shop market, but this could open up a whole new wing of the industry. I’ll keep you posted on any new developments.

A Timeless Story about Book Binding

garryjones0 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:16:01 +0000

Today as I sat down to blog, I really wanted to talk about this certain product I find myself recommending a lot. But rather than slapping down the typical feature & benefit schpeel, I thought you’d like a story instead… So sit back and imagine this: [Curtain opens: Laura is wrestling with a coil binding machine. Narrator speaks.]

“Laura used to bind the old fashioned way –with a standard, coil binding machine. Her reports and proposals came out looking like middle-school assignments. The covers were hastily printed and the plastic coil binding never seemed to be centered correctly. Every time she’d open one of her old reports, the pages would get stuck on tangled, thick, black coils.”

[Laura pauses, touches her forehead withthe back of her hand and sighs dramatically. Narrator speaks.]

“Did she really spend two months working on this report to have it turn out like this?”

[Laura begins to rifle through her desk, cabinets and bookshelves as she makes her way to stage left, scattering pages across the floor. Narrator speaks.]

“Not only were Laura’s well-written progress reports a printing and binding disaster, they were hard to find. Her office was a sea of documents without proper spines. She had to sift through every report from the last five years if she ever wanted to track down anything. Her bookshelves looked like a wall of black coils, a dizzying zebra pattern that made it impossible to know what was where or where was what. Add to this the box of unorganized coiling supplies and Laura’s office was a total disaster.”

[Laura, in a fresh new outfit, enters from stage left with a Unibinder in her hand and proceeds to create a beautifully bound book. Narrator speaks.]

“That is, until Laura discovered the Unibind system – a simple desktop solution that produces a perfectly bound document every time (and with a spine)! No hole punching, no insertion and no more wrestling with awkward coils.”

[Laura pauses, draws the Unibinder to her chest and embraces it. Narrator speaks.]

“Now, Laura is heat-binding her reports with beautiful covers, even hardback ones. Her literary canon of progress statements and purchasing proposals now line the office shelves with spines proudly shouting their titles. Instead of being tossed in the recycling bin, her white papers are now displayed on the lobby coffee tables. And after years of untangling plastic coils, our Laura is finally making and binding documents worthy of their author and content – with Unibind. “

[Laura holds her bound book admiringly and smiles. Curtains close. The end.] Ever been there? Can you relate to Laura? Well, maybe your life is a bit less dramatic but I think we all know the feeling of finding a tool that changes our work life. Why not tell your colleagues about it in the comments below…

Keys To Success for the Print Shop Owner

garryjones0 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:01:40 +0000

Often when I’m asked to speak at a convention or attend a trade conference, I’m asked what advice I would give to a new print or sign shop owner. Almost always, I stress the importance of marketing and building your client base. Why? Because without customers your business isn’t going to grow. That’s why I was so excited to find this new print shop discussion on the Marketing Profs’ website. It’s a couple of years old, but the ideas in this comments’ thread are perfect for a burgeoning print shop, whether you’re big or small. In the discussion, a sales rep for a print company asks how he can score bigger print jobs and market his company – the first two questions any new print shop owner should be asking themselves. The best part? He gets some great answers fromexperienced marketing professionals. For instance, one respondent asks “what makes you different, better & relevant?” and it’s a critical question for any new print shop owner. Are you going to target small businesses in your neighborhood or are you going to be the expert on direct mail packages for your area? Are you equipped with a state-of-the-art UV curable printer for graphic sign printing or are you going to focus on the look and feel of traditional screen printing? Essentially, what’s your niche? Another respondent recommends joining a local business networking group like Business Network International to meet other business owners and drum up potential business. I say “go local” if at all possible. In my area, we have an Indianapolis biz networking group like BNI called Indiana Business Network (IBN) that I belong to. The printing world can be cutthroat and having that kind of personal relationships with your clients, local and national, is the best way to not only obtain customers, but also retain them.

Share Your Knowledge and Good Cheer!

I wish resources and discussions like this were as readily available to me when I started out in the printing business. So, in an effort to encourage that discussion and process, I’m inviting you, our readers, to add your own print shop marketing suggestions. Come on and share the wealth in the comments section below! Technorati Profile

The Best Customer Service – Use What You Sell

garryjones0 — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:10:40 +0000

When Lloyds of Indiana first started over twenty years ago, we were a print-service-only business. Today, we’re both a service provider and a product seller. By adapting our business model, we’ve become the premiere sign and print shop provider for both equipment and consulting advice in the Midwest. Why? Because, we USE the equipment that we SELL!

We Love The Trenches

Lloyds of Indiana may sell high-end printing equipment, but we still have a print shop and we still take on print jobs – that means we’re in the trenches using the equipment every day and passing that experience on to you. And, because printing and printing equipment is our business– we’re out there staying on top of new technology (like UV curable printing) and being at the forefront of product knowledge.

Our Six Customer Types, Which One Are You?

Lloyds is unique in that we service six different kinds of customers. They are:

1. Simple Printing: the individual user buying top quality home office equipment like lamination machines and document shredders. 2. Small Biz Printing: the small business that purchases equipment for its document finishing needs like booklet makers and paper cutters. 3. Large Mailroom: the corporation or institution that needs in-house equipment for binding and mailing preparation 4. Print Shop: the document center tackling high-end printing jobs, business card runs and other major prints which require specialties like round cornering and badge printing 5. Sign Shop: the sign shop who use UV curable printers and other large-scale equipment and finally 6. Print Service: our own print customers who order UV curable and other print jobs directly from the Lloyds print shop

So, how do we do it? How do we retain so many customers from such a broad cross-section of the industry? Because we know our products and we always make it personal. Every time you call Lloyds of Indiana, a person (yes, a real live person) answers the phone and every time you have a question about our products, we can answer it. Personal service combined with superior product knowledge is something I am (somewhat obsessively) passionate about and hope it is obvious to you whenever you work with us. P.S. If you are in the print or sign shop industry, what do you do to stand out, let the world know in the comments below.

FD 6100 inserter & Unibind XU-138

garryjones0 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:39:16 +0000

I remember a customer that came to us last year after investing thousands into a “do it all” mega printer and copier. It was a school in Indianapolis who quickly realized that their “do it all” printer and copier couldn’t bind, laminate, cut paper down, create mail outs, shred or really do much of anything other than copy and collate. This school had close to a thousand students, so when information went home that meant a thousand mailing packages had to be put together – that’s a thousand sheets of paper to fold, a thousand reply cards to insert and a thousand envelopes to assemble and seal. And though their super printer could do a simple tri-fold, it couldn’t assemble packages or seal them for mailing, meaning monthly mail out time and a monthly assembly line for administrative staff.

LoI to the Rescue

We (the Lloyds of Indiana crew) helped set them up with a basic, but efficient tabletop document folder that could make unique custom folds and the FD 6100 inserter that can insert two sheets and a return envelope into an envelope for mailing and then seal it. And while it wasn’t an “all-in-one” solution, it was a solution that actually worked. On top of their mail-out problems, they were also having trouble creating booklets and binders. While their super printer claimed it could collate and bind, it could actually only staple together a limited number of sheets. It wasn’t effective for printing readings or school publications. So, we set them up with a Unibind XU-138, which is able to tackle larger jobs while creating a seamless, professional finish (perfect binding is adhesive-based and similar to paperback books) and a simple-to-use coil-binding system for smaller booklets. Again, it wasn’t part of an “all-in-one” or “do it all” solution, but it worked.

Something to Think About

Think about it this way – you can buy a machine that does many things poorly or you can buy equipment that does the jobs you need done well. And while a high-quality and high-capacity printer is necessary for many businesses and institutions, so are all the little pieces of equipment involved in the document finishing process. If you find yourself in this situation, give us a call. Our knowledgeable staff is here to help you discover quick & easy solutions that will fit your budget!