Well thought-out marketing strategies can boost commercial print sales.
With all of the ongoing challenges in the print world, manufacturers of commercial print products have found themselves at the helm of aggressive marketing efforts in order to stay on top.
"Establishing credibility with distributors is our top marketing strategy," said Richard Ghelerter, president of Jacksonville, Florida-based Apex Color. "One way that we have done this is by participating in the Printing Association of Florida's annual awards, and we have received the association's Best of Category award in commercial printing for four consecutive years."
Ghelerter added that receiving such awards looks great on a company's resumé. "Having some credentials when going into a marketing campaign shows distributors that we are serious and sets us apart from the competition," he noted.
Ghelerter also said that attending industry trade shows and using traditional forms of advertising—such as magazine advertising—play important roles in Apex Color's marketing efforts. "Distributors sometimes find us, and we sometimes find them through referrals and by other means," he explained. "However, we have found that attending trade shows and advertising in various industry publications are the most effective means of bringing the two together."
Similar to Apex Color, which only sells to the trade, Anthony Rouse, president and CEO of Team Concept Printing & Thermography, Carol Stream, Ill., said that referrals, advertising and direct mail are his company's top marketing strategies. "Word of mouth seems to be the most effective strategy that continues to move us forward," he said. "We also advertise in four different magazines, bringing in an average of 35 to 40 new distributor leads per month, and we also do bulk mailings once every quarter."
With marketing efforts producing favorable outcomes, Ghelerter said that commercial print sales, which make up 30 percent of Apex Color's total sales, are on the rise. "For the past three years, we have averaged more than a 30 percent increase in commercial print sales each year," he explained. "However, I expect the trend to average out to approximately 20 percent next year, and I anticipate double-digit increases for the next several years."
Team Concept Printing & Thermography, which also sells exclusively to distributors (with commercial print accounting for 100 percent of its sales), has also seen a significant increase in commercial print sales, according to Rouse. "In 2002 and 2003, our sales showed little to no increase," he recalled. "Then, last year, we experienced an increase of approximately 20 percent." Rouse attributed these figures to vigorous magazine advertising campaigns that began in early 2003 and improving market conditions. "While our marketing efforts have brought in new customers, most of our existing customer base has been sending us multiple orders," he said.
Rouse and Ghelerter agreed that new technologies, such as FTP sites and online ordering systems, play important roles in the marketing of commercial print. "These technologies enable us to take orders from all over the United States and provide our customers with faster turnaround times," noted Rouse. "They have played a major part in helping us to grow our national business."
Ghelerter agreed. "Our FTP site helps us to get started on projects more quickly and allows us to ship customers the finished product much faster," he said.
A New Age
When it comes to new printing processes, Rouse said that Team Concept Printing & Thermography will purchase either an Indigo or Xerox printer within the next year—allowing the company to print shorter runs. "With our current customer base, it is important for us to be able to print anywhere from one sheet to tens of thousands of sheets at a time," he explained.
Ghelerter said that Apex Color's newest commercial printing process is its direct-to-plate system. "The system functions as another output device, which allows us to take the same raster image processor [RIP] files from the proof directly to the aluminum plate," he explained. Ghelerter also said that the company frequently upgrades the technology used in its prepress department in order to satisfy the demand of designers.
Both Rouse and Ghelerter projected commercial print sales to grow at a rate of 15 percent and 20 percent respectively each year over the next few years. "There appears to be a lot of opportunity in commercial printing," said Ghelerter. "More distributors are beginning to sell commercial print and are looking for companies that are exclusively wholesale, and that have credibility."
Of its top-selling products, including postcards, sell sheets and tri-fold brochures, Rouse said that 50 percent of Team Concept Printing & Thermography's business comes from the sale of business cards. "Thermographed, flat-print and full-color business cards make up a significant portion of our business," he said.
When asked what distributors can do to add value to commercial print products, Rouse said that embossing, foil stamping, rounded corners and diecutting are good options. "Rounded corners and custom die cuts have been very popular lately," he said. "Spot varnishing and spot thermography are also popular upgrades that customers are using to add value to products."
Ghelerter agreed, "Various types of coating, upgraded paper, varnish and lamination are great ways to add value." He also said that Apex Color offers customers kit building, warehousing and distribution services. "Many commercial print projects include printed pieces and promotional products that are gathered, packaged and distributed to several locations," he said.
Tricks of the Trade
To help distributors sell more commercial print, Ghelerter and Rouse offered valuable advice. "It is important for distributors to be knowledgeable of the products they are selling," Ghelerter said. "Distributors should not only understand four-color process, but they should also know the kinds of products that their print vendors can produce." He also said that distributors should learn about the kinds of substrates vendors can print on, as well as stocks and finishes.
In order to help educate distributors on the products that it produces, Ghelerter said, Apex Color relies on plant tours. "On the tours, distributors are given dealer packets providing them with company information and a variety of samples," he said. "We also encourage distributors to create their own portfolios with samples so that their customers can sample the products."
Rouse said that distributors who work hard finish first. "Distributors who are successful usually do whatever it takes to satisfy their customers," he said. "I would advise distributors to never give up on a customer—no matter how small the order is, or how difficult it may be."
Ghelerter advised distributors to find out who makes the print buying decisions and talk to him or her. "It's not always the people who purchase consumable products, such as business forms, that you need to talk to," he said. "Many times, companies have marketing departments or outside advertising agencies that handle the print buying."
Both manufacturers agreed that distributors play an integral role in the success of their commercial print business. "Because we are strictly wholesale, the growth we have experienced has been exclusively through our distributors," said Ghelerter. "They are our business."
Rouse echoed Ghelerter's sentiments. "Having the support of our distributors largely impacts our future," he said. "Our support of them, and them knowing that we are loyal to the relationship that we have with them, is very important to us."
By Cynthia T. Graham