Peninsular Printing

Beneath the stunning graphics and vibrant colors is a demanding product requiring knowledge, service and great pricing. What Is the most important step a distributor takes when becoming a successful commercial printing provider? Getting his or her foot in the print buyer's door. This may sound like a simple process, but Christopher D. Wells, president and CEO of Worcester, Massachusetts-based LaVigne Inc., pointed out, "Most print buyers have lost staff and support and are strapped for time. It's very difficult for distributors to get any time with a prospect unless they have a referral from a trusted source or they can offer something

Readiness to buy, new legislation and a healing economy support equipment growth. Distributors seeking manufacturers with the latest up-to-date equipment may be pleased to hear that the future looks bright. While 2002 was dampened by a soft economy and conservative business, it seems for the first time in quite a while, there might be some light at the end of the long and dark tunnel in which equipment manufacturers have been dwelling. This is partly based on information found in Printing Impressions magazine, which stated that the organizers of the Graphics Arts Show Company (GASC), reported a total of nearly 38,000 attendees

How marketing with manufacturers can strengthen the sale. It might be sufficient to conduct thorough research, produce detailed proposals and drop off a few catalogs when selling solutions to clients. But if the expertise of manufacturers is not added into the mix, it may not be enough. When offering a complete solution sell these days, it is the teamwork between the distributor and manufacturer that can provide the extra power needed to win over large re-gional and national accounts—even ones that might have utilized directs in the past. This was just the case for Jim Constantin, product manager for Source4, Roanoke, Va., who competed

It's in-with-the-new as manufacturers accommodate increasing requests for non-traditional products. The pleasing aesthetics belie the confounding aggravations behind producing and selling commercial printing. But the customer is always right and industry professionals love a challenge, a symbiosis enabling the dominance of commercial printing among industry trends. Manufacturers are discovering that it's simply not enough to sell on quality, which is pretty much a given at this level of production. And instead of satisfying application requirements—as is the case with traditional products—the ability to accommodate customers' business practices is determining success for commercial printers. Improved target marketing, cost containment issues and demands for quick turnaround

Knowing the basics of color can help expand solutions By Stacey Wenzel When customers are looking to get a reaction from their printed product, one persuasive technique is the use of color. Whether it's a direct mail piece or a company logo, color can make quite an impact--and knowing the basics can be a big advantage when selling it. Industry professionals advise first understanding the difference between flat, or spot color and four-color process. "Determining what type of color to use really depends on the specific job," said Tracy Dennis, sales manager for Newtown, Pa.-based Newtown/CPC. "Flat and process color each have a