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TRANSCRIPT
Analysis
September 2014
Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
Service Areas
On Demand Printing & Publishing
Production Workflow & Customized
Communication Solutions
Document Outsourcing
Comments or Questions?
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
© InfoTrends 2014
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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3
Key Findings ........................................................................................................................... 3
Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 3
Key Factors Are Driving the Need to Build Awareness ............................................................ 4
Awareness, Consideration, and Hit Rate .................................................................................. 5
How Do You Build Awareness? ................................................................................................. 5
What about Public Relations? ................................................................................................... 5
Open Houses Work! ................................................................................................................... 6
Let Your Customers Tell Your Story .......................................................................................... 7
Advertising/Direct Mail ............................................................................................................. 7
Leveraging the Internet to Market Your Presence ................................................................... 9
Direct Selling Resources ............................................................................................................ 12
Next Steps ................................................................................................................................... 12
InfoTrends’ Opinion ................................................................................................................... 12
About InfoTrends ....................................................................................................................... 13
About the Author ........................................................................................................................ 13
List of Figures
Figure 1: Percentage of Revenue from Insourcing ................................................................... 4
Figure 2: University of Minnesota Promotes Achievements ................................................... 6
Figure 3: BYU Print and Mail Features Customer Experiences .............................................. 7
Figure 4: Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield Document Services Calendar ............................... 8
Figure 5: Alverno College Print Services Positions on Fast Turnaround ................................ 8
Figure 6: Flyer Highlighting Alverno College Print Services ................................................... 9
Figure 7: Arizona State University’s Print Online Portal ......................................................... 10
Figure 8: Briggs & Stratton Provides a Full Range of Services ................................................ 10
Figure 9: Online Ordering at Briggs & Stratton........................................................................ 11
Figure 10: Villanova University’s iPRINT ................................................................................. 11
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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Introduction
In an environment where print buyers of all types are focused on getting the most for
their money, it is more important than ever for in-plant operations to convince user
departments that they are the best solution. In-plants are not just competing with local
quick printers; end-users are just a mouse click away from thousands of printers that are
vying for their business. The most successful in-plants have web-enabled their businesses
to ensure easy access to their capabilities. This document will explore the successful
marketing techniques that in-plants have embraced to build market awareness, including
good public relations, networking (sales), open houses, direct mail, and promotional
efforts.
Key Findings
In-plants understand that offerings must go beyond printing and copying to
incorporate a blend of mailing, fulfillment, large format, design, online order entry,
variable data, and cross-media services.
It has never been more important for in-plants to communicate the added value that
they can deliver to organizations.
According to InfoTrends’ 2014 study entitled The Production Printing Industry in
North America: Understanding Industry Transformation, more than 60% of in-
plants are taking in work from outside of their organizations (insourcing). Of the
firms that were insourcing, it contributed an average of 13.2% to their overall
revenue.
There is no single best way to reach prospects and end-users. Communicating a
message requires a coordinated and consistent approach across multiple channels.
Recommendations
In-plants must generate the perception that they are the best provider of services for
their company.
In-plant operations should use all types of communications—print and non-print—to
promote themselves and the value of their services.
Managers must pre-condition user departments and external clients to build volume.
In-plant managers should assume responsibility for assessing the best mechanisms
available to build visibility with targeted user departments and prospects.
In-plants need to:
o Leverage direct mail and advertising
o Build a strong web presence that provides easy access to users
o Promote and establish credibility via public relations and case histories
o Educate constituents through open houses
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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In addition to the right products, solutions, and services, successful in-plants must
also develop effective promotions.
Key Factors Are Driving the Need to Build Awareness
Beyond internal departments, InfoTrends’ study entitled The Production Printing
Industry in North America: Understanding the Industry Transformation found that
more than 60% of in-plants were taking work from outside of their organization
(insourcing). Of the firms that were insourcing, this contributed an average of 13.2% to
their overall revenue.
Figure 1: Percentage of Revenue from Insourcing
What percentage of your total revenue does insourcing represent?
It is critically important for in-plant operations to offer the right services and solutions.
In today’s market, in-plants understand that offerings need to transcend beyond just
printing and copying and incorporate a blend of mailing and fulfillment, large format,
graphic design, online order entry, variable data, and cross-media services.
In parallel with creating the right services to meet end-users’ needs, in-plants must
communicate the added value that they deliver to their organizations. In fact, it has never
been more important for in-plants to communicate their capabilities. In addition, in-
plants must effectively educate external customers. End-user departments and customers
are looking for guidance. In-plants need to reach them with an appeal that rings true,
stands out, and positions the in-plant as an expert partner that can be relied on when
navigating in the ever-changing realm of business communications.
In-plant printers should “walk the talk” by leveraging the many available communication
options—including print and non-print media—to promote themselves and the new
services that they are able to provide.
0%2.6%
1%-10%37.5%
11%-20%40.8%
21%-30%17.1%
>30%0.7%
Don't know1.3%
N = 184 In-Plant Respondents that take in work from customers outside their company or organizationSource: The Production Printing Industry in North America: Understanding Industry Transformation, InfoTrends 2014
Mean: 13.2%
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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Awareness, Consideration, and Hit Rate
Adding more end-users or expanding your share of business with current clients starts
with ensuring that they are aware of the services the in-plant provides. Awareness leads
to consideration as a potential supplier. If the in-plant is considered, the hit rate should
increase.
Managers must pre-condition their user departments and external clients to build
volume. In-plant managers need to assume responsibility for assessing the best
mechanisms available to build visibility with targeted user departments and prospects.
The end result should be increased volume and cost savings for the organization.
How Do You Build Awareness?
For most in-plants, marketing is an overwhelming concept. In-plant managers know that
they need marketing solutions to ensure volume building, but most don’t know where to
begin or how to focus their efforts. They typically rely on “word of mouth” versus
positioning their capabilities with end-user departments. With the Internet removing the
geographic boundaries that once governed the selling of print, it’s time for in-plants to
assess how they can promote their wares more effectively. There are many ways to
proactively promote your company as well as your ideas, information, services, and
products.
What about Public Relations?
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the spread information between an
individual or an organization and the public. It is designed to gain exposure to a target
audience to maintain a certain point of view about an organization’s leadership, products,
and services. PR is a set of ongoing activities that helps a company form a strong public
image. A strong PR program increases awareness, builds credibility, and generates new
users. If prospects or customers read something in the newspaper, they typically believe
it. Common activities include speaking at conferences, winning industry awards, and
employee communication.
In-plants must generate a public perception that they are the best provider of services for
their company. Due to the competitive nature of the printing industry, in-plants are
stepping up to the plate to generate a positive persona for their organization. The
University of Minnesota participated in this year’s In-plant Print and Mailing Association
(IPMA) contest and was recognized as “Best in Show” for a calendar it produced. The
company posted the achievement in its website to inform end-users about the
accomplishment.
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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Figure 2: University of Minnesota Promotes Achievements
The University of West Georgia provides another example of an in-plant practicing public
relations. A recent edition of In-Plant Graphics included an article detailing how the in-
plant, when faced with a possible shutdown, transformed itself from a cost center to a
profit center by adding services, expanding its customer base, and finding new revenue
sources. Sally Roberts, Director of UWG Publications and Printing, highlighted the fact
that she does a lot of speaking to student, faculty, and staff groups—anyone who will give
her a place on their meeting agenda, basically—to bring updates about new products and
services, and just to let them know what options are available to them. This is especially
important in the fall, when new faculty and students arrive on campus. Practicing public
relations and spreading the word to your constituency makes sense for in-plants.
Open Houses Work!
Another long-standing idea that still works in driving awareness is the plant tour. Some
commercial printers host “Lunch and Learns,” where they invite prospective buyers and
existing clients into their facilities to provide value-added education and build awareness
about their capabilities. In-plants need to do the same thing. Offering client education
creates a venue for introducing new services and positioning the department as a reliable
customer resource.
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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Let Your Customers Tell Your Story
Referrals are frequently the best source of new business. Brigham Young University
(BYU) understands this—its website features case histories from clients who have
partnered with BYU Print and Mail. According to Marketing Manager Paul Snyder, “We
love to highlight our customers and share their stories about their experiences with Print
and Mail. We also like to show off our employees and all the great work they do for the
department. That’s why we continually post articles and videos about different processes
and successes.”
Figure 3: BYU Print and Mail Features Customer Experiences
Advertising/Direct Mail
Creative in-plants are harnessing advertising to stimulate demand for new products and
services. There are a variety of tactics ranging from flyers to ad specialties to keep the in-
plant “top of mind” for end-user departments. For more than 20 years, Excellus Blue
Cross Blue Shield Document Services (Rochester, NY) has been a full-service print and
mail provider for Excellus Health Plan, Inc. and all of its subsidiaries. The 50-employee
department printed 280 million impressions and mailed 30 million pieces in 2013. The
in-plant recently expanded its capabilities and a took a multifaceted approach to
marketing that led to a monumental shift in the type of work produced and the reputation
of the department within the company.
The department improved company-wide perception with new branding under the theme
“Together We Can” and redesigned its Document Services website for brand consistency.
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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The company also worked directly with its marketing department to meet their needs and
identify opportunities for cost savings. One of the key marketing pieces was the 2014
Document Services calendar. The in-plant made a conscious effort to tie in the new theme
and drive home the idea that it was working with departments to drive efficiency, quality,
and cost savings. These efforts involved more than a single direct mail piece. The
calendars provided a 12-month reminder of the Document Services Department.
Figure 4: Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield Document Services Calendar
In another example, Sue Dabaco, Head of Milwaukee-based Alverno College Print
Services, has worked closely with department heads to understand requirements and
position the in-plant as the preferred provider. In an environment where turnaround is
important, the in-plant is positioned as a source for delivering materials “faster than the
speed of thought.”
Figure 5: Alverno College Print Services Positions on Fast Turnaround
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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In addition, Alverno College Print Service communicates effectively to end-user
departments about how it can effectively support their needs. Flyers and direct mailers
are sent to constituents on a regular basis.
Figure 6: Flyer Highlighting Alverno College Print Services
Leveraging the Internet to Market Your Presence
Another critical component for success is ensuring that users have easy access to the in-
plant. This typically aligns with web-to-print capabilities. These days, web-to-print
technology has become a necessity for in-plants. According to a recent InfoTrends/In-
Plant Graphics survey, 61.5% of in-plants have an online ordering system, and another
14.7% plan to buy one this year. In addition to enabling in-plant operations to accept
online orders, these systems are helping organizations to better control total print
spending, ensure brand integrity, and drive operational success.
Arizona State University (ASU) Print Online is a comprehensive web-to-print system that
handles print buyer submission through production to fulfillment, delivery, and billing.
Over 90% of the printing produced by the ASU Print & Imaging Lab is managed and
processed through its ASU Print Online. The software facilitates the creation of static and
variable data templates using a PDF workflow. The key benefit to ASU Print Online is that
it enables ASU customers to easily search for their required materials and simply order
personalized and variable data jobs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The online ordering
system provides personalized access for each customer by offering access to templates
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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catering to their individual needs. Jobs are tracked throughout the production process
and can be stored for up to two years.
Figure 7: Arizona State University’s Print Online Portal
Milwaukee-based Briggs & Stratton provides a full range of design, printing, and
literature fulfillment services. The in-plant is the largest internal print operation in
southeastern Wisconsin. Its customers include corporate clients as well as advertising
agencies, manufacturers, and distributors.
Figure 8: Briggs & Stratton Provides a Full Range of Services
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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The organization has a strong Internet presence and makes access simple for end-user
departments, distributors, and external clients. The in-plant offers an array of custom
marketing materials and templates to its internal and external customers as well as its
distributor network.
Figure 9: Online Ordering at Briggs & Stratton
iPRINT, Villanova University’s web capability, brings a host of features to faculty, staff
members, and students. Students can submit a report for printing late at night and pick it
up before class the next day. iPRINT has become the customer-preferred method of
submitting digital print jobs to graphic services. It gives the end user freedom to order
24/7 from anywhere. Villanova Graphic Services blends this offering with personal and
professional care.
Figure 10: Villanova University’s iPRINT
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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Direct Selling Resources
In-plants are finding that one-on-one meetings can be more effective because the in-plant
manager, customer service rep, or salesperson can tailor the presentation or content to
the specific client’s requirements. While this approach may be more costly and time-
consuming, it facilitates clear communication and an understanding of capabilities. It
gives the in-plant an opportunity to share the solutions and services that are available.
Communications can be formulated to address a specific customer’s needs.
Next Steps
Create a list of current efforts and activities to raise awareness about services.
Evaluate the effectiveness of past promotional efforts and explore why they succeeded
or failed. Involve staff and customers in the discussion, and apply what is learned to
future efforts.
Determine which services are utilized the most and by which types customers. This
can serve as a benchmark for determining what services need more promoting and to
what audience.
Determine internal awareness of services offered and ways to improve offerings via
customer surveys. Conducting customer surveys eliminates guesswork because they
open the door into what your customers really want.
Assign staff to lead promotional efforts, and provide them with resources, tools, and
processes to support efforts.
InfoTrends’ Opinion
To win in today’s competitive environment, in-plant operations must build awareness
among customers and prospects on their capabilities—and even their existence. There are
a variety of techniques to create awareness. In-plant managers often wonder about the
best way to reach prospects and end-users, but in reality there is no single best way.
Effectively communicating a message requires a coordinated and consistent approach
across multiple media formats. In addition to leveraging direct mail and advertising, in-
plants need a strong web presence that provides easy access to internal and external
users. They also need to promote their capabilities, establish credibility through strong
public relations and customer case histories, and educate constituents through open
houses. Successful in-plants understand that in addition to offering the right products,
solutions, and services, they must also promote effectively.
This material is prepared specifically for clients of InfoTrends, Inc. The opinions expressed represent our interpretation and analysis of information generally available to the public or released by responsible individuals in the subject companies. We believe that the sources of information on which our material is based are reliable and we have applied our best professional judgment to the data obtained.
ANALYSIS Getting Noticed by Prospects and Customers… Promote Thyself!
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About InfoTrends
InfoTrends is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the
digital imaging and document solutions industry. We provide research, analysis,
forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities,
and develop strategies to grow their businesses.
About the Author
Barb Pellow
Group Director
+1 781-616-2161
A digital printing and publishing pioneer as well as a marketing expert, Barbara Pellow
helps companies develop multi-media strategies. She assists companies in creating
strategies to launch new products, building strategic marketing plans, and educating
their sales force on delivering value.
Comments or Questions?
This analysis was commissioned by Canon Solutions America to help in-plant managers and their parent organizations better understand how today’s technologies can optimize their business communications and how they can benefit by adopting these proven best practices. Canon Solutions America, Inc., a Canon U.S.A. Company, provides enterprise, production print, and large format solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. Visit csa.canon.com.