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How do I know this? After more than 30 years as a printer, suffering all of the deadlines, panic and craziness common to this business, I became a consultant. Now I am having fun writing and speaking at seminars all over the U.S. and around the world.
The seminars usually feature a range of top industry experts, and the companies that I have worked with rate speakers on the educational value of their program content and discourage focusing on product promotion. For printers, these seminars are a great opportunity to get some valuable information and to exchange ideas.
In delivering seminars throughout America, the top concerns of printers everywhere are competition, pricing pressures, new technologies and more efficient workflows.
Business Development
Moreover, the big question that printers ask: “If I invest in a new technological solution, how do I develop the business and where can I get help?” Having been a printer myself, facing the same concerns, I was able to relate and bond with the U.S. audiences. The same held true when I began delivering seminars in Europe; similarities between U.S. printers and those in major European cities shouldn’t surprise anyone.
However, I thought a speaking assignment in Istanbul, Turkey, would be different. It straddles Asia and Europe, which contributes to making it one of the most interesting and exotic cities in the world. What would the printers be like there? Would they be years behind U.S. printers? Would they have the same interests? All of this and the language barrier played heavily on my mind.
As it turned out, many attendees spoke English and the simultaneous translators seemed to do a good job. At least the audience laughed at my jokes and, more importantly, didn’t laugh when I wasn’t telling a joke. I discovered that the seminar was like any I had delivered in the U.S., with the same level of interest, questions and concerns.
What proved to be most interesting was a visit to a local commercial printing operation. The plant, complete with offset presses and the latest digital presses including a Xerox iGen 3, looked like it could have been anywhere in the United States. The owner lamented how he wants to improve his workflow to help him grow and face the competitive pressures. Sound familiar? He also wanted help with business development, particularly new business opportunities like variable data printing.
Companies Mentioned:
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Cracking the QR Code
Glossary of Graphic Communications, Fourth Edition
