Print Buyers International Scores a Win at Annual Print & Media Conference
The one-day Print Buyer Boot Camp on Sept. 12, plus daily Brainstorming Sessions at which attendees shared their challenges and concerns, added depth to an already rich learning experience. For a recap of the conference, visit www.printbuyersinternational.com/events/print-media-conference-2011/. In addition, many of the speakers’ presentations are accessible at www.printbuyersinternational.com/events/print-media-conference-2011/speaker-session-schedule/.
Sixteen sponsoring firms supported this year’s Print & Media Conference. Representatives from Xerox, Solo Printing, Graphia Printing Solutions, 48hourprint.com, Domtar, DS Graphics, Fujifilm, Japs-Olson Company, Lindenmeyr Munroe, McAdams Graphics, Remote Director, Ripon Printers, Sappi, Team Services, Trend Offset Printing, and Vision Integrated Graphics Group had access to all attendees as well as to all of the educational sessions.
The real value of the Print & Media Conference is evident from the rave reviews submitted by attendees. “Thank you for presenting such relevant information to what seems like a dying field (print) and opening my eyes to new ways to make myself marketable in our changing industry,” wrote Wells Fargo Advisors Sr. Print Production Coordinator Shelly Martin. “I enjoyed all the speakers, meeting the sponsors and networking with fellow colleagues in the industry. I will definitely be back for future events, if time and budget allow!”
“...the speakers are phenomenal–and Frank Romano could be his own show,” wrote Catalog Innovations Inc. President Tom Harris. “Your brainstorming session is one of the highlights to me, as it really brings about topics that we should all be aware of and gives all of us differing viewpoints.”
Conference sponsors, too, were delighted with the quality of the Conference, its proximity to Graph Expo, and the benefits they received. “As a sponsor I found the show extremely beneficial,” wrote McAdams Graphics Vice President of Sales & Marketing Dan McAdams. “It was great to learn what print buyers from across a broad range of industries were thinking. As with most commercial printers in America, McAdams Graphics is trying to find the answers to the question, “Where is the print marketplace going?” Graph Expo, the conferences and the print buyers themselves shed light on the possible answer for McAdams Graphics.”
Account Executive Joshua J. Blair of returning sponsor Japs-Olson Company praised the Print & Media Conference’s benefit to vendors. “There’s no doubt about the value of sponsoring and attending the event from the vendor side,” Blair wrote. “You said it best in your Print Tip, the value of being in a setting where buyers can share amongst themselves changes, challenges, and opportunities happening in their specific roles is a very unique experience.”
With the books now closed on the 6th Annual Print & Media Conference, Dana is already planning for a one-day PBI Print & Media Boston in the spring and the 7th Annual Print & Media Conference back in Chicago in October 2012.
“People loved being in Chicago where they could visit Graph Expo’s show floor and attend the Print & Media Conference at the same time,” Dana says. “We got high grades from the attendees and sponsors about the way they were treated, the information they learned and the value of their investments. The new location was definitely a win for us.”
About Print Buyers International
Print Buyers International (PBI) is an independent organization that caters to professionals who purchase or influence the purchase of print and other media. Each fall it hosts an annual conference, providing education and networking for professionals who work with printing and the graphic arts.
Source: PBI.