This column is number 176. It marks the beginning of my 17th year writing for Printing Impressions. I've written 11 columns per year for 16 years. (The PI columnists get every July off.)
My columns contain about 1,250 words and the average word is about six letters. Oh, once in awhile I'll use a 14-letter word or some 12-letter words, but then I'm more of a four- to six-letter word writer. Six-letter words are about 1⁄2˝, so when you throw in the spaces between words, all the words in all of my columns would stretch about two miles.
Or, another perspective is that all those words would wrap around my belly about 2,300 times.
Or, one critic put my words in yet another perspective when he said, "The Mañana Man's columns have contained enough manure to fertilize all of the Iowa corn and wheat fields." I assume he meant only enough to fertilize the fields for one year.
I have one reader, Leonard J. Skysfallin, who has read every word in all 176 columns. Lennie heads up my fan club and he has been continually frustrated over his lack of success in several membership drives. Lennie, if you're reading this, I hope the folks that run the home are treating you well. Please wear those white cotton mittens that I sent you. And stop trying to run away. This causes torment for the nursing staff. There are no aliens living under you bed.
OK, it's time for some column writing. I'm going to deal with three subjects this month since it's such a special occasion. First, I have a few thoughts about women in print sales. Secondly, I want to write about the human side of printing companies. Finally, I'll write about the proliferation of these new fangled e-commerce print sites.
In my first column, back in 1984, I wrote about women in print sales. I said that our industry is sexist and male dominated. That hasn't changed much. I also said that I believed women make great printing salespeople and that companies should hire more women.
In 1984 I predicted that our customers would be turning more and more to women as a source of talent for their print production or print purchasing departments. Well, I told you so. About 65 percent of all print buyers are now female. But today only 30 percent of all print salespeople are female.
Customers haven't turned to women to save money. At least I hope they haven't. I prefer to believe that women are better communicators, both verbal and written. Women are better negotiators—resolvers of conflict. Women are generally better organized and able to manage the multitude of details associated with printing jobs.
In case some of you male readers think I'm pandering to women, all of these superior female characteristics were proven years ago in the Harvard University Negotiating Project. So, in the case of print buyers, I think the cream has just floated to the top. The same characteristics apply generally to women in print sales. We all recognize that print sales jobs require conflict resolution, superior communication abilities and powerful personal management skills.
I'm passionate on the subject of women in print sales because I'm tired of getting phone calls from companies asking me if I know any $2 million salesmen they can steal. I know plenty of $2 million-plus salespeople, but I'm not tellin' who they are or where you can steal them. I think it's time companies worked harder to grow their own salespeople, and women make great rookie salespeople. They tend to study harder, learn faster and prospect more aggressively.
This may not be politically correct and probably violates some EEOC regulation, but I also believe that single parent women make fantastic print salespeople. They have something to prove and a load of big responsibility—meaning they are motivated to success. Of course, like any good candidate, they must want to sell printing and possess the basic behavioral skills to present, persuade and close sales.
Next, I have a few thoughts on the human beings who work in your plants. It is the job of the owner/CEO to motivate human beings to satisfy customers. If he/she does this successfully, then the profits will come.
This is true in all enterprises, large and small, public companies and privately owned companies. It is true in my own company, Compass Capital Partners.
I probably see the financial statements of more than 200 printing companies each year. These companies are large and small, public and private. I also have the opportunity to know if their customers are satisfied and if their employees are motivated to provide that satisfaction. I can tell you, without exception, that the more motivated the workers are, that it follows the more motivated the customers will be, and hence, the better the financial performance.
Some of you may say, "But what about the need for CTP, automatic plate changers, the newest high-speed presses and digital throughput?" The companies that motivate employees and satisfy customers have configured their equipment to meet their customers' needs because they've "heard" their customers.
Since it begins with human motivation, here are a few rules for motivating people to satisfy customers:
- Demonstrate in you every word and action that satisfying customers is your first priority and the company's reason for existence.
- Never denigrate or complain about customers. Instead, use yourself as a role model for honoring and responding to clients.
- Regularly tell your employees how they are doing, and make the conversation private and developmental. Insist that department managers do the same. Never berate an employee publicly.
- Share the wealth. Reward performance. Reward ideas, as well as actions. There are some horror stories in our industry today about owner/CEOs who have accumulated enormous wealth, failed to share even some crumbs with contributors and whose companies are now failing.
- Recognize that your lowest paid, hourly worker has a brain and is capable of having ideas that will contribute to success. Admit that you are not all-knowing, and seek and honor the ideas of others. Managers whose behavior says, "I've got all the answers," are insecure and suffer from low self-esteem.
Finally, there is a lot of confusion about the ubiquitous proliferation of e-commerce print sites. My friend and a great writer, Dick Vinocur—the principal author and publisher of the Footprints newsletter—has written that there may be more than 200 either open for business or developing a Website. I've heard of about 50, so whoever is right, there are a bunch of these companies aiming to change the way printing is bought and sold. It's hard for me to believe that they will all survive, just as it was hard to believe several years ago that more than 30 direct-to-plate systems could survive.
The Printing Industries of Michigan (PIM) has an Advisory Board comprised of 15 print buyers. These buyers purchase more than $170 million in printing annually and have over 200 years of experience. They come together periodically to function as a focus group and Nick Wagner, PIM president, has asked me to facilitate the group discussion twice. The print buyers' remarks are recorded by a court reporter and the result is a transcript of their words.
The second focus group centered on the print buyers' reactions to e-commerce print sites. Nick Wagner and his folks should be commended for asking the customers and then producing the transcript. I'll bet some investors and venture capitalists wish they had asked the customers and the printers before they funded some of the Internet sites.
Whoa! This baby is up to 1,322 words. That's enough words to wrap around my waist another 13 times. I know, I know. I need a smaller waist. But you need to make more sales calls. So put this magazine down and get out there and sell something!
—Harris DeWese
About the Author
Harris DeWese is the author of Now Get Out There and Sell Something! published by Nonpareil Books. He is a principal at Compass Capital Partners and is an author of the annual "Compass Report," the definitive source of information regarding printing industry merger and acquisition activity. DeWese specializes in investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, sales, marketing, planning and management services to printing companies.
- Companies:
- Compass Capital Partners
- People:
- Harris DeWese