Keeping Print Relevant -- A Call to Arms

Resources are available to aid business owners in redefining how to interact with customers. By utilizing the power of The Print Council, we will all be better prepared to reach the media influencers, whether they are agency buyers, account executives, Fortune 100 brand and promotion managers, or small- and mid-sized company marketing executives and business owners. And we will be worth listening to!

But, to date, there have been just a handful of printing companies that have embraced The Print Council. Out of the current 69 Print Council members, only 17 are printing companies. That’s 17 out of more than 30,000 printing companies in the United States. There are more industry suppliers and media companies that have seen fit to take up the cause of promoting print!

Even one of the largest (if not the largest) purchasers of print in the advertising agency industry—Leo Burnett—has chosen to support The Print Council’s efforts. In fact, James Mikol, executive vice president and director of print management, is serving as a member of The Print Council’s executive committee.

This is a call to arms. Our industry desperately needs broad-based, grassroots support. It is high time for every single printing company that truly wants to remain relevant in the 21st century to not just embrace the message, but become proactive in “talking the talk and walking the walk.”

We’ve already been guilty in the past of giving away what little profit margin we’ve had in the name of defending our business from competition. Let’s not repeat this mistake by giving up on print as one of the most powerful, effective and efficient means of communication. It’s now or never. PI

About the Author
Roy Grossman most recently served as president and CEO of Sandy Alexander in Clifton, NJ. From 1977 to 1991, he was vice chairman at Laurel Printing. In 1991, Grossman joined Sandy Alexander as a managing director.