Born to Blog about Print Buyers

If ever there was a perfect writing gig for me, this buyers’ blog is it. Many of you may know me for my weekly enewsletter, "Margie’s Print Tips" (10 years running this month. Woo-hoo!) Maybe you’ve heard me speak at an industry event. In any case, I am rarely at a loss for words to speak or write.

I admit it. I am hooked on print and the buying thereof. This new opportunity at PI will give me an opportunity to air what’s on print buyers’ minds — and what their mightiest challenges are at any given time. Hopefully, the printers will gain insights from this blog that will make them understand their customers better. More sensitivity to one’s market is always a good thing.

For 15 years I was a corporate buyer at Boston University and then for 11 years at MFS Investment Services. Back then, there were no resources for print customers. No associations, no Websites, no champions, no trade publications, no conferences. Nada. Zip. Everything we learned, we learned from our print sales reps.

So I decided to change that. I started my own professional association to help print buyers and print providers make headway with one another. There are bridges to be built and information to be shared. . . on both ‘sides.’ That, in a nutshell, is what I am all about.

I like to think of myself as a lifeline for buyers to the print industry — and vice versa. My career led me to this point, and today I immerse myself in what buyers are up to, through events, email, social networking, phone calls, research, interviews, and good old fashioned face-to-face meetings. Similarly, I follow the print industry, meeting as many print professionals as I have time for, and reading whatever I can get my hands on that deals with this fine industry.