These Guys Get It!

I’m not sure if it is cool to name names in these blogs, but hell—I’m doing it anyway. I got an invitation to an event by Rider Dickerson a few days ago. Check this out.

This is such a great example of how a printing company can also present itself as a content provider and an industry resource on topics that often extend beyond putting ink on paper. Clearly, the company has partnered with many of its vendors, and has chosen some topics that may extend beyond Rider Dickerson’s area of expertise and comfort zone. It has tapped many known industry leaders, such as Joe Manos of MindFireInc and Matthew McDonald of Pantone.

This one-day session that the company is hosting covers everything from mobile technology, to recharging direct mail, to integrated marketing strategies. Clearly a lot of these topics are self serving in some way. The hope would be that if, for example, attendees see how direct mail can help them drive business, they will tap Rider Dickerson for help in executing some direct mail campaigns.

Additionally, there is a keynote address and even a panel discussion. What’s even cooler—there’s a $50 charge to attend!

It is said to be a fundamental truth that people will value something more if they have some skin in the game. This is a great example of that notion. There is a tremendous amount of value in the information that will be put forth at an event like this, so asking attendees to pay for the content, the experience and the networking just makes sense.

Back in the day when I was selling print—the ’90s and early 2000s—I knew about Rider Dickerson. The company was not all that different from a dozen or so other shops in the downtown area. It acquired digital technology on the early side and seemed to have a respectable reputation. Any time I came up against it at some of my bigger prospects, the printer was well regarded, even with prices that seemed to be on the high end.