CANVAS Magazine - October 2017 - Don't be a Dodo

IN THIS ISSUE EMPOWERING MARKETING SERVICE PROVIDERS

Think like your clients think

Why ‘good’ is great for business Let paper do the heavy lifting

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 5

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Inside this issue| Publisher’s Note

BOILERPLATE

26 20 32 36

ALSO INSIDE

THINK LIKE YOUR CLIENTS

CREATIVE CORNER

Art director Doug Bartow on why talking less and listening more matters

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Why the answers may be right in front of you

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Shape up

Making the most of cross-mentoring groups

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06 CORNER OFFICE

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Why ‘good’ is great for business

CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

12

Industry news & awards

Makers’ Corner

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Let paper do the heavy lifting

CHOSEN

Are you a part of your client’s consideration set?

CANVAS Buyer’s Guide

16 17 18

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Inside this issue| Publisher’s Note

BOILERPLATE

SHAPE UP

Over time, the pounding of waves reshapes landscapes. As I get older, time seems to reshape some of my landscapes, too. And while a little extra padding around the midriff and a few lines around the eyes may not support my vanity, they do represent years of experience. Seen through that lens, they are symbols of perspective, patience and perseverance.

Our industry has changed dramatically over time. But, rather than lament the change and effort it takes to adapt, we should embrace how we have persevered. We have proven we can handle everything from recessions to technological leaps in our industry. We have defined ourselves by the people we serve and we’re still standing.

As I saw the smiling faces at Print ’17, I took note of the people who were truly engaged with others and demonstrated a high level of pride in their work. It reminded me that work is not just a responsibility, but a privilege. There are so many people in the world that would give their right arm to work.

The combination of our experience and the gratitude we have for our careers should Our industry has easily carry us through. changed dramatically These are new chapters within our lives. over time. But, rather With each one comes plot twists and new than lament the change characters. And, in order for us to make it a “page turner” of a life, we must let go of and effort it takes to the past, let go of our ego and take some adapt, we should joy in the mystery ahead. If the show was embrace how we any indication, we’re in for quite an epic have persevered. story, and, I, for one, aim to play a role.

I’m still inspired by our community and the industrious nature of its people. The skyline of our industry is something to behold. And when we factor in its history, there is nothing but great pride. In turn, CANVAS continues to delight in delivering the most thoughtful content in the business.

Our cover story, “Don’t be a Dodo – Adapting in a Dynamic Landscape,” warns us that we must evolve with our industry in order to stay relevant and successful. In our second feature – “Think like Your Clients – Why the Answers may be Right in Front of You” – we further explore the importance of adaptation, as we discuss the game-changing effects of taking on a new perspective.

The article, “Touch – Print’s Role in Omni-channel Marketing,” examines why print is a critical component in how a brand nudges people along the decisionmaking process. And our final feature, “Chosen – Are You a Part of Your Client’s Consideration Set?” – reminds us that creating strong relationships are key in the new communication economy.

This issue is about reshaping landscapes. We’ve done it before, and we will do it again.

Warmest regards,

Mark Potter, Publisher @MarkRicePotter

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CONTRIBUTORS

Linda Bishop, President, Thought Transformation @Linda_Bishop Justin Ahrens Founder & Principal Rule29 @justinahrens Elizabeth McCormick, Founding member, The John Maxwell Team @elizabeth_helo Chris Harrold, VP Creative Director, Mohawk Fine Papers @tweet_convert

GET IN TOUCH WITH US @THECANVASMAG

2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400 Duluth, GA 30097 WWW.THECANVASMAG.COM

MANAGING EDITOR

THE CANVAS TEAM michael j. pallerino CREATIVE DIRECTOR brandon clark SALES/MARKETING mark potter

EDITORIAL BOARD lisa arsenault McArdle Solutions gina danner NextPage tom moe Daily Printing dean petrulakis Rider Dickerson david bennett Bennett Graphics

PUBLISHED BY CANVAS, Volume 11, Issue 5. copyright 2017 CANVAS, All rights reserved. CANVAS is published bi-monthly for $39.00 per year by Conduit, Inc., 2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400, Duluth, GA 30097 Periodicals postage pending at Duluth, GA and additional mailings offices. Periodical Publication 25493. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CANVAS, 2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400, Duluth, GA 30097. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors.

CANVAS magazine is dedicated to environmentally and socially responsible operations. We are proud to print this magazine on Opus® Dull Cover 80lb/216gsm and Opus Dull Text 80lb/118gsm, an industry-leading, environmentally responsible paper. Opus contains 10% post consumer waste and SFI and FSC chain of custody certification.

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CATCH THEM WITH CONTENT channeling content & connections | conduit-inc.com

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BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER

Where salespeople go to get better

There is always a better way. When it comes to the sales game, there may be no truer statement. But where do salespeople turn when they want to up their game?

Interestingly, according to the “Hubspot Sales Survey,” most salespeople turn to their peers and peer networks for tips on how to improve professionally, rather than to team training resources or content sources. The report, based on data from more than 420 salespeople from around the world, indicates that peer-to-peer education matters a great deal. Here’s a look at where today’s salespeople are turning:

53% 24% Peers/peer network

News sites/ publications

35%

Team training resources

14%

44%

Blogs

Their manager

12% None of the above

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Insights

THE NUMBERS GAME

90% 84% 52%

The percentage of marketers who believe responsiveness is critical to a great customer experience.

Interestingly, only 16 percent think that their brand is extremely responsive, while 60 percent say that their brand should place more importance on the customer than on the product.

(“The Responsiveness Requirement: Meeting the Consumer When and Where It Matters to Drive Growth” report by CMO Council)

The percentage of B2B marketers who say that they are satisfied with the success of their marketing-automation strategy in meeting objectives, which include improving return on investment, attracting more customers and optimizing productivity. Interestingly, 87 percent say they outsource all or part of their marketing automation, while 13 percent rely on in-house resources only.

The percentage of B2B marketers who say their website is the best data-collection resource, followed by 49 percent who cite email communications and 46 percent who prefer social media.

(“B2B Data-Driven Marketing Strategy” report by Synthio and Ascend2)

(“Top of Mind” report by Ascend2 and iContact)

What’s driving your leads?

Content, content, content. Ask any marketer what’s driving customers to their brand and content it is. And, the ways to share great content are always expanding. According to Ascend2’s “Lead Generation to Increase Conversions” report, 46 percent say that research reports lead the way, followed by video-related content at 44 percent.

The report was based on data from a survey of 255 marketers from around the country.

Here’s a snapshot of how marketers are distributing their content:

A NEWFOUND HARMONY Survey shows that sales/marketing relationships are improving

Is that the sound of a champagne cork popping?

According to a report from Televerde, B2B marketers may be breaking out the bubbly. The study – What Does Sales Need and Want from Marketing? – shows that 62 percent of salespeople feel that sales and marketing are more aligned at their companies than they were five years ago.

In addition, 77 percent believe the quality of leads are “good” to “excellent,” while 18 percent feel they are very aligned. The study queried more than 200 B2B practitioners from across the country.

46% RESEARCH REPORTS 44% VIDEOS/MOTION GRAPHICS 42% SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT 40% WEBINARS/WEBCASTS 31% WEBSITE ARTICLES/BLOGS 30% CASE STUDIES/ WHITE PAPERS 17% INFOGRAPHICS

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Perspective | Leadership | Insights

CORNER OFFICE

BY JUSTIN AHRENS

Why ‘good’ is great for business I have come to believe that doing “good” as a creative, or company, not only attracts the right people to work for you and with you, but also generates opportunities to engage with great clients. From what I have found, if “good” is part of your internal DNA, it is reflected and manifests in how you treat your team, your collaborators, your clients and most visibly, how you market yourself.

Goodness is subjective, so to clarify, I’m talking about “good” in the sense of serving others, driving excellence and conducting your company and your work with integrity.

Utilizing authentic goodness (not simply leading with a cause, but truly owning the driving force behind your decision to align with this perspective) is a strong advantage for your design business, reaching and impacting more elements of your operations than you likely realized. It is something to be proud of.

By speaking of yourself in terms of goodness, you are aligning yourself with consumers and clients who recognize the value of goodness and creating opportunities to work together.

Do you consider yourself a “good” company? If so, it’s time to start talking about it. I believe the foundation of a good company is based on Good Culture, Good Work and Good Clients.

Good Culture

This starts within your culture. The bedrock of an inclusive, strong, teamoriented culture is based on three seemingly simple, but paramount, questions: Do I feel safe? Do I matter?

Do I belong?

Creating an environment for employees to be able to answer “yes” to each of those questions is the mark of a good culture, and intrinsically necessary for employees to stay engaged, aligned and invested in their workplace. Why does this matter?

1. Engaged employees are 87 percent less likely to leave the organization than the disengaged. (CEB) 2. Highly engaged employees outperform their disengaged colleagues by 20–28 percent.

(The Conference Board) 3. Team member emotional engagement, loyalty, ownership and focus increases 67–100 percent. (INC) Spend some time with your team and ask these questions. See where you

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stand. But one of the most important parts of culture change and alignment is this difficult truth: You can’t shift your culture without being willing to change yourself. Are you ready?

Good Work

Work takes up 39 percent or (much) more of your life. You will likely spend more waking hours with your coworkers on any given week than with your partner or spouse.

You should probably be doing something that matters to you.

Some questions to explore: • Can you work on a project that is aligned with who you are, or want to be?

• Does a percentage of your work align with what you’re passionate about?

• Think about the work you are doing now. Does it have the impact you would hope it to have?

• Depending on how you answer will determine the best next steps.

Good Clients

How companies and firms select clients is widely varied, and we could spend hours exploring the different approaches and tactics. But let’s keep it simple: Do you have criteria for how you select your clients? The questions can be as simple as: • Is this work/company aligned with ours culturally?

• Will this work be profitable?

• Am I passionate about it?

• Will it attract other work?

• Will this challenge us?

• Will it help me/us develop/evolve our career(s)?

• Will I miss anything important with family or loved ones?

As a rule of thumb, we make sure each project we take on passes at least three of these questions.

A good measure is to look at your team, work or clients and strive for a balance that works for you. What does contentment or happiness look like for you? One thought is: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

– Mahatma Gandhi Whatever you do, make sure your company’s variation of “good” is more than just a mantra or marketing message. Put it into practice and you will be amazed as you watch the impact it makes on your culture, work and clients.

A good measure is to look at your team, work or clients and strive for a balance that works for you. What does contentment or happiness look like for you?

Justin Ahrens is founder and principal of Rule29, an award winning suburban Chicagobased strategic creative firm. He is a frequent guest blogger, national speaker and author of “Life Kerning: Creative Ways to Fine Tune Your Perspective on Career and Life” (Wiley). Follow him and Rule29 on Twitter ­– @justinahrens and @rule29.

CORNER OFFICE

Perspective | Leadership | Insights

BY ELIZABETH MCCORMICK

Making the most of cross-mentoring groups

The mastermind concept came from an admirer of industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Napoleon Hill described the idea in his 1937 book, “Think and Grow Rich.” The principles of a mastermind group can apply to any employee or workplace group aimed at continuous improvement and personal development.

A mastermind is a group of individuals devoted to mutual support, a sort of mentorship in the round, where each member plays both the role of mentor and mentee. The focus is on enabling the success of others, while in turn drawing on the resources of the group for oneself.

As Hill saw the concept, he applied it to business owners who were otherwise on their own. This remains a very effective application for broadening knowledge and experience horizons.

Applied to the workplace, the mastermind structure suits groups of supervisors or department heads who face similar challenges, yet with differing circumstances. The philosophy of the mastermind suggests a new approach to group dynamics over traditional workplace units. But for those devoted to gaining a competitive edge, membership in an effective mastermind provides a fast track to success.

While it might seem cynical, there really is no point in being involved in such a group if you don’t feel you can gain from the experience. That’s obvious.

But the point on which many such groups falter is not the taking, but the giving. Before you look at how to invest in a mastermind, look at four distinct takeaways an effective alliance can offer:

No. 1 – Community

The most effective masterminds bring together people with both like and unlike backgrounds. Each member is after increased success, but comes from a different industry.

That’s the model behind the typical business club mastermind.

But the key factor is a new and diverse community that wouldn’t exist otherwise. It’s a community of intent, not chance, with members invited in for the strengths they will offer as much as for the benefits they will receive.

No. 2 – Collaboration

Being the captain of a small business enterprise can be a lonely position. It’s all on you. If you’re an entrepreneur by nature, you’ll relish that feeling most of the time. But, when everyone is looking to you to run the show with confidence and authority, to whom do you turn to express doubt or brainstorm ideas?

When you are not comfortable sharing concerns with clients and staff, a mastermind collective presents a safe sounding board. No one wants to be a lone wolf all of the time.

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No. 3 – Consolidation

Networking generally is accepted as a key to business growth, yet processes required from typical networking opportunities are often uncomfortable. Consequently, many of us don’t do them well. It’s “first date” syndrome – there’s not enough time to relax and be yourself. A mastermind alliance checks that in a couple ways.

First, everyone is there by strategic invitation. Next, everyone around you is interested in your success as well as their own, for the good of the group. Opportunities to build effective cross-promotions can be nurtured and don’t have to be developed on the fly, in a couple of awkward hours.

The philosophy of the mastermind suggests a new approach to group dynamics over traditional workplace units.

No. 4 – Continued motivation

Inspiration and motivation may be the two biggest takeaways a mastermind has to offer. There are probably other sources for the new information you’re learning through your mastermind group. But there is something so intangible (yet so essential) to your personal and business growth about sharing an exciting idea with a group of like-minded, encouraging people.

Each mastermind can be enriching, even if it’s not what you were expecting or doesn’t achieve what you want. Ultimately, while a mastermind is a group experience, you will find the rewards are deeply personal.

Elizabeth McCormick is a founding member of the John Maxwell Team of speakers, coaches and trainers, as well as an award-winning sales consultant teaching her nationally acclaimed sales training: “It’s Not Stalking, It’s FollowUp.” She is the best-selling author of “The P.I.L.O.T. Method; the 5 Elemental Truths to Leading Yourself in Life.”

Perspective | Technology | Insights

WAYS TO BUILD THAT PERSONAL TOUCH It is hard to scale intimacy. Even so, award-winning author Mayur Ramgir says there are ways to incorporate signature extras as a personal touch to your customers’ experiences. These small changes can help move your customer experience beyond a transaction. Here are five ways the author of “Evolve Like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership” says it’s done:

1

Increase Your Customer Touch Points

2

Impeccable Customer Service

3

Social Awareness

4

Better Data Integration

5

The more opportunities you have to interact with your customers, the better. Use sales letters, customer service, emails, direct mails, apps, mobile messaging, etc., to reach out.

Service quality is key to gaining customer loyalty and connecting on a personal level. Opening all channels of communication leads to a better customer experience.

t’s important to bring that personal touch to your business by linking your business website to all major social media outlets so that your customers can reach you directly.

As customers interact with you while browsing for or purchasing products or services, you can gather all important data to help them fine-tune customer targeting.

CORNER OFFICE

In the case of AI, where it gets the greatest traction is where it’s making people stronger and smarter. So we’ve designed our technology to make the salesperson almost superhuman.

They cannot be replaced by a machine, but a machine can certainly make them smarter and stronger.”

– Olin Hyde, founder & CEO of Leadcrunch, on why AI will not surpass emotional intelligence

Better Management Solutions By defining everyone’s roles and objectives, it becomes easier to serve the customers.

Come up with two unrelated terms

(Try a free random-word-generator app, like InspireMe.)

How to be a good storyteller An ex SNL writer reveals his secrets

Tim Washer knows how to tell a good story. With stints as a writer on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” he studied improv under Amy Poehler and wrote for her on “Saturday Night Live”’s Weekend Update. Today, as the social media manager for Cisco Systems’ Service Provider Marketing group, he is what you might call a bona fide corporate humorist. In a piece for the Content Marketing Institute (www.contentmarketinginstitute.com), he shared an exercise you can use to be a better storyteller.

Here’s how he says to get your content groove on:

Write those terms down on a piece of paper

(Not in your head.)

Create a word map or web of words for each term

(Brainstorm. Keep writing. Don’t stop. Constantly keep your pen moving. There are no wrong answers – it’s just word association. Don’t judge yourself or worry about making mistakes. If it’s crazy, it could be money.)

Choose a word from each side

Could be a combination that strikes you as having play potential; then free associate only those two words.)

Create a narrative that connects the two ideas

(Ask yourself, “What if …?” Keep your mind open and playful.)

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BEHIND THE CURTAIN Personnel Moves

Are you the best?

New PIA 'Best Workplace' awards taking nominations Communication and culture. Employee resources and benefits. Safety and work environment. These are the tenants of Printing Industries of America's (PIA) "Best Workplace in the Americas (BWA)" recognition program.

This year, PIA has chosen to break new ground with a redevelopment of the BWA logo, application process, timeline and award presentation. Along with a new format, it has added a Safety Shield designation for companies that exhibit excellence in environmental, health and safety areas.

The winners will be voted on by an anonymous panel of human relations professionals from the industry. Honorees will be notified in January 2018, with the presentations scheduled for the 2018 President’s Conference, March 4-6, in San Antonio.

Last day for entries will be Nov. 17, 2017.



Around the industry

Roland DGA Corporation, a leading provider of wideformat inkjet printers and other digital imaging devices, has made several key personnel changes to further strengthen its sales management team.

Tony Miller, formerly Roland DGA’s Director of U.S. Sales, has been promoted and will now serve as Director of Sales & Product Management. Miller will be responsible for spearheading Roland DGA’s expansion into new markets, while overseeing the company’s product development and sales efforts across all core markets. He will continue operating out of Roland DGA’s corporate headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

Sid Lambert, who previously served as Roland DGA’s Southeast Regional Sales Manager for the past 10 years, has been promoted to U.S. Sales Manager for Color Products. Lambert will oversee the company’s regional sales management team throughout the U.S., for all inkjet printing products. Reporting to Miller, Lambert will work remotely from Ball Ground, Ga. In addition, Daryl Chaffins, previously a Roland DGA business development manager, has been promoted to the position of Regional Sales Manager, Southeast Region. Operating out of Cumming, Ga., and reporting to Lambert, Chaffins will oversee the company’s dealer sales channel for inkjet products within the southeastern United States.

GPA has promoted Jules Gonzales to Central Region Director of Sales and Strategic Accounts. He will provide leadership and support to GPA’s Business Development Managers in the Midwest, while continuing to service key national accounts in a strategic capacity. An active member of the print community, he is a member of Printing Industry Midwest (PIM) and has served as a judge for its annual “Star of Excellence Awards.” He also is a member of the Digital Solutions Cooperative (Dscoop).

Joe Marin is returning to Printing Industries of America (PIA) as its VP of Education and Training. He previously served the association in a number of roles from 1995 to 2013.

Board Moves

Sun Chemical has entered into a collaboration agreement with HP Indigo to develop cost-effective digital coatings. This move enables the adoption of digital printing in the packaging industry.

The partnership will lead to the development of a comprehensive range of digital coatings to support brand owners, converters and printers alike, including, overprint varnishes and adhesives tailored to complement digital solutions.

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Dscoop North America has expanded its board with the announcement of several new additions, including Martin Aalsma, VP, BR Printers, (San Jose, Calif.); Amanda Bass, Marketing Leader, Aflac.

(Columbus, Ga.); Craig Curran, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, Nosco (Waukegan, Ill.); Paul Hudson, CEO, Hudson Printing (Salt Lake City); Charles Ohiaeri, Chief Fulfilment Officer, Zazzle (Redwood City, Calif.); and Chris Reine, Indigo Operations Manager and In-House Engineer, Franklin Press Inc. (Baton Rouge, La.).

Industry news & more

firm specializing in media research that uses innovative tools and solutions to measure the awareness, familiarity and perception of brands. The study queried more than 9,300 Signs of the Times subscribers, with results in the digital printing category based on those who responded as having “buying influence” for digital printing equipment.

The Printing Industry Association of the South (PIAS) has named its Board of Directors for 2017-2018, including Matt Merrick, The Merrick Printing Company (Louisville) as Chairman of the Board. Other officers include Tommy McEwen, McGraphics Inc. (Nashville), First Vice Chairman Art Daws, TruColor Litho (Nashville) Second Vice Chairman Kent Middleton, Magna IV (Little Rock, Ark.), Secretary/ Treasurer, and John Ambrose, Ambrose Printing Co. (Nashville), Immediate Past Chairman. Directors included: Harvey Starling, Publication Press (Montgomery, Ala.) Alan Davis, BPI Media Group (Boaz, Ala.) Joey Schmissrauter, TPC Printing & Packaging (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Jeff Higgins, ColorStream Digital (Nashville) Kirk Francis, Arena Imprints (Nashville) All officers will serve a one-year term, while the directors will serve three-year terms.

Awards & Recognition John Shadden, president of Starkey Printing Company in Chattanooga, Tenn., was named the Printing Industry Association of the South (PIAS) “Person of the Year.” The award is chosen for service to the printing industry, community and betterment of the graphic arts industry as a whole.

Canon U.S.A. Inc.’s Océ Colorado 1640 was named a “2017 Must See EMS” winner at PRINT 17 in Chicago. The awards recognize new and innovative products, and celebrate companies that bring forward-thinking devices and solutions to the market. The Océ Colorado 1640, powered by Canon’s UVgel technology, is designed to transform 64-inch roll-to-roll sign and display printing with its ability to deliver breakthrough productivity for high-quality indoor and outdoor applications. Users are able to handle peak periods with fully automated media loading of multiple online rolls and confidently print unattended with on-the-fly quality assurance to produce instantly cured prints on a wide variety of applications, including heat sensitive media.

A Signet BrandStudy recently cited Roland DGA with its highest “Net Promoter Score” (NPS) among all major wide-format printer manufacturers. The acknowledgement indicates that respondents are most likely to recommend Roland products to others. In addition to the “Net Promoter Score,” Roland also ranked No. 1 in the categories of Brand Familiarity, Purchase Consideration, Service, Value and Quality. Signet Research Inc. is a respected marketing

Electronics For Imaging Inc. (EFI) received the “EDP Award” from leading print-industry honor from the European Graphic Arts trade Press for the “Best Roll-to-Roll Textile Print” technology. The award went to the EFI™ VUTEk® FabriVU® 180/340 soft signage printer, which is part of the EFI VUTEk FabriVU series of digital fabric printers. The series offers everything needed to produce high-quality images at true production level speeds — all while keeping running cost low and profit opportunity high.

In addition to the “EDP Award,” the VUTEk printers also were given the coveted “Hot Picks Awards” from Australian industry publication Print21 Magazine. The awards were given to the VUTEk FabriVU 340 soft signage printer and the VUTEk LX3 Pro hybrid roll/flatbed LED inkjet printers.

Sappi North America recognized 12 “Gold Award” winners during its annual “North American Printer of the Year” contest.

Regarded as the world’s most respected accolade of excellence in printed communications, the award recognizes superior innovation and creativity in print across 11 categories for work produced on Sappi papers. The 2017 winners were chosen as the most outstanding print submissions from nearly 1,500 entries: Company Category Award Lithographix Inc. (Books) “Gold” & “Printer of the Year” Geographics Inc. (Activated Print) “Gold” Neiman Printing Company (Brochures) “Gold” Nahan Printing Inc. (Catalogs)”Gold” Imetch Graphics (Digital) “Gold” Dreamworks Graphic Communications LLC (Direct Mail) “Gold” Queen Beach Printers (General) “Gold” Southeastern (Magazines-Sheet) “Gold” St. Joseph Communications (Magazines-Web) “Gold” Lane Press (Magazines-Web) “Gold” Hatteras (Printers Own Promotions) “Gold” Gamse Lithographing Co. (Packaging) “Gold”

Mergers & Acquisitons Burns Printing, Olathe, Kansas, has joined NextPage. Founded in 1924, Burns is run by John and Diane Burnell.

Employee-owned sheet fed commercial printer Worth Higgins & Associates Inc. has acquired Stern’s Printing and Engraving Company. The acquisition, which adds four employees to the Worth Higgins team, is expected to generate an additional $2 million in annual sales. Stern’s will operate as a stand-alone division of Worth Higgins.

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Makers’ Corner

Let paper do the heavy lifting When was the last time you thought about creating a print job using little or no ink? Heresy right? Or is it? If you consider colored paper not simply as a backdrop, but as a focal point, printing a high impact becomes as easy as choosing the right canvas. Too often overlooked, colored paper is a transformative material.

Get ready to defy your client’s expectations with these simple, practical ideas that will take printing projects to the next level: High impact, low cost

Transform with color on color

Think about this: You can be seen as a budget-taming-genius by suggesting colored paper plus one color printing.

Simple on press, but super-high-impact on delivery. In this day and age, it is also innovative and can inspire new trends.

Recently, I had the pleasure of walking some designers through a collection of historical paper promotions created by legendary designers of the 20th Century. Interestingly, the printing that received the most attention from this group was created using one or two ink colors and relied heavily on the base paper color. I was delighted to see that each of these designers were inspired to employ simple printing techniques and let paper play a more central role.

While researching new ways to show how colors interact, I stumbled across a really beautiful printed piece that used multiple colored sheets in a simple saddle stitched book.

A series of die cut shapes were used in such a way that each sheet revealed a slice of the next sheet’s color. Most pages only had a single color ink, allowing the bright colored papers to create the impression that this was a more complex, multi-color job. I can’t think of any designer who wouldn’t welcome a printer who was willing to show off its finishing skills for this kind of memorable result.

Think beyond ink Sometimes a distinct, specialty printing process, plus a great colored paper can equal a stellar print project. Consider suggesting a blind emboss or deboss on a metallic paper for a high impact invitation. Or use foil on a deep, rich color to bring an unexpected level of style and sophistication to a cover.

Making suggestions like this not only puts you in the category of a “printer who thinks outside the box,” but it also lets you show off production skills for which your clients may not have thought of you prior.

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Use color to reinforce Do you bleed Cornell “Big Red” or gush with pride for Dartmouth Green? Rallying around a symbolic color is hardly limited to colleges. The emotional power of color is undeniable.

Consider recommending colored paper as a way to reinforce a client’s brand identity through the emotive power of “beater dyed” paper. Dyed during the papermaking process, colored papers arrive in your pressroom ready to contribute in ways that white paper only wishes it could.

Colored paper is brimming with potential, so don’t miss the opportunity to recommend this time-tested and readily available material. You will surprise your clients and stand out from the pack.

By Chris Harrold VP, Business Development & Creative Director Mohawk Fine Papers

>> Visit Mohawk Connects.com

WHAT WILL YOU MAKE TODAY? Introducing A Maker’s Field Guide to Texture and Color, featuring easily applied strategies to elevate your work through the considered use of textured and colored paper. Get yours today at: Mohawkconnects.com/makersfieldguide

CANVAS BUYER’S GUIDE

PAPER & SUBSTRATES

Open me first...

Mohawk unveils A Maker’s Field Guide to Envelopes

Envelopes are equal parts function and first impression.

They’re like a handshake that says “Hello” and “Open me first” at the same time.

Enter Mohawk’s A Maker’s Field Guide to Envelopes – the latest in a series of comprehensive, printed guides designed to inspire and educate designers, their clients and printers on the importance of choosing the right materials for print.

Created by Aurora Design, the guide is designed to complement Mohawk’s Maker’s Field Guide to Texture and Color and its Mohawk Maker Quarterly, an award-winning publication that highlights the beauty and tactility of fine paper. Both publications have become go-to resources for creative directors and designers using print to digital communication.

The 26-page book is organized around the five defining, structural attributes of an envelope: texture, color, style, flap and size.

Similar to the Maker’s Field Guide to Texture and Color, the guide opens with a high-level introduction stating the case for materials with a blend of behavioral insight and hands-on demonstration. This further proves that careful attention to your envelope selection helps elevate any project from “good” to “great.”

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The 26-page book is organized around five defining, structural attributes of an envelope: texture, color, style, flap and size.

Throughout the book, including the dust jacket, patterns inspired by envelope security tints are used as a visual, unifying element. Printed on a total of 25 different combinations of Mohawk colored and textured papers and envelopes, this resource is as beautiful as it is educational.

The book was printed by O’Neil Printing and finished at Roswell Bindery, both in Phoenix.

For more information or to get your copy, visit mohawkconnects.com/makersfieldguidetoenvelopes. >> More companies and products at your fingertips in the CANVAS Buyer’s Guide

Download the CANVAS Buyer’s Guide app Products and resources just a tap away

It’s a breeze

PAPER & SUBSTRATES

GPA adds MagX™ Magnetic Media to wide format offering

There’s a whole new look coming to menu boards, murals, vehicle signage, POP displays, retail environments, tradeshow displays and anywhere changeable displays are needed.

Thanks to the addition of MagX™ Magnetic Media to its wide format offering, GPA is expanding its selection of specialty substrates to help customers create profitable new opportunities. MagX™ makes it possible to create attractive signage that’s easily changed. Available in two different systems – MagX™ Printable Magnetic Sheeting and MagX™ Magnetic Receptive Sheeting, GPA has the solution based on the unique needs of each project.

Now, applying MagX™ Magnetic Media to high-visibility surfaces, including walls, end caps, retail displays, vehicles, refrigerators, and more, is a breeze. Why? For starters, the media is more flexible than competing products. In addition, because it is so easy to apply, remove, roll up, and use again, it will help save time and money.

MagX™ Printable Magnetic Sheeting This innovative product features a strong magnetic pull and bright printing surface, which help your graphics achieve their full brilliance, and make a lasting impact. The extremely durable magnet provides outstanding performance even in harsh weather. And due to the unique manufacturing process that fuses the printable laminate face to the magnetic base, delamination is virtually impossible.

MagX™ Magnetic Receptive Sheeting Transform indoor surfaces into impactful backdrops for any message. It is as simple as print, peel and stick. This system consists of two parts – a magnetic base sheet and changeable magnetic-receptive top sheet. The magnetic base sheet has a permanent adhesive that adheres to any smooth,

non-metallic surface. A printable magnetic-receptive PET top sheet is printed and applied to the base to create the finished display. The top sheet can even be stacked, up to three layers, for trouble-free changing and storage.

Now, applying MagX™ Magnetic Media to high-visibility surfaces, including walls, end caps, retail displays, vehicles, refrigerators, and more, is a breeze.

MagX™ Magnetic Media’s multi-purpose coating is compatible with solvent, eco-solvent, UV, and latex printers to complement the most popular wide format printing technologies. GPA offers MagX™ Printable Magnetic Sheeting in a 30 mil thickness with a white face, in roll widths of 24.375 inches, 40 inches and 48 inches at 50-foot roll lengths.

The MagX™ Magnetic Receptive Sheeting system is available in a 30 mil magnetic base sheet in 24.375” and 48” widths in 50’ roll lengths. The 10 mil magnetic-receptive PET sheet has a white face, and is available from GPA in 50-inch, 54-inch and 60-inch widths on 100-foot long rolls.

For more information, contact GPA Customer Support at 800-395-9000 or visit us online at www.askgpa.com. >> More companies and products at your fingertips in the CANVAS Buyer’s Guide www.canvasbuyersguide.com

CANVAS P17

CANVAS BUYER’S GUIDE

LARGE FORMAT

Download the CANVAS Buyer’s Guide app Products and resources just a tap away

A whole new world of possibilites How the Onset X1 is changing the mindset for today’s printers

When KD Kanopy brought in the Inca Onset X1, distributed exclusively in North America by Fujifilm, Jody Seltzer felt as if it opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Seltzer, VP of Operations of the Denver-based company, says that KD Kanopy has historically been in the custom tent business.

But today, the KD Kanopy team outsources less of its work and produces more, thanks to what the Onset X1 can create. “If a customer can dream it up, we can print it on the Onset X1,” Seltzer says.

“The abilities and capabilities that we have now with this machine are just amazing; the Onset X1 has certainly transformed our business.”

– Jody Seltzer Seltzer, VP of Operations, KD Kanopy Onset X1 with white not only offers the speed and high quality that Seltzer and company have come to expect from Fujifilm’s line-up of digital printers, but it prints on a wide array of surfaces, producing 4,034 square feet or 80 beds, per hour.

The Onset X1, which prints in cyan, magenta, yellow and black, has four more active channels that can be configured to print using light magenta, light cyan, white and orange.

Seltzer says this type of flexibility and quality opens up an array of possibilities for business owners looking to vary their offerings and increase their bottom-line. “Without question we are seeing an increase in jobs, and we haven’t even touched the tip of the iceberg yet.”

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Among the many benefits of Onset X1 include: • The Onset X features up to 14 active channels with cyan, magenta, black, yellow, white, light cyan, light magenta and orange for incredible colors (a “fully loaded” Onset X1 would contain CMYK, Lc, Lm, O, plus WW, a total of 9 channels, but all Onset’s have 14-channel capacity) • High speeds for increased production (4,034 square ft or 80 beds, per hour) • Prints on practically anything, including rigid substrates like boards, POP displays, wood and more.

• Able to vary the gloss level (from stain to gloss) directly from the console • Auto nozzle mapping technology (iNozzle) • 25-zoned vacuum print bed • Automated print head sensor protection • Reporter Pro, Print Run Controller and Inca Vision

For more information or to get your copy, visit http://www.fujifilmusa.com/ >> More companies and products at your fingertips in the CANVAS Buyer’s Guide

FEATURES ONLINE

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT FROM THE INDUSTRY'S MOST READ MAGAZINE. Empowering marketing service providers

WWW.THECANVASMAG.COM

CREATIVE CORNER

Art director

Doug Bartow on why talking less and listening more matters

Go ahead. Ask Doug Bartow anything you want. Bartow can share insights from a wealth of perspectives. With more than 25 years working with clients all over the world, Bartow’s mind is a treasure trove of fascinating information.

These days, he is on the front lines in helping build marketing strategies for a wide variety of brands. Cobra Puma Golf. Pitney Bowes. Firefly Bicycles. The Steve Case Foundation. Union College. The Travel Channel. Revolution Money. His agency, id29, was also the driving force behind Scholastic’s national campaign for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” It is safe to say he has done it all. So, what is his wise (and concise) advice?

Listen. The key, he says, to any design campaign’s success is listening. Period.

Before he co-founded id29, Bartow was the director of design at MASS MoCA, where for more than eight years he helped put the country’s largest arts center on the world’s cultural map by designing the museum’s identity system, exhibition and wayfinding signage, print collateral, catalogs and web presence.

And get this – the only help he had came from an occasional summer intern.

A frequent lecturer and writer for publications such as Speak Up and HOW Magazine, Bartow also serves as the president of AIGA Upstate NY, the Professional Association for Design. Here’s his take on what’s happening in today’s graphic arts community:

P20 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

Print is the boulder rolling down the hill. It appears small from a distance, but gets bigger and still packs a punch at close range.

Creative corner

Give us a snapshot of today’s graphic design market?

Branding rules, media follows.

What are your clients looking for today?

ROI. Any talented designer can communicate beautifully. Today’s savvy clients need to ensure their marketing spends have value.

What’s the one quality every art director must have today?

It’s the ability to really listen to what your clients have to say.

What are your three biggest best practices when working with a client?

They are the three things I practice every day: assume nothing, research until it hurts and talk less.

Define print’s role in reaching consumers today.

Print is the boulder rolling down the hill. It appears small from a distance, but gets bigger and still packs a punch at close range.

What’s the best piece of advice you can offer today’s designers?

Be nice to people.

What’s the biggest thing on your to-do list right now?

Write. It always takes me forever to be happy with what I end up with.

CANVAS P21

PERSPECTIVE

P22 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

Cover Story

By Alyssa Ruane

nce upon a time, printers defined themselves as product suppliers.

They’d send salespeople to various customers to discuss what the printer could offer, formulate a bid, and wait.

If the printer won the customer, it would deliver the products and hopefully develop a lasting relationship.

But that’s not how it works these days. Today’s printers believe that adding new capabilities and services – more clips in the chamber, if you will – helps keep them relevant.

Mark Steputis is still mesmerized by the scope of technology that continues to hit the print landscape. “Technology has evened the playing field as far as who’s a good printer,” says Steputis, president and CEO of Denver-based Vision Graphics. “It has neutralized any manufacturing superiority that people might have.”

And with the introduction of new software and techniques like G7 and digital proofing, among many other game-changers, quality is the difference maker for today’s printers.

What makes you more valuable than the printer down the street is what you can deliver, how it is delivered and when. “The challenge is, if you continue to only supply components, the competition is fierce,” Steputis says. “The

TODAY’S PRINTERS MUST CULTIVATE A SHIFT IN MINDSET TO MATCH THE CHANGING BUYER. SO, WHEN THE BUYING HABITS AND TENDENCIES CHANGE, SO SHOULD YOU.

margins are tiny, and the expectations are as high as ever.”

Today’s printers must cultivate a shift in mindset to match the changing buyer. Why? More than anything else, the way consumers buy today continues to change. So, when the buying habits and tendencies change, so should you.

“I believe customers have grown wary of having eight printers they get prices from, receiving products from different vendors, and trying to coordinate it all,” Steputis says. “That requires staff on their end, too. That traditional sales model of having a salesperson get a quote and bring it back is becoming automated.”

CANVAS P23

Don’t be a dodo

KNOW YOUR ROLE

“What we do hasn’t changed,” Steputis says of his company,

Sarah Scudder believes that every printer must have a deep understanding of today’s print client and know exactly what it is they want. Scudder is CEO of ProcureIt5, a print management company that specializes in print procurement and buys on behalf of clients. And from what she sees, the print client is an entirely different animal than it was in the past.

“Buyers are a lot younger now,” she says. “The typical buyer used to be a white man over the age of 50. But now the buyer can be potentially ethnic, female or a Millennial. The way they want to buy and the solution they want are very different than buyers of the past. More and more companies value procurement and supply chain, making significant investments to drive cost-saving and efficiency. It’s shifted the way companies buy.

The buying decision was once made by one, maybe two people, but the average sale now has six to 10 buyers.”

And technology, as with so many other industries, has disrupted the way consumers shop around. “Buyers now do 80 percent of their research before even speaking to someone on the sales team,” Scudder says. “Millennials don’t want to talk to people.

They want to do their research online.”

This means big changes for printers.

Evolving sales teams. New technology.

Dynamic marketing protocols. The transition is still difficult for some traditional printers to pull off.

Scudder has seen, firsthand, the potential push-back from more traditional industry peers. The scenario has played out more than she cares to admit. “I have experienced several situations and environments where it was a big change for people to consider new ways of thinking and working with a younger demographic,” she says.

“It has been very difficult to transition members of the sales team to a newer model,” Steputis explains. “It’s not what they know; it’s not what they were initially hired for. You have to stop wishing they were different and let them do what they do. Maybe that means we need to find different individuals with different ideas about how they want to engage with customers.”

we relate to that customer and how we obtain that customer.”

Instead of just delivering product and detaching themselves from the project, the new sales model suggests printers be more in-tune with their client’s goals. It’s all about finding an integrated solution. That’s why many printers have transitioned to marketing solutions providers (MSPs), even though the bulk of what they do – print – remains a prominent part of their resources.

So, while printers like Vision Works and ProcureIt5 are not going to disappear into the sunset, they will continue to adapt to new landscape. “Eventually you reach a tipping point where you realize you’re having more success with the new model of client interaction,” Steputis says. “And you see how challenging and frustrating the old model is. In order to make a change like this, it has to be deliberate.”

Today, with new technology, new print procurement models and a number of new opportunities to engage with their customers, printers are moving into a new age of development. Scudder be-

– SARAH SCUDDER, CEO, PROCUREIT5

Those “different ideas” Steputis referencpany and ProcureIt5 have implemented. The B2B buying process not only demands a new selling recipe, but also a different level of discussion with clients. Steputis says the old sales model had printers talking about themselves, their reputations and their equipment list. But now, printers like Vision Works are asking the clients more about their goals and any problems they’re experiencing.

Both Vision Works and ProcureIt5 use their own proprietary software for print procurement. The objective of each piece of software is similar: to make the procurement process more automated, easier and more efficient. In turn, automated procurement allows these companies to provide clients with more complete solutions. By bringing the many needs of one client to a single printer, it allows that printer to fully serve the client and

P24 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

years). “What’s changed is how we interact with our customer, how

“BUYERS ARE A LOT YOUNGER NOW. THE TYPICAL BUYER USED TO BE A WHITE MAN OVER THE AGE OF 50, BUT NOW THE BUYER CAN BE POTENTIALLY ETHNIC, FEMALE AND A MILLENNIAL.”

es have a lot to do with the new procurement model both his com-

build stronger, more strategic partnerships.

which has been in business since 1952 (he has been there for 31

lieves that companies are being smarter with dollars and resources and finding new ways to market to customers and involve print.

The key is to stop listening to those who proclaim that print is dead. “I don’t think it’s true,” Scudder says. “I think printing has changed and the way people use print is very different, but I don’t think print is dead. It’s not going away.”

MARKETING

P26 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

Feature Story

By Michael J. Pallerino

The numbers are staggering. There are more than 9 billion connected devices in operation today that generate 2.5 quintillion bytes of new data daily. That doesn’t take into account the many other ways consumers connect with the brands they follow.

CANVAS P27

Spoke in the wheel Online. Email. Direct mail. Video. Social. Print. Today’s ever-

& Value-Added Services” report, 32 percent of marketers spend

connected customers expect to interact in their channel of

more on direct mail pieces. As one major print services provider

choice, anytime, anywhere. And if that’s not enough, they expect

with strong marketing service capabilities said in the report, both

these brand interactions to be personalized, on-demand, and

its direct mail volume and number of jobs continues to rise.

tailored to their buying preferences.

“Shorter runs get messages out faster and are more viable,”

That’s not too much pressure, right?

the print services provider said.

Here’s what we know – to be effective, marketers must have

If you’re looking for ammunition to support your case for print,

“all channels on.” “People don’t think in terms of ‘offline’ and

look no further than the Millennial endorsement. Another InfoTrends

‘online,’ they just see a brand in all its touch points,” says Barb

study, conducted with Prinova, showed that 63 percent of Millen-

Pellow, group director at InfoTrends. “Oftentimes, marketers

nials who responded to a direct mail piece within a three-month

treat these touch points as a series of individual channels rather

period actually made a purchase.

than an integrated unified whole needed to guide customers from discovery to purchase and beyond.”

In truth, there is no perfect channel.

That’s why giving your customers options is critical. According to the Pew Research Center, 2.9 billion people – more than 30 percent of the world’s population – surfs the web. People send 200 million emails, conduct 4.1 million Google searches, share 3.3 million Facebook items, post 433,000 tweets, download 195,000 apps and upload 100 hours of YouTube content.

“The goal of any omni-channel campaign is nudging people along in their decision-making process – that means making it as efficient as possible.”

It’s easy to see why getting your brand’s story to stand out can

In addition, 90 percent said they were more likely to look at direct mail pieces that were customized or personalized to their interests, the study found. And nearly 47 percent said the quality of printing paper had a “major” or “moderate” effect on the decision to open a direct mail piece.

“Print really is part of the mix because it stands out,” Pellow says. “Digital is saturated. Direct mail is far more persuasive than digital media.”

It all comes down to presentation.

According to “A Bias for Action” report

by Canada Post and True Impact Marketing, direct mail is easier

be challenging. That’s where print comes in. Fifteen years ago, Pel-

to understand than digital, requiring 21 percent less cognitive

low says most people would sigh when they received a letter in the

effort to process. The study also found that brand recall was 70

mail. Fast-forward to today and that notion takes on a whole new

percent higher among participants exposed to direct mail ads

meaning. Why? On average, people have more than 220 unread

over digital ads.

emails in their inbox at any given time.

So, in a time when we’re inundated by digital communications,

Campaigning

print becomes almost a secret weapon of sorts. Marketers can tai-

In today’s omni-channel world, the key to engagement is not only

lor print campaigns to create more interesting and richer pieces,

in the campaign, but in which channels you use. On average,

using paper and printing as a strategic design tool that comple-

marketers use at least three types of media campaigns, according

ments the digital experience.

to the “Micro to Mega” report. More than half (59 percent) of the

“From a consumer perspective, it isn’t print versus online marketing – it’s just marketing,” Pellow says.

Despite its alleged decline, print has remained a viable chan-

marketers said they combined their print and digital campaigns.

“One of the biggest things they were doing was linking print to digital media,” Pellow says. “What they were trying to accom-

nel by boasting an overall 29 percent of communications spend,

plish was to use that printed piece to build out that omni-channel

according to InfoTrends’ “Micro to Mega: Trends in Business Com-

relationship with the client and move him seamlessly into an

munications” report. One reason is the vast improvements made

online or mobile relationship – or both.”

in digital print technology, which has made the print spend more affordable. According to InfoTrend’s “Direct Marketing Production Printing

P28 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

The print used in these campaigns included directories, catalogs, newsletters, brochures and marketing materials, direct mail, magazines, packaging,

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Spoke in the wheel etc. One of the biggest surprises was the resurgence in catalogs, a vehicle that was nearly decimated during the past recession. For example, Lands’ End reported a $100 million hit in sales after it reduced the number of catalogs it printed.

“When a lot of these retailers stopped printing catalogs, they saw a significant change in their business – and not necessarily for the better,” Pellow says. “They found that online buying activities were prompted, in many instances, by print catalogs. Regardless of the channel you use, the content has to be relevant to the consumer.”

“From a consumer perspective, it isn’t print versus online marketing – it’s just marketing.”

– Barb Pellow, Group Director, InfoTrends

Print and the omni-channel world John Sisson’s passion for consumers can be seen in his work. When you look at the award-winning digital marketing campaigns he has created for clients such as NationWide Financial and TripAdvisor, you can see how much he believes in driving engagement.

Whichever channel you use, the process must be direct, measurable and inspire action immediately. The end result, above all else, is to get the customer of his customers engaged in the product and services.

Sisson’s strategy is driven by science, including data and human behavior. “Ninety-five percent of all purchase decision takes place in the subconscious mind,” says Sisson, president of the Wilde Agency. The quote comes from the book, “How Customers Think,” written by the Harvard Business School’s Gerald Zaltman.

“I admit that I was skeptical at first when I read that,” Sisson says. “But over the centuries, we as people, have taken decisionmaking shortcuts – automatic, reflective behaviors. This is prevalent when you look at how many channels we are hit with today.

Shortcuts have become necessary.”

The goal of any omni-channel campaign is nudging people along in their decision-making process – that means making it as efficient as possible.

The Wilde Agency’s omni-channel strategy is rooted in a fivestep process that includes setting objectives, creating a data strategy, outlining the customer journey, defining the personalization method and measurement.

“Remember that the buyer has complete control of their multichannel journey,” Sisson says. “They’re going to look at print, go online, visit social sites or ask a friend. They are going to use 5.6 channels, on average, before they make a decision. So you have to give them options. We’ve seen clients use mobile, email, social, search and print. The No. 1 driver depends on the campaign.”

Pellow believes print will continue to have its place in the mix.

“Digitally printed direct mail will continue to be a growth opportunity for service providers. Data will drive direct mail, increased personalization and response rates. And while printed communications are valued, many consumers react to print, email and digital. That’s why having cross-channel touch points will continue to drive higher response rates.”

What does it mean for today’s print service providers and marketing service providers?

Simply put, the answer is this – the ability for a brand to tell a story today makes it stand out. And print helps. Today, the ability for marketers to customize print campaigns gives them the opportunity to create more interesting and vibrant pieces. By using paper and printing, marketers have a strategic design tool in their arsenals to bring the digital world to life.

P30 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

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SALES

P32 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

Feature Story

WHY THE ANSWERS MAY BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU

By Michael J. Pallerino

CANVAS P33

Think like your clients

hen Stacey Hanke asks her clients why they choose her company to help build the leadership and communications structures within their businesses, the responses are exactly what you would want to hear from Fortune 500 executives.

“You speak our language.”

resonate with them – when you speak their language,” Hanke

“We feel like you are one of us.”

says. “This also communicates you care about what is important

“You fit into our culture.”

to them and that you’re not only focused on what you want from

“You’re consistent and you practice what you preach to us on

them. You have to ask the right questions before you can deliver

how we should treat our clients for greater influence.”

on your promises.”

For the past 15 years, the founder of executive mentoring firm

more bluntly) – shut up and listen. As the orchestrator of 77 busi-

Robert Thomas Bethel takes it one step further (and puts it a bit Stacey Hanke Inc. and her team have delivered thousands of pre-

ness turnarounds over the past 50 years, the strategic business

sentations and workshops for leaders of some of the world’s big-

consultant says that nobody wants to work with someone who

gest brands, including Coca-Cola, Nationwide, FedEx, Kohl’s and

doesn’t understand what their company does or how they do it.

Wal-Mart. But if you ask Hanke, she’d be the first to tell you that to communicate with your clients, you have to understand them.

If you don’t understand their real motivations, it’s harder

Bethel remembers the time his team was in the middle of wooing a large customer that was, he admits, tough as nails. They called on the company’s leadership team several times with no

to give them what they need. If you’re thinking of using the

results. Bethel decided to take several of his staff to spend several

old “put yourself in your client’s shoes” line, go ahead. It re-

days talking with people in the industry the prospect served.

ally works. “We would not be in business and be able to be

After evaluating the market, they created a survey that asked

competitive if we didn’t think like our clients,” says Hanke, who

important questions about the marketplace, its competitors,

also is author of “Influence Redefined: Be the Leader You Were

challenges and trends, etc. Following their analysis, they made

Meant to Be, Monday to Monday.”

a presentation that blew the prospect away. “We took the time

Hanke Inc.’s approach to thinking like its clients is structured

to understand their business, lost our ego, and went out and

around a team of mentors and consultants who boast more than

secured facts,” says Bethel, who also is author of “Strengthen

100 years of training experience. Their individual backgrounds

Your Business.”

include news and entertainment, sales and marketing,

Henry Ford once said, “If I had asked my customers what

recruitment, diversity and inclusion, organizational development

they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” It’s a line that

and investor relations.

Bethel never forgets when talking with his clients. Your advice

What’s the key? Ask what they need. Ask about their goals. Ask what has worked for them in the past and what hasn’t. Find

and experience has value to your customer, only if you have taken the time to understand what they do and how they do it.

out what they’re looking for in

“You will not be helping if you go along

a partnership.

with them – if you know it’s not the cor-

“You increase the likelihood that your clients will act on

rect option,” Bethel says.

“Simply doing what you know to be

your recommendation

a bad idea in order to get the

when your words

business serves no one.”

And if you do get the business? Stay involved in the entire process. “You

P34 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

Think like your clients

“Simply doing what you know to be a bad idea in order to get the business serves no one.”

don’t cut a deal and walk away,” he says. “You stay involved.

Never lose touch. It was the best move we ever made. We got to know the market and the people, and instead of offering advice, we asked questions and listened.”

– Robert Thomas Bethel, corporate turnaround specialist

Keep it simple What is the most important thing your client wants from you?

That translates into staying in constant step with their thought

The first thing that pops into your mind is ROI, right? But

process. The follow-up is everything. Without it, you end up guess-

that’s not always the case.

Along with pinpointing their needs and expectations, you

ing what your clients are thinking, doing and what’s important to

must be committed to the follow-through. And that means, in

them. “Following up communicates you care about them and the

many cases, going back to the basics. Hanke recommends hav-

relationship,” Hanke says. “It communicates you are willing to do

ing a phone call or a face-to-face conversation. The truth, she

what it takes to take care of them.”

In the end, perfecting the process of communication is criti-

says, comes when there is a built-in level of trust.

“Relationships build trust and trust is the key to influencing

cal. “Without being able to see and hear through the ears and

others,” she says. “Your clients have many choices. It is proven

eyes of your listener, you will continuously be in denial and

people buy when you tap into their emotions. You can’t tap into

you will go off your feelings,” Hanke says. “And you’ll never

what’s important to your clients when you don’t have a relation-

reach that level of impact and influence that you really have the

ship with them.”

capacity to reach.”

WAYS TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CLIENTS 1

2

3

4

Be clear and concise in your communication to avoid miscommunication or frustration.

Before you say too much, make sure your message meets their needs.

Always be consistent. Expect excellence from yourself and your team. Your client does not want to be left guessing.

Follow through.

Deliver on your promises.

Respect their time.

Make sure they know you recognize that their time is valuable.

Source: Stacey Hanke, Founder, Hanke Inc.

P36 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

5 Ask them what they need and want, and which mediums they prefer you use to grab their attention.

SALES

Are you a part of your client’s consideration set?

By Linda Bishop

You’re sitting inside your company at your desk.

Outside, the marketplace is humming. Clients discuss new projects. Designers put the finishing touches on artwork. Marketing teams meet with their agency to start fresh campaigns. Prospects complain to co-workers about problems with their current vendors.

All of these activities will create new opportunities for revenue, and some lucky salesperson will win that business. Will it be you? It depends on whether you’re part of the buyer’s consideration set.

The consideration set is the short list of companies buyers consider when they’re ready to make a purchase. Generally, there are three to five possibilities on the list. To be included in this elite group, buyers must: • Remember you and your company when they’re ready to buy • Know enough about your company’s products and services to tag you as a viable possibility for a purchase Customers who already are buying find it easy to recall who you are and what you do. Prospects are a different story. Before considering you, they go through a discovery process. You share information.

The buyer retains a minuscule portion of it.

To be included in a prospect’s consideration set, buyers must recall what directly applies to their upcoming purchase.

They recall results from learning. To improve your skills as a sales educator, take a tip from Ben Franklin, who said, “Tell me and I forget.

Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

The road to discovery Many salespeople spend too much time in a call telling prospects about their company and services, and too little time involving them in an educational process focused on discovery.

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Feature Story

Discussions are excellent teaching tools, because conversations connect prospects to the information you share.

Never assume that polite attention is the same as true interest.

If we spend too much time on a call telling buyers why we’re great, they’ll appear to listen, while being miles away from the conversation.

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Chosen Discussions are excellent teaching tools that help buyers recognize their assumptions and allow you to challenge them. As you confer, you and the buyer co-create a shared body of knowledge.

While prospects learn about you and how you can help, you learn about the buyer’s needs, preferences and decision drivers.

Presentations are another effective teaching tool because they provide you with an opportunity to present information in a logical way that the buyer finds easy to comprehend and digest.

Showing the buyer samples, telling stories, sharing a case study or discussing a specific piece of marketing literature are all effective ways to improve information retention.

To be included in the consideration set, have a plan to detail the information that buyers must know. This “checklist” of information should include:

Showing the buyer samples, telling stories, sharing a case study or discussing a specific piece of marketing literature are effective ways to improve information retention.

If you want more opportunities, examine the problem from two angles.

First, are you getting everything you can from your current customers? If not, how can you educate them so that they

• Who are you?

• Who do you represent?

consider you when an opportunity arises?

Second, how can you improve your sales process and get more

• What does your company do?

opportunities from prospects? Start by planning interesting and

• What credentials does your company have?

educational sales calls that involve customers in discovering how

• What makes you different?

you can help. Improve your follow-up strategies so that prospects are more likely to retain information.

Most first calls last 30 to 60 minutes. Even if you touch

As you sit in your office, take a moment to reflect on all the op-

on all of the points briefly, there often is too much for a

portunities waiting for you outside your door. List your clients and

prospect to digest and later recall. That’s why you need

prospects. Ask yourself, “Am I the first person a buyer will think of

follow-up strategies.

when they are ready to make a purchase?”

Here are some examples of how one sales professionals named Bob can impact recall through his follow-up actions:

If the answer is “no,” decide how you can change that and take action today.

Sales Action

IMPACT ON BUYER

Bob meets a prospect named Jenny. He sends a thank you email within 24 hours of the meeting.

These actions are the standard for most sales professionals. Jenny remembers meeting with Bob and some basic information about what he sells.

Bob meets Cliff, a new prospect. Bob sends a thank you email within 24 hours of the meeting. He also follows up with a handwritten thank you note and a written summary of points shared in the meeting.

Bob meets Francie, a new prospect. After the meeting, he sends her a thank you email, as well as a handwritten thank you note and a written summary of points shared in the meeting. He also begins a planned cadence to include phone, email and mail touches to go out over the next 30 days to ensure Francie remembers him and his company.

Cliff receives the thank you email, which he has come to expect as the standard among salespeople.

The handwritten thank you note and meeting summary impresses Cliff and differentiates Bob. Cliff skims the meeting summary and recalls several points that impressed him. The odds are better than average that he will consider Bob for an upcoming project.

Francie is impressed with Bob’s approach. Each time he contacts her, she learns a little more about him and his company, and finds it easier to recall previous knowledge. When an opportunity pops up that fits Bob, she remembers him and includes Bob in her consideration set.

Linda Bishop, a longtime veteran of the commercial printing industry, is the founder of Thought Transformation Inc. (www.thoughttransformation.com), which trains and consults companies and sales professionals on how to sell more and reach their full potential. You can reach her at lindabishop@thoughttransformation.com.

P40 CANVAS OCTOBER 2017

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