| One professional? How could one professional | | | | which ones best meet their client needs. With |
| handle all my printing and marketing needs? | | | | the cost of presses today running in the |
| Today print buyers or marketing departments | | | | millions, not all companies invest in new |
| have many different things to buy. They need | | | | technologies. Digital presses today have |
| to procure branding collateral material, like | | | | grabbed a greater chunk of the offset market |
| business cards, letterheads and envelopes, | | | | and will continue to grow especially in the |
| but also buy things like packaging, labels, | | | | variable data market.Another explanation for |
| invoices, banners, boxes, shopping bags, | | | | the growth of print brokers and print |
| catalogues, direct mail pieces, gift cards, | | | | management companies is that many print |
| loyalty cards, and a host of other | | | | companies have decided to only deal with |
| material.Traditionally because of expertise | | | | these companies and have no direct sales |
| and cost of production, printing companies | | | | force. This allows them to deal with |
| focused on one brand of printing. An envelope | | | | companies who know printing and know what |
| manufacturer handled your envelopes, a four | | | | they need and also allows them to get away |
| color process plant handled your catalogues, | | | | from constantly hiring sales people and |
| a banner plant handled your banners and a | | | | watching them leave and take their clients |
| forms manufacturer handled your forms. Like | | | | with them. The print companies like to stick |
| every other industry, the printing industry | | | | to what they know best and have the print |
| has evolved. Today print management | | | | brokers stick to selling and customer |
| companies, brokers and agencies handle all | | | | service.The market is now turning global, I |
| brands of printing. Why is this better?It's | | | | know from my own company, Solutions Ink that |
| better for numerous reasons. If you | | | | where I only purchased locally, today I |
| consolidate all your purchases with one | | | | purchase through out Canada, the United |
| supplier, you have more clout. Second most | | | | States and also the Orient. With the internet |
| good brokers or print management companies | | | | my client base has grown internationally and |
| use a few manufacturers for each printing | | | | finding the best printer by quality and |
| process. This leads them to get the best | | | | location for press approvals and shipping |
| price for you and allows you to fill your | | | | costs. With the advent of e-commerce ordering |
| rush orders more easily. If one press is busy | | | | and proofing system, where your office is |
| with another company's rush order, your order | | | | located,is less important, than what you can |
| must wait no matter how urgent your job is | | | | do for them.If you need more help |
| too. If you have access to a number of like | | | | understanding the difference between dealing |
| manufacturers the odds are great that someone | | | | with brokers as opposed to actual printing |
| will have availability for your job. These | | | | companies check out numerous print management |
| brokers or print management companies also | | | | companies on the web or check out See why |
| have a lot more buying power than just one | | | | companies like Nike, Canon, Tommy Hilfiger, |
| company.Buyers and accounting people have | | | | Liz Claiborne, McGill University, and |
| less time than ever. If they can deal with | | | | Governments have all been dealing with print |
| one person it makes the buyer's job a lot | | | | management and print brokers. If you need |
| easier and having one vendor makes the | | | | help drop me an email at Steven Schneidman |
| accounting department's people a lot happier. | | | | has taught finance at a major Canadian |
| Less cheques means more productivity and cost | | | | University and worked at a major Canadian |
| savings for the company.The good print | | | | Bank before opening and running a very |
| management or print brokers invest their time | | | | successful printing and promotional product |
| learning the new technologies, investigating | | | | company. |
| the latest print companies presses to see | | | | |