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How to get started with print buying software: a beginner’s guide

If you’re involved in any phase of the print buying process you know exactly how overwhelming it can be and how quickly project organization can spiral out of control. Are you considering a print management solution to help centralize these various moving parts?

In this beginner’s guide to getting started with print buying software we examine why it’s useful, how it streamlines print business operations, augments sales processes, helps your team work and communicate more effectively, and reduces headaches from the chaos of managing multiple printing projects.

We’ll also dive into some things to consider when you’re shopping around for a print buying SaaS (software-as-a-service) solution so you can make informed and educated purchasing decisions.

What is print buying software?

Without a cohesive solution, print buying projects can quickly devolve into a flood of emails, phone calls, meetings…and frustration. These bottlenecks can have a significant impact on business operations for print buyers and vendors alike. This ultimately affects revenue generation.

Who wants to throw a campaign off schedule, miss a project milestone, or blow a deadline? This is where the value of leveraging print buying software comes into play. It centralizes and simplifies the entire process into one efficient system.

By organizing each step of your projects into a comprehensive and cohesive workflow through print buying software you cut out the noise of multiple communication channels, simplify the requisition process, save on cost, and keep everything in sync.

How print buying software helps campaign flow

Everyone knows how delicate the campaign planning process is. Especially when you’re dealing with a large client or prospect, you want their experience to be as smooth as possible. This makes your organization look good and gives them peace of mind that going with your offering is the right choice.

Take a moment to think about the flow of a general marketing or direct mail campaign and all of the elements that go into it. There will be project milestones you’ll have to hit and deadlines to meet. Since there are so many moving parts, everything needs to be on time and on schedule.

Beyond the campaign flow itself, you have to consider the collateral assets. These have to be designed, you have to select a printer and send them the specs and art files. Then you have to allow the proofing process time for the back and forth until it’s approved. 

The printer needs time to get everything processed, finalized, and in your hands. The printer has to have the capacity and ability to create the specific asset(s) you need, which is another schedule that needs to be considered.

Then there are other campaign tie-ins like advertising, social media scheduling, newsletters. This whole process has to move on schedule, because you don’t want to be advertising something that isn’t ready.

Print buying software helps the campaign process stay on track and on schedule at every step. Print Gizmo lets you schedule out your marketing or direct mail campaign, set milestones, meet deadlines, and make sure everything flows smoothly. 

Every department involved, from design, purchasing, accounting, procurement, and the printer can communicate and share information through a single interface. Everything is logged and can be tracked and audited anytime.

Print buying software and your team

Adopting any new software platform brings up implementation concerns. Many SaaS solutions are as simple as logging in to a cloud portal, but some require additional steps that might have to be taken on by your technical department.

After you’re set up within the system you have to allow time for your team to get acquainted with how it functions, navigating the interface, and other learning curves that come with migrating to a new platform.

Any vendor worth partnering with will provide all of the account management and technical support you need. They want to ensure you’re getting the most out of their software solution.

It’s not just about the tool itself, but how the software vendor’s team interacts with yours and the timeliness of their response. Some might even go so far as to put a SLA (service level agreement) in place to provide you with the peace of mind that any issues that come up will be handled as soon as possible.

Vetting the vendor

Vetting a new SaaS vendor is not an overnight process. There are a few discovery calls and webinars that will occur to help you identify if their solution is the right choice for you. This also provides the vendor with information on your organization and how their solution fits into your product stack to address your pain points.

Another consideration is the vendor’s pricing model. SaaS providers have to be as agile as possible these days to meet constantly evolving customer demand. eLynxx offers solutions tailor-made to fit your organization’s specific needs.

Don’t be afraid to ask for references either. Some may not be able to provide them due to non-disclosure agreements, but it never hurts to ask. In the end, having a credible and reliable print buyer software vendor creates a strong partnership.

Not all software is the same

If you’ve done any amount of research on print management solutions you might be more confused than ever.

Only you know what you need, so why not go with a print buying solution that covers every stage of the process? Some may focus on just a few phases. You want a comprehensive solution that handles everything from orders, estimates, quotes, graphics, specs, and storefronts to communications and support.

Print buying made easy

Integrating new software into your operational workflows can be scary and exciting at the same time. Your technical team has to have the resources to get it up and running within your organization’s structure and designate point people to learn how to manage and use it.

As one of the few true print buying solutions, eLynxx print procurement software helps print buyers everywhere improve their print buying processes. Our state of the art software works with your team and integrations to ensure you are getting the most out of our solution. We understand the challenges that come with change and our account management and support teams will work with you every step of the way.

What are some of your organization’s biggest pain points when it comes to the print buying process? What features do you look for in a SaaS solution to help get around them?

FAQ

How can procurement spend be reduced?

This is highly variable based on many factors. When it comes to operations, investing in a centralized system like a lot of print buying software services provide help to significantly cut expenses.

What is print procurement?

Also known as print sourcing, print procurement describes the process of choosing suppliers, vendors, and managing the various aspects of printing projects like cost and completion timelines.

What is print estimating software?

Print estimating software is designed to provide a streamlined workflow for print buyers, print brokers, and vendors. It helps cut down on touch points throughout the process and automates communication, RFQs, estimating, quoting, and project design specifications.

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New Post has been published on eLynxx Solutions

New Post has been published on https://elynxx.com/how-to-get-started-with-buying-print-software/

How to get Started with Buying Print Software

The time has come and your company is ready for a change. It’s time for a new software solution to help improve our workflow and mitigate issues we have been dealing with on a daily basis. Approvals have been made and your team is ready to purchase software, but where do you go from here? Buying and getting started with either a brand new print software or upgrading over another one can be an exciting time for your business, but there are challenges and considerations your team will need to make. 

The first area to consider is the sales process itself. You have decided you want a new software but what exactly for? Do you have a list of needs/wants? Have you looked at your current process and determined what is not working and what is working? What does your business even do that is both unique to your own company and how does this blend in with the standard customers of this software? While every business, including your own, is unique, you still want to see how other businesses have utilized print procurement software to match their needs that of course, match your own. If you know exactly what your requirements are at the outset, you won’t run the risk of getting the wrong solutions for your business. 

Another consideration that might get you out of your comfort zone is simply asking around and learning from other clients of the software. If you aren’t sure if the software can meet your needs, find a company with similar problems and see how it worked for them. You can even ask for a reference from the software vendor. Not only will this give you an idea of how the other users have gotten the most out of the software, but it lends credibility to the software vendors. And in the end, having a credible and reliable print software vendor can make or break your current print procurement workflow. 

Finally, you need to look at your own team and how implementation with print buying software can affect them and what role they would play in implementation. From IT, procurement specialist, and everything in between, your team needs to be on the same page before making a change in your procurement process. Are they ready to learn a brand new software? Do they want to change how their current workplace functions? Does IT have the tools to get integrations in place with print software? It will be on leadership and the company as a whole to get everyone willing to collaborate and work to make new print software work. 

Ultimately, making a change for new software and workflows can be scary and exciting at the same time. As one of the many solutions, eLynxx print procurement software has helped print buyers across the country improve their process. Our state of the art software works with your team and integrations to ensure you are getting the most of our software. We understand the challenges that come with change and want to work with you. Find out how our software can be working for you and how we’ve worked with print buyers by visiting us at elynxx.com. 

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The Digital Age and Print

The massive shift of companies becoming more and more reliant on digital technologies has left many wondering where print communications  should go from here. The simple answer is that while digital communications including websites, apps, social media, and e-commerce continues to grow, companies must still rely on print communications to ensure their customers are still getting their message across. 

Customers primarily care about how their overall experience with a company will be from each transaction or service. How they receive their communications and information is a part of this transaction. While many customers might prefer digital communications, for some, print communications still continues to improve their overall experience. If the customer journey can continue to work with print communications, companies need to keep their direct mailing or billing in their workflow. To put it simply, digital communications can be used for many customers, but for those who still need it , paper communication needs to exist for users who prefer that experience. 

One other reason that print communications are here to stay is simply the usability and importance. Digital communications still has a way to go for usability and accessibility. Until companies can provide a seamless experience for digital communication, omni-channel communications need to exist. This does not mean that companies should only use print communications and not focus on developing digital improvements to their workflow, but while paper communications continue to be important for many users, it will remain a viable, sometimes cheaper, option. 

What if you could have something that can allow the best of digital technology while also continuing your print communications along the way? eLynxx Solutions has created state of the art cloud software to allow users to improve their print communications such as direct mail, promotional items, print shops, and more. Keep track of print spend, vendor management, client communications, and so much more. Find out how our software can keep your company digitally growing, while also continuing to keep your print and digital customers informed at elynxx.com. 

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How Inflation Can Affect Your Procurement Solutions

Inflation continues to grow and companies are now seeing the rise in cost of many of their procurement services. This can include deliveries, procured goods, software contracts, and even the cost to keep team members on board. Pressure continues to rise for many companies to find the right solutions to help tackle the continuing rise of inflation and save their company as much money as possible to stay afloat. The good news is, there are solutions to help your company be prepared to deal with the rising costs inflation brings.

One of the goals of procurement is finding the most cost effective options for your goods. A lot of moving parts can go into ensuring this process is as efficient as possible. Sometimes, especially with larger companies, things can fall through the cracks. Too many products can be ordered, costing companies even more money and resources. A more expensive or non-approved vendor might be chosen, costing you time to set up another procurement job to correct your mistake. With the rise of inflation, you want to make sure your procurement is continuing to save you money, not spend even more than you already are. 

What can your team be doing now to help combat the rise of inflation and ensure your procurement spend remains cost-efficient? First, having a way to measure your current procurement spend is vitally important. Using reports and numbers of your entire procurement department spend can keep you on top of yearly budgets and cost spent for each vendor or project. Second, being able to keep track of your vendors and ensure you are using not only business approved vendors, but also using the most cost effective vendors. Vendors, like your business, can be adjusting based on availability and inflation costs. Finally, keeping it all housed in one place is essential. Disorganization can lead to lost time, money, and resources. You do not want to keep spending more than you have to with inflation on the rise. 

eLynxx Solutions is here to provide your team with the tools and resources to help you combat inflation and improve your procurement process. Our state of the art cloud software lets you keep track of procurement spend, vendor management, and keep your entire procurement process from inception to completion in one place. No more worrying about choosing the wrong vendor or ordering too many goods, costing your business hundreds to even thousands of dollars and man hours. We are here to help your team combat inflation and provide you with procurement software that works for your team. 

Find out how our software has worked with hundreds of print buyers and procurement specialists, saving them time and money. Visit us at elynxx.com today to learn more about how our procurement software can help you. 

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Diversifying Your Printer Pool

Wherever you go shopping, do you find yourself typically going to the same store for groceries and daily necessities? Maybe you find yourself depending on its reliability, quality and fair price. What happens when you visit that store and it doesn’t have what you need? Do you have another store in mind?

This process is not a lot different than in buying direct mail, marketing materials and printing. The ability to have back-up suppliers that you know and trust is critical… especially in our fast-paced and technology-driven society, when a direct mail or marketing program delivered late can break an organization.

Far too often in the printing industry, marketing and other buying organizations are reliant on the same vendor each time a project arises. While it can be a good thing to choose a preferred vendor each time a printing project is needed, it is not always guaranteed the preferred vendor will be available or able to meet your requirements. This can be exacerbated, costly and dangerous, when you have a rush project and are stymied with nowhere to turn.

When you are overly reliant on one or even a handful of printers, it’s possible you may not be aware of other options. Organizations can find themselves frantically calling other vendors, sending out dozens of emails, and doing research to figure out which new vendor might be able to help in a pinch. Valuable time and resources can be expended attempting to identify and qualify potential providers that could have otherwise been saved by having developed a deep and well-qualified printer pool all along.

Maintaining a diverse printer pool allows for quick response each and every time regardless of your time and specification requirements. When your first option isn’t available, no problem, you know where to turn.

How can you create a diversified printer pool while being able to maintain your primary printer relationships?

Software provided by eLynxx Solutions provides you with options for building and developing your own vendor pool. This includes your ability to store and sort printer qualifications as well as historical data regarding on-time deliveries, quality concerns and responsiveness to your information requests. And because eLynxx has deep experience in the printing market, we can recommend, if you request, qualified printers for projects where your immediate pool of sources is thin. Of course, all of your information is treated as strictly confidential and stored in our cloud-based software allowing optimum security and ease of use.

We recognize how important it is to you to remain in control and to ensure that your direct mail, marketing materials, promo and printing arrive error-free, on-time and without excuse. eLynxx software can assist you to make sure it happens.

To discover more about how eLynxx can provide you with a software that allows you to continue your relationship with your preferred printers while strengthening your diversified printer pool, visit us today or call us at 717-709-0990 to discover so much more.

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Finding Your Hidden Savings

Everything we buy – whether an item, commodity or service – comes with a price. Sometimes we have to wonder if we are getting our money’s worth. Did we overpay? What went into the price? Could we have negotiated a better deal? That’s where buyer’s remorse can set in. 

Print buying is complicated. There are specifications and details galore… let alone price considerations.  Print suppliers work on the premise of getting as much as they can for each print project. Buyers work to get the most for their money.   

The quandary is that pricing for printing projects must cover many hidden costs to maintain the financial health of the printing supplier. 

When purchasing direct mail, marketing materials, promo and other printing, a buyer must consider what goes into the pricing, not just ink and materials. For example press schedule changes are costly to a printer.  So are time-consuming spec amendments, unplanned drop shipments and unpaid inventories of customer pre-ordered items.  These are hidden costs that must be reimbursed sooner or later.  

There are many moving parts in the pricing of printing.  From keeping track of labor and materials, to maintaining records of change orders and marketing agencies juggling design and implementation of the product, and. of course, the development and production of the print products themselves. All of this can be a two-headed problem of runaway time and money. To make it worse. Some buyers do not realize just how much they are costing their print producer every time a change is made.  

How can buyers and sellers keep track of these moving parts all in one place while capturing accurate details? Some use spreadsheets.  Some use email logs, even handwritten sticky notes.  None of this is convenient, efficient or accurate.  And it causes some customers to overpay and others to underpay.  

eLynxx Solutions provides specialized software to printing suppliers and buyers alike that puts the information they both need at their fingertips. 

Make your life easier and your pocketbook heavier… no matter which side of the fence you are on. Discover more about our software.  Call today 717-709-0990  We can help. 

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How Are You Handling the Problems with Spend Data?

Nearly every organization deals with the procurement, production or management of direct mail, marketing materials and other types of printing.  For some, this is a weekly chore.  For others this is a prime responsibility on a daily or continual basis.  Depending on the size of the spend and the number of orders, printing handlers can range from one, two or half dozen people to a large-scale enterprise comprising marketing, supply chain and procurement activities populated by multiple managers and webs of communication and approvals.  What these professionals have in common are the challenges of keeping their data accessible and instantly available in a coordinated environment for quick decision making.

eLynxx experience indicates that about two of every three organizations recognize the need to improve spend reporting, while one in three have no plan to obtain currently actionable data. This latter group has few tools or processes in place to manage spend analytics.  Although lost savings and expended time are not calculated, capturing these losses could be crucial to adding more marketing for the same dollar spend or simply improving the bottom line.

Organizations that prize discovering ways to save money just cannot be sure of optimized savings without policies and procedures based on real time information.  Procurement of direct mail, marketing materials and other types of printing is a complicated and data driven process.  The need for proper tools and tailored software is vital.

What can organizations do to improve data acquisition and reporting?  For one thing, stop relying on time-consuming emails, written or typed notes, disruptive phone calls and the effort it takes to coordinate this communication onto spreadsheets.  For another, admit that computer programs developed to solve a single problem may not be sufficiently flexible to provide the information requisite for appropriate decision making.  And, understand that software solutions do exist that can save time, money and eliminate guessing and rework.

eLynxx Solutions has developed software to manage spend data in one place. The software program ensures measurable time and real dollar savings while eliminating headaches, multiple processes, poor communication and the efforts to maintain already outdated data by the time it gets placed on spreadsheets.  eLynxx software is trusted by hundreds of marketing experts, print specialists, procurement managers, and their printers as a communication tool par excellence.  Discover more by visiting the eLynxx demo page, call 717-709-0990, or contact info@eLynxx.com.

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For Printers and Brokers Who Buy Printing

Being 100% sure you are doing things the most efficient way is nearly impossible. There are always cheaper, better or more qualified options available. That’s why the printing business is not easy.  It is competitive, sophisticated, heavy on investment, light on profit and dependent on obtaining an array of projects requiring management of overwhelming details.

As much as some might fantasize dumping the printing business, and trading it in for the simplicity of running an ice cream shop or mom and pop specialty store, there are difficulties in these enterprises as well.  The truth is that no matter what you do, the grass is always greener on the other side of that darn fence.  There are always better options, simpler solutions, less difficulties, and better tricks to making money.  So what universal ideas might be applied to your business, especially if your business has anything at all to do with the printing market?

One concept is called breaking the iron triangle.  That is one technique that can be used to make money in spite of the gravity and threat of competition.  We all agree that there are only three things we can sell – whether in the printing industry or operating an ice cream shop.  Those three things are quality, service and price.

The axiom is that a business can not offer all three.  As quality increases and service expands, price typically goes up because costs go up.  If price is to drop, it stands to reason that quality or service must be sacrificed.  No one expects to eat a prime steak in a fancy restaurant for a buck or two.  But for a buck or two one might get a hot dog at a greasy spoon at a local hang-out near you.

The idea is that as quality and service increase so does price.  Everyone knows this.  Everyone accepts this.  Even some companies market higher prices as a lead, since higher prices indicate improved quality and service.  My spouse buys a $300 pocketbook (occasionally) because she knows that the quality is better than the one at Target that looks exactly the same but costs $29.

That’s why breaking the iron triangle is contrarian.  This means increasing quality and service while dropping price.  So the $29 pocketbook becomes the same or better than the one for $300.

So how can that be?  It turns out that those with printing plants are busy about 70% of the time, because they need to have available downtime for when their big customers call and need immediate service.  If their presses were running all of the time, and they did not have downtime available, they would not be able to service the big customers and would lose their business.

But when the big customers don’t call, the presses sit idle.  Of course, this idle time is already paid by the big customers in higher fees on other projects for the quality and service expected.  This unused downtime becomes a gold mine for the printer who can sell it at the last minute to another customer.

And that other customer can buy the downtime for pennies on the dollar.  That gives this last minute customer a huge cost advantage without sacrificing quality or service.  In fact the service is downright super.  By having numerous printers the quick-turn-around customer is never without downtime available and improves profitability by paying significantly less.

As a broker, or as a printer who does outsourcing of overflow or of projects that cannot be produced in house, breaking the iron triangle solves a lot of problems including how to increase the bottom line.

Managing all this is a choice, not a requirement.  Not everyone is interested in lower prices.  But for those who are, eLynxx software has a special set of tools that allow for the breaking of the iron triangle and of large increases in profitability.

We offer our PrintGizmo and PrintLynxx software that right out of the box can level that insurmountable mountain of details.  And with sterling customer service, you can rest assured we are always working to make your life easier.  Find out how our software works and get a free no pressure demo by visiting us today. You can also call us at 717-709-0990 to find our more information today.

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How To Avoid Disaster....

Imagine. You placed an order for marketing materials for an upcoming event.  The printer is in the process of producing your order.  Then suddenly their facility catches fire.  Their operation stops cold turkey.  And you are left starting the process of finding a replacement printer.  Worse yet, your artwork, specifications and paper went up in smoke.

The fact of the matter is that disaster can, will and does happen without notice.  Just in the past year alone we have seen hundreds of businesses have to change their marketing initiatives on short notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak, short paper supplies and supply chain disruptions. Buyers have been put in horrible positions of losing marketing momentum by depending on one printer and ignoring the need for a backup.  The cost of this kind of blind loyalty is more than disruption and inconvenience.

Printing businesses closed for any reason leave their customers in the lurch.  Opportunities are lost and the ripple effect is both exhausting and expensive. How can you be prepared when unforeseen calamity strikes?  And how can eLynxx Solutions provide a print buyer software that can work to protect you from potential disaster?

Planning, qualifying and managing multiple print vendors is key.  But that costs time and money.  Well considered software designed precisely for print buying, specification and workflow management cuts time investment, puts buyers in charge, protects marketing initiatives and much more.  It stores the art work.  It manages communication with a few keystrokes.  It replaces the burden of maintaining spreadsheets.  It maintains relationships with alternative backup vendors.  It safely stores on the cloud your specifications, pricing, details, artwork – and communicates what needs to be communicated exactly to whom and when it is necessary.

Here at eLynxx Solutions, we provide the software and resources you can rely on when disaster strikes.  Our software can store, manage, coordinate and report all the details of each and every one of your transactions   And with all your orders organized automatically in one place, risk is eliminated and you are in control. Want to learn more about how eLynxx print buyer’s software can help? Visit our information page.  Request a free no pressure demo.  Or call us at 717 709 0990.

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Print Vendors and Buyers: Are You Ready to Return to the Office?

Significant movement likely won’t happen until late spring or summer when 65% of people have been vaccinated or are immune, according to a recent Wall Street Journal article. Further, the newspaper predicts that the return-to-work will evolve and take different forms, including:

Offices redesigned for a much lower density of employees.

Hub-and-spoke configurations, in which employees may work in a centralized main office, a small satellite office, a public co-working space, at home—or at different locations depending on the day of the week.

Affordable office space should facilitate the return as landlords with empty space seek to attract tenants. A wild card will be how smoothly the vaccine rollout goes.

The upshot is that print suppliers and businesses relying on printed communication (direct mail, signage, marketing, etc.) should prepare for a return to the office for some employees and flexible working arrangements for others.

With employees working in a wide variety of environments and locations, there are three concerns to address—all of which can be eliminated with print management software tailored to your business’ needs.

Collaboration: Virtual meetings and email aren’t efficient ways to collaborate on print projects. You’ll need software that connects team members, coordinates workflows, automates the decision hierarchy, and facilitates communication across the marketing supply chain.

Complexity: Print procurement and production require countless decisions and approvals at many stages. Purpose-built print management software automates tedious, manual steps; provides seamless project management; and enables access to critical information from any location.

Control: An effective system also enables control and monitoring of projects without reducing department autonomy, and it provides transparency by tracking and reporting fiscal, operational, and compliance activities.

The challenges of collaboration, complexity, and control will be with us for the foreseeable future. For ideas on smoothing your return to the office post-COVID, contact info@elynxx.com or 717-709-0990.

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Digital sales are an opportunity for print brokers and vendors

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, B2B buyers and sellers had no choice but to go digital. But six months later, digital sales interactions are shaping up to be the wave of the future—with clear implications for print buying and selling.

According to an October 2020 McKinsey report, more than three-quarters of B2B buyers and sellers now prefer buying online over buying face-to-face. Online transactions are so much faster and more convenient that only 20 percent of the B2B buyers McKinsey surveyed indicated an interest in going back to in-person buying when the pandemic winds down.

Further, B2B buyers have become comfortable making large purchases, upending the conventional wisdom that online sales are suitable only for smaller items. Seventy percent of B2B buyers told McKinsey they’re open to making online purchases of more than $50,000.

McKinsey had noted in a previous report at the beginning of the pandemic that the early surge in online B2B buying and selling reflected an acceleration of a trend already underway rather than a new behavior. In other words, it’s not going away.

What this means in the world of print procurement is that: 1) the cumbersome old ways of print buying by phone and email are going the way of hot type, and 2) vendors and brokers who offer their customers the kind of high-quality e-commerce solutions that retail consumers are used to will have a decided edge over competitors.

Web2Print software—basically a website or portal through which you can create templates, order/reorder and approve printed materials from one or more vendors—has been around for a while, and it saves time and money and ensures brand consistency.

But print brokers, distributors, agencies, associations, and others who sell print to outside customers and who want to step up their game in the pandemic era should look for more: an e-commerce solution designed with their needs in mind, including: The ability to easily source custom print jobs from multiple printers, eliminating price shopping and time-consuming calls to multiple printers Pre-set product catalogs with set pricing and quotes on request Customizable templates Copy/art storage A built-in print order management dashboard to organize and save quote requests, responses, and orders Custom reporting Higher profit margins on custom-quoted print projects

The right e-commerce solution will help brokers and buyers alike to better serve their print customers, trusted vendors, and themselves. While there’s still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and economic recovery, getting in front of the digital sales trend is one move you can take to the bank.

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Make sure you’re getting and giving real value, not useless perks

Whether you’re a print buyer, broker, or supplier, you’re probably using the pandemic downturn to rethink how you operate. If so, the value should be part of the equation—that is, the value you deliver and the value you receive in your business relationships.

Salespeople talk a lot about value and value propositions. But best-selling author and sales consultant Jeffrey Gitomer writes that most businesses and salespeople have the wrong idea about value. 

They think of value as a small “extra” that’s added to a product or service—for example, a discount, rebate, something free, or “reward points” toward a next purchase. But freebies and discounts aren’t value—they’re cheap promotions. Any business can offer them, so they don’t make you stand out or do anything to increase sales or satisfaction.

Instead, value is something significant or meaningful to the customer.  Specifically, it’s what the customer or client really wants from a product or service—for example, greater productivity, quality, and sales; more and happier customers, and enhanced image and reputation etc. All of these contribute to the greatest value: your profit.

As you rethink your business, ask yourself how much value you’re receiving from your business relationships. A lot of business relationships, especially in the printing world, persist as a result of inertia, not value: Things are going “OK” and no one wants to go to the trouble to shake up the relationship by demanding better value (timeliness, quality, service, collaboration, etc.), or by switching to another supplier or service provider. However, all your business relationships should be contributing positively to your bottom line, especially in difficult times.

Similarly, the products and services you invest in—for example, printed materials, packaging, or print management software and service—should quantifiably increase your productivity and profitability.

In fact, take a close look at your print management software—whether you’re a buyer, manager, or supplier, it can and should be increasing your productivity and profit by:

Improving coordination, collaboration, and efficiency (saving time) by streamlining your printing jobs

Reducing errors and lost time, and improving quality through monitoring, notifications, handling changes automatically, and creating an audit trail

Ensuring the best price and quality by assisting with spec writing and maintaining a pool of qualified vendors

In today’s economy, “reward points” won’t cut it in terms of adding to your bottom line. But if you demand and give value, your relationships and business are more likely to thrive.

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As a Print Buyer, what’s your LIMFAC (limiting factor)?

What holds you back as a print buyer? When the military makes plans, they consider what could hinder success. It’s referred to as the LIMFAC, or the limiting factor—the one big element or condition in a situation that you have to overcome in order to succeed.

We all run into limiting factors when we try to get things done in the workplace (or, more broadly, when we want to succeed in a career or life).

Possible limiting factors affecting print buying include:

Your organization: Your organization’s structure and approval processes, including who and how many people have to weigh in on print projects, may increase their cost, complexity, and opportunities for errors.  An organization’s outdated structure or business model can be a limiting factor when dealing with new customer needs or disruptions. Some business models or methods of marketers, print buyers and printers may be limiting factors in meeting new customer priorities and expectations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (which is itself an external limiting factor).

Yourself: You can hinder your own success. You have ways you’re accustomed to doing things and may be reluctant to change, despite knowing that your workarounds are inefficient or ineffective.

Budget/resources: Everyone thinks of budgets and staffing as the ultimate limiting factors—but they don’t have to be. You could look for ways to save by increasing efficiency, reducing errors, and getting better prices and quality on your print projects.

Time: On projects with tight deadlines imposed by others, time is a limiting factor—but it can be mitigated by an orderly, organized project management process that prevents dropped balls and missed deadlines.

Your customers/clients: Whether your customers are internal or external, you can view their demands as limiting, or as a challenge to innovate and do your best work.

Vendors: The vendor with whom you’ve built a relationship isn’t necessarily the best one for each and every print project. Your vendor is a limiting factor if he/she doesn’t provide you with the price, quality, and service. A pool of prequalified vendors can overcome this LIMFAC.

Tools/software/systems: Your tools, such as your enterprise system, print management software or spreadsheets not designed for print procurement may limit your efficiency, costing you and your organization time, money, and frustration.

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A World of Complexity Confronts Print Buyers and Vendors

On a daily basis, on our phones and television screens, we’re seeing the effects of complexity—and how leaders struggle to deal with it and often fail.

Complex environments and systems share certain hallmarks:

There are ongoing, nonlinear interactions of numerous, sometimes millions, of interrelated parts/events.

Unpredictability: no one can predict how the interactions will play out.

One leader or team alone can’t make sense of every aspect.

Complex systems have brought us the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, and the political/social crisis. Aspects of these crises are even interacting with each other. The vast ripple effects are touching businesses and daily life in myriad ways.

If you’re having trouble getting your mind around all this, it’s because human minds are designed to try to simplify complexity through such methods as categorizing, reducing systems to their component parts, selective perception, “rules of thumb” and using metrics to predict outcomes.

These efforts to break things down can work for systems that are merely complicated, not complex. Complicated systems—for instance, an electricity grid—have many moving parts that interact, but they follow a pattern. With effort, you can usually sort things out.

However, complex systems have an infinite number of elements that can potentially interact (but may or may not). The parts are both interdependent and diverse. Most importantly, you can’t predict what will happen. 

Further, there can be different outcomes from the same conditions depending on how the parts interact. Another wild card is the rapid speed at which things can interact, thanks in part to global connectedness through communications technology.

In the business world, the field of “complexity management” has been studied for a few years, yet complexity seems to keep growing. The keys seem to be having a simple organizational mission and objectives, cohesive teams with the flexibility to respond on the fly, and radical transparency or sharing of information up and down the hierarchy and across silos (a network).

Complexity in the Print World

Print suppliers and buyers are used to handling moving and interacting parts, whether they involve machinery and computers, supply chains, or a package of printed materials with many parts and diverse recipients. These are complicated but mostly manageable.

However, in recent years, these systems have become more interdependent, things happen faster, and all kinds of elements are constantly being introduced that make outcomes impossible to fully predict—in other words, the operating environment has evolved from complicated to complex. 

As businesses are learning in the current crisis, instead of struggling to simplify and predict, the way to succeed in a complex environment is by empowering teams with the tools and information to adapt quickly and constantly—whether it’s responding to new customer needs, working around supply chain disruptions, or coming up with innovative processes and products.

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What the Print Industry Can Learn From The Last Dance

The late and great Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause once said, “Players and coaches don’t win championships, organizations do…” This statement sent shock waves throughout the sports community and raises conversation today with the release of the “The Last Dance.” A documentary highlighting the legendary run of the Chicago Bulls in the ’90s.

I would argue that Jerry Krause is right to an extent. Players and coaches don’t win championships, neither do organizations… Teams do! It takes General Managers to identify great players to add to the roster. It takes diehard fans in the stands cheering and adding validation to every play. It takes owners investing in stadiums and marketing. And yes, players and coaches too. All of these moving parts are a team.

Although each of these roles has different names and responsibilities they all have to be on the same page to accomplish big goals. While you probably never notice it great teams plan for and execute proper communication that keeps all of those parts moving in sync.

The same is true in the print industry. Our industry brings together many roles to accomplish the championship of delivering customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat business.

Clear and accurate communication between the players in these various roles is paramount. When adequate channels are created, and solid plans are put in place, proper communication is facilitated and goals are met. Without plans and a means to carry them out, communication breaks down and critical goals are impeded.

Picture this scenario…

Tom, the top sales representative has taken a 3-week vacation to a remote location where he will not be easy to contact. He has forwarded all of the files needed for the next three weeks to a colleague, Philip, who is as reliable as they come. Philip reads all of Tom’s notes and listens attentively. Tom is confident that Philip has grasped everything and leaves for vacation feeling everything is in good hands.

Everything is going smoothly until one of Tom’s accounts calls. They planned a big project with Tom that was supposed to run five weeks from now, two weeks after Tom gets back. But they need to move it up. This is great news! The company has a light week coming up, can fit the job in, and it will boost this month’s revenue over the top.

Philip pulls up all of the files Tom sent him. There’s nothing there about this job! That’s because the job wasn’t planned to go to production until two weeks after he returns so Tom didn’t send it along. No one can get into Tom’s other files and this big job that was looking better than ever is suddenly at risk.

How would your company handle it?

Teamwork was definitely in play in this situation. Tom and Philip seemed to be on the same page, communication happened and information was shared. Unfortunately, there was still a breakdown. The communication that happened and the information that was shared was incomplete and in a silo. Had adequate means been planned to make sure that all information, not just what was thought to be necessary, was accessible; this change in plans could have been the windfall it was supposed to be rather than the pitfall it became.

Over the decades, we have found that many companies are like the one in this scenario. It’s not that they don’t try and strive for proper communication because they do. Rather it’s that they don’t have adequate means to make it happen. They rely on notes, email, and files that are not centralized, unified, connected, and universally available when situations like the one that blindsided Tom and Philip’s company happen. And if you don’t think they happen, now’s the time to start believing, because they do happen and never when you expect them to.

Companies that communicate like championship teams work like championship teams. They need the tools, mechanisms, and plans in place to move down the court and take the shot regardless of what gets in the way or when the opportunity comes. Information needs to be shared, nothing less than total collaboration needs to be the norm and nothing can be sealed in a silo. Although we’ve been known to have people who can more than hold their own on the hardwood amongst our ranks, building the software that makes championship-level communication happen for printers and print buyers alike is our game. While you probably shouldn’t be looking for anyone to be making a documentary about great communication in the printing industry anytime soon, when you are looking for the means to make it happen, we’re here to help you make it a slam dunk.

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Increase your marketing —but first, refocus it

While many businesses are contracting during the COVID-19 economic downturn, this could be a good time to step up your marketing. 

It’s an opportunity to reach people with your message when there’s less “noise” from a variety of competing messages. In addition, while people are spending more time at home, your direct mail package may get more attention than ever.

However, before spending critically needed resources ineffectively—for instance, on the wrong message or an overly broad demographic—it would be wise to take a close look at your marketing strategy and hone it as necessary for the times.

We’re not talking about just tweaking logos or sprucing up designs. Like removing an old roof before installing a new one, it’s sometimes better to start at square one.

The book Traction by Gina Wickman, a popular guide for creating a sound business infrastructure, makes the point that your marketing strategy must be closely connected with your vision/core values and your company’s short- and long-term goals. Having a clear focus as a company keeps you from wasting time and money on diffuse marketing messages, printing, or consultants’ services that have little impact.

Next, Wickman suggests a marketing strategy with four simple components (the last three are often overlooked while the first gets the most attention):

Define or redefine your target market and use it to create a fresh prospect list.

identify three qualities or differentiators that make your company stand out to your target customer. Sometimes these are referred to as uniques or your value proposition—basically, they’re what you have to offer customers in a combination that no one else offers.

Define your “proven process”—the distinct way you deliver your product or service each time to produce a consistent result. Put your process on a single sheet of paper, in an easy-to-understand visual way, and give it a name such as “the X Company way.”

Make a guarantee. While not strictly necessary, a guarantee can make you stand out by calling attention to a service or quality shortcoming of your competitors. For example, Federal Express emphasized its reliability and speed compared to others by guaranteeing overnight delivery. To come up with a guarantee for your company, identify your target customers’ biggest concerns and frustrations, then develop a guarantee that will bring you more business by addressing the top concern.

These steps sound simple until you try addressing each one succinctly—and compare your results to those your colleagues come up with. Going through them is a good way of adapting or refocusing your marketing message and designing the right materials for uncertain times.

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Buyer and Printer Communication: Wandering or Guided?

Consider for a moment these two approaches to the same conversation.

Wandering Conversation:

John: Hey Sean, let’s get together for drinks after work

Sean: Great!

John: How about the Pub

Sean: Great!

John: How about 7?

Sean: Sounds great?

John: Do you want to meet up or drive together?

Sean: Let’s meet

Guided Conversation:

John: Hey Sean, I hope you are doing well! Let’s get together for drinks after today. How about 7 at the Pub? I can meet you there or pick you if you need, what do you say?

Sean: Sounds great, I’ll meet you there at 7!

Both conversations were effective. Each conversation leads to the conclusion that John and Sean were going to meet up at the Pub at 7. But, after reading each conversation, which one would you prefer if you were Sean? I’d argue that it would be the Guided Conversation based on the elimination of two things: time and uncertainty.

Imagine that each message took 5 minutes between threads. The Wandering Conversation would take a total of 40 minutes, while the Guided Conversation would take 10 minutes. A slight change in the conversation saved Sean a total of 30 minutes.

The Wandering Conversation presented far more uncertainty than the Guided Conversation. In the Wandering Conversation, Sean has no idea what is coming next. Sean’s train of thought is focused on the previous question. In the Guided Conversation, the entire plan is laid out to Sean early in the process. He sees the entire picture at once. He can make a better decision, faster and without fear of missing details, that would further extend the conversation.

Without the use of a print procurement tool, communication is often facilitated through email. This results in a lengthy and inefficient means of communicating as illustrated in the Wandering Conversation. Not surprisingly, it has even more back and forth due to the vast amount of complex information needed before a printer can even consider producing a project. Printers and print buyers alike need to transition from the Wandering Conversation way of thinking to Guided Conversations.

To accomplish this transition all of the details required to produce the finished product need to be identified. Different finished products, and even different end-uses, will require different information. As the complexity and variability of this critical communication becomes clearer, so does the reason why a means for collecting this information in a streamlined, standardized manner is so important. The faster, and more succinctly, the information is collected, the faster the project goes to press with maximum certainty that the end result will meet, or even exceed the buyer’s expectations.

eLynxx Solutions has stood behind the use of the guided communication method in procurement for decades. Now more than ever we need to cut to the chase and get to the nitty-gritty, not only for speed but also for clarity, precision, and satisfaction between print buyer and print vendor.

In both PrintGizmo and PrintLynxx, buyers are guided through each print decision based on the information required to produce the product being sought.

Take business cards for example. Once the buyer selects business cards, the software takes them right into the process of building precise specifications. The buyer is guided to determine common details like product size and orientation, quantity, sides and colors, paper stock, top coatings, and die-cutting right from the start. Back and forth emails are eliminated, the important decision to go forward with production is reached faster and a finished product, exactly as the buyer envisioned it, is delivered. 

And this is just for a common business card. Imagine moving a super-complex 10 million piece direct mail job through specification, pricing, and production with the same ease. With eLynxx software, it can, and in fact does happen, on a daily basis.

It is our responsibility as Print Procurement Specialists to effectively leverage our tools and expertise to provide our clients with an effective means of communicating with the best service possible.