Why print buyers who stick to cost-cutting are failing to do their job

Wouldn’t a garden look bare without anything in the flowerbeds?

My wife is a keen gardener. One of her most regular jobs is the weeding. It’s an important part of keeping the garden looking good.

But what would happen if my wife did nothing but weeding? What would happen if she never spent any time growing flowers? We wouldn’t have much of a garden.

Print buyers spend all their time cost cutting can end up with the same results as gardeners who spend all their time weeding. They may fail to create any growth.

Print buyers should focus on growing return on investment

RISING TREND

Print buyers should help companies grow profits, not just reduce costs

A good buyer should constantly be looking at how to make the products they buy more effective. They should be trying to increase profits or revenue streams for their clients.

Buyers who focus on ROI will be seen as valued partners by their clients. They will help control their clients’ budgets. They will also probably achieve more personal satisfaction from their jobs.

Buyers who focused purely on cost-cutting may not achieve the same levels of personal satisfaction. Their clients are more likely to see them as and administrative function. They won’t have the same level of relationship.

Here are three ideas to help improve ROI for your clients.

Personalisation

There are plenty of studies that show personalisation increases return on investment. This doesn’t just apply to direct mail: it applies to magazines and other products as well.

Personalisation options are increasing. There is now an abundance of ways to personalise through images. Personalised URLs are also very effective at tracking response and gathering customer data.

Print buyers should make sure that they are aware of all the options. They should also make their clients aware of the possibilities. However, it is possible to go so much further these days. That’s where intelligent print recognition comes in.

Intelligent print recognition

Intelligent print recognition is now offered by a number of providers such as Documobi. The user downloads an app and scans the printed item. In return, they will receive a promotional incentive.

This is a highly effective way to manage customer interaction. It is extremely measurable. More importantly, the response to the customer can be varied according to location or time.

This is a good opportunity for print buyers to really assist a company with its data collection. But that doesn’t mean that we should forget some of the more traditional ways of improving ROI.

Prepress

Sometimes we should remember to use traditional ways of improving print. Using a finer screen reading or stochastic screening can make a huge difference to some pieces of high-end print.

I was a judge in the Printweek awards recently and was really impressed at the difference that the right screening could make to a piece.

Buyers definitely need to consider how they can improve the look as well as the functionality of the items that they purchase.

Here’s an example of how changing print specification created extra value for a client

I was involved in specifying some vouchers for a major newspaper. A simple change to the type of barcode used improved data collection hugely.

No extra print cost was involved. However, the client was able to review individual customer activity. This allowed them to market further based on that information.

Some buyers feel that they cannot contribute to projects in this way.

Surely most companies are only interested in cost-cutting?

Often, the print industry has made the assumption that cost-cutting is uppermost in customers’ minds. However, in many cases this is because printing companies and print buyers have failed to outline the potential to increase revenue and profits to their clients.

It is vital that everyone in the industry does their bit to show how print can add value to companies’ budgets.

Here are three action points to help you improve the value of a printed item

  1. Find out what your client wants to achieve with the item you’re purchasing
  2. Talk to your suppliers and review ways in which you could add value to this strategy
  3. Arrange a meeting with the budget holder to present alternative options for the specification

Rather than destroying the weeds of extra cost, you may soon find that you are able to grow the seeds of new profits.
=======================================================
P.S.  Sign up right now to make sure you receive the rest of the articles in this series and receive a free copy of “Ten Common Print Buying Errors And What To Do About Them” (worth £19/$29)

Download your free copy of “Ten Common Print Buying Errors And What To Do About Them” right now

* indicates required



Email Format


4 Responses to Why print buyers who stick to cost-cutting are failing to do their job

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Free Buying Advice
Download the E book

Download "Ten Common Print Buying Errors and What To Do About Them" (worth £25/$41) absolutely free, and receive regular practical articles on print buying.

Client Testimonial

I have worked with Matthew for just over a year now and he has delivered a number of highly successful training events for the IPIA during that time. He is very organised and produces seminars which are full of

Read the testimonial from Andrew Pearce
Client Testimonial

Matthew provided an excellent “Print Processes” training session for myself and some of my colleagues.  The feature that I liked most about the training, was that the day itself was very interactive – which not only

Read the testimonial from Rhoda Day
Client Testimonial

If you think you are on top of your print buying you might be in for a surprise! We asked Print & Procurement to undertake a print audit. Matthew said ‘’If we do not find savings sufficient to earn back our fee

Read the testimonial from Rod Fletcher
Client Testimonial

Matthew is a consultant who is totally committed to his clients and to delivering on his promises.  He has an excellent understanding of both the challenges of the print channel and the opportunities it presents. As a

Read the full testimonial from Jacky Morgan
Client Testimonial

Apart from being a thoroughly decent chap Matthew is scrupulously professional, ruthlessly efficient and always delivers excellent results.
I genuinely have no hesitation whatever in recommending Matthew. He

Read the full testimonial from Simon Lewis
Client Testimonial

In an industry renowned for its pressure, Matthew Parker delivers a very gentle but insightful intelligence about the ways of print. Somewhere between art and science there is a place that defines the balance of what

Read the full testimonial from Andy Dowen
Recent Posts

Four ways automated print pricing can make a buyer’s life easier (and how to choose the right system)

Do you struggle to find enough hours in the day? Whether you’re a full-time purchaser or managing a more general administration role, the pressure on your [more]

Why beating printing companies down on price is not the best way to reduce costs

For me, few things are better than standing on the summit of a mountain The route up a mountain is hard.  There’s a lot of work [more]

Three reasons why print buyers should challenge supplier choice

My daughter was about to burst into tears I had asked her what flavor of ice cream she would like. She gave me the same answer [more]

Why print buyers who stick to cost-cutting are failing to do their job

Wouldn't a garden look bare without anything in the flowerbeds? My wife is a keen gardener. One of her most regular jobs is the weeding. It's [more]

Three specification questions that can reduce the cost of printed items by over 30%

The print industry is dying There are huge amounts of overcapacity. Printing companies are tendering suicidal prices. So all a print buyer has to do is to [more]

Three questions print buyers must use to challenge process and prevent 30-address syndrome

Can you imagine writing the same address over 30 times? Wouldn’t it be a complete waste of your time? Aren't there are so many better things [more]