Big Picture - June/July 2017 - 15

TO TALK
TOPICS ABOUT
WELCOME TO THE JUNE/JULY EDITION OF BIG PICTURE
IDEAS, our biannual look at challenges and opportunities digital
print shops and service providers are currently facing.
We invited this issue's display advertisers to address the following six topics that challenge the digital printing marketplace.
The industry issues chosen reflect feedback we've received
from our readers over the past six months as well as at industry
tradeshows and events.

INNOVATION: NEW TECHNOLOGY
Discovering the region's fastest growing applications can help
put a print shop over the top when it comes to the bottom line.
By establishing itself as the preeminent provider in niches such
as interior décor, P-O-P, vehicle wraps, floor graphics, and
textiles, the shop sets itself apart from its competitors. What are
some of the specific "hot" applications, jobs, and products that
print service providers should be considering right now?

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
With margins on conventional print jobs like posters and
billboards shrinking, print shops and print service providers are
looking to new sectors for higher-margin jobs that require upfront
investments in equipment and staff training. Which segments are
growing the fastest: Interior design and décor? Textiles and digital fabric printing? Which shops are best poised to enter these
markets and how might they go about doing so?

BREAKING INTO TEXTILES
One of the fastest growing and most profitable new sectors of
the wide-format industry, printed textiles are popping up everywhere, from home furnishings, upholstery, curtains, and carpeting, to retail settings and even tradeshows, where textile options
offer easy shipping and setup, as well as low-cost alternatives to
traditional signage.

TOP CUSTOMER CONCERNS
Diversification is on everyone's mind. But with so many different options, many of which require significant cost outlay, how
can print service providers plan their next steps? What other
considerations are on the minds of print buyers, and how can
they best be met?

CUTTING-EDGE APPLICATIONS
Many print shops begin to edge out the competition not just by
offering outstanding customer service, reliable deadlines, fair
prices, and hassle-free installation, but also by investigating -
and investing in - new applications that push the boundaries of
possibility for print, engaging the consumer base in ways guaranteed to surprise and delight. So, what are the opportunities and
challenges these particular applications pose? And where are the
most promising profit centers of tomorrow?

BIGPICTURE.NET

CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORIES
There's no better group to vouch for success in products,
applications, and service than the customers themselves. How
pleased are you with your customer-manufacturer relationship?
What could be changed for improved output? Are you getting
the best product for the best price? What would your customer
success story look like?

http://www.BIGPICTURE.NET

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - June/July 2017