Big Picture - March 2020 - 17

markets. As a creative, I immediately knew I would never be
successful as a print industry expert by regurgitating all the
bells and whistles of said equipment; it was about building value
and helping my clients connect with their ideal customer base
with a fresh, innovative approach. A majority of that happened
by asking open-ended questions, listening, and story-telling
through case studies on our company blog, which I regularly
contributed leads to.
FACTS TELL, STORIES SELL
Today, the same goes for PSPs trying to connect with décor
customers. As a creative and photographer by education, who
has worked in several roles across the wide-format print
industry, I can very much assure you not one artist, interior
designer, or décor-savvy consumer is concerned with the
mechanical aspects of how it's done as much as that it's done.
Of course, the environmental impacts and health factors of
substrates and inks are key in customer decision-making, but
that's a separate discussion. Here, I'm pointing out that while
showing off your newest piece of equipment might seem like
the most obvious way to differentiate yourself from competitors, it's not exactly relevant to your customer base, which is
the difference between push marketing and pull marketing.
Lucky for us, Big Picture's editor-in-chief, Adrienne Palmer,
live-Tweeted during the 2020 EFI Connect and captured a
simple yet timely statement when Nick Benkovich, strategic
account manager, EFI, addressed the elephant in the room:
"What are printers the worst at? Marketing. They know how
to produce the materials, but not market themselves. Their
site shows a new printer or the outside of their building."
Are you familiar with the phrase "facts tell and stories sell?"
I wholeheartedly believe our industry's current areas of
opportunity are marketing, branding, storytelling, and posturing. This means taking a hard look at your print shop and
reassessing your competitive advantage. Disregard your
equipment, presentation, and the specific value proposition you
offer to your customer base for a moment, and ask yourself how
you're pitching your brand to niché segments like interior décor.
That process will require a bit of good old fashioned
soul-searching and reassessing of your approach to reach décor
customers who are more than likely eager to learn about
innovative solution-based applications you can offer.
LEVERAGING LANGUAGE

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However, to all print service providers reading this, please
know you are not just a service provider, a dying trade, or
afterthought. You're part of an industry with the technology
and tools to manufacture and customize end products. Part of
conveying that is using the right language with your initial
lead-gen content and throughout your sales process. Take a
look at textiles, for example. PSPs who have strategically
invested in advanced digital textile print platforms and
finishing equipment aren't merely service providers - they're
now micro-factories. Notice the difference? By elevating your
approach with market specific language, you will attract your
ideal customer base, and their perception of your business can
shift from vendor to business partner. We're missing killer
marketing opportunities by leading with print industry jargon
instead of showing audiences our value and how digital print
can impact their businesses with high-quality finished goods,

not just poster prints. I also believe the print industry is still
inward-facing in terms of our language because we're
marketing to one another. That's our weakest link when it
comes to reaching exterior markets. In the décor space, it's
especially crucial to make connection points with your niche
audience, beginning with your website, social media (no
excuses; you need it), and face-to-face interaction during
consultations or site visits. My point? Live it, breathe it, be it.
There are also clues indicating trends and shifts in décor
applications you can leverage to develop new products and
utilize as marketing content. Are you aware of Pantone's 2020
Color of the Year and the meaning behind it? After lengthy
trend analysis, the philosophy behind the newest color trend,
"Classic Blue," is that it's a foundational anchor shade that acts
as a classic neutral, yet it has an energizing effect that can be
interpreted as traditional to unexpectedly bold. As a familiar
color, it engages and enables other colors to interact in an
aesthetically pleasing way, yet stands strong on its own.
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color
Institute, says, "We are living in a time that requires trust and
faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is
expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and
dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a
deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation.
A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky,
Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to
expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply,
increase our perspective, and open the flow of communication."
If you've happened to notice, two words in 2020 that keep
appearing are "intentional" and "authenticity." It's a reaction
to the previous dizzying, fast-paced decade where technology
advancements fueled décor trends like maximalism in home
decor. We know one benefit of digital print is customization
and personalization, but that isn't new anymore, so how will
you define your competitive advantage? In a Forbes article
about dissipating design trends in 2020, interior décor
contributor Amanda Lauren quotes Christiana Coop,
cofounder of Hygge & West, pointing out that trends like
accent walls, be it traditional paste application or peel-andstick, are phasing out: "We still love the wallpapered accent
wall as it serves as more of a large art piece, but next year
we'll be seeing more rooms with all four walls wallpapered or
painted in bold colors." The fifth wall, also known as the
ceiling, hasn't gone away either, and is gaining more popularity.
So repurposing the same material in a new application and
marketing it in a fresh way is another way to maintain your
edge. (Tip: Check with general contractors and building codes
for required fire-ratings and third-party testing you may need
to conduct after ink and coating.)
Faux everything-type finishes are also losing speed, but
that doesn't mean faux can't be used authentically and
intentionally. Along with authenticity and intentionality comes
the responsibility of deeply knowing your customers and the
markets they serve. That means faster printers and your
ability to customize with just-in-time delivery will be more
in-demand than ever, but converting your printers into
revenue-producing machines also lays in the hands of your
marketing strategy. If you'd like to continue the conversation,
let's talk. I'm currently looking to connect with like-minded
people seeking to make a change in our industry.

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Big Picture - March 2020

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