Industry Consultant Bob Raus sent in his thoughts on the current state of the industry and what he says is our "fight for long-term relevancy." He says to stay relevent we need to "reposition print for a new generation of decision makers." Is Bob on target with his assessment? Here is what he wrote:

Print Engine: Abdicate The Throne

The printing industry is in a fight for long-term relevancy.  Factors such as e-delivery, Internet statements and bills, postage rates, “don’t print” green initiatives, instant information access, and more are legitimate causes of page volume decline.   However, I believe this mess is largely our own fault.

While many industry experts tell print service providers they must transform their businesses into marketing service providers, major manufacturers continue to regard the print engine as the center of the business universe.  There is no doubt that print quality and speed are important.  However, future sales results will increasingly depend on delivering value beyond marks on paper to sophisticated e-marketing and IT-centric decision makers.

Reposition Print For A New Generation Of Decision Makers

This relentless devotion to printed output and print engines causes the industry to be viewed as slow, static and antiquated by today’s iPhone and “Crackberry” using decision makers.  In these circles, printing anything can be considered environmental genocide, old fashioned and outdated.  The fact is that (gasp!) the printer is a peripheral to the computer and the computer has always been king.

In this time of crisis, our leaders must help re-message communications to project a 21st century industry persona.  Continuing to promote print heads, speeds, feeds, and inks as king will result in increased distancing and irrelevancy in the eyes of savvy e-centric CMOs, CIOs and agencies. Truly embrace, promote and fully implement IT-centric solutions marketing and sales practices.  Don’t stop making great print engines, just actively market them as a valuable part of the new IT-centric communications model.

Never Waste A Good Crisis

As an industry, we need to move further up the entire communications value chain by articulating how print compliments e-marketing to drive results.  Personalized URLs and TransPromo communications are a good start.  To truly reposition print, we must actively create and commit to solutions (not product) marketing and consultative selling practices – while minimizing elongation of the sales cycle.  Rest assured, solutions will drag print engine sales – and at higher margins.

Finally, let’s not forget the sales force.  To sell solutions and keep Wall Street happy quarter to quarter, suppliers to the industry must invest in the creation and widespread adoption of consultative selling practices  – now.  Sales teams need new sales models, training, innovative IT-centric sales tools, revamped compensation structures and unwavering leadership to drive behavioral changes.  This requires bold, new thinking and execution.  Luckily, there are many smart, talented, true leaders within the vendor community who are fully capable of delivering the change needed – if they chose to.