Standard Register’s Brad Cates discusses healthcare business

Standard Register recently made the decision to establish a focus on the healthcare industry. Cary Sherburne recently sat down with President of the company’s Healthcare Business, Brad Cates, and Business Director of Document and Information Management Ann B. Scales, to learn about the transition to all healthcare, EMR reform and the future of printing in the health care space.

Mobile Meets Outdoor Advertising and Signage

Thanks to the internet and smart phones, as well as tools like QR codes and text messaging, one of the oldest ad media is becoming interactive. In her current article, Barb Pellow explores the interactive features that many companies are using to enhance their billboards and outdoor signage. She provides many real world examples that range from educational to purely promotional.

Changing the Printer’s Mindset

We keep hearing that the future for print shops is to become “integrated communications providers”, but making the transition can seem like a daunting task to printers who are still stuck in the old print world. This week, Andy Tribute examines the adjustments printers need to make to survive.

So what do I need to know? Print + eMedia Part 4

In the fourth article of the series, industry expert and WhatTheyThink contributor David Zwang continues his discussion about cross-media communications and production, this time with a high level look at what you need to know to begin implementing eMedia production workflows. This overview will act as an executive summary for future articles that will delve into the specific issues and requirements.

Consumer Packaged Goods - Blending Mobile and Print to Drive Business

Due to the growing significance of electronic media, packaging is being integrated with mobile technology to drive sales. Consumer Product Goods manufacturers are beginning to incorporate mobile messaging into their packaging graphics and print advertisements to engage consumers. This article discusses why it makes sense for marketers to incorporate mobile messaging into packages. It also provides examples of companies that are currently engaging in this practice.

Show Me the Money? Don’t Look at Us, Say the Banks

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. By now, the economy should have picked up, printers’ prospects should have improved, and the banks should have responded by letting some sunlight into their vaults when borrowers from the industry came calling. What happened? Although the nation’s general banking crisis may be over, says Tom Williams, partner, New Direction Partners, there’s been little improvement in the availability of credit for business and equipment financing.

Questioning Common Wisdom is Important to Strategy

How often have we heard that print is a trusted medium, that awareness and familiarity are goals of advertising communications, or that print is key to touching prospects or customers? The new communications market is filled with opportunities for print entrepreneurs, but going against the common wisdom of industry myths is an important aspect of the entrepreneurial spirit. If you believe it's important to embrace change to be successful, then start by questioning commonly-held beliefs about the medium of print.

Use Managed Liquidation As Bankruptcy Alternative

Print owners are often looking for ways to escape companies with balance sheets that are deep in the red. Typically there’s a strategic acquirer who’s only taking on the general intangibles. Asset values are often less than debt levels. And timing between payments might not always match up with debt obligations. Bankruptcy might seem like an obvious solution, but the NAPL’s John Hyde explores the many advantages of Managed Liquidation.

New Media... More than Hype!

Marketing has evolved, and today’s marketers must use both new and traditional media channels to effectively engage their customers and prospects. It’s time to get rid of the gimmicks and utilize technology effectively. This analysis discusses how Hotels.com leveraged new and traditional media to drive results and improve its bottom line.

The Economy is Slowing… What Does that Mean for Us?

Living with My iPad

Andy Tribute didn’t anticipate becoming an iPad evangelist, but now he’s hooked. He wrote a few months back that he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with it, but now he has seen the light. In his latest article he sings the iPad’s praises, and explains why it might just be the most important tool in your arsenal.

How magazine circulation, ad pages and mailed by piece has changed since 2000

How have magazines changed over the last 10 years? Dr. Joe looks at subscription circulation, ad pages, postal shipments and weight, and what they tell us about this critical segment of our industry.

Were we sleeping or just too busy Googling our life away?…

In the third article of a series, industry expert and WhatTheyThink contributor David Zwang continues his discussion about cross-media communications with some thoughts on how we got where we are and where we are going. This is important background that will help enable print providers and marketing services providers to stay ahead of the curve.

Old media, new media, and now newer media

There’s a new report out predicting significant growth in US media and communications spending over the next four years. Is it time to start the presses running again? Frank Romano examines what impact new media is continuing to have on media budgets.

SMS Text and Print… Reaching On-the-Go Consumers

SMS text messaging has emerged as an effective and measurable engagement tactic that marketers can use to power a variety of programs targeting sales, loyalty, and brand awareness. The nearly universal reach of text messaging makes it a tremendous platform for reaching and engaging on-the-go consumers. This article provides examples of marketers that are using a mobile call to action to establish a digital opt-in relationship with their existing customers and prospects.

Even the Fed Worries about a Continuing Downturn

Printer’s Survival Kit: Understand & Participate in the Digital Economy

The modern marketing budget has many more choices beyond print, and some of these choices are essentially free to implement. What are the roots of this massive change and how does it relate to the print industry?

The Unsatisfying L-Shaped Recovery Continues

Remember when people used to argue about a V-shaped recovery, or a U-shaped one, or even a W-shaped one? Dr. Joe kept saying the recovery was a lot earlier in the alphabet, and that letter was “L.” Recent economic data seem to be playing out exactly that way, with employment virtually the same as it was last year and GDP growth declining to levels that are indicative more of recession than recovery. Don't say you weren't warned. Yet despite all of the market pessimism, the printing industry seems to be righting itself and showing some signs of vitality.

How Do You Handle Change?

Change is something everyone in business (and in life) has to face. With the economy still fragile and the graphic arts industry in transformation, it’s likely you, your company and your customers are in some state of significant change. You might be changing your go-to-market strategy…your business model… the services you offer…or a cutback in staff or capabilities. Read on to understand how managing change more deliberately could make the difference between success and failure.

Print and Mobile… Better Together

Mobile media devices have become a primary source of portable media from which we can obtain information and communicate. This article highlights some recent examples of companies that are combining print and mobile technologies to create added value.

Email Marketing: Does it still work?

Does email marketing still work, or is it beset by too many problems with mailbox clutter, spam and more? A recent study and a specific example indicate there is plenty of life left in this medium. Is it part of your service mix?

Second Quarter U.S. Commercial Printing Shipments Up +2.8%

June 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.2 billion, up +2.4% compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were up +1.3%. “This is the first three month gain in shipments on an inflation-adjusted basis since the period of October 2006 through April 2007.

All these new channels: and no Lucy…you still can’t be in the show.

In the second article of a series, industry expert and WhatTheyThink contributor David Zwang continues his discussion about cross-media communications with details about the new communications channels that print service providers/marketing services providers should be considering as they lay out their cross-media strategies.

More printers interested in buying than selling books of business customer base

Who's buying and who's selling? The print business has been consolidating, and we're certain there is more to go, especially with the popularity of "tuck-ins." Dr. Joe explains why "tuck-ins" are not about what you should do with your shirt, but how it has slowly been creating a more efficient industry.

Committed to Internal Growth, Sandy Alexander Adds Capacity and Capability

We hear it constantly: the industry won't return to normal until printers start investing in their businesses again. But at one printing company in New Jersey, they never got the memo about capital investment being on hold. Sandy Alexander of Clifton isn't waiting for economists to tell it that the time finally is right to add capacity and services. The company - with a staff of 230, one of the largest printing employers in the state - has already spent $7 million on new production machinery this year, and its quest to equip itself for growth isn't over yet.

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