Thriving in Chaos: 5 Ways to Make Money as a Printer in a Digital-First Era

The printing industry is no stranger to disruption. From the dawn of digital presses to the rise of e-commerce, social selling, and AI-driven marketing, print business leaders must continuously adapt to stay competitive. The challenge? Figuring out how to get out of survival mode and thrive in a world where digital is king.

The bad news? Competing on price alone has forced many print providers into a relentless race to the bottom—where margins shrink, quality suffers, and profitability is an uphill battle.

Here’s the good news! Print is a proven, unforgettable channel of communication—and when strategically marketed, sold, and delivered, it can help you rise above the noise and soar to the top.

Based on lessons from my book, Thriving in Chaos: Lessons Learned as a Corporate Marketer, this article weaves in real-world strategies that have helped businesses overcome disruption, adapt with confidence, and grow—guidance that’s especially timely for print leaders navigating today’s digital-first landscape.

"Knowing something needs to change is the easy part. Figuring out what that change is takes courage, time, and a willingness to fail—in order to thrive."

Let’s explore five ways printers can increase profitability, attract new customers, and future-proof their operations.

1. Shift from Transactional to Relationship-Based Selling

Relationship selling starts with a curious mindset and asking the right questions to peel back the layers of “why.” It’s about moving past surface-level conversations and digging into the real challenges your prospects face. As I learned early in my corporate career, even the most reluctant buyer opens up when they feel heard. That’s when the magic happens—when “just looking” becomes “ready to talk.”

The Problem:

Many print companies rely on reactive selling—waiting for customers to request quotes instead of proactively engaging prospects. The result? A race to the bottom on pricing.

The Solution:

B2B buyers no longer want to be “sold to”—they want to be engaged. These numbers tell the story:

78% of buyers choose a brand they’ve heard of before they even start researching solutions (TrustRadius)
80% of buyers have a preferred vendor before ever speaking to sales (6sense)

This means your company must be present and visible before prospects even know they need your services.

“If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got. The companies that embrace change before they’re forced to will always be the ones leading the charge, not playing catch-up.”

Actionable Steps:

Develop a Social Selling Strategy: Use LinkedIn to position your company as an industry leader. Engage, educate, and build relationships—not just pitch your services.
Leverage Content Marketing: Create blogs, case studies, and videos showcasing how your print solutions solve real business problems.
Personalize Sales Outreach: Use data-driven insights to craft tailored messages rather than mass cold calls.

Case Study: ABG Print
ABG Print is a Manhattan-based printer providing “round the clock, on the dot” corporate printing. During the pandemic, they saw a 95% drop in revenue and needed a way to generate leads beyond traditional sales tactics. By embracing digital organic and paid search marketing strategies, ABG gained 372 new customers in one year—equivalent to more than one new client every day.

2. Position Print as a Revenue-Generator

In today’s market, marketing isn’t just about making noise—it’s about making the right noise, in the right place, at the right time. This applies to print, too. Rather than isolate it, embed print into a wider business strategy—one that connects outcomes to impact. As I’ve learned from both failure and success, marketing that’s tied to measurable growth always wins boardroom buy-in.

The Problem:

Too many printers still sell “ink on paper” instead of solutions that drive revenue. This outdated approach keeps them stuck in commodity mode—where the lowest bid wins, and long-term value is lost.

The Solution:

“The best print salespeople don’t sell print—they sell results.”

Your job is to position print as a business growth tool that integrates with digital marketing. When you frame print as a performance driver—not just a product—you help clients amplify results, extend reach, and generate more revenue.

Actionable Steps:

Highlight Print’s Role in Digital Marketing: Showcase how QR codes, NFC tags, and personalized direct mail bridge the gap between offline and online engagement.
Sell Data-Driven Print Campaigns: Promote variable data printing solutions as a way to help clients boost their response rates and customer retention.
Showcase ROI-Driven Case Studies: Prove that print delivers measurable results by sharing customer success stories.

Example: Digital Label Printing
A key benefit for digital label printing is that brands can take advantage of lower costs and quicker speed to market with on-demand, personalized packaging. Instead of large print runs, you print only what they need—when they need it. The result? Higher margins for you, quicker ROI for the client, and reduced waste for the planet.

3. Pinpoint Your “Quickest Time to Money”

One truth I’ve seen play out time and again is that when companies try to be everything to everyone, they end up being nothing to anyone. Instead, focus on where you get the biggest bang for your buck. Ask the hard questions: Who are your best customers? Why did they buy from you? What’s your shortest path to revenue? These are the same questions I ask clients to uncover their quickest time to money—and the clarity is often game-changing.

The Problem:

Print companies waste resources chasing the wrong customers instead of focusing on who will buy the most, in the shortest amount of time, and spend the most amount of money.

The Solution:

Define your quickest time to money by identifying:

Your highest-value clients
What problems they need to solve
The fastest way to solve them with print

Actionable Steps:

Analyze Your Current Customer Base: Identify where you make the most money, where you lose the most money, and who orders the most frequently.
Narrow Your Target Audience: Instead of being “everything to everyone,” specialize in high-margin print products (e.g., embellished packaging, direct mail, trade show materials).
Optimize Your Pricing Strategy: Value-based pricing beats cost-plus pricing. Show clients the ROI of print—not just the price per unit.

Case Study: Sun Print Solutions
Based in Utah, Sun Print Solutions specializes in offset and digital printing, packaging, and direct mail for B2B and B2C clients across the U.S. Struggling with generic marketing, Sun Print partnered with Joanne Gore Communications (JGC) to pinpoint the DNA of a lead. Instead of chasing low-margin B2C jobs, they pivoted to high-value B2B services—growing revenue by 60% over three years.

4. Future-Proof with Automation & AI

I have a gem of a trade show story where everything that could go wrong—did. What saved us? Agility. That same principle applies here. Automating key processes is about more than efficiency; it’s about building resilience. When you remove bottlenecks, you create room to pivot, adapt, and scale. Automation frees your people to focus on what matters most: strategy, service, and selling. As I learned through chaos—control comes from preparation, not perfection.

The Problem:

Printers are stuck in manual processes that slow down production, increase costs, and limit scalability.

The Solution:

Embrace automation and AI-driven workflows to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and scale profitably.

Actionable Steps:

Automate Quote & Order Management: Use Web-to-Print (W2P) systems to streamline customer transactions.
Use AI for Personalized Campaigns: AI-powered tools can optimize print runs, personalize content, and predict demand trends.
Implement Predictive Maintenance: Automate equipment monitoring to detect wear-and-tear early, schedule maintenance efficiently, and prevent costly downtime.

Industry Insight:
AI-driven print workflow automation is expected to cut production costs by 30% over the next five years (Keypoint Intelligence).

5. Expand Revenue Streams Beyond Print

My marketing career has been about more than just tactics—it’s been about seeing what others don’t. That’s the value printers bring when they expand into value-added services. By tapping into omni-channel tools, automation platforms, and marketing expertise, you go from being “just a printer” to becoming a growth partner. And that transformation? It’s where resilience, relevance, and revenue intersect.

The Problem:

Many printers rely solely on print sales—leaving money on the table.

The Solution:

Offer value-added services to increase revenue per customer and build long-term relationships.

Actionable Steps:

Offer Marketing Services: Package print with email marketing, digital ads, and social media campaigns.
Create Subscription Models: Provide clients with monthly print packages for recurring revenue.
Sell Online: Launch e-commerce storefronts for ordering print materials (e.g., custom packaging, branded merchandise, or direct mail kits).

Example: MindFire and DirectMail2.0
Opti-channel and omni-channel platforms like MindFire and DirectMail2.0 empower printers to offer end-to-end marketing campaigns that blend print with digital engagement. These platforms allow you to offer automated email follow-ups, social media retargeting, real-time analytics, and triggered multichannel workflows—all built around printed mail pieces. By integrating these solutions, printers can help clients boost response rates, track ROI, and position themselves as strategic marketing partners, not just vendors.

Passion, Purpose, and Helping Others: The Ultimate Driver

Ultimately, success in the print industry isn't just about technology or processes. As I reiterate throughout my book and career, “It’s not about?what?I do; it’s about?how?I help!”

Understand Their Challenges:?Take the time to truly understand your customers’ pain points and business objectives.

Provide Innovative Solutions:?Develop creative solutions that address specific needs and deliver measurable results.

Build Lasting Partnerships:?Focus on building long-term relationships based on trust, collaboration, and mutual success.

Remember Why:?I learned the power of “Why” in my fitness journey. Whether it’s fitness or business “ask the right questions” (the first one being) “How much weight do you want to lose?” and “Why do you want to lose weight?” The same holds for business. “How many leads do you need?” is hardly the same as “What is the DNA of a lead?”

Final Thoughts

Print is experiencing a powerful resurgence as marketers rediscover its unique ability to engage audiences, drive results, and differentiate brands in a digital-first world. The businesses that thrive will be the ones that embrace change, innovate, and position print as an essential marketing tool in today’s digital world.

To succeed, you must: