A strategic focus is essential for growing your business and setting yourself apart from the competition. The challenge, though, is that many business owners tend to think very tactically (i.e., how they can obtain more clients). Although tactics are important for growing your client base, they must be aligned with strategy. You want to be perceived as an expert and an authority in the delivery of communication programs, and this means looking at the bigger picture. Ask yourself—what do I want my business to be known for? What is the ultimate position that I want it to hold in the marketplace?

Sexton Printing (St. Paul, MN) exemplifies an organization that understands the importance of being strategic in the face of today’s changing industry. I had the opportunity to interview Tim Sexton, President of this third-generation family-owned business. Tim’s grandfather launched Sexton Printing in 1949 as a small letterpress operation. After working as the General Manager for a newspaper, Tim’s dad decided to join the company. Tim and four of his siblings are now actively involved in running the business. During our interview, Tim shared several of the strategic transformations that have occurred in his company’s history.

After starting out as a letterpress operation, Sexton Printing underwent its first business transformation in the 1960s. The firm moved into offset printing with a focus on multi-page publications. Based on customer needs, Sexton added creative and design services and support. Rather than sending publications to a mail house, the firm opted to add mailing services to its offerings. The company maintained a strategic focus on serving the publications market so it could effectively stand apart from the competition. Tim elaborates, “By staying in front of technological changes, we were able to move into desktop publishing and digital production at the right time. We searched out the markets that were the most likely to need publications, and a product focus enabled us to build expertise in vertical markets. Our offerings are applicable to nearly any industry today, but our true expertise lies in the healthcare, medical-device manufacturing, education, associations, and financial services industries.”