Bill Obermeier began his career as a radio disc jockey. He hosted a talk show on a Colorado radio station and became operations manager of the combination AM/FM company. He expanded his expertise to advertising, which led him to an opportunity as marketing/advertising director for a start-up entertainment company.

Seeking to satisfy his growing entrepreneurial skills, he opened a small advertising agency. Almost a decade later, after a series of positions including a 5-year stint as head of advertising for a major telecom company, he decided corporate life wasn’t a good fit with his passion for action and focus on customer results.

Ten years ago he started STRATECOM. From his corporate experience, he knew he could offer strategic communications support for companies and be more responsive with more economical pricing than they routinely get from large agency relationships. Today, the three strategic principles he set down for the company are still driving its growth: to offer clients the most strategic insight, the most creative thinking and the most responsive service in the industry. His dual roles at STRATECOM are as chairman and chief creative officer.

STRATECOM started out as a marketing communications strategy consulting firm, but clients quickly began requesting creative products. Today the company provides full service marketing communications services – from strategy to creative to production. An internal print production department handles all print buying and production management. STRATECOM helps clients build their brands, both externally and internally.

The staff is a team of seasoned veterans from both the agency side and the client side, with multi-disciplined expertise, providing advertising, collateral, direct marketing, Internet marketing, events, internal communications and public relations services.

STRATECOM provides print buying and print services for a number of large companies, including First National Bank of Colorado, Boston Market, First Consulting Group, OmegaTech and Graebel Moving. To learn more about STRATECOM, visit the Web site - www.stratecom.com..

Question: Bill, explain the process of buying print at STRATECOM. How do you divide the load, so to speak?

Obermeier: Our production management department negotiates with leading printers throughout our area, as well as across the country. For every job, we evaluate the printers we believe are best suited for that particular work. We then get at least three competitive bids and award the work to the shop best qualified and able to commit to the delivery schedule at the best price. This results in a division of work among a variety of printer partners.


Question: What do you expect from a new vendor seeking your business?

Obermeier: Notice I used the term "partner" with printer. That’s what we look for – a firm that is as committed to our clients as we are. We want a printer who insists on quality, and who understands that all the work that has gone into a job – from strategy to writing to design – can be wasted if the printing isn’t perfect. Our designers continue to seek new levels of creativity, which can be challenging in trying to determine how to execute on press. We value printers who enjoy being at the table with us trying to find the best solutions.


Question: What are your customers’ top priorities these days?

Obermeier: Customers’ top priorities these days aren’t very different from what they were ten years ago. They want results, sound strategy, creative thinking that outflanks the competition and every possible cost efficiency.

One thing they do want more than ever is quick action. With the advent of the Web and the ability to get information and share files instantly, there seems to be an expectation that everything should be instant. The problem is, thinking still requires human beings, and human beings still need time to think, write and design. As a result, one of the biggest challenges is being responsive without being thoughtlessly reactive. It’s a balance our clients value.


Question: How has the recession affected your business and your job?

Obermeier: The economic environment and tragedies of last year affected our business as it did many others. Clients seemed to retreat from aggressive marketing for a time, which resulted in a decline in the use of our services. That appears to have been limited to a relatively short time as the appetite for marketing communications has increased recently. I am reluctant to call last year’s downturn a recession.


Question: Do you see the advertising slump coming to an end? If so, when and what will help it recover?

Obermeier: I don’t know if the advertising slump at a macro level is about to end, but I am sure there are certain categories where the slump is ending already. Certainly with United’s recent recall of workers, there’s a strong indication that people are willing to travel again, and that bodes well for the entire tourism industry.

I can’t help but think there is a technology out there that is being tested to solve "the last mile" and enable businesses and homes to gain access to broadband connectivity. When that happens, our entire economy will change and advertising will grow tremendously, serving a new variety of clients.

In the meantime, I see a steady and gradual recovery with the advertising industry closing out 2002 much stronger than 2001. And, I think agencies are going to have to streamline how they operate.


Question: How much of your clients’ prepress/document preparation work do you do in-house?

Obermeier: All of our prepress/production work is done in-house. We are somewhat unique compared to many shops. Our art directors and designers do their own production, rather than handing it off to a production artist. We find that assures a more consistent realization of the design vision and enhances the communication process between the printer and us. And, confidence in our printer partnerships frees up our designers to be more creative on the front end of design, knowing we can execute it on the production end.


Question: Do some of your clients like to do their own design? If so, does this make your job easier or harder?

Obermeier: Some clients maintain in-house designers. I guess that can be efficient for certain kinds of clients, but mostly I believe it diminishes brand identity. In-house design often becomes very myopic and "in the box." I believe outside thinking and broader strategic approaches can elevate a brand to new levels of awareness.

We’re able to do well with in-house designers by establishing partnerships with them and understanding our roles. Generally, we provide strategy and lead design, and they provide the support. It can work, but can also create some additional demands regarding communication and coordination.


Question: Describe a recent difficult job that you handled.

Obermeier: We recently completed a complex sales folder/brochure with a series of companion pieces. The design needed to incorporate a beam of light that is part of our client’s marketing identity, which in turn needed to work with some glowing lines that were integral to our design concept. Where those lines crossed, the blurred beam of light became a very tricky area to deal with in trying to make it look right on press, as the lines were being printed in metallic ink and needed to feather into the light beam. This is an example of a printer partner relationship because it took much experimentation between the designer and the printer to figure out how to handle this challenge. And, we did.


Question: How could your print vendors have made the folder/brochure project easier for you?

Obermeier: This is an example of a printer already working to make the project run smoother for us. One of the things we have learned is that some printers prefer certain types of files in Quark and others in Illustrator. The printing process can flow more smoothly and cost effectively if we design in the printer’s program of choice, so we are asking them to tell us how they prefer files. On a similar note, our designers like Adobe In Design, but most of our printers do not do well with In Design files. I think printers could make our life easier if they were willing to become more familiar with this program.


Question: How has the Internet and the Web changed how you do your job?

Obermeier: The Internet has had a major impact on our work. Unfortunately, not all of it is good if we aren’t careful. For instance, clients have an expectation that things can be done instantly because the Web has made us accustomed to getting instant information. In trying to meet their expectations, sending designs as PDF files has become a standard practice. That, unfortunately, precludes a personal presentation of the work and an in-person discussion that includes all the valuable eye contact and body language information people subtly exchange. (We still push for the face-to-face time.)

At the same time, being able to load work in progress in viewing areas on our Web site so clients can view it has shortened development time, eliminated travel and reduced expense. From a printing perspective, sending electronic files has, of course, changed the process for those of us who remember the old art boards. Certainly, being able to send graphic messages, invitations and other communications online has decreased the need for some printed materials.


Question: What do you see as the long-term role and effect of the Web on print buying?

Obermeier: The Web’s major effect on print buying, I suppose, is that it can decrease demand for printed materials that can be more economically distributed online. However, because people will continue to relate physically with materials and need a tangible connection to a company or product, it will be a long time before the Web replaces printed materials substantially.

A second effect is on how printed materials are purchased. There seems to be some growth in the area of submitting requests for printing online and trying to make that process more timely and efficient. Certainly, print files can be submitted directly to a printer and directly to press. But, again, it will be some time before that takes over because things like personal service, live discussion about jobs, reviewing files and press proofs all require human interaction.

I’m certain we’ll all be better off if that never goes away.


Thank you very much Bill. We appreciate your time.