June 11, 2003 -- More than 4000 print shops in the U.S. closed their doors this year. Executive Printing, Inc. (EPI), however, is opening new doors. The Kennesaw, Ga., printer, which has always been known for its fine printing and finishing, has discovered a new revenue stream and growth opportunity using digital printing technology to create extraordinary marketing applications. EPI preaches to its customers to think outside the box of ordinary marketing campaigns. "The way the market is headed these days, companies are trying to figure out how to get more for their marketing dollars," said Cindy Woods, Vice President of Executive Printing. "We are trying to show our customers new and exciting ways for them to reach out to their customers more effectively." Utilizing variable data printing is one way in which EPI does just that. Variable data printing allows each piece to be personalized for each recipient and this personalization yields much higher returns - sometimes more than 10%. Woods will often take a customer's marketing piece and rearrange it using variable data in order to show the customer how personalizing a direct marketing piece can make it much more powerful. EPI's new NexPress 2100 digital press enables them to do variable data printing and provides the high quality printing that EPI is famous for. In order to practice what they preach, EPI Digital decided to create an event promoting their new Heidelberg NexPress 2100 digital press using some very unique variable data marketing pieces. The NexPress 2100 is designed for high value added services such as print on demand, ultra short runs, personalization, customization, and 1:1 marketing. EPI Digital wanted to create a very personalized event with personalized invitations. They decided on a wine tasting event as tastes in wine are very personal and it was a perfect fit for variable data. The invitations were printed on the NexPress 2100 using variable data printing to add the recipient's name several times throughout the invitation. The invitation included a response card that was also personalized and asked the recipient to list their favorite type of wine, so that during the event, EPI Digital could present each person with a bottle of their favorite type of wine along with a personalized bottle tag. EPI Digital also distributed "goody bags" to each attendee which included a personalized wine guide and stationery. To help organize the event and realize the full potential of the NexPress, EPI Digital turned to Heidelberg's Business Development Services (BDS) team. Heidelberg BDS acts as "virtual coaches" and offers value-added tools, support and coaching to help printers not only be comfortable with buying a digital press, but also to be profitable using it. They even support customer events to help promote its customers' new digital printing services. BDS was involved in brainstorming the concept, invitation, and design of EPI's wine tasting event as well helping EPI to educate their customers about different variables of digital printing. During the event among the various Robert Mondavi wine stations, EPI Digital demonstrated to its customers how with its new NexPress 2100 digital press, they can now do personalized messaging, multiple versions segmented by market, easily updated brochures and flyers to keep information current, one-to-one customer communications, economical short-run color printing, extremely quick turnaround, and offset-quality printing. EPI Digital also presented a series of half-hour roundtable discussions covering everything needed to make the most of the variable data digital marketing applications from the Heidelberg NexPress 2100 digital press. The roundtables included: • Getting Personal: Marketing with Digital and Variable Data Printing presented by Cindy Woods, Vice President, Executive Printing • Designing for Digital and Variable Data Printing presented by Sheri Martin, Digital Business Development Specialist, Heidelberg • Capture the Data, Capture the Market presented by Richard Sand, Director of Business Development Services, Heidelberg The wine tasting event was very successful with more than 100 people attending. For many of EPI's customers, it was the first time they'd ever experienced variable data printing or realized how powerful it can be as a marketing tool. EPI added three new business units to the company in recent years after realizing the attraction of value-added services to their customers. In addition to EPI Digital, EPI opened a fulfillment and distribution warehouse in 2001. It quickly outgrew two warehouse locations within six months so EPI made it into a separate business unit called React. EPI later added EPI Partners in order to partner with other companies to manage their advertising, premiums, call centers, sweepstakes, and rebate programs. All four divisions (Executive Printing, React, EPI Digital and EPI Partners) act as part of EPI and provide consistency across all the divisions. EPI's commitment to its customers is the driving force behind everything its does, from investing in new technology to creating value added services. EPI is opening new doors not only for itself by adding new digital technology and adding new business units, but also for its customers by educating them about new and exciting ways to reach their customers.