Reston, VA - Spanning such print products as direct mail, catalogs, inserts, flyers, transpromo and more, direct marketing is a predominant category of print usage. But, as with many other print categories, direct marketing is being affected by numerous changes in the North American marketplace, and no one knows for certain what the future of direct marketing will look like. For executives seeking a glimpse into the crystal ball, the brand-new Vision 3 Summit leadership conference, slated for March 13–16, 2011 at the Desert Springs JW Marriott in Palm Desert, CA, will feature a special session on the trends and future of direct marketing. The management-level conference is being jointly produced by the National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL); NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies (NPES); and, Printing Industries of America.

The session, "Trends & Future of Direct Marketing," will deliver a thoughtful look at the current printing industry, the ongoing changes in the North American marketplace and how direct marketing will be affected. Attendees will learn what impact technology, the economy, social issues, environmental concerns, postal rates and demographic changes will have on direct marketing demand, and hear about other influences on the North American print markets as well. The session will be led by graphic communications consultant John Zarwan, founding partner of J. Zarwan Partners and an expert in marketing, product management and finance.

"Particularly with today's consumer being so marketing-savvy, print clients are increasingly turning to direct marketing," said Ralph Nappi, President of NPES. "It's therefore crucial for graphic communications executives to pinpoint direct marketing opportunities for their clients and understand just how direct marketing tactics may change over the next few years."

In addition to "Trends & Future of Direct Marketing," the Vision 3 Summit will feature a variety of educational sessions addressing topics of interest to management-level executives, ranging from future growth markets, to new-media marketing strategies and sales tactics, and more. All sessions will emphasize real-world applications and 'best practices' and offer actionable "how-to" advice. The Vision 3 Summit will also feature a variety of networking events and a number of receptions.

The Vision 3 Summit replaces NAPL's, NPES' and Printing Industries of America's individual leadership programs, including NAPL's Top Management Conference; NPES' Industry Summit that included the PRINT OUTLOOK Conference and PRIMIR Spring Meeting; and, Printing Industries of America's Presidents Conference. Both NAPL and NPES will hold their individual board of directors meetings in conjunction with this conference. Additionally PRIMIR will hold its Spring Meeting in conjunction with the Vision 3 Summit.

While the first co-produced conference by NAPL, NPES and Printing Industries of America, the Vision 3 Summit is not the first joint venture between the three organizations. NAPL, NPES and Printing Industries of America also co-own the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), which produces the popular industry GRAPH EXPO and PRINT exhibitions.

For more information about the Vision 3 Summit, or to register for the Conference, visit: www.vision3summit.org. For all of the pre-event updates and news follow the Vision 3 Summit community online at: Facebook.com/Vision3Summit; Twitter.com/Vision3Summit; and Youtube.com/Vision3Summit.