Finishing Up the Year: In It to Win It

2021 has been a wild year of highs and lows and unique pressures, but the print finishing category met the challenge and pushed forward with lots of new offerings and opportunities. From looking across a year of announcements, it’s safe to say with confidence—finishing is in it to win it.

On Wednesday, December 15 at 1pm ET, join Trish Witkowski for WhatTheyThink’s LunchNLearn webinar and look back at the year in binding and finishing. This session will last approximately 30 minutes.

What you’ll learn:

• What categories of binding finishing equipment were red hot in 2021 and what new products were launched
• What were the latest developments in embellishments
• What to look for in binding, finishing, and mailing in 2022

Register Now!

Finishing Up the Year: In It to Win it is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded December 15, 2021

Graphics on Display: A Wide-Format Look Back and Outlook

Wide-format printing had been a high-growth area for many print providers pre-COVID and, during the pandemic, demand for COVID and other related signage kept many print businesses busy even as their traditional markets and customers were shut down. As we emerge from the pandemic, where does wide format stand?

On Wednesday, November 17 at 1 pm ET, join WhatTheyThink’s Richard Romano and IDG’s Tim Greene as they look back at 2021 and ahead to 2022 and identify some of the dominant and emerging application trends, new equipment releases, and opportunity areas for both those who are already producing wide-format and display graphics—and those who are still looking to.

What you’ll learn:

• What are the dominant and emerging post-pandemic wide-format application trends?
• What have been the top product releases of the past 12 months?
• What is 2022 likely to hold for wide-format printing and producers of display graphics?

“Graphics on Display: A Wide-Format Look Back and Outlook” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded November 17, 2021

Landa Nanographic Printing In the Market

Landa Digital Printing has commanded the industry’s attention since the first presses were unveiled. Now that Landa has a global presence, with a growing number of installations around the world, we are hearing about the impact that Nanographic Printing Presses are having.

Join us on Wednesday, November 3 at 1pm ET for a special webinar, sponsored by Landa Digital Printing, on the current state of Nanography. Representatives from Landa will provide an update on the company and its growing installed base of uses, as well as recap the value proposition of the company’s Nanography technology and outline its vision for these digital mainstream presses going forward. The session will also include Landa customers who will offer real-world insights and experiences of day-to-day Nanography printing.

What you’ll learn:

• The current state of Landa’s Nanographic printing technology and installed base.
• The company’s vision for the future of the technology.
• Real-world user experiences from Landa customers.

Featured speakers include:

• David Zwang, WhatTheyThink
• Scott Brown, Landa Digital Printing
• Paul Hudson, Hudson Printing
• Jordan Patterson, Virtual Packaging

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Recorded November 3, 2021

Driven to Distraction: Display Graphics and Signage in the Automotive Industry

The pandemic has changed the way cars are purchased, with less emphasis on showrooms and more on online sales, especially thanks to the rise of sites like Carvana. As the role of the automotive dealership changes, display graphics are themselves playing a role in redefining the auto dealership. How can signage and display graphics producers help these businesses navigate what can be rocky roads?

On Wednesday, October 27 at 1 pm ET, WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano will be joined by Maggie Harlow, Owner and CEO of Signarama Downtown Louisville (Ky.), who has not only done projects for the automotive market, but whose family has a long history in the auto industry itself.

What you’ll learn:

• The changing nature of the auto dealership.
• The role of signage and display graphics in auto sales.
• How sign and display graphics providers can potentially break into the automotive market.

“Driven to Distraction: Display Graphics and Signage in the Automotive Industry” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded October 27, 2021

Print Production Outlook: Tracking the Turning Points

Printing Technologies have been in a state of transition for the past two decades, driven by declines in print volume and increases in print quality and press speeds. Offset has been transitioning to digital, toner is now transitioning to inkjet, and flexo is holding its own—for now. What is the current status of printing technology transitions—and what will the future hold? What applications are seeing the most movement—and to where?

On Wednesday, October 6 at 1 pm ET, join WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano and Keypoint Intelligence Director of On Demand Printing and Publishing German Sacristan as they look at the current state of production output technologies.

What you’ll learn:

• The current state of production output technologies.
• Is the transition from offset to digital complete…or just beginning?
• Is toner vs. inkjet the new battleground?
• What print applications are seeing the most movement?
• What’s happening with flexo?

Sponsored by Canon Solutions America, “Print Production Outlook: Tracking the Turning Points” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded October 6, 2021

Advice from the Experts: Keys to Successful Implementation of a Print MIS

There is no question that the decision to implement a new Print MIS, or update an existing one, is one of the most important investment decisions a print, packaging or display graphics company can make today. In this session, sponsored by Sabre Limited, a PrintVis reseller partner, three companies will talk about their experiences, from how they began the process, what due diligence they conducted, ow they approached implementation, and their feelings about the outcome or expected outcome and what it will mean for their businesses. Don’t miss this highly informative session that will feature real-time insight from the front lines.

Featured speakers include:

• Cary Sherburne, Senior Editor, WhatTheyThink
• Richard Kouwenhoven, President & COO, Hemlock Printing; and
• Yann Saint-Laurent, IT Manager, Canada Ticket
• John Sharp, Owner, Landmark Grafix, a producer of large format printing for retail, corporate, event and commercial clients located in San Leandro, California.

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Recorded September 29, 2021

Bespoke Inkjet Development on the Fast Track

Despite the expanding selection of high quality inkjet presses on the market today, there are still many scenarios where custom inkjet systems, including inkjet hybrids, are more effective, cost efficient, or both. Integrators are delivering tailor-made solutions across an astounding array of industry segments fueled by modular inkjet development tools.

On September 15 at 1 pm EDT, join Elizabeth Gooding of Inkjet Insight, Ron Gilboa of Fujifilm Dimatix, and Takashi Fukui of Fujifilm Samba as they discuss challenges in the development of custom inkjet systems and opportunities to accelerate development with Fujifilm Samba JPC inkjet modules.

What you’ll learn:

• Where custom inkjet solutions are most in demand based on recent research from Inkjet Insight
• Critical inkjet development challenges faced by OEMs and inkjet integrators
• How FUJIFILM Samba JPC inkjet modules expedite the design and development of new inkjet systems
• How customers are applying the technology in production

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Recorded September 15, 2021

Interactive Print in the Real World: What’s Really Working

We’ve been hearing the refrain for some time: print is going interactive. Not just with QR codes—which took 25 years but finally caught on, thanks to the pandemic—but with other technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and near-field communications (NFC). Some of the applications are truly astounding, and while they capture the imagination, are they relevant to the printing industry at large? Or only to the handful of printers whose clients are massive consumer brands?

Join industry analyst and WhatTheyThink contributor Heidi Tolliver-Walker as she leads a panel discussion on the latest interactive print technologies and how printers are using them to add value to clients’ projects. Joining the panel discussion will be Will Gee of Balti Virtual and Tracy Archuleta of image8creations.

What you’ll learn:

• The latest technologies for making print interactive.
• How printers are successfully and effectively using these technologies in the real world.
• What value they can add to clients’ projects.

“Interactive Print in the Real World: What’s Really Working” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded August 25, 2021

Textiles & Apparel: Resale, Recycling, and Upcycling

If the COVID pandemic has highlighted the need for the textiles and fashion industry to clean up its act, one of the most important post-pandemic trends that is emerging involves the area of resale, recycling, and upcycling of textiles and apparel. How can garments, décor, and other textile-based materials be reused in a way that diverts discarded items from landfills? What are the technologies enabling the extension of textile lifespans?

On July 28 at 1 pm EST, join WhatTheyThink Senior Editor Cary Sherburne and contributor and CEO of Texintel and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan as they explore how the move toward resale, recycling, and upcycling is poised to bring significant change to the industry and will further drive adoption of a wide range of digital technologies as the concept of fast fashion fades.

What you’ll learn:

• The current state of the textile and apparel industry.
• How the COVID-19 crisis transformed the industry, and what the post-COVID landscape looks like.
• How digital textile production can help the industry not only cope but thrive in the wake of these new trends.
• New opportunities in digital textile production.

Textiles & Apparel: Resale, Recycling, and Upcycling” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded July 28, 2021

The Top 100 Small Commercial Printers in North America

Each year, WhatTheyThink | Printing News invites small commercial print business owners to participate in our Top 100 Shops Survey, and respondents are then ranked according to their 2019 revenues. In 2020, the shops included on our Top 100 list accounted for nearly half a billion dollars in revenue. For the top-ranked businesses, what was the secret to their success in the year of COVID?

On June 23 at 1 pm EST, WhatTheyThink’s latest installment of its monthly LunchNLearn webinar series will look at this year’s Top Shops. In this 30-minute session, sponsored by Xanté, WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano will share the results of the annual Top Shops survey, talk about some of the challenges these businesses faced in 2020 (aside from the obvious), and how they are looking to rebound in 2021.

Romano will be joined by Keith Miller, President of Strategic Factory, this year’s #1 small print business, who will talk about the factors that helped them deal with the challenges 2020 wrought, as well as new and continuing initiatives the company is pursuing through 2021 and beyond.

What you’ll learn:

• Who the top small print businesses in North America are.
• The top challenges small print businesses were facing.
• What top small printers see as the biggest business opportunities.
• How this year’s #1 small printer won the top spot.

“The Top Small Printers in North America” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded June 23, 2021

What Does It Look Like When Color Management Breaks

In this fast paced mid-day webinar, industry leading color management practitioners Dan Gillespie, Jim Raffel, and Shelby Sapusek will take you through some common color management failures and ways to resolve them. Don't come for the slidedeck but instead the lively conversation as it seldom two color management pros agree 100 percent on the correct solution to a color problem.

We plan to cover topics such as: How RGB and CMYK are different than L*a*b*; why not to leave source profiles defaulted to SWOP; how to choose the correct rendering intent; and why skipping a daily nozzle check of your printer can only lead to problems. The team will likely come up with additional topics as time allows.

What you’ll learn:

- How to choose the correct color management setting in Adobe apps and your RIP software.
- Why changing the default color management settings could give you more color gamut
- How important simple machine maintenance checks can be.
- The path to more consistent, predictable, and repeatable color!

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Recorded May 4, 2021

“The State of the Print & Sign Franchises” LunchNLearn Webinar

“The State of the Print & Sign Franchises” LunchNLearn Webinar Allegra. AlphaGraphics. FASTSIGNS. Minuteman. Sir Speedy. Signs By Tomorrow. Signarama. SpeedPro. Every year, Printing News and Wide Format & Signage conduct their annual Print and Sign Franchise Review. How and what the franchises are doing can be a useful barometer for understanding how the industry at large is doing—especially in the age of COVID. Are they growing and expanding their centers? Is revenue increasing? How are they growing? What products and services are they expanding into? What challenges are they facing and how are they confronting them? And, of course, what impact did the COVID pandemic have on their centers?

On April 28 at 1 pm EST, WhatTheyThink’s latest installment of its monthly LunchNLearn webinar series will offer the results of the annual Printing News/Wide Format & Signage Print & Sign Franchise Review. In this 30-minute session, WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano and Senior Editor Cary Sherburne will share the results of the annual franchise survey, talk about how the franchises weathered the coronavirus, and discuss what the franchises’ plans are to expand in 2021 and beyond.

Who should attend?

• Commercial printers looking to see how these businesses are addressing challenges in the market
• Sign and display graphics producers looking to know what new products and services are being added and implemented
• Distributors/brokers looking for partnership opportunities

What you’ll learn:

• The current state of the print and sign franchises—number of centers, revenue, top performing centers, etc.
• The new products, services, and other opportunities the franchise are adding or considering
• The top challenges the franchises are facing, and how they are addressing them
• The overall outlook for 2021 and beyond

“The State of the Print & Sign Franchises” is the latest installment of WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series. Upcoming topics include the industry’s “100 Top Shops” and our special Technology Outlook Week series of daily Webinars. For more information about WhatTheyThink webinars, please visit http://whattheythink.com/webinars/.

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Recorded April 28, 2021

Orchestrating Success: New Trends in Trade Brokering & Distributing

Every motion you make in your business sets the tone for the ultimate performance of the supply chain. Whether you are a manufacturer/service provider shepherding the genesis of the supply chain or a reseller/distributor working bi-directionally within the supply chain, success hinges on advanced collaboration in order to deliver on customer expectations.

Join us on February 24 at 1 p.m. ET for the latest in WhatTheyThink’s LunchNLearn Webinar series. In this 30-minute session, industry analyst and WhatTheyThink contributor Preston Herrin will be joined by Matt Bruno, Executive Vice President of the Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA), to look at the key traits of successful print resellers and distributors.

What you’ll learn:

• The importance of focusing on the ever-changing needs of the end customer
• How to nurture lasting partnerships between trade providers and resellers
• How to pioneer new value chain opportunities

“Orchestrating Success: New Trends in Trade Brokering & Distributing” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded February 24, 2021

Planning Your 2021 Software Purchases

The 2021 WhatTheyThink LunchNLearn webinar series kicks off with software and workflow. We are all planning for a brighter 2021, but is your software infrastructure ready for your growth plans? In this session, WhatTheyThink contributor Pat McGrew and Keypoint Intelligence analyst Ryan McAbee will look at the key areas you should be evaluating and considering as you kick off the new year.

What you’ll learn:

• Why production and workflow software has become more important for a print business
• How software can help you grow your business
• How to evaluate your needs and tailor your investment plans

“Planning Your 2021 Software Purchases” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded January 20, 2021

Finishing Up the Year: Trends in Binding and Finishing

2020 has been the year of imposed flexibility—and a worldwide pandemic made it abundantly clear that diversification is the key to surviving and thriving in uncertain times. From cutting and embellishment, to exciting developments robotics, to some fascinating new offerings in book-of-one bindery automation, in 2020, the finishing category offered a range of opportunities for printers to stand out and expand their offerings. This session looks back at the year in binding and finishing.

What you’ll learn:

• How companies made creative use of their finishing equipment to make PPE and other pandemic-related products
• What categories of finishing equipment were red hot in 2020 and what new products were launched
• What were the latest developments in embellishments

“Finishing Up the Year: Trends in Binding and Finishing” is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded December 9, 2020

Divisional Graphics: Opportunities Post-COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic quickly spawned new forms of signage and display: what EFI calls—and has trademarked—“Divisional Graphics.” These are structural graphics intended to enable or enforce social distancing in public spaces like restaurants, bars, stores, and other locations to help in preventing the spread of contagions—and not just COVID. The coronavirus will remain a persistent threat for the foreseeable future, but even when the immediate threat of the virus has passed, demand for Divisional Graphics—and whatever they evolve into—will likely remain. What will today’s COVID-related materials likely evolve into? What opportunities will remain for these materials, and what new ones will arise? This session will look at the present and future of divisional graphics and COVID signage.

What you’ll learn:

• What Divisional Graphics are and how they are produced
• How the COVID crisis quickly created new opportunities for print service providers offering these materials
• How the demand for these graphics will persist—even after COVID is no longer a threat
• What the business opportunities are for companies offering these materials

Divisional Graphics: Opportunities Post-COVID is the latest installment in WhatTheyThink’s monthly half-hour LunchNLearn webinar series.

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Recorded November 11, 2020

The Labels and Packaging Transformation: A Look Back at 2020

The rebirth of flexo, the continued adoption of digital, and a growing preference for custom-built, “bespoke” solutions are changing the face of packaging production, all being driven by changes in consumer and brand owner behaviors.

Join David Zwang for a look at the current state of labels and packaging, some of the major product announcements we saw in 2020, and what trends to look for as we head into 2021.

What you’ll learn:

• New developments and trends in labels and packaging
• New labels and packaging products from major industry vendors
• New features, capabilities, and applications
• What to look for in 2021

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Recorded October 28, 2020

The State of Consumables: The Changing Supply Chain

How has the COVID crisis impacted the print supply chain for inks, plates, and other consumables? What other non-COVID-related forces are impacting the consumables supply chain? What do these changes mean for print businesses?

John Braceland, Managing Director of the Graphic Arts Alliance (GAA), joins WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano for a 30-minute session, sponsored by GAA, for this report on the state of the consumables supply chain.

What you’ll learn:

• How to understand and navigate the changes that COVID and other forces have caused in the supply chain for print consumables such as paper and ink
• What these changes mean for print businesses
• How to successfully cope with these changes.

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Recorded October 14, 2020

Unusual Inkjet Applications: “I Didn’t Think You Could Do that with Inkjet!”

Inkjet has proven to be one of the most versatile printing technologies capable of printing and decorating a bewildering variety of substrates, surfaces, and objects—opening up new applications and opportunities for print service providers. In this session, Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding and Mary Schilling look at some unconventional inkjet applications and also break some stereotypes about what inkjet can be used for.

What you’ll learn:

• How inkjet printing is far more than ink on paper, but ink on virtually anything
• The cautions and caveats about printing on unusual substrates, and how to obtain optimal quality
• New business opportunities in inkjet

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Recorded September 23, 2020

Beyond Print: Technologies for Augmenting Print Reality

Print is no longer a static, unconnected piece of paper. Whether it is using augmented reality (AR) to being a print catalog to life, a QR code to use print to launch a website or other electronic content, NFC-based InfoLnkX to offer touchless menus for restaurants, or Xanté’s Infomark to share electronic content via print, a printed document can be a seamlessly integrated part of the “Internet of Things” or a canvas on which rich media can be overlaid. The latest in WhatTheyThink’s LunchNLearn Webinar series will look at several examples of “interactive print.”

This dynamic panel discussion will look at different technologies for making print interactive, including:

• SpeedPro’s Near Field Communication-based InfoLnkX
• ARGO’s use of augmented reality (AR) to bring print catalogs to life
• Xanté’s Infomark to share images and rich-media assets associated with print-based content
• The session will also include background material on other kinds of interactive print technologies, such as QR codes and virtual reality (VR).

What you’ll learn:

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Recorded August 26, 2020

Textiles & Apparel in a Post-Pandemic World

The COVID-19 crisis is taking its toll on virtually all sectors of the economy, but it is fundamentally transforming textiles and apparel. Specifically, global supply chain disruptions have focused attention on reshoring textile production, and the pandemic has accelerated other trends that had been underway before the crisis, such as an increased emphasis on environmental sustainability, on-demand production, the end of “fast fashion,” and personalization.

WhatTheyThink senior editor Cary Sherburne was be joined by:

• Debbie McKeegan, CEO of Texintel and WhatTheyThink contributor
• Kirby Best, Founder and Chairman of OnPoint Manufacturing

This dynamic panel discussion will look at the current and emerging trends in textiles and apparel, how the COVID-19 crisis has affected the industry and accelerated some of these trends, and what the opportunities are for businesses—even print businesses—in a post-pandemic textile and apparel industry.

What you’ll learn:

• The current state of the textile and apparel industry
• How the COVID-19 crisis is transforming the industry
• Opportunities in digital textile production

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Recorded July 29, 2020

Top Small Printshops in North America

Each year, Printing News invites small commercial print shop business owners to participate in our Top 100 Shops Survey, and respondents are then ranked according to their 2019 revenues. In 2019, the shops included on our Top 100 list accounted for more than half a billion dollars in revenue. For the top-ranked businesses, what was the secret to their success? And how do they plan to keep that momentum going—even in the face of this year’s COVID-19 crisis?

In this 30-minute session, WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano will share the results of the annual Top Shops survey, talk about some of the challenges these businesses faced in 2019, what challenges they face in 2020, and where they see new business opportunities. Romano will also be joined by Jay Wilkinson, CEO of Firespring Print, this year’s #1 small print business, who will talk about the factors that made 2019 a banner year for Firespring, as well as new and continuing initiatives the company is pursuing through 2020 and beyond.

What you’ll learn:
- Who the top small print businesses in North America are.
- The top challenges small print businesses were facing (before the current crisis).
- What top small printers see as the biggest business opportunities.
- How this year’s #1 small printer won the top spot.

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Recorded June 24, 2020

Technology Outlook: Finishing

Listen to Trish Witkowski oon the latest developments in mailing and finishing. This 30-minute LunchNLearn webinar highlights the latest technology and product announcements, and trends in mailing and finishing. Get the lowdown on new features, capabilities, and applications that can give your business a competitive edge.
What you’ll learn:
- New developments and trends in mailing and finishing
- New products from major industry vendors
- New features, capabilities, and applications

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Recorded May 22, 2020

Technology Outlook: Wide-Format, Signage and Apparel

Listen to Richard Romano and Cary Sherburne discuss the latest developments in Wide-Format, Display Graphics, and Apparel. This 30-minute LunchNLearn webinar highlights the latest technology and product announcements from developers of wide-format printing solutions for the display graphics, signage, and apparel markets. Get the lowdown on new features, capabilities, and applications that can give your business a competitive edge.
What you’ll learn:
- New developments and trends in display graphics, signage, and apparel
- New products from major industry vendors
- New features, capabilities, and applications

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Recorded May 21, 2020

Technology Outlook: Labels and Packaging

Listen to David Zwang discuss the latest developments in Labels and Packaging. This 30-minute LunchNLearn webinar highlights the latest technology and product announcements from developers of labels and packaging solutions. Get the lowdown on new features, capabilities, and applications that can give your business a competitive edge.
What you’ll learn:
New developments and trends in labels and packaging
New labels and packaging products from major industry vendors
New features, capabilities, and applications

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Recorded May 20, 2020

Technology Outlook: Software & Workflow

Listen to Pat McGrew for the latest developments in Software & Workflow. This 30-minute LunchNLearn webinar highlights the latest technology and product announcements from developers of software & workflow solutions. Get the lowdown on new features, capabilities, and applications that can give your business a competitive edge.
What you’ll learn:
New software and workflow developments and trends
New software and workflow products from major industry vendors
New features, capabilities, and applications

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Recorded May 19, 2020

Technology Outlook: Production Inkjet

Listen to Inkjet Insight's Elizabeth Gooding cover the latest developments in production inkjet. This 30-minute LunchNLearn webinar highlights the latest technology and product announcements from manufacturers of production inkjet equipment. Get the lowdown on new features, capabilities, and applications that can give your business a competitive edge.
What you’ll learn:
- New production inkjet technology developments and trends
- New production inkjet products from major industry vendors
- New features, capabilities, and applications

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Recorded May 18, 2020

Full Speed Ahead - How to make variable data PDF files that won't slow your digital press

Everyone in the digital print supply chain can speed the production of variable data printing (VDP) jobs thanks to a new independent guide to the “dos and don’ts” of optimizing PDF files for the fastest, most efficient processing by digital front ends (DFEs). In this webinar, Martin Bailey, chief technology officer for Global Graphics and the primary UK expert to the ISO committees that maintain and develop PDF and PDF/VT talks about a new guide for creating variable data PDF files that won't slow your digital press.

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Recorded May 13, 2020

Print and Sign Franchise Review

Allegra. AlphaGraphics. FASTSIGNS. Minuteman. Sir Speedy. Signs By Tomorrow. Signarama. SpeedPro. Every year, WhatTheyThink’s Printing News and Wide Format & Signage conduct their annual Print and Sign Franchise Review. How and what the franchises are doing can be a useful barometer for understanding how the industry at large is doing. Are they growing and expanding their centers? Is revenue increasing? How are they growing? What products and services are they expanding into? What challenges are they facing and how are they confronting them?

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Recorded April 22, 2020

The Cannabis Gold Rush: New Frontiers in Packaging

To date, 11 states have legalized recreational cannabis, 33 states have legalized medical cannabis, and it’s a safe bet that more are on the way in both categories. There is the smokable form, and there are edibles. CBD (cannabidiol), which comes from the cannabis sativa plant but does not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana), is becoming popular in the health and wellness world, turning up in everything from dietary supplements to athletic wear. We are even starting to see specific cannabis-related products appearing in our own industry—namely, hemp-based paper. We are starting to see regulations emerge regarding the various kinds of cannabis packaging, regulations that seem to change by the day. It’s very much the Wild West, and some companies have started to tame the frontier. What are the opportunities for print and packaging businesses?

Stas Chirkov, Founder of Blunt Skincare, a consumer products company that manufactures a line of CBD oils for health and beauty applications.

Mickey Waite, Packaging, Product Development & Sourcing Expert, and former Project Print Producer at Canndescent.

Michelle Turner, Brand Manager for Neenah Packaging, which launched a line of hemp fiber papers for folding carton converting

This is an essential webinar for commercial print business owners and managers and packaging printers and converters looking to expand into a growing new market. Learn about the current regulatory environment surrounding cannabis-related products, the unique requirements for cannabis-related packaging, and strategies for expanding into this dynamic new product area.

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Recorded March 18, 2020

Don't Call It Brokering: A Look at the Distributor Market

The print distributor market has evolved quite dramatically in the past two decades, and nowhere is that more evident than in what exactly these businesses are called. Traditionally called “trade brokers,” that term has become passé, with “distributor” being the preferred term for what can be described as “non-asset-based sellers of print.” Regardless of what it’s called, it’s a $5+ billion industry, composed predominantly of a large number of small, diverse businesses. What do these businesses do, and what is their role in the overall printing industry?

Matt Bruno, Executive Vice President of Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA), and WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano will look at the state of “trade brokering” today. The 30-minute session will look at the evolution of the distributor market, how distributors have adapted and changed with the times and with changes elsewhere in the printing industry, and how distributors can grow their businesses by understanding the latest indstry trends.

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Recorded February 19, 2020

Wide Format: The Next Decade

Over the course of the 2010s, wide format and its related constellation of specialty printing applications have helped transform and revitalize the printing industry. As we head into the new decade, what’s the state of wide format? Is it a mature market, or is there still room for growth? It’s a crowded market—what are the opportunities for print businesses who have not yet added wide-format printing capabilities? Is it too late to get in the game? For those who have, what are the growing applications, and what are some strategies for pursuing them?

Join IDC Research Director Tim Greene and WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano for an informal conversation about where wide format is today—and where it’s going tomorrow. This 30-minute session will include a preview of WhatTheyThink’s Printing Forecast 2020, as well as some of IDC’s recent findings on the wide-format printing market.

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Recorded January 15, 2020

MSP Customer Success Webinar: Communicorp & Avanti Aligning for Success

Communicorp is an MSP with multiple lines of business including Print Production, Fulfillment, Merchandise, Marketing Services, and IT Services. They needed a system which could tie together niche software to form an optimal solution. Moderated by WhatTheyThink’s Frank Romano, hear from Gary Robinette, Director, Communicorp Technology, and Patrick Bolan, President and CEO of Avanti, on how Avanti Slingshot Print MIS transformed Communicorps customer experience.

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Recorded October 10, 2019

December 2018 Economic Update: Latest Industry and Economic Analysis

Over the course of the 2010s, wide format and its related constellation of specialty printing applications have helped transform and revitalize the printing industry. As we head into the new decade, what’s the state of wide format? Is it a mature market, or is there still room for growth? It’s a crowded market—what are the opportunities for print businesses who have not yet added wide-format printing capablities? Is it too late to get in the game? For those who have, what are the growing applications, and what are some strategies for pursuing them?

Join IDC Research Director Tim Greene and WhatTheyThink Managing Editor Richard Romano for an informal conversation about where wide format is today—and where it’s going tomorrow. This 30-minute session will include a preview of WhatTheyThink’s Printing Forecast 2020, as well as some of IDC’s recent findings on the wide-format printing market.

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Recorded December 12, 2018

Economic Update: Latest Industry and Economic Analysis

GDP grew at +4.1% in Q2 2018. Is this rate sustainable? What’s driving it? Employment data have been very positive, with record levels of employment, indicating more jobs openings than workers to take them. Is that true? Will this "boom that doesn't feel like a boom" get stronger or will the positive signs be undermined by brewing trade wars and Fed actions? What does it all mean for your print business? Dr. Joe Webb offers his latest round up of macroeconomic and industry data to help guide print businesses into the Fall and 2019.

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Recorded September 12, 2018

PRINT 18 Red Hot Technologies and Brand Inspiration Forum Preview

Join APTech’s Julie Shaffer, The CMO Council’s Liz Miller, and WhatTheyThink’s Richard Romano for a sneak preview of two new programs being launched at the upcoming PRINT 18 (Sept. 30–Oct. 2 at Chicago’s McCormick Place)—Red Hot Technologies and the Brand Inspiration Forum.

PRINT 18’s Red Hot Technologies highlight top new product innovations, from cutting-edge software, to new print engines and devices, to the latest finishing solutions—and more! This session will allow PRINT 18 attendees to get a jump on what's new and exciting, and better optimize their time at the show.

The Brand Inspiration Forum, developed and presented in conjunction with the CMO Council, is a cross-industry gathering that will bring together marketing leaders, engagement gurus, creative luminaries, and print industry innovators to share thinking and showcase where and how new thinking, operational innovation, and a fresh mindset about customer engagement channels can be reshaped to be more effective, efficient, and engaging. The forum will also include case studies that merge print and online—and other—channels to create highly successful marketing campaigns.

Don’t miss this exclusive preview of these hot new PRINT 18 programs.

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Recorded September 5, 2018

Economic Update: Latest Industry and Economic Analysis

The Atlanta Fed is forecasting +4.8% for second quarter GDP. Full-time employment is at an all time high. Manufacturing surveys show robust growth. Is this real? Is the economy beginning a surge? Whether or not we’re on the verge of a boom, what does it mean for print and communications markets? What do the latest forecasting models show for commercial printing through 2023? And what does all this mean for your print business?

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Recorded June 20, 2018

Improving Label Production Service Levels with Smart Automation

Many converting operations may believe they have reached the limit of their capacity with steps they have already taken to improve operations. But there is still more than can be done. In this session you will hear from companies who have taken label production to a new level with smart workflow automation, taking tasks that previously took hours down to mere minutes and minimizing chance for error along the way.

Speakers include:

Marco De La Vega, CFO of Blair Labeling

Steven Parato, Operations Manager at Cyber Graphics.

Find out how you can streamline your operation even more, improving both service levels and profitability. Register today for this free WhatTheyThink webinar on June 13, 2018, scheduled for 2 PM to 3 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

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Recorded June 13, 2018

New International Tax Law Changes

The new tax reform legislation is complex with a multitude of moving parts, and it can be easy to fail to take advantage of new provisions, or fall afoul of others, that can substantially decrease—or inadvertently increase—your tax burden. With the 2017 tax filing season just about over, now is the time to plan properly for 2018 and beyond, when the full impacts of the new law will start to be felt.

The fourth and final installment is for printers and technology suppliers that work internationally. How does the new tax law impact income made overseas? How can print businesses with overseas operations minimize their tax burden when repatriating income? How can U.S. printers and suppliers navigate international tax laws?

The presenters for this webinar will be:

• Mark Nuzzaco, Vice President of Government Affairs at APTech

• Joseph Webb, Ph.D., Director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center and President of Strategies for Management

APTech and WhatTheyThink also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Stephen Entin, Senior Fellow, Tax Foundation, Washington, D.C.

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Recorded April 24, 2018

The New Estate Tax Law, Intergenerational Transfer, or Sale of a Business

The new tax reform legislation is complex with a multitude of moving parts, and it can be easy to fail to take advantage of new provisions, or fall afoul of others, that can substantially decrease—or inadvertently increase—your tax burden. With the 2017 tax filing season just about over, now is the time to plan properly for 2018 and beyond, when the full impacts of the new law will start to be felt.

The third installment covers succession and estate planning. What are the best steps to take to make your print business appealing to a potential buyer? How can you take advantage of provisions in the new law to minimize the tax burden on heirs or other successors? Even if you currently have no plans to sell or otherwise leave your business, now is the time to optimize it.

The presenters for this webinar will be:Mark Nuzzaco, Vice President of Government Affairs at APTech

Edward Bortnick, Managing Partner at SKMB Public Accountants

Joseph Webb, Ph.D., Director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center and President of Strategies for Management

APTech and WhatTheyThink also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Stephen Entin, Senior Fellow, Tax Foundation, Washington, D.C.

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Recorded April 17, 2018

Tax Reform for Print Businesses: New Tax Benefits for Capital Investment

Tax Reform for Print Businesses: Capital Investment Strategies

The new tax reform legislation is complex with a multitude of moving parts, and it can be easy to fail to take advantage of new provisions, or fall afoul of others, that can substantially decrease—or inadvertently increase—your tax burden. With the 2017 tax filing season just about over, now is the time to plan properly for 2018 and beyond, when the full impacts of the new law will start to be felt.

The second installment covers capital investment. Specifically, is it better to purchase or lease capital equipment? What has the new law changed vis-à-vis depreciation deduction? What is a good capital investment strategy based on the provisions in the new tax law?

The presenters for this webinar will be:

Mark Nuzzaco, Vice President of Government Affairs at APTech

Edward Bortnick, Managing Partner at SKMB Public Accountants

Joseph Webb, Ph.D., Director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center and President of Strategies for Management

Recognizing that not all print businesses are the same, this installment of the Tax Reform for Print Businesses webinar series will focus on the specific investment implications of the new law on establishments of all sizes.

APTech and WhatTheyThink also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Stephen Entin, Senior Fellow, Tax Foundation, Washington, D.C.

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Recorded April 10, 2018

Tax Reform for Print Businesses: Structuring your Company

Register for Part 2: Tax Reform for Print Businesses: Capital Investment Strategies

Tax Reform for Print Businesses: Structuring your Company Archive

The new tax reform legislation is complex with a multitude of moving parts, and it can be easy to fail to take advantage of new provisions, or fall afoul of others, that can substantially decrease—or inadvertently increase—your tax burden. With the 2017 tax filing season just about over, now is the time to plan properly for 2018 and beyond, when the full impacts of the new law will start to be felt.

Recognizing that not all print businesses are the same, the Tax Reform for Print Businesses webinar series will focus on the specific implications of the new law on establishments of all sizes.

The first installment, covers how you structure your business can substantially impact your tax situation. Should you be an S or C corporation? An LLC? A partnership? Some other kind of business entity? Find out how best to set your business up based on the kind of business you do.

This session, featuring an introduction by Congressman Philip English, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives tax writing Ways and Means Committee, and Senior Government Relations Advisor at Arent Fox, will also offer a series of “questions to ask your accountant” allowing both print business owners and their financial and tax planners to be on the same page.

The presenters for this webinar will be:

Mark Nuzzaco, Vice President of Government Affairs at APTech

Edward Bortnick, Managing Partner at SKMB Public Accountants

Joseph Webb, Ph.D., Director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center and President of Strategies for Management

APTech and WhatTheyThink also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Stephen Entin, Senior Fellow, Tax Foundation, Washington, D.C.

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Recorded April 3, 2018

Economic Update: Latest Industry and Economic Analysis

Is tax reform working or not? Is the economy faltering or booming? Why are small businesses so optimistic about their prospects? What's really happening with retail sales? Dr. Joe cuts through the information chaos with the latest industry and economic analysis. He'll discuss the latest economic data and what they mean in light of Fed actions, interest rates, inflation, capital investment, and the markets for print, and let you know what he expects in the months ahead. The usual, and often entertaining, Q&A session is included in the webinar, so bring your questions!

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Recorded March 14, 2018

Keeping Print in the Mix in Customer Communications

For many companies, digital communications promised fast, easy, relevant and more affordable customer communications. But now marketers are realizing that print has a valuable role in the customer communications mix that cannot be underestimated. As a result, the role of print in an omni-channel world is being redefined yet again, with print as a key element. Significantly, Millennials, now the largest population cohort, are more likely to scan their printed mail and less likely to discard it without reading it than other adults!

In this session, we will hear from three organizations who have successfully integrated print into the communications mix with excellent results. They will explain what they do and why, and provide insight into the best ways to integrate print for optimum results. Join us for this important discussion about the future of print in the world of customer communications.

Speakers include:

• Dave Schuller, Director, IT Production Support, Venture Solutions. A Taylor company, Venture Solutions specializes in transactional communications and focuses specifically on sensitive, mission-critical customer messages such as documents involving Personally Identifiable Information – PII – or Protected Health Information – PHI.
• Doug Dula, Director of Technology, Salem-One, a company that has evolved into one of the largest and fastest growing Packaging, Print, Direct Marketing and Logistics companies in the Southeast. Salem-One produces award-winning work and improves business results for leading regional and national corporations and brands.
• Tom Harkins, Vice President of Application Support, Billtrust. During his 4 years at Billtrust, he has introduced process and technology solutions to deliver client implementations in a shorter timeframe and with higher quality. Billtrust simplifies and automates billing, receiving payments and clearing transactions.

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Recorded January 17, 2018

December Economic Update: Industry Forecast and Economic Review

This month’s webinar takes a hard look at what’s ahead in 2018, with a wrap-up of the industry and economic events of 2017. Third quarter commercial printing profits will be an important part of the discussion, including the divergence in profitability of large printers (trending low) and the rest of the industry (trending healthy). Will the trends of the last two years continue? Dr. Joe will present his forecast of the major macroeconomic indicators, GDP, employment, and inflation, and the likely actions of the Federal Reserve. He’ll comment about the latest goings and not-goings inside the Beltway, and the media and business news that affect the demand for print. A Q&A session is included in the webinar, so bring your questions!

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Recorded December 13, 2017

November Economic Update: Industry Forecast and Economic Review

This is a critical webinar that features the latest statistical forecasts for 2018 through 2023 for the US commercial printing industry, and Dr. Joe’s discussion of the models that created them, and what they mean. Then he’ll unveil his own forecast of the industry, revealing the roles of key economic, social, and technological factors at play. The monthly overview of the economy and commentary about the effects of decisions being made (or not being made) inside the Beltway, and other important media and business news that affect the outlook for the industry. A Q&A session is included in the webinar, so bring your questions!

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Recorded November 15, 2017

October Economic Update: 2018 Outlook and Industry Forecast through 2021

The last quarter of 2017 just started, so the 2018 outlook should be more clear, right? It seems murkier than before! Will retailers have a good holiday season? Can commercial print shipment break its 12-month downtrend? Does tax reform have a chance? Dr. Joe will sort out the conflicting trends, divergent indicators, and Beltway belligerence. He’ll will offer his latest look at printing shipments forecast for 2018 through 2021, and his economic outlook. As always, he’ll finish up with the always popular Q&A.

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Recorded October 18, 2017

September Economic Webinar: Printing Industry Shipments and Profits, and Economic Disruption

September has been more interesting than anyone would like, with hurricanes Harvey and Irma creating economic disruption, right at the time we were dealing with a new round of geopolitical tensions. Print 17 will have its share of news. Our comments about the show, printing shipments and profits, and the economy will be at the top of our agenda. We’ll discuss how the bipartisan side-step for the temporary Federal debt-ceiling increase puts a budget skirmish on December’s calendar, just at the time when the Federal Reserve makes a decision about interest rate. It’s setting up to be as an unsettling time, and we’ll put it in perspective, and tell you what it means for your business and the industry.

Webinar registration includes access to the executive summary of our Mid-Year 2017 Business Conditions Survey.

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Recorded September 28, 2017

Mid-Year Economic Update: Business Outlook Survey Results, Economic and Print Business Conditions

The latest survey of commercial printing’s owners and top executives will be revealed in the July 2017 webinar. This includes their assessment of business conditions as they see it first hand in their companies. These are all part of a soon-to-be-released industry outlook from WhatTheyThink. We’ll also review the latest economic data, unsettling trends in recent printing shipments. The final installment of our “Third Wave” looks at the new nature of print business ownership, and how the industry needs to become a magnet for outside capital again. The economic outlook will be updated with the latest doings (and undoings) inside the Beltway, and some Print 17 news.

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Recorded July 19, 2017

May Economic Webinar: Industry Bright Spots, A Changing Workforce, Conflicting Tech and Media Trends

The May 2017 webinar will discuss the major revisions that the Commerce Department issued for commercial printing shipments. These changes are extraordinary, and can have dramatic implications for the planning of vendors and print businesses, especially those about to enter their planning and budgeting cycles. Updated forecasts for industry shipments through 2021 will be discussed. Also, we’ll review the latest macroeconomic data, the next phase of the “Third Wave” with insights about the changing workforce and how that challenges long-held business philosophies about worker mobility, adaptability, and entrepreneurship.

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Recorded May 24, 2017

Getting in the Omni-Channel Game

Marketers' love affair with a digital-only strategy has begun to wane, and while they are continuing to invest in digital channels, print is regaining ground as an important part of the overall media mix. This opens the door to a more active role for print service providers in moving upstream and becoming engaged with helping marketers develop and execute an effective omni-channel strategy that aligns with the way consumers want to interact with brands, while at the same time improving their own operational efficiencies. In this session, you'll hear from service providers who have successfully made this game-changing leap or are in the process of doing so. They will share insights and lessons learned that can help jump-start efforts for companies who have not yet joined the omni-channel bandwagon.

The session was moderated by Senior Editor Cary Sherburne.  She was joined by:

Tim Cooper
Chief Architect
Harland Clarke

Kevin Neal
Data Processing Manager
Curtis 1000

Anil Kapoor
CTO
Strategic Content Imaging

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Recorded May 10, 2017

April Economic Webinar: Commercial Printing Shipments Decline, Industry Profits

In the April 2017 webinar, Dr. Joe will ponder the latest commercial printing shipments which are down -5% over the last six month period and what that means for print, executives, and industry suppliers. The fourth quarter’s big asset writedowns by big printers held down industry profits: that has our attention, as we explain why small and medium printers are in much better shape. And, we offer our perspective about the latest economic news and a revised outlook. The newest installment of our “Third Wave” examination of media and print focuses on technology as a management art, and a change in management philosophy might be in order.

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Recorded April 12, 2017

March Economic Webinar: Publishing and Ad Agency Markets, Capital investment in the Printing Industry

The March 2017 webinar will discuss how the publishing and ad agency markets finished 2016 and what’s ahead for them. We will also review January’s printing shipments, and the latest national and industry employment data in light of our recovery indicators. The newest installment of our “Third Wave” look of media change will focus on the nature of capital investment in the industry, how we use it and how we build it. The economic outlook will be updated with the latest doings (and undoings) inside the Beltway.

Slides

Adobe Acrobat version of the slides

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Recorded March 15, 2017

February Economic Webinar: Printing Shipments, Employment, and Marketing Trends

Webinar covers 2016 printing shipments, national and industry employment, and the status of the business initiatives of the new administration as they confront the culture of the Beltway. The discussion about the Third Wave of media change will continue, including ideas about how print businesses can be positioned for yet another new marketplace.

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Recorded February 15, 2017

The Uber-ization of Web-to-Print

In this session, our panelists discussed how they have implemented pure-play cloud solutions, developed from the ground up to operate in an open environment and to easily integrate with other applications. This allows suppliers to focus on their individual areas of expertise and printing firms to leverage a variety of modules to round out the total solution by picking and choosing the components that will make up a workflow that meets their needs with minimal internal software development required. What we are seeing is the Uber-ization of web to print. Panelists included:

• Michael Heerkens, CTO at Helloprint, one of the fastest growing ecommerce platforms in the Benelux with more than 130 employees. The company primarily serves small businesses, the SOHO market and does business with the trade. Print is produced through its network of more than 150 suppliers in eight countries.
• Claud Monro, Senior Vice President of Business Development at direct marketing agency SK+G. SK+G is a full-service advertising agency that counts among its clients casinos and resorts, restaurants, hotels and entertainment businesses. It’s direct division, of which Monro is a part, has developed its own technology for a fully automated marketing platform that it white labels for its clients. The platform is also sold by Konica Minolta, a SK+G client and partner, under the name Konica Minolta EngageIT.
• Andy Ogren, Owner at Blanks USA. The company has taken the Uber-izing of web to print to a new level for the creation of die cut products such as door hangers, labels, boxes, cup sleeves, bottle hangers, tab dividers and more. The company offers more than 17,000 pre-built templates as well as the ability to begin with a blank canvas. Thirty years ago, Blanks USA began its life selling door hangers and raffle tickets. Today, the company has evolved into an industry-leading supplier of security paper and die cut paper products.

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Recorded February 1, 2017

January Economic Update: The 2017 Economy, Print and the Emerging Third Media Wave

The latest update and forecasts for the economy and commercial printing for 2017. November's printing shipments showed there's something changing in the marketplace, and print businesses need to act in anticipation. Is this the third wave of technomedia change that challenges print and gives it new opportunities? The opening moves of the new administration will be put in context of the economy and the printing business management.

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Recorded January 25, 2017

December Economic Update: 2017 US Economy Outlook and Commercial Printing Forecast

The latest update and forecasts for the economy and commercial printing for 2017. Now that the new administration is taking shape, find out what Dr. Joe thinks about how the economic policy changes will unfold and what they mean. We'll also have a preview of our latest industry survey.

New Special Forecast Report Looks Ahead to 2017 and Beyond

Our annual forecast provides detailed analysis of the WhatTheyThink Fall 2016 Printing Industry Survey, the latest industry economic data and technology trends, and macroeconomic trends.

Our annual forecast provides detailed analysis of the WhatTheyThink Fall 2016 Printing Industry Survey, the latest industry economic data and technology trends, and macroeconomic trends.

• Survey with 400+ responses, more than half from large printers that have the greatest impact on capital investment and supplies consumption
• Key insights into the dynamics of print business revenues, number of orders, and profits
• Challenges and opportunities of US commercial print business, where they are taking their businesses
• Economic outlook for the US and print, and discussion of the effects of changes in economic policy that are ahead
• Forecasts of printing volume to 2021 with backgrounds of our forecasting models and our own forecast
• Hot and cold trends in the industry

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Recorded December 14, 2016

Post-Election Economic Webinar

Special post-election 30 minute update of the printing industry's economic situation, print business insights, and the national economy. What will the economy look like with the change of administration on Inauguration Day? What does the outlook hold for the economy in the near term and for the first actions of the new president? Dr. Joe offers his perspectives, what it means for your planning and your customers, and takes your questions, too!

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Recorded November 16, 2016

Tricks of the Trade in Workflow Automation

As an industry, we’ve been talking for some time about the need to automate workflow to reduce labor, cycle time and costs. But for many companies, the magic formula has been elusive. In this session, you will hear from three very different organizations how they have overcome these challenges using technology you may already have in your shop to deliver faster turn times, higher color quality and less operator intervention.

Joining us in this session will be:

• Paul Sprow, Manager of Digital Production and Mail Center for Arlington County, Virginia. With an eye toward being the County's sole source for printing and mail needs, Paul has made his department key in efficiency, cost effectiveness, and outstanding customer service.
• Dave Wray, Workflow Specialist at CyberChrome, Inc. His primary role is improving speed and consistency in the operation using the latest technology and software solutions. He works with the customer service, prepress and pressroom departments to streamline file prep, job submission and other workflow elements.
• Jason Biggs, President & COO, ZenPrint. Under Jason’s leadership, the company has implemented a blend of home-grown and packaged software solutions for a fully automated workflow driving its five digital presses from a single interface.

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Recorded October 25, 2016

October 2016 Printing Industry Economic Update

Dr. Joe's 30 minute update of the printing industry's economic situation, print business insights, and the national economy. This month's topics: latest printing shipments, media issues related to the presidential election, graphic employment, retail markets headed into the holiday shopping season, a perspective of last month's Graph Expo, and other important demographic trends.

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Recorded October 19, 2016

September 2016 Printing Industry Economic Update

A 30 minute overview of the latest assessment of the printing industry's economic situation, print business insights, and the national economy. This month, we'll have some insights into shipments, profits, economic issues related to the presidential election, and other topics. It's an information-packed 30 minutes with Dr. Joe.

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Recorded September 21, 2016

Getting Inside The Brand: Developing And Deploying Brand Identity

Please join us for an important educational session sponsored by MarcomCentral and featuring Mike Reinhardt, Senior Director of Brand Sustainability for Monigle, a branding agency specializing in identity, design, digital and environmental branding.

We’ll discuss how the company is using a fully-featured web portal as a key element of its brand centers to manage branded and identity materials and projects for a broad range of customers, helping them improve quality and brand compliance, increase productivity and reduce time to market. Learn how this approach can be applied in your business to gain higher margin recurring revenue by offering new client services.

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Recorded November 18, 2015

Digital Finishing: The Last Mile

Both packaging and commercial print have been undergoing major changes – shorter runs; smaller, more customized lots; faster time to market; ongoing cost pressure. These are just a few of the challenges that printers and packaging converters face in a highly competitive and dynamic marketplace. Manufacturers of conventional and digital presses have made great strides in improving the efficiency of the printing process. But for many organizations, finishing is still a bottleneck and a limitation to the creativity of designers.

In this session, you will hear from two industry thought leaders, Jay Mandarino, CEO of C.J. Graphics; and Ward McLaughlin, CEO of Boutwell Owens. Both have taken steps to remove the handcuffs for designers and add a digital “Last Mile” to their operations for cutting and creasing, adding value and opening significant new opportunities for them and their customers in both commercial print and folding carton. Join us!

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Recorded September 2, 2015

Cross Media Marketing - Delight Your Customers and Grow Your Business

What do marketing executives expect from their service providers today?

This must-see Webinar will dive into how customer communication has changed, why this is good news for any printer and how Cross Media marketing can help you capitalize on these needs.

Panelist Include

Alex Granat, DMA Mobile and Connected Marketing Council and Commercial Director at Transeo Media. Now Commercial Director at Transeomedia, Alex has spent the past 15 years at the forefront of launching innovative technology to the print and marketing industry and has been a member of 3 successful and subsequently acquired technology startups.  Transeo Media are an expert technology integrator that provide personalised marketing automation and gifting solutions that empower brands with a measurable, connected and coherent multi-channel customer engagement strategy.

Phil Copperwheat, Technology Director. Philip is a successful Technology leader with over 15 years of success in startup and turnaround environments. Multi-industry experience spanning digital and media, property and construction, manufacturing and distribution, and secure services, including both large and small enterprises. Skilled in developing strategy and leading business transformation in partnership with C-Level leaders to meet organisational objectives. Excellence in identifying gaps and recommending effective technology solutions.

Steve Winn Managing Director, Blackdog Digital. Steve's journey in the world of print began aged 16. Completing a four year apprenticeship he has worked with some amazing people over the years. Watching and learning from some of the best Steve is now four years into running his own business. Giving creative people a creative print solution is a key factor is Steve's vision. Utilising his vast experience, Blackdog Digital print is quickly becoming a major player in the digital market place. Offering a fresh and enjoyable experience to clients is key to growing fantastic relationships.

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Recorded July 8, 2015

The Preference for Paper

Sponsored by Canon

Amidst all of the hoopla about digital communications, mobile devices and the resurrection of the 1970's "paperless office" discussion, there are still strong preferences for paper across many demographics and applications. In this session, Jim Hamilton, Group Director at research firm InfoTrends, joins Senior Editor Cary Sherburne for a lively discussion of recent research. This includes an InfoTrends study sponsored by the Envelope Manufacturing Association (EMA) about paper preferences for bills and statements and data published by Scientific American that show preferences for and benefits of information on paper. Join us for this session to learn more about how to position the value of print in an increasingly digital world.

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Recorded November 12, 2014

Color Your M&A Successful: Why Removing Subjectivity from Color Management Affects the Valuation of Your Business

Sponsored by X-Rite

As the printing industry continues down the consolidation path, many companies are choosing to merge, acquire or be acquired in order to bolster their market strength. There are many challenges associated with consolidating companies. Deals often look great on paper but unless proper attention is paid to the integration process, the results can be disastrous.

This webinar features:

Warren Werbitt, Founder & Fisherman, Pazazz Printing in Montreal, a communications company offering a full range of Cross Media Integrated (CMI) marketing solutions all centrally located in Montreal.  Werbitt has gone through several acquisitions and has implemented industry-leading color measurement and management strategies.

Paul Reilly, Partner, New Direction Partners. Paul was formerly the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board of Cenveo, Inc. He has as much or more experience with acquisitions as anyone in the industry, both from the perspective of the acquiring company and as a consultant facilitating mergers and acquisitions.

Peter Muir, President of Bizucate, a business development and marketing consultancy. Peter has extensive field experience in working directly with companies as a trainer and consultant. He is a well-known speaker at industry events and has a broad perspective relative to what works—and what doesn’t—in making a printing company successful.

Paul Biernat, Global Director of Operations, Graphic Measures (GMI). GMI certifies, monitors and measures the performance of packaging suppliers and helps brand owners control the variables through print facility certification and scientific, repeatable measurement of global packaging.

During the session, we will take a look at some of the factors that cause mergers and acquisitions to be successful – or fail, and identify some aspects of printing company mergers and acquisitions (M&A) that are often overlooked in the integration process, particularly focusing on the role an effective color management process plays.

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Recorded September 10, 2014

Digital Printing: Still Innovative After All These Years

Sponsored by Xerox

While digital printing has reached a level of marketplace maturity, there is still a significant amount of innovation occurring in the space, both from the perspective of technologies and the way those technologies are being applied to meet existing and emerging client needs. Join us for this exciting session where three experienced digital printing professionals will be sharing how they use digital printing technologies in innovative ways to grow their own businesses and those of their customers.

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Recorded June 11, 2014

Web-to-Print Is SO Yesterday!

Sponsored by PTI Marketing Technologies

Receiving print jobs over the web is critical for any printing business today. But simply receiving these jobs via a web-to-print solution is not enough anymore. There is so much more that can now be easily and affordably incorporated into a customer-facing web interface. Web-to-print, of course, remains a component, but it is not even necessarily the lead selling point. In this session, hear from marketers and brand owners about their expectations and learn how to increase share of customer with an expanded range of online services.

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Recorded April 30, 2014

How Adobe Creative Cloud Can Boost Your Business

Sponsored by Adobe

In Part One of this two-part series, we looked at how Adobe’s Creative Cloud subscription model has changed the way users access and utilize a wide range of Adobe publishing applications. In Part Two, we talk with users from the print and design communities who have leveraged this easier accessibility to a wide and diverse range of solutions to create new revenue streams for their business.

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Recorded February 26, 2014

How Mobile-Optimized is Your Company?

Sponsored by BiznessApps

Conducting business with a smartphone or tablet is becoming commonplace. In fact, more than 33 million U.S. customer already engage in shopping-related activities on their mobile phones. Are you prepared for this mobile revolution? In this informative session, you will learn about the power of mobile, how you can harness it for your own business, and some simple techniques for helping your customers do the same. You will hear from mobile app resellers who have been able to quickly and easily generate a brand-new revenue stream by building mobile apps and mobile-optimized web sites for their customers—without the need to hire a programming staff. Join us for an exciting start to 2014—and discounted access to mobile app development tools.

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Recorded February 19, 2014

Taking the Mystery Out of Adobe Creative Cloud

Sponsored by Adobe

With Adobe’s switch from physical distribution of much of its licensed software to a cloud-based distribution/subscription model, there has been a significant amount of discussion in the industry about the value and benefits of this move for users. In Part One of this two-part series, we will speak with three Creative Cloud members: two printers and a design firm. They will discuss how this new model has changed the way they use the applications within their organizations, the new capabilities that it has given them access to and the benefits they are seeing from the current model. In Part Two, our panelists will share ideas about new business opportunities available to them via the broad array of applications included in the Creative Cloud subscription model that they might not otherwise have taken advantage of.

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Recorded February 12, 2014

Best Practices for Web-to-Print Implementation

Sponsored by PTI Marketing Technologies

In Part Two of this webinar series, we will hear from representatives of both the enterprise and print service provider communities who have successfully implemented web-to-print. Their advice and experience will shed light on best practices for implementation, sales & marketing, and ongoing development of innovative business opportunities related to web-to-print and related customer-facing web services.

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Recorded December 4, 2013

Selecting the Right Web-to-Print Solution

Sponsored by PTI Marketing Technologies

In a crowded playing field, it can be difficult to decided what web-to-print solution will best for your business. The one unarguable factor is that you need a web-to-print solution. Whether you are just adding this capability or looking to replace an older existing system, this session will provide insight and guidance from representatives of the commercial print, in-plant and enterprise environments. Join us again for Part Two, scheduled for December 4th, to talk about best practices for web-to-print implementation, including sales strategies.

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Recorded October 16, 2013

B2 High-Speed Inkjet Has Arrived

Sponsored by Screen USA

High-speed, high-quality sheetfed inkjet technology offers quick startups, superior image resolution and flexibility to handle diverse print projects. The key to profitability for print service providers is finding the right customers and applications that fit the capabilities of this revolutionary production platform. In this webinar, you will hear from printing company executives who recently implemented B2-size inkjet to add more services to their portfolios. The speakers will explain how the sheet size and print quality make the sheetfed inkjet format ideally suited to traditional short-run commercial work, as well as specialty print solutions and personalized products. The discussion also will include tips on marketing and selling sheetfed inkjet printing with variable data to help customers lower inventory costs, improve cycle times and speed to market, and produce small volumes more cost-effectively.

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Recorded August 21, 2013

Print 2013 Key Technologies for the Future

Sponsored by Canon

Join a panel of industry experts who will discuss the technologies you can expect to see at Print 2013 and how they apply to the future of your printing business. In this session, sponsored by Canon Solutions America, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne will be joined by David Zwang, Frank Romano and Richard Romano. It will cover everything from workflow and cloud-based solutions to print engine technologies, finishing and wide format. Whether or not you plan to attend Print 2013, this session is a must for any printing business concerned about staying current with technology trends and ahead of customer demands.

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Recorded August 14, 2013

Production Inkjet: Making the Right Choice

Sponsored by Xerox

Production inkjet is going mainstream, with more and more print service providers adopting the technology. How do they make their decisions with the plethora of choices in the marketplace? Where does the volume come from? How much is new applications versus transfer from other technologies, including offset and electrophotography? How do they justify the investment? These are just a few of the insights you will gain by joining us for this informative session with print service provides who have made the production inkjet leap.

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Recorded August 7, 2013

Taking Web-to-Print to the Next Level

Sponsored by CHILI Publish

By now, as a print service provider, you have probably implemented a web-to-print solution—if not, you should! But are you getting the most out of the solution you have installed? During this session, we will speak with service providers who have taken their web-to-print solutions to the next level by integrating easy-to-use and affordable solutions that provide clients with an easy way to manage and edit online documents, whether it is an HR professional acquiring business cards or handbooks for new employees, marketers wishing to customize or personalize collateral, or product marketing professionals looking for an easier way to manage and distribute technical documentation. Hear from these presenters how they have been able to differentiate themselves in the market, retain and grow customers and acquire new customers by enhancing their web-to-print offering with these advanced solutions.

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Recorded May 15, 2013

Making the Transition to Production Inkjet

Sponsored by Screen USA

As production inkjet solutions continue to mature, many print service providers are seeking guidance on how and when to best introduce this technology into their production platforms. Whether they are looking to enhance throughput as compared to toner-based devices, migrate volume from conventional offset presses, or create entirely new applications, there are many considerations in making this significant investment. This first part of a two-part series, sponsored by Screen USA, will explore how successful print service providers have profitably integrated production inkjet printing into their production platforms. It will also provide details on total cost of ownership and return on investment for these presses. Participants will be able to download an educational white paper that will augment webinar content.

Part two of the series, scheduled for August 21st, just prior to Print 2013, will delve into the applications print service providers have most successfully implemented on their production inkjet presses.

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Recorded April 24, 2013

Assimilate or Die–Real Life Transformation Stories

Sponsored by PODi

It's easy to say you have to change to survive. But how does an established business actually turn itself around? Here’s one company’s story – CustomXM, a second-generation, 40+ year old printing operation has become a successful integrated solutions provider. They used emerging technologies to significantly increase new business during the recent recession. You'll hear ideas that worked along with some that did not. This is real-world transformation not bright, shiny science fiction – being ahead of the curve can be messy, but it's the only way to move forward to future opportunities.

Key Takeaways

• What it takes to create an atmosphere of change
• How social media & Twitter introduced a whole new audience to CustomXM
• Adaptations: handling successes and failures

CustomXM has found one path to change. There are many, many more. Come to PODi's AppForum to hear how other leading companies, like Allegra, Caskey Group, ImageSet Digital, IWCO, Presstech Digital, The Standard Group and more are moving beyond traditional print. Join hundreds of your peers and explore new options in relevant direct marketing, cross-media, interactive print, mobile and social media, marketing automation, packaging and marketing portals – along with top sales strategy and training.

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Recorded December 12, 2012

Social Media Meets Print, Part Two

Sponsored by Ricoh

In Part One of Social Media Meets Print, we heard from print service providers who have been successful in deploying cross-media campaigns that include social media and print for themselves and for their clients. In Part Two, we take the discussion to a new level with more advanced concepts such as augmented reality and location based services. Stay ahead of the competition by educating yourself on where the market is going. Did you know that, according to comScore, 70 percent of mobile searches lead to action within one hour while 70 percent of desktop searches lead to action within one month? Print is an important vehicle for getting those mobile searches started! Register now and join us to learn more.

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Recorded December 5, 2012

Making the Transition to High-Speed Inkjet

Sponsored by Screen USA

Printing company representatives discuss their successful transition from traditional to digital high-speed inkjet printing, and how they have carved out new business and product niches. Register now and join us to learn more.

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Recorded November 7, 2012

Social Media Meets Print, Part One

Sponsored by Ricoh

In Part One of this two-part series, learn how print and social media work together for a more effective marketing strategy. Social media is all the rage and the print component of an effective marketing campaign often gets overlooked. Whether it is printed signage, direct mail or social media “bugs” and handles included in printed marketing collateral, print can be leveraged to drive more traffic to social media venues and to improve monetization of social media investments. Hear from experts on the front line of social media who will share their knowledge and expertise, giving you actionable ideas you can implement immediately for your business and for that of your clients.

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Recorded October 24, 2012

The Times They are A-changin’: Critical Trends in the Printing Industry

Sponsored by Océ

The emergence of digital and Internet technologies as well as social and mobile media in recent years has brought about new printing trends that will forever change the printing industry. These printing industry trends have changed the way companies do business from the design to the printing phase of operations. Technology has paved the way for new value added services from variable data to data analytics. In this post Graph Expo webinar a panel of industry experts will explore key Graph Expo announcements as well are recent developments across a number of fronts including:

• Digital workflow
• Digital print technology from electrophotographic to inkjet
• Changing customer media demands
• Technology integration
• Emerging applications in the offset to digital transformation

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Recorded October 17, 2012

Is your business suffering from “The Silo Effect”?

Sponsored by SmartSoft

To survive in today’s dynamic print market, most printers have implemented a series of software systems such as web storefronts, print MIS, workflow automation tools and more, in order to streamline their workflow, gather better business and production data, etc. But if these solutions are not well integrated, the result is ‘The Silo Effect’. Getting disparate systems to talk to each other—from order entry and prepress to accounting and shipping—can be a challenge, often resulting in error-prone and time-consuming rekeying of data.

In this session, you will hear from companies that have eliminated “The Silo Effect” from their businesses and the benefits they have reaped from a more streamlined workflow, such as faster turnaround times and greater profitability. Join us.

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Recorded October 3, 2012

Business Transformation: Adjusting to Today’s Market Realities

Sponsored by Canon

There has been a lot of hype about the need for printer service providers to transform their businesses to a marketing services provider model. How much of this is hype and how much is reality? This session, sponsored by Canon, will feature three printing firms that have made this transition with fabulous results and a brand-new energy in their companies that translates to new business, new customers and new revenue streams. You don’t necessarily need to take the word of industry pundits about the need to transform your business, but you should take heed of what your peers are saying and doing. That’s what this session is about. Join us.

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Recorded September 12, 2012

Opportunities in Wide-Format Printing

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Wide Format

Two successful wide-format shops and an industry analyst share strategies for developing and implementing unique and profitable wide-format printing applications and services.

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Recorded July 11, 2012

Managing Inks the Modern Way

Sponsored by Sun Chemical

Ink costs may seem trivial at an estimated 5% or less of the total cost of a printed job, but using the wrong inks can be costly. Spot colors, incorrectly mixed, result in wasted ink, or worse, rejected printed output. While purchasing cans of special colors can eliminate much of the risk, this approach also frequently results in leftover ink that is thrown away or takes up valuable shelf space in the production area, increasing overall ink costs. Join us for this educational webinar and hear how two leading printing firms have solved their ink dilemma by significantly reducing ink costs.

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Recorded June 20, 2012

Creating Success and Profit with Web-to-Print

Sponsored by Pageflex

For printers, from expanding their businesses to operating more efficiently, web-to-print is described as the one solution they need to be successful.

Yet for all the hype, there are many printers who aren't experiencing the benefit that web-to-print promises. Howie Fenton, Senior Technology Consultant at NAPL, writes that in his experience there is about 30% adoption of web-to-print in the companies he sees, and only about 50% have it working well and are successful in making it a profitable part of their business.

If you're not happy with the results your web -to-print solution is producing, or have yet to adopt web-to-print, then this webinar is for you. You'll hear first-hand from organizations who have successfully used web-to-print to grow their profits, offer new services, and meet the changing needs of their customers. Their real-world experience will give you a better of understanding of how to use web-to-print to transform your business.

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Recorded April 4, 2012

Drupa 2012: The Key to Staying Relevant in a Changing Industry

Sponsored by Kodak

Whether or not you are going to drupa 2012, it is important to be aware of what will be shown at the world’s largest printing trade show. This session will give you some insight into how leading companies are leveraging production inkjet either as a standalone press or in a hybrid configuration with web offset. Our presenters will not only share how they have revitalized their businesses with inkjet but also discuss what they expect to see and do and learn when they travel to Dusseldorf in May.

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Recorded March 14, 2012

Inside the Enterprise: Print is Alive and Well

Sponsored by Kodak

Join us for this informative session that features two high-performance in-plant operations, Printing Services for the Michigan Farm Bureau and John Sarantakos at Oklahoma University. These two operations are growing through the deployment of innovative digital printing technologies and applications. Learn how they are evangelizing print within their respective organizations, how they are understanding and supporting enterprise business objectives with their services, and what their priorities are for the future. This is a rare opportunity to gain an inside look at how progressive enterprises are using print as a vital part of their business communications media mix.

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Recorded January 25, 2012

Herman, PODi and XMPie: Why Personal Videos Are the Next Generation in Cross Media

Sponsored by PODi

Personalized video is one of the exciting new technologies changing the face of cross media and as part of an integrated cross-media campaign was recently used to promote the PODi AppForum 2012.  It will be featured at PODi’s 2012 AppForum, along with XMPie’s PersonalEffect® Video, a new Adobe® After Effects® plug-in that finally makes these types of very engaging videos, and much more sophisticated personalized movies, possible with off-the-shelf software. We’ll have the chief architects of this program with us during this webinar session to explain both the creative & integration components and the technology side of the “Herman” campaign. (Try it at www.SparkNewIdeas.com )

Ben Dyon of DME Studios will discuss the importance of a great idea – a critical point missed by many marketers. Ben will explain how XMPie was used for the basic cross media framework and how the Flash personal movie is created. He’ll illustrate how important it is to use an Event Management Touch Point Process to manage a multi-part campaign for audience acquisition like “Herman.”

Larry Zusman of XMPie introduces the new PersonalEffect Video – what it is and how it enabled creating the “Herman” campaign without custom tools or programming.

Dave Erlandson of PODi will review the campaign objectives, audiences, channels utilized, expectations and first results.

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Recorded January 11, 2012

Economic Outlook with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Speakers Bureau

Join us on December 7th for the latest economic outlook presented by Dr. Joe Webb, Director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics & Research Center. These highly popular sessions are loaded with information and insight that will help printing companies better understand the economic and technology climate and what it means for their businesses. With 2012 right around the corner, this session will aid in business planning for next year and beyond. Dr. Webb will discuss:

• Economic outlook for 2012
• Role of the 2012 elections media and print
• Outlook for US and Canada commercial printing markets 2012-2015
• Hot Topics for Winter Reading

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Recorded December 7, 2011

Making the Most of Personalized Direct Marketing: The Tribune Direct Story

Sponsored by Kodak

There is no question that personalized direct marketing has finally hit its stride. New technologies, faster engine speeds, high quality and improved price/performance are some of the key factors that have made this marketing technique affordable for companies of all sizes. In this session, you will hear from Tim Street, Director of Operations, and Tim Klunder, VP of Sales and Marketing, of Tribune Direct, a company that produces more than 7 million pieces of direct marketing materials daily using toner-based digital presses, production inkjet and hybrid offset/digital methodologies. Hear them discuss how they evolved their business, what type of infrastructure (people, process, technology) is required to succeed, and how the various technologies can be applied to produce the most effective solution. Whether your company is large or small, there will be actionable takeaways for you in this important session.

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Recorded November 9, 2011

New Revenue Opportunities with Secure Printing Applications

Sponsored by Kodak

As the flow of goods and information globally becomes more streamlined, brand owners, enterprises, artists and various owners of content and intellectual property are increasingly concerned about protecting their goods and information from counterfeiting, illegal copying or other fraudulent activity. Today’s digital printing technologies offer many ways to make documents and packaging more secure. This includes fluorescing inks, MICR, microprint and other unique and innovative ways to protect valuable content, intellectual property and products such as ticketing and other high-value products including sports memorabilia, certificates of authenticity and more. Join us in this educational session that will identify new revenue opportunities for digital printers who are interested in adding secure printing capabilities to their list of offerings.

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Recorded October 12, 2011

Production Planning: Hidden Opportunities for Profitability

Sponsored by Fujifilm

With any manufacturing process, there are always opportunities for combining and automating to take steps and touches out of the process. It’s no different in commercial printing. The printing industry continues to face a challenging economic time and printers are tasked with growing their businesses while also minimizing their costs. Job planning is an area of opportunity that is often overlooked when companies are pursuing automation initiatives, but automation of the planning process can result in significant time savings. How do you do your production planning today? Are you missing opportunities for more efficiency in this important part of the production process? What happens when experienced planners retire or leave the company? Who fills the gap? Join us in this session to learn how leading providers are using specialized tools to automate the planning process and improve the efficiency of the overall production process.

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Recorded July 27, 2011

Maximizing Strategic Business Development Efforts

Sponsored by Canon

Many companies focus on gaining new business by seeking out and acquiring new customers. But the most successful companies get and stay that way by maximizing valuable relationships with existing customers—making them feel special, helping them achieve their business objectives, being a true partner in their business, leveraging their willingness to be a reference to help you gain broader business with the existing customer company and/or referring you to peers outside their company. This webinar will focus on ways you can increase sales through a systematic and planned review of your best customers, then developing an action plan to grow both the bottom and top lines.

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Recorded June 22, 2011

Widening Horizons: How Wide Format Services Can Boost Business, Lock in Customers

Sponsored by FujiFilm

As print service providers of all types look for new ways to do business in the face of dramatic structural changes in the printing industry, wide format printing presents some interesting business expansion opportunities.  Hear from printing businesses who have successfully added wide format to the mix. What are the pros and cons, investment requirements, training requirements and opportunities? Find out whether wide format is a good choice for widening your business horizons.

Topics for discussion include:

• Making the decision
• New business stream – For printers implementing (or considering implementing) wide format printing, it means an entirely new business stream and will require that they develop new skills and knowledge.
• Equipment
• Space requirements: 
• Applications – What applications are possible?
• Installation:  How important is it to offer installation services? 
• Promoting the business
• Growing the business – What’s the best way for a printer to convince his customer base to give him wide format work? If it’s a new area, how do you show expertise (or at least the ability to do the work)?
• Education – What steps are printers taking to learn about wide format?

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Recorded May 18, 2011

Path to Turnkey Profits: The Modern Litho Story

Sponsored by EFI

Modern Litho developed the first MIS system to run bi-directionally throughout the plant and was the first company in the U.S. to implement EFI’s Monarch Suite running through Kodak’s Prinergy/Insite system, and plating jobs through automation. The results have been no less than revolutionary. This is a story that should be heard by anyone running a printing business today. During this session, attendees will hear directly from Jim Tomblinson, Director of Operations at Modern Litho and Brown Printing, about the journey the company has undertaken, the stunning results they have achieved, and have the opportunity to ask questions during the session. Don’t miss this important event.

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Recorded May 11, 2011

G7 in Action: Improving quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness

Sponsored by FujiFilm

Increased efficiency is the name of the game in an economy that is slowly recovering but still tough. In this session, IDEAlliance’s Joe Fazzi will review the G7 process and discuss how operating in G7 compliance mode can benefit printing businesses of all sizes. It will also feature printing executives whose G7-certifed firms have taken advantage of improved quality and efficiency, highlighting the results they have achieved and sharing best practices. As it becomes increasingly common for printing firms to run presses from multiple manufacturers and/or operate in a hybrid offset/digital model, G7 certification is a key element in ensuring the best possible quality and efficiency, while reducing ink usage and waste due to excessive makeready or rework. This is a session you will not want to miss.

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Recorded April 27, 2011

Q2 Economic Outlook Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Speakers Bureau

Please join us on April 20^th, 2-3 PM Eastern, for the second quarter Economic Outlook Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb, Director of WhatTheyThink's Economics & Research Center. As the recovery slowly chugs along, Dr. Joe will share his thoughts about the best strategies for printing firms. Don't miss his unique perspective on key topics:

• Now that we've climbed out of the recession … is there a boom or a thud ahead?
• So … the industry's shipments are up and profits are improving … what do we need to do next?
• Our latest survey of printing firms … how are they faring?
• The 2017 commercial printing forecast … the hows and whys of the tech and market trends for print
• … and our spring reading list!

Register today and don't miss this important session which will provide invaluable guidance as you build your strategies for 2011 and beyond.

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Recorded April 20, 2011

Productivity and Profitability: How Choosing the Right Printing Plates Can Make a Difference

Sponsored by Fujifilm

Productivity and Profitability: How Choosing the Right Printing Plates Can Make a Difference

What are the metrics you should be thinking about when choosing printing plates?

It’s not as simple as buying a ream of paper at the office supply store. Plate selection can have a number of ramifications—positive and negative—that affect the profitability and productivity of a printing operation. This session will feature printers who have delved deeply into the transition costs of making a change versus the impact of a change on prepress and pressroom productivity and have learned to look beyond price per plate as the sole selection criterion.

This educational webinar will focus on process, not specific products or suppliers.

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Recorded February 23, 2011

Digital Print Trends & PODi’s 2011 AppForum

A preview of new opportunities

Join us for this first look at where the industry is going in 2011. To provide insight WhatTheyThink has invited the Track Chairs from PODi’s upcoming AppForum Conference. These four are frontline practitioners and industry thought leaders. Attendees will learn about the key trends and strategies that represent the most profitable opportunities for 2011.

Key Takeaways

• Winning strategies for high-margin businesses
• Where direct marketing is headed
• Leading edge applications that work
• Key technologies for 2011

Speakers

• Kate Dunn, President, Digital Innovations Group
• Debora Haskel, VP Marketing, IWCO Direct
• Mark Parent, President, Sugar Bush Media Solutions
• Dr. John Leininger, Professor, Clemson University

Featuring David Erlandson, GM Caslon & PODi

Register for the 2011 PODi AppForum

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Recorded December 15, 2010

Q4 Economic Outlook Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Economic Advisory Service

In this webinar from 12/8/2010, Dr. Joe presented the latest economic outlook for 2011 as well as offer a quick view of what to expect in 2012. He also shared WhatTheyThink’s latest print business conditions survey and talked about the potential impact of the November election results.

Specifically, he discussed:

• The latest economic forecast for 2011 with a brief look at 2012
• How November's election results may (or may not) play out for the economy
• The media outlook for 2011
• Our latest survey of printers' business conditions and their plans for 2011
• A good winter reading list to curl up with in front of the fire

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Recorded December 8, 2010

Social Media in Action: The Printer’s Perspective

Sponsored by Grow Socially

This third in a series of social media webinars features printers who have successfully incorporated social media into their business practices. Attendees will gain insight into their strategies as well as what they have gained, or expect to gain, from their participation in the world of social media. Margie Dana, President of Print buyers International, will also join the panel, contributing anecdotal data from the many buyers and sellers of print she talks to and surveys on a regular basis.

View the webinar archive for Part One: delivered by social media expert and author Tamar Weinberg.

View the webinar archive for Part Two: Social Media in Action, the Marketer’s Perspective

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Recorded November 17, 2010

Does Your Website Make the Grade? Lessons You Can Learn from an Industry Website Review

Sponsored by GMC Software Technology

There is only one real way that potential customers can do an apples-to-apples comparison of your business versus competitors…and that is to look at your respective websites. Your site is your chance to strategically and creatively position your company, your brand, and your unique point of difference to prospects, customers (whose business you want to retain), prospective employees and partners.

You may be surprised to see just how good…and how bad…the competition really is.

Bob Lieber – CEO of OriginalThought – is your guide and commentator for this Industry Website review, sponsored by GMC Software Technology.  You’ll see examples of award winning sites from commercial printing and related companies…you’ll see how some of the largest companies are outdone by smaller companies...you’ll learn some big mistakes to avoid and get new ideas you can implement within your own site.

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Recorded November 10, 2010

Chasing New Business Opportunities at Higher Speed

High speed inkjet technologies are getting a lot of “ink” these days in the print industry press. Many companies are evaluating this technology and weighing the potential benefits to their operations and their customers’ businesses.

Join us for an informative webinar featuring three printing companies that recently acquired high speed production inkjet technology on their offset web presses. They will review the factors that drove their investment decisions and the business model adjustments required to support their new capabilities. You’ll also hear about the types of variable data print applications they’re producing and the benefits of these applications to their customers.

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Recorded November 3, 2010

Plate Technology is Changing – Are You Keeping Up?

When it comes to digital plates, what issues continue to face printers in today’s competitive market?

• Having prepress departments that maximize productivity, deliver stable and quality digital plates to the pressroom, and reduce cost and environmental impact.
• Being able to print with high quality and consistent plates for both long and short runs while withstanding difficult press conditions and press chemicals (including UV ink, without postbaking).
• Meeting or exceeding reduction goals in energy, chemistry, water, and waste to achieve a printer’s sustainability and business goals.
• Reducing capital and operational costs, being more sustainable and increasing profits.

Hear from 3 different printers who have recently adopted new thermal digital plate technology that enables prepress departments to be more efficient, presses to be more productive, environmental impacts to be lessened, and owners to realize more margin in print.

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Recorded October 20, 2010

Building An Online Print Business:Web to Print Enables New Value Propositions & New Markets

Sponsored by EFI, Page DNA and Red Tie

The print procurement process is going through a major transition. Customers expect self service options. Online ordering enables printers to solve more than print manufacturing needs – from automating and centralizing national marketing programs to monitoring and controlling marketing budgets.

Web to print expert, Jennifer Matt will provide her perspective on transitioning your company from a primarily offline business to ecommerce as a primary way of doing business. Moving online requires strategy first, technology second. Who are you targeting? What do you want to sell? How are you going to approach customer acquisition? The webinar will include three examples of what’s working today for printers when they utilize web technology to expand their value proposition beyond manufacturing.

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Recorded October 13, 2010

Social Media in Action: The Marketer’s Perspective

Sponsored by Grow Socially

The second in a series of three webinars, this session features marketing experts who will discuss how they are using social media to market their businesses. Speakers will share their thoughts about the role social media plays in modern marketing, its pros and cons, and best practices for implementing a social media strategy. Some of the issues explored will include the types of social-media services marketing professionals are looking to outsource, how they select providers, and what the role of print is in an integrated communications strategy that includes social media.

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Recorded September 22, 2010

Q3 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Economic Advisory Service

During this one-hour event, Dr. Joe will provide a first look at what the industry and the economy at large might expect in 2011 as well as share WhatTheyThink's latest print business conditions survey. Advance questions for the webinar Q&A session can be submitted here.

Specifically, he will discuss:

• The economic recovery: Is the "new normal" getting old?
• The latest survey of print's business conditions and capital investment intentions
• What 2011 holds for the restructuring print business, print's media competition, and the overall economy

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Recorded September 15, 2010

Today vs. Tomorrow: Transforming your business without losing business

Sponsored by GMC Software Technology

Many in our industry are grappling with this question: What will it take to transform my business?

How do you safely get from where you are to where you need to go? How do you build a sustainable, profitable business?

Presented by Bob Lieber and Bob Rosen, this webinar will provide practical answers to these and other questions. Learn how to finance your future business with your current business. Discover your path to business expansion‚by building on what you're already doing today. Find out why merger and acquisition activity could be right for you, even if you are a small business.

Bob Lieber, CEO of Original Thought LLC and a WhatTheyThink contributor, has worked extensively with companies inside and outside the printing industry on how to transform and position their businesses for significant growth. Bob Rosen is President of R.H. Rosen Associates, Inc. a consulting firm specializing in the graphic arts industry. Having worked with almost 600 graphic arts companies, he has also bought companies of his own, built them and sold them. He knows how things work from the inside

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Recorded September 1, 2010

The Ultimate Social Media Primer

Sponsored by Grow Socially

Tamar Weinberg, author of The New Community Rules: Marketing on the Social Web and leading social media expert, will conduct an informative and interactive session on using social media to promote your business or to develop services which can be offered to customers. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear and interact with Weinberg live. We promise that you will leave this session excited about social media and the role it can play in your business, with actionable ideas you can put to work immediate. If you are already using social media, there is always more to learn from the experts.

This session is the first of a series of three webinars on Social Media, sponsored by Grow Socially. Mark your calendars for September 22nd to hear from leading marketers how they are using social media and what the think the future of social media will be. On November 17th, a panel of printers will talk about how they have turned social media to their advantage for business growth.

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Recorded August 18, 2010

Frank Romano and David Zwang Preview GraphExpo 2010

Sponsored by the Print CEO Forum

Join us for an informative and entertaining webinar session, including pontifications by David Zwang and Frank Romano on what new stuff might be at GraphExpo…or not.

Five months and a giant ocean separate Ipex and GraphExpo. Will GraphExpo be worth a trip? Few Americans went to the UK, so GraphExpo is likely to be worth a look -- if the vendors bring the same or even new stuff.

WhatTheyThink’s dynamic duo will discuss the most important solutions that were on display at Ipex and what we may expect to see at GraphExpo.

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Recorded August 11, 2010

Differentiate Your Business: A Clear Path to Business Growth

Sponsored by GMC Software Technology

Bob Lieber, CEO of Original Thought LLC and a WhatTheyThink contributor, has worked extensively with companies inside and outside the printing industry on how to differentiate their businesses for exponential growth. In this session, Lieber will explain the basics of a differentiating strategy. He will be joined by successful print business owners who have achieved their own success through differentiation. Attendees will leave this session with actionable ideas they can apply to their own businesses.

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Recorded June 16, 2010

Health Care Reform: What Does It Mean for the Printing Industry?

Sponsored by the Print CEO Forum

Health reform will completely restructure the employer-based health insurance market. In fact, it's no longer really insurance, but rather a federally defined and administered health benefit. This program will explain in English what Congress has done and how it will affect you and your associates. Some questions to be answered include:

• How will the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 affect employee health benefits?
• What will happen to the cost of health benefits between now and 2014 when most of the premium subsidies and new health insurance underwriting rules take effect?
• What are employers' strategic options in addressing this new world?

Do not miss this important program. The information you gain by attending will have far-reaching effects on how you manage your business in light of this restructure of employer-based health insurance.

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Recorded April 9, 2010

Q1 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Economic Advisory Service

During this one-hour event, Dr. Joe will provide a fresh look at business conditions for printers, designers and agencies, including the latest survey data in collaboration with CreativePro.com. It will provide insight into current economic conditions as the economy begins to show signs of recovery. Advance questions for the webinar Q&A session can be submitted by visiting WhatTheyThink’s Economics & Research Center and selecting “Ask Dr. Joe.”

• Latest survey results reflecting current business conditions for printers, designers, agencies, in collaboration with CreativePro.com
• A fresh look at the economy and what it means for print and media
• Turmoil in mobile computing: iPads and Kindles, and the opportunities for print businesses
• … and our always fascinating Q&A and spring reading list

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Recorded April 7, 2010

Inkjet, toner and reader response rates: Does print quality affect results?

Sponsored by RISO

A new study by research firm Interquest challenges the belief that glossy direct marketing mailers deliver superior response rates when compared to matte finished materials produced with inkjet technology. This session will review the results of the study, which involved mailing more than 10,000 postcards to marketing executives in the financial services, healthcare, banking and manufacturing industries to measure response rates against cost of production. Attendees will also hear from print executives who are using both technologies and learn how they determine which technology to use to best meet the client’s business requirements. Attendees will be able to download the full research report.

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Recorded March 24, 2010

Does personalization really work? Statistically sound research and live use cases tell the story

Sponsored by MindFireInc

The praises of personalization and cross-media have been sung for some time, and we are starting to see more case studies that disclose results of individual personalized campaigns, compared to previous efforts. This webinar will take a broader approach, comparing response rates of more than 650 real-life personalized cross-media campaigns from the MindFireInc database, with data from DMA and PODi to statistically demonstrate the uplift that can be gained from relevant, personalized communications. In addition, the session will include detailed discussion of several recent campaigns that will suggest new options and methods for taking cross-media campaigns to the next level, including closed-loop analysis of the results. For print service providers interested in making the transition to marketing services providers, and for those who have already started this exciting journey, this session will provide actionable ideas that can be translated into exceptional promotional activities on behalf of both clients and the print service provider organization itself. Session attendees will be able to download the research report that is the source of data behind this program.

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Recorded January 20, 2010

Maximizing the value of customer communications: A Unified Approach to the Customer Experience

Sponsored by GMC Software Technology

As print service providers are increasingly making the move to marketing services providers, they have a growing opportunity to help their customers increase the value of each and every customer touch point. This can take the form of adding color to transactional documents, making direct marketing pieces more personalized and relevant, and moving into the realm of TransPromo communications. The secret to success is analyzing all of the customer touch points, ensuring that there is brand integrity across all touch points, and looking for ways to consolidate communications to both improve the customer experience and reduce costs. Our panelist will speak about how they have been able to leverage this strategy for the benefit of their customers and their own businesses. They will also discuss how they have leveraged these strategies in promoting their own businesses to provide a competitive advantage.

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Recorded December 16, 2009

Q4 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Peer Groups

Join us for Dr. Joe Webb’s quarterly Economic Outlook Webinar. During this session, Dr. Joe will update us on both the economy at large and the state of the prining industry, including what to expect in 2010. Specifically, he will discuss:

• It’s been a year since the collapse, two years since the recession started. Where are we now?
• What the economic reports aren’t saying: A contrarian look at the recovery and what’s ahead
• The new printing industry (again), and what printers will be doing in 2010
• Dr. Joe’s Winter Reading List: Hot topics for a cold winter.
  

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Recorded December 9, 2009

Eco-Friendly, Profitable Large Format Impressions

Sponsored by HP

Today's successful commercial printers have realized that to survive, they need to provide a diverse range of service and product offerings to serve the full gamut of customers' needs. These services can range from non-print media, such as mailing and fulfillment and even non-print media development (like Web site design, direct e-mail campaign management and development, etc.) as well as other types of printing including digital, variable-data printing and wide-format. As printers transform into "marketing services providers," the emphasis is on becoming a "master of all media". Large format represents an important element of that strategy. In this webinar, HP technology expert, Dr. Ross Allen will share the evolution of underlying technology and the importance of large format latex solutions in an eco-friendly environment. You will also hear how service providers have expanded offerings to leverage the brand assets and creative from sales collaterals and marketing brochures and profitably deliver signage and point of purchase display materials. Participants in this webinar will get great technology insight as well as a clear understanding of profitable large format applications.

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Recorded December 2, 2009

High-speed low-cost inkjet: what it could mean for your production color applications

Sponsored by RISO

With all the buzz around the “inkjet drupa” and the major advances in inkjet technology being introduced by various equipment suppliers, most of the attention has been centered on the very high end (roll-fed, wide format, etc). But what about a more affordable mid-volume inkjet solution? Hear from industry expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Andy Tribute and a panel of print service providers about the emerging trends in affordable high-speed inkjet and what that might mean for printing operations seeking new revenue streams, production efficiencies, and market differentiation.

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Recorded November 18, 2009

Partnering and Networking to Build Your Business

Sponsored by HP

While digital printing technology is important, generating results with digital print requires much more than just a press. Successful print service providers are using a wide array of resources to help them enter new markets, explore new opportunities, and outpace the competition. This webinar will introduce the importance of leveraging tools and technology associated with business development, training and education, and new market development. Additionally, we’ll discuss how to take advantage of user communities like DSCOOP to interact with peers, exchange experiences, and share and learn best practices.  

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Recorded November 11, 2009

How Peer Groups Help CEOs Manage Their Businesses More Effectively

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink

Statistically, members of peer groups perform better than their counterparts that are not involved in one. Peer group members get out as much as they are willing to put into the peer group process, especially if the peer group is well structured. While a peer group cannot guarantee a company’s success, what it can guarantee is that members will be better off being a part of peer group than being on your own.

During this session, you will hear a round table discussion with three current members on the importance of belonging to a peer group.

Attendees will leave this session with a greater understanding of the peer group process and the benefits it provides in helping them manage their businesses more effectively.

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Recorded October 28, 2009

Key Turnaround Metrics for Enhancing your Printing Operation

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Merger And Acquisition Service

This session, presented by Paul Reilly and Stuart Margolis, Partners in New Direction Partners and long-time financial and turnaround veteran, will discuss the effects of recessionary periods of profits in printing businesses and key metrics for ensuring continued profits even during difficult times. This includes an in-depth discussion of using Value Added per Payroll Dollar as a key metric and methods for managing to this metric for higher profitability. Attendees will leave this session with actionable ideas for improving business performance that can be immediately implemented.

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Recorded October 21, 2009

Sustainability, Lean, and Knowledge Management

Sustainability, Lean and Knowledge Management are bottom-line issues! Consumers are demanding them and are increasingly doing business only with companies addressing them. Learn how you can implement a Sustainability, Lean and Knowledge Management programs effectively and profitably.

This webinar will be presented by professor Ken Macro, an authority on the graphic communication industry and sustainability. Professor Macro is also co-author of the book, “Lean Printing: Pathway to Success.”

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Recorded September 30, 2009

Lean Manufacturing Webinar Series (All 3 Lean Webinars)

This three-part series will be conducted by professor Kevin Cooper and professor Ken Macro. Regardless of the business strategies that a graphic arts operation or industry supplier chooses to pursue, the most important underlying consideration is a streamlined, efficient, and automated operation. Implementing Lean Manufacturing practices is a requirement for any graphic communication business—including printers and vendors—expecting to not only survive but thrive. This series will provide in-depth insight into how to get started with Lean. For participants who purchase all of the sessions at the same time, a discounted rate of $89 per session is available.

Webinar Dates:

July 15, 2009: Lean Management and Manufacturing

August 26, 2009: Cultural Imperatives in Becoming Lean

September 30, 2009: Sustainability, Lean and Knowledge Management

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Recorded September 30, 2009

Q3 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Speakers Bureau

This one-hour event will include the latest data and analysis relative to the state of the economy and present a picture of what is ahead for print and media in 2010. Advance questions for the webinar Q&A session can be submitted by visiting WhatTheyThink’s Economics & Research Center and selecting “Ask Dr. Joe.”

“As we begin to see economic recovery,” said Randy Davidson, President, WhatTheyThink, “it will be important for owners and managers of printing companies to seriously consider the reshaping of their businesses for new market realities of 2010 and 2011.  Dr. Webb will provide specific insights that can help in this process as we approach the fourth quarter of the year.”

“The fourth quarter is likely to be a make-or-break proposition for too many print businesses” said Dr. Webb, “but it is also a time of opportunity for those who are making perceptive investments for the future.  Regardless of what happens with the economy, there are profit-making opportunities and we will highlight those in the session, along with the results of our latest reader survey.”

Topics to be addressed will include:

• The shape of the recovery: V, W, rocket, submarine, or a big fat zero?
• What's ahead for print and media in 2010
• Print technology investment survey
• Print '09: How did we do? What does it mean?
• Dr. Joe's Highly Colorful Fall reading list

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Recorded September 23, 2009

Business as unUsual: New Revenue Streams from Innovative Digital Technologies

Sponsored by EFI

As we enter a new phase of the printing industry, “business as usual” is simply not going to work. Join us in this session to learn how to proceed with “Business as ‘UN’ Usual” for a winning strategy. You will hear from practitioners who are investing in innovative digital technologies and increased automation to transform their businesses and generate new revenue streams.

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Recorded September 9, 2009

Cultural Imperatives in Becoming Lean

This webinar will move participants beyond Lean principles to a discussion on the organizational imperatives that drive success with Lean tools. This is the second in a series of three fee-based webinars conducted in partnership with Cal Poly’s Graphic Communications Institute. You can register for this session only for $99 (see below), or if you choose to participate in all three in the series at a discounted price of $89 each, it is not too late! For the three-session option, register here.

Successful Lean implementation uses the diverse resources of the entire organization; managing the cultural aspects of your business is as important as educating corporate leaders and employees on what Lean basics to implement.

The webinar will cover:

• Thought starters on Lean
• Lean cultural imperatives
• Lean success: the answers
• Respect for People
• Thoughts on traditional metrics
• Lean metric discussion
• Lean leadership
• Lean challenges
• Lean obstacles
• Sustaining Lean efforts
• Final thoughts

The purpose of this webinar is to provide participants with an immediate understanding of clear ways to increase motivation, productivity, and profits while reducing costs. Lean concepts are particularly useful in difficult economic times such as those now being faced by all industries.

This webinar presented by professor Kevin Cooper will get you started on a new road to successful management. Professor Cooper is also co-author of the book, “Lean Printing: Pathway to Success.” Each participant will be given the opportunity to receive a copy of professor Cooper’s book from PIA for $20 (a 50% discount) and be entitled to one free consultation via email.

This is the second in a series of three fee-based webinars conducted in partnership with Cal Poly’s Graphic Communications Institute. You can register for this session only for $99 (see below), or if you choose to participate in all three in the series at a discounted price of $89 each, it is not too late! For the three-session option, register here.

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Recorded August 26, 2009

Re-Evaluating Production Workflow - It’s All About Efficiency

Sponsored by HP

Shorter run lengths, faster turnaround times, increased job complexity, and an increasing demand for web-based job submission are a few of the major workflow challenges print service providers are facing today. In addition, a challenging economy puts more pressure on print service providers to focus on gaining efficiency throughout their entire workflow.During this Webinar, we’ll hear from service providers that have leveraged hardware and software solutions to implement a more streamlined and efficient workflow from start to finish.

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Recorded August 12, 2009

Inkjet & Toner - Their Impact on Commercial Printing's Future

Digital printing, specifically inkjet and toner technologies, have become mainstream in commercial printing, small businesses and home office printing. How will these technologies affect commercial printing in the future? What implications are there related to consumable costs, recycling, sustainability and the future of commercial printing?

To prosper in the printing, publishing, and packaging industries today means understanding and adopting new ways of producing printed materials that address market demands for:

• Faster production
• Shorter runs
• More color
• Variable data
• Quicker delivery times
• Higher quality
• Lower prices
• Sustainability

There is no question that the technologies being addressed today are going to satisfy these demands. Technologies include consumables with inkjet and toner being major components. Successful and profitable printing establishments across industry segments—commercial printing, newspapers, magazines, packaging, financial and legal printing, on-demand, variable data, in-plants, and others—will need to integrate inkjet and toner applications to their production mix or they will not survive. These technologies will also be the focus of new companies entering the printing industry for the first time.

Learn what the current trends and research is related to these technologies and how they will fit into current and future industry and consumer demands.

This webinar presented by a world-renown authority on the topic, Dr. Penny Bennett. Dr. Bennett will instill the foundation to get started in addressing the seven market demands listed. Each participant will be given the opportunity to receive a copy of professor Bennett’s book, “The Handbook for Digital Printing and Variable-Data Printing” from PIA for $20 (a 50% discount) and be entitled to one free consultation via email.

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Recorded August 5, 2009

Quality that Counts: The State of Digital Printing

Sponsored by HP

Digital print quality has improved by leaps and bounds over the last decade. Today, we’re seeing an abundance of print volume that is short-run in nature or needs to be turned around quickly, but still requires a high degree of color control and quality. Hybrid offset/digital environments, where a digital device needs to match an offset press, are also common in today’s production environment. New tools and techniques are available to enable more print service providers to achieve a high degree of image and color quality. During this Webinar, participants will discuss end customer perspectives on quality, improvements in digital presses as well as some of the tools utilized to achieve high fidelity quality and various applications where quality is a critical factor in print production.

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Recorded July 29, 2009

Lean Management and Manufacturing

This webinar will provide the foundational understanding of starting a Lean journey. Principles and Lean terminology will be discussed and defined. Participants will depart with a broad understanding of how Lean principles can positively impact the graphic communication industry.

The graphic communication industry including printer, publishers, packaging companies, equipment and supply vendors, and so on are facing difficult economic conditions. The demand for printing has shifted to other modes of delivers such as the Internet and World Wide Web, and the graphic communication industry must now “reinvent” itself to compete. “Reinventing” means not only adopting new technologies and processes, but it means adopting new management styles as well. Lean management and manufacturing is a proven pathway to success in the 21^st century for companies of all sizes—small, medium, and large.

The webinar will cover:

• History of Lean
• Lean defined for Printers
• Lean foundations
• 5S – the beginnings of Lean
• Set-up reduction
• Total Productive Maintenance
• Visual Management
• Kaizen
• Lean success –steps to move forward

This webinar will be presented by professor Kevin Cooper who will teach you how to get stated immediately. Professor Cooper has assisted many companies in North America and abroad on how to realize business success through Lean practices, and he will do the same for you. Professor Cooper is also co-author of the book, “Lean Printing: Pathway to Success.” Each participant will be given the opportunity to receive a copy of professor Cooper’s book from PIA for $20 (a 50% discount) and be entitled to one free consultation via email.

Register for all 3 Lean Manufacturing Webinars and save $30!

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Recorded July 15, 2009

Harnessing Technology for Business Growth

Sponsored by GMC Software Technology

Improving the efficiency of customer communications has become a global imperative for many organizations. This is driven by the trifecta of an uncertain economy, increased competition and the growing maturity of technology that allows for a functional multi-channel customer communications platform. Increasingly, marketers are seeking out all customer touch points and looking for ways to customize and unify the customer experience. During this session, you will hear from print service providers who have leveraged this customer need to position their businesses for growth, even in tough economic times.

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Recorded June 24, 2009

Q2 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by WhatTheyThink Speakers Bureau

This one-hour event will include the latest data and analysis relative to the state of the economy and suggest what we might expect to see through the balance of the year, both in the economy at large and within the printing industry. Advance questions for the webinar Q&A session can be submitted here.

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Recorded June 10, 2009

Making the Transition to Marketing Services Provider

Sponsored by MindFireInc

Industry pundits have been telling print service providers for some time that they must make a transition to marketing services providers.  But what does that really mean?  How do you do it?  And if you make the effort, does it really make a difference?  This session features companies who have successfully made the transition and their leaders are willing to share the secrets of their success.  Find out if this is the right path for your business, and more importantly, get a good start on the ideas that will take you there.  If you are already in the game, chances are you can benefit from hearing about best practices from your peers.  Registrants for this event, sponsored by MindFireInc, will receive a free white paper on the topic.

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Recorded June 3, 2009

Beating the Postal Drain: Optimizing Postal Costs for Ad Hoc Mail

Sponsored by GMC Software Technology

Many companies have worked hard to optimize their mailing costs, but efforts have primarily been focused on large mailings such as statements, bills, catalogs and direct mail, as well as individual campaigns of other types.  A significant amount of ad hoc mail--that is, mail generated in small quantities by distributed office workers--enters the mail stream at full postal rates. During this session, you will learn how savvy companies are capturing ad hoc mail for centralized printing and mailing.  This allows them to optimize postal costs, reduce the overall cost of printing, and improve the productivity of the workers generating ad hoc mail.  This is a session you will not want to miss.

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Recorded May 13, 2009

Digital Technology: Enabling Short Run Packaging

Sponsored by HP

Packaging is essential in capturing that “first moment of truth” – the three seconds it takes for a customer to notice a product on the store shelf. In today’s economy, that instant represents an incredible marketing opportunity for consumer packaged goods companies when you consider that nearly 70 percent of all purchase decisions are made at the shelf. Brand managers no longer have to compromise on quality and dumb down their package designs when they choose digital print technology. Expanded color options give them the ability to do complex creations not possible on flexo and the ability to handle multiple SKUs or shorter runs to more effectively manage the supply chain. This webinar is designed to share with you how digital technology can effectively be used for digital packaging in a world where everyone wants projects faster, cheaper and more targeted – without sacrificing quality. You’ll get the perspective of the brand manager and label converter on how digital packaging can deliver results.

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Recorded April 29, 2009

Digital Photos Equal Digital Profit

Sponsored by HP

For years we’ve heard that adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words”.  Savvy print service providers are quickly learning that digital pictures have substantial value and can be linked to thousands of dollars.  This webinar will review photo applications and most importantly how digital printers are cashing in on the market opportunity.

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Recorded April 15, 2009

Finding Success in Challenging Times

Sponsored by EFI

The key to success, especially in challenging times, is a holistic examination of business and production operations to ensure a seamless flow of work through the shop.  As run lengths and turn times continue to shrink, it becomes even more critical to handle every transaction efficiently and profitably.  In addition, the range of services being offered must also match market demands.  Whether you choose mailing and fulfillment, digital color or superwide format, adding these services offers many opportunities to expand share of customer, improve customer retention, and improve customer acquisition rates.  Hear from successful print service providers who are benefiting from a diverse business and learn how this approach is helping them succeed, today and tomorrow.  

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Recorded April 8, 2009

Q1 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by The WhatTheyThink Economic Advisory Service

This one-hour event will examine the current state of the economy as the new Administration gets underway and will suggest ways for printing businesses to position themselves for strength as the economy rebounds. Advance questions for the webinar Q&A session can be submitted by visiting WhatTheyThink's Economics & Research Center and selecting "Ask Dr. Joe."

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Recorded March 25, 2009

Design Considerations for TransPromo

   

Sponsored by Océ North America and The Digital Nirvana

TransPromo communications, or the blending of promotional messages into transactional documents, has received extensive trade press attention. “it is clearly a growth opportunity for commercial printers, direct mailers and transactional service bureaus. What often is not discussed are the unique design considerations required to make TransPromo successful. InfoTrends has generously agreed to share recent research on this subject with our audience. This session will provide thought starters and advice from experts that should be considered when getting into the TransPromo game.

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Recorded March 11, 2009

2009 Survival Guide: Staying in the Game

Sponsored by CREO Color Servers

It’s not news that 2009 is shaping up to be a difficult economic year, although it is just about all you hear on the news. But in any time of economic turmoil, there are always positive actions that can be taken to emerge a stronger, well-positioned organization when the turnaround comes—and it will eventually come. Hear from innovative and successful print service providers who are making the tough decisions and preparing for a positive future. Learn about free or affordable training and education resources that will ensure that your organization is at the top of its game. Listen to your peers discuss how to prioritize investments and the importance of paying attention to your business and production infrastructure. Find out how successful companies are attracting new customers and new revenues even in these difficult times. Don’t miss this important event.

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Recorded February 25, 2009

2009 and 2010 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by MindFireInc

This one-hour event will provide graphic arts, printing and publishing executives with an analysis of the current economic climate and a discussion of what these turbulent times mean for individual printers and the printing industry as a whole. It will also offer the first look at what to expect after January 20, 2009. Listeners are also able to send questions for the webinar’s Q&A session. Advance questions can be submitted by visiting WhatTheyThink’s Economics & Research Center and selecting “Ask Dr. Joe.” Topics to be discussed include:

• The economic quagmire continues
• What happens with the economy after January 20, 2009?
• Printing 2009 and 2010 bright spots and pitfalls
• What are the most resilient print sectors historically, and now?
• Dr. Joe’s Winter reading list
  
  

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Recorded December 10, 2008

Building Value: Protecting Your Company’s Worth in Troubled Times

Sponsored by Compass Capital Partners

During times of economic turmoil, the natural tendency is to hunker down and wait it out.  But that is likely not the best decision for most businesses.  During this session, financial experts Peter Schaefer of Compass Capital Partners, who has  worked with hundreds of printing firms in good times and bad, will generously share  his extensive expertise, advice and guidance about how to improve the value of your company, even in difficult economic times.  Compass Capital Partners has spent extensive effort analyzing the difference between no profit, low profit and super-profitable printing companies, and will be sharing some of that analysis with our listeners.  This session has something to offer to any printing business owner or manager who is looking for business growth, now and in the future.

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Recorded December 3, 2008

Extreme Automation: Making Digital Technology More Profitable

Sponsored by CREO Color Servers

During this session, two outstanding experts in Workflow Automation will share their experiences, advice and guidance, including best practices for utilizing workflow automation to better leverage investments in digital printing technology. By pursuing this path to take cost and time out of the business, print service providers can position themselves to improve margins and increase their competitive advantage. The session will be moderated by Cary Sherburne, Senior Editor at WhatTheyThink.  Sherburne will be joined by Dave Zamorski, COO, Associates Graphic Services of Wilmington, Delaware, and Ben Passmore, President and co-founder of Terminal Van Gogh of Mississauga, Ontario.  Session attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a drawing for a free KODAK DARWIN Desktop VDP software license.

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Recorded November 12, 2008

Lean Manufacturing: A Key to Profitability

Sponsored by the HP Capture Business Success Program

Lean manufacturing-often simply called "Lean"-is the term used to describe the management and production methodologies that were originally developed by the Japanese automotive industry. Lean focuses on avoiding and eliminating the seven wastes-defective products, overproduction, excessive work-in-process inventory, over-processing, unnecessary movement of people, unnecessary movement of products, and waiting.  While it started in the automotive market, these same principles apply to the graphic communications market. Successful graphic communications companies are implementing Lean practices in order to narrow the productivity gap.
 

If your business isn't profitable as it could be and you trying to get more from your manufacturing processes log on to this thought provoking webinar.  This session will challenge your current thinking on efficient print production. It will provide a comprehensive understanding of lean manufacturing principles and strategies, and introduce Lean Manufacturing as imperative to the economic vitality of graphic communication industry.

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Recorded October 22, 2008

Managing Your Business - Making Money in Tough Times

Sponsored by Press-sense

With a challenging economy, business workflow automation is one of the hottest topics among all printing establishments. While equipment and software providers are introducing new solutions, printers are adopting the technology at different rates.  The benefits of effective implementation include a better handle on their entire operation from order entry to customer service to production and fulfillment; for those who are still investigating its possibilities, the varying systems available promise greater efficiency.  Most importantly, business workflow automation positions the print service provider to be the low cost producer and extract higher margins.  This webinar will focus on tools and approaches to optimize all facets of workflow and achieve operational excellence, maximum profitability and make money in tough times.

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Recorded October 15, 2008

Q4 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by MindFireInc

Join us for the fourth quarter economic outlook webinar with Dr. Joe Webb, sponsored by MindfireInc. With an increasingly confused economic environment, Dr. Webb has the right prescription for navigating these rocky waters. Topics to be discussed include:

• The latest economy fun & games going into the election, and the first look at 2009's economy
• The print economy as the industry prepares for Graph Expo
• The latest survey of print businesses and their planned end-of-year actions
• Technology trends to watch for in 2009 and 2010
• Fall into Fall with Dr. Joe’s reading list

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Recorded September 24, 2008

Re-Engineering Your Workforce…Tooling up for Digital Print Success

Sponsored by the HP Capture Business Success Program

Business success involves not only presence of the right equipment, but it also requires a competent, well-led and stable workforce that can ensure the equipment and software provides the competitive advantage your organization is seeking.  Changing with the times brings requirements for personnel with the specific knowledge and skills to design a super-efficient work environment.  It also requires the sales and operational expertise to support the expanded services portfolio to drive print profitability and de-commoditize print. Successful marketing services providers are rapidly discovering that there is a need for new personnel who have different aptitudes, attitudes and the computer literacy needed to handle advanced information technology.

  This HP sponsored webinar will provide the information you need and let you hear from marketing services providers about how they transformed their workforce and their businesses to deliver advanced solutions and emerge as a consultative business partner.

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Recorded September 10, 2008

Creating a Buzz: Promoting Your Business

Sponsored by the HP Capture Business Success Program

Customers and prospects buy from you if they know that you exist! You need to effectively position your business in the eyes of your target markets and then properly promote the services that you offer. Customers and prospects are receiving hundreds of marketing messages everyday via the Internet, cell phones, PDAs, blogs, direct mail, and television.  Your job is to cut through the clutter and make sure that your business is the one that gets noticed. In today’s market, how customers receive information is up to them, not us. With all the technology that is swirling around us, the key is to approach current and potential customers on multiple fronts with consistent and integrated marketing. This session will discuss how marketing service providers have re-positioned their businesses and created a “buzz” with both existing and potential customers.

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Recorded August 6, 2008

The Next Killer App:  Are You Getting the Most Out of Inkjet?

Sponsored by the HP Capture Business Success Program

As print service providers continue to make the transition to marketing services providers, many are turning to wide format inkjet applications as a value-added service.  During this session, you will hear about the market size and conditions from InfoTrends, as well as learn about practical experiences from two service providers who have profitably deployed wide format technologies to address a wide range of applications, from posters, banners and point of sale displays, to building wraps and products created with unique substrates.  Learn how wide format can widen your product and service horizons.

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Recorded July 9, 2008

Sustainability is the New Green

Sponsored by Kodak

“The United Nations Division for Sustainable Development defines sustainability as ‘Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’,” said Mazur. “As print buyers continue to push for green solutions, it is important for printers to understand the entire sustainability picture, and that is what this session is about.”

Mazur will be sharing his extensive sustainability knowledge during the session, as well as providing access to valuable resources that any business can use to improve its sustainability ratings.  

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Recorded June 25, 2008

Q3 Economic Outlook with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by MindFireInc

Join us for the third quarter economic outlook webinar with Dr. Joe Webb, sponsored by MindfireInc. With an increasingly confused economic environment, Dr. Webb has the right prescription for navigating these rocky waters. Topics to be discussed include:

• The Recessionless Slowdown: Strategies for Managing Through the Economic Muddle
• Our Readers’ View: Latest Economic & Research Center Reader Survey Results
• Beat the Summer Heat with Dr. Joe's Latest Reading List

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Recorded June 18, 2008

Variable Data Printing:  It’s All About The Data

Sponsored by the HP Capture Business Success Program

Proper data management, before, during, and after the start of your campaign, is essential. Each facet of your campaign, from customized mail pieces to the follow-up, is based not only on the quality of data, but on how well it is implemented and organized. A direct mail campaign that uses variable-data printing can be complex to plan. Based on your level of personalization and the depth of your database, your campaign may include thousands of possible combinations of variable text and graphical elements. The data used to drive these communications must be cleansed, aggregated and organized, and this can be a daunting task. This session is designed to share how companies have successfully leveraged and managed data to develop effective campaigns.

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Recorded May 21, 2008

Working the Document LifeCycle – When to Move a Job From Offset to Digital

Sponsored by Océ North America

Digital printing processes allow the document lifecycle to mirror the product lifecycle bell curve. For example, smaller volumes of marketing collateral may be required during product introduction, higher volumes during the growth and maturity stages, and smaller volumes again as product sales moderate. Book publishers can choose a short run for a promotional tour, higher volumes for the book release, and “books on demand” to avoid back order and out of stock situations.

Because quality no longer drives the workflow when making the choice to use digital printing processes instead of offset, the determining factors are more likely to be run length and processing costs. Determining those can be challenging to determine.

In this webinar we will learn how two print service providers decided when to move print jobs from one process to another. What costs – both in time and expense – do they factor in? Are there other considerations?

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Recorded May 14, 2008

Mergers & Acquisitions in the Printing Industry

The number of mergers and acquisitions in the printing industry seems to be on the rise, as businesses look for new and different ways to address a contracting market. Mergers and acquisitions expert Peter J. Schaefer, President of Compass Capital Partners, Ltd., will share his expertise and insight relative to mergers and acquisitions and address the following topics during the session:

• Current Trends in Printing M&A
• What Determines Value?
• Consolidation—Why It Is Attractive to Buyers
• What’s Attractive (and What’s Not) to Buyers

For any company interested in merging with another firm, acquiring another firm or being acquired, this session will provide critical information that will help inform the process.

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Recorded May 7, 2008

It's Good to Be Green, featuring Barb Pellow

Sponsored by HP

The printing industry like many other industries is starting to pick up steam in going "Green". From recycling paper to using soy ink, smart printing companies are starting to realize the benefits of going "Green". We all have a responsibility to future generations to help insure that we are taking care of our planet so they have the same opportunities as we do. Printing as an industry is a heavy user of electricity and natural resources such as trees to make paper. There are ways that printing companies can participate in helping to reduce their impact on the environment. This session is designed to share with you strategies that your peers in the industry are leveraging to preserve the environment.

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Recorded April 30, 2008

Certifications as Part of a Sustainability Strategy

Sponsored by Océ North America

Every day more and more companies announce environmental stewardship programs, sustainability initiatives, and development of products with lighter carbon footprints. It is possible that soon we will begin to question whether all this activity is truly a move to be better corporate citizens or simply a jump on the latest marketing bandwagon.

Companies who are building a sustainable strategy and focusing on good corporate citizenship are looking to third-party certification to validate their strategies to the market. In this session we clear up some of the confusion about the certifications available to graphic arts companies, discuss those certifications as part of an overall sustainability strategy, and show how they enhance the credibility of marketing messages.

"Green" certification is turning into alphabet soup and we're all getting lost in the acronyms! We've got FSC, SFI, CoC, SGP and it goes on from there! What does it all mean? Should your company consider one or all of these certifications? This educational event will help you sort it all out.

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Recorded April 22, 2008

Why Digital? Why Now? with Barb Pellow

Sponsored by The Business Solutions Division of Canon Canada Inc.

Over the past 15 years, print on demand has evolved from a new and developing technology into a business that generated more than $ 53 billion in 2007 in North America.. With double-digit growth continuing, the print on demand market is moving into the mainstream as a central part of print service providers' business plans. This webinar provides participants with a solid understanding of the concepts, trends, products, and services that drive the print on demand market by:

• Defining the market from quick-turnaround, short run, digital printing in production environments to targeted, custom, or fully-personalized messages delivered through cross-media programs
• Illustrating how print on demand product and service developments are changing the printing market
• Providing an expert view on market growth, trends, and future directions

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Recorded April 16, 2008

Managing Smarter: Magic Numbers to Live By with Bob Rosen and Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by Press-sense

This one-hour event will provide printing business owners and managers with valuable insight into successfully managing a printing business and the importance of metrics in that management process.

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Recorded April 9, 2008

Building a Double Digit Growth Business

The combination of affordable color and a broad portfolio of software solutions is helping the savvy print service provider transform into a more profitable organization participating in the lucrative marketing value chain.…In fact some are even starting to refer to their organizations as Marketing Services Providers. These firms are providing an array of services related to the marketing process, from campaign inception to program execution. They have focused on business development initiatives and know that they need a solid strategy, clearly identified target markets, a repositioned firm, a solid sales team, and a thorough understanding of the price vs. value equation. This webinar is designed to share with you business development strategies to build double digit growth businesses.

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Recorded April 2, 2008

Economic Outlook Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by MindFireInc

This one-hour event will provide graphic arts, printing and publishing executives with an analysis of the current economic climate and a discussion of what these turbulent times mean for individual printers and the printing industry as a whole. Listeners are also able to send questions for the webinar’s Q&A session.

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Recorded March 26, 2008

From Trans to Transpromo

"From Trans to Transpromo" with Barb Pellow, Director at InfoTrends
March 12 , 2008

Sponsored by InfoPrint Solutions Company

Presented by WhatTheyThink.com and NAPL

Today, there’s a lot of buzz surrounding the concept of “transpromo.” No, transpromotional applications aren’t something like trans-fats that are bad for your health and well-being! Transpromo provides an opportunity to blend those must-read transaction statements, confirmations, and notifications with marketing messages to drive business volume. This webinar is designed to discuss the transpromo marketing opportunity, discuss the importance of statement design and let you hear from a direct mail firm that is building transpromo into their business mix.

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Recorded March 12, 2008

'e'-enabling Business Means 'e'verything!

Sponsored by Press-sense

For the past two years, the Must See 'ems panel at Graph Expo has identified MIS as THE most important technology for the future success of print service providers. But acquiring an MIS is only part of the equation. How you implement and manage the system--and the data it produces--following implementation, and how much of your operation you link to that system determines how much benefit you will be able to reap. In this session, you will hear from successful service providers who have built a path to profitability in a highly competitive environment with an MIS system as a critical centerpiece. How did they do it?

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Recorded February 27, 2008

A Printer's Path to Profitability: How the Leaders Do It

Sponsored by Avanti Systems

For the past two years, the Must See 'ems panel at Graph Expo has identified MIS as THE most important technology for the future success of print service providers. But acquiring an MIS is only part of the equation. How you implement and manage the system--and the data it produces--following implementation, and how much of your operation you link to that system determines how much benefit you will be able to reap. In this session, you will hear from successful service providers who have built a path to profitability in a highly competitive environment with an MIS system as a critical centerpiece. How did they do it? Join us to find out.

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Recorded February 20, 2008

One Vote - One Mailbox: Leveraging Election Print Opportunities

Sponsored by BCC Software and MCS Incorporated

The race to reach the coveted, great American vote is well underway. The politicians participating in the presidential election of 2008 are out of their starting blocks and moving quickly down the lane identified by their respective party affiliations. Tacticians, strategists, pollsters, statisticians, advisors, campaign managers have held physical or virtual meetings to formulate their plans to enable their candidate to be the first to reach and capture the hearts and/or minds of United States citizens over the age of 18. What does all of this mean for the printing industry, and how can printers best capitalize on this business opportunity. Mary Ann Bennett of The Bennett Group will present a unique perspective. Unlike most WhatTheyThink webinars, this session will not be available in the archive. Mark your calendars now for this not-to-be-missed event.

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Recorded February 6, 2008

The Frank Romano Show

Sponsored by Press-sense

This final 2007 WhatTheyThink webinar session is the ideal kick-off to the holiday season. We never know what Frank will talk about, or who his guests will be, but we do know that it will be fun and informative. We hope to see you there!

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Recorded December 18, 2007

2008 and 2009 Printing Industry Economic Outlook Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb

Sponsored by Presstek

Join Dr. Joe for an update on his 2008 and 2009 printing industry economic outlook as well as other insights and opinions he will be offering during this popular quarterly economic outlook webinar.

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Recorded December 12, 2007

Talking to the Marketing Professional…A HOW TO Guide

Sponsored by MindFireInc

In today’s market, the marketing professional’s challenge is far greater than brand communications.  Marketing groups must now fill the pipeline with predisposed prospects, optimize customer value, and be accountable for demand generation through market differentiation and integrated multi-channel multi-touch campaign management. This requires new competency in business analytics, database management, digital marketing, field sales, channel operations and marketing results analysis.

The message to the graphic communications service provider trying to break into the lucrative marketing value chain is that you need to be prepared to speak to and successfully address the issues and concerns of marketing professionals. Marketing executives make decisions daily on media selection and targeted campaigns. You need to be prepared to have the right dialogue. This session is designed to let you hear from key marketing professionals as well as graphic communications service providers that have “cracked the code” in delivering marketing solutions.

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Recorded December 5, 2007

Selling Digital Printing to Higher Education

Sponsored by Ricoh

As part of WhatTheyThink's on going vertical market series, Industry pundit Frank Romano will be joined by print buyers from the university marketplace. In addition to an overview of the opportunities this market offers to print service providers, attendees will also learn what buyers are looking for in a print service provider partner, and how best to sell to buyers in the higher education market.

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Recorded November 13, 2007

From Print Service Provider to Marketing Service Provider: Making the Transition

Sponsored by interlinkONE

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Recorded November 6, 2007

Web to Print: Beyond a Storefront

- Sponsored by Press-sense

Learn about innovative uses of Web-to-Print technology in commercial and in-plant environments

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Recorded October 24, 2007

Selling Digital Printing to the Manufacturing Industry

The manufacturing industry is extremely diverse, according to Romano, making it difficult to cover every segment within the context of a web seminar. “But we will provide enough information to help printers reach this large and diverse market,” he adds. Segments include: • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing • Chemical manufacturing, except pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing • Food manufacturing • Machinery manufacturing • Motor vehicle and parts manufacturing • Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing • Steel manufacturing Learn more about the opportunity for both digital and conventional print in the manufacturing industry as Frank Romano and industry guests review the market, the print buying habits of the manufacturing industry.

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Recorded October 17, 2007

NAPL Digital Services Study 2007: Identifying Digital Leaders

- Sponsored by Canon

NAPL is partnering with WhatTheyThink.com to present a free webinar reviewing findings of the recently released NAPL Digital Services Study 2007: Identifying Digital Leaders - The First Step and featuring study co-authors NAPL Vice President and Chief Economist Andrew Paparozzi and Senior Consultant/Digital Technology Howard Fenton.

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Recorded October 10, 2007

Dr. Joe Webb's Fourth Quarter 2007 Printing Industry Economic Outlook

Sponsored by Presstek

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Recorded September 26, 2007

Selling Digital Printing to the Non Profit Industry

- Sponsored by Kodak

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Recorded August 29, 2007

Statements Aren’t Statements Anymore...They are a Pathway to Profitable Marketing

Sponsored by GMC Software Technologies

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Recorded August 8, 2007

Selling Digital Printing to the Financial Services Industry

Sponsored by Kodak

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Recorded July 25, 2007

Selling Digital Printing to Insurance

- Sponsored by Kodak Registration for this no-charge webinar is available at this special Web page: http://members.whattheythink.com/home/webinarregistrationform4.cfm “Print is a major part of insurance marketing,” said Romano, “representing a spend of $7.0 billion in 2006. On an annual basis, insurance companies mail something to almost every U.S. citizen over the age of 18.” Romano points out that the insurance market in the U.S. is forecast to grow 11 percent to $146.5 billion in 2008. He adds, “There are two levels of marketing and advertising budget. On the corporate level there is national and branding promotion. This pales next to the money spent by individual marketing departments. Marketing managers are responsible for new and existing business. A new program, like nursing home insurance, might have a budget of 30 percent of anticipated business; while, an existing program might have a budget of 2 percent of last years? revenue.” The insurance industry overall spends an average of 13.8 percent of total revenue on marketing budgets. During this session, attendees will learn more about this growing market for digital and conventional print as Frank Romano and industry guests review the market, the products, and the trends of the insurance industry. “It is well known that digital color printing's short runs and personalization capabilities improve targeting, response rates, and overall effectiveness of integrated communications programs,” said Randy Davidson, President, WhatTheyThink. “Printers who can support these programs and help marketers at insurance companies use new media to better track performance against their clients' goals will have an advantage in landing business in the insurance industry. We are pleased that Kodak is sponsoring this event, enabling us to bring this ‘how-to’ session to industry executives.”

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Recorded June 12, 2007

Profitably Implementing Value-Added Services

- Sponsored by Printable

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Recorded May 23, 2007

Postal Rates and Reform - the Experts Offer Solutions

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Recorded May 9, 2007

The True Measure of Variable Data Effectiveness

“We know that properly executed, variable data campaigns can deliver an excellent return on investment (ROI),” said Professor Leininger. “But how do those results get tracked and who should take responsibility? Tracking the results of variable data printing should not be left up to the customer. If your company can manage the data better, design the variable fields with more targeted results, maximize the mailing discounts, and adjust the process as the target becomes more defined, you will become more skilled at variable data printing than other companies.” During this session, attendees will not only learn how to design and manage campaigns for better results, but will also learn how to prove those improved results to the customer. During this Webinar, Dr. Leininger will this Webinar outline a process any printer can follow to establish their own benchmarks for the results on each and every variable data job they produce.

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Recorded March 29, 2007

Selling and Marketing Digital Printing to Ad Agencies

“Ad agencies influence over $102 billion in print buying in the U.S.,” said Romano. “Eighty percent of creative agencies are involved in print buying decisions and almost all of them play either a primary role or collaborative role in campaign development and direction.” According to Romano, a study by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Printing Industry Center found that creative agencies play a critical role in the printing industry eco-system. This survey of 250 agencies revealed that creative agencies, and especially the Production Managesr within those agencies, are involved in print buying decisions and account for an average purchase of $1.5 million annually and a median of $400,000. “It is well known that digital color printing's short runs and personalization capabilities improve targeting, response rates, and overall effectiveness of integrated communications programs,” said Randy Davidson, President, WhatTheyThink. “Printers who can support these programs and help agencies use new media to better track performance against their clients' goals will have an advantage in landing agency business. We are pleased to be able to bring this ‘how-to’ session to industry executives.”

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Recorded February 27, 2007

Integrated Campaign Management – Next Generation Variable Data

Sponsored by Mindfire

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Recorded January 30, 2007

The Frank Romano Show

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Recorded November 21, 2006

Web or Sheetfed? How Innovation is Reshaping Short-run Options

Sponsored by Goss International

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Recorded September 14, 2006

The Added Value of Fulfillment Services

- Sponsored by EFI

During this one-hour event, a panel of experts will provide graphic arts executives with insight, advice and guidance relative to implementing Fulfillment Services for the commercial and in-plant printing industry. In an interactive round table format, facilitated by Sherburne, panelists will answer prepared questions and questions submitted by the audience about the lessons they have learned in implementing fulfillment services and what they plan for the future.

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Recorded April 5, 2006

Widening Your Horizons: The Wide Format Business Growth Opportunity

During this one-hour event, experienced owners of wide format printing equipment will share their perspectives on the wide format business growth opportunity in an interactive round table format. Speakers include David Allman, General Manager, iMagic, and Jay Roberts, President of Techjet Imaging. Presenters will also discuss some of the unique and innovative applications they are producing for customers in their wide format operations.

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Recorded January 19, 2006

Computer Integrated Manufacturing: Automating the Print Production Process

- Sponsored by Man Roland and EFI

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Recorded December 14, 2005

Variable Data Printing: Investing Beyond the Technology

- Sponsored by Exstream, Kodak, and Printable

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Recorded December 1, 2005

Getting the Most from Digital Printing

- Sponsored by Enovation

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Recorded November 16, 2005

Not Assigned - Do Not Delete

This is a catch all that catches the past registrants that have not been attached to a webinar ID

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Recorded November 10, 2005

Impact of Print MIS on Profitability

This one-hour event is the second in a three-part series on Print MIS. Part One, entitled Print MIS Basics, can be accessed from the WhatTheyThink Webinar home page or by clicking here. In Part Two of the series, long-time MIS users will share their experiences and insight relative to the role of Print MIS in improved profitability. Speakers include Sam Shaffer, General Manager of Vectra, a marketing services and full-service printing company; and David Bennett, President of Bennett Graphics, one of Georgia’s premier sheetfed printers, a company that prides itself on being smartly run. Topics for The Impact of Print MIS in Improved Profitability will include: Print MIS: A Brief Review Leveraging MIS: For strategic and tactical business management To enhance engagement of employees in delivering profitability The Role of Scheduling in Improved Profitability

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Recorded November 3, 2005

What Print Buyers Want: Thc Changing Dynamics of Print in a Multichannel World

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Recorded December 15, 2004

Dr. Joe Webb's Economic Update for the Printing Industry

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Recorded September 29, 2004

Comparing Activity Based Costing and Budget Hourly Rate Accounting

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Recorded August 11, 2004

INSIDE DRUPA: A look at the Best New Products and Services from Leading Vendors

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Recorded April 28, 2004