A friend of mine was talking about how a business person ticked them off the other day. Apparently, he received an e-mail from his associate and it touched a nerve. I got the feeling that he was really stewing about it. In fact, he was contemplating writing a scathing e-mail back but never pulled the trigger.

When my buddy told me about this, I told him of the countless times that I had written pointed replies and then deleted them. Sometimes, it can be a bit cathartic to get it out of your system and write how you’re feeling and then throw it away forever. Some might call it “never burning bridges”. However, I think it speaks to a bigger purpose.

Focusing on the short term issues within our lives or the emotions that come with conflict is not strategic. Just as focusing on short term gains have brought some organizations to their knees, salespeople can get mired down in the “now.” Our vision needs to be bigger and our purpose needs to be broader.

Don’t get me wrong– There are immediate concerns that need to be tended to in any business. Delivering on the day to day service that we promise is critical. We can even do business with clients that don’t have real long term viability as long as it serves our long range plan. Sustainable success, however, is driven by focusing on the bigger picture.

Letting someone get under your nerves is debilitating and a waste of time. Likewise, selling for short term satisfaction is not a winning recipe. Rising above petty things like a silly e-mail or even a lost order is the sign of a bigger purpose and a bigger person. Be bigger.

Warmest regards,

Mark Potter
@markricepotter

Membership will include exclusive discounts & complimentary programs from leading industry vendors

Rochester, NY — February 21, 2012 - PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative, is pleased to announce their newest program to bring value to their membership – PODi Perks. Designed in partnership with top digital printing and relevant direct marketing industry and technology vendors, PODi Perks brings a variety of special pricing, exclusive discounts and complimentary products and services to PODi members. “PODi Perks will make a measurable difference in real dollars to the bottom lines of our member companies – in fact it can easily pay for their membership,” says PODi General Manager Dave Erlandson. “It gives service providers and marketers a unique opportunity to connect with reliable partners, and try new products and services either at no cost or at substantially reduced costs.” PODi Perks is available only to PODi members. Initial Perks include exclusive offers from MindFireInc, Tappinn, SmartSoft Inc. and Caslon & Company.

• MindFireInc: The very special MindFireInc PODi Members Program (total Savings value of $5,495) is designed to insure PODi members achieve success with cross media marketing. Members receive a $1,000 reduction off a new MindFireInc license, plus a business development program guaranteed to generate new business: the Cross Media Marketing Webinar Series (value $3,000). These webinars, featuring Best Practices for cross media, are targeted to your prospects and customers, and have proven to deliver a high percentage of conversions. The program also includes a one and ½ hour Executive Cross Media Marketing Business Planning session (value $1,495) for your management team to identify, develop and present the key getting-started activities for long-term success. You will leave the meeting with critical program documents in hand as well as an understanding of next step activities for success.

• Tappinn: Tappinn is a proven thought leader in the mobile tagging world and is offering PODi members two fantastic offers:
  First, a complimentary 10 page mobile site (Regular price is $50/month – PODi members save $600/year) which includes full functionality of the Tappinn platform for mobile website creation, page building plus QR Code and NFC tag generation, along with a full analytics suite that helps measure total user engagement, and no-cost content hosting. Each subscription comes with the ability to create 10 pages, 10 QR Codes and 10 NFC tags but will track unlimited user engagements, code scans and NFC taps. Includes complete training and phone support.
  Second, 20 licenses for the price of 15. A special PODi-Tappinn Enterprise20 multi-license white label package for $199/month. Users get 20 licenses (company setups), with custom URLs, customizable white label analytics and unlimited campaigns, sites, pages, unique QR Code creation and scans, NFC tags generation and taps. Members also get complete access to all Tappinn functionality for each license.

• PressWise by SmartSoft Inc.: PODi members can choose either a FREE iPad2 OR $500 off setup fees with the purchase of a new PressWise workflow software system by April 30, 2012.

• Caslon & Company : Caslon is offering PODi members no annual fee for the Caslon ENGAGE Content 5-article content center, or $600 off the annual fee of Caslon ENGAGE Basic, Choice or SEO. Caslon ENGAGE products provide easy ways to educate and excite prospects about marketing services. These are highly customizable content marketing toolsets with landing pages, URLs, rotating display ads, and lead-capture download forms. Use them to promote your services and establish thought leadership through websites, email, mail or social media using PODi case studies and Caslon research materials.

“PODi Perks gives participating vendors preferential access to a highly qualified and motivated audience for their products,” adds Mr. Erlandson. “It’s a perfect venue for boosting awareness, launching new products, generating leads, connecting to prospects, and increasing sales. We’re currently working with a number of enthusiastic vendors to build a growing number of exciting and valuable Perks.”

PODi membership is open to marketing and print service providers, printing industry vendors and marketers. In addition to PODi Perks, members access over 500 digital printing case studies, educational webinars, industry research, reports and white papers. Find out more about benefits of membership at www.podi.org/membership

“Old” is the New “New”
By Lorrie Bryan

Nostalgia has become a significant marketing ploy, which makes retro marketing more effective. Packaging and advertising that harkens back to a time when things were simpler and less stressful.

A few years back, I was amused, and perhaps secretly, delighted when the players on my daughter’s highly competitive high school basketball team decided to all don matching Converse All-Star Chuck Taylor canvas high-top basketball shoes. They were just like the ones I had worn 25 years earlier when I played ball in middle school. Only theirs were a lovely shade of aqua to match their uniforms.

The “Chucks,” originally marketed in 1917, faced fierce competition in the 1970s, eventually losing their standing as the shoe of choice on the basketball court. But over the years, they have remained a popular footwear choice and even enjoyed a retro resurgence in recent years. Celebrities. The kid next door. Business professionals. Rock stars. Frat boys. Preteen girls patrolling the malls. People of all ages and demographic groups wear Chucks across the globe.

Today, Chuck Taylors have a solid foothold as an American fashion classic with more than 800 million pairs reportedly sold over the last decade.
And Chucks aren’t the only century-old footwear to make a comeback. When my daughter, a recent college grad, arrived for Christmas Eve dinner, her lovely hip outfit was complemented by a pair of legendary LL Bean Duck Boots – in bright pink, nonetheless.

I had to ask, “So what’s with the Duck Boots? Your dad had a pair of those in college.”

“They are practical, yet simple,” she said. “And they have a rugged look that says I can slosh through the rain, yet a pink color that screams I’m a girl.”

I think I detected a note of sarcasm.

“So, are all the kids wearing them now?” I asked.

“Well, yeah…” she affirmed.

Jack Samson, LL Bean’s senior manager for manufacturing in Brunswick, Maine, says sales of the Duck Shoe, which was first marketed in 1912, have skyrocketed from about 150,000 pairs four years ago to some 400,000 in 2011. This year, demand could reach 500,000. Of that number, I suspect many will never slog through a bog on a hunting trip like they were originally designed for – or even touch a puddle, for that matter. But the retro look continues to grow in popularity among the new generation who view the utilitarian shoe as hip.

So what else old is new again? The VW Beetle. The Polaroid camera. Ray Bans. The Wispa candy bar. These are but a handful of products enjoying a resurgence in popularity these days. Nostalgia has become a significant marketing ploy, which makes retro marketing more effective. Packaging and advertising that harkens back to a time when things were simpler and less stressful. It is triggering an emotional connection across multiple generations. In our perpetually “new and improved” world, “old and familiar” has its appeal to the masses.

A Brand is Hatched
When national retail giant Nordstrom opened a new store in the Nashville area last year, they engaged the services of a local 132-year-old letterpress shop to create a retro-style poster announcing the grand opening. Hatch Show Print® created the posters using century-old type and ornamentals to design and print the posters, collaborating with iconic fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo, who provided the specific imagery. Now part of the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, Hatch Show Print® has been operating in Nashville since 1879, becoming as much a part of the city’s tradition as the music it has promoted for a century on its distinct hand-printed posters.

Our mantra around here is preservation through production. We don’t do digital design like some other letterpress printers. Here, the printer is the designer and the designer is the printer.” – Jim Sherraden, manager, chief designer and archivist, Hatch Show Print®

“This is our third century in existence,” says Jim Sherraden, longtime manager, chief designer and archivist at Hatch. “We are proud of our heritage but don’t rest on it. We celebrate every poster made in the past by making new ones for the future. We do about 600 jobs a year now days and our projects are all over the board – everything from major corporations like CNN and Fossil, to Willie Nelson’s tour poster,”
Sherraden took the helm in 1984, overseeing its transition from a cultural survivor to a brand unto itself. The historic, working print shop is located in a lively area of downtown known as “The District” on Broadway Street. It has become a popular destination for tourists, historians, music poster collectors, artists and letterpress enthusiasts alike.

“It’s important to note that we have never changed our technology,” Sherraden says. “Our mantra around here is preservation through production. We don’t do digital design like some other letterpress printers. Instead, we take advantage of our vast 100-plus-year-old archive, and we are constantly carving new blocks. Here, the printer is the designer and the designer is the printer.”

Here Comes the Bride
Renewed interest in letterpress worldwide was fueled by Martha Stewart Weddings’ magazine, which started using photos of letterpress invitations more than a decade ago. The beauty and texture appealed to brides who began demanding letterpress invitations instead of engraved, thermographed or offset-printed ones.

At the same time, presses were being discarded by commercial print shops, and became affordable and available to artisans throughout the country. The movement has been aided by the emergence of a number of organizations that teach letterpress.

Interestingly, the goal before this revival was to not to leave an impression – to print so that the type contacted the paper enough to transfer the ink without making an indentation (a kiss impression). But today, the goal is to create a distinct impression that identifies the printing as letterpress. In this world of mass-produced and cheaply made stuff, retro graphics, vintage fonts and the heavy touchable papers used in letterpress printing conjure a time when quality and beauty were inherent in our everyday lives. And this process is no longer just a cottage industry.

The Finishing Touch
Henry and Co, a 35-year-old print business in Atlanta, is among the traditional printers enjoying the letterpress printing revival. Jason Henry, who worked with his father from the beginning, and is now owner, says they are definitely seeing an increase in letterpress jobs. “The pendulum is definitely swinging back. We are doing a lot more letterpress these days. People want something with a hand-made quality rather than something that is turned out quickly. More and more customers are opting for high-end work that is produced at a slower rate.”

“The pendulum is definitely swinging back. People want something with a hand-made quality rather than something that is turned out quickly.” – Jason Henry, owner, Henry and Co

Reasons for Resurgence
Why has there been an increased interest in letterpress? Three factors seem to be fueling the popularity.

1. Hand Candy – Although sentimentality is frequently at the heart of retro marketing, Jason Henry says that it’s the tactile qualities of letterpress – not just the sentimental – contributing to the increasing popularity. “Letterpress work seems to be especially appealing to a younger demographic that has grown up looking at computer screens. They want to touch and feel materials these days. With the letterpress, you can run heavy textured stock that is attractive and touchable.”

2. Customized Marketing Collateral – Because of all the available data, marketers are getting away from the shotgun approach of broadcasting large quantities of advertising across a wide public sector. Instead, they are identifying and targeting specific markets using more customized marketing collateral. “They are sending out fewer better printed pieces so they can focus on quality rather than quantity,” Henry says. “People want to receive something that is tactile and attractive with a tailored quality. If you open your mailbox and find 20 beat-up glossy tri-folds with wafer seals and one distinct envelope made with fine paper, which are you going to open? The fine envelope is like a gift – it stops you and holds your attention. You want to feel it and hold it in your hands.”

3. Calling Cards that Make a Statement – In 2009, the self-proclaimed “king of infotainment,” Joel Bauer, released a YouTube video that strongly suggested (in motivational-speaker speak) that people should devote more time and resources to the development of their business cards. This video, “Your Business Card is Crap,” has had more than 1,768,800 hits. “Looks like crap, it is crap,” Bauer proclaims while holding up an average business card – one that creases, tears, and is generic and forgettable. In contrast, Bauer shows off his business card in the video – one he claims costs him $4 a piece and was 25 years in the making.

While the viral video likely didn’t persuade nearly two million viewers to spend $4 on each of their business cards, it may have motivated some to reconsider what they were handing out. “People are spending more on their business cards these days,” Henry says. “In many cases, it is the only printed piece of marketing collateral that they have, so they are investing more in it and are going for a more distinctively custom-made look. They want to ‘wow’ potential clients. So we’re routinely doing business cards now that require seven processes. People will spend the money for quality printing.”
Want to see some examples of business cards that aren’t crap? You can view a gallery of the most creative and unique business cards from all over the world at www.cardonizer.com.

Something to Hold Onto
It is interesting to note that after a few basketball games my daughter and her teammates chucked the cool Chucks and went back to the shoes that gave them better footing on the court. They still wore the Chucks off the court, but on the court, the coolness factor was negated by their low performance value.

In contrast, the coolness factor of letterpress has substance that appeals to a wide demographic, thus giving it significant performance value. For older generations, letterpress harkens back to a whimsical time when life was simpler and there wasn’t so much noise. It is a relic that offers comfort.

And the generations who fall asleep with their laptops in their beds are attracted to letterpress because it offers something solid, permanent and real that they want to hold in their hands –tactile stimulation in their increasingly virtual and transient world.

In his business card video rant, Bauer says that your business card should be so wonderful that people will keep it even if they don’t like you. Perhaps that’s what people are discovering – or rediscovering – about letterpress. It can create something that people want to hold onto.

Betterness

By Umair Haque

CANVAS Magazine consistently has challenged the short-term thinking derived from our big corporation mentality. Culturally, we seem overly focused on immediate results. Coaches get fired, politicians angle to get elected or re-elected, and companies forgo long-term, market-based strategies to make quarterly returns. Our economy is troubled and people deserve, well, “Betterness.”

Bestselling author and thought leader, Umair Haque, is convinced that we’re embarking on a new world. In his new book, “Betterness,” Haque argues that today’s corporation is obsolete and that the relentless focus on the short term is detrimental to communities, nature and future generations.

In addition, he believes business as we know it has reached a state of diminishing returns –though, as we work harder and harder, we never seem to get anywhere. This has led to a diminishing of the common wealth: wage stagnation, widening economic inequality, the depletion of the natural world, and more. To get out of this trap, we must rethink the future of human exchange. In short, we must get out of business and into betterness.

Betterness is a paradigm shift that goes from negative to positive. It’s a new paradigm that challenges companies to focus on reaching their own potential instead of engaging in bitter competition. Betterness is a place where instead of pursuing returns for shareholders, business looks more at investing in personal growth and concentrates on providing the essentials that enrich life – relationships, fulfillment, accomplishment and lasting accomplishment.

Ironically, by focusing on bigger purposes, we’re more likely to achieve all our goals, including the short term ones. CANVAS highly recommends “Betterness.”

Purchase the Book Here

Oce Press Go Webinar, 2/7/2012 – Special Guest, Mark Rice Potter, @markricepotter

I broke my hand a few weeks ago, in a hockey game and haven’t been able to do much with it since.  I won’t go into the details of how I broke it, but let’s just say the plexi-glass is still standing.  As silly as it is that a middle-aged guy like me is playing hockey, the way I have treated my injury is even sillier.

After six days, I decide to cut my cast off with a hacksaw.  You see I was determined to play in my bottom-dwelling recreation league no matter what.  I even thought that my wife might think I was macho because of how tough I was being.  Ironically, the exact opposite occurred.  I think for the first time in sixteen years—she questioned my intelligence.  In fact, I think she thought I was “losing it”.

Regardless of my stupidity, I was not going to be playing hockey any time soon.  In fact, because I chose to disregard the setback and the underlying cause of my pain, I actually delayed my ability to get back on the ice.  Had I simply followed the doctor’s orders and invested the time into healing properly, I would have been skating a lot earlier.

How often do we simply slap a band-aid on our problems and move on?  Many times, we disregard the underlying issues within our business and just keep keeping on. However, just as an untreated injury can weaken the body over time, unaddressed flaws within our business model will ultimately dilute the strongest of organizations.

The cyclicality of the financial markets will not be able to hide your ailments.  Simply making more calls won’t disguise your weaknesses.  In turn, I don’t believe you can win by continuing to do the same things that made you successful in the past.

You must go deeper, take the pain, and heal properly.  You must be diagnosed, treated, and rehabilitated.  The entire world may have something that is causing them pain.  Getting to the core of it is the easy part.  Committing to real healing is quite another.  In other words, you can’t hacksaw your way to long-term success.

Warmest regard,

Mark Potter
@markricepotter

Eric Frank Elected Chairman for 2012-2013 Term

Reston, VA–The Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization (PRIMIR) recently announced the officers and members of its 2012 Executive Committee. Eric Frank, Vice President of Marketing, KBA North America, Inc. was elected as the organization’s chairman. A graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Eric has more than 25 years of printing industry experience and is active in a number of industry associations.

Frances Cicogna, Manager of Product Marketing for Canon U.S.A., Inc., was elected to serve as vice chairperson. Ms. Cicogna has been involved in the industry for about 20 years; previously, she held positions with Mitsubishi Imaging, Inc. and Agfa. Other officers of PRIMIR include William K. “Kip” Smythe, Vice President, Global Programs, NPES, who serves as the group’s president, and Jacqueline M. Bland, Managing Director of PRIMIR, who serves as the secretary of the Executive Committee.

Continuing members of the PRIMIR Executive Committee include: Andrew Gordon, 48HourPrint.com; Ludmila Gushina, Marketing Analyst, Sun Chemical Corporation; Gavin Jordan-Smith, VP, Production Workflow & Solutions LOB, Xerox Corporation; Mary Lee Schneider, President, Digital Solutions & Chief Technology Officer, RR Donnelley; and, Jennifer Young, Director of Marketing Services, Verso Paper Corp.

The PRIMIR Executive Committee, responsible for the oversight of all aspects of the organization, is charged with balancing the needs of all interest areas within the membership of PRIMIR and NPES in the selection of research topics for the coming year.

For more information about PRIMIR, member benefits or upcoming research, contact Jackie Bland, PRIMIR Managing Director at e-mail: jbland@primir.org, or phone: 703/ 264-7200. Visit PRIMIR online at: www.primir.org.

About PRIMIR
PRIMIR, the Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization, is a global source of data, analysis and trend information about print and related communications industries. PRIMIR research is funded by member dues as well as through support from NPES. PRIMIR annually provides over $500,000 in current research studies including relevant market data and detailed information on graphic communications and related fields. Members also benefit from meetings, market research skills building, and robust business networking opportunities.

I don’t watch a lot of TV, except for hockey. I am usually a voracious reader, but I have to admit that I have become addicted to a couple shows that I stream on my iPad. I love Mad Men and its cinematography and I have become enthralled with a show called Breaking Bad. The basic premise of Breaking Bad is that of an unassuming science teacher who becomes stricken with lung cancer. In response, he decides to peddle drugs to finance his family’s future. Although the show is not for everyone, the story line is remarkable and has kept me engaged.

I have watched a ton of episodes and so I am compelled to look for some sort of lesson or analogy within the storyline. However, turning to a life of crime or hurting others doesn’t really seem like the right path for thoughtful business people. The lesson cannot be, “When things get tough, go sell methamphetamines”.

The lesson does not exist within the story. The lesson is the story. Think about the most compelling shows you watch or the most riveting books you have read. What do they all have in common? Most likely, they have held your attention, created emotion, and left you wanting more. In essence, they have entertained. I for one cannot wait until the next episode of Breaking Bad. I want to know what happens next and I want to see how the characters evolve. I gotta have more!

The power of a great story is enormous in this day and age. Regardless of your role within the organization, great marketers need to learn to tell stories about their people, products, and services. We need to develop strong complex characters that people want to know more about. We need to leave them hanging and wanting more. And we have to use twists and turns to keep prospective buyers engaged. We need to entertain.

It may sound a little odd that we should be focusing our efforts on telling stories rather than on promoting our products and services. However, you and I both know that today is different. People are busy and they don’t want to waste a lot of time listening to product pitches. They get it. They know what is available and in some cases the prospects are more informed than the sales people calling on them. They get the left-brain stuff that products and services represent. They want the right side of their brain stimulated. They want to think differently and they want to be entertained.

What’s your story and who wants to hear it? More importantly, do they want more?

All the best,

Mark Potter
@markricepotter

I am kind of a “gut feel” guy. Now, I have come to realize that my gut is not always right. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t. Most often, my gut is pretty accurate when it comes to people. You just get a sense about people and whether there is chemistry between you or not.

A few years ago, I did business with a guy that I knew in my heart was not trustworthy. I couldn’t tell you exactly what tipped me off, but I just didn’t trust him. Despite this inkling, I still chose to do business with him. It was a short-term gig and that was it.

Some people may think that business does not discriminate. They would argue that good salespeople do business with anyone they possibly can and that they are the ones that need to adjust their personality to fit the situation. I somewhat disagree.

While I believe you can and should engage with a variety of personalities, I also think you should put some relationships in the right context. In other words, doing business with someone that you don’t gel with is ok– as long as you know it is not a long-term sustainable relationship. If your gut tells you that this person is not really trustworthy or doesn’t really value your services beyond price or delivery, then you need to put it in its proper perspective. When you define a relationship as nothing more than short-term, there is a lot less pain when the relationship ends. It allows you to focus on the connections that truly matter.

We are now in an age where people define themselves by the company they keep. We have choices and most of us are starting to choose selectively. Therefore, if you are not sincerely connected with people, then the relationships are fleeting and it is only a matter of time until they disappear.

I have talked a lot about defining yourself by the markets you serve. However, it goes the other way too. You can’t fake it. In order for you to be better at your job, be a more diligent employee, and be happier in general– you need to do business with people that you like and people who believe in you. Relationships like these go deeper. They create passion and energy. They are sustainable.

You can and should have some relationships that go against your gut. They are short-term, “keep-the-lights-on” type of relationships. Your business and your happiness, however, will be the result of building relationships with people who think and feel the same way as you. Trust me on this.

Warmest Regards,

Mark Potter
@markricepotter

My father had some of the most amazing sayings, many of which I still use today. Mostly, I use them in jest, but there were some amazing lessons that came from his funny quips. For example, if my dad asked me something simple like “Whose turn is it to put the garbage out?” I might respond with one of those endearing teenager mumbles like “I don’t know,” knowing full well it was my turn. He would look at me quizzically and respond, “Well, who should I ask to find out?” Priceless stuff.

Fast forward 25 years and I have decided that both my kids think their mommy and daddy are just about the dumbest people on earth. Let me explain. After asking, “Whose candy wrapper is on the floor,” for the third time, they look at me with great affection in their eyes and give me “I don’t know”. That is when I hit them with “Who should I ask to find out?”

Remember the old adage that says, “There are no stupid questions?” Well, there are stupid questions my friends. Like, when a father asks a 7 year old whose wrapper is on the floor, when she is the only one in the room. Why daddy asks is beyond me. He should just tell her to pick it up!

My real concern isn’t so much about the wrappers on my living room floor. My real fear is that there may be too many people who “don’t know” these days. They don’t want the responsibility and they probably don’t care. I know I have come across my fair share of people who wanted all the comfort that comes with a paycheck, but didn’t want the responsibility and the accountability that comes along with it. Would a little initiative be too much to ask?

Whether you run your own gig or work for someone else– when you are being asked to deliver, then you must deliver. The world doesn’t need people that blame others, make excuses, or lack initiative and industry. We have plenty of those already. What we need is someone who picks up the wrapper in the first place!

Recently, I heard someone shrug off the notion that our national culture is one of blame and exoneration. If that is the case, then there is great opportunity for people who want to be accountable for their lives. So, pick up that wrapper!

Warmest Regards,

Mark Potter
@markricepotter