Editor in Chief
Peter L. Colaianni, CAE
Vice President,
Publications & New Media
Brad Holt
Managing Editor
Darin Painter
Assistant
Editors
Kara S. Carpenter
Rita Tiefert
Circulation
Manager
Diane Saunders
Art Director/Production
Manager
Roxanne Rash
Contributing
Editors
Mark J. Trumper
J. Buster Weinzierl, CDC
Publications
Committee
Gary W. Nelson, Chairperson
Allen Conway
Ric Fisher
Ginger Garrett
Dennis King
Kevin Lombardo
Marvin A. Makofsky, CFC
Markus Marfurt
Dominic Mencarini
Donald D. Patteson, Jr.
Nick Nesci, CFC
Jeffrey P. Townsend, CFC
Mark Trumper
Advertising
Sales
Jack Burris
The Townsend Group Inc.
4920 Elm St., Ste. 325
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 215-6710
Fax: (301) 215-7704
Print Solutions
Online
Print Solutions, the only industry magazine to win awards for writing
and design excellence, is available online at www.printsolutionsmag.com. The site includes daily news, a comprehensive archive
of Print Solutions articles, a
complete media kit, links to industry companies and other features not included
in the magazine.
Print Solutions is the official publication of the Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA), the Association for Business Printing
Independents. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Please address all
submissions to: The Editor, Print
Solutions Magazine, 433 E. Monroe
Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301-1693. Phone (703) 836-6232, fax (703) 549-4966. You
can reach us via email at editors@printsolutionsmag.com Visit our World Wide Web site at www.printsolutionsmag.com.
Volume 40, Number 11, November 2002.
Print Solutions (USPS 205-400, ISSN 1535-9727) is published monthly by
DMIA, 433 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301-1693, (703)
836-6232.
Subscriptions: $29/year for DMIA
members included in dues, $49 for non-members (plus postage for Canada and
foreign). Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA, and additional mailing
offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Print Solutions, 433 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301-1693.
Statements of fact and opinion are
the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply approval on the part of
the Publications Committee, Officers or Membership of DMIA.
Copyright 2002 by DMIA. Articles
may not be reprinted without
publisher's permission.
Printed in the
USA.
Preventing Common Business Problems
No matter what products and services they specialize in--commercial printing, labels, forms management--printing distributors tend to include a key word when asked about what they offer: solutions.
And for good reason. Distributors with selling savvy and the flexibility to select from high-quality manufacturers win accounts by providing new solutions. They analyze how end users buy, use and store documents, then suggest creative possibilities--ones that enable customers to increase productivity and reduce intake of headache medication. Printing pros gain business every day in exactly this fashion, and manufacturers play a key role in making those new solutions possible. If industry companies are adept at one thing in particular, it's solving problems for clients.
Ask distributors and manufacturers to name the business areas in which they're weakest, and few will mention customer service. Many, however, will begin speaking about dilemmas within their own walls--their marketing strategies, their implementation of technology, their ability to control costs. Solving clients' problems is old hat for most printing pros; preventing problems within their own firms can be more hairy.
In "Preventing 6 Common Business Problems," our cover story beginning on page 42, six small-business experts help distributors and manufacturers overcome common problems relating to marketing, technology, sales and management. If you're looking for new ways to tackle topics such as creative marketing techniques, sales force motivation, internet security and innovation, we hope you gain an idea or two (or 10) from the story.
Several other pieces in this issue feature distributors who succeed by solving client problems. The monthly End User Speaks department, beginning on page 24, highlights a distributor whose proprietary e-commerce system helped the largest credit union in Maryland streamline its ordering process. "A Bankable Niche," the feature article beginning on page 58, shows how distributors can thrive in the financial market by offering diverse products and services. "Direct Mail Projects That Drive Business," the feature article beginning on page 73, highlights applications from direct mail distributors with creative know-how.
Feel free to call us any time at (800) 336-4641 with insight or comments, or email us at editors@printsolutionsmag.com. We appreciate feedback of all kinds, and always aim to help your business grow.
Darin Painter
Managing Editor
Designer Wins Prestigious Award
Roxanne Rash, Print Solutions' art director and production manager, won an Ozzie award in the Best Cover category for the magazine's September 2002 lenticular cover that introduced the change from FORM to Print Solutions. Ozzie awards are sponsored by Folio: magazine, the leading publication for the magazine industry. Award categories in the "association/non-profit" division aren't scaled according to budget size or circulation; other winners for the Best Cover category in the same division include designers for the NAACP and MIT.
The award is Rash's 29th in her 10 years with the magazine. Print Solutions has amassed 75 awards for writing, design and online excellence in 13 consecutive years, including a record nine this year.
