Printers should not sell printing warns Professor Frank Romano
"Printers should not sell printing", said Professor Frank Romano ahead of an Ipex 2010 Great Debate exploring how printers should be selling print. Instead, printers should sell solutions to their customers' promotion and marketing problems. "Print is a commodity because all printers have great quality and great service, so the major differentiator is price. Solutions are a profit opportunity because they emphasise value-added services, like database, creative, and fulfilment."
Running on 18 and 22 May, 'More than ink on paper - how should printers be selling print?' is one of a series of free expert panel debates at Ipex 2010 tackling some of the most critical issues facing the print industry today. Produced by world print authority, Pira International in association with Ipex, The Great Print Debates will bring together experts, thought leaders and high-profile industry representatives from 18-25 May 2010.
Frank Romano, Professor Emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology and Great Debate chairperson is one of the expert panel from across the supply chain. The panel will discuss how printers can make money from services including fulfilment, personalisation and mailing. In addition, the panel will explore the optimum technologies needed to execute these strategies and the changing competitive landscape with digital increasing its market share from conventional printing methods.
The Debates come at a critical time according to Pira consultant and another Great Debate chair, Sean Smyth. "The industry is in an unprecedented period of change. Cash conservation is a short-term tactic, not a strategy to build a successful business. These debates provide an opportunity for industry players to put their heads above the parapet and think about how their businesses, and their careers, might progress satisfactorily under new conditions".
Three other important questions will also be debated: 'What will the printer of the future look like?', 'Will an Ipod for publishing kill printed media?' and 'Green print: is it worth it?'?
The Great Debates take place from 1pm - 2pm in the Printers' Profit Zone. For more information and free registration go to www.ipex.org/greatprintdebates.
?