Working the Network Bringing in more

jobs through referrals.

This month, Eric Lazar, co-owner of award-winning SpeedPro Chicago Loop, a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business that has been named a “Top Three Sign Shop” in Chicago for five consecutive years now, returns to our pages. We’ve covered a few of his studio’s graphics projects in the past, and he has contributed informative articles as well.

SpeedPro Chicago Loop is a large format digital graphics studio that specializes in corporate décor; brand activations; event signage; exhibits & tradeshow displays; wall, floor, window & ceiling murals; glass finishes; vehicle wraps; posters; banners; and more for a broad client roster (including Live Nation, Samuel Adams, St. Jude, Allstate, and literally hundreds more). Eric’s background is especially diverse—he is a former U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence Analyst as well as a past president of the SpeedPro Imaging National Franchising Advisory Committee.

Eric’s how-to column this month (“Power-packed Print Production,” page 12) lays out how he has arranged essential production equipment into the smallest physical footprint possible. His article details what other small- and medium-sized shops can do to get the most bang for their buck no matter the amount of facility space available.

When discussing this month’s issue with Eric, one thing he told me is that, since his business opened eight years ago, he has yet to make one single cold call looking for work. Nearly all his shop’s business is generated via referrals that come to his shop organically.

Because of this impressive feat, Eric Lazar will also be our special guest for a live Webinar, “The Power of Networking” taking place on Tuesday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

We will be speaking with him about how sign and print shops can improve their sales process and increase their exposure with some of the strategic networking methodologies he has put into place. This Webinar will also showcase some of the unique graphics and experiential projects that Eric’s shop has secured and produced through his networking techniques.

Business development is an important component that helps contribute to the continued success of a sign or graphics shop, and no matter your skills at design, production, and installation, this can be all for naught without regular customers. Failure to do so effectively affects a shop’s profit margins negatively.

Please join us for this conversational Webinar to learn how to improve your networking. Register now via the landing page spotlighted at signshop.com

Note: All events listed below are subject to change. Please check show sites for the most up-todate information.

APRIL 2023

APRIL 12-14:

ISA International Sign Expo 2023, featuring everything you need to be successful in the sign, graphics, print, and visual communications industry, is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pre-conference events take place April 11. (signexpo.org)

MAY 2023

MAY 7-10:

NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson will be the keynote speaker at Dscoop Edge St. Louis World Expo, an event uniting print professionals to learn new strategies, discover new tools and technologies, and network. (dscoop.swoogo.com/stlouis)

MAY 21-25:

LightFair, North America’s largest architectural and commercial lighting tradeshow and conference, will occur at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The organization announced that this show will be transitioning to a biennial schedule after this event. (lightfair.com/new-york-2023)

JULY 2023

JULY 17-19:

Think Ahead 2023, an event for Canon Solutions America production inkjet customers, takes place in Boca Raton, Florida. (www.thinkforum.com)

AUGUST 2023

AUGUST 24-26:

JEFF WOOTEN Editor, jwooten@sbpub.com

2023 SEGD Conference Experience Washington DC promises four inspirational days of interactive workshops, tours, networking opportunities, case studies, and programming from renowned speakers celebrating the evolution and challenges of fifty years of experiential design. (segd.org)