Canvas Magazine | A Dime A Dozen | August 2016 by Conduit, Inc.

IN THIS ISSUE

Mapping out your exit strategy EMPOWERING MARKETING SERVICE PROVIDERS

Printâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in Omni-channel marketing Why you should never underestimate your competition

AUGUST 2016

A DIME A DOZEN

Avoiding the commoditization of your brand

BEYOND ACCLAIM

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AUGUST VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 8 • PRINT EDITION

CANVAS P1

Inside this issue| Publisher’s Note

BOILERPLATE

ALSO INSIDE

24 16 30 36 CREATIVE CORNER

Creative thought leader Terry Marks on harnessing the power of design

BOILERPLATE

Publisher’s Note: Waning interest

STAT PACK

CANVAS AUGUST 2016

EXIT STRATEGY

Why you must have the next steps in your lifecycle mapped out

CORNER OFFICE

Never underestimate your competition

Seven steps to help you craft a plan for the future

Book rec: Value Proposition Design

STORM WARNING

How to plan the ideal follow-up to that whirlwind sales call

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

12 13

Industry news & more! Industry announcements

MSP

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Inside this issue| Publisher’s Note

BOILERPLATE

WANING INTEREST

I have known plenty of job jumpers in my life. You know the ones. They take a job, show some enthusiasm, and then leave for greener pastures. Certainly, the days of 30year gigs and retiring with the gold watch have dissipated, but that’s not just a product of the times. We may have reached a point where if the job doesn’t provide momentto-moment enrichment, the effort declines and eyes wander. Interest seems to wane due to expectations. Just like an investment in marketing, people want their jobs to provide both tremendous wealth and soul enrichment. When it doesn’t occur quickly, they muddle through while keeping a lookout for something better. I suppose a lot of people think that love should be sudden and swift.

Passion for your work is part discovery, part development, and a lifetime of deepening. I don’t think it can be said enough that there is no such thing as love at first sight. Love needs to be cultivated. It needs time to go through ups and downs. It means listening when you would rather talk. Cleaning out the garage when you would rather watch football. Making sacrifices for the overall relationship. We should not expect constant euphoria from anything in our lives. In fact, much of the time, it is quite the opposite. But in the end, that’s what makes us fall in love. When we push through challenges, we become stronger and more confident. Over time, that commitment makes us respect our role and allows us the moments of bliss we covet. Overcoming the mundane and the painful creates love. In our fantastic cover story, “A Dime a Dozen,” we show how we must overcome the incredible pull to commoditize our business. And our second feature, “Exit Strategy,” is a mustread. You may think it sounds like an article on how to get out of the business, but it has more to do with venturing into a new lifecycle. Passion for your work is part discovery, part development, and a lifetime of deepening. I’d love to invite you to our thinkMSP 2016 Summit, where we promise to help you discover new ways to sell, develop your skills and deepen your love for your business. Go to thinkMSP2016.com and register today. Warmest regards,

Mark Potter, Publisher @MarkRicePotter P4

CANVAS AUGUST 2016

CONTRIBUTORS

Linda Bishop, President, Thought Transformation @Linda_Bishop Greg Coticchia Executive in Residence University of Pittsburgh @GregCott Eric P. Bloom Founder & President Manager Mechanics LLC @EricPBloom Terry Marks Principal & Creative Director, tmarks @tdaddy61

GET IN TOUCH WITH US @THECANVASMAG

2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400 Duluth, GA 30097 WWW.THECANVASMAG.COM

THE CANVAS TEAM MANAGING EDITOR michael j. pallerino CREATIVE DIRECTOR brandon clark SALES/MARKETING mark potter

EDITORIAL BOARD lisa arsenault McArdle Solutions gina danner NextPage tom moe Daily Printing dean petrulakis Rider Dickerson david bennett Bennett Graphics

PUBLISHED BY CANVAS, Volume 10, Issue 8. copyright 2016 CANVAS, All rights reserved. CANVAS is published bi-monthly for $39.00 per year by Conduit, Inc., 2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400, Duluth, GA 30097 Periodicals postage pending at Duluth, GA and additional mailings offices. Periodical Publication 25493. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CANVAS, 2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400, Duluth, GA 30097. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors. CANVAS magazine is dedicated to environmentally and socially responsible operations. We are proud to print this magazine on Opus® Dull Cover 80lb/216gsm and Opus Dull Text 80lb/118gsm, an industry-leading, environmentally responsible paper. Opus contains 10% post consumer waste and SFI and FSC chain of custody certification.

STAT PACK

WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE Survey shows where marketers are spending on technology

Today’s B2B marketers know they need technology to carry out their marketing missions. So, where are they investing their dollars? According to Kapost’s “B2B Customer Experience Benchmark Report 2016” report, while a CRM, marketing automation and CMS are widely used across the board, top performers are increasingly adding a marketing content platform into their arsenals to integrate tools, content, channels and data into one place. Here’s a look at where the report, which surveyed 316 B2B and B2C marketers across the country, says marketers are investing their technology dollars:

CRM 71% MARKETING

AUTOMATION

63% CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

57% MARKETING CONTENT PLATFORM

34%

43%

67 The percent of brands that say increasing revenue is at the top of their priority lists moving forward, according to Regalix’s “State of B2B Content Marketing 2016” report. The report, which surveyed B2B marketing professionals from companies across a range of product categories, shows that sales-related measures are major areas of emphasis. For example, 61 percent are striving to increase sales, 61 percent want to bolster the number of leads generated, while 56 percent want to improve on the scope of customers acquired, the study found.

CANVAS AUGUST 2016

More than ever, marketers need the right tools that will enable them to send highly targeted, dynamic messages to their audiences. If you aren’t moving in that direction, it will be increasingly difficult to create relevant and impactful marketing.” – Stephanie Solomon, VP, consumer marketing and revenue at Time, on how marketers can succeed today

WORD POWER

Survey shows content marketing’s increasingly vital role Marketers are spending more on content marketing than ever before – period. According to Regalix’s “State of B2B Content Marketing 2016” report, 57 percent of marketers will spend between 11 percent and 25 percent of their overall budgets on content marketing. The report, which surveyed B2B marketing professionals from companies across a range of product categories, also identified marketers’ top three objectives for content marketing initiatives:

87%

Lead generation

76%

Creating awareness

69%

Nurturing prospects and influencing purchases

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite the understanding that the desire to create customer-centric experiences is driving marketing, brands still are struggling to achieve true customer experience success. In fact, 73 percent of marketers say customer centricity was critical to the success of the business, according to the “Content Customer Journey Maps and Buyer Personas: The Modern Tool Kit for Marketing” study by IBM Marketing Cloud and CMO Council. Interestingly, 41 percent say that their lack of customer-centric experiences had negatively impacted the bottom line, the study says.

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CORNER OFFICE

Perspective | Leadership | Insights BY GREG COTICCHIA

Never underestimate your competition s the Presidential election continues to dominate national – and global – headlines, there are many observations to make. Mine is about competition. The election pundits all believed the race would be between two traditional candidates, both of whom had well-known names and brands. But as the race settled in, the two “favorites” committed what an old boss of mine used to refer to as “drinking your own bath water,” or more appropriately referred to as, “believing your own press.” Unfortunately, everyone in the system forgot to ask an important part of the process: the voter. Similar to not asking your customers or your prospects what they think, this can be a very dangerous proposition. Companies of all sizes commit this same “business crime.” They ignore their competition every day, whether they think they are too small, their technology doesn’t work or their people aren’t good enough. The history of business is littered with examples of David vs. Goliath – scenarios that oftentimes come down to just plain arrogance. One of my favorite examples is Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC). At its peak in the late 1980s, Digital had $14 billion in sales and ranked among the most profitable companies in the United States. With its strong staff of engineers, Digital was expected to usher in the age of personal computers. Unfortunately, its autocratic and trend-resistant founder, Ken Olsen, was openly skeptical of the desktop machines. He once said that “the personal computer will fall flat on its face in business.” He regarded them as “toys used for playing video games.” Olsen also is credited with saying, “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.” His cockeyed prediction obviously fell way short of reality. More specific than a change in the competitive landscape, there are potent individual competitions – the election, for example – that create a clear differentiation with their value propositions. These competitions clearly articulate what they will provide and the benefits to their customers. Think search engines. Did you do a Google search today? Prior to 1998, you may have used one of the following: OpenText, Magellan, InfoSeek, Lycos, WebCrawler, Excite, HotBot, AskJeeves, AltaVista, etc. When Google released its search engine in 1998, its search results were significantly better than any of its competitors. Many people attribute Google’s success to this breakthrough technology. But there was another key reason: a stubborn refusal to accept the orthodox view at the time that “stickiness” was crucial to a website’s success. Turns out that wasn’t true. What was true and contrarian was to believe it made business sense to get users off their sites as quickly as possible. And, you could still make money, lots of it as things played out. Competition should be taken seriously. Don’t dismiss someone or some company because they are “too small” or have a “crazy idea.” In the time it takes to say these things, these competitors may just be beating you and taking your customers.

Competition should be taken seriously. Don’t dismiss someone or some company because they are “too small” or have a “crazy idea.”

More importantly, they may have something you can learn from and use. There is no shame in leveraging someone else’s good ideas. You may remember that Apple, being a terrific “fast follower,” was not the first in the MP3 player market. And the pundits? Analysts offered mixed reactions to the iPod: • “It’s another incentive to convince people to buy a Mac.” • “I question the company’s ability to sell into a tight consumer market right now.” • “Clearly Apple is following Sony’s lead by integrating consumer electronics devices into its marketing strategy, but Apple lacks the richness of Sony’s product offering.” • “The iPod has good features, but this is a pretty competitive category. The question is whether people want that robust of a feature set with that high of a price.” You would not have bet on Apple’s success with the iPod. The company also was in poor financial shape and relegated to niche markets with the Mac. But they did succeed, because unlike the Apple we know today, their competitors and the analysts counted them out. Do yourself a favor and watch a college football game. Sure, there are upsets every week. But are they really upsets? The teams that unexpectedly lose regularly dole out excuses like, “We didn’t prepare correctly” or, “We were looking ahead at a big showdown in our schedule.” But the truth is that sometimes David beats Goliath. I don’t know who will win the U.S. election. But what I do know is that the “favorites” didn’t take every competitor seriously. Do yourself a favor. Take everybody seriously. Yes, it’s difficult. Yes, you would like to prioritize to better focus. But not taking everybody seriously is a mistake that could have lasting implications on you and your brand. Greg Coticchia is an award-winning technology executive with more than 25 years experience in high-tech products and services. As CEO and co-founder of eBillingHub, he grew the company from inception to establish it in a leading market position that led to its sale to Thomson Reuters. Today, he teaches businessto-business marketing and entrepreneurial leadership at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business.

CANVAS AUGUST 2016

CORNER OFFICE

Perspective | Leadership | Insights BY ERIC BLOOM

Seven steps to help you craft a plan for the future e’re all about building future growth. The key is to have the right tools. Creating an ongoing, organization-wide productivity improvement program requires the right company culture, a continuous improvement mindset, innovative thinkers and the active support of management. But there is more. To be successful, you also must have a defined set of processes, the ability to measure and communicate your results and a clear understanding of how each productivity enhancement provides value. These processes are established on each of the seven steps of the Productivity Pyramid. To effectively work, productivity improvement activities cannot be randomly performed. They must be organizationally grounded, systematically implemented and administratively supported. They must align with your corporate goals and culture, and be implemented with formal plans based on anticipated results. And you must be able to repeat them. In addition to describing the steppingstones toward the creation of a successful productivity program, the Productivity Pyramid also can assess your organization’s current productivity maturity. Following are the seven steps that can help you craft a plan for the future:

Step 1: Goal Alignment

The alignment of individual, project, department and corporate goals is a mainstay of the strategic planning process. This also is true for your productivity goals. As a result, as you define your productivity related activities, you must also prioritize them based on the answers to these two questions: 1. Does this productivity project free up corporate resources that can be redeployed to achieve current corporate objectives? 2. Will the productivity project, by its nature, assist in the potential success, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness of any currently funded corporate projects? If you answered one or more “yes,” your proposed productivity project is a candidate for funding. Therefore, like all potentially funded projects, it should be prioritized based on its short-term and long-term ROI.

Step 2: Holistic Mindset

Organizational productivity must be looked at holistically. Too often, individuals and organizations attempt to enhance their productivity through the improvement of one or two key business activities. It could be improved delegation practices, time management training, and the implementation of email-oriented best practices or other key internal processes. Improvements in each of these areas individually have the potential to provide substantial productivity gains. But by their nature, productivity improvements in one area can cause productivity losses in others. For example, an effort to reduce meetings may have the adverse effect of increasing emails. Reducing the number of people copied on emails may cause process inefficiencies. Improved time management prioritization techniques may help facilitate individual productivity improvements, but if team member priorities are not properly synchronized, project deadlines can be missed.

Step 3: Supportive Culture

As people have personalities, organizations have cultures. Some people are open to change, while others are not. Some embrace change as a catalyst for future growth and profitability, and some don’t. Increasing productivity requires change. If your organization views change as an important business attribute, ongoing productivity improvement can be the status quo. If it is set in its ways, refuses to streamline its processes and shuns innovation, your productivity initiatives are unlikely to gain traction.

Step 4: Amplification

Amplification is the implementation of eight specific productivity amplifiers. Amplification refers to projects that have the specific goal of enhancing organizational effectiveness. They include: Interactive Productivity (creative delegation, innovative meeting management, communication efficiency); Personal/Managerial Productivity (time management, capability-based task prioritization) and Organizational Productivity (ongoing process improvement, asset reuse, knowledge storage and transfer). P10 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

Step 5: Measurement

Productivity projects not only should be measured on the amount of time, money and resources they save, but also the organizational benefits they generate. This step in the Productivity Pyramid defines the “opportunity cost” that would not have been possible without productivity gains. This realized opportunity cost is the true benefit of enhanced productivity.

Step 6: Productivity-Driven Reinvestment

This is an extension and application of the productivity measurement process. Simply put: It forces organizational efficiency by requiring future projects to be funded, at least partially, through the savings of current productivity projects. This concept can be implemented in three ways. First, if you require a portion of all projects to be funded by productivity savings, you drive efficiency into existing processes, while still providing needed funding for new initiatives. In effect, this forces you to continue to search for organizational efficiencies within your existing operations, and not just incrementally chase funding for the next hot project. Second, it can be used to fund projects that are proposed after departmental budgets have been finalized. This gives you a way to self-fund newly arising department activities. Lastly, if your organization must keep spending flat, this technique can be used to fund new projects without increasing your overall budget.

Step 7: Reiterative

As organizations mature, one of the key factors that drive their scale and profitability is their ability to efficiently and flawlessly perform the same task repeatedly. Regarding productivity enhancement, while each project may take on different forms (time management, email reduction, etc.), the overall process by which they are planned, approved, delivered and measured should be as consistent. Eric P. Bloom is founder and president of Manager Mechanics LLC, a nationally recognized speaker and author of “Productivity Driven Success: Hidden Secrets of Organizational Efficiency.” He also is a nationally syndicated columnist, certified executive coach and an adjunct research advisor for IDC.

Perspective | Technology | Insights

DID YOU KNOW?

High-performing marketing teams are 8.8 times more likely than underperformers to strongly agree that they have adopted a customer-journey strategy as part of their overall business strategy. According to Salesforce’s “2016 State of Marketing Report,” among high-performing teams, 88 percent say a customer-journey strategy is critical to the success of their overall marketing. The report also shows that 72 percent plan to increase spending on marketing tools and technology in the next two years. The report reflected responses from 3,975 full-time marketing leaders in the United States and around the world. The survey encompassed marketers in B2C (26 percent), B2B (29 percent) and B2B2C roles (45 percent).

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? Other

Lack of C-Suite buy-in

ROI 47%

14%

Lack of dept. alignment

15%

Value Proposition Design: By Alexander Osterwalder

While 45 percent of marketers place customer experience as their No. 1 business priority, 47 percent are struggling to prove its ROI. According to the “Who Owns the Customer Journey” study by Squiz and B2B Marketing, this is far and away the biggest challenge when trying to acquire budget. The report surveyed over 150 B2B marketers. Here’s a look at the biggest obstacles in their way:

Skills gaps within teams

BOOK REC

How to Create Products and Services Customers Want

Survey shows finding CX ROI still a challenge

No challenges

CORNER OFFICE

In the sequel to his global bestseller, Business Model Generation, Alexander Osterwalder takes on the core challenge every business faces — how to create compelling products and services customers want to buy. In Value Proposition Design, which is paired with an online companion, Osterwalder and his writing partners, Yves Pigneur, Gregory Bernarda and Alan Smith, teach you the processes and tools you need to succeed. Using the same visual format as the first book, Value Proposition Design explains how to use the “Value Proposition Canvas” as a practical tool to design, test, create, and manage products and services customers actually want. If you have ever been frustrated by business meetings based on endless conversations, hunches and intuitions, expensive new product launches that blew up or disappointed by the failure of a good idea, this is the book for you. See how to understand the patterns of great value propositions, get closer to customers and avoid wasting time with ideas that won’t work. Osterwalder and company show you the simple, but comprehensive process of designing and testing value propositions, taking the guesswork out of creating products and services that perfectly match customers’ needs and desires. In an age where time is of the essence, the Value Proposition Design gives you proven value propositions that sell, embedded in profitable business models.

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BEHIND THE CURTAIN

Partnerships

Industry news & more

Awards & Recognition

In a move to bolster its service offerings, Rider Dickerson has merged with Kelmscott Communications, Aurora, Ill., and Buhl Press, Berkeley, Ill., to form a new organization called Fuse. The new organization will serve as a leader in innovative printing and marketing services in the Chicagoland area by providing a full suite of capabilities to its clients. Services include expanded online and e-solutions, digital grand format, and UV printing and printing on plastics. The companies will integrate their operations into the Buhl location. Rider plans to move into the Buhl building later this year, following the buildout and renovations, while Kelmscott will round out the integration in early 2017. Company executives don’t anticipate any downtime during the transition.

Ana C. Tavares, VP of finance and accounting, Canon U.S.A. Inc., was named this year’s recipient of the Institute of Management Accountants’ (IMA) Long Island chapter’s “Milton Zipper Financial Executive of the Year” award. This honor is awarded to individuals on Long Island who have made outstanding achievements in the field of finance and have dedicated themselves to supporting the Long Island business community. Tavares, who serves as Canon’s corporate controller for the Americas, is based out of Canon U.S.A.’s headquarters in Melville, N.Y. The “Milton Zipper Financial Executive of the Year” award has been presented annually since 1989 by the Long Island chapter of the IMA.

Around the Industry

Roland DGA’s VersaUV® LEJ-640FT UV flatbed printer has been recognized by ISA as one of the sign and graphics industry’s most innovative products for 2016. The LEJ-640FT was one of just six products selected as standouts in the “ISA Sign Expo 2016 InCanon Solutions America Inc. (CSA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A. Inc., is partnering with the D&K Group – a global manufacturer of leading-edge adhesive and coating technologies and print finishing equipment. The vertically integrated manufacturer specializes in a wide assortment of laminating films, adhesives, coated products and equipment designed to work with today’s print engines.

novation Awards” competition, and the only wide-format printer among this year’s winners. The VersaUV LEJ-640FT is designed to print vibrant, detailed graphics on virtually any substrate, including three-dimensional objects up to 6 inches thick and weighing up to 220 pounds. In addition to printing CMYK, the LEJ-640FT also can print white and clear inks to create unique layering, embossing and textural effects.

Thanks to the collaboration, CSA’s Large Format division will expand its portfolio offerings to include turnkey solutions for printing and laminating applications. By combining D&K premium

Personnel Moves

laminators and laminating films with an Océ ColorWave printer or Océ Arizona series printer, users can experience a heightened range of application possibilities such as flexible displays, floor graphics, wall graphics, counter top graphics, and more. Additionally, CSA’s Professional Services team can help customers implement a total end-to-end solution with advanced consult-

Pat McGrew has joined InfoTrends as its director of the Production

ing, workflow analysis and implementation services. As part of

Workflow Solutions (PWS) advisory service. McGrew will be respon-

the collaboration, Canon Solutions America’s Large Format divi-

sible for forecasting, market analysis, research and custom consult-

sion is offering D&K wide format laminators with 42-inch, 62-inch

ing related to production workflow software and solution trends

and 65-inch widths, across two model families: one (EXP42+ and

within the printing, packaging and publishing industries. McGrew,

EXP62+) designed for multi-purpose laminating thermal, PSA

who had been a consultant with InfoTrends from 1998-2003, previ-

and mounting, and a second (EXP65+) designed for heavy duty

ously served as the Customer Engagement Evangelist for Hewlett-

and commercial lamination up to 65-inch working width – as well

Packard’s PageWide Web Press group.

as a wide offering of films and adhesives designed specifically for these models to ensure end-to-end high quality output. P12 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

Industry announcements

Joining forces

Fujifilm, Heidelberg launch first B1 digital inkjet press During drupa 2016, Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division, and Heidelberg Druckmaschinen AG extended their partnership to further advance the growth of the digital printing market with the launch of Heidelberg’s Primefire 106, powered by Fujifilm Inkjet Technology. The new generation B1 digital inkjet press, the first commercial offering resulting from this collaboration, will address demand for higher flexibility and productivity options within the packaging market. The new print engine design will incorporate FUJIFILM Dimatix Samba state-of-the-art MEMS printhead technology, while Fujifilm’s water-based pigment ink with Rapic technology for high-definition imaging will meet food packaging safety regulations. Fujifilm’s inkjet technology will work together with Heidelberg’s developments in press manufacturing and system integration capabilities to achieve quality output comparable to offset with superior consistency and reliability. In late 2013, Fujifilm and Heidelberg joined forces to develop a new industrial digital inkjet press. Today, they will market and sell the new solution to their key customers. Commercialization for the new platform is anticipated in 2017.

Raising the game

PIA recognizing print professionials using lean manufacturing processes If your company successfully practices in the art of lean manufacturing, the Printing Industries of America (PIA) wants you. PIA’s new “Improvement Professional in Print (IPP)” certification program is helping validate the expertise of printing industry professionals who help companies achieve operational excellence using lean manufacturing and other process improvement practices. The certification will recognize professionals applying these improvement techniques within their organization to address the challenges of the ever-evolving print industry. Individuals must have at least two years of experience in a printing services company and be able to cite at least one specific example of an improvement program they implemented. IPP certification involves completing the certification exam with an 80 percent or better score. The exam, developed by top industry experts in the areas of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, includes 100 multiple-choice questions delivered online through the IPP website. To help prepare for the examination, PIA is offering seven self-paced online classes by industry experts John Compton, Dr. Malcolm Keif and Dr. Kevin Cooper. The course includes three books, “Lean Printing: Pathway to Success,” “Lean Printing: Cultural Imperatives for Success,” and “Setup Reduction for Printers.” For more information, visit www.printing.org/IPP.

WHAT’S GOING ON? LET US KNOW! GET YOUR NEWS HERE.

People news. New products. Trends shaping the way our industry does business. If you have a news item, CANVAS wants to hear about it. All you have to do is email us the information and a photograph, and we’ll do the rest. Send your information to michael@thecanvasmag.com. CANVAS P13

MSP PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

Download the MSP Resource Guide app Products and resources just a tap away

INKJET PRINTING

All systems go Why the Uvistar Hybrid 320 from Fujifilm is the ultimate in versatility “The machine is a tank. The stability is fantastic and the output is amazing. It’s a great machine.” – Max Ortiz, Digital Supervisor for GFX If your customers expect exceptional quality and fast turnaround, the Uvistar Hybrid 320 is the machine for you. The 3.2 meter, combination flatbed and roll printer is capable of producing high quality output at speeds of up to 2,100 square feet per hour. Utilizing FUJIFILM Dimatix Q-Class printheads and Fujifilm Uvijet inks, the Uvistar Hybrid 320 prints full grayscale output of exceptional quality and delivers a wide gamut of vibrant colors. The press is available in an eight channel configuration delivering CMYK, Lc, Lm, Lk and Orange inks. A nine channel configuration is available that adds White ink. “The 320 brings diversity to GFX, which is something we really needed,” says Max Ortiz, digital supervisor for GFX, a visual communications firm in

Grayslake, Ill. “The machine is a tank. The stability is fantastic and the output is amazing. It’s a great machine.” Along with the Versa-Drop technology of the FUJIFILM Dimatix Q-Class printheads, the Uvistar Hybrid 320 features patented tri-lobal belt and three-zone (with six pumps) intelligent vacuum system, which delivers best-in-class media handling and ensures that all types of substrates track accurately in roll or flatbed mode. Additionally, a dancer bar with spreaders keeps even the most difficult roll media from wrinkling before it enters the print area. Rear pinch rollers engage as rigid material transitions from the print area on to the exit tables. As an added touch, the continuous board capability increases productivity when feeding multiple sheets of the

Inside the Uvistar Hybrid 320

Here’s a snapshot of why you should add the Uvistar Hybrid 320 to your portfolio: • Produce high quality, sellable output at speeds up to 2,100 ft2 per hour • Grayscale VersaDrop™ technology delivered by FUJIFILM Dimatix Q-Class printheads • Patented and innovative technologies deliver best-in-class material handling • Uvijet US ink provides a wide gamut of vibrant colors and excellent adhesion to a broad range of substrates

same stock during production. This offers the time savings between sheets as the print carriage continues moving. No time is lost due to the carriage returning to its “park” position, requiring the job to be started again. “Every job is twice as fast,” Ortiz says. “We are using at least 20 different stocks and can run any substrate through this machine with no issues.”

>> To learn more about the Uvistar Hybrid 320, visit www.inkjetinsights.com or email us at contactgraphics@fujifilm.com.

PACKAGING

Say it loud Why GPA’s packaging board collection makes a bold statement Packaging is the face of a brand at the retail level, and studies suggest that up to one third of consumer purchasing decisions are based on packaging.* Since consumers take only a few precious seconds to make their selection in store, the right box or carton is essential to make a strong first impression. With GPA’s collection of packaging boards, you have the power to help your customers make a bold statement at a glance. What do you look for in a packaging board: performance, value, versatility or environmental sustainability? GPA’s Ultra Digital® and Ultra Print™ 100% Recycled Brown Kraft Board and Clay Coated KraftBak C1S Board boast all of these benefits and more.

P14 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

With these boards, you can create applications that get noticed while conserving natural resources. Their post-press versatility lets you cut, score, glue, emboss, deboss, and die cut to your heart’s content, allowing the widest range of creative finishing techniques for truly customized results. With GPA’s packaging boards, you can create appetizing cereal boxes and frozen food packages with the confidence that they comply with FDA standards for food contact. They are widely used for cosmetic packaging, candle boxes, and containers for vitamins, hardware, electronics, automotive parts, and other common consumer goods. You also can use these boards to add a distinct look to hang tags,

business cards, signage, menus, folders and other in-demand applications. For packaging that’s as practical as it is effective, rely on GPA’s collection of packaging boards to make a statement that can make the sale. * Statistic from The Paper Worker infographic: http://ow.ly/YKKEL

At the 2016 SGIA Expo in Las Vegas, graphics producers will gather to experience the newest equipment for rigid substrates, textiles, containers and electronics, including: flatbeds, roll-to-rolls, hybrids, single-pass, dye sublimation and much more from the industry’s leading exhibitors. You’ll also see the most innovative software, automation solutions and color management tools available.

You can’t miss the best show for graphic imagers: 2016 SGIA Expo, September 14–16 in Las Vegas!

CREATIVE CORNER

Terry Marks on harnessing the power of design

In 1994, Terry Marks helped create a program in Seattle that would not only inspire the lives of high school students, but also encourage creativity, expression and self-esteem. The AIGA Link Program (thelinkprogram.org), which provides monthly workshops, portfolio development, gallery shows and scholarship awards for higher education, continues to inspire similar programs across the nation. As the principal of tmarks, a multi-disciplinary creative firm, Marks continues to share his love of all forms of art, graphic design and print with his diverse client list. His design work has been recognized nationally by Print, CA, Critique, HOW, Neenah, Potlatch, and others. And if that isn’t enough, Marks is a writer and illustrator whose book, “Mr. Crumbly Dreams A Tiger,” won at least four national design awards, including being named one of the 10 “Perfect 10” projects in a national competition sponsored by HOW magazine. We sat down with him to get his take on where print fits into the mix for today’s creative firms.

Why is print still one of the best mediums for telling a brand’s story?

Print is again one of the best mediums for telling a story, and for making a dent in the visual assault that is modern life, simply because of the sheer volume of screen time and low-end print we encounter. With print, there is the opportunity to interrupt the viewer’s life with something they have not encountered and to posit an experience they couldn’t have anticipated. You can provide delight, meaning or disruption – some sort of emotional connection – because this tangible thing persists and carries with it weight, texture, and more. With print, you control the horizontal and the vertical and the flow of information, color and feel. It seems that print is getting shoved to the edges. That provides an opportunity to shatter the expectations in ways that many have forgotten is possible.

If vision is where one’s place of great joy and one’s best hope for humanity intersect, the perfect printed piece is one where beauty and utility collide. P16 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

What are some of the more popular ways it’s being used today?

It’s everywhere. It’s wonderful. The bespoke nature of it can make it instantly compelling. But it always comes back to content, message and design. I feel for my colleagues to whom I used to send so much print on behalf of clients. It’s a digital world, which again grants new power to print. But we simply don’t print much yet. Even the uneducated can understand when they’re given a truly well-done business card that there’s something going on. The tooth of the paper, the sudden sheen of the clear foil on an uncoated surface, the blind debossing. They can’t articulate it, but the impact is understood. It’s the reason I almost always demand my clients print proper business cards. They are one of the last vestiges of truly unique business communication. I encourage them to print and send items of note when it’s merited (holiday greetings, brand changes, etc.). We have a pop-up at press for a client that activates workplaces. They provide office furniture. When the piece is opened, an Eames chair sits up with the presentation of the new brand. It’s a tidy fit.

What’s the real key to using print?

I’ve always liked to use print to flex design muscle or to challenge myself to make something worth keeping. It’s just that I like to share those with colleagues and clients. The key is to create an emotional connection. Be it via humor or empathy, I wish to do things that matter and add something to life. That’s why I feel having well-done notecards is so important: We receive so little real mail. Receiving something written by a human is more meaningful than ever.

What defines the perfect print piece?

This might seem like a stock answer, but if vision is where one’s place of great joy and one’s best hope for humanity intersect, the perfect printed piece is one where beauty and utility collide. Great print cuts through the noise and makes you want to steal the poster off the wall, keep the package for the item you bought or buy dozens more to share with your friends. The perfect printed piece inspires.

Are the best marketers the ones who find ways to marry the worlds of print and digital?

Of course I’m tempted to say, “Hell yes,” but I don’t know what company or entity we’re talking about. Maybe. Chances are, though, if there’s no print to support all the digital going on, someone missed an opportunity or two to do something grand – or blow somebody’s mind.

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MARKETING

P18 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

Cover Story

A DIME A DOZEN Avoiding the commoditization of your brand By Nicole Hannel

f you build it, he will come.” It’s these words that Kevin Costner’s character, Ray Kinsella, hears in the 1989 film, “Field of Dreams.” The voice implores him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield, and in time, the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the rest of the Chicago White Sox team arrive to play ball.

CANVAS P19

A dime a dozen When it comes to branding, we tend to think the same rule

Reimherr believes that if a brand delivers something relevant

applies. Build it, and they will come. The right buyers from the

and valuable, buyers will lean forward. In other words, as he

right demographic. Those potential clients we’re looking to

says, “I buy the first drink, you buy the second.” That kind of

close. But here’s the thing – in today’s digital world, it’s easy for

trust, however, isn’t established after the first attempt. It is built

brands to get lost in the noise.

through consistency of effort.

Simply building one isn’t enough. In a time when information can be accessed by anyone with a smartphone, commoditization becomes the biggest risk to new and seasoned brands alike. It occurs when there is no perceived

If steady, value-added content is king then distribution certainly is queen. Just as having a basic logo does not define a brand, content won’t hit the mark if nobody gets a chance to digest it. So, how do we create a relentless distribution engine?

value of product or service apart from the next brand, and with

Social media is a good start, but be aware that even among so-

the ability to make immediate comparisons between competi-

cial avenues, brands offer different value for various industries. In

tors, buyers are more cautious to jump at the first option.

the fashion world, for example, Reimherr says Snapchat and Insta-

Kristin Keen, account director at Hinge, a marketing agency based in Reston, Va., believes the most significant driving force

gram are leading the pack. They provide the perfect opportunity for consumers to connect directly with the products.

behind commoditization is a lack of differentiation. “As the

For the B2B world, Facebook and LinkedIn provide the per-

pool of competition grows, it becomes increasingly difficult for

fect one-two punch. LinkedIn doesn’t have as much traffic, but

brands to differentiate themselves,” she says. “Increased com-

the clicks are 10 times more valuable, and Facebook still pro-

petition creates a buyer’s market, and greater choice puts more

vides the best targeting measures, with features like geography

pressure on the need to compare apples to apples.”

and even behavioral patterns. “But whatever you do, don’t push

With a wide pool of options available, buyers immediately look to compare product and price. David Reimherr, founder and CEO

that boost button. It has to be done right,” Reimherr says.

of Magnificent Marketing (www.magnificent.com) in Austin, Tex-

INSIDE, OUT

as, insists that facing the risk of becoming a commoditized brand

As much as the distribution of content to the target market is

has been a pervasive and ongoing problem. “Unless you have a

critical, intentionally moving a brand away from the commod-

one-of-a-kind idea, everyone falls into the potential risk of becom-

itization trend also requires a shift in the organization’s thinking.

ing a commodity, especially with the online world.”

And that starts with the employees.

Unfortunately, those one-of-a-kind ideas seem fewer and far

If one of her clients is experiencing commoditization, Hinge’s

between these days, and most of us are working in a market-

Keen says her first instinct is to analyze the people internally,

place with enough competitors to go around. So, if great prod-

because it’s easy for complacency to invade the day-to-day op-

ucts and prices won’t necessarily save you, how does a brand

erations. In fact, employee perception of the brand is a powerful

avoid commoditization and stand out?

variable in overall differentiation.

The first step, and you may have guessed it, is content. Nearly

Keen says many companies are surprised when they discover

a decade ago, Reimherr came to this same conclusion, eventu-

that not even the people within their organizations fully under-

ally finding that the power of content will attract the right audi-

stand the value their brand offers. “You have a far bigger issue

ence. “I learned that if you’re able to develop a content plan,

if they think the only value you offer is the delivery of a quality

you start to become a trusted source. It’s about reciprocity.”

product or competitive pricing.”

"Unless you have a one of a kind idea, everyone falls into the potential risk of becoming a commodity, especially with the online world." — David Reimherr, Founder & CEO, Magnificent Marketing

P20 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

A dime a dozen What successful content marketing emphasizes in today’s world is that it’s not just about your product anymore. It’s about

ways to avoid the slippery slope to commoditization

education, thought leadership, and authentic engagement between buyer and provider. If the people within your organization don’t know what you offer when it comes to those things, they aren’t properly representing your brand.

"Empower your employees by letting them know that the organization doesn't exist without them. Internal buy-in is critical to the success of your external messaging." — Kristen Keen, Account Director, Hinge marketing agency Keen believes that in order for employees to become brand ambassadors, it is critical to provide them with the proper skills, tools and resources. That includes what she calls a “positioning statement” – internal language that incorporates your key differentiators and represents the “DNA” of your brand, a concise and memorable elevator pitch, and a “messaging architecture” document consisting of common client objections and counterpoints that can be used as a framework for client dialogues and employee training. “Empower your employees by letting them know that the organization doesn’t exist without them. Internal buy-in is critical to the success of your external messaging.” Another red flag is misalignment between internal and external messaging. This is why it’s critical to get everyone involved. Reimherr says to focus on the alignment of sales and marketing

1 2 3 4 5

Conduct regular research

Explore both external (customer) and internal (employee) perceptions to reveal any gaps between the two.

Look around

What are your primary competitors doing — or not doing? Find ways to be different and convey your true value to your target audiences.

Recognize self-commoditization Look within. If your employees don’t see or understand how you deliver value to your clients, your customers probably don’t either.

Empower your staff

Any messaging to the marketplace must be embraced and understood by everyone in your organization.

Market your value not your price

Your customers will focus on lowest price if you do. If you’re confident your value resonates with your target market, price will be a factor far less than you’d expect. Source: Kristen Keen, Account Director, Hinge (hingemarketing.com)

when it comes to internal tactics. “Marketing includes sales, so talk to your clients. What brought them to you in the first place? Once you have that information, go to the sales department. Get everyone together.”

One way to do that is to be transparent about your underlying

Misalignment leads to staleness.

passions and causes. Buyers, particularly in the Millennial genera-

Is stagnation something you’re facing? Take another look at

tion, don’t want “brands,” they want real. They want behind-the-

the inside. As for external messaging, Reimherr says we want

scenes. “For example, if you’re a spiritual company,” Reimherr of-

our outside perception to match our inside reality. “If they’re

fers, “Throw it out there. You’ll catch the right people.”

aligned, it builds trust.”

THE EMOTION FACTOR

That kind of transparency not only fosters the type of brand loyalty that keeps customers coming back, but it also has the potential to create long-term ambassadors. And that’s what every brand

While trust may be the real antidote to becoming just another

should strive for – customers who advocate on their behalf. Those

one in the crowd, it is not easy to build. Clearly, brand loyalty —

kinds of authentic relationships are the ones that differentiate com-

a marketer’s definition of trust — is a delicate asset. It taps in to

panies from the noise and keep brands up-to-date with the ebbs

emotion, and in today’s landscape of ROI and analytics, that’s not

and flows of a dynamic market.

something most marketers want to talk about.

Most importantly, to avoid commoditization, you must deliver on

Data provides relevant insight, but Reimherr believes that

your promises. Unfortunately, that simple tip gets forgotten more

buying decisions are mostly emotional and that emotional con-

often than not. The basis for trust, loyalty and authentic connection

nection needs to be a high priority on the branding executive’s

rests in your fundamental ability to stick to your word.

list. “Ninety percent of the process is emotional connection,” he

We need to start asking ourselves if our brands have more to of-

says, “And then you tie that in to meet the buyer’s needs rather

fer than just a great product. Do we deliver what we say when we

than discount them.”

say it? Or are our brands just a dime a dozen?

P22 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

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MARKETING

P24 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

Feature Story

THE PRISM Print’s role throughout Omni-channel marketing

By Michael J. Pallerino

t’s all about human behavior triggers. That’s one of the first things John Sisson will tell you when the topic of connecting with your consumers comes up. His firm, the Wilde Agency, works closely with its diverse client base to devise the perfect strategies for influencing consumer behavior. CANVAS P25

The prism Find out how the consumer likes to communicate, and you find an opening into their psyche. These days, the trend that marketers continue to ride is Omni-channel marketing, the strategy that makes your brand’s content or messaging available in ways that the consumer can decide where and how they want to interact with you. When done effectively, you can create unique value-driven experiences to reach your target audience. Experienced and successful marketers like Sisson know that one of the biggest parts of brands differentiating themselves starts with how they structure their Omni-channel marketing campaigns.

"Production inkjet print presents opportunities to engage in new and exciting ways. Incorporating data-driven content and technologies like mobile barcodes into documents – often in full-color – is driving interaction in other channels." — Sheri Jammallo, Corporate Enterprise Segment Marketing Manager, Canon Solutions America Take a recent campaign the Wilde Agency did with a major insurance company. The company wanted to reengage financial advisors who recently had stopped selling its products. While a huge player in the insurance game, its role in the financial sector was much smaller. Knowing that advisors have a small list of “preferred providers,” Wilde needed to find a way to grab the attention of financial advisors, reboot the conversation, and emphasize that the insurance

THE INKJET FACTOR

4 ways print can help your Omni-channel marketing strategy Allows marketers and service providers to address omni-channel communication expectations Personalization, customization, tracking & measurement Provide a seamless customer experience Accurate data provides relevant and meaningful communication Empowers personal and targeted messaging To drive response rate to a specific call to action Enables communications in color White Paper in Inkjet Production Print technologies provides the ability for customized Omni-channel communications

provider understood the challenges its customers faced. To deliver the message, Sisson and company knew they had to go big. The crux of the high-impact, multi-channel campaign involved a special gift – a framed personalized dimensional mail piece with the advisor’s name in the caption. Sidestepping the typical “Dear Advisor” letter, the Wilde team felt that the personalized campaign captured the sentiment that could resonate with each advisor – a sentiment they could use as a conversation starter with their clients or other advisors. In the end, the campaign helped generate $68 million in new revenue for the insurance provider. In the world of Omni-channel marketing, every channel is at a brand’s disposal – email, social media, mobile apps, search engine optimization, as well as traditional forms such as print, direct mail, TV, etc. The Wilde Agency’s use of email and direct mail, combined with some unique personalization in the insurance company campaign, epitomizes the unique opportunities available today. And that means print. While print is one of many options in the Omni-channel marketing strategy, it is the perfect vehicle when physical presence is needed for the audience to consume the message. “Print has the advantage of delivery verification, personalization and the introduction of leveraging senses beyond sight to touch,” says Sisson, president of the Westwood, Mass., marketing agency. “With first class postage in particular, you can verify the recipient got your message. With good list validity and audience perception, you can personalize the print communication to be more effective.” P26 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

Source: Canon Solution America’s “Addressing the Market Shift in Digital Print: The Opportunity for Print in Omni-Channel Communications”

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The prism Such is the power of the printed piece. Through innovative use of substrates, a brand can take advantage of the “feel” of the piece to influence response and connect with its audience. “Touch isn’t something you can get digitally,” Sisson says. “In addition, if the piece is something that can be manipulated, it will be something that lasts. You can delete an email, but if the mail piece is something you can interact with, you’ll have a tendency to keep it longer.” There are other engagement factors involved with print, too. For example, it enables the campaign to connect digitally through strategies such as augmented reality (AR), barcodes and QR codes. “There are reasons to connect print to the Omnichannel environment,” Sisson says. “Personalization in print is key. With a data driven environment, you can personalize print to drive relevancy with the audience.”

Refracting Choices In a time when technology and how people use it is growing and changing every day, finding the “perfect” channel doesn’t exist anymore. According to the Pew Research Center, more than 30 percent of the world’s population surfs the web. Those numbers translate into 2.9 billion people. In an internet minute, we send 200 million emails, perform 4.1 million Google searches, share 3.3 million Facebook items, send 433,000 tweets, download 195,000 apps and upload 100 hours of YouTube content. The moral of the story: Deliver your message across all channels or run the risk of it falling upon deaf ears, so to speak. Sheri Jammallo lives this life every day. As the Corporate Enterprise Segment Marketing Manager for Canon Solutions America, she works closely with customers to hone their marketing strategies. Her message: The objective of any effective Omni-channel marketing strategy is to deliver a seamless, integrated and consistent customer experience, across all channels.

“That means you have to get your message in front of the customer at every turn in the hopes of racking up a sufficient num-

“Today’s consumers have more choices than ever before, so it’s

ber of exposures,” Jammallo says. “When it comes to printing

incumbent upon you to deliver the right messaging, at the right

that message, production inkjet has clearly become the mode

time, through all the right channels,” Jammallo says. “Wherever, or

of choice, and is growing dramatically. Production inkjet print-

however, a customer interacts with a company – receiving a billing

ing presents opportunities to engage in new and exciting ways.

statement, direct mail piece, email, visiting a company’s website or

Incorporating data-driven content and technologies like mobile

Facebook page – having an integrated, personalized, meaningful

barcodes into documents – often in full-color – is driving inter-

communication approach across all channels is becoming the norm.”

action in other channels. Adding more color to customer state-

"Print has the advantage of delivery verification, personalization and the introduction of leveraging senses beyond sight to touch. Touch isn’t something you can get digitally."

ments, highlighting an area in color or just calling attention to a phone number can create a better user experience.” Production inkjet has capabilities that make it ideal for producing customized marketing messages efficiently, cost-effectively and at very high speeds. With data-driven inkjet, marketers can vary the content, the images or graphics, and the use of color to support any particular offer and creative treatment desired. “Inkjet is well suited for smaller test runs to enable marketers to determine what combination of variables will get the recipient to take the desired action,” Jammallo says. In the end, good marketing strategies are about the audience first. When you understand the audience and the product/service/offer,

— Sheri Jammallo, Corporate Enterprise Segment you can identify the appropriate messaging and segmentation. Add Marketing Manager, Canon Solutions America an understanding of the company’s competitive position and its difAnd along with channels such as direct mail, Jammallo believes

ferentiation, and you can devise a comprehensive plan.

print, particularly inkjet printing, has emerged as an important part

When it comes to print, Sisson says you know when and how it will

of the multi-channel mix today. In 2015, print accounted for nearly

work. “When the decision of what channels are appropriate can be

one-third of the overall communications spend. Compare that to

determined, vehicles like print have advantages, which for some au-

mobile, which accounted for just 12 percent, and you see that it

diences, products and campaigns makes sense. If those advantages

takes seven to 10 exposures for a target to “see” a message.

help further the results for the client, we recommend print.”

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BUSINESS

EXIT STRATEGY Why you must have the next steps in your lifecycle mapped out P30 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

Feature Story

By Michael J. Pallerino

avid Shavzin remembers the conversation he had recently with a client who was not prepared to act on an offer made on his company. The deal, Shavzin says, did not get done because there was too much to clean up within the framework of the business. The value his client needed out of the business just was not there yet. Without a succinct exit strategy in place, the opportunity was lost. Shavzin, founder and president of Shavzin & Associates, admits he sees this scenario play out far too often, for way too many reasons. For the past 25 years, he has helped partners and leadership teams – from companies large and small – walk through the maze of challenges that strategic planning and decision-making can put on a business. Press him a little more, and Shavzin will tell you about the client he worked closely with over the last four years building an exit strategy for the owners. They set tentative target dates for exit and value. They built a business plan and projections, and addressed potential client industries, new markets, internal organization, risk management and a variety of other paths to exit. And when the offer came, they were ready. “They took the time to focus every day on growth and stuck to the plan,” Shavzin says. There is no magic bullet, really. The best time to start preparing for your exit is now. As Stephen Covey once said, “Begin with the end in mind.” “You should start when you first start your business,” Shavzin says. “Failing that, start today. The more time you have to prepare, the more you can build value with a purposeful plan, and the more flexibility you will have to negotiate offers when they come up. If you are continually focused on building the business toward exit,

“Tomorrow can be the beginning of something for everyone. Always look ahead three, five, 10 years, and build your annual and quarterly plans to achieve those goals.” – Kevin Cushing, President, Marketing & Print Division, Alliance Franchise Brands

you will be ready if someone walks in the door with a check.” In a printing industry that has seen its fair share of consolidation, and the like, preparing your business for those next steps is something that should be near the top of your to-do list, if not Item No. 1. Kevin Cushing recommends thinking about it like this: Arriving at your destination with no vision or plan isn’t smart – it’s luck. He believes that owners and leaders must invest time away from the “busyness” of the business to define the issues and questions that must be addressed to create the results they desire.

CANVAS P31

Exit strategy “This is hard work that is easy to avoid,” says Cushing, presi-

One of the main keys is to get ownership and leadership fo-

dent of the Marketing & Print Division at Alliance Franchise

cused on sustained value creation. Where is it that your organiza-

Brands, which serves the multi-billion dollar market for marketing,

tion “uniquely” adds value to support the success of your clients?

print, sign and graphics communications services through brand

Growing value is about sustained revenue sources and efficiency

names including Allegra Marketing, Print, Mail and Image360.

in operations and costs. Audit yourself and ask the question,

“Creating a business that others find desirable is a very noble

“What would the next guy do?” And then do it.

objective, even if you don’t sell and can enjoy the fruits of your

“A personal parallel is the many improvements people often

work for a few more years. To build something of value is complex

make to their homes before they put them on the market,” Cush-

and an important destination. Ending a travel journey at your de-

ing says. “Why not do those things earlier and enjoy the benefits

sired destination takes planning and course corrections. The same

while you own it, instead of fixing it up for someone else?”

thing holds true for creating your desired future in your business.”

Add leaving to your business plan Cushing is a big believer in the “tomorrow, now” theory. Wherever you are in your lifecycle, he advises having a written business plan that takes into account your eventual exit/succession/transition. This will help you focus on growth today, while building value in your business to maximize the sale price. Those written goals will help you make decisions today that help get you to where you want to be tomorrow. “Tomorrow can be the beginning of something for everyone,” Cushing says. “What are you trying to create in your business? What’s required to build something of interest that a successor may be happy to buy from you? Always look ahead three, five, 10 years, and build your annual and quarterly plans to achieve those goals.” Make sure your business plan thoroughly addresses things like your market differentiations, your team and succession planning, the KPIs you will track regularly and how you will address account-

“If you are continually focused on building the business toward exit, you will be ready if someone walks in the door with a check.” – David Shavzin, Founder & President, Shavzin & Associates

ability in a very “real” way.

5 ways (among many) to exit your business

A straight-out sale to a third party – It will be clean and easy if you can find the right buyer. A sale to employees – They know the business and customers already. Bring in a younger partner, train him and create a buy-out over time. A strategic sale to another printer – In theory, this can bring a higher price since the buyer may save significant money by combining operations. Die – No really. Working until you drop is perfectly acceptable. But, you still need a plan in place that ensures you are growing the business to support you and your family along the way; and provides for your family when you are gone. Source: David Shavzin, founder & president of Shavzin & Associates

P32 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

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Exit strategy

Exit is a process Sit down with David Shavzin, and he’ll tell you that exit planning is a process with four high-level pieces. The plan should be part of your basic business-planning document, and include a quantified transition strategy with dates and a goal for the value of your business. While you can adjust the plan at any time, having initial targets allows you to make everyday decisions with an understanding of how they support your long-term exit plan (time & value). “There are dozens of ways to exit the business,” Shavzin says. “We tend to think of simply a sale, ‘Here is my business and thank you for the check.’ But there are many more creative ways to transition.” Here’s a look at the four high-level pieces in Shavzin & Associates’ exit plan:

Build a team of advisors. Nobody knows everything about everything. Don’t go at it alone. Bring in your business advisor, CPA, attorney, and others. Let them help.

Get an estimate of value today/what it could be worth. This is just a starting point. There is no need for an expensive valuation, but a quick assessment will give you a dose of objective reality. It will set a benchmark for you to grow to that target value.

Work key value drivers to grow your business. This gets back to basics. For example: Does your team have the experience to run and grow the business without you? If not, start training. Can you point to true competitive advantages that you have over your competitor down the street? Are you providing a great customer experience? Are your business processes documented and

5 KEY ACTION WORDS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR EXIT STRATEGY PLAN BELIEVE you have the ability to create your desired future.

DESCRIBE what it looks like in

words, pictures, etc. Be as specific and as succinct as possible.

IDENTIFY what is required to

achieve it — resources, removal of obstacles etc.

ESTABLISH goals for the most

important items weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.

ENGAGE your team and maintain accountability. High quality team members will be honored to be a part of the plan and value being held accountable.

Source: Kevin Cushing, president, Marketing & Print Division at Alliance Franchise Brands

followed, so that every job runs smoothly, from start to delivery? Do you understand your financials and cash flow? Do you have excellent accounting records?

Consider a range of risk areas. Are you in compliance with requirements from the IRS, healthcare, the Department of Labor, OSHA, and more? The hidden risks can pop up at any time and destroy your value. Too often, business owners start their companies to create their future. Unfortunately, they often lose sight of the key to making the future happen – building value. The key, above all else, is to implement the sustainable, positive change that allows for a transition on your terms. “A new beginning awaits everyone who turns over the reins, whether it is on to a new professional challenge, volunteer opportunity or moving to a new locale,” Cushing says. “Good beginnings are best served by having a good ending to the prior phase of your life.”

P34 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

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STORM WARNING How to plan the ideal follow-up to that whirlwind sales call By Linda Bishop

P36 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

Feature Story

hat is the No. 1 reason why salespeople fail to follow-up with prospects and customers, even though they swore they would do it today? The answer can be found in three words: Life is unpredictable. Stuff happens. Good stuff and bad stuff. A new opportunity pops up, and suddenly that’s all you care about. A problem occurs, and you drop everything to make sure it gets fixed and make the customer happy. Unpredictability is normal, but like a tornado, it can blow your best-laid follow-up plans to smithereens. After a storm of unexpected events, you need a plan for a speedy recovery, so follow-up tasks get checked off the list. When it comes to thinking, organizing and managing time, sales professionals come in all shapes and sizes. For a follow-up strategy to be effective, it must fit your style. Before you continue reading, take a sheet of paper and write down this question: How do I set aside time for followup now? Put down your thoughts. As you read the rest of

Follow-up activities are proactive tasks. To get them accomplished, you must plan, allocate time and execute.

this piece, supplement your list with new ideas to manage your time better and sell more.

The Pomodoro Technique If you search for Francesco Cirillo on Google, you’ll find more than 536,000 results. Why? Because he’s the inventor of a time management method favored by many techies called, “The Pomodoro Technique.” Cirillo created the technique in the late 1980s as a university student, just as the internet was starting to make its mark on the business world. In recent years, it has received more attention as a way to improve productivity in a distraction-driven environment.

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By working in timed intervals separated by short breaks, the software developer discovered he could maintain focus and get tasks done. The Pomodoro Technique works like this: • Decide on what you need to get done. This could be one big task or a smaller group of tasks • Set a timer for 25 minutes • Work until the timer rings, staying focused. If a thought distracts you, write it down and go back to your task • After the timer rings, take a five-minute break • After four pomodoro work intervals, take a longer break When Cirillo used this technique, he had a tomato-shaped timer that prompted him to name work intervals “pomodoros” after the Italian word for tomato.

Once I realized servicing and selling were not synonyms for the same tasks, I started to look at my task list differently. This technique trains your brain to stay focused on task. Setting a timer creates a behavioral cue that signals now is the time to get focused. Regular breaks serve as a reward for sticking to a task and helping you avoid decision fatigue. If you start your day with The Pomodoro Technique, you can focus on important follow-up priorities first. This is a smart way to guarantee they’ll get done. This technique works great for bigger thinking tasks, such as planning an account strategy. It’s also an efficient way to work through a batch of similar tasks, like making calls to prospects. Keep time using the stopwatch function on your phone or, if you like the idea of having a visual reminder to stay focused, you can order an official tomato timer from Cirillo’s Pomodoro website.

Ten-Minute Time Management On some crazy-busy days, the idea of spending 25 uninterrupted minutes focused on a task is enough to make my heart pound and my blood pressure rise. On these days, I use a technique I developed when I was selling printing called, Ten-Minute Time Management. Sales professionals spend a lot of their day responding to client requests, questions from team members and tasks with specific deadlines. These are reactive tasks. Follow-up activities are proactive tasks. To get them accomplished, you must plan, allocate time and execute. Reactive tasks scream at you, demanding you take action now. Proactive tasks remind you of their importance in a calm rational tone that makes them seem less urgent and easy to ignore. When you ignore follow-up activities, you seldom feel any immediate sense of discomfort or pain. If you don’t reach out to prospects today, the boss unlikely will call you to complain. When customers express interest in learning more about a new product, there is no obvious penalty for a four-day delay before you reach out to set up the meeting.

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When determining how to spend time, everyone weighs risks

For the past 12 years, I’ve taught Ten-Minute Time Management

and assesses outcomes. If the payoff for the activity occurs in the

to thousands of sales professionals around the country. If you’re

distant future, and the risk of ignoring it now is low, it’s easy to

looking for an easy way to follow-up, try it for yourself. It works.

focus on other tasks – even when the tasks we deliberately ignore will significantly contribute to long-term success.

Follow-up Friday

After several years in sales, one of my major epiphanies came

On social media, there is a trend called “Throwback Thursday,”

when I recognized servicing activities are not the same as selling

where people post old photographs. In sales, it might be time to

activities. Servicing activities focus on keeping current customers

start a trend called “Follow-up Friday.”

happy with projects that already are sold. Selling activities focus on getting future opportunities.

On Friday, list the follow-up tasks that have lingered all week. Next, take time and get them done using one of these strategies:

Once I realized servicing and selling were not synonyms for the same tasks, I started to look at my task list differently. What did

• Start working an hour earlier than normal. Have a list of

I have planned for the day? Were my tasks servicing or selling

the tasks you want to accomplish, and get them done first.

activities? In less than a week, I observed that far too many days

• Have lunch delivered. Work on follow-up tasks while you’re

passed with an overemphasis on servicing activities.

munching on a slice of your favorite pizza.

I didn’t really know how to solve this problem at first. To

• Set an alarm for 3:30 PM. When it rings, turn your atten-

keep my clients happy, good service was a must. By then, I had

tion to follow-up tasks and stay focused on them to get them

also sold long enough to understand the problem of attrition.

done before the week ends.

Everyone loses business because customers change, buyers leave and new competitors gain ground. This is normal. The only effective cure for attrition is selling.

When important follow-up tasks slip through the cracks day after day, a nagging sense of guilt often develops. The longer you put follow-up off, the more anxious you feel, and the more

When it comes to thinking, organizing and managing time, sales professionals come in all shapes and sizes.

internal debates you have about time allocation. Worrying about choices kills productivity. Worse yet, if you don’t allocate time for follow-up activities this week, there is no guarantee that next week you will have more time to get those important tasks done. There is another plus to the Follow-Up Friday system. By taking action every Friday to follow-up, you keep the funnel full, which is a necessity to consistently generate new sales. Managing follow-ups can be challenging, because every day

One day, I was hit with a revelation. I realized that if I focused

includes a measure of unpredictability. Right now, you already are

on selling activities for 10 minutes, I could accomplish one, two

doing something to allocate time and get these tasks done. Since

or even three tasks. Since this was a small investment of time, I

follow-up activities directly affect your ability to make future sales

eliminated the anxiety I felt from delaying servicing tasks.

and increase your income, it’s smart to look for ways to improve

I tried my plan and my world did not end when I took 10 minutes

your approach.

to focus on follow-up tasks. Nothing blew up and no customers

The Pomodoro Technique, Ten-Minute Time Management and

were lost when I shut my door, avoided email, and did not answer

Follow-Up Fridays each offer benefits. Give them a try and find a

the phone during this brief period. Like Cirillo did with The Pomo-

way to take your skills to the next level.

doro Technique, I used a timer because eliminating clock watching increased my ability to focus.

Linda Bishop, a longtime veteran of the commercial printing industry, is the founder of Thought Transformation Inc. (www.thoughttransformation.com), which trains and consults companies and sales professionals on how to sell more and reach their full potential. You can reach her at lindabishop@thoughttransformation.com. P40 CANVAS AUGUST 2016

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