The way print is bought has changed dramatically in the past few years with customers having gained much more control of the process. The trend is simply that buyers are using the Web and networking with colleagues and peers to research print solutions. In many cases, customers are making up their minds on what they want before they even engage a sales rep.

For sales reps, these issues are a serious challenge; consequently, getting to potential customers early in the buying process has never been more important.  Sales consultant and trainer, Joe Rickard, has a variety of thoughts on what can be done to be more effective in combating this trend.  Download his article here.  

Many of the topics being raised in Joe Rickard's article are addressed in the upcoming webinar with Zev Asch. 

In this second in a series of sales and marketing oriented webinars, Zev touches on why the traditional approach to sales is dead and why your sales team must adapt. What's at stake are not only lost sales opportunities but the future of your business since the wrong salesperson can hurt your company's brand and drive business to competitors.
 

The webinar will be broadcast in coordination with PIA Affiliates across the U.S. on Thursday, July 9^th at 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.  For additional information about this program, contact us at (800) 788-2040 or [email protected].

As a member of a Printing Industries of America, you now have a no-cost way to capitalize on the benefits of color-accurate online proofing.
 

This free offering comes at a time when soft proofing systems have gained popularity for the creation, sharing, and color and content approval of online proofs. This integrated approach can shorten turnaround time and reduce errors. The service is being made available in partnership with Remote Director LLC, a leader in soft proofing software.
 

Member companies can sign up and get access to a project folder (effectively one customer) which can be used to add files, invite clients and staff, and use the robust capabilities of Remote Director, including the ability for the client's staff to collaborate and mark up proofs online.  For more information go to the PIA website or contact Dr. Mark Bohan.

Customized Financial Analysis (CFA) report.  Not surprisingly, most participating printers who achieve profit leaders status request this special report every year.  If you have yet to complete the Ratio Questionnaire, there's still time to take advantage of the CFA.  Contact Suzette Margolis at (610) 667-4310. 

What factors make a company a top place to work? This is an important question considering the average time an employee stays in a job is only about 4.5 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To employers this means more time and resources spent toward recruiting and training new employees. 

 People leave jobs for a number of reasons, including poor management practices ("I can't get along with my boss") and lack of motivation and engagement. Yet, there are also many practices which can be implemented to engage employees and make them want to work for your company.
 

Kansas lawmakers finally got through weeks of gridlock and approved a budget package which was signed by Governor Brownback and will become effective July 1, 2015.

There are six key areas of the law: 1) increasing the cigarette tax by 50 cents; 2) increasing the sales tax rate from 6.15 to 6.50 percent; 3) eliminating most itemized personal income tax deductions; 4) slowing scheduled personal income tax rate reductions; 5) adopting a new six-week tax amnesty period; and 6) effectively eliminating the personal income tax for low income filers.