One of the best side-effects of hosting #PrintChat is the ability to see patterns in the chatters responses over time. I have a few topics I reword and ask about now and then to see if there has been any progress or deterioration with the subject at hand. Online portfolios/image galleries of client work on printer websites is an example of one of these temperature taking, recurring topics. A few weeks ago I centered the chat around it. I’m sorry to report the needle isn’t moving… fear around sharing is still the clear winner.
Let’s get the caveat out of the way so we can start this discussion in a fresh spot.
There are legitimate situations where you cannot reveal your clients, your capabilities and show the work you do.
Now, let’s focus on the rest of it.
I would go all-in that everyone reading this blog goes to the internet to look things up. When you do, I imagine like me, you have reasonable expectations of what a “good” search result is. If you are looking up a recipe you want to see a picture of the finished dish. If you are looking up a hotel you want to see pictures of the property, and the destination you are traveling to. If you are looking to buy a car you want to see the interior, exterior, maybe even the engine if you are into such things. Reasonable expectations.
What if you landed on a site that provided none of that? Would you stay, or leave? Would you assume there was a legitimate reason the ratatouille, or the resort or the Rolls wasn’t shown… or like me would you just think the click was a waste of time and find better info, elsewhere?
Now apply that to print samples. If I don’t SEE what I’m looking for on your site, I will find it elsewhere. It doesn’t matter that you do it. Writing about it is not enough. We are in visual communications, and your more creative customers don’t want to read, they want to see… and if they like what they see, the door is opened.
“I firmly believed that I… didn’t need anyone but me. I sincerely thought I was so complete, look how wrong you can be.” ~ Rod Stewart / Ronnie Wood Every Picture Tells a Story
Your partnership door is closed 24/7/365 if you don’t have a gallery of your work on your website. You don’t have to believe me, a print buyer for more than 25 years in a plethora of global ad agencies and brands but I would suggest you believe the 600+ print customers Project Peacock has met with since 2017. As a matter of fact, the need to get samples to the end users and help them get them up to speed on the advancements in technology and applications for print marketing is now a traveling show-and-tell on steroids.
Project Peacock Print Fair launches in NYC on March 14, and heading to Dallas June 26, Chicago Aug 1, and LA Sept 12, in 2019. Since I made the announcement Toronto, Mexico and UK have come knocking to see if we can make something happen for them. The Hawaii tourism board sent information to me through my event planners and wants to help get a Print Fair over there.
I am telling you this not only because it’s so cool that this was a result of a press release and social media sharing, but to highlight the chasmic void between producer and product. A void you can address and help searchers find what they need, and maybe get inspired by things they didn’t know existed.
If you are able to come to Print Fair in 2019, bring your customers. Jim Sewell is on the Board of the Advertising Production Club of NYC with me, and also the Senior VP of Sales at Hatteras. He says,
“My business runs on ideas. My clients expect new ideas and new solutions every time we meet. Project Peacock is all about ideas and creativity. I’ll be there with my clients to stock up on inspiration for our future projects.”
If you can’t come to Print Fair, or it isn’t near you (yet) host your own… in your office, or visually on your website and through social media.
Every picture SELLS your story!
Deborah Corn is the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse™ at Print Media Centr, a Print Buyerologist™, industry speaker and blogger, host of Podcasts from The Printerverse, cultivator of Print Production Professionals the #1 print group on LinkedIn, Head Girl in Charge (H.G.I.C.) at GirlsWhoPrint, host of #PrintChat every Wednesday at 4PM ET on Twitter, the founder of International Print Day and the founder of #ProjectPeacock. She is the recipient of several industry honors including the 2016 Girls Who Print Girlie Award and sits on the boards of the Advertising Production Club of NYC and The Magazine Innovation Center at the University of Mississippi.
Deborah has 25+ years of experience working in advertising as a Print Producer. She currently provides printspiration and resources to print and marketing professionals through PMC, and works behind the scenes with printers, suppliers and industry organizations helping them create meaningful relationships with customers, and achieve success with their social media and content marketing endeavors.
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