Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned at Graph Expo 15

Dude. Were you at Graph Expo this year? Did I see you there? I had a blast and if you were there, I hope you did too. It was a great way for me to renew my faith and love for our industry while getting to throw back a few cold ones with some dear ones. Here, in no particular order, is everything I learned, or was reminded of, about Print.

Ain’t No Party Like a Printerverse Party (Cause a Printerverse Party Don’t Stop) – Always the center of everything, I had a blast each and every time I set foot over there. From lively panel discussions to a super fun photo booth to folks a tweetin’ like mad, Deb Corn and her Printerverse are always the place to see and be seen.

2015 was the Year of the Selfie – maybe we’re a little bit behind the times, but I posed in more sefies the 2 days I was at the show than I ever have. My mug was tweeted, posted and shared a lot. So sorry internets. You got to see a lot of me and my snaggle tooth (lots and lots).

I get star struck. Around quite a few of you. Here is just a short list of the folks that I get all tingly about, and that I got to see for real in real life. Really. Matthew Parker. Sabine Lenz. Trish Witkowski. Daniel Dejan from Sappi (and yes, he DOES have something to do with Off Register) MaryBeth Smith. And of course, Deb Corn. So excited to see you, drink with you, and yeah – I guess – talk print with you.

Two Days is NEVER enough. Next year I will be going for more days – Oh wait! Next year Graph is in Orlando Florida! Well, I am not going to let that stop me. I will start campaigning now to get someone to pick up my expenses so I can make the trek down to that unholy land of Disney. I WILL BE AT GRAPH NEXT YEAR for at least 3 days if it kills me.

We are survivors. Forget that the show was smaller. Forget that there were less exhibitors and less pomp and circumstance. There were still tons of people and what looked like a lot of wheeling, dealing, learning and planning going on. That is to be celebrated. We are still here. We are not going anywhere. And we are committed to making print thrive, work and be a force to be reckoned with.

If GASC were ever to ask little old me how improve the show, I would say:
• We need thrice daily yoga sessions for exhibitors AND attendees (sore feet – sore backs – OUCH!)
• More alcohol (roving bloody mary vendors before noon, ‘natch.)
• We need to do EVEN MORE to try and attract the young-ins. I didn’t see many. Let’s figure out a way to rope them in (see b)

I love you guys. Graph Expo is my honeymoon opportunity to fall in love with print and all of you all over again. So, like Al Green says, Let’s Stay Together people. Mad love to you all.

I’ll be at the Print Industries of New England next month, and will be focusing 2016 on more speaking gigs. If you need someone like me to help motivate you or your team from a sales or marketing perspective, hit me up!

As a sales and marketing coach and consultant at Success In Print, Kelly Mallozzi advocates for graphic arts companies to start a revolution and fight to keep print relevant.  She may be irreverent, but what she lacks in convention, she makes up for in smart-assery.

Connect With Kelly: Twitter @SuccessInPrint and check out her weekly blog on Printing Impressions.