The start of a new year is an opportunity to reassess goals, embrace fresh strategies, and set our businesses up for success. Building a challenge network is key to thriving in 2025.
A “challenge network” is a group of individuals committed to providing constructive criticism and pushing you toward innovation and growth. While traditional support networks offer encouragement, challenge networks are essential for identifying blind spots and staying competitive in an evolving market.
The Power of a Challenge Network
According to a study published in Harvard Business Review, high-performing professionals are 30% more likely to seek critical feedback than their peers. Plus, companies that actively encourage constructive feedback report a 22% higher rate of innovation. These stats highlight the importance of creating a network that not only supports you but also challenges you to keep improving.
For printers, this could mean rethinking outdated practices, adopting new technologies, or finding creative ways to meet sustainability goals.
according to this Market Analysis Report from Grand View Research, the global commercial printing industry was estimated at approximately 501.36 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% from 2025 to 2030. Segments like packaging, digital printing, and innovative eco-friendly materials are gaining traction. Seek feedback from all stakeholders that drive growth and innovation in these areas – including your customers and potential ones.
Why Printers Need a Challenge Network in 2025
The printing industry faces unique challenges, including fluctuating demand, rising costs, and changing consumer preferences. Here’s how a challenge network can help:
Sustainability Practices: Consumers care about sustainability and are willing to pay for it. According to a recent Prosper Insights & Analytics survey, 30% of consumers spend more on environmentally sustainable brands. The percentage is higher for Gen Z and Millennials, who are about to surpass Boomers in purchasing power. A challenge network can push you and help you to adopt eco-friendly practices beyond recyclable materials.
Adopting Technology: The rise of AI-driven design and workflow automation means we must stay ahead. A challenge network can encourage investments in technologies, processes, and people you may be overlooking, or need to reassess.
Market Adaptation: What market trends are you following? What sectors have room for you to grow and customers looking for help? Personalized packaging is one, with millions of small to mid-size e-businesses to prospect with the printed materials they need and even more you can introduce them to. Being challenged to expand new business targets can help tap into lucrative segments and work with customers who will be loyal if you help them improve their business and the way it’s perceived.
Customer Experience: A challenge network might critique your customer engagement strategies, helping you enhance service and foster loyalty. Have someone you know, not involved in the printing industry go to your site and order something, or research something, and have them report back. Any obstacle is a challenge to resolve.
How to Build Your Challenge Network
Look Beyond Your Inner Circle: Seek perspectives from colleagues, industry experts, and even competitors. Turn to your peers in the organizations you belong to. Include individuals with different skill sets and skill levels. A challenge network thrives on diversity of thought.
Define Expectations: Be clear about your goals and the type of feedback you need. For example, let your network know when asking for advice rather than encouragement.
Truth and Transparency: Create an environment where candid feedback is valued knowing that critiques are well-intentioned.
Balance Challenge with Support: Ensure your challenge network complements your support system for well-rounded growth. Too much support can lead to complacency, while too much challenge can cause burnout. Use each network strategically to maintain equilibrium.
10 Questions to Start Challenging Your Printing Business in 2025
Are our sustainability claims credible, and how can we improve our environmental impact?
Which emerging print technologies should we invest in this year?
How can we better utilize data to personalize customer experiences?
Are we effectively marketing our services to younger demographics?
What inefficiencies in our workflow are costing us time and money?
How can we diversify our product offerings to meet changing consumer needs?
Are our employees equipped with the skills required for future industry trends?
What feedback have we overlooked from our customers, and how can we act on it?
How can we leverage embellishments and special effects to differentiate our products?
What strategies should we adopt to stay competitive in a price-sensitive market?
Are You Ready for the Challenge?
The printing industry is at a pivotal moment where innovation and adaptability are crucial. By building a challenge network that questions your practices and pushes you to think critically, you can position your business for sustained success in 2025, and well beyond. If you want me to participate in your challenge network I am in!
PRINT LONG AND PROSPER!
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See Deborah’s featured post: 2024 Trends in the Printing Industry: A Year of Innovation, Consolidation, and Frustration
Deborah Corn is the Intergalactic Ambassador to the Printerverse at Print Media Centr, a Print Buyerologist, international industry speaker and blogger, and the cultivator of Print Production Professionals, the #1 print group on LinkedIn. She provides printspiration and resources to print and marketing professionals through education, events, Podcasts From The Printerverse, ProjectPeacock.TV, and an array of community-lifting initiatives including International Print Day and Girls Who Print where she serves as the Executive Director of the global Nonprofit Organization.
Deborah also helps companies create more meaningful and profitable customer relationships by utilizing 25+ years of experience as an agency, brand, and corporate print buyer who has assessed, hired, and worked with hundreds of printers and service providers.
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