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+THE MORE YOU KNOW: ANSWERS TO YOUR WIDE-FORMAT QUESTIONS

SHOW PREVIEW: A CLOSER LOOK AT TWO MUST-ATTEND EVENTS

Trailblazers

The industry’s movers and shakers share their success stories

turn to page 4to learn how

cont

ents COVER STORY

18 Under 40, Over Achieving

MEET SOME OF THE INDUSTRY’S EMERGING ELITE.

FEATURES28 Into the Great Wide Open How to sell wide format like a pro.

34 Mark Your Calendars! Two industry events you don’t want

to miss.

38 Rolling Out Jumbo Sales Why now’s the time to jump into the jumbo roll game.

44 Quitting Time Kick these five harmful sales habits before they break you.

46 Drink to This The sports bottles you need to boost drinkware sales.

Print+Promo; February 2015, Volume 53, Number 2. Print+Promo (US ISSN 2168-5266) (USPS 895-620) is published monthly by North American Publishing Company, Inc., d/b/a NAPCO Media, 1500 Spring Garden St., Ste. 1200, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4094, (215) 238-5300. Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, PA and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Print+Promo Subscription Services Dept., 1500 Spring Garden St., Ste. 1200, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4094.

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UPFRONT10 RRD Awarded

Five-year Contract by Janney Montgomery Scott

10 Hot Products12 Mystery Product13 DFS Launches

Signature Packaging

14 Marketing+Sales

SECTIONS04 Editor’s Note

04 How to Use Augmented Reality

06 President’s Note16 Campaign

Kickstarter

58 Executive Perspectives

DIRECTORY50 Classified Ads

FEBRUARY 2015 VOL. 53, NO. 2 GOPRINTANDPROMO.COM

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Trailblazers

The industry’s movers and shakers share their success stories

turn to page 4to learn how

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It’s an exciting time to be part of the print and promo industry. No longer bound to traditional ink-on-paper models, companies are embracing new technologies and service-based approaches. A dynamic group of young men and women are responsible for driving many of these changes, and this month Print+Promo is showcasing just a few of them. Whether they’re leading the family business or simply living out their marketing dreams, these professionals—who are all under the age of 40—have a story to share. So, sit back and enjoy as they explain why they love the industry and offer advice to those just entering the job market.

Meet some of the industry’s emerging elite

Under 40,Over Achieving

Jillian Flesh, 30Executive Vice President, Flesh Co, St. Louis

Her big break:Because of my family’s long-time involvement in the industry, over 101 years now, you might assume that I came into the industry with some in-sight—but I didn’t. I have spent the last fi ve years acting like a sponge, soaking up all the information I can and learning the ins and outs of both print and busi-ness in general. When I fi rst joined the organization I worked on the production fl oor for a year; from there, I transitioned to a customer service representative position where I was able to reinforce my knowledge from the print fl oor and really understand how customer specifi ca-tions drive the production and price. For the past two years, I have been work-ing more on the business management side of Flesh Co, spending a signifi cant amount of time in human resources and now I am focusing more on marketing and sales. Currently, I serve as executive vice president, but coming up through the ranks has given me a broad base of experience and knowledge from which I

can draw as I begin to have more impact within the organization.

Why she loves the industry: There’s nothing stagnant about the industry. I think the general public believes that they have a grasp on what print is—simply ink on paper. But this is not the actual state of printing. Printing is exciting, it is innovative, it incorporates the newest technologies and, most importantly, it is pervasive. The market is not shrinking; it is only changing and the speed of change is accelerating. Organizations have to stay on their toes and watch other industries to see where revolutions are happening and where the customer need is.

Her advice for those starting out:Don’t be intimidated by the knowl-edge set of some of the industry lifers. Knowing where to get the information to answer the tough questions is just as eff ective as knowing the answer yourself. You’ll gather the information you need as you go and draw on the expertise of your partners. Most impor-tant, be excited about what print has to off er—don’t shy away from off erings only because you don’t understand them. Jump on the innovation train and ride it to profi tability.

Bryan Roman, 31Owner/Graphic Design, Northeast Ink, Newburyport, Mass.

His big break: I worked for two fran-chise print shops, learning the trade as a designer and production manager.

Why he loves the industry: Everything is an original artwork or idea. I like to veer away from just slapping company logos on products.

His advice for those starting out:Get your name or company on as much as you can. When prospects ask for samples you will be able to give them your information at the same time. It will also help build rapport with suppliers.

Sarah Scudder, 31Chief Growth Offi cer, The Sourcing Group, New York (HQ)

Her big break:As president of my collegiate sorority,

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Alpha Gamma Delta, I chaired a fundraising event for diabetes re-search. I hired Golden Pacific Systems Inc. (GPS) to coordinate all event print and promotional pieces. After the event, GPS’s vice president of sales asked if I was interested in help-ing start an internship program with Sonoma State University. He wanted to infuse youth into the company. I took the job—a hybrid of sales and working with students at the univer-sity. I quickly realized that I loved my new job. Sales was great, but I really enjoyed working with the students. I became a student myself. I learned about the print industry and how to better connect with people. Now, 10 years later, I’m the chief growth officer for The Sourcing Group. I oversee enterprise sales activities, networking, strategic planning and growth. And, I work with wonderful people.

Why she loves the industry: The people and innovation.

Her advice for those starting out: Think and do things differently. Be bold. Network.

Taylor White, 38President, Performance POP, Dallas

His big break: My father joined Chris

Pumpelly, founder of Performance, in 1989. As a result, I was exposed to the graphics industry from an early age, spending summers working there. My father was a man of intellect, principle and commitment to excellence. I had a wonderful example to follow while molding my own managerial and inter-personal styles.

Why he loves the industry: I enjoy the constant variety we are exposed to and the challenges of growing with our customers, developing our staff and

optimizing our business model to pro-vide the best services to all involved.

His advice for those starting out: Educate yourself to the current busi-ness climate and best practices while staying attuned to the dynamic economic indicators. Then, combine that knowledge with a passion for the unique demands that the graphic industry presents. If you can success-fully blend those elements, you can position yourself to make an impactful difference to those you serve, both internally and externally.

Will Winston, 32Owner, TechnoMarketing, Richmond, Va.

His big break:I worked for UPS

from 2004 to 2009 as an account executive. My father, Joe Winston, founded TechnoMarketing in 1997, and was a big believer in my get-ting my sales and account manage-ment experience with a Fortune 500 company. He insisted I stay with UPS for a minimum of five years and take in everything I could. It was a smart thing to do. It played a big role in my account, opportunity and territory management skills. While at UPS, every week I reported on my top gain-ing and declining accounts as well as my top 10 revenue opportunities. I was responsible for visiting my top gaining and declining accounts and reporting what was causing the gain or decline. I [also] reported on actions I was taking to close my top 10 oppor-tunities and I made sure my targeted close dates were accurate. This level of accountability placed on me made sure I managed my territory properly as I spent my time retaining, penetrat-ing and converting business to UPS. We reported all of these activities into a Client Resource Management (CRM) tool daily.

Why he loves the industry: I love the people. We are blessed to work with some awesome suppliers who help us shine for our customers. Relationships are vital to creating partnerships with your suppliers and your clients. It is a fun industry, too. We sell unique and tangible products that help our clients reach their marketing objectives.

His advice for those starting out: Do what you promise and be responsive to your clients. If you don’t, there is competition that will. Take your mind off of transactional selling. Focus on creating value and long-term partner-ships during every interaction with your clients.

Ben Korn, 37Owner and Distributor, Safeguard Tuc-son, Tucson, Ariz.

His big break:I was a branch

manager with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in San Diego and my father recruited me (for two years) to come back to Tucson to buy out his business, which he had owned since ʼ82. I was aware of the checks and forms part of the business they had built, but the expansion into promotional products and marketing really excited me. We completed the transition at the end of 2012 and they are loving retirement.

Why he loves the industry: I love the fact that I get to spend time talking strategy and growth with the owners, CEOs and marketing managers of busi-nesses of all sizes. It’s an elite selling and relationship-building opportunity that isn’t your average company car/cell phone-type sales job. I actually get to provide ideas and solutions to their goals after gaining an understanding of their target demographic, messaging, struggles, aspirations, etc. We lead with ideas and strategic thinking first, and products second.

His advice for those starting out: Two things. First, get involved in your local community and step into leadership posi-tions in young professional and nonprofit organizations. My activities have opened doors and opportunities that I never could have imagined. It has also resulted in some very significant publicity and recognition (including 40 Under 40 and Small Business Leader of the Year), which makes you that much more visible.

Second, invest in a business coach or consultant. I started meeting with Sue Porter on a weekly basis about four years ago. Scheduling this time allows me to take a step back, think and talk through strategic, big-picture goals.

Cori Jackson, 31Marketing Executive, e-Quantum Inc., Reno, Nev.

Her big break: I was not born into the industry nor did I

have previous industry experience be-fore joining e-Quantum Inc. I was simply out to pursue my career as a market-ing professional and the opportunity presented itself. The position seemed exciting and challenging, so it began. The more I became educated about the print industry, the more I wanted to know and be involved.

Why she loves the industry: The cama-raderie of this group is outstanding. The value of being part of an industry that works together to maintain vibrancy and success is priceless. In my four years, I have met and networked with many peers and am thankful for such an out-standing group of professionals.

Her advice for those starting out: It is crucial to learn and research the scope of the print/promo industry as it encom-passes many different components. Whether your involvement is in market-ing, technology, software, promotional, packaging, manufacturing or other print solutions, learn and continue to

be knowledgeable about the industry as a whole. This will help you become a master at your individual responsibili-ties. I continue to learn something new every day that helps me in my position as a sales and marketing executive for a software provider in this industry.

Brandon J. Olson, 30Director of Operations/Lean Manufacturing, Wright Business Graphics, Portland, Ore.

His big break: After completing my undergraduate degree, my grandfather, Jim Wright, provided me my first oppor-tunity as a project manager for Wright Business Graphics.

Why he loves the industry: The printing industry is dynamic, always changing and evolving. Through technological innovation, market shifts and industry

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contacted by an employment agency. From them I heard about a job as a customer service representative with a printing company. I knew nothing about the industry, but it looked like a great opportunity with a small com-pany. After only a small time with that company, one of the officers left to partner with a larger print company to start a new division of that com-pany as a print distributorship. They offered me the opportunity to join them to help them build administrative and technology structure behind the business. Although I was young and did not have a lot of experience, they gave me an opportunity and I ran with it. Our company has grown to become a Top 50 Print Distributor. My position has continued to grow and I am now the operations manager of a 23-em-ployee company, responsible for man-aging a team of account managers, overseeing our technology platforms, and working with some of our key accounts on developing, building and managing online programs through our partnership with Four51, an e-commerce platform.

Why she loves the industry: I really enjoy working with clients from many different industries and helping to build customized programs specific to their unique needs. I also enjoy the daily interaction with our staff and help-ing them to grow in their professional lives. Our company has evolved from a traditional print company selling mainly commodity print on paper, like envelopes and business forms, to one that is involved in many different types of custom products. There is always something new to learn and always a new challenge.

Her advice for those starting out: Don’t rely on the old way of doing things. Be willing to learn new things and experiment along the way. Our industry is continuously evolving and having the ability to be flexible is key to being successful and an asset to your company and clients.

Jeff Bowles, 39Co-Owner, Proforma Promotionally Yours, Kansas City, Kan.

His big break: I spent six years in pharmaceutical sales after college and during that time I watched my best friend and current business partner, Jeff Levy, make great money, set his own hours and enjoy a better work-life balance in the print and promotional products industry. After the birth of my first child, I decided it was now or never and made the leap into this industry and joined forces with Jeff.

Why he loves the industry: I love that just about everyone you meet is a potential client whose company is buying at least one thing that you could sell to them. It’s an industry that lends itself to building your book of business by referrals, and that affords you the opportunity to grow a business based on great personal relationships.

His advice for those starting out: It’s easy to say “yes” in this industry, but often it’s more profitable to say “no.” Saying “yes” too many times to the wrong types of clients can result in working 60 hours a week while only selling a fraction of your poten-tial. Be patient enough to say “no” to the wrong types of clients, while you search for the right ones. It can result in unlimited earning potential and an incredible work-life balance.

Jeff Levy, 39Co-Owner, Proforma Promotionally Yours, Kansas City, Kan.

His big break:After college, I got a job as a project engineer for a construction company. After three months, I was bored. I

asked myself, “If I am bored after three months of this, how am I supposed to do this for 30 years?” One evening I had dinner with my parents and their next-door neighbors, who were in the print and promotional product industry at the time. They convinced me to start working with them.

Why he loves the industry: What I love most about this industry is not the products or print that I sell, but what the industry allows me to do in my personal life. I love the freedom to work the hours I want to work. I love that I get to make my kids breakfast every morning and I don’t ever miss dinner with my family, because no-body in the country needs a stress ball on the fly at 8 p.m.

I love that even when something goes wrong with an order nobody dies or gets hurt. My stress level is at a “one” almost every day of the year. I love the feeling that when I wake up I could get a huge order that pays me thousands of dollars that day and I don’t even know it until I show up to work. That’s exciting. I love that my clients like to talk to me about my job. It is the fun part of their day.

His advice for those starting out: My greatest piece of advice is to trust your instincts. Don’t make decisions based on dollar signs or what others tell you to do. If you are hiring sales reps, make sure they mesh well with you and the people in your office. If Jeff and I can’t imagine hanging out with a candidate on the weekends or during a company event, we don’t hire him or her. Jeff and I also have a firm “three strike” policy. If an employee makes a mistake, we call it an ac-cident. If it happens again, we call it a coincidence. Do it a third time, they are let go. We’ve prolonged the inevitable in the past and it cost us time, money and stress. Also, so many people enter our industry, desperate for sales—any sales. Don’t go after the lowest-hanging fruit just be-cause it’s easy. The sales that are the

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easiest can also be the least profitable (schools, attorneys, real estate agents, insurance agents, etc.). The second you start working with clients who spend their own money, and not their compa-ny’s marketing budget, they want every option in the world to look at and the absolute cheapest price. Find compa-nies that have a marketing budget and value your services and won’t spend their entire day looking for the best pen to put their logo on. You’ll book fewer orders throughout the week, but make five times more money.

Teresa Fang, 35Director of Prod-uct and Supply Chain Operations, Jetline, Gaffney, S.C.

Her big break:After college, I worked overseas for a

few years. Upon coming back to the U.S., I applied for a position with Jetline and have been with the com-pany ever since.

Why she loves the industry: I love that this industry is so dynamic and always changing. There are new challenges every day that contribute to a person’s professional growth. I’ve been in the industry for 10 years and still feel like I am growing and learning constantly.

Her advice for those starting out: My advice would be to prepare to fully dedicate yourself to learning as much as possible. Read all the industry publications, talk and network with as many people as you can, and ask as many questions as you can. By doing this, it will lead you to being able to see all the unlimited opportunities for your own personal and career growth.

Jim Walters, 37Director of Client Services, The Shamrock Companies, Westlake, Ohio

His big break: In January 2005, I took a project man-agement position with RBF Inc. RBF was a forms management company that dabbled in commercial print and promotional products. The team at RBF helped me cut my teeth in print— Business Forms 101 and the basics of CMYK. Two years later, The Shamrock Companies, a marketing and commu-nications firm, acquired RBF. Shamrock fully immersed me in all aspects of integrated marketing solutions.

Why he loves the industry: Cliché, but true—the people. I also love the pace at which marketing solutions are

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