Graphic Arts Magazine February 2018 | Page 15

Cover story HELLO 22 ideas to keep top of mind this year + THE THIRD WAVE OF PRINT Filomena Tamburri From sales to technology trends, our experts weigh in with critical tips and strategies you should be focused on to improve your business 2018 is just getting started. You’re probably well into imple- menting your strategic plans, but we wanted to give you something to think about. We asked some of our regular contributors and other leading industry thinkers to help us hone in on some trends, issues, or developments that all print-shop owners need to keep top-of-mind this year. Here’s what they said. Marketing John Foley CEO interlinkONE interlinkone.com Take a deep dive into your marketing plans When was the last time you took a deeper look at your mar- keting plan? In 2018, make it a point to rewrite it. But, don’t just use the point of view of your marketing goals – incorpor- ate sales. Ask yourself these questions: What do you sell? What problems do you solve for your customers? How does your sales process align with your marketing efforts? Are they working together? When both your marketing and sales teams are on the same page, it can bring many benefits to your printing business. Your marketing department is tapped into the industry and what your competitors are up to, while your sales team can let them know what works and what doesn’t. Creating the plan with both teams in mind will make sure everyone is on the same page. Learn about how customers learn about you Take the time to understand how today's prospects are using the internet to learn about your company. Are leads coming @graphicarts GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE | February 2018 | 15