My How Things Have Changed!
By: Shane Willems
CEO SignSite.com, Inc.
I do not know about you, but I am thrilled to be living right now. These are exciting times! If you were to take a look at the evolution of the print industry and really start breaking it down, things have really changed in a short period of time. There was a day when your print options were "Would you like that in a not so consistent black ink on an ever changing off white paper?", or "Would you like that in a not so consistent black ink on an ever changing off white paper? "
Limitations were everywhere. Production was complicated and really took a lifetime to master. If you really follow the evolution of the print industry you just become more and more impressed with how far it has come in a relatively short period of time. We are no longer bound by color choices. We are not even restricted by size. What once took a lifetime to understand can be taught in months and mastered in many cases within a few years.
My scope of the print industry is quite small. My background is primarily signs and large format printing. The changes brought to the sign industry with digital printing and wide format printing, are incredible to say the least. We have changed from an industry that required an artist to paint a sign by hand to an industry that is mastered in a very short period of time with very little talent. As I mentioned my knowledge of the print industry is limited. However I am sure the same points apply. The use of computers in design, and the automation available for making plates etc., must have had a profound impact on the print industry.
These exciting changes were necessary to keep up with an ever changing world. It used to be large orders for fewer customers. The changes we have all witnessed are smaller orders for more customers. It is now very important for shops big and small to be able to adapt to these changes. The equipment that has been developed over the years has helped us to adapt to these ever changing conditions.
So what is next? Here at SignSite.com we strongly believe the latest change is and will continue to be how people purchase these products. Remember the world has changed. We no longer are forced to drive to the video store to rent videos. We can now just sit in our easy chair and click a few buttons. They will mail them to us. Or we can simply download the movie right on the spot.
Like it or not the internet has changed the way we live forever. Every day the percentage of sales from the internet are increasing. I am in no way saying traditional businesses providing great customer service will not continue to thrive. I am simply pointing out that an evolution in the way customers are purchasing their print products is inevitable. To put it simply, there are people from across the United States selling print products and services to your customers in your back yard every day. Where is your sales plan targeted? If everyday people are becoming aware of a simpler and cheaper solution, then local print shops will be loosing this revenue. It may primarily be new business. However is not this new business vital to your company's growth and wellbeing? I have personally witnessed the excitement of these customers that have sat down at their desk and played with their design for hours. They were able to tweak it to exactly what they wanted and order it without ever having to go to our store. They were thrilled with this experience. You will be too, because it will save you the large amounts of time you waste tweaking projects for your customers approval.
It is not hard to see how the way both businesses and individual people choose to purchase their print products is changing very rapidly. The internet is nothing to be afraid of. It is simply a new tool granting you access to the entire world if you choose to go that far. Here at SignSite we have made it our mission to share what we have learned over the years with others. From the concept of allowing customers to design their products online, to the best way to market your store nationally, we can help.
It starts with the purchase of a web store. This is your store with your name on it. It is not a franchise. From there, if you choose to take a more educated approach, you can come to our facility to be educated in both the use of this powerful tool and the ability to market it.
As with any new venture it will take time and hard work to become successful selling your products and services online. However you need to realize it is possible. And the steps are actually quite simple. Only you can decide if taking your small business to a national level is worth the effort and expense. For me I took this step around 10 years ago and have never looked back. It was truly the best business decision I ever made!