06/22/2018
Also in the News...
James Martin Joins SGIA as EVP
Source: SGIA Press Release, June 19, 2018
Printing industry veteran will launch SGIA's Supplier and Manufacturer Advisory Council
Fairfax, Virginia —The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) is pleased to announce James Martin has come on board as Executive Vice President, Supplier and Manufacturer Relations. In this capacity, Martin will also serve as Executive Secretary of the soon-to-be-launched Supplier and Manufacturer Advisory Council.
Martin has a long history in the printing industry including more than 20 years with Heidelberg as Senior Vice President, Marketing and Product Management; more recently, he has served as CEO of MBO America. His experience with trade shows and associations is extensive, as is his knowledge of the concerns facing suppliers across many of the markets served by SGIA, the SGIA Expo and PRINTING United, which launches in October 2019.
“I’ve spent my life in the printing industry and have seen a lot of changes and challenges, but no other time over the past several decades has seen so much change and so many opportunities as the current moment. I am excited to be a part of this at a level where my background and understanding can help the broadest range of industry players,” Martin said.
SGIA’s establishment of a Supplier and Manufacturer Advisory Council is an extension of its commitment to serve its more than 1,000 supplier members by defining programs, strategies and tactics that will enable them to prosper in a rapidly-changing market. The council will focus on areas including trade show strategy, research, educational programs, association policies, government affairs and advocacy, and partnerships with like-minded organizations.
SGIA President & CEO Ford Bowers said, “Suppliers and manufacturers are critical to the health of the industry, and therefore, it’s important for us to serve this community as we do the printers we serve, striving to make the printing industry as successful and vibrant as possible.”
“James Martin, as a long-time industry executive, has extensive experience grappling with the complex decisions that are made every day by suppliers and manufacturers. Few are as qualified to speak with his understanding and authority on the challenges facing the supplier community,” Bowers added.
Martin begins his official duties this week and will be forming the Supplier and Manufacturer Advisory Council in the coming months to give a strong voice to suppliers and manufacturers in the work of the association and in the ongoing development of PRINTING United as the premier industry trade show for printing in North America.
SGIA — Supporting the Leaders of the Digital & Screen Printing Community
Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) is the trade association of choice for professionals in the industrial, graphic, garment, textile, electronics, packaging and commercial printing communities looking to grow their business into new market segments through the incorporation of the latest printing technologies. SGIA membership comprises these diverse segments, all of which are moving rapidly towards digital adoption. As long-time champions of digital technologies and techniques, SGIA is the community of peers you are looking for to help navigate the challenges of this process. Additionally, the SGIA Expo is the largest trade show for print technology in North America. “Whatever the medium, whatever the message, print is indispensable. Join the community — SGIA.”
About PRINTING United
PRINTING United, a new event hosted by SGIA in partnership with NAPCO Media, will launch in Dallas, Texas, October 23–25, 2019. Focusing on the opportunities presented by the convergence of printing technologies and markets, PRINTING United will cover print and finishing technologies in industry segments from garment to graphic, packaging to commercial, and industrial. Its objective is to convey all components of integrated solutions to satisfy virtually any client need.
Contact: Kate Achelpohl, SGIA, 703.359.1364, kate@sgia.org
Fuji Suing Xerox for $1 Billion in Damages Following Failed Acquisition Agreement
Source: Mark Michelson, Printing Impressions, June 19, 2018
After being left standing at the altar following Xerox's decision to terminate their original $6.1 billion agreement, signed Jan. 31, to combine Fuji Xerox and Xerox, Fujifilm Holdings (Fuji) struck back June 18 by filing a suit for damages in federal court of the Southern District of New York. Various news media outlets are reporting that Fuji is seeking more than $1 billion, plus punitive damages, for their failed nuptials.
Fuji is claiming that Xerox "breached its agreements with the company by making a unilateral decision to terminate, without legitimate cause, the agreements ... The terms of the agreement were discussed in an appropriate manner, based on fair valuations from independent experts retained by both companies," Fuji said in its filing notice. Fuji and Xerox had also agreed to a $184 million termination fee if either party walked away from the deal, which Fuji is reportedly claiming that Xerox should also pay.
Read the full article.
How to Stop Ransomware from Shutting Down Your Company’s Mail
Source: Greg Crabb, Mailing Systems Technology, June 18, 2018
Among the many cyber tools available to today’s criminals, ransomware poses perhaps the most serious threat to businesses. The term ransomware describes a family of malicious software that’s designed to take over a victim’s network and deny access to important files or data until a ransom is paid. Over the past year, we’ve seen the rate of ransomware attacks triple[1], with high-profile strains like WannaCry, Petya, and its variants NotPetya and Bad Rabbit wreaking havoc across global markets. While the victims of ransomware attacks span a range of industries, organizations in the shipping and mailing space appear to be favored targets. Last spring, a shipping corporation lost an estimated $300 million in potential revenue from service and invoicing outages caused by ransomware.[2] A global freight giant and several port administrators also experienced damaging network outages caused by the same attacks.[3]
As the leader of the Postal Service’s cybersecurity organization, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impacts ransomware and related attacks can have on the mailing industry. This past year, one of our shipping partners and a large mailing client suffered major disruptions resulting from a ransomware attack. Third-party incidents like these pose a serious risk to our revenue and mail processing operations, and as a result, they threaten the business of mailing organizations across the supply chain. As technology continues to foster closer connections between our businesses, we should recognize the shared responsibility we all have in securing the mailing industry cyberspace and protecting the data and operations of our business partners, vendors, and customers.
So what can mailers do to prevent a devastating ransomware attack? By addressing cybersecurity challenges associated with employee behaviors, processes, and information technology, organizations can shore up their resilience to cyberattacks and contribute to a safer mailing ecosystem.
Read the full article.
Editor's Note: One of the best things in this article is the link to the USPS Cybersecurity website: www.uspscybersafe.com. This government website includes steps your organization can take to enhance its cybersecurity posture and eradicate the ransomware threat.
How to Improve Direct Mail
Source: Summer Gould, Printing Impressions, June 12, 2018
We are in challenging marketing times. Every dollar spent matters, and in direct mail there are a lot of dollars spent. They are worth it when you are getting good results, but many times that is not the case. The problem is not with the direct mail channel, but rather with your mail campaign. So what really matters in 2018 to make your direct mail campaigns a success? Let’s take a look.
What matters? These seven elements:
- Time — The time you spend to create your mail pieces; audience and message make all the difference.
- Myopia — Many times the problem with a mail campaign is the wrong focus. Your messaging list and design all need to work together to drive response.
- Innovation — Today’s direct mail needs to stand out. What worked yesterday will not work tomorrow. Have you tried to innovate your mail pieces to stand out?
- Inspiration — Many times inspiration is lacking in mail campaigns. From lackluster design to poorly worded copy. You cannot inspire response without a great mail piece.
- Adaptability — As your customers change you change your products and services, but are you changing your mail campaigns? You need to adapt to what your prospects and customers want and need.
- Brand — Many times a mail piece does not perform well because of a conflict between your messaging and your brand. Who your company is and what it stands for needs to mesh with your design and messaging on your direct mail pieces.
- Degeneration — Overtime a direct mail campaign can degenerate if it's continually done the same way. Constant vigilance to changes in your audience, your product and the culture in general need to drive changes in your direct mail. T
Read the full article here.
Quantify Your Direct Mail Response Rates Using Mail Tracking
Source: Brad Kugler, Mailing Systems Technology, May 8, 2018
Nowadays, it seems like new digital marketing techniques are booming. However, it is important to remember that when used alone, these techniques will never outshine direct mail marketing when it comes to response rates.
When done correctly, direct mail marketing can achieve about a 3.7% response rate on a house list and a one percent rate with a prospect list. In contrast, all the digital channels combined only deliver a 0.62% response rate — when used without the support of offline marketing efforts.
Even though response rates for mail are exponentially higher compared to other channels, it's our job as marketers to look out for new ways and tools in which we can help response rates continue to increase and more importantly, quantify where the results are coming from.
Mail tracking has been available for many years, but many companies still don’t understand its potential. The reality is, when used with today's digital tools, mail tracking is a powerhouse when it comes to calculating the response rates of ongoing marketing efforts. But, you may be asking, how?
Read the full article for more illustrations, such as this one:
Using Mail Tracking to Your Benefit
The first way a company could benefit from mail tracking to increase response rates is by using it as a tool to know when to trigger the rest of the marketing channels. For example, if your mail prediction says that mail will hit next Thursday, you could decide to set up an email campaign so that the prospects receive a warm-up email two days before they receive the mail piece and two days after in order to make the messaging memorable.
The Printing Industries of Ohio • N.Kentucky Employment Exchange Report
Just a reminder. If you’re looking for new employees for your firm, check out the Association's employment links, including the Job Bank. Job seekers can post their resumes at no cost. Employers can review resumes for free or list their job openings for a small fee.
Check out the Association's Employment links.
