NPOAfor Our 2017 Annual Owners Conference *"Ê 7-ÊUÊ "6 ,ÊÓä£È I n a recent InfoTrends Study...

NPOA NEWS • JANUARY 2017

NPOANEWS and UPDATES

New OrleansJoin Us in

for Our 2017 Annual Owners Conference

JANUARY • 2017

NPOANational Print Owners Association301 Brush Creek Road, Warrendale, PA 15086-75291.888.316.2040 • www.printowners.org

Printed by GAM | Graphics and Marketing on the RICOH 9110 on 80# Gloss Cover

Register for the conference at www.PrintOwners.org

An Association for Print Owners By Print Owners

RICOH back again as the Host Sponsor for the High-Energy Annual Conference in New Orleans

The National Print Owners Association (NPOA) will hold its Fifth Annual Owners Conference in New Orleans at the Hotel Intercontinental from February 2-4.

Industry experts Dave Fellman and Philip Beyer will anchor dynamic educational sessions. Other notable presenters will include Dan Antonelli from SignShopMarketing, Sarah Barr from Konhaus Marketing and Thaddeus Rex.

The conference will begin on Thursday evening, February 2 with the popular and entertaining Welcome Reception sponsored by the conference host, RICOH. This reception offers a close setting to reconnect with print shop owners, previous attendees and make new friends before heading out to on-your-own group dinners at various Nawlin’s hot spots.

About the National Print Owners AssociationFrom its grass roots inception in 2013, NPOA has grown from 19 founding

members to more than 400 print shop owners, making it the fastest growing association in the printing industry. Along with an annual conference, it provides its members with proprietary studies and surveys on technology, pricing, business operations and many other topics. It also offers an on-line discussion forum for print shop owners to share ideas and solutions to common problems. The association’s motto is “By Printers, For Printers” and its members represent the most progressive printing operations in the industry. For more information, visit: www.printowners.org.

By Danyell LanceDirector of HR Curry Printing and Copy Cat Printing

How involved are you and your business in your community? How much time

and money do you give back to local charities and outreach programs? If it is not as much as you feel you would like to or should contribute, consider this: donating time, money, or services to community organizations and charitable causes does more than instill a warm and fuzzy feeling. It improves employee engagement and morale, helps attract top talent, and enhances revenue growth. Simply put, doing good is good for your business.

Engagement – Employee engagement is a measure of the collective commitment felt by employees of a firm. Engaged employees feel emotionally connected to their employer, creating a sense of pride and loyalty towards their organization. This connection ultimately improves retention rates and on-the-job performance. Charitable giving drives your business’ bottom line by improving engagement through a shared sense of purpose and mission.

Morale – A study by UnitedHealth Group revealed that 76% of people who volunteer said that decision made them feel healthier and 94% said volunteering improves their mood. Healthy and happy employees are the foundation of a positive and productive workplace.

Talent – A company can create a positive reputation among job-seekers and potential employees through charitable activities and contributions. This allows for an advantage when recruiting. Philanthropic endeavors also attract a younger generation of applicants – particularly Millennials – as they tend to see their philanthropic, personal, and professional lives as being heavily integrated.

Revenue – The Strategic Management Journal published a study that examined the impact of philanthropy on sales and growth, finding that a positive correlation exists between charitable contributions and revenue growth. This positive correlation makes sense, especially when a business approaches charitable involvement strategically,

by looking to forge partnerships with non-profits and other community organizations. This strategic approach is advantageous to the business, employees, and community at large, and producing a positive outcome that maximizes the value created, both socially and economically. Overall, generating a win-win-win.

Local Impact – Community involvement is a critical component in differentiation. According to “The Competitive Advantage of Corporate Philanthropy” by Michael Porter and Mark Kramer, charitable efforts are most effective when used to improve competitive context – the quality of the business environment where the business operates. Using philanthropy to enhance the local community brings social and economic goals into alignment and improves long-term business prospects.

In this era of social media, charitable companies earn a reputation of being “good” companies, consumers want to buy from “good companies” and employees want to work for “good” companies. Giving back helps build stronger relationships with existing customers and provides opportunities to acquire new ones. It helps attract and retain the best talent and improves office morale. A strategic philanthropic program is a valuable and positive investment for any company. Start giving more to get more.

Get Started Doing Good

NPOA NEWS • OCTOBER 2016




The NPOA Board of Directors are excited to bring you the first issue of NPOA News. Board member Randy Herron of Herron Printing and NPOA member Nathaniel Grant of GAM Printers have

taken the lead on this project and they have done a fantastic job.

Our goal is to use this printed newsletter to improve communication to the membership, vendors, and future members. We plan to spotlight a member shop in each issue, share some information about new members, provide advertising space for our sponsoring vendors to showcase their products and services, and, with your assistance, share interesting news items from our members. If you have something of interest to share with your fellow members, please contact Randy Herron at [email protected] to have your information considered for an upcoming issue.

Since the San Antonio Conference in April, the NPOA Board has been working on implementing some of your suggestions on how to improve your association. The most significant task was a completely redesigned website. The new site has improved navigability with a more user-friendly, customer service approach. With a fresh modern look the site now includes titles in the bookstore on the critical topic of Environmental, Health, and Safety guides, posters, and webinars.

We have received positive feedback on the new design. If you have not visited the site recently, go to www.printowners.org and take a look around.

Another project we are working on is developing a group purchase program for printed letterhead and business card boxes. More details will be coming this fall. If this is a program that you might be interested in, drop us a line and we will be sure to add you to the list.

We have completed the 2016-2017 Sign and Wide Format Survey and it will be available from the NPOA bookstore in November.

Also, it is not too early to sign up for the 2017 Conference. It will be held February 2 - 4, 2017 in New Orleans, the site of our first conference. This conference, however, will be held at the newly remodeled InterContinental Hotel on St. Charles Avenue, which is in the heart of downtown.

A few of us visited the hotel and it is an outstanding venue. We continuously hear that one of the greatest benefits of NPOA is the friendships and networking opportunities while attending the conferences.

If you have not had an opportunity to attend one yet, put this one on your calendar! It is always a great event and your fellow NPOA members are putting a lot of work into making it well worth your time and investment. You may register for the conference and secure your hotel accommodations by visiting our website www.printowners.org. We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!

I would like to end my message by sharing a few ways that you can get involved with NPOA. Currently, there are several needs within NPOA:

• Serve as a Board Member. There are two seats to fill on the board this year. If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering their time to serve this great organization, please contact an NPOA board member to submit a name.

• Serve on a committee. • Contribute information for the newsletter or

write an article or blog post.• Consider nominating a fellow print owner for

the 2nd Annual Mike Stevens Award. We would like to recognize someone that has provided outstanding service to the printing community.

Meanwhile, as always, we welcome your suggestions and comments.

Wishing You Success,

Barry Martin NPOA Chairman of the Board

Improving Communication to the Membership and Vendors NPOA

National Print Owners Association301 Brush Creek Road, Warrendale, PA 15086-75291.888.316.2040 • www.printowners.org

featuring a dynamic keynote speech by Thaddeus Rex, speaker on

The Science of Charisma, who will share the three stages of customer

engagement and how to achieve them all

OCTOBER • 2016

Thank You to Our 2016 Sponsors!!!



NPOA NEWS • NOVEMBER 2016

In a recent InfoTrends Study entitled Micro to Mega: Trends in Business Communications, only

seven percent of over 1,000 SMB respondents noted that they had switched print providers in the past twelve months. Only seven percent!

As a sales trainer and coach, I routinely hear from owners and reps that their customers aren’t loyal and are often ready to jump ship over a price difference of just a few dollars. Wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth, these sales reps say that customers today don’t care about service and only think about price… yet InfoTrends’ data seems to say otherwise. Your customers may have taken a job to another provider, but they don’t feel like they have left you – at least not yet. Perhaps they’re just waiting for you to do your job.

The reason you aren’t winning more business lies in the difference between your value proposition and your customer’s value perception. According to the Corporate Executive Board, only 14% of customers perceive a real difference between supplier offerings AND value the difference enough to pay for it. If your customers can’t see a difference between suppliers, price can easily become the deciding factor.

When InfoTrends’ survey asked SMBs to rank a number of criteria when choosing a printer, the top responses included quality of output, the ability to meet promised deadlines, and competitive pricing. These areas are table stakes that every competitor in the market must offer. If you focus on these aspects when trying to convince a customer to buy, you will only be seen as equal to your competitors rather than better. These criteria are also job-focused, not customer-focused.

According to a Sleeter Group study conducted in 2014, the top three reasons that SMBs choose a CPA include expertise, responsiveness, and proactive advice. Low fees were eighth on the list. SMBs want CPAs that will protect them and keep them out of trouble, and they are willing to pay for it. Furthermore, choosing a CPA is based on the full relationship rather than just one specific request.

If you help a customer execute a successful lead generation campaign that drives customers into their store, you are using your expertise to protect them from lost opportunities and lower sales. When you help them communicate more effectively with customers using personalization, you are keeping them out of customer attrition trouble. When you help a customer order from you more efficiently via the web, you are protecting them from low profitability. When you advise your customers against executing a marketing initiative that won’t work, you are keeping them from wasting their money.

Your job is not to give your customers what they ask for – any of your competitors can do that. Your job is to use your expertise to help them grow sales, keep customers, and operate more efficiently. Customer service in today’s world isn’t about waiting until a customer needs something and then doing it perfectly. If you think that this is your job, you’ll force your customers to think of each interaction separately rather than focusing on the relationship they have with your company. Your competitors can deliver quality output and meet deadlines too, and there’s always the possibility that you will get beat on price.

By changing your definition of service from responding to customer requests to proactively using your expertise to help them grow and be profitable, you can shift the way that the customer evaluates their relationship with you. If you use your expertise and proactive advice to become a critical tool to your customer’s success, they will make decisions that are based on more than just price.

What’s Your Job?By Kate Dunn NPOA

NEWS and UPDATES



NOVEMBER • 2016


Mechanics: Getting the Process RightPhilip Beyer is founder/president Ebiz Products LLC

and Beyer Printing Inc., in Nashville, Tennessee. After opening his commercial printing company in 1988, Beyer set out to totally systemize every facet of his operation. In the process, he developed unique, easy-to-use, integrated systems that are now used in various businesses around the country.

Beyer’s popular business book, “System Busters: How to Stop Them In Your Business” is now available in Kindle and Audio versions, has become a much used desk item for serious-minded business owners and managers who seek order, lean and sustainable management, and continuous improvement in their operations. His mission is to help other owners and managers bring their businesses to sustainable order, to reach their maximum potential through lean and error-free systemization.

His Friday morning presentation on Mechanics: Getting the Process Right is one of the important keynote sessions for NPOA’s New Orleans Conference focused on Mechanics, Message and Mardi Gras! Join fellow Print Owners in the Big Easy for information packed workshops, valuable networking among peers and N’awlins fun February 2-4, 2017.




for Mechanics, Message and Mardi Gras!

Printed by GAM Printers on the RICOH 9110 on 80# Gloss Cover




























OCTOBER • 2016















NEWS and UPDATES



NOVEMBER • 2016











NPOA NEWS • DECEMBER 2016




DECEMBER • 2016

A highly engaged workforce can increase productivity and bottom-line

performance while decreasing costs associated with hiring, retention, and workplace safety. Why, then, does a recent Gallup survey report that only 34% of U.S. workers are engaged at work? Surely the benefits of employee engagement are worth the effort, right?

Most small business owners understand the need to improve employee engagement, however, many have yet to develop measurable and actionable strategies for achieving this goal. Regardless of where your organization is on its employee engagement journey, there are always opportunities to refine and improve the organization’s strategy, working towards a fully-engaged and maximized work force made up of team members that find their work to be irresistible.

How to make work irresistible:• Ask employees for feedback and often. Consider

administering surveys that ask for specific, relevant, and actionable data. Questions should go beyond measuring satisfaction, and feedback should be acknowledged and acted upon (when appropriate).

• Define and communicate realistic goals. Aligning employees with organizational goals increases morale and improves retention as it creates ownership in the organization’s success.

• Make work meaningful. Establish clear and transparent individual and team goals collaboratively, then allow employees to work with autonomy, empowering them to make decisions.

• Recognize and celebrate successes. Employee recognition builds and maintains the relationship. Write a thank you note, make an announcement at a meeting, send an email, etc. Do it consistently and not just during an annual review.

• Offer growth opportunities. Training, cross-training, promotions, etc.

• Walk the walk. Be an inspirational leader, provide transparency and honesty, offer a hands-on approach to management, coach future leaders, and be committed to performance management.

• Hire for culture fit. Understand the values and norms embedded in the company culture. Filter based upon behaviors and attributes.

Fully-engaged employees, who are committed to facilitating the achievement of organizational goals, are a key component in ensuring long-term success. In today’s marketplace, printing firms must do more than simply offer high-quality products and services. They must also strategically distinguish themselves from competitors by providing a customer experience that meets or exceeds expectations throughout the buying process. This includes managing expectations not only during an actual transaction or sale, but also before and after the traditional commercial interaction.

Who is primarily responsible for this critical task of developing, managing, and maintaining customer experience? This task that can make or break a printing firm? Employees. There is no better time than now to embrace employee engagement as part of organizational strategy.

The Impact of Employee EngagementBy Danyell Lance, Director of HR Curry Printing and Copy Cat Printing



Danyell Lance, Director of HR Curry Printing and Copy Cat Printing



Chairman’s ReportThe Board of National Print Owners Association meet on November 7th for the

fall retreat in the PIA headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. During our time together, we focused on long-range planning and projects currently underway.

The “I am a PrintOwner” program has been a huge PR boost that has brought in some new members. If you would like to be featured in this program, please send a headshot photo and a short statement of why you belong to NPOA to Betsy Allen. You can contact her at [email protected].

We formed a number of committees to help with the work of NPOA and are looking for volunteers who have interest in helping improve our organization. If you would like additional information, please contact one of us.

The NPOA newsletter has been well received, members Nathaniel Grant and Randy Herron have worked hard to provide the members with this piece. We are interested in your comments and articles. Please contact Randy at [email protected] if you have something to contribute.

NPOA has a strong cash position and has reduced overhead cost with our current arrangement with PIA. Our membership has remained steady at 304 members. We are excited about our speaker and vendor line-up for the upcoming conference in New Orleans, on February 2-4th. We hope to see many of you there!

Your board has spent many hours in planning and discussions on how to improve this organization and provide more value to our members. As always we welcome your feedback and ideas for improvement.

Barry MartinChairman of the Board

NPOA NEWS • OCTOBER 2016 OCTOBER 2016 • NPOA NEWS

Our 2017 Annual Owners Conference to Visit Exciting and Glamorous New OrleansBy Becky Whatley

We’re heading back to NOLA, the site of our first NPOA meeting in 2013, to bring you a fun & informative conference that will lead you to greater success.

“Choose success!” with your fellow printers when you register for the 2017 Owners Conference. Every day, every session will be relevant to your business at the only conference designed BY print owners FOR print owners. The NPOA board of directors appointed two dynamic Louisiana printers to chair the 2017 Annual Owners Conference in New Orleans – Kevin Herbert of St. Charles Printing and FASTSIGNS in Bouette LA and Daniel Paline of Five Star Printing and Signs in Denham Springs, LA – plus long-time respected consultant to the industry Pamela Crouser, formerly of CPrint International and now with Global Graphics Network, to serve as the vendor liaison. You can count on this committee to turn up the heat in the Big Easy!

Thursday night kicks off with the Welcome Reception once again sponsored by Ricoh for a chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones! Each year, attendees emphasize the one-to-one interaction with fellow printers as a highlight of the conference and this conference will have plenty of opportunities to “talk shop” starting with this opening reception.

With an emphasis on “Mechanics, Message and Mardi Gras” this conference will bring you plenty

of fun and plenty of education. Friday morning will open with a dynamic keynote by Thaddeus Rex, speaker on The Science of Charisma, who will share the three stages of customer engagement and how to achieve them all, plus the key to taking your brand one step further, from consistent to charismatic. Other speakers include popular industry experts Dave Fellman, Phillip Beyer and Pamela Crouser plus panels comprised of profit leaders with real world information.

The Supplier Showcase is expanded and moved to Saturday afternoon, and will include interactive vendor workshops presented by AccuZIP, Printer’s Plan and EFI along with others.

Sponsors from previous conference are already confirming their participation in 2017. Early sign ups include Printer’s Plan, AccuZIP, Larry Hunt Newsletters and FASTSIGNS.

All this, in the beautiful city of New Orleans! John Henry, Director of Conferences, negotiated a great deal of $199 per night for a hotel in the French Quarter. You can take advantage of great learning opportunities during the day and fun filled nights on Bourbon Street. You’ll enjoy your stay in this newly renovated luxurious hotel with a centralized location for easy access to NOLA’s hottest attractions. Jump on the St. Charles Street car to be whisked off through the lovely Garden District or stroll two leisurely blocks into the French Quarter.

We Rocked the 2016 Owners Conference in San Antonio, TX . . . Join Us in New Orleans in 2017!!!

NPOA NEWS • FEBRUARY 2017


FEBRUARY • 2017



www.PrintOwners.orgAn Association for Print Owners By Print Owners

SALES STATISTICS48% of Sales People Never Follow Up With A Prospect25% of Sales People Make a Second Contact and Stop12% of Sales People Only Make Three Contacts

and StopOnly 10% of Sales People Make More Than

Three Contacts2% of Sales Are Made on the First Contact3% of Sales Are Made on the Second Contact5% of Sales Are Made on the Third Contact10% of Sales Are Made on the Fourth Contact80% of Sales Are Made on the Fifth To Twelfth ContactSource: National Sales Executive Association

“Keep it simple.”

That phrase is everywhere. It’s become the mantra (aka cliché) to live by according to new millennial hipsters everywhere – for whom downloading an app that tells them when and how to dress, eat, and

time their bathroom breaks means living simply.Right now, the United States is in the midst of one

of the most hostile and controversial presidential campaigns we’ve ever seen . . . and the candidates for the major political parties haven’t even been chosen yet. The front runners have been snarky about each other and their predecessors, but none of them have stated their beefs and their platforms as simply as:

“We’re going to do a wall; we’re going to have a big, fat beautiful door on the wall; we’re going to have people come in, but they’re going to come in legally”

“We’ll Build A Wall.” It sounds simple enough. But does simple always add up to what’s best?

We’ll build a wall. Telling people who want to get in not to climb the wall, break through the wall, or find a way around the wall is like telling my kids not to eat the last Twinkie. It sounds simple, but ideas like this can be detrimental to existing relationships – and besides, building great walls is sooo two thousand years ago . . .

Humans are complex creatures. We say we crave simplicity, but then we go and and add salsa and guacamole on the side.

If we were satisfied with walking into a BJ’s or a Costco and paying twenty dollars for two huge tubs of mayo, then extreme couponers would not have their own reality show. A deal is a deal, so no matter how simple something appears to be, it doesn’t mean that it’s what is best for you or your wallet.

In the credit card industry, competition is on the rise in part because of large companies busting on to the scene with “simple pricing.”

In the small business market, merchants are being bombarded with simplistic promises that may not serve their best interests. It only takes one slick talker to set your finances back to Square One.

The promise of $0 equipment and $0 startup fees does not mean that you aren’t paying for these things somewhere else. (Like in your transaction fees. Forever and ever.)

Finding the best rates for credit card processing is a little bit more complicated than slapping down a “one size fits all” price, but helping merchants understand what is truly best for them is simple:1. Merchants don’t have time to shop around for

pricing. But that doesn’t mean that they want to be pickpocketed either. Proposed “flat rates” usually mean that you lose out on savings offered through COST PLUS PROGRAMS – in which you pay the merchant services providers wholesale cost plus a small fee – this way, the card types you process are broken apart by transaction and the best rates are passed through to you.

2. Merchants shouldn’t have to do the math. The right service provider will take your existing merchant statements and give you a clear analysis based on your average monthly volume and transactions. They will find the right rates for your business – they won’t just do the math, they’ll put the savings right back into your pocket.

3. Merchants need to get back to doing what they love – running their business. Small business owners shouldn’t have to keep up with new technologies. The right service provider will do it for you. From terminals to software, your provider should have the most up to date information, the right contacts in the industry, and the simplest means to help you reach your business goals.

Merchants need more than just a magic number to start a business and stay in business.

Some merchants just want the light switch to turn on and others want to know what’s behind it. Bristol Pay will not only will find the right solution that fits your business, they will make it as simple as possible to achieve your goals.

Merchant Services: Simple Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Best





JANUARY • 2017


























JANUARY • 2017






















Advertising Rates & Sizes






for complete information

Nathaniel GrantCommunications Director, NPOA

703.401.4058 [email protected]

[email protected]

NPOAfor complete informationNational Print Owners AssociationNathaniel GrantCommunications Director, NPOA703.401.4058 [email protected]@printowners.org

Advertising Rates and Sizes

Half Page Vertical Quarter Page

Eighth Page

Half Page Horizontal


Ad Size 12 Month Contract PriceEigth Page ..............................................................$900 ($100 Per Issue no contract)

• 3.8” wide x 2.5” tallQuarter Page .......................................................$1800 ($200 Per Issue no contract) • 3.8” wide x 5.1” tallHalf Page...............................................................$2500 ($250 Per Issue no contract) Horizontal

• 7.8” wide x 5.1” tall without bleed or • 8.5” wde x 5.5” tall with .125” bleed Vertical

• 3.8” wide x 10.3” tall without bleed or • 4.1” wide x 11.0” tall with .125” bleedFull Page ................................................................$4500 ($500 Per Issue no contract) • 7.8” wide x 10.3” tall without bleed or • 8.5” wde x 11.0” tall with .125” bleed

We currently mail out our newsletter to approximately 600 business owners (and growing) monthly. These are mailed to Print Shop Owners by the postal service, not by email. Plus, each edition is posted on our association’s official web site at http://www.printowners.org/newsletters. NPOA News and Updates is printed in full color on a quality stock.


• Payment due for in full for contract with 1st ad placement. Per issue is due in full with ad placement.

• All ads are due by the 10th of the preceding month (example: April 10th for May edition). If you want to change your ad out each month, we are able to do that, we just need new ad by the 10th otherwise current ad runs.

• We will also add you to our mailing list to receive the newsletter for up to 12 months.

NPOAfor complete informationNational Print Owners AssociationNathaniel GrantCommunications Director, NPOA703.401.4058 [email protected]@printowners.org

Advertising Rates and Sizes

Half Page Vertical Quarter Page

Eighth Page

Half Page Horizontal


Ad Size 12 Month Contract PriceEigth Page ..............................................................$900 ($100 Per Issue no contract)

• 3.8” wide x 2.5” tallQuarter Page .......................................................$1800 ($200 Per Issue no contract) • 3.8” wide x 5.1” tallHalf Page...............................................................$2500 ($250 Per Issue no contract) Horizontal

• 7.8” wide x 5.1” tall without bleed or • 8.5” wde x 5.5” tall with .125” bleed Vertical

• 3.8” wide x 10.3” tall without bleed or • 4.1” wide x 11.0” tall with .125” bleedFull Page ................................................................$4500 ($500 Per Issue no contract) • 7.8” wide x 10.3” tall without bleed or • 8.5” wde x 11.0” tall with .125” bleed

We currently mail out our newsletter to approximately 600 business owners (and growing) monthly. These are mailed to Print Shop Owners by the postal service, not by email. Plus, each edition is posted on our association’s official web site at http://www.printowners.org/newsletters. NPOA News and Updates is printed in full color on a quality stock.


• Payment due for in full for contract with 1st ad placement. Per issue is due in full with ad placement.

• All ads are due by the 10th of the preceding month (example: April 10th for May edition). If you want to change your ad out each month, we are able to do that, we just need new ad by the 10th otherwise current ad runs.

• We will also add you to our mailing list to receive the newsletter for up to 12 months.





JANUARY • 2017

















































OCTOBER • 2016















NEWS and UPDATES



NOVEMBER • 2016






































OCTOBER • 2016















NEWS and UPDATES



NOVEMBER • 2016











NPOA NEWS • DECEMBER 2016




DECEMBER • 2016

A highly engaged workforce can increase productivity and bottom-line

performance while decreasing costs associated with hiring, retention, and workplace safety. Why, then, does a recent Gallup survey report that only 34% of U.S. workers are engaged at work? Surely the benefits of employee engagement are worth the effort, right?

Most small business owners understand the need to improve employee engagement, however, many have yet to develop measurable and actionable strategies for achieving this goal. Regardless of where your organization is on its employee engagement journey, there are always opportunities to refine and improve the organization’s strategy, working towards a fully-engaged and maximized work force made up of team members that find their work to be irresistible.

How to make work irresistible:• Ask employees for feedback and often. Consider

administering surveys that ask for specific, relevant, and actionable data. Questions should go beyond measuring satisfaction, and feedback should be acknowledged and acted upon (when appropriate).

• Define and communicate realistic goals. Aligning employees with organizational goals increases morale and improves retention as it creates ownership in the organization’s success.

• Make work meaningful. Establish clear and transparent individual and team goals collaboratively, then allow employees to work with autonomy, empowering them to make decisions.

• Recognize and celebrate successes. Employee recognition builds and maintains the relationship. Write a thank you note, make an announcement at a meeting, send an email, etc. Do it consistently and not just during an annual review.

• Offer growth opportunities. Training, cross-training, promotions, etc.

• Walk the walk. Be an inspirational leader, provide transparency and honesty, offer a hands-on approach to management, coach future leaders, and be committed to performance management.

• Hire for culture fit. Understand the values and norms embedded in the company culture. Filter based upon behaviors and attributes.

Fully-engaged employees, who are committed to facilitating the achievement of organizational goals, are a key component in ensuring long-term success. In today’s marketplace, printing firms must do more than simply offer high-quality products and services. They must also strategically distinguish themselves from competitors by providing a customer experience that meets or exceeds expectations throughout the buying process. This includes managing expectations not only during an actual transaction or sale, but also before and after the traditional commercial interaction.

Who is primarily responsible for this critical task of developing, managing, and maintaining customer experience? This task that can make or break a printing firm? Employees. There is no better time than now to embrace employee engagement as part of organizational strategy.

The Impact of Employee EngagementBy Danyell Lance, Director of HR Curry Printing and Copy Cat Printing



Danyell Lance, Director of HR Curry Printing and Copy Cat Printing



Chairman’s ReportThe Board of National Print Owners Association meet on November 7th for the

fall retreat in the PIA headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. During our time together, we focused on long-range planning and projects currently underway.

The “I am a PrintOwner” program has been a huge PR boost that has brought in some new members. If you would like to be featured in this program, please send a headshot photo and a short statement of why you belong to NPOA to Betsy Allen. You can contact her at [email protected].

We formed a number of committees to help with the work of NPOA and are looking for volunteers who have interest in helping improve our organization. If you would like additional information, please contact one of us.

The NPOA newsletter has been well received, members Nathaniel Grant and Randy Herron have worked hard to provide the members with this piece. We are interested in your comments and articles. Please contact Randy at [email protected] if you have something to contribute.

NPOA has a strong cash position and has reduced overhead cost with our current arrangement with PIA. Our membership has remained steady at 304 members. We are excited about our speaker and vendor line-up for the upcoming conference in New Orleans, on February 2-4th. We hope to see many of you there!

Your board has spent many hours in planning and discussions on how to improve this organization and provide more value to our members. As always we welcome your feedback and ideas for improvement.

Barry MartinChairman of the Board

NPOA NEWS • OCTOBER 2016 OCTOBER 2016 • NPOA NEWS

Our 2017 Annual Owners Conference to Visit Exciting and Glamorous New OrleansBy Becky Whatley

We’re heading back to NOLA, the site of our first NPOA meeting in 2013, to bring you a fun & informative conference that will lead you to greater success.

“Choose success!” with your fellow printers when you register for the 2017 Owners Conference. Every day, every session will be relevant to your business at the only conference designed BY print owners FOR print owners. The NPOA board of directors appointed two dynamic Louisiana printers to chair the 2017 Annual Owners Conference in New Orleans – Kevin Herbert of St. Charles Printing and FASTSIGNS in Bouette LA and Daniel Paline of Five Star Printing and Signs in Denham Springs, LA – plus long-time respected consultant to the industry Pamela Crouser, formerly of CPrint International and now with Global Graphics Network, to serve as the vendor liaison. You can count on this committee to turn up the heat in the Big Easy!

Thursday night kicks off with the Welcome Reception once again sponsored by Ricoh for a chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones! Each year, attendees emphasize the one-to-one interaction with fellow printers as a highlight of the conference and this conference will have plenty of opportunities to “talk shop” starting with this opening reception.

With an emphasis on “Mechanics, Message and Mardi Gras” this conference will bring you plenty

of fun and plenty of education. Friday morning will open with a dynamic keynote by Thaddeus Rex, speaker on The Science of Charisma, who will share the three stages of customer engagement and how to achieve them all, plus the key to taking your brand one step further, from consistent to charismatic. Other speakers include popular industry experts Dave Fellman, Phillip Beyer and Pamela Crouser plus panels comprised of profit leaders with real world information.

The Supplier Showcase is expanded and moved to Saturday afternoon, and will include interactive vendor workshops presented by AccuZIP, Printer’s Plan and EFI along with others.

Sponsors from previous conference are already confirming their participation in 2017. Early sign ups include Printer’s Plan, AccuZIP, Larry Hunt Newsletters and FASTSIGNS.

All this, in the beautiful city of New Orleans! John Henry, Director of Conferences, negotiated a great deal of $199 per night for a hotel in the French Quarter. You can take advantage of great learning opportunities during the day and fun filled nights on Bourbon Street. You’ll enjoy your stay in this newly renovated luxurious hotel with a centralized location for easy access to NOLA’s hottest attractions. Jump on the St. Charles Street car to be whisked off through the lovely Garden District or stroll two leisurely blocks into the French Quarter.

We Rocked the 2016 Owners Conference in San Antonio, TX . . . Join Us in New Orleans in 2017!!!

NPOA NEWS • FEBRUARY 2017


FEBRUARY • 2017



www.PrintOwners.orgAn Association for Print Owners By Print Owners

SALES STATISTICS48% of Sales People Never Follow Up With A Prospect25% of Sales People Make a Second Contact and Stop12% of Sales People Only Make Three Contacts

and StopOnly 10% of Sales People Make More Than

Three Contacts2% of Sales Are Made on the First Contact3% of Sales Are Made on the Second Contact5% of Sales Are Made on the Third Contact10% of Sales Are Made on the Fourth Contact80% of Sales Are Made on the Fifth To Twelfth ContactSource: National Sales Executive Association

“Keep it simple.”

That phrase is everywhere. It’s become the mantra (aka cliché) to live by according to new millennial hipsters everywhere – for whom downloading an app that tells them when and how to dress, eat, and

time their bathroom breaks means living simply.Right now, the United States is in the midst of one

of the most hostile and controversial presidential campaigns we’ve ever seen . . . and the candidates for the major political parties haven’t even been chosen yet. The front runners have been snarky about each other and their predecessors, but none of them have stated their beefs and their platforms as simply as:

“We’re going to do a wall; we’re going to have a big, fat beautiful door on the wall; we’re going to have people come in, but they’re going to come in legally”

“We’ll Build A Wall.” It sounds simple enough. But does simple always add up to what’s best?

We’ll build a wall. Telling people who want to get in not to climb the wall, break through the wall, or find a way around the wall is like telling my kids not to eat the last Twinkie. It sounds simple, but ideas like this can be detrimental to existing relationships – and besides, building great walls is sooo two thousand years ago . . .

Humans are complex creatures. We say we crave simplicity, but then we go and and add salsa and guacamole on the side.

If we were satisfied with walking into a BJ’s or a Costco and paying twenty dollars for two huge tubs of mayo, then extreme couponers would not have their own reality show. A deal is a deal, so no matter how simple something appears to be, it doesn’t mean that it’s what is best for you or your wallet.

In the credit card industry, competition is on the rise in part because of large companies busting on to the scene with “simple pricing.”

In the small business market, merchants are being bombarded with simplistic promises that may not serve their best interests. It only takes one slick talker to set your finances back to Square One.

The promise of $0 equipment and $0 startup fees does not mean that you aren’t paying for these things somewhere else. (Like in your transaction fees. Forever and ever.)

Finding the best rates for credit card processing is a little bit more complicated than slapping down a “one size fits all” price, but helping merchants understand what is truly best for them is simple:1. Merchants don’t have time to shop around for

pricing. But that doesn’t mean that they want to be pickpocketed either. Proposed “flat rates” usually mean that you lose out on savings offered through COST PLUS PROGRAMS – in which you pay the merchant services providers wholesale cost plus a small fee – this way, the card types you process are broken apart by transaction and the best rates are passed through to you.

2. Merchants shouldn’t have to do the math. The right service provider will take your existing merchant statements and give you a clear analysis based on your average monthly volume and transactions. They will find the right rates for your business – they won’t just do the math, they’ll put the savings right back into your pocket.

3. Merchants need to get back to doing what they love – running their business. Small business owners shouldn’t have to keep up with new technologies. The right service provider will do it for you. From terminals to software, your provider should have the most up to date information, the right contacts in the industry, and the simplest means to help you reach your business goals.

Merchants need more than just a magic number to start a business and stay in business.

Some merchants just want the light switch to turn on and others want to know what’s behind it. Bristol Pay will not only will find the right solution that fits your business, they will make it as simple as possible to achieve your goals.

Merchant Services: Simple Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Best





JANUARY • 2017


























JANUARY • 2017






















Advertising Rates & Sizes






for complete information

Nathaniel GrantCommunications Director, NPOA

703.401.4058 [email protected]

[email protected]

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