Tips for Attendees at PRINTING United

For wide-format shops, PRINTING United has a lot to offer. You’ll likely spend time with all of the usual vendors in the Sign & Graphics neighborhood. That said, however, it is in your best interest to branch out and explore what else the show has to offer — whether that is new technologies you hadn’t considered, new applications you never thought you could produce, or new ideas on how to use your current equipment to produce new products.

1. Look for automation solutions.

Time is money. Reducing turn around times and eliminating touch points can not only help shops exceed customer expectations, it can also reduce costs.

As you walk around PRINTING United, consider everything from software integrations, to new hardware and equipment that could be used to help streamline your operation. The show is filled with solutions to problems you might not have even stopped to consider, so go in with an open mind, ready to be amazed by what you find.

2. Don’t forget your finishing.

At trade shows, everyone wants to see the images coming off the latest presses. But don’t forget — every single one of those jobs has to be finished in some way, too. And finishing has evolved as much as the print side of the business.

Make a point of visiting all of the finishing vendors around the PRINTING United show floor, from cutters and routers, to binders, to coaters, to everything else you can think of. Take the time to learn about the latest innovations, ask questions, and consider how it might be possible to open up entirely new market segments with the addition of finishing equipment.

3. Ask questions.

PRINTING United is a place to get answers. But that will only happen if you are relentless in asking questions. Visit as many vendors as you can. Make appointments with suppliers, yes, but also take time to walk around and talk to as many others as you can, from the large companies with the most visible booths, to the smaller vendors that offer more targeted solutions.

“Educating yourself in terms of what’s best for your business and your business strategy is important, but really understanding what your customer is looking to do is important as well,” says Jason Hamilton, solutions architect, Digital Imaging Segment, Agfa (Booth 8242). And that, he notes, is where asking all those questions comes into play — you can’t determine how to give your customers what they need if you don’t understand what’s possible.

4. Talk to the experts.

“One of the things I’ve learned,” notes Sal Sheikh, the vice president of marketing at Canon Solutions America (Booth 7016), “is that a lot of people come to shows to be educated in order to make future decisions, but they end up speaking to the salespeople. Ask if they have an expert on this technology, or ask for the product manager. You will get more insight talking to that technical expert or product manager if your goal is to be educated.”

For those who want general information, the sales team has the details you need. But for those who are ready to start making buying decisions, don’t be afraid to ask to talk to someone who can answer very specific questions that apply to your unique business operations, rather than just general print shops.

5. Embrace a world of pure imagination.

“People who are successful in printing have a very open imagination,” says Hamilton. “You can be doing what everyone else is doing, but if you’re not putting your own swing on it, if you aren’t expanding your imagination, you become stagnant very quickly. Walking a trade show like this is about opening your eyes, listening, watching, seeing how other people react to the technology they are looking at. Don’t close your door on a big or small opportunity. Sometimes the smallest piece of technology can bring you the biggest impact, and sometimes the biggest technology opens a world that generally you’re scared to even think about.”

PRINTING United isn’t a place to just think about business as usual. With so many segments of the industry, so many vendors, printers, and experts from all walks of print life converging into one location at one time, this is truly a show about discovery, excitement, and innovation. Walk the show with an eye for new and different ways you can serve your customers, and you will leave Dallas with the ideas, connections, and equipment you need to usher in a new era of growth and prosperity in your business.