Pioneering Efforts Lead Way to Business Revival

While simultaneously cautioning that growth would be “slow,” Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke said in August that the recession was ending. So did economists at leading investment banks like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. These comments followed the release of the Index of Leading Economic Indicators, a widely held measure of future growth, which rose for the fourth consecutive month in a market anchored with such weights as record mortgage delinquencies and more people filing for unemployment benefits. If we are coming out of this recession, and no one is positive that we are, it’s so far been an erratic recovery with many keeping the brakes on spending.

But innovative printers and those offering related services are not sitting idle. New ideas are coming forward everyday that should increase efficiency and enable such companies to emerge strong and healthy once this recession does finally end. What can you do? If you’re out of recession-busting ideas start by studying what others are doing. This may at least kick-start you into action as companies large and small wrestle with ways to lift their businesses from the abyss.

“The decline [in print] is mainly due to the displacement of print by digital technology, particularly Internet technology. However, the unity of print and the Internet is the answer...”

Consider Springville, Utah-based Namifiers LLC which reached a small-business milestone of 100,000 clients served since its founding in 2001. It offers direct digital printing and other services. The company has clients in 12 countries.

“Our objective with every account is to make the customer feel that they have an inside, go-to team when it comes to personalizing their stuff,” says Nick Vance, Namifiers vice president of sales. “Buyers have enough stress as it is, so we consolidate their experience and save them up to 30 percent by doing it all right here in-house. Those lifelong customers are our best sales people.”

Namifiers grew by among other things, taking advantage of Search Engine Optimization marketing in the technology’s early days but have kept hold of an old axiom: you can succeed by making your client’s life easier. Taking it a step further, the printer who’s courteous and knowledgeable and treats clients respectfully will assure that he’s taken the first step towards building a solid relationship. Once that’s established it’s vital to deal from a position of knowledge by getting to know the client’s long-term goals before suggesting products and services.

Combining Old and New Technologies

When Dr. G.R. Link and Kevin D. Jackson took over Atlanta-based Graphic Ventures Inc. (www.graphicventuresinc.com), they did more than just take on a business turn around. They viewed it as the opportunity to reinvent a part of an industry.

“The decline [in print] is mainly due to the displacement of print by digital technology, particularly Internet technology,” said Link, CEO of Graphic Ventures. “However, the unity of print and the Internet is the answer, providing the most effective way to deliver key audiences and improve ROI’s for anyone requiring marketing collateral, sales booklets, brochures, etc.”

Jackson and Link became pioneers as owners of one the country’s only minority-owned half-web printing presses. Nevertheless they remain focused on a growth strategy to generate more “eyes” for advertisers who rely on Graphic Ventures’ content distribution services—enabling customers to enhance distribution and increase return on their print dollars.

“Our customers can expect new products and services online that they can seamlessly integrate into their own sales strategy. This can give them the competitive advantage to survive and grow in this economy,” Link said.

Graphic Ventures Web site is available in both English and Spanish and offers customers such items as “Web specials” and the ability to get quotes online.