Are customers going to be more enticed to purchase from you if they can see a 3D image on your printed piece? Actually, according to numerous new studies like one from Nellymoser, novel linking technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) are really gaining momentum in the integrated print marketing universe thanks to the extended uses of mobile phones. No longer a futuristic fantasy of overzealous marketers, AR, image recognition, and invisible water marking are quickly growing in popularity. Although customization and QR codes are still being used successfully, consumers’ desire for more realistic experiences is creating viable applications for these new technologies. How to Apply AR in the Real World So how can printers implement AR and other ever-increasing linking tools and start seeing the ROI? At events like Integrated Print Forum 2013, you will see, step-by-step, how to create AR pieces in real time with hands-on lab sessions that effectively link print to digital content and engage customers. Joe Marin, Senior Instructor/Manager, Training Programs (whom you may know if you have ever attended a training workshop or attended a webinar for Printing Industries of America), leads this IPF session and has also authored several white papers and blogs on the subject. His skill and enthusiasm get you involved in your learning. If you are not quite sure how to begin to apply AR, here is Joe to fill in some of the details: When AR is integrated with print, it can link the consumer to online, relevant content or offers. Combining print with an AR scene is typically accomplished by using a marker. A marker is a specialized barcode that is mapped and linked to the digital AR application. The marker is the “trigger” that is placed in front of the smartphone camera or webcam where an AR software application is installed. It is this marker that retrieves the data via an application or Internet connection and becomes the reference point for the AR scene that is displayed on the monitor or smartphone. Click here to see a video where I demonstrate the use of AR. AR overlays real life with relevant, computer-generated information. An example of augmented reality that we are all familiar with is how it is used when watching a football game on television. Current game information (yards to first-down, player information, time remaining, etc.) is superimposed over the actual live gameplay, providing up-to-the-second information. Using this example, we can see how AR is used enhance a person’s understanding of what they are currently viewing. (Read more on Joe’s hands-on lab sessions like “Augmented Reality with Print!” at IPF 2013 here.) There are many successful case studies for AR, including a package printing promotion that received...

It is no surprise to hear that the printing industry is evolving in the general direction of integrated services and products. If you are like most, your company is already a part of this growing segment. Printing Industries of America wanted clearer insight into this market in preparation for the Integrated Print Forum 2013, so we turned to our ownEconomic and Market Research department.   In early 2013, the Economic and Market Research department conducted a survey to address the demands in different markets within the printing industry. The results provide an insightful look into the most current demands for these markets—Web-to-print eCommerce branded storefronts and integrated marketing services ranked among the top 10. The Results The survey confirms that integrated print market demands are increasing exponentially, with many of these markets reporting the biggest sales demand increases. Of the 57 companies that answered the question for Web-to-print eCommerce branded storefront sales, 82% of them indicated that demand is increasing for this service. 78% of printers that reported offering Web development services reported demand increase. 74% of the 46 responding companies reported an increase in demand for integrated marketing services. 34% of respondents indicated a decrease in demand for brochure printing. A decrease was also reported for newspaper printing at 50%. What do these results tell us? We can conclude that while demand in the integrated print markets is growing, the more traditional markets, such as brochures, newspapers, magazines, or books, are declining. Therefore, if your company is still confined to these more traditional markets, you are, or will soon be, experiencing a decline in your sales and profits. The Action Plan Where does your company fit into the equation, and what can you do to capitalize on these growing markets? If your company is already expanding into integrated print markets, great! You are in a key position. However, in order to stay at the forefront, you must continually educate yourself in ways to refine your current offerings and branch into new markets. For the businesses that are not yet into media integration, this is an opportune time to start. We offer plenty of resources to help you assess your needs, develop a plan, and implement profitable integrated printing services. Integrated Print Form 2013, the annual event of the Integrated Print Center, has essential information for companies at any point in their business transformation stage. Learn in an engaging environment from innovative expert speakers. Sign up today to attend this event May 14–15, 2013, in Pittsburgh, PA, and find more details at...

Imagine you are at a conference rubbing elbows with hundreds of people who have ideas and answers to make your business more profitable? Hundreds of industry executives and suppliers will be at the 2013 Binding Industries Association (BIA) Conference. The event is slated to be one of the most successful BIA conferences to date (find out why in the video below). We have a lineup of expert speakers from around the industry to provide how-to advice on creating leaner, more efficient operations, analyzing your customer, and improving your leadership strategies.   With a surge of new and returning attendees, along with more than 50 of the industry’s top suppliers, this is the place to be this April 8–10.  We’d recommend you get familiar with some of these suppliers before you arrive and get an idea of the resources they have to help your company. They’re here to answer your questions and show you their newest technologies and solutions. If you want to really “branch out,” at this year’s conference, take advantage of the unique networking events we have to offer: Tabletop Resource Lunches Spend one-on-one time with industry experts who can speak to innovative approaches and products specifically designed to help you achieve maximum efficiency. The companies represented are strong supporters of the BIA program, the association, and the industry, so please make it a point to visit with as many of the resource experts as you can. Customer Connections: Tabletop Reception Mingle and connect with the top suppliers for binding, graphic finishing, and loose-leaf manufacturing companies that will have solutions to help improve your business. “The BIA Annual Conference is the top event of the year for the graphic finishing and information packaging industry.  It’s the one event I always circle on my calendar as a must-attend.” Rick Ciordia, Standard Finishing,  Industry Supplier And if you still need a reason to come to the 2013 BIA Conference, we can give you five! In this video, Justin Goldstein, Director, Member Services, talks about what is in store for you at the conference. Find more information on the 2013 BIA Conference at www.printing.org/biaconference, and network anytime with top professionals on the Binding Industries Association LinkedIn...

In a Q&A with Julie Shaffer, Vice President, Digital Strategies, Printing Industries of America, we learn what to expect from the highly anticipated Integrated Print Forum 2013. Q. What sets the Integrated Print Forum 2013 apart from other conferences featuring the printing industry’s latest technologies? A. We’ve built the Integrated Print Forum to be different from other conferences, which often feature many breakout tracks and a wide swath of topics. For the Forum, we wanted all attendees to share the same experience so that they can better engage during networking times. That’s why we built a program with short back-to-back sessions, all (with the exception of a few hands-on labs) on the same stage. When a group stays together for two days, very often people develop camaraderie with each other and the presenters. While so many of the topics of this conference center around mobile and digital technologies, the event itself is very steeped in personal communication and learning. Q. Is there a session you’re looking forward to the most this year? A. No, I have to say what I’m most looking forward to watching the audience be blown away by the spectacular speaker lineup! Q. How do the speakers of the Integrated Print Forum set this conference apart? A. The Integrated Print Forum features a diverse group of speakers who all have tremendous credibility in marketing, business, and commerce—but they’re not the “usual suspects” who are often found on the podium of most other industry conferences. We have author and respected blogger Jason Falls, who’s a huge name in the social media circles—even some of the other speakers are pumped to be able to meet him! Our keynote, Andrew Davis, is a top name in brand marketing, and his book, Brandscaping, which all attendees will receive, is a must-read for anyone striving for success in the marketing services space. We’ll hear from entrepreneurs both in and out of the printing industry, people who know what it takes to start a business and offer solid practical advice to the audience. Of course, we’ve included a few respected and knowledgeable people well known to our members, including the incomparable Daniel Dejan of Sappi Fine Paper. I can say this; no one is going to be bored for a minute at the Forum. Q. What are some of the unexpected benefits of attending this conference? A. Since the Forum is right here at Printing Industries headquarters, attendees can tour our great facility and meet our staff—people they may have only talked to on the phone or followed through their articles and columns, like our lab manager, Brad Evans. Then there’s the fun dinner event we have planned for the evening of...

You have only to consider the smartphone in your pocket, the tablet device your kids are scrolling through, and the computer that sits ever at the ready on your desk to understand this fact: digital communication is here to stay. Can print remain an important part of the communication mix today? Of course! For example, did you know that one in ten magazine ads contained a mobile action code last year? Integrating print with digital is at the core of what we call “Integrated Print,” and it can represent significant business potential for print and marketing service providers. Sharing the insights of renowned brand and marketing leaders, social commerce experts, publishers, business entrepreneurs, and printers who are finding new successful business strategies is what the Integrated Print Forum 2013 is all about. Much like the popular “Ted Talks,” the sessions at Integrated Print Forum, May 14–15, will be presented in a clear, concise format. Our lineup of powerful and expert speakers will deliver their message on one main stage, getting right to the valuable material that attendees need to know—a new idea or technology, a fresh strategic direction, or realistic tactics for business growth. With the recent release of the lineup of presenters, people are already talking about these sessions that will be presented at the Forum: The Future of Print Is Digital—Andrew Davis, Monumental Shift Get inspired to re-think current print, digital, and mobile strategies and consider aligning them as a content continuum instead of unrelated initiatives. It’s Time for Direct Mail 2.0!—Joy Gendusa, PostcardMania The concept of Direct Mail 2.0 addresses all of the current issues that can plague direct mail marketing and replaces them with a modern, integrated program.  The Digital Frontier: What Social Media Means for YOUR Business, YOUR Customers—Jason Falls, Social Media Examiner                                                     Learn why social media is such a powerful sales and marketing force and how we can embrace it to drive offline revenues. Business Black Box: A Magazine Success Story—Jordana Megonigal, Editor-in-Chief Explore how a regional business magazine adopted a new way of doing business and, in doing do, is on the way to achieving the sought-after trifecta among publishers: journalistic integrity, full issues, and bottom-line profitability. Topics at Integrated Print Forum 2013 will include: Social Commerce, Integrated Media Marketing, Online Business Engagement, Business Transformation, and Sales Growth. You can’t miss this event! Visit www.printing.org/integratedprint to learn more about the speakers, read up on featured topics and stories in the blog, and most importantly, sign up to attend! Get Involved Before the Forum Have questions, comments, or suggestions about the event? Visit us at the following locations: Blog:               www.integratedprintforum.org/blog Twitter:          www.twitter.com/printind YouTube:       www.youtube.com/printingindustries Facebook:      prnt.in/integratedprintforumevent Hashtag:        ...

This blog was adapted from an article by Manoj Ramachandran, Operations Manager, Label World, who has more than a decade of experience as a lean operations practitioner. He has gained his insight through experience in many different industries, including printing, aviation, and health care. He is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and PMP. Mr. Ramachandran will present on Standard Work at the 2013 Continuous Improvement Conference, April 7–10, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Implementing a Lean manufacturing plan can be like composing a symphony: getting all of the intricate details working together harmoniously requires not only attention to minute detail, but also an overall vision of the project. However, you can lay an integral piece of a Lean foundation and put a Standard Work process in place. Standardizing your work methods will set you on a positively evolving pathway to better workflow and operational excellence. But you have to have the right plan supported and firmly in place. The method of Standard Workor “The documentation and application of the best practices of a manufacturing process,” can be focused to three parts: Creation, Implementation, and Sustenance. Find a glossary of Lean and related terms here. Create: Identifying where Standard Work Is Necessary Ask the question, “What processes would benefit most from standardization?” Take a look at your value stream map and confer with the team or department that performs the work and, therefore, owns the process. Be sure to review the process with the equipment operators—their input will help a great deal in ensuring buy-in and continually improving the process. Finally, analyze the process to identify waste sources using tools like takt time, sequence of activities, and inventory levels. Implement: Making the Process Known For your standard work process to be effective, make it available and understandable to all. Place images of the work sequences close to the work site in graphical, easy-to-follow terms. This will not only set the standard but also act as a grading tool as well as a training tool for new employees. Sustain: Ensuring Compliance The team performing the work should be responsible for auditing the standardized process once it is in place. Supervisors and operators will track and determine if the process is being followed and, if not, determine why. Perhaps someone has found a better way to perform the process and can make suggestions for change. The end goal is improvement, not strictly maintaining a stated process. Want to learn more about Standard Work and implementing a Lean manufacturing program? We have great resources for you! Complimentary Articles, Glossary of Lean and Related Terms,and the Lean Manufacturing Assessment Tool. CI resources page for valuable information like Article Collections, Books, andWebinars The 2013...