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 May 14th, when the entire group will load onto buses and head down to Penn Brewery to experience some award-winning craft beers and an entertaining dinner theater show. But mostly it’s the connections attendees get to make with each other, the speakers, and our staff. The networking opportunities at an event like this can’t be overstated.
Q. What level of understanding of integrated media technology and developments is required to benefit from IPF?
A. I believe everyone—from complete newbie to expert integrated marketing professional—will be equally enthralled by this program. The sessions offered center around five overarching themes; online business engagement, business transformation, integrated media marketing, social commerce, and sales growth. If you’ll notice, most of those topics are business related, not technology. Don’t misunderstand, we’ll be hearing about lots of cool technology, like RFID-enabled social media and magazines that contain actual video screens on the pages. But outside of the hands-on lab, the tech talk will be to a minimum—the focus here is on the services that integrate print with other marketing methods, on business growth potential and sales.
Q. What will attendees ultimately take away from IPF?
A. I’d like to think attendees will get a fresh perspective from the Forum. That they’ll be able to go back and look at their business with a critical eye and either be affirmed that they’re on the right track or realize that they learned some great things that could help them improve their business.
Q. In the past, the forum commences with The Morning Show, can you give us any teasers for this year’s kickoff?
A. At the last Forum, The Morning Show featured Michael Makin interviewing speakers who were speaking later in the program. This year The Morning Show will be a little different, an affirmation of what’s wonderful about print, even as it integrates with other media.