By Mark Hinder, Business Development EMEA,Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh Europe
Understandably recovering lost business and tackling the economic conditions created by Coronavirus are the main challenges commercial printers are focused on today.
But WhatTheyThink’s Printing Outlook 2021 special report found that traditional challenges will gain greater prominence post pandemic.
It identified a number of areas including increasing productivity, pricing, and finding qualified sales and production personnel will remain of major importance for print businesses.
Ricoh has been supporting clients through the pandemic with advice on how to creatively adapt. We have also been helping to equip them as they review their outlook and redefine their service offering.
We have been doing that with the advice, guidance and tools in our Business Booster online resource. We have also launched the EDGE consultancy for existing production printing Ricoh clients. It comprises tailored business development programmes that aid the effective implementation of profitable new services and value propositions with access to a distinct set of tools and methodologies.
We have been helping our clients.
1 Strengthen business models
Working with business planning specialist Strategyzer, clients are able to review and shape their business model, value proposition and key market segments. They are encouraged to consider their service strengths, client relationships, key channels, revenue streams, resources, partners and activities. They are asked to evaluate their pains and gains.
2 Expand services
With a strengthened business model, clients can confidently identify fresh opportunities and new directions their existing business can grow in. We have helped some add web to print or e-commerce capabilities while others have diversified into areas such as Direct to Garment printing. We have also helped them review how they use existing systems and solutions to develop new business lines. For example, identifying alternative ways for book printers to publish and distribute books.
2 Create new value
To achieve a realistic awareness of the value being created when adding additional capabilities, greater clarity around the introduction of services is needed. This includes understanding and implementing an effective ROI calculation, addressing the 7 Ps of Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People, Process and Proof and introducing more clearly defined project planning.
4 Develop sales process design
Once an idea has been formulated, clients can begin the testing phase to ensure the plan or application works. At this point different versions and products should be trialed and samples created to fully test the new addition.
5 Define an effective marketing plan
Then begins the job of promotion. We can support the creation and development of marketing plans by structuring client data for use in an omnichannel approach that includes Social Media, web, print, and email.
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