The mission of printing

I must confess that I have the advantage of being in a privileged position. As an observer, I can connect with numerous companies involved in digital printing. These include print shops, lithography studios, screen printing facilities, digital printing centres, customisers, copy centres, engraving businesses, creative agencies, etc.

The digital printing world is full of people who use their creativity and passion for work to make a difference in our daily lives. They are the ones who bring clients' requests to life and uphold the standards of professionalism in printing. However, this is not an easy task, and not everyone can achieve it with the same effectiveness.

?When we have too many tasks to do each day, we tend to spend less time listening to our clients. This can lead us to rely on standard methods and techniques that ensure we complete our work on time and within budget but may stifle our creativity. As a result, we may fail to deliver the "wow" factor our clients are looking for.

Are you looking to stand out?

Numerous articles discuss ways to produce jobs that distinguish us from competitors and leave clients satisfied and eager to come back. I have perused several of them, and they offer valuable insights for all professionals. However, I want to translate these concepts to the digital printing market. Here, professionalism, passion, and attention to detail are critical, but it's also vital to establish a strong customer relationship and tailor each project to their unique needs.

Many articles recommend empathising with clients, but what does that entail? Our clients are seeking more than just a simple graphic product. It's the final step in their decision-making process. The graphic product must fulfil the customer's vision, communicate its message, and positively impact its business. It's crucial that we get it right.

Listening and understanding are essential to delivering a product that meets all needs and provides satisfaction. Let's explore some ways to improve in these areas.

In the head (and heart) of our client

As professionals, we understand that our clients may not always have a clear vision of what they want. Thus, we act as psychologists to comprehend their ideas and bring them to life. For example, a shop owner may require our assistance to attract more customers, while a company may need us to create a more comfortable and inspiring work environment. Similarly, a car dealership may want us to help them make a lasting impression on potential customers interested in specific sports cars. In short, we focus on understanding the client's language and developing their ideas before moving on to the graphic product.

As we've noticed, clients often approach us with a general idea and goal for their project but lack knowledge of the available technologies and options. It's vital to first understand their desired outcome before proposing any specific technology or graphic product, such as a banner or laser cutting. Once we have a clear understanding of their goal, we can suggest the best graphic product and explain how it will help them achieve their desired result.

Continuing our example, we suggest using window stickers with an interior reference displayed via POP to the shop owner. For the company, we can recommend mural decorations with motivational phrases and tactile effects, adding a personal touch to the environment and allowing for physical interaction. In the car dealership, we can propose using pavement graphics that simulate the road or guide visitors to discover the main features of the cars.

The Project Questions

Some questions help us immediately understand the customer's needs and offer appropriate solutions.

The first is to understand what goal our customer wants to achieve. From here, we will understand what proposals we can start elaborating on, for example; launching a new product, a promotion, inaugurating a new service, or an event. Each action requires the development of appropriate strategies.

The second question we need to answer is: who is the target audience for the graphic idea? By knowing this, we can tailor our messages, themes, tone, and colours to communicate with them effectively. We need to determine if we are targeting existing customers, new customers, or a mix of both. This will help us develop the message more effectively, as speaking to millennials requires a different approach than speaking to a luxury sports car clientele.

When considering a graphic message, the third question is what kind of response the customer wants from their potential customers. For instance, a floor graphic should lead customers towards an offer and blend seamlessly with its surroundings.

Now, let's move on to the fourth question: where will the graphic message be displayed? It's important to consider the environment or context. For example, a printing company wrapped a van with a shark print to attract new customers, which was a simple yet effective approach.

Factual Questions

For the fifth question, we would like to know if our customer has a graphic code in place to ensure that any creations we make align with their business image. This includes their specific brand colours, font, and mood. Typically, graphic consistency is maintained with guidelines, but if there aren't any, we can create one for our customers.

The final two questions will focus on the budget and delivery time. This will allow us to suggest options that meet the customer's needs in terms of cost and timeline. We strive to maintain open communication with our customers so they are always informed about the project's progress.

In conclusion

I believe that every successful entrepreneur is a hero in their respective field, especially in graphic design, where practicality and emotion must be expertly combined. By asking the right questions and attentively listening to the customer's feedback, we are able to surpass expectations, achieve the customer's objectives, and establish a strong connection that positions us as essential partners in their business. Ultimately, price is often no longer the primary factor in our partnerships.

Doing so will add significance and passion to our work, enabling us to overcome daily challenges and difficulties and turn them into opportunities for growth.