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Reader Profile: Print Solutions "The Most Important Read"
"We love the magazine," says Dave Lipinski, partner and president of Harris Media Group, a Towson, Md., distributorship. "As far as I'm concerned, for the industry, it is without question the most important read if you really want to stay on top of the stuff we distributors do." Lipinksi, who reads Print Solutions monthly, says, "A lot of the other magazines out there focus so much on manufacturers. They're clearly written for printing companies, as opposed to Print Solutions, which is geared toward distributors."

Lipinski found the June 2007 cover story about a small distributor in the Washington, D.C., area especially relevant. Lipinski also reads the magazine to learn about new technologies. He is very interested in anything related to digital printing and 1-to-1 marketing. Like many distributorships today, Harris Media Group offers promotional products. Lipinski is not interested in competing for the typical pen order. Instead, he craves success stories about distributors who have sold programs, such as employee reward programs, to large companies.  

It's not only the magazine's articles that Lipinski values. When clients request something that Harris Media Group's manufacturers can't produce, "That's when I reach for the magazine and go through the back [the ad index]," he says. "We've built up our supplier list--augmented it significantly--from the magazine."

Meet Ryan Abell
When Ryan Abell, Print Solutions' new advertising assistant graduated college, he found a short-term job that combined several interests. A political science major with minors in general business and marketing, Ryan went to work for a political ad agency. He joined the Philadelphia office of Murphy, Puttnam & Shorr and placed ads for clients, including gubernatorial candidates. "It was a perfect first stop," says Ryan.

From the outset, he knew the position would be short-term. After the 2006 election, Ryan joined a recruiting business. That position was less enjoyable, he says, because businesses retained his employer to fill what he terms "undesirable jobs." Ryan wasn't comfortable selling potential employees on opportunities he didn't believe in, so he quit and moved to Washington, D.C. He started his position with PSDA at the beginning of this year, but his knowledge of the advertising world began much earlier.

Ryan grew up in San Diego, where his father owned a media buying company until he sold it last year. "I've been around advertising my whole life," says Ryan, who worked in his father's business during the summers when he was growing up. The firm placed local co-op advertising for Sylvan Learning Centers, among other clients. Says Ryan of the advertising world, "I'm still learning. I'm picking up things all the time; it's exciting and fun."

At Print Solutions, Ryan is looking forward to helping clients "get the most out of their investment." He says, "If you are going to put your money anywhere [marketing-wise], advertising is the best way to go." When not working, Ryan is an avid college basketball fan. Naturally, he roots for his alma mater, the Villanova Wildcats.

You can reach Ryan via e-mail at rabell@psda.org, or dial him direct at (703) 302-8826.

Tips to Make Your Ads Stand Out
Bob Bly is a freelance copywriter, author and consultant who specializes in business-to-business advertising. He provided the following tips to help plan your advertising:

Make the most of your headline. Bly says most advertising professionals think the headline is the most important part of the ad. (See David Ogilvy's quotation at the top of this newsletter.) Bly says one of the most famous--and effective--headlines ever was "How to Win Friends and Influence People," which was used to promote Dale Carnegie seminars. What's the key to writing effective headlines? "You want to feature something important to your reader--not important to you," says Bly. Even with B2B ads, it's helpful to make an emotional appeal, as well as a logical one, he suggests. Some effective words to use in headlines include "New," "Announcing," "You," and "Free."

Give the reader a reason to respond. The most common mistake of B2B advertisers is not giving the reader a reason to respond, says Bly. Your ad should have an offer for a free sample kit, white paper, catalog or other item that will entice readers to contact your company.

Use customers in your ads. Testimonials, says Bly, are "very effective and very under-used in B2B advertising." When preparing an ad with a testimonial, be sure to use the customer's complete name, title, company and location, he says. Even if some clients offer to sign a testimonial that you develop, insist that they write their own. Why? Theirs will sound more genuine, and customers will think of things you won't, says Bly. In turn, their ideas might turn into major selling points for would-be customers.

Differentiate your company's products or services. Bly once wrote ad copy for a firm that sold clear polycarbonate films. After the client explained that he sold a commodity product, Bly asked him to think of anything that differentiated his firm from competitors. After a while, the client came up with 15 ways his firm was special, including the fact that it accepted smaller runs than many competitors. What makes your company special?

Bob Bly, who works in Dumont, N.J., can be reached at (201) 385-1220.

Advertiser Profile: Why I Advertise in Print Solutions
"The biggest reason I advertise in Print Solutions is to continually show that we are a successful manufacturing entity in our industry," says Allen Simon, president and CEO of Datatel Resources Corp. in Monaca, Pa., and a former vice president of the Print Services & Distribution Association. Advertising shows readers that his firm is "viable and looking to grow," according to Simon.

In today's competitive environment, that's an important message, he believes. "Everyone's questioning who's going to be around and who's going to consolidate," he explains. "By advertising these days, it demonstrates that we, as a company, are committed to the industry and to our customers."

There's another important reason to advertise in Print Solutions. "There are new distributors coming into the marketplace every day," he says. "As long as successful salespeople are leaving their traditional homes, they are going to look through the magazine to see who their suppliers should be." Datatel has advertised in Print Solutions continually for more than 10 years. Distributors who read Datatel's ads when their companies were new "have grown into extremely long-term customers," he says.

This year, Datatel will unveil a series of ads emphasizing current opportunities in the industry. Simon is not limiting his advertising to Print Solutions. This month, Datatel is running a banner ad in PSDA's popular Print Matters weekly e-newsletter. "I like looking at Print Matters, and I know other people look at it, too," he explains. He likens his banner ad to advertising on the outfield fence at a baseball game. It helps provide name recognition, he says, and next time people see his company name, they are more likely to remember it.

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