FREE Webinar Archive
Selling Digital Printing to Higher Education
November 13, 2007
As part of WhatTheyThink's on going vertical market series, Industry pundit Frank Romano will be joined by print buyers from the university marketplace. In addition to an overview of the opportunities this market offers to print service providers, attendees will also learn what buyers are looking for in a print service provider partner, and how best to sell to buyers in the higher education market.
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Question and Answer
Following are answers to questions asked that were not addressed during the live event:
Q: GREAT Webinar! However...It sounds like most of these individuals on the panel are "print Buyers". Would it be possibe to do the same exact type of webinar with a "Marketing Manager" who could give us feedback on Storefront opportunities, fulfillment, mailings, etc.? It sounds like these individuals use digital print for short run color only. As a "Marketing Solutions Partner", I'd like to hear the thoughts of the individuals who either "have bought, or are looking to buy" VDP. Any plans for this?
A: Great question. Universities do not generally have a marketing manager as such. But we could do a webinar with marketing managers from a variety of industries.
Q: Just to note - though these sessions are entertaining - it would be more conducive to gain knowledge on how to actually sell digital to these types of prospects ... being a true digital printer - our advantage to this experience is lerning how to walk the walk to speak to these prospects one-one.
A: You want the M4D -- Marketing 4 Digital -- reports on market segments from PIA/GATF. Also available from Canon, HP, and Xerox. I think the group gave good info on how they buy and what they buy.
Q: How many medium and large colleges/universities have in-plant print facilities with high quality digital color? Or are trying to upgrade the digital color production equipment in-house?
A: Almost all colleges and universities have in-plant copying, or digital printing, or offset facilities. About half have production color digital printing, usually the larger universities.
Q: Are you doing more small runs or any variable print jobs. What percentage do you do inhouse at an in-plant vs outside?
A: None of the participants had done much variable, but of the digital printing purchased, all was static short run.
Q: Have they considered doing more customized catalogs- smaller runs, more personalized?
A: Two said that the university discussed it but returned to the traditional approach.
Q: How is the cost from digital against offset in that market?
A: They all say that offset has become competitive in runs around 2,000 so most digital printing is below that.
Q: What is the relationship between the university book stores and the print sources?
A: None. Nothing the print buyers buy goes to the bookstore; however, some course packs and forms go from the in-plant department to the bookstore.
Q: How does electronic learning change the printing volume? Do students nowadays learn more interactively instead of reading books?
A: Electronic learning still requires the reading of large volumes of material and most students acquire the printed versions. Many print out files. Interactive learning uses no paper but is still a small percentage of all teaching/learning.
Q: What types of digital equipment are the buyers using externally and are they happy with the results...quality?
A: So far they have not bought digital printing based on the machine. It is whatever their supplier uses.
Q: Who makes the print purchasing decisions in the university?
A: Everyone. Our panelists bought most of the printing because it went through creative services or their department, but any department can buy printing directly if they have a budget.
Q: What percentage of offset buy is alumni publications?
A: Of our panelists: A=10%, B=15%, C=20%, D=10%
Q: Do any of the college speakers have to compete with other "inside" organizations. For example: the printshop competes with the library who has a B&W digital printer that both students and facility can use or send jobs to?
A: No competition--anyone in the university can choose to print in-plant or go outside. Schedule and budget tend to be the main considerations.
Q: What digital presses/print units are being used in house presently at the universities participating today?
A: Of our panelists: A=Xerox iGen3, B=Xerox 6060; C=Canon 5000, D=Xerox iGen3
Q: Do the participants use their outside print sources for Digital "Static" projects more, or Digital Variable more?
A: Digital Static for almost all digital printing at present.
Q: What is the "Hottest" digital project that they produce, using outside print sources?
A: No one had an answer.
Q: Any of the university representatives are from a public university, how do they address the bid process if a specific print supplier has been the first to make the university aware of a digital program?
A: It is all based on the lowest bid based on the ability to produce the job.
Q: Do you need to justify going to an outside vendor rather then using your in-plant. Is it only price? Do you need to answer for your decision?
A: All have complete freedom to go in-house or outsource. Usually, there is a good reason for going outside, so there is rarely any review.
Q: Could the print buyers describe what type of school they are a part of - lg. public university v. small private school
A: All are large private universities.
Q: How many of the panel members have offset equipment in-house?
A: Only one.
Q: What are the biggest departments each guest buyer serves? What departments don't they serve?
A: Fundraising, then Admissions.
Q: What about all the classroom booklets?
A: None of them buy classroom materials. If done, the faculty member deals with the in-house printshop.
Q: When you are looking at outside printers, you stated proximity to your location is critical. Does any one ever consider online printers? If not, why?
A: Proximity is a factor for larger projects. They all said that they use web print services for stationery, invitations, postcards, simple stuff.
Q: Do the participants use their outside sources for graphics services (typeset, layout & preparation of the files & project) or are most outside projects with artwork files supplied?
A: All are part of creative services so most is done in-house, with some freelance designers.
Q: Do any of your guests use conditional variable data to cover Curriculum and student life issues - and send it in response to the on-line inquires?
A: None -- but all think this will happen over time.
Q: Can you quantify in any way what you think the price per digital page you can afford is, or the volume break for digital versus offset.
A: Because they only buy static short runs, price is not really comparable because offset would be too expensive.
Q: Anyone doing customized web-to-print brochures (E-brochures, build-a-brochure) for student recruitment?
A: None, but all use templates for internal users and some outside printers who deal with in-house users.
Q: With the current technology available to print outside how cost effective is it to do any in-house staffing ?
A: The in-house operation is based on short runs of simple work. Almost all universities have in-plant operations.
Q: Is the in-house copy center a budgeted and University staffed cost center or Facility Managed by outside supplier ?
A: All of these operations are university staffed and budgeted, and costs are charged back.
Q: I am a little confused....how does print buyers differ from a printshop 'in-plant' manager that is looking for print coming to their shop?
A: This is the conundrum of universities: there is an in-plant operation that prints for university customers and may sometimes buy print, and there are departments that buy from outside printers directly, and there are print buyers who buy larger projects from outside printers or use the in-plant facility. Most universities do all three of these.
Q: We print & use a Digital Kodak NexPress-please make the participant aware that Digital CAN have a Digital Gloss Coating (who said the digial pieces she saw were dog eared!)
A: I think we did mention that digital printing can be coated. Some are buying such.
Q: How easy is it to substitute different kinds of paper for a particular job? As in if a certain type of paper was too expensive or no longer available, is it a problem on the whole to switch to a different kind of paper?
A: All of the panelists have the authority to select paper and spend a lot of time evaluating and pricing alternatives
Q: Do any of your panelists deal with trade show graphics and displays (big color banners)?
A: All of them purchase signage.
Q: Another department that may buy printing (especially digital) is the Arts - performances, recitals etc. Are these buyers involved in that type?
A: If the project goes through creative services, yes. But in many cases, the Arts programs retain their own designers and buy directly.
Q: What percentage of your spending is WBENC mandated?
A: In the case of the panelists, Women's Business Enterprise National Council is not applicable.
Q: Are you using an open bid process or reverse auction on-line?
A: Only open bid.
Q: How do you handle printing of Athletic Media Guides and Programs and other Athletic Dept. printing?
A: Almost all of this material passes through the panelists’ departments so they buy almost all the athletic materials.
Q: Would any buyers find a single source that could handle all types print...long, short, digital, etc. as an attractive solution??
A: They would, but have found that schedule is the biggest issue and that is why multiple printers are used.
If you have questions about this webinar, please contact Eric: eric@whattheythink.com
About Ricoh’s Production Printing Business Group
The Production Printing Business Group (PPBG) of Ricoh Americas Corporation is dedicated to delivering state-of-the-art, high-speed production systems that provide efficient document workflows with high-volume production printing and finishing. Incorporating superior engineering, service, reliable technology, and extensive software and finishing options, PPBG helps production centers cost-effectively modernize and streamline their operations to meet today’s rapid turnaround and high-quality demands.
Ricoh Americas Corporation, founded in 1962, is headquartered in West Caldwell, NJ and is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., the 71-year-old leading supplier of office automation equipment.
Information about Ricoh’s Production Printing Business Group can be accessed on the World Wide Web at www.ricoh-usa.com.
About WhatTheyThink.com
WhatTheyThink.com is the printing and publishing industry's leading online media organization; offering a wide range of publications delivering unbiased, real-time market intelligence, industry news, economic and trend analysis, peer-to-peer communication, and special reports on emerging technology and critical events. Serving a membership base of more than 50,000, WhatTheyThink.com also hosts webinars and live events as well as providing content through a syndication program, which delivers content directly to related websites and through RSS.
About Frank Romano
Frank Romano has spent over 40 years in the printing and publishing industries. Many know him best as the editor of the International Paper Pocket Pal or from the hundreds of articles he has written for publications from North America and Europe to the Middle East to Asia and Australia.
He is the author of over 44 books, including the 10,000-term Encyclopedia of Graphic Communications (with Richard Romano), the standard reference in the field. His books on QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign, and PDF workflow were among the first in their fields. He has authored most of the books on digital printing. His latest book is the 800-page textbook for Moscow State University.
He has founded eight publications, serving as publisher or editor for TypeWorld/Electronic Publishing (which ended in its 30th year of publication), Computer Artist, Color Publishing, The Typographer, EP&P, and both the NCPA and PrintRIT Journals. His columns appear monthly in the Digital Printing Report. He is the editor of the EDSF Report.
Romano lectures extensively, having addressed virtually every club, association, group, and professional organization at one time or another. He is one of the industry's foremost keynote speakers.
He has consulted for major corporations, publishers, government, and other users of digital printing and publishing technology. He wrote the first report on on-demand digital printing in 1980 and ran the first conference on the subject in 1985. He has conceptualized many of the workflow and applications techniques of the industry and was the principal researcher on the landmark EDSF study, Printing in the Age of the Web and Beyond.
He has been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Times of London, USA Today, Business Week, Forbes, and many other newspapers and publications, as well as on TV and radio. He has partnered with InfoTrends on strategic information for the printing industry.
He continues to teach courses at RIT and other universities and works with students on unique research projects.
