PrintingNews.com

On back-to-back days last week, Xerox Corporation sponsored events that brought together print buyers and providers, telling printing companies about buying trends one day, helping buyers learn about digital printing the next.

On Sept. 24, Suzanne Morgan, founder and president, Print Buyers Online, presented her organization’s latest research on print buying trends in a Webinar for members of the Xerox Premier Partners program, a global network of leading digital print services providers with more than 750 members in 48 countries. The next day, at the inaugural Print in the Mix Conference for print buyers, Bob Wagner, vice president, Xerox Creative Services Business and Premier Partners Program, presented on “Debunking the Urban Legends of Digital Printing.”

“Print buyers and print providers have much to learn from one another,” said Wagner. “Savvy print providers can gain insights on how to better serve their customers by tracking print buying trends. And smart print buyers can enhance their value to their marketing teams by regularly refreshing their knowledge of the latest innovations in print and media to apply to their marketing challenges.”

Among the key trends influencing print buying decisions, according to Morgan, are increased use of approved supplier lists, the growing importance of collaterals and Web sites in choosing print vendors, and strong support for environmental sustainability becoming standard industry practice.

Among the attendees was Jim Capanna, director of Business Development, TTMS, Inc., West Deptford, N.J., who is one of 17 premier partners who will represent their companies in the Xerox booth to marketers and print buyers at the Direct Marketing Association Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Oct. 11 – 16. At the Webinar, he said, “I received great information that will help me at DMA.”