There are some impressive technologies and equipment on the market today for digital embellishments. Everything from foils to die-cutting, textures to coatings, and more can now be applied using digital technologies that open a world of creativity and innovation. But only if customers buy them.
So how can printers who have invested in the equipment — and are ready to elevate even the most routine print jobs — convey the benefits to those buyers? If you’re looking for tips for selling digital embellishments, look no further.
1. Learn to speak the language.
Print buyers of the past knew printing. They were familiar with your equipment, knew the value of embellishments, and understood file prep. Today’s print buyers, however, are often marketers or designers themselves, and they don’t speak print. At all.
If you want to sell them on the value of digital embellishments, you need to meet them where they are. Skip the technical talk. Instead, focus on the effects: how embellishments capture the imagination of their end-customers, improve ROI, and help them stand out with just one or two small touches. Come to the table ready to explain the why, not necessarily the how.
2. Have samples.
Designers and marketers rely on visual communication. After all, they are looking to have items printed. Keep a sample book of your embellishment options. Show them off. Let your clients touch and feel those foils, embossing, textures, and coatings.
Even better, if possible, create samples from their own jobs with digital embellishment options. Show how a past project could have been improved. Or maybe you already have some general mock-ups or files for the current campaign. You can create a few test pieces with different embellishment options. Let them see and experience the difference before you even start talking.
3. Make it easy.
Many print buyers are starting to expect an online interface. Whether it’s a full-fledged web-to-print solution, an online store, or just a way for them to get estimates before talking to your sales team, put embellishments front and center. Add them to templates. Make them an option in a builder. Give previews of how an embellishment will look and how it will change pricing. Let customers play around to see what works best to balance their budget and get enhanced print pieces that pop.
And when they submit files, make sure your system checks for embellishment readiness as well as print-readiness. Catching problems early prevents headaches — and makes customers more likely to try embellishments again.
4. Host an open house.
Sure, you’ve probably heard this advice before. Open houses are a tried-and-true way to educate clients about your capabilities. But they are also a fantastic way to introduce both current and potential clients to the power of embellishments.
Use them on all your signage and pieces for the event. Have examples throughout the shop. Set up an “embellishment station” where visitors can add a single digital embellishment to a file, print it, and take it home. Create a hands-on, memorable experience that makes saying yes easier next time.
5. Highlight the customizability.
Many clients might be familiar with the idea of embellishments but still think of them as a costly commitment across the entire print run.
Highlight the versatility of digital embellishments. Not only are they significantly cheaper than traditional methods, they are also flexible and offer customers a way to make pieces even more personal. Whether it’s adding different embellishments for regional versions or even creating a fully personalized one-to-one campaign where every piece gets a unique embellishment, digital makes it possible. That is something any designer or brand can get excited about.
Toni McQuilken
Guest Blogger
NAPCO Media
