Sappi Europe is embarking on a 18-month-long campaign to help printers sell their services to buyers. The ‘Let’s Talk About Print’ campaign comprises a seven-part tool kit, providing answers to key questions and objections that customers will give when printers begin talking.
This is backed up by access to relevant research via QR codes to link to a dedicated website with downloadable PDFs. Sustainability is to the fore with answers to questions about print’s impact via data about fibre and papers, Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and EUDR. This is supported by evidence that shows the trust and attention that print delivers, how print combines with other channels to multiply the effect of digital communications with ROI data.
Sappi admits that this is a perennial problem, pointing out that this is a change in emphasis from promoting the use of print and paper through the Print Power campaign and similar to talking directly to printers.
“This is our fifth printed print effectiveness publication over the last six to seven years,” says Maxine Martin. “What has evolved is the approach. With Let’s Talk About Print we’ve deliberately moved from making the case for print ourselves to equipping printers with practical tools to do it confidently in their own conversations. It’s less about thought leadership in isolation and much more about enabling real, day to day sales dialogue.”
The material is built on conversations that the papermaker has had with printers and its own staff across Europe. The material is relevant regardless of country as the barriers and misconceptions about print are broadly the same, Martin explains. And it explains the strong feedback that the company has received before printed material is shipped.
There is unlikely to be a dramatic shift in attitudes but over the course of the next year-and-a-half, Sappi will be watching and tracking engagement with printers, with other stakeholders and its own people to judge the success of the approach.
It is optimistic that it is on the right track. Further content will follow for the website and other channels, including merchant partners.
The core ‘Let’s Talk About Print’ publication is printed on 130gsm Magno Web Silk at Snel Grafics using a Canon ProStream with an offset printed cover on 250gsm Magno Volume.
