Seven Key Ways Buyers Differ –Dana

Perspective is a beautiful thing. According to one dictionary definition, it is “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.” When it comes to “having perspective” about what makes professional print buyers different, I’ll bet we all have our own.

My guess is that many commercial printers would say that buyers differ in experience, sophistication, knowledge of both print manufacturing and the paper industry, motivation, buying skills and how much print “spend” they have.

If I asked working print buyers for their perspectives on this same topic, I have a hunch many of the answers would be the same. For good measure, I’d add these differences: understanding of the printing industry, appreciation of how printing firms differ, familiarity with key printing presses and technologies, and negotiating skills specific to the field.

As valid as perspective is, it’s most powerful when coupled with experience. For various reasons, I’m like a dog on a bone when it comes to reflecting on what makes print buyers tick, what qualities describe elite print buyers and what the key differences are among buyers in the workforce today. Maybe I got dropped on my head as a young child, resulting in this peculiar commitment I have to this subject.

My career up to this point has placed me right in the middle of the print buyer/print manufacturer community. Paying attention to what makes print buyers “tick” comes naturally, and it has highlighted a few very significant differences among the buying pros in the workforce today.

I thought that by identifying these key differences, I could help new print sales reps and managers.

1) Experience is the #1 differentiator—but you knew that. Because there is no accredited educational institution that trains people to become print buyers, buyers tend to happen upon a job that requires print buying responsibility. For some of us, it becomes our career. I find that buyers with 10 or more years in the business are savvy and smart, excellent negotiators and tough on printers.

Like anyone in a career this long, they have formed a sort of informal network of peers and other resources—including printers, BTW. The more experienced they are, the more likely they’ll look for professional development opportunities.

2) How much or how little a buyer uses social media for business is also a key differentiator. It’s easy to assume that they’re all jumping on this popular bandwagon of Tweets and LinkedIn Groups, as well as other social media sites, but I’m not seeing this at all.

It’s fairly obvious why: they’re too busy. They aren’t selling products or services, so they’re not out there selling their brand, and if they’re not thinking of changing jobs, they’re focused on getting their work done.

3) Working with a print broker is a major differentiator. I think it always has been. I’ve done surveys in the past and interviewed many print buyers about working with brokers, and it continues to be controversial. I know buyers who love working with brokers, and I know buyers who are adamantly opposed, arguing that brokers are middlemen, cost more than working directly with sales reps, and also that it’s the buyer’s job to source print efficiently—so there’s no need to work with brokers.

At a recent event I heard a speaker tell the room filled with paper execs that, unlike agency buyers, corporate buyers “love brokers,” and nearly fell off my chair. It’s not my experience at all. There’s a lot of negative connotation associated with print brokers among corporate print buyers.

4) Buyers don’t agree on working with a print specialist vs. a “media generalist.” As the printing industry’s evolved over the past 5 to 10 years, many commercial printers have expanded their products and services way beyond print manufacturing. It’s one of those things that continues to fascinate me, so I talk about it with print buyers and write about it in our LinkedIn Group to gauge current opinions.

I’m not ready to suggest that the “greener” the buyer, the more likely she or he will feel OK about working with a media or graphics generalist; however, I have to believe that the incoming freshman class of media buyers will lean this way. Broader will be better.

5) Keeping an eye on the big picture is another difference I’ve long noticed. While some print buyers naturally stay plugged in to what’s happening in the U.S. printing and paper industries, as well as the significance of changes in content consumption among consumers and business-people, there are those who continue to work in a silo type of environment, with heads down and a short-sighted focus on just the work at hand. Focus is commendable, for sure—but I always encourage people on both the buying and manufacturing side to get a 360-degree view of what’s happening around them.

It’s easy to see who’s aware of the bigger picture when we brainstorm at our conferences. When you drop names of key influencers, Websites, publications and the like in a large crowd, you can see by hands (and eyebrows) raised who’s keeping up or falling behind.

6) How much or how little a buyer shares with a printer is also a key differentiator. Some print buyers play their cards close to the vest when dealing with print reps. They’ll give you just the details you need, for example, to develop a job estimate. They would never share anything about their budgets, their current printers, their marketing or media strategy, or even their motives for picking printers.

Others feel differently. They want an open dialogue with their printers—even good prospects—so they’ll share much more information, like who has their work now and what they’re paying. They believe that this practice puts them in the best position for getting the best results from printers.

7) The last key difference I’d like to point out is that of power. Depending on print buyers’ positions, they have differing amounts of decision-making power when choosing printers, creating budgets and spending those budgets.

Are they the final word when selecting or changing print partners? Do they have the power to reject jobs or demand discounts if they deem a job not fully acceptable? Are they printers’ advocates within their own departments and companies? Can they make things happen or do they just get the job done? There’s a huge difference. Obviously, buyers who fall in the former category are better customers for printers.

If printers work toward understanding where their customers and prospects stand when it comes to these key differences, I believe they can serve them better, save time and stand to build longer-lasting relationships. PI

About the Author
Margie Dana is the founder of Print Buyers International (www.printbuyersinternational.com), which offers educational and networking opportunities to those who work with the printing industry. She produces an annual print buyers conference (www.printbuyers-conference.com) and has written her popular e-column, “Margie’s Print Tips,” since 1999. Dana speaks regularly at trade events and offers consulting services as a print buyer specialist. She can be reached at mdana@printbuyersinternational.com.