Connections
Print Shop Decisions That Make You Money
The economy’s tough right now. I know it, you know it and your customers know it. So, what are you doing to set yourself apart and make those sales? What are you doing to make sure you’re winning the quotes you need to stay lucrative?
What are your tiebreakers?
The first thing you should be asking yourself is “What are my tiebreakers?” Basically, what sets you apart from the print shop down the street? Do you offer environmentally-friendly printing? Can you do UV-printing? Are you locally owned?
Today, a customer can get piles of quotes and estimates from all over the Internet, so what are you doing to set yourself apart? You need those tiebreakers to ensure they pick you and not your competition.
Are you on top of your sales stats?
Here at Lloyds, we used to measure our sales success on a month-to-month basis. That was okay, but then we started measuring our success on a day-by-day basis and guess what? A lot of winning days add up to one great month.
You know what else? It’s a lot easier to track changes and stay motivated when you’re watching totals every day compared to month-by-month. In a competitive market like this one, taking 30 days to notice a downturn could be too late.
Are you learning from your mistakes?
What happens when you put in a quote? Does it disappear into the nether never to be seen or heard from again? Instead of just firing off quotes, follow up on every single one. Call the customer directly and ask yourself “Why wasn’t I successful?”
Were your prices too high? Maybe they were too low? Maybe you didn’t have the image the client wanted?
Instead of moving on aimlessly and blind, take the time to look at what you did, so you can better your chances of winning the next bid.
The 9″ Commercial Pouch Laminator, Add to Cart!
Have you ever actually tried to laminate an A4-size piece of paper with a heat sealing, store-bought laminator? If so, then you know why you need to go commercial-grade with the Akiles 9” Commercial Pouch Laminator. There are no jams, bubbles or melted films with this laminator.
What Does it Do?
Capable of laminating an 8 ½” x 11” piece of paper with room to spare, the Akiles 9” Commercial Pouch Laminator is perfect for bulk or larger laminating jobs. Because it’s commercial grade, it also comes with silicon rollers and consistent heat distribution, meaning you don’t have to futz around with carriers.
It’s fast too. At 0.4” laminating inches per second, you can run a sheet of paper in under 30 seconds. There’s one other thing – you can leave it on in standby mode without hurting the motor or risking overheating. The unit simply stays on, ready to laminate, meaning you don’t have to turn it off and on again and then wait 20 minutes for the unit to heat up.
And How Much Does it Cost?
The Akiles 9” Pouch Laminator sells for $224.95 on the Lloyds website and comes with a 1 year warranty.
For more information on the Akiles Prolam APL 9” Pouch Laminator, visit our website.
Shred Better with the Deskside Cross Cut Shredder
What makes a cross cut shredder better than a strip cut shredder? Well, it boils down to security. Basically, a strip cut shredder shreds the paper into strips, strips that could (theoretically) be taped back together.
Meanwhile, the Formax Deskside Cross Cut Paper Shredder 8200CC has specially milled cutting cylinders designed to devour a piece of paper and turn it into an unrecognizable pile of paper shards.
What Does it Do?
The Formax Cross Cut Deskside Shredder fits under or next to your desk and can handle as many as 5 sheets at once, including annoying staples and paper clips. It’s slower than its strip-cut cousin, the 8200SC, but it also brings added piece of mind and security to the table.
If you have high-security shredding needs, you’ll want to splurge the extra $40 or so dollars for the Formax Cross Cut. It’s the same size and capacity (6 gal.), but a little more James Bond-worthy.
And How Much Does it Cost?
The Formax Deskside Cross Cut Paper Shredder 8200CC sells at Lloyds for $518.00 on our website. It also comes with a 10-year warranty on the cutting heads and a 1-year warranty on all other parts.
For more information on the Formax Deskside Cross Cut Paper Shredder, visit our website.
12.5″ Commercial Pouch Lamination at its Best
If you’re looking for size, try the Akiles 12.5” Commercial Pouch Laminator. This larger laminator is hot (literally), effective and fast – making it a nice choice for the office or institution with bigger laminating needs.
What Does it Do?
The Akiles 12.5” Commercial Pouch Laminator can take lamination pouches up to 12” in width without the need for a carrier pouch. And like other Akiles Pro-Lam APL models, it laminates at a speed of 0.4” per second.
What makes the Akiles 12.5” Commercial Pouch Laminator stand out though is how evenly it distributes heat while maintaining a consistent feeding speed. Combine that with its durable, commercial-grade motor and you’ve got a product that not only works, but does so for a very long time.
You can even adjust the temperature depending on the pouch thickness or composition and the materials that you’re laminating, meaning you’re not limited to a specific brand or model of pouch. You also have more freedom when it comes to what materials you actually laminate.
And How Much Does it Cost?
Lloyds sells the Akiles 12.5” Pouch Laminator for $275.00. The unit also comes with a 1 year warranty.
For more information on the Akiles Prolam APL 320 12” Pouch Laminator, visit our website.
I Hope This Reaches You
A few weeks ago, a business associate friend asked me why I was blogging. He had been reading this site (hopefully he still is) and enjoying it, but didn’t really understand why I would invest so much time into a blog.
It’s simple really, I want to share. If a blog reader gets even just one little thing out of this site, whether it be a tidbit of advice on running a print shop or even just general purchasing advice for your business or institution, I’m happy.
I also think a blog can help develop trust between the writer and a reader. And as a salesman at heart, I know how important trust can be when building a relationship. So, to all those Lloyds customers out there that I blogged about back in November, I hope this reaches you.