We know it is tough to compete against some of the online printing services. They come in so low that it makes no sense to compete for head to head. You are always scratching your head trying to figure out how they do it. The answer is pretty simple, they automate and you really don’t want to get into that business.
Why even have a business card cutter?
The greatest risk in handing off business card business to a competitor is potentially losing all your customer’s business. Yes, there are some things the online print shops can not do. They are a faceless service somewhere where you can not really talk to anyone. It is probably some outsourced call center where people are trained to be robots in answering questions. Yet, there is a risk. People are always trying to cut costs.
It starts when you forget the overall value of your customer
So, you give up your business card business. Next, it could be your banner printing. It could be your document printing. Eventually, they whittle away at your relationship on cost. As cost becomes the primary motivator, you start losing your customers. Then, you have to re-evaluate what your value is to your customer.
So, having that business card cutter is a good thing. It can be the head of the domino if you start letting competitors take business card cutter printing away from you. Consider the overall value of the customer to your business. Just use business card printing as a loss leader to keep the relationship. Provide value in ways that online print shops can not do. Help them with their marketing and use of print media to message their brand.
You are the print professional and cost should not be the only value you bring to your customer.
