SEARCH

Do you ever wonder if you might not be getting the full picture of something? It could be regarding your production floor data, customer satisfaction surveys, or perhaps the sources for images that a client wants to use, which were generated using artificial intelligence (AI). A military study from World War II provides some surprising insight into what you might be missing. Survival Bias Take a look at this image of a two-engine World War II bomber (it’s a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura for you aviation nerds). The red dots indicate where returning bombers had been hit by enemy gunfire. Does anything stand out? You might notice that the engines and the cockpit are untouched, and that most of the damage is to the wings and the tail. Figure 1: Damage Pattern on a World War II Bomber   This image (well, actually a hypothetical reproduction of the damage pattern) comes from a World War II-era, US Air Force study that tracked the damage done to returning bombers. The study identified all of the …

If there’s one question companies ask my team quite frequently, it’s  how can I improve my website ? That’s a pretty broad question, especially when you consider the variety of things a website can or  should  do.  Think of your website as your digital front door — it's the entry way into your brand home and a critical first impression for customers, many of whom place great importance on the overall user experience when deciding whether to buy from or partner with a brand.  While there are a number of ways for marketers to help increase the quality and user experience (UX) of a website, one key way is optimizing your website for lead generation — this means making it easier and faster for website visitors at any stage of the buyer’s journey to convert on an offer, whatever that offer may be.  Whether building a whole new website or refreshing an existing one, here are some questions my team asks marketers to help optimize a website for lead generation in order to demonstrate …

Print's Future, Powered by Inkjet In today's increasingly connected world, print remains a constant—it's an essential part of our lives that informs, inspires, and drives action. From the cherished books we read to the direct mail that sparks engagement, print is more than just an industry; it's a vital means of communication. Central to its evolution is inkjet technology. Inkjet is not only changing how print is produced; it's redefining what's possible. Modern inkjet presses come equipped with speed, quality, and versatility, making print more dynamic, personalized, and accessible than ever before. As we look ahead, it is clear that inkjet will continue to push the boundaries, ensuring that print communication remains a vital and thriving medium. Inkjet Brings Print to Life  Imagine a world without print: no vibrant catalogs to browse, no printed statements to keep finances in check, and no personalized mail that makes us feel acknowledged. The truth is that print is not just alive, …

Insights from the Latest PRINTING United Alliance State of the Industry Report   The PRINTING United Alliance State of the Industry Report , sponsored by Canon U.S.A., delivers critical insights into the health and direction of the printing industry through quarterly surveys of print providers. These surveys are designed to track, measure, and analyze trends in performance, investment, and strategic priorities across all segments of the industry. While the full report is available exclusively to PRINTING United Alliance members, thINK members have access to a valuable executive summary of the most recent findings from the State of the Industry Update – Fourth Quarter 2024 . This latest edition is based on data collected from 294 printing companies located in the United States and Canada. These businesses vary widely in size, with annual revenues ranging from under $500,000 to over $200 million. The executive summary provides timely insights into key performance metrics, including: …

A question I’m asked a lot is: “How can we sell value when RFPs prevent us from talking to decision-makers?” It’s a fair question. RFPs and other bidding environments are often specifically designed to strip value from price—creating a wall between your best differentiators and the procurement teams who “only care about low cost.” In the production inkjet world, where speed, quality, and efficiency are key, blindly competing in RFPs can be a race to the bottom. Let’s explore two scenarios—and what to do in each. Case #1: The Wall is Truly Impenetrable In some RFPs, there’s zero opportunity to communicate value—no access to decision-makers, no dialogue, just an online submission. These RFPs favor bottom-feeders—the cheapest providers, regardless of quality. If you’re a best-in-class production inkjet print service provider, you’ll rarely win these unless you’re willing to slash margins. And that raises a bigger question: How much time, money, and effort are you wasting chasing …