Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. Principles of AAVTC Printing & Imaging Print Broker: The Middleman 1

Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission. What is a Print Broker? Definition They help medium to large size companies with complex or high volume printing needs by finding best printer for job. 2 Other things Print Brokers need to know: Graphic Design Project Management Sales and Marketing Business Contract writing

Why do companies outsource printing at all? Printing “in house” Not cost effective for large runs Some print jobs require Specialty Print Shops 3 Print Stores vs. Print Shops Consumer printing Small print runs Mostly prints to paper Often D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) No Print Broker Business printing Large print runs Varieties of print media Full service printers Print Broker friendly Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

What does the Print Broker do after contract is signed? Shops network of Specialty Printers Picks the best Printer for the project Manages the print project for the customer Delivers print project to the customer when it is completed by the Printer 4 profit Specialty Printers in Print Broker’s network print project The Print Broker’s process Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

What do Print Brokers do with most of their time? Cold call new Print Shops to establish working relationships. Call current Print Shop clients to maintain working relationship or manage current print projects. Cold call potential customers to establish printing business. Call current customers to maintain working relationship or inform them of their printing project’s progress. 5 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

What do Print Brokers do with the rest of their time? Take printing customers to lunch or dinner. Take Print Shop customers to lunch or dinner. Give ‘branded’ gifts to printing customers. Give ‘branded’ gifts to print shop customers. In a word, Marketing! 6 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Hard work is its own reward! The Print Broker works hard to get the printing projects back to their customers quickly, because that is how they get paid. 7 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.

Game: Becoming a Print Broker Divide class into 4 groups. Teacher will be the customer. Group 1 will be the Print Broker. Other groups will be different Print Shops. Game will be 4 rounds with each group rotating to be the Print Broker, in turn. Group with most profit wins! 8 Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. Images and other multimedia content used with permission.