Issue: January 28, 2010

DOT Bans Texting for Commercial Drivers
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a policy that prohibits commercial truck and bus drivers from sending text messages...
Student Intern Helps EU Services Save Money
EU Services in Rockville, MD is pursuing recommendations from a student intern to reduce its environmental impact – and save money...
Social Media Ads Fail to Impact Women
A recent study of more than 1,000 women across age, geography, and households found that 75% said that brands appearing on social networking sites...
Zappos Tries Print on for Size
ZAPPOS.COM, the online seller of shoes and other merchandise, recently mailed 750,000 copies of a printed catalog to consumers, and found it to be a successful marketing tool...
Don't Be 'Good Enough'
Have you ever lost a sale even though your product/service was clearly the superior choice...
At Your Service
Printing Industries of America Member Central department is at your service...
Member News
Jim Mayes wins Lifetime Achievement Award; Directmail.com hosts Chinese business group; Welcome the newest PGAMA member...
Upcoming Events

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a policy that prohibits commercial truck and bus drivers from sending text messages while behind the wheel. The new policy, which takes effect immediately, is called "...an important safety step to help eliminate the threat of distracted driving," according to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Violators will face civil and criminal penalties as well as hefty fines.

Nobody knows for sure how many accidents result from truck and bus drivers trying to text behind the wheel. Distracted drivers aren't likely to admit they took their eyes off the road, and it's hard for police to know in retrospect what was going on inside a vehicle before a wreck. The Transportation Department also is considering a ban on the dashboard computers that many truckers use to get instructions from their dispatchers; and may even decide to prohibit commercial drivers from using cell phones at all--even to talk-- unless their vehicle is parked. (Article excerpted from "Federal Ban Prohibits Texting by Commercial Drivers," first published on SmartBrief.com.)

EU Services in Rockville, MD is pursuing recommendations from a student intern to reduce its environmental impact – and save money. The company was already recycling 85 percent of its total waste and had reduced its volatile organic compound emissions by using more environmentally sound alternatives; but was interested in minimizing its waste and saving on energy costs.

Sean Vorsteg served as a summer intern at the company in 2008 as part of the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland Technology Extension Service (MTES) program for engineering students. At the time he was a civil and environmental engineering student at the University of Maryland. Vorsteg visited the facility to gather data and information from EU staff, and equipped with that knowledge, identified five projects that would directly lower the company’s environmental impact and result in significant cost savings. The company decided to pursue the projects, and so far has installed one "cool roof" above the pressroom facility. A "cool roof" is a white roof that reflects the sun’s rays and emits absorbed radiation back into the atmosphere. Vorsteg estimated that replacing all the facility's roofing with cool roofs would reduce overall energy use by 7 to 15 percent, saving $80,000 annually. So far, company employees report a five-to-ten degree decrease in temperature, so EU plans to eventually re-roof all of its facilities with cool roofs. The company is in the process of obtaining the funding for the remainder of the projects. Read more about this story at http://www.mde.state.md.us/ResearchCenter/Publications/General/eMDE/vol4no2/index.asp.

A recent study of more than 1,000 women across age, geography, and households found that 75% said that brands appearing on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and blogs do not influence what they buy. In addition, eight of ten feel "neutral" or "negative" when they see a brand on a social networking site. (Article from PrintintheMix.com)

ZAPPOS.COM, the online seller of shoes and other merchandise, recently mailed 750,000 copies of a printed catalog to consumers, and found it to be a successful marketing tool. "Different people respond to different media, and lapsed customers responded very well to the catalogs," says Zappos director for brand marketing and business development. Indeed. An average order from the catalog was more than twice the size of an online order. As a result of this success, the company has added a printed catalog, "Zappos Life," to its marketing mix. The firm says that it's an important part of its customer development program and it drives people to their website. They've realized that is what print is all about.

Have you ever lost a sale even though your product/service was clearly the superior choice? Did you deliver more value and provide more of what the buyer claimed was important? So why did you miss out on the deal? Often it comes down to one simple fact: Customers might not always try to make the best choice, but they do always try to NOT make a bad choice. In other words, they will buy what's 'good enough' to solve the problem at hand. That's why it pays to structure sales calls from two angles--benefits and risks. Show clients not only how they benefit from choosing your product, but also how much they risk if they do not.
(Article provided by sales consultant Linda Bishop)

Printing Industries of America Member Central department is at your service! Have a question about one of the national buying programs? Need to learn more about a Printing Industries of America event? Having trouble finding something on the printing.org website? Contact one of the Member Central team for assistance. The service handles all calls and inquires surrounding:

• Membership
• Registration for conferences, workshops, seminars, webinars, and more
• Book and quality and process control product purchases
• Online account assistance
• And general questions about the organization and its affiliates

The Member Central team is made up of six individuals with decades of customer service experience combined, including:
June Crespo, Manager, Board & Affiliate Relations; Allison Kaharick, Manager, Member Central; Marci Bogner-Brewer; Adam Pfeniger; Brian Linn; and Barb Zenewicz. Contact them between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time toll free at 800-910-4283, ext. 770, by direct dial at 412-259-1770, or by email at membercentral@printing.org.

Congratulations to Jim Mayes, President of Colorcraft of Virginia, Inc. in Sterling, Virginia, who is the recipient of the 2009 Lewis Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award. Established in 1950, the Lewis Award is recognized throughout the graphic arts industry as the highest honor within the industry, and recognizes individuals who have gone far beyond standard obligations to become a significant force in shaping the business of producing printed communications.

A Chinese business delegation in the direct mail industry toured DirectMail.com’s facility in Prince Frederick, MD last week. The 20+ member delegation, sponsored by China Post Group (CPG), is visiting the United States as part of a business exchange program focusing on the U.S. direct mail industry.

Please welcome the newest PGAMA member: WestNoble Consulting Group, a business that helps organizations better serve their customers by gathering information about a client's needs so the service provider is equipped to solve their client's problems. For more info please contact: Afeef Khan at 410-802-7131 or email afeef.khan@westnoble.org.

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