In planning for sales in 2012, I was reflecting up on 2011 and the previous 11 years I've been with BPI Media Group. My how things have changed! When I started at BPI (then known as Boaz Printing), I didn't know a thing about the printing process. After spending a day in each department, I had learned some basic terminology: ftp site, stripping (not what you think it is!!), cmyk, plates, offset, saddlestitching and the list could go on and on. Since the first decade of the new millennium was one of constant growth and change, as soon as I learned something, it would change. The first major change was getting rid of film in 2002 and going CTP (computer to plate or direct to plate). This was a big change for the prepress department but one that now seems as if it has always been the way to image plates. The next big change came when 20,000 square feet were added to the building to allow for a new press room and warehouse. This place was huge! I requested a scooter to buzz around the plant, but that request was denied. :( It seemed there was always a new system, a new term and a new role at Boaz.
After working in customer service for 3 1/2 years, the opportunity was presented to me to become a part of the sales team. I felt I was ready and eager to tell everyone what a great printing company we were! Even though talking to customers as a CSR helped prepare me for sales in more ways than I could have imagined, there is no comparison for being across the desk from a prospect and feeling green (not just green from inexperience but also from nerves). After a few months and finally settling into the sales position, things really started changing in Boaz.
The growth continued. After the new, larger press room was added and presses moved from the back of the plant, the old press room became the mail department. The creation of this new department meant more terminology to learn, new faces at Boaz and more internal control over direct mail campaigns for our clients. Doris Breedwell became our mail specialist and remains in that position today leading our mail department and overseeing both mail machines that have since been added. Not long after the move to the new press room, we added a new 6-color, 40" Heidelberg press with a coater in 2004. I had never seen anything like this press; it was huge! It took those guys quite a while to assemble it once it arrived on our dock in 4 tractor-trailers! The addition of this larger press gave us the capability to run 16-page signatures (of 8.5 x 11 size), so our efficiencies improved immensely being able to get more work out the door and to our customers.
The changes didn't stop there. The addition of a digital press in 2006 opened the door for variable data and short runs or print on demand. In 2008, Boaz Printing changed its name to BPI Media Group to better reflect the variety of solutions we offer. After all, we weren't just a printer any more. We could mail, do fulfillment (utilizing the additional warehouse space), print on demand, cross-media campaigns, email campaigns and we provide an online storefront solution. By adding these new services, we were making strides toward becoming a MSP (marketing service provider) and not just a PSP (print service provider). Click here to watch a video to see how we got here!
Since the company name change in 2008, we have continued to grow and learn more ways to better serve our customers. We have explored QR codes, social media marketing, email marketing, cross-media campaigns and how all these tie in with a print campaign to yield the greatest ROI for our customers. We added
Insite, our online proofing system, and storefront to manage the print on demand and inventory orders. We've attended numerous webinars and conferences to learn more and keep up with the technology that is integral in our world at BPI. Earlier in 2011, we added a second digital press to our digital department, a
Kodak Nexpress. The most recent area of growth for us is the addition of creative and web departments. Our creative department, led by
Leisa McGowan, allows us to help customers who don't have a designer on staff. Our web department, led by
Brandon Rome, is helping customers with a website rebuild or update and also assisting in ways to boost SEO. We've recently started our webinar series of training for customers on the new solutions we offer; this educational venture is called BPI University, and you won't want to miss it! We'll tell you more about all the new services and how they can help you save time and help the marketing budget go farther on your campaigns.
I am excited to see where 2012 will take BPI. It has been a great 11 years, so bring it on! We are ready for the challenges that marketers bring to us because we feel the solutions we now have to offer can be truly beneficial to your company's long-term success.
Here's a timeline to show you how Boaz Printing has grown and changed over the years. It was started long before I ever started working there!
Until next time...Elizabeth
