From the Editor: Keeping Your Shop in Shape

I recently had a conversation with my college friends about exercise, diet, and why 30 minutes on the elliptical isn’t enough anymore. Back in our heyday, we lived a life of dollar beers and dollar slices. With our 21-year-old metabolisms, walking across campus for class and a few hours a week in the university gym was sufficient.

But what used to work in order for me to stay in shape just doesn’t cut it anymore. I still do my 30 minutes on the elliptical, but I’ve realized I need to diversify my workout in order to get results – and to live a healthier life. I’ve added cycling, lap swims, tennis, long walks around Cincinnati, and, most recently, hot yoga and Pilates to my routine. Plus, my current choices in the kitchen are more complex than a handful of quarters and greasy pizza.

These changes to my exercise and diet aren’t just about losing (or even maintaining) weight; they’re about being healthy and sustainable for the long run. It’s the same approach you should take for your print shop. How can you ensure the lifelong health and wellness of your business?

“Go green”: We know the importance of “recycle, renew, reuse,” but are you really putting those processes to work at your shop? Do you know the value they have on your shop’s longevity? And bank account? You’ll read in our sustainability feature how four shops are using sustainable business practices to not only better their environment, their business, and their employees, but also boost profit.

Diversify your offerings: Every fitness trainer says, “Switch up your workout and the results will come.” The myriad of application offerings in the digital print market today are astonishing, from printing on roller blinds for theater companies to tea tables for five-star hotels. Once you begin offering innovative and creative projects to your clients, your business is bound to grow.

Try something new: Has your shop taken a shot at using cloud-based software? What about testing a subscription-based platform? Just like specialty gyms and exercise classes are popping up all over our cities, new product options in our industry continue to appear in our emails and on tradeshow floors. A brand new RIP for your shop could end up working better than ever, for both you and your client.

I never thought “Inferno Hot Pilates” would be in my vocabulary. But I’m using muscles I didn’t even know existed, and becoming stronger each class. How will you make changes within your business today for results that will last a lifetime?

Read more Editor-in-Chief Adrienne Palmer or follow her on Twitter.