In most of the printing companies I’ve known, sales energy naturally gravitates toward customer retention. And that’s understandable as these are the relationships that pay the bills, keep presses running, and builds trust over time. Sales reps and account managers know the work, know the people, and can navigate the fire drills that come with getting projects out the door. And over time, those account managers and sales folks become insurance policies for those customers by helping them produce the work that matters most for them. That’s all good.
But here’s the problem: while the team is busy taking care of existing customers, who’s out there finding new ones?
Too often, the answer is “no one in particular” or “that depends.” Not a solid strategy.
And in today’s market where customer loyalty is harder to count on and print budgets and decision makers shift faster than paper prices, not having a defined customer acquisition strategy can become a slow leak in your growth plan.
Retention Keeps You Stable. Acquisition Keeps You Growing.
Retention is your defense, and it protects what you’ve built. It’s your recurring revenue, your solid base hits, your consistency. But acquisition is your offense as it creates options, drives margin, and helps you replace the business that inevitably churns.
Remember, clients are loyal until the day they aren’t.
Read the rest of this feature on Printing Impressions, a publication of PRINTING United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
