Graphic genes, a marketing education and an interest in new technology: these are the three factors that characterize Stefan De Cuyper. It also makes for a handy combination when you own a digital printing and marketing consultancy firm. With his Digitalprinting.be and Marketingplanner.be, Stefan tells us from Zele (Belgium) what the business is like.
Client
Digitalprinting
Since
2015
Software
Brand Portal, WhiteLabelShop
Connection to CHILI Publish editor
Graphic genes
The street name “Printer’s Street” on which his business Digitalprinting is located is a good indication of the roots of this enthusiastic entrepreneur. On both his father’s and mother’s side of the family, almost all of his relatives are graphic entrepreneurs. Stefan himself started his own digital printing company in 2000, after his marketing studies and 5 years of experience at a marketing company. The focus was initially on designing, producing and finishing all digital productions himself for customers. Gradually, this focus shifted.
“A lot has changed in 20 years. It is especially important to keep listening to customer needs and to continuously adapt to the market. Customers want to be helped with all types of printing jobs and, above all, they want the right solution. As a result, we also started working smoothly with other graphic partners and in the meantime we set ourselves up as a total solution provider.”
Print procurement with graphic partners
Digitalprinting is anno 2020 a locally valued specialist in personalized printing solutions. “That proximity is very important. We have a lot of contacts in the local market. They know that we can think up communications well for them and take care of them. Purchasing printed materials well has therefore become more important.”
Online print procurement with Prindustry
For the print procurement, Prindustry’s platform also plays an important role. “The online print platform has grown into an interesting concept.Whereas Prindustry first only offered a web shop, a few years ago they changed the formula to a facilitating function with a purchasing platform to which web shops and brand portals can be linked.As a neutral software partner, they connect supply and demand in the market with their platform.You don’t see that anywhere else.It also fits well with our services. In addition to our own partner network, we can buy conveniently through the platform. You can use it to market a webshop, but you can also use it as a closed order portal for customers. We use the webshop under the name Digitalprinting, but because of our local role you see that customers often prefer to call, email or drop by to coordinate an order. With our Brand Portals, our customers can design their own communications and then easily order them. They do this through CHILI’s integrated editor. Customers can use templates online to edit their printed materials themselves in the branding of their company. ”
Getting started with your marketing plans
Digitalprinting’s local audience is typified by another preference. “Our customers often come with their orders last minute. Thanks to digital techniques, we can deliver quickly. Still, I started thinking how we could take the pressure off for them. That led to the Marketingplanner. On Marketingplanner.be you can download a free A4 marketing calendar. You can use it to plan 12 months ahead and as a business manager or marketer you can clearly record your communication plans. The marketing planner also exists as an A1 poster or XXL whiteboard. It gives you a first handle on your marketing. Of course, you have to use it yourself. Often marketing is ‘added on’, while it is the engine of your company. But you have to do it right. We also offer support and training to help you go into more depth with your marketing plans. On the website you can see that we offer different formulas. There are “1 Day Workshops” and “1 on 1 Pathways. We don’t just help you plan, but more importantly, we help you raise the profile of your business and attract the right audience.”
Stimulating inspiration
Following that, Stefan also regularly organizes inspiration evenings titled “Boost Your Marketing. “We provide concrete marketing tips in a sociable setting. Often 30 to 35 people attend those.” What’s nice is that Stefan immediately can inspire attendees with personalized printing. “We believe in the power of 1-to-1 marketing. That can be a memo pad with the participant’s name, but with our Ripple Maker Printer we also make personalized coffee or cookies. Often people have no idea what they can do with communication. Especially also with printing.”
Stimulation of senses
“Offline communication has so many advantages compared to online marketing. The fundamental difference is that you stimulate more senses. People get something tangible with communication in the mailbox. Something you can feel – and sometimes even smell or taste. With Digitalprinting, we can think smartly about the right form of this communication. Often, for example, people only know that they want a brochure. We then ask what they want to achieve with it. Based on that, we can give the right advice for the print run, postage costs, format, envelope, paper type and so on. For us it’s about delivering three things: thinking along, producing and unburdening!”
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