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Highlights of the start of 2024…..

The underpinning thread of the start of 2024 has been: –

What have we learnt from the last few years?
Equally what has it taught us?
How have we changed?

The pace of change is now monumental in society and expectations have never been greater on what people expect and when they expect it. We’ve watched our peers across the graphic arts industry and needless to say, failing to innovate and develop genuinely leads to a weakness in the marketplace. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve never put all our eggs in one basket, having a split of sheet-fed digital print, large format print and garments has meant we’ve been able to juggle the ebb and flow of customer business requirements. It has also allowed us to build a base where we can meet customers’ needs by being a reliable partner.

I will be the first to say, that this level of pace of change, has put pressure on all staff across HAD-Print. I am grateful for the commitment and support the extended team has delivered. The demands and the requirements to be commercial there are extremely challenging. However, this has meant we’ve been in the position to say yes more.

Admittedly some of these changes and developments detailed here started at the end of 2023 however really only came to being implemented properly in Q1 and Q2 of 2024.

Full replacement of our ageing pro-production digital press, which has significantly “beefed up” our performance benchmark. Our ageing Canon Imagepress 6011 was retired last year, leaving us with 2 Canon Imagepress C700’s and a C800. We were well aware of the challenges we faced with customer work that required something more robust.

The opportunity arose to bring in a Canon Imagepress c10000vp, which didn’t just support our need for more board stock compatibility but also the long sheet format. It has since wowed us with its near litho-like print quality and speed performance.

This addition to our studio really puts us in the capabilities of probably the punchiest digital print firepower in Calderdale.

Meeting the needs of customer expectations both timely and capacity issues, has meant further expansion with our garment print department. We’ve now brought embroidery in-house, giving us a cracking capacity for production with a multi-head machine. In our true form, we have “started at a relevant point for us on the ladder”, getting the balance between quality expectations and capacity has taken us on a deliberate path. The extreme learning has been highly significant over the last 2 months. This is very much an enabling opportunity for our garment printing provision, as it builds capacity, coupled with the DTF our garment print and embellishment offering has never been greater.

The tail end of 2023 saw us launch our subscription print service for regular business consumers of print. We now have several clients on this scheme and reaping the rewards of being on contract and having a schedule of dedicated print when they need it, at a competitive price point.

Trades’ “advantage club” launching soon, will have two tiers to the club, which will offer access to packages and promotions relevant to “trades” based businesses, when coupled with our subscription offering, we will future enhance the offering on the “advantage club”.

Supporting our offering to trades-based businesses we now have access to some new brands within our product ranges:-

Jobman – highly functional, well specified Scandi workwear – absolute top of the class.

Jobman Workwear – again a silent giant which is gaining ground in the UK. A sister brand to Craft Sportswear – which is renowned for its performance in running and cycling. Jobman believes Workwear should withstand the toughest conditions. Using strong, proven materials in their garment puts them under rigorous scrutiny at the point of specifying. This is matched through being a Scandinavian brand with high sustainable credentials.

Regatta Professional Navigate range presents excellent opportunities for stylish branded workwear.

Regatta Professional. A well-known name, which sits in a portfolio of well-established brands like Craghoppers – which is well-known in the outdoor industry. This pedigree of performance has moved on to Regatta Professional. Creating apparel which is well designed, well specified and has good price points. The interesting movement for 2024, is their Navigate range, which sees a two-colour tone option delivered into the selection which enables smart apparel to work with your branding.

Another new item for May 2024 is we are now on the authorised network for Joma Sportwear. Supporting our offering for Grassroots football and meeting some of the challenges or gaps presented by our existing wholesale partners, we now have a fuller offering for sports apparel.

Improvements made to our plan printing facilities; we’ve always had the capability for print printing bureau service. We have a number of tradespeople who use us for the service. We’ve just replaced our monochrome plan printer, so the capacity for speed and A0-sized drawings is back to where it has been previously.

New product range: short-run (50-250 quantity) presentation folders. Building on previous experiences and product knowledge our Castle Range of presentation folders, provides an easy access route to small quantity presentation folders. Pre-set-up templates, and standardised pricing, see the utilisation of the upgraded digital press mentioned earlier and better utilisation of our digital die cutter.

Talking of Digital Die Cutter – one job recently completed was The Kirkwood at-home collection boxes. Very apparent that the combination of digital print and digital finishing opened up this opportunity making it effective for them to use us. We have joined The Kirkwood Business Club which has a two-fold effect of supporting them, plus creating a vibrant business cohort to which we now belong.

Maintenance of “keen pricing” in a rising market…. We know this is challenging, not just for you but also for us. We endeavour at every point to keep things as keen as we can. Nothing goes without review, including large format items, where through better supply chain relationships we’ve brought in the same without incurring additional costs. Paper and board – we are again harnessing management of relationships with suppliers to purchase more effectively. We’ve shifted our habits in the last year to again build better relationships with one of our key garment wholesalers, where on larger projects we are getting more leverage to help maintain competitive pricing.

We still have the challenges of the power at what now seems an excessively high unit cost due to our supply being through our landlord. However, we are doing our best to mitigate this through upgrades to lighting within the print studio.

What’s on the horizon….

• Greater level of templates existing cutting formes for digital die cutting

• Opportunities for more embroidery within our garment offering. We have some blisteringly impressive work to be scheduled through our Direct To Film (DTF) transfers for t-shirts and hoodies

• Further building of our garment product offering to the outdoor education and leisure sectors

• Scope for a wider offering in selected sports apparel

• Addressing our product and pricing offering around book printing.

Whilst this is the highlight, much has been going on here at HAD-Print. We endeavour to innovate our offering for you, the big challenge, is if you don’t say or talk to us, we can’t exceed your expectations with our offering!

We know that we will always be innovating and changing. We have watched businesses we have respected disappear from the marketplace in the last few years, and I will say openly their challenges have been around innovating and supporting customers. I like to think we are pushing the boundaries and developing new exciting things within HAD-Print, which will hopefully keep us fresh. However, we always welcome conversation around pushing the boundaries and developing how we support you.

We’ve all heard the phrase one-stop…. Does it work for Trades based businesses?

Savvy Trades have come to discover that building a recognisable brand and having values to it, which reflect who and what you do can help achieve more in business.

Over the last few years, we’ve worked with multi-faceted construction businesses, one-man plumbers, country-wide gas and plumbing engineers, groundsmen and landscapers. What rings true is when they take their identity and use it to not just deliver the basics but tie the visuals and communications together.

HAD-Print – understanding your needs…

It often starts with workwear, which has numerous benefits, and promotion, builds awareness of who and what you do. With customers, it also sets a tone of professionalism with a standard of apparel that reflects the business. As one trades business said to us, “We even get sub-contractors wearing our kit, and then they take ownership of the job they are doing”. Customer expectations have shifted with the rising cost of everything, and labour charges reflect this, equally, customers do expect to see professionalism and presentation. We have a wide range of workwear, from high visibility through to thermal protection

Building on professionalism; Regulatory requirements also mean that ownership of site health and safety can mean localising to make it relevant. Here at HAD-Print, we are well aware of the requirements to produce compliance (Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals Regulations) 1996). We have access to a library of standard Prohibition, Warning, Mandatory and Safe condition signs. So, site access boards combined with your branding and office details and relevant site marshals can be developed appropriately.

Over the years, we have been well aware that project sign-off, and authority to proceed following inspections all require necessary paperwork with signatures. Whilst digital technologies might provide some solutions in certain parts of the construction trade, the need for a physical document is the benchmark which provides the authority and sign-off on the job. We have a wealth of experience with No Carbon Required (NCR) sets providing duplicate and triplicate. Plus, we know what you expect to make them hardwearing on site.

More than just print – relevant marketing

Whilst every business runs social channels and other marketing, people still like people and referral is the strongest. Referral cards and business cards are probably key items. We do get asked for a bit more. One Gas and Plumbing business, left it late to ask us, can we do some flyers for an event… yes is the answer. However, what the owner wanted to develop the business into was maximising some of their recently high-value bathroom work. When running a team of lads, sometimes you just don’t get pictures of work done, equally pictures which sell. Thankfully through our connections, we were able to source the right pictures to meet the aspirations and benchmarks of the business. Combined with some careful copywriting finished flyers were artwork approved, printed and in the hands of Ben within 36 hours of the request.

Another top reason for using HAD-Print for your trade business, is we know/understand you (we’ve grown up with mates and friends in the trades); we can reflect this in any branding work. Make sure it will work across workwear, van graphics, site boards, traditional print and also into your socials. What makes it different, unlike “creative designers” that be architects and interior designers to you as a tradesperson, we suggest functional designs which work across multiple print and production methods. Plus, in our approach of being honest, like yourselves, we know how to bring it in on budget, plus our range of knowledge allows us to specify more efficiently.

Marketing basics…

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It’s often underestimated, the knowledge that us printers have of marketing. We’ve been a significant part of the marketing toolbox for many years. Equally, we’re not a dead marketing method, like some would proclaim, just a time-served tool in the chest of marketing concepts.

I’m privileged to meet many business people, whether walking in through the door, or at business networking events. One of the things that does stand out, is how much tunnel vision startups are to their marketing strategies. Siting cost as the driver, it seems even the smallest of tangible tools can be overlooked, stating social or digital works due to it being cheap or free. Which makes for an interesting return on investment, as something for nowt doesn’t always ring true. All businesses rely on the need for growth, growth isn’t an easy win, it takes dedication, inspiration, and investment of all resources.

At the start of my career and even during my vocational education, the basics of marketing were drummed into us. Understanding your customer is key, having a “pen portrait” of who what where is essential, it then drives the following 4 P’s

Product – The first of the Four Ps of marketing is “product”. A product can be either a tangible product or an intangible service that fulfills a need or want of consumers. Whether you sell coffee or provide beauty treatments, you must have a clear grasp of exactly what your product is and what makes it unique before you can successfully market it. The pitch, tone of voice, visual identity should reflect the ideal customer and make it a potential part of their mix.

Price – Once a solid understanding of the product offering is established, making some pricing decisions is the next critical step. Price determinations will impact profit margins, supply, demand, and marketing strategy. Similar (in concept) products and brands need to be positioned differently based on varying price points, while price elasticity considerations may influence our next two Ps. Geographical implications also play critically on this.

Promotion – We’ve got a product and a price now it’s time to promote it. Promotion looks at the many ways to spread the word on the relevant product information to customers and differentiate your particular product or service. Promotion includes advertising, public relations, events and taster sessions, face to face networking, social media marketing, email marketing, search engine marketing, video marketing and more. Methods of engagement are critical here. If you’re looking for a faster conversion, the tools and techniques used will change. The adage people like people, like themselves, always improves the conversion rate, due to if they like or do it, then I should. Face to face engagement should always be supported by relevant collateral to support the engagement. Each touchpoint on a customer journey will build the future potential to buy.

Place – Professional marketers will often say that marketing is about putting the right product, at the right price, at the right place, at the right time. It’s critical then, to evaluate the ideal physical locations are to convert potential clients into actual clients. Today, even in situations where the actual transaction doesn’t happen on the web, the start of a sales journey has many points of contact including web, referrals and many more before potential customers are engaged and converted to a sale.

So how does print engage with this, we are experienced in supporting small businesses, ensure that your products visual identity matches and works with your audience. We’ve got substantive experience in tailoring promotional materials to fit your budget and ultimately your price point. We have more tools on our promotional print chest than you think. From the obvious to the more subtle for brand awareness. Print is a tool that can drive traffic to your other communication channels to improve the customer journey for your potential customers. Along with solutions to help you sign and brand your “place” to ensure maximum visibility.

Whilst as a printer, we’ll happily guide, support and ask questions to ensure your marketing buck, is getting you the best bang, we don’t do marketing strategy or other media. We’re fortunate to know many professionals who can help you. These professionals are the full source professionals who work across different media to maximise the impact and delivery of your marketing messages.