5 Ways Print Professionals Should Prepare for 2022

Just like that, we’re approaching the final quarter of the year. This is the time when businesses are scrambling to maximize their numbers to encapsulate the successes over the past 12 months and put what they need in place to flourish in the following year. While this year wasn’t as difficult as the previous one, businesses and communities have still struggled to stay ahead. 

We all want to finish strong in 2021 and start off 2022 even better. At TEAM Concept Printing, we recognize the end of the year can provide the urgency we need to push our business to the next level. Here are 5 things we are doing in our final quarter to finish the year strong and set us up for a prosperous 2022! 

 1 - Focus on Proactive Recruitment 

Finding the best talent, never ends. We all know there is a unique labor shortage in our country, and this especially goes for technical positions like print professionals. Rather than being reactive when it comes to recruiting new workers, the most effective companies are always hiring, regardless of the labor situation. 

The US Department of Labor reported the unemployment rate for print professionals went from 11.4 to 3.9 in the last year. With the market as volatile as it is, proactively recruiting your next pre-print specialist, CSR, fulfillment member, or designer is essential. Always make sure your employment branding is just as strong as your customer marketing.  

 2 - Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer

This Godfather philosophy is as true in the printing world as it is in the mafia world, and now more than ever, we must band together as an industry. You’d be surprised at how much work can come from your nearest competitor. Whether it be assisting with a supply chain shortage or an influx of tricky jobs, simply reaching out can be mutually beneficial.  

 3 - Understand Your Segments

Know where to aim, and what to shoot for. Nothing is more practical than setting the stage for 2022 in 2021. By late November or early December, knowing the basic segments and where you’re trending will set a proper target of where you want to be in the new year. It is also a good way to keep sales representatives motivated and hold them accountable.

At TEAM Concept Printing, we break segments into wide format, corporate marketing programs, packaging, trade shows, healthcare, business stationary, fulfillment services, and kitting. In keeping the numbers and projections for each segment organized and on our minds, we stay ahead of our competition and any potential problems.    

 4 - Shore Up Admin and Payables

Little pennies always add up to big dollars. There is a lot of uncertainty in the economy right now, so make sure to setup creative financing programs for partners who are struggling. Also, you can’t be sure where people are going to be a couple months from now, so it is vital that you don’t let your accounts receivable go beyond 60 days. 

 5 - Show Gratitude

We all know for different reasons this was a tough year. This is especially true for nonprofits who lost integral streamlines of funding. For example, Illinois nonprofits, numbering about 9,000, lost over $1 billion in donations and other revenue in 2020 due to Covid-19. Nonprofit entities in every state across the nation are similarly affected.

We are going to blink and it’s going to be the holiday season. Be sure to use the next couple months to be better to your community and thank everyone who was good to you the last 18 months, because these are the people that will stick around with you for many years to come. Here’s to a productive and fruitful new year!