By Doug Fruscione, Director of Procurement & Estimating at W. A. Wilde

Like a bidding war at an auction house, the printing business has been undergoing a fairly silent, yet the biggest consolidation this industry has ever seen. In addition, there have been an unheard number of plant and company closures resulting in a shrinking of the industry. This has led to a unique environment for buyers like us and a shift in the industry that has always been dominated by small business.

To first understand the impact of this current trend, you must take into consideration that printing is not just a big business–it is the biggest. US domestic printing is an $83+ billion industry that tops the automakers in terms of size and the number of people it employs (1+ million). Sounds pretty outrageous until you stop to think about it. In a society that’s constantly in search of access to information and literally obsessed with record-keeping, it stands to reason that printing is ubiquitous. From new car manuals to tabloid newspapers to t-shirts to those little tags on mattresses, nearly every product calls on the printing industry somewhere along the line. Put in that light, the numbers don’t seem so far-fetched. So the big question is: if the printing industry is suddenly starting to be controlled by a small group of industry leaders and many of the 70,000 plants in the country are shutting down, what happens to principals such as market competition and market controls such as “supply and demand”. . . not to mention the people and personnel it effects?

In the last year alone, as the economy has struggled, the industry giants have been buying up large portions of the market through mergers and acquisitions. This has pushed out the middle part of the market and, at the same time, made it difficult for smaller shops that make up the largest percentage of the industry to compete. Huge print companies like RR Donnelly, Quad, and Quebecor have acquired other players like Cenveo and Bowne and have solidified their hold on the market. Even in our own backyard, six very prominent regional shops have succumbed to economic pressures. This is a result of the economic times, coupled with a reduction of work available and renewed competition by these large national companies. With everyone competing for a slice of a much smaller pie, it has become increasingly difficult for these smaller shops to storm the weather.

As the volume of work continues to shrink and the number of players competing continues to shrink, we as buyers are faced with a market place driven by issues such as risk aversion and longevity tied to heavy pricing pressures. The landscape for print companies is really changing. Former relationships are always in question these days, and price and fiscal viability have become the benchmarks by which these companies are measured. The good news is that those with solid portfolios and strong business practices seem to be rising to the top. There is no question that once things have found equilibrium that there will be more work going to fewer players and that we as buyers will have fewer choices, less competition driving the marketing, more pressure to use the big companies, and less influence.

So for an industry that has remained fairly unchanged for so long, the next few years will usher in an era of reinvention and realignment. I believe that companies that have a business strategy that can readjust, be nimble, and be reliable will rise to the top and may be in a position to challenge the goliaths on the block–others may soon find themselves on the auction block. 

What do you think smaller firms need to do to survive and thrive in this market?

By Pete Basiliere

What do you do when a family member is stricken with cancer?

You offer support in any way you can. Encouragement. Prayer. Help with the chores, pay a couple of bills. Whatever it takes to help him or her focus on the fight at hand.

The same holds true for your extended family, doesn’t it?

You offer support in any way you can. Whether a lifelong friend, a neighbor, a colleague at work, you naturally want to help.

As part of Team Centurion, I’ve joined with colleagues from around the globe to raise money for LIVESTRONG, the cancer foundation started by cyclist Lance Armstrong, on behalf of our good friend and fellow printing industry analyst, Steve Reynolds.

Steve selflessly raised money on behalf of other cancer victims by riding in three LIVESTRONG “Century” (100 mile) events over the last three years. This year’s ride would have been Steve’s fourth ride except for his June diagnosis of Stage 4 Colon Cancer. Despite the advanced stage and extreme seriousness of his situation, Steve is rising to the challenge and has begun his fight.

My colleagues are normally competitors with each other and Steve, but we’re united by something much more powerful than commerce – hope, courage and a determination to crush cancer. I will be joining colleagues and friends the afternoon and evening before Graph Expo opens in Chicago on October 2nd to show our support for Steve.

People who have been Steve’s customers and competitors will take a spirited 1.5 mile walk to show our support of his personal fight against cancer. We will gather at 4:30 at The House of Blues in downtown Chicago during which we’ll stop to toast Steve at two pubs.

Then, at 7:00 PM, we’ll arrive at the D4 Irish Pub & Cafe for a reception and dinner buffet sponsored by AR Advisors, Oce, Ricoh and Xerox. Everyone, whether a walker or not, is welcome to join us at the dinner. A $25 minimum contribution to LIVESTRONG is requested. Join us any time during the evening that’s convenient for you, but please confirm your attendance in advance if at all possible.

Coincidentally, October 2nd is “Livestrong Day,” so named because on that date in 1996 Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer. Or, as he put it: “The day I was diagnosed with cancer was the day I started to live.” Lance realized he had to grab hold of his life and take nothing for granted. He made a decision to face his illness with courage, strength and dignity. On October 2, Lance Armstrong became a survivor.

The money raised in Steve’s honor by Team Centurion will go to support LIVESTRONG’s programs and services, which inspire and empower people affected by cancer. If you or someone you know is diagnosed, these resources will help them to face the challenges of cancer, head on, and live life on your own terms.
Please support Steve and help make a difference in the cancer fight.

Come to the events in Chicago to demonstrate your support. If you cannot make it, no problem. Simply visit the Livestrong website to make a contribution

Thank you!

By Ed Cunningham, Vice President Sales W. A. Wilde

I was flying home from a new business meeting the other night and realized I was in rarefied air…but not in the plane. This air was in New Jersey of all places. It was the fresh air that my team was breathing when we presented to a prospective client without the aid (read: “crutch”) of a PowerPoint presentation. Got the client, by the way…

Oh, we had one in the bag, but thankfully, we never took it out of the bag. We just talked and connected with the people in the room.

I heard a guy that is much smarter than me, Glen Urban of MIT, talk about a new dynamic that we are all playing under called TRUST. People (note: I didn’t say companies) want to partner with people they can trust. In his estimation, everyone wants to trust–they just don’t know who to trust. By connecting with the people in the room without the barriers of the computer, the cords, and the overhead projector, we quickly established ourselves as a group that was not hiding behind anything: we could be trusted. In turn, that helps build customer loyalty.

Why else was not having a PowerPoint so effective? People are tired of them.

This client even jokingly said, “Thank God you’re not going to do a PowerPoint. We’d just rather talk.” Enough said. They want to talk so they can gauge what kind of person you are and if they can trust you. Only then will they open their kimono and tell you what their real problems are and specifically what you can really do for them. Once you understand their pain, you can give them an honest assessment of your solution against your competitor’s.

Need more reason to ditch the Powerpoint? I’ve got 250 million more.

According to Microsoft’s own estimates, there are 30 million PowerPoint presentations made every day. EVERY DAY! I couldn’t believe it either. Imagine the dollars wasted on making so many people sit through so many poorly constructed and prepared presentations. I saw some astounding guestimates on the total dollars wasted, and it looks something like this:

• 4 people per presentation
• 1 half hour presentation
• 1 half hour presentation = a quarter of the time wasted

That means that we are wasting 15 million person hours per day. At an average salary of $35,000, the waste per day nears $252 million!

Let’s take a step back, and figure out how we got here and how we get out.

We have 3M to thank for the advent of the slide presentation. With the advent of plastic film, companies were suddenly able to produce computer-generated slides which would be projected onto a wall through an overhead projector. Then came PowerPoint.

PowerPoint was originally built for the Mac. The original name of the program was Presenter; however, due to some trademark issues, it was later renamed and released as a software package in 1987 by Forethought. Microsoft acquired Forethought and quickly added the software to its Office Suite. Seems to me that if smart guys like Bob Gaskins and Dennis Austin named it Presenter, they assumed that we would let the software take over the presentation–and that’s exactly what many of us have done the past few years.

An old article I saw by Edward Tufte reminds us that our misuse of PowerPoint has also allowed the presentation to become a substitute for the presenter rather than a supplement. He contends that the misuse breaks one of the more important rules of speaker which is respect your audience. He also demonstrates where these presentations can be misleading and dangerous.

So how we get out of this rut? I subscribe to the KISS mantra on this one. So I have 3 easy steps for you to follow:

1. Stop using PowerPoint tool as a crutch.
2. Become the presentation.
3. Look them in the eye (without the glare of the projector), connect with your audience, and build their trust in you. 

Editor’s Note: Ed also claims that by leaving the projector and the laptop back at the office, his presentations are not only more effective but he is also flying through airport security these days. That would make 250 million and 1 reasons to lose the Powerpoint!

By Tom A. Wilde, CEO & Vice Chairman W.A. Wilde

Here we are: the dog days of summer. For marketing departments, it’s prime season for planning—for both the balance of the year and ahead to 2011. So what’s worked so far in 2010? It’s no secret that marketing departments were hit heavy by budget cuts in 2009 because of the economic downturn. However, the lessons from the prior year have started to payoff in 2010; we are more resourceful and more efficient with our smaller marketing budgets.

In 2009, some direct marketers were quick to cut direct mail from their marketing mix and focus solely on the online channel. In 2010, direct mail has made a comeback. Marketers have realized that when used effectively, it is necessary to their multi-channel marketing mix and can be one of the best tools for starting a conversation with their customers.

To that end, the advent of digital printing methods has allowed increased flexibility for companies to be more audience-focused. It’s not enough to just personalize the greeting of a marketing piece; marketers can use the technology to create campaigns that speaks relevantly to their customers at the individual level based on demographics and previous engagement with campaigns. Further, digital print technology allows for these greater design freedoms with quicker turnaround times.

Marketers can leverage direct mail as a launch pad for their online marketing efforts. For instance, a highly personalized direct mail piece can drive a customer to a PURL where they can access highly personalized online content that is specific to their engagement with the company. The PURLs then can direct customers to the company’s social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, where they can engage with fellow customers and ultimately creating a community around your company.

As you look to the rest of 2010 and beyond, remember the lessons of resourcefulness and efficiency when planning your marketing programs. Find out what channels are most effective at getting them to act, and use that marketing mix to create a cohesive marketing message. Create conversations with your customers, don’t talk at them in some channel that they aren’t even listening to.

By Nancy Harhut, Chief Creative Officer, Wilde Agency

You want a window into the human mind? Look at some direct mail pieces. How people respond to them — or don’t — can tell you plenty. That’s because direct mail is all about psychology. It’s understanding what makes people behave the way they do.

Take outer envelopes. What will make someone open one? The smallest of details can tip the balance. Is there a return address? Is it accompanied by someone’s name? Is that name pre-printed? Or was it “added on” just before going out? Then there’s your color choice. Paper stock. Postage type. Type font. All this before the headline and visual (if you even have them) register.

When you think about it, the odds are hugely against us. Everyday, people are bombarded with more and more advertising messages. Then they come home from a long day’s work, stand over the wastepaper basket, and sort their mail. We have mere seconds to deploy enough knowledge about human nature to get our packages opened.

And yet, everyday great new direct mail pieces emerge. Some of the best work in the industry is being done today. Our targeting methods are more efficient. Our options are greater. And our creative people are more talented. But the big difference, in my opinion, is that we know more about what makes people tick today than we ever have. And that’s key. Because in order to capture your prey, you first have to think like them.

Social scientists and behavioral economists have shown that human beings have developed certain automatic or reflexive behaviors. They’ve identified:

1. Compliance triggers
2. Loss aversion
3. The principle of reciprocity
4. Social proof
5. The pull of the magnetic middle

And numerous other influencers to human behavior. Take what they’ve learned and apply it, where appropriate, to your programs and communications—which helps make your customers and prospects more likely to do what you’re asking them to. Want to learn more? Register for my August 4 webinar (Why people do what they do - an how marketers can use it to their advantage) and find out how to harness human behavior triggers in your direct marketing efforts.

By Julie Sullivan, VP Marketing W.A. Wilde

With social media being, well, everywhere, it was no surprise that it made its presence at the June NEDMA Awards in four new categories:

1. Best SEO Campaign
2. Best Twitter Page
3. Best Blog
4. Best Other Social Media (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)

What was surprising was the amount of entries in these categories – or lack thereof. Where competition was fierce in more traditional categories, there were only a sprinkling of entries in these new media categories. This is where I pause and ask the question, “Can someone please remind me, and all marketers, the true definition of direct marketing?”

From what I was taught and continue to practice, Direct Marketing really has two main principles:

1. Engage in a one-to-one dialogue with your target audience
2. Require your target audience to take some sort of action–call, click, move, you name it.

If you accept this definition, why is direct marketing synonymous with direct mail in so many marketers’ eyes? In the last five years or so, there has been no bigger trend than delivering relevant, personalized communications to build trust and credibility with your audience. For most companies that aren’t spending marketing dollars on broadband awareness campaigns, one-size-fits-all communications are passé–almost irresponsible in today’s marketing communications mix.

As a result, DR TV and radio, email, and yes even social media is about creating relevant, one-to-one dialogue with your target audience and motivating them to act in some way, shape, or form. If this is the case, why hasn’t direct marketing led the charge instead of being relegated to a category on the bar graph titled “direct mail” that decreases in size and budget year over year?

My plea to direct marketers is to strip the stigma of the red-headed stepchild that only creates unwanted credit card solicitations and rethink what it means to be a true direct marketer in this day and age.

How has your agency or company expanded the definition and importance of direct marketing for your business? Or is it thought of more as the dinosaur that used to have the stature of a T-Rex, but has shrunk to the size of a Flintstone vitamin?

By Brenda Kai, Executive Director, EDSF

EDSF, the international non-profit organization dedicated to the document management and graphic communications industries, could not be effective without the outstanding leadership of its Board of Directors—all volunteers who support EDSF in its mission. EDSF grants scholarships to students in support of their academic careers, provides research grants to colleges and universities, builds awareness about industry careers, and recognizes innovative educators and educational programs.

To bring more insight into EDSF’s efforts, Franchise Services President and COO, Richard Lowe, the new EDSF chairman, shares his thoughts on EDSF happenings as they relate to helping students.

As an industry leader, Lowe joined the Franchise Services in 1989, and today the company’s print management group operates the brands of Sir Speedy, PIP, Signal Graphics and MultiCopy—all well-known and highly successful brands in the quick printing industry.

DN: Congratulations on your new position as Chairman of the Board of EDSF. How long has Franchise Services been involved with EDSF?

RL:We are proud to say that Franchise Services has been a supporter since EDSF was founded in 1996. Their primary focus has been, and continues to be making positive changes in the lives of students, and we share that dedication. I personally joined the Board in 2008 and served on the Development Committee prior to becoming Chairman.

DN: What benefits does EDSF provide to the industry?

RL:It’s hard to imagine a more challenging business environment than we have experienced this past year. Despite all the turmoil, there remains within the increasingly complex world of document management, graphic communications and printing a critical need to attract and foster the development of the next generation of business professionals.

However, also during this same time, financial assistance programs for students have been drastically reduced while the costs of an education have continued to rise. EDSF programs help fill these needs by providing  scholarships to students attending two-year and four-year college/university and postgraduate programs worldwide. To date 306 scholarships have been awarded in ten countries.

DN: What is the biggest challenge EDSF is facing?

RL:Fundraising remains a critical issue and it is no surprise that the Wall Street Journal reported that contributions to non-profit organizations focusing on education were down 24 percent in 2009 due to the economy. To overcome this shortfall requires a different approach to fundraising and a willingness to investigate new initiatives. This year, we developed several campaigns and programs designed to attract a higher number of individual contributions in addition to our corporate sponsorships.

One of my personal favorite’s, is the Adopt-a-Scholar program designed for donors interested in a more personal approach to providing educational support. Participation in this program provides each donor with a thank you letter from the student receiving support along with their photo and a short profile.  Other new programs also include:

• eBay Giving Works
• Continuing education partnership with AIIM Certificate Program

In addition, there are many different ways to establish or contribute to an existing scholarship award.

Information about all donation opportunities is available on the Web site at: www.edsf.org.

DN: What other thoughts would you like to share with our readers?

RL: I would like to thank everyone who supported EDSF’s “The Future is Bright” campaign in December, and ask for your continued support.

With the recent disaster in Haiti, we’ve seen the difference the “Power of Many” can make. Everything we give today, no matter the size, has more meaning, more power, more importance and for our students, more hope.  Every dollar donated has a greater impact than it did just a year ago. We ask for your help in working to make a difference for a student pursuing their dream of continued education.

In closing, I want to share a quote from one scholarship recipient from 2009:

“Knowing the industry is behind me and willing to support me financially means so much. This generous scholarship encourages me in preparing for a bright future and allows me to put a stronger focus on my education rather than how to pay for it.”

- Jason Landrum

Editor’s Note.  Andrew Leung a 4th year Graphic Communication student at Ryerson University recently wrote this essay on JDF. The use of JDF-enabled system are becoming widely adopted within the industry. This essay provides a concise review of the technology.

By Andrew Leung

To those who use it, JDF is considered one of the most innovative technologies in the printing industry. It allows workflow to become much more automated and help streamline some of the more cumbersome and repetitive tasks that often can cost printers a substantial amount of money; it was built to help eliminate waste. It costs nothing for printers to use the specifications for JDF, but the systems that incorporates its ability is where the cost lies. JDF is still relatively new, and while there are those in the printing and graphics art industry that have adopted its potential and capabilities, others are still skeptical about it, in the long run, JDF is here to stay.

(more…)

By Brenda Kai, Executive Director, EDSF

We know that everyone is very busy this time of the year and has more than a few things to do. However, we would like you to take just a minute to think about a very important search. . .the search for the “next you.”

Think about that for a few seconds. You are successful, creative and influential, but where will the “next you” come from? That person who will lead the industry you love and work hard to keep the stock price in your 401K up; where are they? At EDSF, we know that the answer lies in young minds, all over the world, that are just beginning their journey to the place you now occupy. They are the ones that will ultimately be your legacy – the “next you.”

But many of them need help to realize their ambitions.

Over the last several weeks, during EDSF’s “The Future Is Bright” Awareness Campaign, you’ve been introduced to several EDSF Board members, met the volunteers that support the scholarship program and The EDSF Report, heard about the new Adopt -A-Scholar and Holiday giving programs, and met many of the wonderful students that received support.

We hope that in becoming more familiar with EDSF that you will want to become involved in making a bright future for these students needing financial assistance. Please remember that EDSF is not a membership-based organization, but relies on generous contributions from corporations and individuals to fund the scholarship programs.

The truth is, it really is all about “you.” The current “you” that provides your generous support to EDSF and the “next you” that needs all of us to help them reach their dream. Every gift, whatever the size, is valuable. Please visit www.edsf.org to make a tax deductible donation online.

Andy and Julie Plata are well-known pioneers in the document and high volume transaction output (HVTO) industry. Over the past quarter-century, the Plata’s have contributed greatly to its continuing evolution. Andy was the third president (now called chairman) of Xplor International, where he traveled extensively to help establish chapters in Canada, Europe and Australia. Julie was the developer of the Laser Training Institute and a consultant to Kodak during the development of its initial high-volume products. Both Andy and Julie have served as advisors to many of the major HVTO companies; and the couple’s business achievements have been lauded in the business and technology press.

Today, the Platas, owners and publishers of OutputLinks and Graphic Communications World, talk about their involvement with EDSF, the international non-profit organization dedicated to the document management and graphic communications industries. Visit EDSF at www.EDSF.org.

DN:
How long have you been involved with EDSF?

A&JP:
Eight years. We attended the Foundation’s Inaugural dinner and started funding scholarships in 2002.

DN:
How many scholarships have you funded to date, and what type of scholarships are they?

A&JP:
The first scholarship we established was an endowment to fund in perpetuity the John Lopiano Endowed Scholarship. To date, we have funded approximately 30+ annual scholarships including an annual $5,000 scholarship honoring the 50+ OutputLinks Women of Distinction. Other scholarships honor Lifetime Achievements, Stewardship and Sustainability contributions by industry leaders. By partnering with EDSF to manage our scholarships, we do what we enjoy, fund the scholarships, while EDSF manages the day to day work and selection process to make it all work smoothly.

DN:
With the difficult economy and contributions to non-profits in a significant decline, your support for scholarships has increased. Can you share your philosophy on this?

A&JP:
Yes, these are challenging times and a recent report in the WSJ indicates a dramatic decline in charitable giving with one of the hardest hit being education. We see stewardship as an opportunity to be of service and, when times are tough, the need for stewardship is greater than ever. We have have steadily increased our donations and will continue to do so despite the economy. It may mean we have to work harder to find the available funds, but if those of us in business are being hammered by the economy, just imagine what those who are trying to complete an education must be going through. Hence, we simply feel that financial support for education is more important than ever before.

DN:
Have you met any of the scholarship students?

A&JP:
Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to meet many of the scholarship recipients and they are wonderful people. Their great and enthusiastic aspirations inspire us. Funding an EDSF Scholarship is a super opportunity to play a small role in helping them achieve their dreams. They are so appreciative of the financial support they received from our industry. They are the spark our industry needs to prosper. Every young person needs to know that others believe in them.

DN:
What message would you like to share about EDSF?

A&JP:
We all know the need is out there. We all know we need to keep new blood coming into our industry. We all know it is an exciting time in our industry and a great place to start a career. So, let’s all do what we all know – allocate the finds to fill the pipeline of s new generation of output professionals. EDSF makes it easy.

EDSF has several new programs: Adopt-a-Scholar and the Holiday Giving program that provide new ways to contribute at whatever level is comfortable for you or your company. All the donations are tax deductible and can go directly to supporting much needed scholarship funding. To learn more, visit www.edsf.org.

EDSF Scholar of the Day

Carolina Modenessy, New York University -
John Lopiano Scholarship 2008
EDSF Board of Directors Scholarship 2007

“The scholarship that EDSF has awarded me is such a wonderful help for my academic and future professional careers. I am very excited about fulfilling my career goals as a graphic designer/manager and, with help from organizations like EDSF, I can continue to reach for my dreams. Thank you!”

By Brenda Kai, executive director, EDSF

“I want to thank and pay tribute to all of our volunteers – those dedicated people who believe in all work and no pay”.
–Robert Orben, humorist, writer and editor

Without our volunteers, who give selflessly of their time and expertise, EDSF — the international non-profit organization dedicated to the document management and graphic communications industries — would not be able to accomplish all that it does. Our volunteers tell us repeatedly that they choose to get involved because they consider it a pleasure to improve the lives of others and give back to the industry.

Last week, during EDSF’s “The Future is Bright” Awareness Campaign — a chance for you to get to know more about EDSF — we introduced our Scholarship Selection Committee. This week, we would like to recognize the volunteers that make the EDSF REPORT possible. The EDSF REPORT provides input on current trends and serves to promote research, and thanks to our volunteers, we’re able to deliver this valuable industry resource. Our hats are off to:

Editor-in-chief: The one and only, Frank Romano, EDP, professor emeritus, RIT

Editors: Toby Cobrin, EDP, INTERQUEST, Roberta McKee-Jackson, EDP, RSM Consulting, UK, and Sidney F. Huttner, University of Iowa Libraries

Printing: Sir Speedy and PIP Printing

Printing Coordinator: Lisa Wallingford, Franchise Services

Finish and Mail: Anthony Sarno, InfoPrint Solutions

The EDSF REPORT is published six times a year and is funded by individual and corporate contributions. To download copies of all EDSF REPORTS or to make a donation, please visit the Web site at www.edsf.org.

EDSF Scholar of the Day

Chiara Bertato, Scuola Superiore, Internazionale di Scienze dalla Formazione, Italy
EDSF’s OutputLinks Sponsors Scholarship 2009

“I have learned that if you have a big passion inside of you, only your mind and your willpower can help you achieve dreams you thought were too big even to be dreamt. So I would like to use this scholarship to cherish my passion for the graphic and communication field, led by my curiosity to know and learn more and more about the world around me.”

By Brenda Kai, executive director, EDSF

There is a popular holiday story in which a character named Scrooge is visited by three ghosts. Scrooge asks one of the ghosts, “Are these the shadows of the things that will be, or are they shadows of things that may be, only?”

Can we change the future? A certain Ebenezer Scrooge asked this question and, to his everlasting relief, he found that good deeds and giving could, indeed, change the future. Giving has its rewards not only in the present but in the future – just ask any of EDSF’s scholarship recipients how much your contributions mean to them and their college education. EDSF is the international non-profit organization dedicated to the document management and graphic communications industries, and its scholarship program is benefiting hundreds of students worldwide.
(more…)

By Brenda Kai, executive director, EDSF

The future is bright for students studying and preparing for careers in the document management and graphic communications industry, and EDSF scholarships are making a big difference. EDSF is the international non-profit organization dedicated to the document management and graphic communications industries, and its scholarship program is benefiting hundreds of students worldwide. Today, EDSF offers donors the opportunity to establish three basic types of scholarships, which support our industry’s future workforce. The three types of scholarships that donors may establish are
(more…)

By Brenda Kai, executive director, EDSF

We are pleased to announce a new program designed to support EDSF scholarships. Effective today, donations of any size can be made directly into the EDSF Adopt-a-Scholar program. When the scholarships are awarded in July 2010, each donor participating in the program will receive:

• a thank you letter from the student receiving their specific donation
• copy of the student’s photo
• a short profile about the student.

This is a great opportunity to connect in a very personal way and see how your contribution is making a difference in the life of a student.
(more…)

By Brenda Kai, EDSF executive director

If you have ever been to a NASCAR race or watched one on TV, it seems that nothing in NASCAR is without a sponsor. Cars are covered in logos and stickers, drivers have patches from shoulder to shoulder, and every race is brought to you by one company or another.

For companies shelling out $350,000 – $500,000 for each race, calculating the return on their investment becomes critical but complicated (some companies will count the number of seconds their logo is clearly visible on the screen, and then multiply that time by the going ad rate to get an idea of how far their NASCAR dollars are getting them).

Just like NASCAR, EDSF, the international non-profit organization dedicated to the document management and graphic communications industries, needs sponsors to invest in helping students stay on course with their education, however, unlike NASCAR, it’s easy to track the returns.
(more…)