The #PrintChat Top Ten List

According to @hashtracking we generated 774 tweets
delivered to 4,289,652 timelines!

No Replay Available. Nurph stopped working shortly after we started and Twitter didn’t cooperate much either! We lost many people during the chat, and appreciate everyone who hung in there!!! It wasn’t easy!

In honor of David Letterman’s last show tonight, let’s create a TOP 10 list and have a little fun!

THE RESULTS!!! by Sandy Hubbard!

It was an ordinary Wednesday afternoon and most of the #printchat crowd had arrived.

Suddenly, Nurph went silent. “Hello??” tweeted #printchat host Deborah Corn, aka @PrintMediaCentr. Other tweets followed, echoing the same issue: The Nurph thread was not advancing. Without Nurph, we had no recording to create a replay, so the following highlights are provided by #printchat moderator Sandy Hubbard, aka @sandyhubbard.

With the lights out at Nurph, everyone picked up and headed over to native Twitter. Twitter was also inching along. Finally, the native stream began to advance, and Deborah set up shop over at tchat.io.

The brave souls who stuck around gave their feedback so we could build our own #Top10 List in honor of David Letterman’s last day on “The Late Show.”

Here are notes from the chat with a few comments plucked from the #printchat stream:

Q1: Which is the most underrated position in the print shop:  Estimator, Press Person or CSR – and why?

While lots of positions in the print shop were mentioned that we did NOT ask about (including the ever-resourceful delivery person), the top answer was ESTIMATOR. Richard Dannenberg @RWDberg saluted the estimator’s “numbercrunchery” while others pointed out that all profit flows from this person’s adept pricing and knowledge of costs, cashflow and competition.

Q2: Which is the most used #paper type in your shop: Matte Coated, Gloss Coated or Uncoated – and why?

It was nearly unanimous that, while people appreciated the texture and personality of matte and uncoated, it was COATED PAPER that made them swoon. Reasons included its ability to make color pop, its smooooothness, and the way customers perked up when they saw samples on coated paper.

Q3: How many #print related jobs will you have over your career: 1-5, 6-10 or 10+ and why?

Even among old timers, 1-5 was the answer. For those who had more job titles, many had spent most of their time in one organization. Of course the subtext of Deborah’s clever question included the future, and that most of us will end up changing jobs more frequently as the economy and industry evolves.

Q4: Which marketing tech is BEST suited for Printers to sell: QR codes, Augmented Reality or NFC – and why?

This question devolved into a popularity contest and answers favored bells and whistles versus the ability to sell to customers. But the loudest and most persuasive voices loved AR – AUGMENTED REALITY. Winner is AR.

Q5: Every print shop should be on: Twitter, Facebook or Instagram – and why?

Like kids in a candy shop, our participants wanted it all. Well, you can only pick one, you greedy children! After much discussion, we decided Twitter was essential, although the more logical among us said it was wise to go where your customers and prospective customers like to hang out.

Matthew Parker @PrintChampion

A5 Twitter, because that’s the platform which has won me the best relationships and clients  #printchat

Q6: Best prospects companies are: start-ups, 1-5 yr old businesses or 5+ yr old businesses – and why?

People liked the start-ups. They liked the ability to help, the mold, to influence, to make a difference. And isn’t that the fun of being in business? It was a refreshing perspective.

B&D Print Services @BandDPrint

A6 Sometimes, as a business grows, the passion diversifies if you get to know them young, you share narrative, so you’ve helped  #printchat

Q7: Do you prefer to: attend webinars or wait for the video replays – and why?

Most people liked attending webinars and online events live, as they happen. A few people mention scheduling challenges and that replays were handy, but live was best.

Publications Press @PubPressAL

A7) For sure attend a webinar. You find out a lot from asking questions. #printchat

Island Print Group @IslandPrintGrp

A7) Webinars. HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDS DOWN. – When you can ask questions or talk with other in the webinar live – so valuable! #printchat

Melissa A. Sienicki @MASienicki

A7. Attend! I like to ask questions/get involved when I can. #PrintChat

Marco Morales @miercs

A7: I prefer attending webinars. Replays feel like old news to me #printchat

Q8: My bucket list #Print Industry event is _______________ and why?

This question drew a nice mix of big and small events around the globe, including #GraphExpo, #Drupa, The Color Conference, and events where other #PrintChat-ters were in attendance.

Helene Smith @HSPR_Public

A10 The Color Conference is a top-notch PIA Conference held in Arizona every December. Color gurus from around the world. #printchat

Tod Cordill @todcordill

A8. Anything not in Vegas or Orlando. #printchat

Brian Rothschild @macfixer_1

A8 Real: Drupa, let’s face it…who wouldn’t want to see Das Fatherland of print! #PrintChat

Island Print Group @IslandPrintGrp

A8) Any event that has @sandyhubbard @PrintMediaCentr AND @PrintChampion. So I can meet them all in person. #printchat

CGS @ORIS4COLOR

I think we all need to start #TeamDrupa with a petition to our bosses for a #PrintChat in #Germany @Drupa

Joey Viola @jviola_470

A8 I am new to #printchat but I’d like to meet you guys!

Q9: Reader’s Choice vote! Printing Impressions (@PIConnects) or @MyPrintResource – and why?

There was some dithering around on this answer. While @PIConnects won by a hair, we had @MyPrintResource actually show up at the chat to clarify their products and audience.

MyPRINTResource @MyPrintResource

@RWDberg MPR is the portal website for Quick Printing, Wide-Format Imaging and Inkjet’s Age which combined cover the whole market #printchat

Q10: Tech every printer should be watching: @LandaNano, #Inkjet or #3DPrint – and why?

Among the attendees who hung in until the end, the winning answer and most passionate response was for  @LandaNano.

Rob Whitney @robwhitney · 2h2 hours ago

A10: Landa Landa Landa! The only digital tech on the horizon to give inkjet a run for its money. Bank that. #printchat

Thanks for attending and/or reading the “show notes.”

Join host @PrintMediaCentr and moderator @SandyHubbard each Wednesday at 4 pm ET for a rollicking edition of #PrintChat!