Who is the modern print buyer? That’s the question print industry copywriter Margie Dana and consultant John Zarwan set out to answer when they surveyed over 300 professional print buyers in the summer of 2013.

The resulting report paints an interesting picture of modern print buyers—who they are, what they want and what that means for printers hoping to stay competitive in the modern industry.

Here are three things you need to know about the modern print buyer:

1. They Multitask and Think Printers Should Too

When you’re talking about modern print buyers, you’re talking about people who wear many hats. They work in purchasing, marketing or development, and only 18 percent have a title that actually includes the phrase “print buyer.”
However, 97 percent have other roles, in addition to purchasing all print-related materials.
With so much going on around them, the modern print buyer needs a printer that can keep up. Only 13 percent of print buyers said they’d rather have a printer that only handles printing.
They’re attracted to printers that offer full mailing and fulfillment services. They’re interested in personalization capabilities. These are the types of things you need to be looking into if you want to attract the modern print buyer’s interest.

2. They’re Always Looking for New Concepts and Technologies

While quality, competitive pricing, and good customer service are tried and true ways to impress a buyer, the modern print buyer wants more. They are experienced and have seen a lot in this industry, so they’re not easily impressed.
The modern print buyer is more likely to react to innovative concepts and creative suggestions.

Give them new formats, materials, and opportunities—something they maybe haven’t seen before. Remember that they likely are responsible for purchasing everything print-wise and therefore have keep up with printer manufacturer technologies and capabilities.

3. They’re Web Savvy

The future of print buying is less door-to-door and more link-to-link. Modern print buyers need to be engaged and informed online. They want to see online ordering and web-to-print capabilities.

These are just a few things to remember about the modern print buyer. To check out the full report, visit Margie’s website.