Printing and the Supply Chain

Where’s my Stuff?

Try these 6 tricks to navigate supply chain and current employee shortages.

In the United States, 4.1 million people quit their jobs in October 2021. In the private sector, fewer people left their jobs in October than in August and September, which could mean good news for worldwide supply chain slowdowns. However, in the public sector, quit rates continue their five-month upward trend, indicating continued instability. 

More than 21% of these workers—nearly a million—hail from the trade, transportation, and utility industries. Over 900,000 people in industries like trucking, rail cargo, air travel, retail, agriculture, mining, power, gas, water, manufacturing, and publishing left their jobs last month.

Our industry—print, and publishing—is getting hit hard. There are lumber shortages, increased cost of pulp, insufficiency in the labor force, and impaired logistics that are keeping even basic supplies on backorder. All commercial printers are hiring. 

These problems are unlikely to be resolved until well into 2022.

Yet, we know how crucial your collateral is. From scheduled publications to sales tools, from catalogs to direct mail, every piece you invest in is designed to create revenue.

Revenue is lost if the piece or campaign doesn’t come out on time.

Here’s how Journal Graphics can help you navigate delays and keep the momentum in your marketing.

It starts as an inside job.

We are recruiting the most experienced and competent professionals available to keep our presses running 24 hours a day. We offer a competitive salary and benefits well beyond standard medical and dental.

Why does this matter to you, our customer?

When we hire the best, train them to our standards and retain them over the long haul, we provide you with a consistent, high-quality, error-free product. This enables Journal Graphics to stay on schedule and within budget.

We put you at the front of the pack.

If we are experiencing hiring and supply chain challenges, we assume you are too. 2022 is here. We will work as consultants to help you plan your year. Let’s sit down and prioritize your publications and focus on your goals in the months ahead. We are happy to commit future resources to loyal customers. Planning in advance (at least 12 weeks), allows Journal Graphics to secure the paper, inks, and finishes you want when you need them. A great relationship is the tide that floats all boats.

We have friends up the chain.

For more than 80 years, we have been a premier commercial printer in the Pacific Northwest. That means we have cultivated strong relationships at all points in the supply chain. As we work with you to get your priorities on the calendar, we stay in front of our suppliers and vendors to ensure prompt delivery when supplies come in. We can also special-order quality substitutions and create workarounds to ensure the quality you expect from Journal Graphics is achieved.

Here’s what you can do to mitigate supply and employee shortages.

Get ahead of deadlines. 

Make this year all about the calendar. If you send out fall catalogs in June, have them ready to go on the press in March. Decide in August if you’ll be sending out season’s greetings and gifts. Check with us - we can give you the skinny on lead time and supply availability. Plan to have your scheduled publications done weeks ahead of time. Create evergreen content and talk to sponsors early. Give them the same advice we’re giving you.

If your company holds regular fall galas, end-of-year fundraisers, or spring auctions—or any annual/seasonal promotion—plan ahead and get that collateral ordered.

Go local.

Use vendors and suppliers with local delivery services. If your project or product only travels a few miles, it will get there a lot faster if it’s not being manufactured or printed hundreds of miles away. If you are shipping products and have outsourced delivery in the past, try building a supply chain department, however small, in-house. Short-distance deliveries can add days of needed cushion to a project.

Know—and keep—your customers. 

Loyal, long-term clients make all the difference during a challenging period in business. Small businesses routinely get stuck in the I’ll-pay-when-I-get-paid loop. If your clients and customers prioritize your relationship, count your lucky stars. Return the favor by keeping up communication in good times so that when challenges arise, you have a connection to fall back on. No client wants to pick up a cold call out of the blue delivering bad news. 

The bottom line, it will level out. We just don’t know when. Until then, we work together to create impressive projects that increase your revenue and visibility. Just like we always have.

Journal Graphics creates high-quality print products to ensure your creative messaging and overall strategy are collectively focused to help you grow your business in target markets. We can design and execute a mailing campaign that complements and capitalizes on your brand’s e-commerce efforts.
Call or click today to tap into the most effective marketing tools for your brand.

Walking Maps Bring People to Your Door!

A WALKING MAP IS THE PERFECT FIRST STEP TO GET PEOPLE TO FIND YOUR BUSINESS.

Urban areas are brimming with vibrant, walkable neighborhoods. The synergy of those spaces makes them irresistible to zoomers starting out, career-focused millennials, and cultured retirees. 

Portland neighborhoods are densely populated with homes, apartments, and condos, and—of course—shops, restaurants and grocery stores. Some of those retailers are on the arterial, easy to find and visible from multiple vantage points. But the real gems—exclusive boutiques, fresh eateries, innovative service providers—are often tucked into small spaces off the beaten path. 

But the strategic wonder of walkable commercial hubs is this: if you bring a browser to one store, you’ll bring a buyer to many. 

Enter the humble yet powerful walking map. 

As the pandemic recedes and tourism spikes, consider printing a well-designed walking map that showcases your business and your brand, while encouraging consumers to visit your neighbors. 

A charming yet functional walking map highlights the features of your neighborhood and the businesses that serve it. Here are some guidelines to follow: 

❌ Don’t miss those businesses that are off the beaten path. Shoppers love to discover and frequent hidden treasures. 

❌ Don’t charge businesses to participate. An incomplete walking map is confusing at best, frustrating at worst. 

❌ Don’t charge shoppers for it. People love to pick up cool, useful brochures and maps. What’s more, they’re an incredibly powerful influence on consumer behavior. 

79% percent of people will pick up a brochure from a lobby or visitors center. Check out these other shocking stats about the power of brochures. 

✔️Do develop a brand for your map. If you’re going it alone, showcase your own brand on the map. If you are partnering, create a new brand or leverage the neighborhood’s brand. 

✔️ Do commit to an annual or biannual reprint. Businesses open and close all the time. Keep your map current, and date it prominently, so consumers know what to expect. 

✔️Display the maps in an intentional and consistent manner. You could invest in a specific display or simply reserve a space at point-of-sale. Keep it organized, or the maps lose their perceived value. 

✔️Do sell advertising space to offset costs and create visual interest. 

✔️Do create a corresponding website or interactive map. Drive traffic between them with powerful messaging and special offers. 

Did you know? Journal Graphics can create an interactive digital edition of any printed piece! 

Get ready to help drive traffic! A walking map is the perfect first step. Contact us today to get on the road to success in 2022.