| Neil Felton's Blog 31.08.2011 |
 Taking Pole Position: What Print Could Learn From F1By Neil Felton, Managing Director, FESPA, 31.08.2011 This year, Singapore plays host to the F1 Grand Prix, as well as FESPA Asia 2011, so the Formula 1 race was a natural focal point for the show's marketing campaign. Like print, F1 is exciting, competitive and fast-moving, but the parallels don't stop there. To an outsider a print business appears to centre around its print output technology – and what it can produce. Likewise, to the untrained eye it would seem that F1 is all about the car and its engine. If the car/engine/printer is the most powerful on the market, then how can it lose? Whether in F1 or in print, the recipe for true success is more subtle.  The Driver Leadership is vital. In F1, the most sophisticated car will lose out if its driver is not in peak condition, and leveraging his skill and experience to get the most from the vehicle. Print business managers must stay fit for business, stay abreast of trends and opportunities, maintain knowledge, gather information, network actively, and – most importantly – share their insights with the entire team so that everyone understands the drivers for success. The Team Teams, whether they are formed for sport or business are, to quote Aristotle, 'greater than the sum of their parts'. The only way to achieve success is to consider and develop all areas of business, from technology to training. Communicating strongly and openly with your team will motivate and foster initiative and loyalty. The Strategy Race strategy is fundamental. The goal is clear – to win. But how will you achieve it? A clear strategy defines the 'how', and if communicated to the whole team, empowers everyone to work together towards a clear goal. Whether you choose a simple strategy or something more innovative or radical, make sure it differentiates you from your competitors, otherwise you'll only ever draw level with them. And don't be afraid to rethink strategy if the conditions change. The Variables There are so many factors that affect the performance of even the most finely tuned racer. In the F1 world, hours are devoted to tweaking fuel loads, tyre wear, and suspension. Printers too can look beyond the 'engine' to find ways of optimising performance and boosting profit. Workflow, finishing, inks and substrates all offer scope to gain efficiencies, improve speed to market or deliver a new product or service. Problem Solving When a car pulls in for a pit stop during the Singapore Grand Prix, the speed at which the team works to get the car back on the track will be fundamental in deciding their place at the chequered flag. All print businesses suffer setbacks, none more dramatic than the recent economic crisis from which we are recovering. Responding positively and quickly to setbacks, identifying faults, and engaging the whole team to deliver solutions, will make the difference between dropping out or getting back in the race. Positioning Equally vital for determining a team's place on the podium is the race start, often considered the most exciting moment of a Grand Prix event. It's the time when every team is struggling to find an advantage, something which will guarantee that they are the first to hit the first corner. To stay ahead of the competition, a print business needs to get ahead, move away from the 'pack' where services are commoditised and margins squeezed. Whether a new or established business, innovation is key. Think of new products, services, or business models and market them before the competition gets there. Once you're leading the race, it's easier to stay at the head than it is to overtake from the back. Half way through the Grand Prix season, and with the Singapore Grand Prix taking place in a matter of weeks, the competition is heating up. For Asian printers looking to steal pole position in this fast growing and opportunity-filled marketplace, FESPA Asia comes at exactly the right time. Of course, printers wanting to beef up their 'engines' will find all the latest screen and digital technologies from 180 of the world's principal manufacturers and suppliers. More importantly, they'll learn how to use these to improve their current business, or make the move into new areas of business. FESPA's multi-faceted events are far more than simple exhibitions. Our satellite programmes offer education, knowledge-sharing and examples of best practice, whether your focus is on screen, digital or textile. A rich timetable of seminars and workshops at FESPA Asia will help you to find inspiration or practical solutions to many of the challenges and opportunities facing your business. The 'Grand Prix of Print', FESPA Asia 2011 will be the meeting place for the brightest and best in the Asian print community, with the energy and colour to match. So pre-register now, and claim your place on the winner's podium. |
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