Morten B. Reitoft: You have a broad background in sales/marketing in the printing industry. What do you find the most significant challenge from a communications perspective addressing PSPs?

Erik Holdo: PSPs are falling into categories that largely dictate the unique challenges. The traditional large printers offering some hybrid of analog and digital technologies certainly offer broad reach and capabilities. Still, they are frequently difficult to talk to about less manufacturing-oriented adjacencies and more creative in scope. I've seen a few global PSPs appear timid when it comes time to adopt agency/creative services as an in-house offering.
Moderate PSPs tend to be more receptive to adjacencies of the print business, but the overall strategic planning personnel is not there to define and implement the strategies.

Smaller PSPs are desperately trying to find their niche and execute as well as they can. They tend to be adaptable but may not have the budget to commit to mid-term planning.But across the board, the biggest failure of communication with PSPs is getting them to understand that their sales force must change.

Initial contact with prospective clients is necessary, but new ways must be adapted to the modern buyer's journey. It's a huge area of opportunity for improved sales in the PSP/MSP world, but how many have changed their approach?

Morten B. Reitoft: Is there, in your opinion, a generational difference with PSPs for what they think is important? The demography of the industry is to the older side, and when the next generations are taking over, how do you see the difference in adapting to new business, technology, and how to communicate?

Erik Holdo: I'm amazed that PSPs of all sizes still have quote forms on their websites to this day. Not even basic e-commerce/web to print. It's horrifying that we have now moved to a whole new moment in communications with clients, but some haven't even adapted to the technology of 10-15 years ago. How difficult, then, is to transition to new ways, new expectations, and new approaches to selling their services to institutional/commercial clients.

Morten B. Reitoft: In your new role, since you left Konica-Minolta, you clearly use webinars, social media, and new channels more extensively than most vendors do - why is that important to you?

Erik Holdo: The modern buyer's journey is no longer a simple, linear, or quasi-linear process. Gartner and Forrester have released significant studies showing buyers buy after researching, consulting with stakeholders, and talking to peers – far before they directly reach out to a manufacturer. The sales rep is the last to know, more than ever, UNLESS they are the one that proactively brings the understanding of suitability and expert-level knowledge to the buyer – ahead of time. So how does that happen? Personal brand building by salespeople, sharing industry, and humanized content (not line cards, sale flyers, or direct solicitation). We recommend that content (whether social or ANY other outbound marketing) be 60% industry (relative to the prospect's industry), 20% humanizing (people buy from people, not from sales brochures), and then 20% "corporate" – such as new offerings, capabilities, case studies, etc. Studies have shown up to 3X size of deals and 172% sales quota increase with sales forces that employ this selling strategy content approach.

Morten B. Reitoft: If you look at the US printing industry and the influencers, how important is it in your mind also to inspire the next generation of influencers who may have entirely other approaches to the same challenges?

Erik Holdo: Very important. We have the ability to transform the relevance and purpose of the print industry by bringing in and understanding the "Digital Transformation 4.0" that we are currently in. The connection of print to digital, package to consumer experience, information to ubiquitous access are all things that we should lead the charge. Things that will excite a whole new generation. Why can't print be involved in robotics, AI, haptic appliances, display technology, and even sustainability? We can, and some already are!

Morten B. Reitoft: With your work with FunnelAmplified, I take it's about generating leads? How important is it to keep pushing lead generation vs. creating content?

Erik Holdo: Actually no. At FunnelAmplified, we provide a social selling platform that allows sales reps to, first and foremost, LEARN how to sell in a B2B or Professional Services world with social selling. That training, coupled with our platform tools that facilitate corporations leveraging existing marketing resources and employees for earned media and employee advocacy, yields phenomenal results. Content is absolutely part of the strategy – and we provide scale to that content strategy that makes a difference. This is not resharing on LinkedIn, and hoping that someone contacts me. This is totally different and exciting in its impact.

Morten B. Reitoft: Virtual vs. physical - in all aspects - do we need to see each other in person, or is it possible to eliminate the social element of sales?

Erik Holdo: Social is moving to what I call the 'Digital Cocktail party.' Think of social selling using platforms like LinkedIn as just that. People say, ahh, LinkedIn doesn't work! I've tried it ….. no, you haven't. You've posted self-promoting pitches and pleaded with everyone to call you if they need x, y, or z. That's not a strategy.

Think about how you would be seen if, at a real party, you walk up to someone and say, here's my name and what I do, and what's on sale, and here's how you contact me… you'd probably be escorted out, but that's the social strategy many take.So is physical dead? No, at least I pray not! However, it has changed. A proper digital personal brand that is already seen and appreciated by those you will ultimately see in person makes for a far more intimate and humanizing experience.

Morten B. Reitoft: Working in communication, is there a space for print in your mind? I am thinking of the passion for craftsmanship, the art approach, the love for tactility, etc.?

Erik Holdo: This is really an interesting question. I'd love to say yes, and in fact, I will absolutely say yes for certain aspects. But getting accurate color (or whatever adjective you've decided is correct) is an expectation. While I am partial to KM's advancements in that area, most manufacturers produce great and consistent colors. So then the creativity, the art, comes in new ways. Package design is a HUGE area of opportunity to show creativity, especially when coupled with digital laser die cutters and adaptable finishing devices. The embellishment market, so phenomenally enabled by companies such as MGI, is an amazing area for artistry and creativity – just ask Matt Redbear over at Blue Ocean Press. He creates phenomenal effects, very creative, that couldn't have been conceived before. However, this can be hard for the purchasing public to understand, as layering foils, varnish, holograms, etc., is not second nature.

Perhaps we are at a point now where technology has made things easier to get right, and the artistry and craftsmanship is the cherry on top that makes that PSP better than the others. Print will live on, and the natural creativity and pride of craftsmanship reflected in the best of our industry will find a way to continue.

Morten B. Reitoft: Where do you see print in 2, 5, or 10 years from now?

Erik Holdo: Single-pass package printing with NFC/RFID, decorative print, and coatings will be big. Basically, sheetfed substrate in, finished flats ready to use in packaging out. I even think that the custom packaging solutions that folks like Quadient have come out with will eventually be coupled with print to provide one-off packaging, ready to mail, at scale with minimum waste.

There is no question that bioluminescent inks, printed conductive electronics, and broadened color gamuts using OGV will be emerging to the mainstream. Speeds will go faster; waste will drop; reliability will go up. Of everything, though, I think the printed electronics, and its ability to passively and actively interact with digital devices, will become transformative from a mainstream perspective.

Morten B. Reitoft: Where do you see yourself and your services in the same time period?

Erik Holdo: In two years, I'm hoping to build Avalon Ridge with larger contract CMO and Chief Strategy Officer engagements- facilitating PSPs to make the transitions essential to their future. As for FunnelAmplified, we are looking to continue our growth – building alliances with Mar-Tech stack trailblazers. As for five years, I'd like to see Avalon Ridge leading new discussions with manufacturers about the future tech of print and how we radically invigorate it. FunnelAmplified by then should be as common a concept and company as SalesForce. In 10 years, please visit me on my boat floating down the Rhine!

New Summer Series on INKISH.NEWS: 
Matt Bennett · Stephan Plenz · Carl Nolan · Miki Rubin · Motoshige Taishi 
Wayne Beckett · Erik Holdo · Aaron Tavakoli · Eva Rosén · Geert Van Damme