Should You Sell Forms into the Manufacturing and Distribution Markets? Yes! Here’s Why

Manufacturing and distribution are fast paced and constantly changing, and constantly changing means that forms need to be updated and reprinted on a regular basis. That translates into ongoing, recurring revenue for distributors.

Wait — printed forms? Who uses printed forms anymore? In the manufacturing and distribution sectors, more companies than you might think. Despite growth in electronic forms, printed forms remain essential to many manufacturing and distribution accounts.

Why do printed forms remain important?

• Legacy systems slow the transition to digital: Many companies are still running legacy systems, and it’s costly and time-consuming to make a full transition to digital. This challenge is magnified when companies need cross-platform support for online, offline, and mobile. Many (if not most) accounts have begun the process but are still in transition. As a result, paper forms will continue to be part of the mix for the foreseeable future.
• Multiple locations or high number of users: When companies have multiple locations or high numbers of mobile users, providing access to digital forms can be cost-prohibitive. It’s a lot less expensive to continue using paper forms than supplying every employee with an iPad.
• Accommodation of older, more traditional users: For certain sectors of the workforce, paper forms are comfortable and familiar. When you have a high percentage of older workers, for example, paper forms may be more efficient, less costly, and easier to adopt.

How to Differentiate in Manufacturing and Distribution Forms

You might think that a form is a form. It doesn’t matter who prints them. But you would be wrong. Here’s how to win business in these markets:

1. Don’t take quality for granted.

There is an old expression: “Coffee stains on the drop down tray of an airplane may mean poor maintenance on the aircraft.” Obviously, airplanes aren’t forms, but you get the point. Everything your customer prints with their brand on it (including a form or label) represents their brand and company. The text on forms must be clear and legible, even when the font is small. Color should be predictable and repeatable, including for corporate or brand colors. Duplicates should be clear, with no smudging.

Details matter. If anything looks sloppy or out of place, it reflects on their company as a whole. Wise offers the highest quality digital and offset production, with quality second to none.

2. Production flexibility.

Don’t let your customers waste money on unnecessary warehousing costs or regularly end up throwing away forms that have gone out of date before they can get used. With our digital printing solutions, we can print on demand so your clients only order as much as they need, as they need it. Digital printing is also the perfect solution if your clients have forms that need to be updated regularly. If, on the other hand, your clients have need for long static runs, our offset production offers outstanding quality at the lowest possible cost.

3. Online ordering, inventory management, and control.

The other differentiator (and one that might be a surprise to many of your accounts) is just how much money they can save using our cutting-edge online ordering, reporting, and inventory management solution, WiseLink. Your accounts can place orders anytime, 24 hours a day, download their own reports, check job status, and manage their inventory online. WiseLink’s advanced predictive analytics can be set up to automatically reprint forms and invoices when your clients’ inventory runs low—even before they, themselves, know they need them.

All of this adds up to more profitability for your customers, and even more profitability for you. This is because once those accounts are set up, you can focus on other tasks, such as selling more deeply into those accounts or pursuing or servicing other accounts. In other words, you can spend more time doing what you do best and less time doing placing orders and checking schedules.

The manufacturing and distribution markets provide outstanding opportunities for distributors to sell repeatable, high-margin work.

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Contact one of our five manufacturing locations to find out how Wise can help you stay ahead! Click here. 

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