h4>By Margie Dana

The beauty of having a one-track conference is that you can attend every session. As an event producer, it means I can listen to some of every session, which is a gift. At bigger conferences, such as PBI's 6th Annual Print & Media Conference at Graph Expo in September, we offer concurrent sessions over two days.

There’s no way I’ll be able to hear every speaker at these bigger shows.

With last week’s PBI Midwest fresh in my mind, I need to share a few salient points made by some of our speakers: best in class, one and all. These are notes I jotted down on the spot and typed up before my flight home to Boston.

Frank Romano, on newest digital printing technologies:

“Toner is not ink.”
“In-plant operations are growing because of digital printing.”
“The standard for quality is going to be digital printing (not offset).”
“The most popular sheet size for digital printing presses is 11 x 17”.

Don Hutcheson, on G7 for print buyers:

“Printing standards benefit everyone.”
“SWOP and GRACoL are not standards; they are specifications.”
“G7 was the world’s first Gray Management System.”
“I stole G7 from photography.”
“Printing is not easy.”
“All US printing systems are based on G7.”

Dr. Joe Webb, on the future of print & media:

“Print knowledge will soon be at a premium.”
“Cloud computing and augmented reality are among technologies that will shape 2020.”

Group reaction/hot topics in my Brainstorming session:

• Printers as MSPs (Marketing Services Providers) mostly got a thumbs down from the group.
• A few buyers at agencies noted that MSPs are competitors and therefore won’t deal/talk with them.
• Majority who voiced an opinion on this subject prefer “printers as printers.” This topic created more comments/interest than any other.
• Several people said they’re printing more now – not less. Much of this is digital, not offset.
• Green topic didn’t catch fire; folks said green isn’t a hot issue currently and/or is too expensive.

Melissa Clemente and Jeff Dickerson, on knowledge gaps of print buyers:

“’Acceptable industry standards’ are the three dirtiest words in the print industry.”
“Business and marketing savvy is part of a print buyer’s job.”
“Print buyers need to keep a library of printers’ equipment lists and know what every piece does.”
“There may be a knowledge gap if we cannot or do not want to think holistically about media solutions and how Print fits in – or not.”
“You (as a print buyer) have to own your education.”

There were a lot more insights offered and shared at PBI Midwest, not only from our speakers but from attendees (about 70, from 14 states!).

I met many people whom I’d only known previously via social media, and saw many others who’ve attended previous PBI events. Conferences are a fine, prime example of social networking. I was sorry to see it end!

©2011 Margie Dana. All rights reserved. Your comments are encouraged. You’re free to forward this email to friends and colleagues. However, no part of this column may be reprinted without permission from the author. Comments?