I know you’re terribly
busy. On most days most printers
are stretched so thin that squeezing in one more extra task seems next to
impossible. Even so, it would be a
serious strategic error for you to skip making your submission to the Canadian
Printing Awards (CPAs) in time for the October-26th deadline, eight
days from now. In fact, any
serious business owner or manager needs to make it a priority to enter awards
programs in their field because of the multitude of astonishing benefits
they’ll reap in return. Here are
seven of the biggest:
1. Large-scale
publicity – Arguably, awards are the most powerful and cost-effective
marketing tool. The publication,
association, or trade show that organizes an awards program will devote all its
considerable resources to publicizing the awards and participants before,
during, and after the event.
Especially if you are a winner or finalist, you can continue to
publicize your own participation and successes in the awards program to your
customers, prospects, prospective investors, and trade media indefinitely. Many awards, including the CPAs, come
with an impressive trophy you can display prominently at your company forever.
2. A record of your
achievements – Awards contests help
you review your own progress and evaluate your successes and the areas of your
business that need improvement.
Initially you’ll perform this process when deciding which projects and
initiatives to submit to the contest.
But also, while some of the CPA award categories require you to submit
only basic information with the entry fee, others require more detailed
documentation. The latter
categories not only help you document your progress but also result in a report
you can recycle many times in many ways to broadcast your achievements and
track your future progress.
3. Networking
opportunities and peer recognition – Awards
competitions and ceremonies attract the best companies and prominent business
leaders. Thus they provide an
opportunity for you to show off and discuss your best achievements and latest
innovations with a discerning and appreciative audience. Additionally, by attending the
presentation ceremony or even by connecting with fellow participants by phone,
e-mail, or social media, you can build your relationships and network with a
prestigious new pool of contacts.
4. A leg up on your
competition – Entries, recognition,
or wins all give you a tangible edge over competitors and showcase your company
as among the best in your field.
5. Support
for your employer brand –
Participants gain recognition in their industry as award-winning employers
whose companies and products make them leaders in their field. This recognition makes your company a
more attractive place to work for top-performing new hires.
6. Staff motivation,
morale, and retention – Everyone
wants to feel appreciated and part of a successful organization. Participating in awards competitions
sends your staff the message that your company is worthy of recognition by a
respected external body. This
realization raises staff’s motivation and morale--especially if your company is
astute enough to use your victories in awards competitions as platforms to stage
internal celebrations recognizing the achievements of staff members who
contributed to your success. It
also helps to buy staff tickets for the dinner where prizes are announced, held
in Toronto on November 29th. http://www.printaction.com/CPA/tickets.html
7. A measure of your
performance – Entering the awards
gives you an unparalleled opportunity to assess the strength of your entry
against others in the same category and gauge how your business stacks up
against the very best. Frankly,
you’d be crazy not to take advantage of this opportunity for an economically
priced assessment from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable independent
business experts who judge the entries.
But
the craziest part is that you can reap all the above seven benefits for a cost
of between $90 and $110 per contest submission. (The actual cost depends on the total number of submissions
you make.) With 25 awards in three
diverse categories, it’s hard to imagine why any printing company of any size
wouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to participate in the CPAs. To get started immediately, click on:
http://www.printaction.com/CPA/entryforms.html
"RRD has paid out $1.04 a share annually
every year since 2004. Analysts are projecting earnings of $1.87 this year,
$2.00 next year, and 5% growth from there, so do the math. For this reason,
analysts have an average 1-year price target of $13.25 on the company, which is
6.7 times projected 2013, well below RRD's historic valuation levels. This
represents a 45.8% upside potential over current levels, and I believe this
target to be very conservative. If RRD meets analyst expectations and turns in
a few more positive quarters, I think the stock will gravitate toward the lower
end of its historic EPS multiple, around 8.5 times earnings. Based on projected
2013 earnings, this translates to a target of $17."
