Technical Articles

The Tail Should Wag The Dog

Published in New England Printer & Publisher

by Frank Shear

Taking job specifications and returning quotes doesn't require much selling skill nearly anyone can do it. Good graphic arts professionals ask about a product's end-use before submitting a bid. Not surprisingly, the best reps formulate compelling selling propositions based on this type of information, which is sometimes significantly different than the initial quote request.

In any industry, the most successful business people are the ones that ask the right questions. Good retail clothing sales clerks find out if people buying dress shirts need matching neckwear. Successful salespeople in the automotive and real estate industries ask questions that flush out a prospect's needs, wants and ability to pay. Similarly, great printing professionals learn product end use before submitting bids.

Graphic arts professionals add value by offering solutions that fit the stated and unstated needs of print buyers. Salespeople who accept specifications without knowing the product's end use don't add value to the job planning process. Instead, they function merely as a provider of commodity services. Once in this undifferentiated realm, winning work depends on price, not value. Value comes from selling expertise, offering decision-making guidance, and producing products for customers that they really need. Steven Covey says, "Begin with the end in mind." Create value by starting with the end use and working backward. In other words, let the tail wag the dog.

It's the responsibility of the print sales representative to discover a project's best and most appropriate binding style. Since book printing service buyers often don't know all the options available to them, the process of getting the job right is filled with landmines. They rely on their network of printing professionals to help identify real needs during the book planning and engineering stages.

Ask the Right Questions

When presented with a book printing opportunity, start with these questions:

Do your books need to lie flat? Will they be used in front of a computer, during cooking or any other activity that requires end users to keep their hands free?
Will they be subjected to heavy use? Do they have a long intended life?
Must they withstand temperature extremes?
What is the quantity?
Should they be able to open 360°?
Is there a fashion requirement? Should binding elements match ink color? Is there a contemporary or classic look?
Are there two-page crossover images that need to align?
Does the spine need to be printed for easy viewing on a bookshelf?
What are the budgetary considerations?

If your book project is a giveaway or is intended for one-time or minimal use, save your customer money by recommending regular perfect binding unless the book has to lie flat. If end users will do other things while simultaneously using the book, layflat binding styles allow hands-free operation.

If It Must Lie Flat, Know The Quantity

Before the RepKover binding process was developed, short run layflat adhesive binding methods were impractical. Like its long-run cousin Otabind, RepKover lies flat and is perfectly suited for applications in which users typically need to keep their hands free. Although it looks almost like an ordinary soft cover bound book, RepKover involves an offline application of special tape on a book's inside cover, which allows unusual spine flexibility. Unlike Otabind, RepKover is practical for run lengths under 2,000 books. For certain quantities, mechanical binding also is a cost effective solution.

For mid-range quantities, you have a lot of flexibility. Wire-O, plastic coil and Otabind are all reasonable choices. For longer runs of 25,000, 50,000, 100,000 or more books, Otabind is the most cost-effective solution, unless you can get away with semi-layflat saddle stitching.

An Example

There are many factors that should be taken in account before deciding upon a bookbinding style. Consider this example: A prospect calls you for a quote on 50,000 plastic spiral bound books. You could take the specifications, bid on the job and be done with it, right? If you want to behave like countless other printers, sure. However, if you want to improve your odds of winning the job, start asking questions.

What if you learn that the project is an atlas? Immediately, red flags should go off in your head. A good first question would be, "Are there any two-page map images that crossover the spine?" If so, inform the buyer that plastic spiral "steps up" as books are opened, making crossover images look misaligned. Although you may be tempted to suggest Wire-O or adhesive binding at this point, you would do yourself a favor by learning more about the job.

Aren't atlases often left in cars, potentially exposing them to extreme temperatures? Ask, "What geographic areas are covered by these maps?" If northern places like Maine or Canada are included, you'll want a binding method that can withstand freezing cold down to -20°F. When exposed to frigid temperatures, glue and plastic spiral binding elements may crack, rendering the product nearly useless. What if the book is intended for use in the South? Temperatures inside cars on hot summer days in Florida can reach as high as 140°F. Plastic spiral binding elements and regular adhesive binding glues may soften, lose their memory and disfigure in hostile conditions such as these.

There are at least three more important considerations. First, it's possible that end users would prefer their atlases to lie flat so they can do other things simultaneously, like juggle directions, look at appointment books or refer to guide materials (hopefully, not while driving). Second, if the books are to be sold in retail stores, spine printing may be desirable for ease of identification and purchase. Third, books should be very durable because many will be subjected to repeated heavy use. Now, you should have enough information to offer credible suggestions.

The bottom line? There are better options than the original request of plastic spiral because of temperature exposure and crossover image registration considerations. Perfect binding has shortcomings because it doesn't lie flat and may not withstand temperature extremes. Saddle stitching may be a possibility if the product is thin enough, but the spine can't be imprinted and durability is questionable. Wire-O with a wraparound cover is a reasonable but costly alternative, but Wire-O with a two-piece cover (sacrificing spine printing) would work. Perhaps the best solution for this atlas project would be to combine Otabind layflat adhesive binding and super-durable PUR glue. Either of these options would give the book all the physical features it needs to succeed in the marketplace.

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As you can see, function should determine binding style. Put your customer in a position to make more informed buying decisions. Separate yourself from the pack by creating value through information. Start with the end in mind: Let the tail wag the dog. If you educate your customers about appropriate bookbinding options and help guide them around hidden landmines, you can't help but win more work.

Frank Shear is President of Seaboard Bindery, a service-oriented trade bindery located in Woburn, Massachusetts. His company specializes in offering high quality perfect binding, PUR and layflat adhesive binding, saddle stitching, Wire-O™, plastic spiral, and other bindery solutions. Call Frank at (781) 932-3908 or e-mail him at frank@seaboardbindery.com.