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The PrintOwners List
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The PrintOwners List is an online discussion group for owners of printing businesses. It was founded in November 1997 by Bob Bergey, a printer from Perkasie, PA, who received the “Printing Industry Award of Distinction” from the National Association of Quick Printers (formerly PrintImage International). Ownership of the PrintOwners List was transferred to another printer, Mike Stevens, in October 2008. The PrintOwners List website, PrintOwnersList.com, features various articles and information about the list. The list itself has some historical significance. Considered by some to be the original online discussion group for the printing industry, it currently has over 600 contributor/members and often receives 50 to 75 posted messages per day. The list currently includes subscribers from all 50 states and from at least 10 different countries. John Stewart, senior contributing editor of Quick Printing Magazine, described the PrintOwners List in this way: “(You) send a question or post a comment to the list about a specific area of concern, and a server broadcasts your question or comment to everyone on the entire mailing list…Be prepared to receive anywhere from 15-50 individual responses. There are two major listservers—the PrintOwners List and PrintOwnerNG....If you want to broaden your horizons as well as tap into an excellent source of information about our industry you might want to consider joining one of these groups.” When Dr. Joe Webb, a prominent print industry economist, gave a keynote address to PrintImage International’s annual conference, his topic was “The Future of the Printing Business”: an examination of how companies can become more competitive by using new e-commerce strategies. In a nod to the influence of the PrintOwners List, he invited founder Bergey to share tips on how printers can use the Internet to grow their businesses. The PrintOwners List also provides a social networking function as it lets members develop friendships online that might be impossible to cultivate with local printers who are also their competitors. Paris Walker, a widely known figure in the quick printing world who retired from the industry after a 25-year career, said that he “still enjoys staying in touch with his fellow printers via the popular e-mail listserve at www.PrintOwnersList.com.” When Walker passed away in 2006, many printer friends—some of whom knew him only online—expressed their sense of loss and sorrow. Contributors The PrintOwners List was created specifically for owners of printing businesses. It is meant to be a peer-group forum where topics of interest to owners can be candidly discussed and debated. Only printing business owners are invited to subscribe. An owner is defined as someone “who owns at least 5% of a printing firm, has signatory approval for the company’s checking accounts, and has the power to hire and fire employees.” The list is not intended for managers, employees, or vendors, and they are respectfully asked not to join. Cost There is no cost to become a member of the PrintOwners List. Participation is free. Content The positive and helpful content of the PrintOwners List is the reason for becoming a contributor/member. All of its information can be accessed simply by posting a question to the list. Many of its members consider it an indispensable tool that contributes to the successful operation of their printing firms. The PrintOwners List strives to be a cross-section of life in the printing industry. Content is unmoderated and diverse. Among subjects routinely discussed are: equipment recommendations; pricing help and advice; software tips; sales and marketing ideas; and employee issues of all kinds. It is not unusual for a question on the list to get 20 or 30 replies. The content of the PrintOwners List is limited to topics that are relevant to owning and operating a printing business. “Off” topics are allowed on Fridays, and it is requested that those postings have the word “off” included in the subject line to alert readers in advance. A few topics such as politics and religion are discouraged but not prohibited from being discussed on the list. Personal attacks or flaming is prohibited, and behavior of this kind is one thing that could get a member expelled from the list. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone—in fact, contrary opinions often add to the value of the discussion. But, crossing the line from disagreeing to attacking or cyber-bullying is not permitted. The discussions are expected to be kind, respectful, and civil. The Archives The PrintOwners List archives is an online library of over 100,000 messages, opinions, product reviews, and recommendations that have been provided by thousands of printers since November 1997. Access to the archives is provided at no cost. Although they are free, they require registration and a password for entry. This is necessary to prevent spambots and search engines from accessing and harvesting the names and e-mail addresses of list members. Investment In October 2008, Mike Stevens bought the PrintOwners List from Bob Bergey for an unspecified amount. Stevens, the owner of the printing firm Express Press and the sales and marketing companies WebsitesForPrinters.com and Ink Inc., chose to invest in the PrintOwners List because of his desire to see it continue in operation as a reference tool for the owners of printing businesses. References: 1. The National Association of Quick Printers 2. [http://www.quickprinting.com/print/Quick-Printing/Hot-Off-the-Press--NAQPs-2008-2009-Operating-Ratio-Study-/1$6780 Quick Printing Magazine] 3. [http://members.whattheythink.com/allsearch/article.cfm?id308 http://members.whattheythink.com/allsearch/article.cfm?id308] 4. American Printer Magazine See Also
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