Big Picture - October 2017 - 22

MARY SMITH

CEO, OPERATIONS MANAGER
I M A G E S M I T H CO M M U N I C AT I O N S | A R D E N , N O R T H C A R O L I N A
imagesmith.com

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Was honored in 2006 as the Asheville
Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Leader of the
Year, and her company has received numerous Printing
Industry of the Carolinas awards for achievement in print

BIG PICTURE

October 2017

PHILANTHROPY: Has volunteered and donated to many
community groups such as the March of Dimes, United Way,
and the Western North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance

How have you adapted your business over the
years, and why has that ability to change and
innovate within the industry been important to
your success?
We started our business more than 35 years ago, before the
digital revolution completely changed the landscape for print.
As we have grown, we moved from the old days of stripping
negatives and paste-up to a completely digital workflow and
web-to-print technology. Diversification has been critically
important in that process. The days of long-run offset print
jobs morphed into short-run print on demand. In turn, not
only did our production have to shift from offset to digital,
but it also had to expand to include wide-format signage,
embroidery, direct mail, promotional products, and so on.
We know it's important to keep our eyes open for the next
big marketing innovation on the horizon.
Embracing change this way is vital to success, and we
encourage our staff to consistently look for new and
innovative approaches to marketing. Just as technology
completely transformed the print industry over the past
decades, it's now transforming all communications. Printers
are now digital marketing specialists who can provide clients
with a full gamut of options to promote their brand. We work
hard to introduce new technology and marketing solutions to
our clients - and help them, in their decision-making process,
get over that instinctive fear of uncertainty and change.

You've donated to many local charities looking for
help with their marketing materials. Why do you
think it's important to have an impact on the
community as a business owner?
Any good corporate citizen takes an interest in the overall
health and well-being of the people and community in which
they thrive. But beyond this, a core principle of our company
has been, from the start, to work with a spirit of generosity.
That generosity can take the form of donating time, talent,
and treasure for worthy community charities and nonprofits. It
can also mean going the extra mile to provide quality services
to our clients above and beyond what is expected. We want to
work in that spirit of generosity to develop partnerships with
our clients that will last.
As new technology rolls out in the marketing world,
getting the right information to make your investment
decisions is critical for business owners. Through our
customer service, blog, social media outreach, and sales
departments, we hope to provide useful information to
designers, fellow printers, business owners, and print buyers
- whether or not we actually do work for them in the future.
Being generous in the community with your expertise builds
goodwill, and, perhaps more importantly, establishes your
authority and skillfulness in your field. To be a source that
people trust and turn to for information is a worthy accomplishment. Because we specialize in marketing and communication skills, we want our customers to turn to us as a
marketing consultant who has their best interests in mind.

http://www.imagesmith.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - October 2017