From #IPEX with Tweets

Not From Printers

Today IPEX draws to a close. Trodden weary attendees will navigate their ways through security lines, BA strike or not-to-strike, all while playing a game of ash cloud dodging. More importantly, forward thinking companies will start to formulate their strategic business plans for the years to come after listening to the industry's consultants, vendors, and other attendees point of view. Besides lean manufacturing and digital printing, now would be the opportune time to add social media efforts to your strategic plans. If IPEX has proven anything, it has proven that the industry, as a whole, is still figuring it out. As with anything new, those who start now will be ahead of the competition.

Over the next week, I will be creating a report with analysis of Twitter usage for the industry during the show. Here are a few surprising, initial findings.

Twitter + IPEX = Revealing
              *as of end of 5/24/2010

• 400 unique Twitter users using the #IPEX hashtag
• An average of around 7.5 tweets per user, yet most had less than 2 tweets
• Poor level of "engagement" - meaningful conversation or interaction
• Appears most of the industry consultants did not Tweet at IPEX
• Some industry vendors were equally missing, while others over stayed their welcome

photo credit: mykl_roventine

Comments

[Jan van Veen]

I was involved in the Océ Twitter and Youtube efforts at Ipex. I totally agree with your first findings. We were sending, and the conversation was missing, and the industry is only slowly beginning to understand this trend. For us this was the first big experiment with social media connected to a trade show. I would be very interested to receive your report. Compliments for your content so far, both here and on Twitter.

[KEXINO]

Just as most companies in the print industry don't realize the necessity to re-evaluate the presentation of their products and/or services to fit an evolving customer base; it seems that very few people working in print understand the opportunity that social media channels offer their business value offering. Most of the organizations that tweeted during IPEX used it as simply another way to send out sales pitches.

However, there was a fantastic opportunity for Twitter users to get together at IPEX: A "Tweetup" was organized (and publicized, using the hashtag #tweetpex) at a bar at the NEC.

Result: A total of four people showed up.

[Ryan McAbee]

@KEXINO
Great points! Social media in printing is struggling for two reasons in particular:
1. SM is bottom-up & organic where most companies, especially outside of tech, are top-down & rigid
2. Print vendors are predominately using SM as a broadcast medium.

Practice makes perfect and all of the vendors, who at least put something out there, should be commended for getting into the mix. The next step is to make it useful for both sides.

[Ryan McAbee]

@Jan van Veen
Oce was one, of only a few companies, making an active effort which is a solid first step. Details on the report will be posted as soon as possible (still collecting data).
I hope Oce had a fantastic show. All media outlets are claiming that IPEX was a success from the vendor side.

[Ryan McAbee]

@KEXINO
1 more thing...
I saw the stream pleading for attendees at the Tweetup. Sadly, some of the more "real" conversations on Twitter came from people not attending the show which might explain why there were only 4 people in the end. Wish I could have been at the gathering but an ocean was in the way.
This illustrates another reason why SM is a necessary extension for the vendors. Not every potential customer can travel the globe for the 4 big print shows.

[Dan Tallarico]

I was monitoring what was happening at the show via Twitter and the #ipex tag. Most of what I garnered was from Océ or Kodak, I'm sure I'm not the only one.

What do you think would have increased participation? Would print media alerting people about the conversation on twitter have helped?

Hopefully for Graph Expo, we can all work together to have an amazing tweetup and a great flow of communication.

[Jan van Veen]

@ryan McAbee. We had a fantastic show, but I limit my comments to the social media part, as lead generation and sales is not something to discuss here. Plus I am not responisble for that part. When it comes to the use of social media on a tradeshow like this, I think the printing industry is making babysteps. I agree with Kexino's comments. I am looking forward to Drupa and the next IPEX, as my guess is that some companies will have made that leap. I am a social media adapt, and I know what other industries are doing, but this needs to grow in the entire organization. @Dan Tallarico, it would have helped if we asked questions, or if there would have been a longer build up. We will evaluate, learn and improve. Please stay involved to help us take the next steps.

[Rik1p]

I feel bad now! We were going to attend the tweetup, but got cornered on the HP Stand and didn't make it to the bar until gone 2. We would have double the size of the tweet up ;-)

[KEXINO]

Hey Ryan,

Most vendors with active accounts shouldn't even be on Twitter - their social media strategy seems to be to bombard us with the same, tired old rhetoric that made us stop listening in the first place. These companies really don't get it. They need to stop talking TO us and start talking WITH us.

I agree that SM *COULD* be a valuable addition to many vendors' activities. But the emphasis is on 'could'. Just because the guy down the street is blogging, using Twitter/Facebook/whatever doesn't mean that it's right for everyone. I had a meeting at IPEX with a print industry vendor that wanted to get on board with social media: I advised them against it. Why? Because they had nothing to say! IMO until a company has a coherent content strategy in place, aimed at the profile of customer that they're targeting, then it's better to say nothing.

IMO the bigger opportunity for SM is for the print industry itself to get more involved. Where are the press minders, the premedia people, the CSRs, sales, traffic, buyers, etc on Twitter? If we can get ourselves organized to have a Tweetup at GraphExpo this year (and I hope that we do) then the last thing I'd want is for any of the big print vendors to muscle-in and take over.

[Ryan McAbee]

@KEXINO,
More print professionals are needed to drive value from real discussions on Twitter, etc. To that end, I will be posting a how-to with video tutorial for Twitter in an attempt to demystify the process in hopes that everyone in print will join in. (Any suggestions/tips/what works best for you/etc to include? -> use contact form in sidebar of blog or follow and I will DM e-mail)

In full disclosure, my first job is working for an industry vendor. I have also had discussions with others in the SM space, who all have the best intentions, if not executions.

I hope to meet you at Graph this year, tweetup or not.

[Ryan McAbee]

@Dan
The data from the Twitter streams shows a lot of tweets/RTs from both of those vendors.

More tweets does not always imply poor communication. It comes down to the message.

I think increased participation will only come after a little effort to educate and promote how these tools can make a huge difference. Any suggestions on what can be done for either (see above, under KEXINO).

[Ryan McAbee]

@Rik1p
Thanks for the comment!
It made for a laugh. ;)

[Michael Josefowicz]

Interesting Convo. Just wanted to add my 2¢ into the convo. It seems that twitter works with authentic voices. But the problem I see for any enterprise is the risk associated with being truly authentic.

You may have seen my tweets from (@toughloveforX) My great advantage is that I'm retired and now spend my time looking at the industry from the point of view of managing my little Print Centric IRA portfolio.

The ability to say what I want, when I want in the tone of voice I want without worrying about the risk of reputational damage makes it much easier. So far it seems to be working, I started in October 09, am up to about 2400 "followers" with no real attempt to get "followers.' My bet is that once the brand risk is managed, it's not that hard.

I'm not sure how this works out for enterprises. My hunch is more listening to folks you want to talk to. When you see something, and have something to say, say it.

[Ryan McAbee]

Thanks to all for the comments so far. Everyone seems to agree that social media can be beneficial for the printing industry, the industry is evolving with the technology, and it is up to everyone to put forth the effort to make it better. Sound about right?

[Jan van Veen]

@michael Josefowicz, indeed, your tweets stood out at ipex for me, togehter with Mbossed. I totally agree with what you say.@Ryan McAbee, yep, that wraps it up for now...