route to this discovery involved a few steps that started with a Google search that led to the press manufacturers website with an enquiry form. The lead was passed to a salesperson who then recommended Henning. A chain of events that could have broken down at any point. Sales could have discounted the lead as Schäper was never going to buy a press and the dream would have died. What if Henning had never told the good news to the press manufacturer? Schäper would have never got her order for 200 books. A few practical points I take from this story: • The value of being found by SEO, GEO, or AEO – take your pick • The need for an enquiry or lead distribution system that works and is tested • The benefit of a motivated sales team that sees the whole picture • The importance of a network of customer advocates that share your passion and some great technology that works! There Are More Castles in Germany Than McDonalds in theUSA Take the case of professional photographer Gisela Schäper who spent years photographing the interiors of abandoned castles around Germany. Schäper had plenty to choose from as there are over 20,000 castles, palaces, and fortress ruins in Germany compared to under 14,000 McDonalds restaurants [sic] in the USA. After ten years Schäper had gathered enough photographs to mount an exhibition and simultaneously publish a hardback book Schlossgeflüster (Castle Whispers). However, the fine details of the photography and the book’s demanding design caused a problem in production with both offset and regular digital technologies. Images looked flat and fine lines around each photograph combined with a grey tint background were a nightmare to print. Schäper had to carry on with the exhibition without any books to sell. She was distraught. Could nobody bring her dreams to life on the printed page? Schäper was ready to give up. Then her husband found the solution; following an internet search they discovered that Henning Rose of Wegner GmbH had a press with a unique inkjet technology that, when combined with Henning’s expertise, could print the 128-page book consistently to Schäper’s exacting standards. On seeing the amazing results, Schäper placed her order and everyone was happy, including the press manufacturer. When Henning told them the news, they commissioned a video to tell the story and placed an order with Schäper for 200 copies of her book for their sales teams, which Henning printed of course. And There’s More This story is far more than a sweet tale of castles and dreams; there are clues here to practical steps we can all take. What if Schäper’s husband had never found out about Henning’s expertise and marvellous inkjet technology? The Reaching the Parts Other Industries Cannot Reach This is the ‘Power of Print’. It’s not just a phrase to hashtag in a LinkedIn post or quote to a customer as part of an elevator pitch. The real power of print is your ability to deliver (as grand as it may sound) joy, hope, and fulfilment to your customers and your customers’ customers. We are all enablers, wherever we fit in the diverse spectrum of the print world, we have the honour of being an industry whose product touches every other industry, organisation. and cause. Could you imagine that same feeling of fulfilment coming from promoting online bingo, selling life insurance, making ice cold mochafrappamatcha lattes, or being a contestant on Love Island? Feeding Your Fixation and Finding Your Tribe It’s fine getting excited and having a happy clappy print revival, but we really shouldn’t keep it to ourselves. The net benefit should be to spread the good news more effectively. This is where finding our tribe comes into play. I’m greedy and have found more than one, you may not have that luxury, but I encourage you to investigate at least one. You may find your tribe in a trade association, a print community, or industry event, there are plenty to choose from. A good place to start is The Big Breakfast, a regular online event organised by the Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) where print people gather to discuss challenges and opportunities in print. Register at https://ipia.org.uk/bb/. There are many more, but The Big Breakfast is free, most others require some kind of commitment. We Are More Than a Collection of Parts We should hold our heads high as proud ambassadors of print, whatever our involvement, whatever we deliver, we are not just a part of the print industry. We are the print industry. This is the ‘Power of Print’. It’s not just a phrase to hashtag in a LinkedInpost or quote to a customer as part of an elevator pitch. The real power of print is your ability to deliver […] joy, hope, and fulfilment to your customers and your customers’ customers THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK 56 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk Issue 362 - September | October 2026 ▼[R to L] Gisela Schäper and Henning Rose discussing Schäper’s book project
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