Colin Sinclair McDermott, aka The Online Print Coach, makes the case for diversifying your business, and ensuring you offer a complete solution for your customers, without investing in big machinery or materials Why Adding Promo Items Boosts Your Bottom Line Isat down with a signage business owner recently who was absolutely gutted. He’d just lost a long-standing client – a local gym he’d been doing signage for since it opened its doors. When he asked why, the answer stung: “The new guys are doing our staff hoodies and water bottles too. It’s just easier to have one point of contact.” He had the kit, the talent, and the relationship, but he didn’t have the promo, and because he didn’t offer that “one-stop-shop” experience, the client walked. It’s a story I hear far too often in this industry, and the reality is, it’s one we need to stop writing. We talk a lot about working on the business rather than working in it right now – that means looking at the convergence of print and promotional products. This isn’t some industry buzzword; it’s a shift that’s already happening on your doorstep. The Myth of the Heavy Investment Listen, I know what you’re thinking. You’re looking at your floor space, thinking about the blood, sweat, and tears you’ve already poured into your current setup, and you’re wondering where on earth a screen-printing carousel or a pad printer is going to fit. Here’s the thing: you don’t need them. I remember coaching a lady in the Midlands who was terrified of this. She told me, “Colin, I can’t even fit a new coffee 40 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 266 - August | September 2026 It’s about being the person they trust, not the person who owns every single piece of kit under the sun INDUSTRY TIPS | COLIN SINCLAIR MCDERMOTT Having been in the print industry since the mid-late 90s, Colin Sinclair McDermott entered the world of self-employment in 2004 and over the years that followed, experienced a number of highs and lows running his own print company, learning what does and doesn’t work. In 2022, he trained with The Business Coaching Academy to become a fully certified corporate coach with the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches. Through The Online Print Coach, industry members can access an online training platform, Print Mastermind and private 1-to-1 coaching with Sinclair McDermott. www.theonlineprintcoach.com machine in here, let alone a garment line.” I had to sit her down and explain that she was looking at the problem through an old-school lens. Once she realised she could outsource the production and just be the face of the solution, her shoulders literally dropped two inches. I recently had Theresa Hegel, the executive editor at the Advertising Speciality Institute (ASI), on my podcast, and she blew this myth wide open. Theresa pointed out that a lot of print service providers (PSPs) assume they
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