Crouser Report OnLine Index of Articles
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180. The Millionaire Next Door: Reviews The Millionaire Next Door, a book by Thomas Stanley and William Danko who tend to debunk some of the convention wisdom in the printing industry. Also, a little printing history as we review IsaiahThomas and The History Of Printing In America. All this and more inthis edition of the Crouser Report Online.
181. March 29, 1998 Accounting Stuff and More
183. April 5, 1998 Production Gal and Her Partner
184. April 13, 1998 Employment-At-Will
189. May 10, 1998 Positive Doom and Gloom
190. May 26, 1998 Right-Hand-Other-Person
191. May 31, 1998, Urge to Merge
192. June 7, 1998 Soon To Be Broker
193. June 14, 1998 Importance Of Due Diligence In A MERGER Or Acquisition
194. June 21, 1998 Budgets
1. Monthly Meeting With Your Accountant: 1995 - Many ask what
should they review during their monthly meeting with the accountant. In addition to reviewing
your various tax reports and financial statements, I would suggest you
specifically look at the items in this report.
2. Discipline: September 27, 1995. That's What's Missing In Many Print Shops - Discipline is not what you think. It's not being mean or nasty. Discipline is just doing what
is most important instead of what's most fun. One of the prime
responsibilities of the leader is to maintain organizational discipline.
That's what's discussed in this article.
3. Family Business: September 24, 1995. Family Pay - Family member's compensation is an extremely important area of concern. In my travels I see MANY different conditions
existing in print shops. This article deals with some I have seen lately.
4. Ways to Print Envelope Flaps: November 27, 1995 - A printer had written: We have a Toko 4700 offset press. We're looking for advice on printing on the flaps of (usually)announcement size (A or Baronial) envelopes. Readers respond with advice.
5. Trade Customs: October 26, 1995 - So what? - If a job comes via e-mail with a file attached, who is responsible for errors resulting from garbled transmission? According to the booklet titled, New Graphic Communications Trade Customs and Business Practices, it is the customer's responsibility, not the printer's. Also, read how trade customs are of little benefit to the printer, but how terms and conditions of sale can be of great benefit.
Printing Trade Customs These Business Practices are endorsed by National Association of Printers and Lithographers (NAPL), Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) and Printing Industries of America (PIA).
6. Crouser Report: November 1995 - If you were a farmer, wouldn't you be
concerned if your cash crop was tobacco? Well, many suggest our black and
white cash crops are just as poorly positioned. This is especially true of
retail printers without a sales program and without an understanding of the new
technologies. Our strategy may pay our bills today, but we need to think long
term. Also: Who's Getting Rich in Cyberspace?; Some Web Sites To Checkout;
and Purchase Equipment and Sales Will Come???
7. Interviewing: October 16, 1995 - Selection of employees is critical to our
success in business. Most of us base our criteria on pressing the flesh in
an interview. Problem is, most of us interview infrequently and really have
never had any training for the procedure in the first place. Learn more.
8. Best Equipment Bought and Dampeners on 2 Color Presses: October 13, 1995 - Readers respond
to two questions. 1: What is the best piece of printing equipment you have
ever purchased (excluding computers, DTP, estimating programs, etc.)? 2: What
type of dampening system do you run on Ryobi/Itek/Century class two color
presses and are they adequate? Other production tips?
9. Knowing Your Costs May Hurt You! October 10, 1995 - Know your costs. That's been preached
in the printing industry for decades and still many people do not know their
costs of production. Everyone agrees with that. Only problem is: knowing your
costs exclusively as a pricing philosophy can work against you. And, as a
bonus, read how a web printer lost money by increasing productivity!!! Really.
10. Pricing Printing: October 1995 - Where do you come off trying to tell me how much I should sell printing for in my market when you're not here?
Occasionally we get this question or a variation of it. And being as how we are now publishing the 1996 Crouser Guide to Estimating Printing, it's a good time to respond. The short answer is proper research and research techniques. The long answer is more complex.
11. Five Reasons Printers Stay Poor: November 1995 - Summary of Tom Crouser's Keynote Speech at the New Jersey Association of Quick Printers' Northeast Regional Printing
Expo in 1995. Why do we stay poor? We don't understand we are a
Family-Based, Life-Style Business Engaged In Monopolistic Competition.
12. Taking Inventory: December 1995 - Twice last week I was reminded of the
importance of taking inventory. First while on assignment in Michigan and
then again when reviewing financial s for a Performance Group meeting in
Pittsburgh. Why is taking inventory important? And how can we make it less
painful?
13. When To Invest In Equipment: December 10, 1995 - I can't say enough about Working Capital
and Current Ratios. And, you might be getting tired of hearing about it.
However, here's one message from someone who took it to heart. Let him tell
you his story. Also, one reader objected to this approach. More response to
the objection is included.
14. T-Head Or 2 Pass? December 12, 1995 - One printer wrote that his pressman keeps running 2-color jobs with a 2nd pass, even with quantities 2000+, instead of using the Townsend head. He said, Please give some solid reason for 2-color in one pass v s. second pass. See what the readers and I said to the owner of this $1 million sales shop.
15. Gonna Sell This Business! September: 1995 - I'm outta
here. My son and I have both agreed that we no longer want to be in the
printing business. We're both burnt out. You helped us before, now help me
sell this business. Not an uncommon sentiment nor an unnatural desire.
However, there's more to selling a business than just 'having it up to here'
and calling a broker. Read about it.
16. Gonna Sell 2: December 15, 1995 - More Questions - A reader asks additional questions on
selling a business. When evaluating earnings, would you consider any perks
(car, credit cards, etc.) that show up on the income statement as additional
earnings? Does (the sales price/earnings multiple) increase geometrically as
sales and earnings climb? How do you determine a realistic balance between
reality and potential (of earnings for use in determining sales price)?
17. Gonna Sell 3: December 18, 1995 - David Oswald, Vice President, Development for
Insty-Prints saw our September 1995 Crouser Report on Selling This
Business and it inspired him to write and echo some sentiments as well as
adding his own perspective to the business sale question.
18. Launching Communications With Customers: December 26, 1995 - Are you ready to jump into
electronic communications with your customers? An Oklahoma printers wanted to
know how folks are really doing in launching their customer communications
programs. Find out what our readers said from the front lines.
19. Letters: More On Imagesetter, Ownership of Plates: January 19, 1996.
20. News Years Resolution, Budgeting and Taxes: January 1996.
21. More Image Setter Advice: January 15, 1996. A discussion of product and prices; AGFA vs ECRM.
22. Imagesetter Choices: ECRM VR36 or Agfa AccuSet800? January 3, 1996 -
23. More Imagesetter, Ownership of Plates: January 18, 1996 - AGFA vs ECRM with a HELL thrown in for good measure.
24. Who Owns the Plates: January 2, 1996 - A good discussion!
25. More On Who Owns the Plates: January 10, 1996 - thoughtful comments!
26. File Transfer; Why Not Internet: January 5, 1996 - A discussion of MIME and UUENCODING/UUDECODING.
27. Letters: T-Head; Pricing; File Transfer: January 8, 1996 - Using FTP for file transfer, more.
28. Gonna Sell - Take Paper? What's Sold? More: January 6, 1996 - Bulk sale, CHECK OUT THE BUYER.
29. Questions from readers: January 25, 1996 - Buying into a franchise; Xerox 5065, a disaster for one shop.
30. Letters: RIPS and Imagesetter; PrinterNET, Leasing and LAUNCH Software: January, 1996. Good article on RIP time, AGFA, MAC, VIPOR and AGFA Proset.
31. Independent To Franchise? Opinions Part I Powerful and very interesting are the opinions of todays Quick Printers in this batch of letters discussing the pros and cons of franchises.
32. Independent To Franchise? Opinions Part 2 Many strong arguments for and against becoming a franchise.
33. Dead Printer Walking: Dead Man Walking is the name of a current movie whose name is based on what prison guards yell to indicate a death row inmate is being escorted outside of their cell. Dead Printer Working Syndrome is what the sergeant-at-arms
at the printing association should yell every time an owner passes who has
less than a 2 to 1 current ratio. It is my opinion that many owners stay
dead printers working because of their mistaken perception of equipment
purchases. Let me explain.
34. Hotline Cy's Newsletter: Puzzles: An very interesting discussion on how one printer handled a large printed puzzle. Plus, getting Color Separations for $5 - 7 per set.
35. The Case of Price: A must read article for the printer who wants to make serious money.
36. Plates, plates, plates. A practical discussion on printing plates and charges.
37. Shop layout, plant layout, discussion on shop layout
38. Price, pricing, price discussion, price strategy, long-term strategies
39. Decals, Printing History, Labels
40. Income Statement Changes Needed: A report every printer and manufacturer should read.
41. Independent To Franchise? Opinions Part III
42. Selling to an Employee; Brokering; Terminating; Bulk Mail
To send Tom Crouser a Email message just click here. TomCrouser@aol.com.
43. A referral to Cy Stapleton article regarding
traditional printing.
44. Mr. Joe Butler of New Orleans: A great
human interest article, based of the facts of one man's life, as related
to sound business management.
45. Partners: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do:
46. Letters: Shop Layout to Butter Wrappers
47. Profitability: How to get there
48. Letters: Mr. Joe Butler and more
49. Working Capital, Partners and More
50. Hotline Cy; Door Openers to Books
51. New Equipment; Gambling v Investment
52. Unfair Competition & Other Stuff
53. Mistakes
54. Which way to go in Panama? Other topics.
55. Answers for Panama and Double Dumbfounded by Errors.
56. Depreciation.
57. Mad As Hell And Not Gonna Take It
In Boston!
58. Love Letters To Xerox and More:
59. More Xerox Comments and Other Things:
60. From the Road:
61. Printing Horror Stories:
62. Advertising specialties:
63. Sales Compensation: Good comments from the industry!
64. Letters Regarding: Accounting - Who Pays - Accountants - Accounts -
Hamada etc.
65. 4 Up vs 1 Up Press Runs:
66. It Ain't Over Till It's Over:
67. First Sales Person & Other Stuff:
68. Workplace Improvement:
69. People Problems & More:
70. To Move Or Not To Move:
71. Electronic File Transfers:
72. Favorite Vendors:
73. Business Evaluation and More:
74. Opportunity Knocking To Buy Equipment:
75. Letters: Employee's Back Problem and More:
76. Franklin's Joins Kwick Kopy:
77. 2nd Side Pricing Costing US Millions
78. Need An Outside Salesperson
79. Letters: Price, Selling and Relocating
80. It Doesn't just Happen
81. Jobs Created In Old Software and More
82. Pricing Preflight TIMES and More
83. Sales Tax On In House Printing and More
84. Perfectionist Owners
85. Emailers or Spam
86. Letters: Current Ratios and More
87. More on Spam
88. More on Current Ratios
89. Ratios: Accounts Receivable
90. Transitioning to the Next Generation
91. Update on Victor's Sales
92. Freedom of Our Press
93. Typical Millionaires and Other Feedback
94. What about Workers In Family Business Transitions?
95. Working Together Without Killing Each Other
96. About Your Fire last Night
97. A Real Christmas Fire And More
98. Wage And Hour Issues:
99. Spring Break:
100. Torqued By A Customer and More :
101. Tom's Qualified List of Print Shops For Sale By Owner:
102. Lamenting Family Print Shops and More:
103. Tom's Tale of Woe and More:
105. More Trade Show And Other Responses :
106. The Result Oriented Owner:
107. Subject: Up Against the Wal-Marts
108. Subject: Sales, Personnel and Equipment
109. Subject: Valuing The Print Shop & More
110. Subject: Listening For Profit
111. Subject: Freedom of the Press, Again
112. Subject: Setting Up A Budget Hour Rate For DTP
113. Subject: Eliminating Waste
114. Subject: People Issues
115. Subject: Pricing Printing
116. Subject: Catching UP
117. Subject: Getting To The Next Level
118. Subject: Sell Something To Someone
119. Subject: Trade shows and More..., Much more
120. Subject: A Dead Printer Writes
121. Subject: Depreciation Isn't Cash!? And Other Accounting Stuff
122. Subject: Which Comes First? Equipment Or Customers?
123. Subject: Leasing Costs and More
124. Subject: Leasing Costs and More Continued
125. Subject: Coupons and The Industrial Buyer?
126. Subject: The Case of The Sales Commission Plan
127. Subject: In This Issue: Kenny Comments On ALL Printers are Liars; Pauline gives
us a Worker's VIEW and asks about training material; Frank adds his comments
On COUPONS; John Stewart comments on a potential Source For SALES People;
Laurie is looking for Equipment Standards; and Greg asks about where his
Crouser REPORT OnLine Newsletter went! (Nowhere - there are some new
procedures we discuss). All this in our traveling edition of the Crouser
Report Online.
128. Subject: In This Issue: We spend time getting to the bottom of Bob's SALES
Compensation Dilemma;
Mike is opening A NEW Shop In Town and has questions
about his projections; Jeff asks for Help In SALES and Direct Mail; and Dale
asks about his logic on ACQUISITIONS. And there's the rest of the story on
ROY Rodgers. All this in our back home edition of the Crouser Report Online.
129. Subject:
Crouser Report #157: October 12, 1997
Burn Me: Beat Me: Even Trigger Is Mad
Transmitted from Hartford, Connecticut
130. In This Issue: Tom welcomes RAY, RAY, THE CPA!!!!! And LISA, the
Ironworker!!! to our crew of Business Coaches; A Boston CPA chats with us
about INTEREST and Amortization and Analyzing Owner's Compensation;
PLUS... we give
California Juan some QUESTIONS To Ask A Prospective CPA; and some of your
REACTIONS to last week's Burn Tom messages. All this in this beautiful fall
edition of the Crouser Report Online from amidst the blazing foliage of
Pennsylvania.
131. In This Issue: Men and Women In Business Together
132. November 2, 1997 Growing A Supervisor and More
133. November 8, 1997 Cash Shortage?
134. The Family Print Shop: Good, Bad and Ugly
Transmitted from Atlanta, Georgia
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