Why Print Companies Are Looking for New Ways to Grow
And Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Change What You’re Doing
For years, many print service providers have relied on the same playbooks to grow their business. Word of mouth. Repeat customers. Occasional outbound sales calls. Maybe a trade show or two. And for a long time, that worked. But today’s print buyers behave differently. They research online. They compare options. They trust social proof. They read content. They expect speed, clarity, convenience and modern communication.
Yet the print industry itself hasn’t evolved at that same pace. A surprisingly large number of PSPs are still doing things the exact same way they did 10, 15 or even 20 years ago. The result? Growth is slowing. Competition is intensifying. And traditional tactics are producing diminishing returns.
At Pryntbase, we work with print companies every day who are seeing the same trend: the old strategies no longer generate enough demand. Not because print is declining, but because attention has shifted. Print is strong. The market is massive. But the way print gets bought, and the way buyers discover providers, has fundamentally changed.
If you want to grow today, you have to meet print buyers where they are, not where they used to be.
This is why print companies are looking for new ways to grow right now. And it’s exactly why now is the perfect time to modernize your sales, marketing and online visibility.
The Traditional Print Growth Model Is No Longer Enough
Print service providers used to win through local dominance, relationships and reputation. Those things still matter, but they aren’t enough to fuel predictable, scalable revenue anymore.
Here’s why:
1. Buyers start online, not in person
Whether someone needs trade show graphics, direct mail, signage, packaging, labels or apparel, their first step is usually the same: they search for it. On Google. On LinkedIn. On ChatGPT. On Perplexity.
If your print company doesn’t show up in those searches, you’re invisible to modern buyers.
2. New competitors are entering the market every year
Online print brands, niche print startups and hyper-specialized e-commerce shops are capturing demand at the exact moment buyers are looking. Even regional competitors who invested in SEO, LLM visibility and digital strategy five years ago are now reaping the benefits.
3. Buyers expect content, clarity and proof
Modern print customers want to see examples, understand capabilities, compare turnaround times, learn processes and validate that you’re a trusted provider. Companies that aren’t producing content lose out to those who are.
4. Word of mouth doesn’t scale
It’s a bonus, not a growth strategy. PSPs depending solely on referrals are stuck in unpredictable cycles.
The marketplace changed. Most printer growth models haven’t. That’s the opportunity.
Why PSPs Are Searching for New Growth Channels Right Now
If you run a print company, you’re probably seeing signs that it’s time to evolve. These are the most common reasons PSPs are looking for new ways to grow:
1. Lead volume is too inconsistent
Some weeks you’re flooded. Some weeks it’s silent. That volatility makes forecasting, staffing and investing harder than it should be.
2. Competitors appear more “everywhere” online
You might be the better printer, but the company with stronger online visibility often wins the first conversation, and therefore the sale.
3. Customers have more options than ever
Print buyers are shopping around, researching more, and testing new vendors. If you’re not proactively positioning yourself, you’re losing ground without realizing it.
4. The sales cycle has shifted
Buyers now move through a digital decision-making path long before they ever talk to a sales rep. If your brand isn’t present during that journey, you’re missing the conversion window.
5. LLMs are influencing buying decisions
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and other LLMs are now a major part of how users search for vendors and solutions. If your content isn’t indexed, structured and optimized for LLMs, you won’t appear in those recommendations.
PSPs are recognizing these signs. That’s why demand for digital marketing, SEO, LLM optimization, content creation and lead generation is exploding across the industry.
Where Smart Print Companies Are Turning: New Growth Levers That Work Today
Print service providers don’t need to reinvent themselves. But they do need to expand their growth toolkit. The fastest-growing PSPs are adopting new methods in five core areas.
1. Getting More Visibility Through SEO and LLM Optimization
Visibility isn’t just ranking on Google anymore. It’s ranking on LLMs too.
Search engines still matter. But now you also have to optimize your content for how large language models understand and recommend vendors. That means:
- Structuring your site clearly
- Answering print buyer questions directly
- Publishing targeted educational content
- Adding topical clusters around your capabilities
- Adding solutions-focused content for each buyer type
- Ensuring your site signals authority, expertise and trust
When your company shows up on Google and inside AI-generated answers, you capture both traditional and emerging buying channels. That’s a massive advantage.
This is one of Pryntbase’s biggest strengths, helping PSPs become discoverable everywhere buyers search.
2. Building Modern Lead Generation Systems
Print buyers don’t want generic forms and vague “contact us” pages. They want:
- Quote builders
- Project intake forms
- Capability landing pages
- Helpful guides
- Print buyer resources
- Lead magnets
- Vertical-specific offers
Strong lead gen setups turn your website from a digital brochure into a conversion engine. And the PSPs that build these systems are collecting far more leads than those relying on old-school “call us today” approaches.
3. Creating Content That Actually Drives Sales
Print buyers gravitate to printers who educate them. Not with fluff. But with content that demonstrates expertise and confidence.
High-growth PSPs publish:
- Application guides
- Industry-specific print strategies
- Process breakdowns
- Case studies
- Before-and-afters
- Vertical playbooks
- Comparison and “how to choose a print partner” content
- Sample galleries
- FAQ pages optimized for search and LLMs
When your content shows up during buyer research, you win trust before the conversation even happens.
4. Implementing New Technology and Automations
Technology is no longer optional. PSPs are adopting:
- Chatbots and AI assistants for quoting
- Automation for follow-up and lead nurturing
- CRM systems for tracking deals
- Customer portals
- Online proofing
- Order tracking
- Account-based marketing tools
- AI-powered content and design tools
Technology doesn’t replace people. It accelerates results. PSPs that implement modern tools see immediate gains in efficiency, responsiveness and customer experience.
5. Becoming More Active Online
Visibility compounds. Social activity compounds. Content compounds. PSPs that show up consistently online are stealing market share from companies that stay silent.
This doesn’t mean posting random photos or holiday graphics. It means:
- Sharing real work
- Asking questions
- Posting educational content
- Highlighting customer success
- Showcasing specialty capabilities
- Demonstrating expertise in specific verticals
The print companies that show up daily are the ones print buyers remember when they’re ready to order.
Why Now Is the Best Possible Time to Reinvent Your Growth Strategy
The print industry is experiencing a major shift. But it’s not a decline, it’s a realignment. Demand for print is strong. More channels are opening up. More businesses are ordering print than ever.
The companies that grow the fastest over the next few years will be the ones that modernize their approach right now.
Because today:
- Online competition is strong but not saturated
- LLM search is still early
- Many PSPs haven’t updated their marketing in 10+ years
- The companies that move first will dominate visibility and authority
- Buyers are actively searching for reliable, modern print partners
- You can leapfrog competitors who are slow to adapt
This is the moment where the next generation of dominant PSPs are being created.
How Pryntbase Helps Print Companies Grow Faster Than Ever
At Pryntbase, we specialize in making print companies impossible to ignore. We help PSPs grow by giving them the tools, content, visibility and systems needed to stand out in a crowded industry.
Our work focuses on:
- SEO + LLM Optimization
- Lead Generation + Conversion Systems
- Content Engines for Print Companies
- Vertical-Specific Marketing Playbooks
- On-Site Conversion Improvements
- Social Content + Online Presence
- Strategic Growth Consulting
No generic marketing. No copy-pasted tactics. Everything we do is built specifically for print companies and print buyers.
If you’re ready to grow, scale, and reach more of your ideal customers, now is the time to evolve.
Your competitors won’t wait. Your buyers are already searching. Your market is moving.
And the printers that adapt today are the ones that will lead tomorrow.