The 2019 Dscoop EdgeT Orlando conference brought together 1700 attendees, including 150+ new Print Service Providers (PSPs) attending for the first time. Attendees came from 35 countries and represented more than 650 companies. With a commitment to education, technology and strategic networking, the four-day Dscoop Edge offered 75 sessions covering digital print, packaging, labels, large-format, technical training, business, marketing, and more. The wide variety of sessions ensured that Edge Orlando was relevant to all segments of its community — owners, managers, operators, technical teams, creatives, and sales.
New this year was the HP Technical Track of 30-plus hands-on training workshops. The workshops are a unique aspect of Dscoop, and create an unparalleled advantage for operators and technical teams to gain knowledge and experience directly from HP experts — all under one roof. Attendees also participated in sessions for business growth, sales success, marketing, customer experience, and brand engagement, as well as panel discussions about innovations on the horizon, production strategies and market trends.
With initial survey feedback just in, 100 percent of respondents gave the highest rating (“Very Important”) to the education opportunities at Dscoop Edge Orlando.
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“Dscoop’s Education Committee is made up of PSPs and print business owners,” says Keith Wilmot, CEO of Dscoop. “So they know first-hand the challenges that printers face, and the kind of education and training that’s most relevant to them. That’s the beauty of having education sessions and workshops designed BY print service providers, FOR print service providers.”
To extend the benefits and competitive edge beyond the four-day conference, Dscoop announced its new 24/7 online platform, dscoop.com. The platform offers education videos, webinars and articles; an inspirational showcase of digital print projects; the latest in partner technology, media, and applications; a directory for locating print service providers worldwide; a collaboration forum, and more.
“Dscoop.com is an innovative platform for PSPs and partners to build awareness and visibility and drive growth,” explains Wilmot. “It’s also the best way for creatives and brand owners to find and learn about top-quality printers who can bring their ideas to life.”
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Dscoop.com offers three subscription tiers: Dscoop One, which provides the broadest benefits, including marketing, writing and social media support from the Dscoop team; a complimentary conference ticket; exclusive VIP experiences; participation in the collaborative forums, and more. Dscoop Plus and Dscoop Basic are also available. Learn more at https://dscoop.com/join.
Education was just one pillar of the promise that Edge Orlando delivered. The 100,000-square-foot Solutions Showcase was filled with cutting-edge technology from HP, as well as partner, media and software solutions that are driving greater innovation, productivity and growth. HP — Dscoop’s executive sponsor — wowed attendees with up-close demonstrations and output from the HP Indigo 7i900 Digital press; HP Indigo 12000HD Digital press; HP Indigo 6900 Digital press; HP Indigo 20000 Digital press, and the HP Latex R2000.
Approximately 90 technology, media, software, and application partners participated in the Showcase, adding to the buzz around innovation and inspiration. Attendees had the opportunity to meet and talk with PSPs and partners from the entire digital print ecosystem and see the end-to-end workflow all in one place. They made new contacts, caught up with old friends and associates, had an opportunity to see and feel the latest applications, projects and finishes, and were able to collaborate and conduct business right on the Solutions Showcase floor.
“The energy and conversation inside the Showcase was pivotal for many of our partners and printers,” says Craig Hath, Dscoop’s Strategic Global Partner Director. “We’re receiving responses from attendees telling us how important it is for them to learn about other vendor’s products, technology and services and to build their industry network.”
Which leads us to the third pillar of Edge Orlando – strategic networking. No other community in the world is better known for its collaborative community, and Dscoop Edge Orlando once again delivered. New this year was the Dscoop Business Matching concierge, a service that enabled attendees to maximize networking time by selecting their areas of interest and requesting meetings with specific people and businesses. More than 700 meetings were planned during Edge Orlando using the Dscoop Edge Business Matching concierge, enabling attendees to build relationships and discuss business challenges, successes, and potential joint endeavours. Plenty of social events and VIP areas made it easy (and fun!) to connect and network with others.
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“We heard from hundreds of people throughout the conference, ‘There’s nothing like the collaboration and support of the Dscoop community!’” says Wilmot. “People just starting out in the industry had the opportunity to talk with third- and fourth-generation print shop owners; hundreds leaders in the digital print space got to catch up and share what’s working for them, what’s not, and where they see their business and the industry heading.
“I spent a lot of time simply talking with our members, and most of them said they bought something at the conference or would be buying something from someone they met,” adds Wilmot.
In addition to the formal sessions, this kind of connection is critical to Dscoop’s members’ business success. As one survey response expressed: “Dscoop is an inspiring experience, and an invaluable opportunity to clear up doubts, establish relationships with colleagues and experts in the sector, and learn from outstanding experiences throughout the Americas!”
Coming up next, more Dscoop events: Edge PortAventura, Spain, June 19 – 21, is Dscoop’s 2019 EMEA conference. Registration is now open, with special pricing available through May. And look for Dscoop Edge Road Show events in Asia Pacific and Japan happening throughout the year.
Source: Dscoop
