Can you help me get an idea of what training is available on how to sell digital print? I have a sales background in digital and am interested in becoming a trainer myself.
Name and address supplied

XL Recruitment (www.xlrecruitment.co.uk) offers courses on selling digital print, such as ‘Selling the Benefits’, which seem to meet your requirements. Although Xerox is a partner, the firm insists the train­ing doesn’t focus solely on Xerox kit, which I think was your initial fear. It might be worth popping along to the next course, which will be held at the BPIF’s Farringdon, London office on 8 June, to get an idea of what’s on offer. We ran a feature on digital sales training last November, which you might find interesting, so I’ll send you a copy. Peter Kiddell from PDS Consulting (01226 249590) has also suggested you contact him for a chat. The firm is working with Fespa on several digital print courses and he may be able to put you in touch with experts on the sales side who could discuss what options are available to you.

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I wondered if there was such a thing as a directory of UK printers. I would preferably like to be able to identify the top 200.
Hilary Khawam
Via email

That’s easy. PrintWeek publishes a Top 500 every year that not only lists the country’s top print companies according to turnover, but includes all sorts of other interesting figures and reviews. It also includes features on such topics as private equity and M&A activity. I am feeling kind so I will send you a copy (my generosity is reaching new levels this week). The 2007 list is due out in November so make sure you’re subscribed to receive your free copy. A year is a very long time in print right now.

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Business degree #2
Back in April, James Podgers wrote to us asking for help with his business degree dissertation on strategies within the print management sector. A couple of expert print managers have kindly allowed him to pick their brains since, but he still needs help with the case studies. He has a 10-minute survey and is keen to send it to anyone from a print management company that has a degree of knowledge about the firm’s business strategies. It is ideal, but not vital, that the company belongs to our Top 500 list. He is hoping to get around 10 responses and promises that in exchange for completing the survey, he is happy to provide his methodology and the results to those who take part.