Take my word for it; it was an impressive sight.

If I had to pick one highlight though, it was the number of awe-inspiring entries in the Marketing Campaign of the Year category.

It’s often said that despite being experts in delivering peerless results for clients on the marketing front, all too often the industry lets itself down with its own marketing.

However, while the category may only be in its second year, judging by the number and quality of the entries, that situation is rapidly changing.

Gone are the days when a printer’s marketing was based on a mailshot featuring little more than a plant list and an out-of-date brochure.

Nowadays printers are far more likely to practise what they preach, using everything from digital marketing, events, quirky initiatives and social media to engage with existing and potential clients and ultimately demonstrate their print prowess.

However, marketing can be just as easy to get wrong as right, as highlighted in this issue’s HR toolkit feature on social media. But importantly, as the diversity of the shortlisted companies reflects, a clearly thought out strategy can be just as important as budget.

And judging by some of the impressive marketing ROI figures of this year’s awards entrants – if you get the strategy right, the potential payback can be significant.