{"id":2870,"date":"2022-09-18T12:42:56","date_gmt":"2022-09-18T16:42:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/?p=2870"},"modified":"2022-09-18T13:39:56","modified_gmt":"2022-09-18T17:39:56","slug":"samplesmart-a-roundtable-with-the-3d-color-sales-sample-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/samplesmart-a-roundtable-with-the-3d-color-sales-sample-team\/","title":{"rendered":"SampleSmart: A Roundtable with the 3D Color Sales Sample Team"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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SampleSmart:<\/span> A Roundtable with the 3D Color Sales Sample Team<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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With 3D Color<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Anyone who\u2019s been around the block in CPG knows all too well the challenges of managing sales samples<\/span>. At 3D Color, we\u2019re excited to be part of the solution with a dedicated team of the industry\u2019s most experienced sales sample professionals, all laser-focused on improving a process that\u2019s been too messy for far too long.<\/p>

\"\"With decades of combined experience in every facet of packaging design management, prepress and print production, our SampleSmart team is reinventing the way sales teams acquire the samples they need to close deals and drive business results.<\/p>

This month, we sat down with Senior Project Manager Amanda Billiter<\/strong><\/span>, Director of Graphic Development Shane Schwalbach<\/span><\/strong> and VP of Business Development Chris Schwalbach<\/span><\/strong> to discuss what makes the new program a game-changer.<\/p>

_________<\/strong><\/p>

3D Color: What are the biggest industry pain points you\u2019re seeking to solve with the SampleSmart program?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> Timing has to be the biggest one, and of course we know that tough deadlines aren\u2019t going away. But with better relationships and processes in place upstream in the design process, we can help clients be in a much better position to handle those emergencies when they happen.<\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> That\u2019s right. Typically getting samples involves lots of different vendors and resources, and that all takes time and coordination. But our approach can be much more end-to-end from prototype to samples, and that can literally make a difference of weeks or even months in a timeline.<\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> I\u2019d say team continuity is another common pain point. It\u2019s natural for clients to experience turnover at headquarters and in sales and marketing teams, but as a result, it seems often when I start a project, I\u2019m working with an entirely new team and there\u2019s a lot of education required. Our approach will solve a lot of that by guiding clients through a standardized, centralized process that anyone can pick up and run with fairly easily.<\/p>

3D Color: If you could pass one gem of sales sample wisdom along to every client, what would it be?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> Ask what\u2019s possible! I\u2019ve found it\u2019s really common for clients to not even know their vendors\u2019 full capabilities. As a result, clients end up making their lives more complicated by working with multiple vendors for different needs, when an easier, end-to-end solution might have been available.<\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> I would definitely agree. New technologies and materials roll out every single year, and it would be impossible for a client to be aware of all the capabilities that exist with a given vendor. With our base of experience and available tools we can pull off some pretty elaborate comps in less time than you might expect \u2014 not that we want to encourage last-minute projects [laughs]! But we always want our clients to push us for ideal solutions, not just default to how it\u2019s usually been done.<\/p>

\"\"3D Color: Lots of companies are in the sample business. What do you think distinguishes the great ones?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> Trust. Of course we can talk about capabilities and speed, etc., but ultimately it really does come down to faith in the relationship. There\u2019s a lot riding on sales samples, and a customer needs to feel absolutely certain they\u2019re going to get what they need, at great quality, on time and at a fair price.<\/p>

3D Color: What do you think it takes to build that trust?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> It starts with taking the time and effort to really understand the need. That way we can make sure we don\u2019t overdeliver beyond what\u2019s useful and run up excess cost, and we never underdeliver on expectations. Sometimes we actually understand what our clients need even better than they do themselves! But it requires a lot of trust for that kind of dynamic to work.<\/p>

It\u2019s also so important to always offer solutions. Issues are going to happen \u2014 that\u2019s the nature of the business \u2014 but being transparent and presenting multiple options to keep a project on track goes a long way.<\/p>

3D Color: Speaking of troubleshooting and problem-solving, what are some best practices you rely on?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> I think the benefit this team brings is that all of us came up in the earlier days of printing and color separations, so we have a whole way of thinking that just isn\u2019t there for people who\u2019ve only ever known the digital processes. The ability to think about a problem from multiple angles really helps us push the innovation.<\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> That\u2019s true. A lot of comp-making is about reverse engineering, and if you only know one or two ways of making something, your options are limited. But our team has a huge toolkit of methods and materials and experiences to draw on, so we can usually figure it out.<\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> Yes! Depth of experience really makes a difference. I always say that just because I can do my taxes with TurboTax, that doesn\u2019t make me an accountant \u2013 and if something goes wrong, I\u2019m sunk. It\u2019s the same with making comps. It may seem \u201ceasy\u201d to turn out standard, routine samples \u2014 but the truth is sales samples are almost never standard or routine. It takes a lot of knowledge and understanding behind the scenes to make it all run smoothly and achieve great results.<\/p>

3D Color: What excites you most about becoming part of the 3D Color SampleSmart team?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> That\u2019s easy. This company is 100% committed to solving this problem for the industry, and that means our team is going to get the support and resources it takes to do it right.<\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> Agreed. We can talk about all the amazing equipment and technology that exists to transform the sales sample process, but it\u2019s another thing to work for a company that is actually investing in it and shares the same goals.<\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> The fact is, there isn\u2019t another company that\u2019s wholly focused on solving this problem. For most operations, samples are a sideline or an afterthought, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s generally kind of a mess. It\u2019s really exciting to be part of an organization that has made this their top priority. That\u2019s what it takes to really make change.<\/p>

_________<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
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Anyone who\u2019s been around the block in CPG knows all too well the challenges of managing sales samples<\/span>. At 3D Color, we\u2019re excited to be part of the solution with a dedicated team of the industry\u2019s most experienced sales sample professionals, all laser-focused on improving a process that\u2019s been too messy for far too long.<\/p>

With decades of combined experience in every facet of packaging design management, prepress and print production, our SampleSmart team is reinventing the way sales teams acquire the samples they need to close deals and drive business results.<\/p>

This month, we sat down with Senior Project Manager Amanda Billiter<\/strong><\/span>, Director of Graphic Development Shane Schwalbach<\/span><\/strong> and VP of Business Development Chris Schwalbach<\/span><\/strong> to discuss what makes the new program a game-changer.<\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

_________<\/strong><\/p>

3D Color: What are the biggest industry pain points you\u2019re seeking to solve with the SampleSmart program?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> Timing has to be the biggest one, and of course we know that tough deadlines aren\u2019t going away. But with better relationships and processes in place upstream in the design process, we can help clients be in a much better position to handle those emergencies when they happen.<\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> That\u2019s right. Typically getting samples involves lots of different vendors and resources, and that all takes time and coordination. But our approach can be much more end-to-end from prototype to samples, and that can literally make a difference of weeks or even months in a timeline.<\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> I\u2019d say team continuity is another common pain point. It\u2019s natural for clients to experience turnover at headquarters and in sales and marketing teams, but as a result, it seems often when I start a project, I\u2019m working with an entirely new team and there\u2019s a lot of education required. Our approach will solve a lot of that by guiding clients through a standardized, centralized process that anyone can pick up and run with fairly easily.<\/p>

3D Color: If you could pass one gem of sales sample wisdom along to every client, what would it be?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> Ask what\u2019s possible! I\u2019ve found it\u2019s really common for clients to not even know their vendors\u2019 full capabilities. As a result, clients end up making their lives more complicated by working with multiple vendors for different needs, when an easier, end-to-end solution might have been available.<\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> I would definitely agree. New technologies and materials roll out every single year, and it would be impossible for a client to be aware of all the capabilities that exist with a given vendor. With our base of experience and available tools we can pull off some pretty elaborate comps in less time than you might expect \u2014 not that we want to encourage last-minute projects [laughs]! But we always want our clients to push us for ideal solutions, not just default to how it\u2019s usually been done.<\/p>

3D Color: Lots of companies are in the sample business. What do you think distinguishes the great ones?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> Trust. Of course we can talk about capabilities and speed, etc., but ultimately it really does come down to faith in the relationship. There\u2019s a lot riding on sales samples, and a customer needs to feel absolutely certain they\u2019re going to get what they need, at great quality, on time and at a fair price.<\/p>

\"\"<\/p>

3D Color: What do you think it takes to build that trust?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> It starts with taking the time and effort to really understand the need. That way we can make sure we don\u2019t overdeliver beyond what\u2019s useful and run up excess cost, and we never underdeliver on expectations. Sometimes we actually understand what our clients need even better than they do themselves! But it requires a lot of trust for that kind of dynamic to work.<\/p>

It\u2019s also so important to always offer solutions. Issues are going to happen \u2014 that\u2019s the nature of the business \u2014 but being transparent and presenting multiple options to keep a project on track goes a long way.<\/p>

3D Color: Speaking of troubleshooting and problem-solving, what are some best practices you rely on?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> I think the benefit this team brings is that all of us came up in the earlier days of printing and color separations, so we have a whole way of thinking that just isn\u2019t there for people who\u2019ve only ever known the digital processes. The ability to think about a problem from multiple angles really helps us push the innovation.<\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> That\u2019s true. A lot of comp-making is about reverse engineering, and if you only know one or two ways of making something, your options are limited. But our team has a huge toolkit of methods and materials and experiences to draw on, so we can usually figure it out.<\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> Yes! Depth of experience really makes a difference. I always say that just because I can do my taxes with TurboTax, that doesn\u2019t make me an accountant \u2013 and if something goes wrong, I\u2019m sunk. It\u2019s the same with making comps. It may seem \u201ceasy\u201d to turn out standard, routine samples \u2014 but the truth is sales samples are almost never standard or routine. It takes a lot of knowledge and understanding behind the scenes to make it all run smoothly and achieve great results.<\/p>

3D Color: What excites you most about becoming part of the 3D Color SampleSmart team?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

Shane Schwalbach:<\/strong> That\u2019s easy. This company is 100% committed to solving this problem for the industry, and that means our team is going to get the support and resources it takes to do it right.<\/p>

Chris Schwalbach:<\/strong> Agreed. We can talk about all the amazing equipment and technology that exists to transform the sales sample process, but it\u2019s another thing to work for a company that is actually investing in it and shares the same goals.<\/p>

Amanda Billiter:<\/strong> The fact is, there isn\u2019t another company that\u2019s wholly focused on solving this problem. For most operations, samples are a sideline or an afterthought, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s generally kind of a mess. It\u2019s really exciting to be part of an organization that has made this their top priority. That\u2019s what it takes to really make change.<\/p>

_________<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Backed by our expert leadership team and a full staff of seasoned design and production pros, The 3D Color SampleSmart app is a one-stop solution to streamline and elevate your sales sample process.<\/p>

If you\u2019d like to learn more about our capabilities, please reach out directly to amanda.billiter@3dcolor.com<\/span><\/a>, shane.schwalbach@3dcolor.com<\/span><\/a> or chris.schwalbach@3dcolor.com<\/span><\/a> to get the conversation started.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Other Insights for Impact<\/span><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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FROM TURNKEY PRODUCERS TO PURPOSE-DRIVEN INNOVATORS: A NEW VISION FOR THE PROTOTYPING INDUSTRY<\/a><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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More Than \u201cJust a Comp\u201d: How the Right Prototype Process Can Drive Efficiency, Elevate Quality and Create a Lasting Impression\n<\/a><\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SampleSmart: A Roundtable with the 3D Color Sales Sample Team With 3D Color Anyone who\u2019s been around the block in CPG knows all too well the challenges of managing sales samples. At 3D Color, we\u2019re excited to be part of the solution with a dedicated team of the industry\u2019s most experienced sales sample professionals, all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2870"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2870"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2914,"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2870\/revisions\/2914"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dcolor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}