While Screen Printing is still a male-dominated field, women have been climbing the ladder and breaking glass to achieve their place in the industry.
In fact, female leadership in the screen-printing industry is on the rise, with more women opening their own screen-printing shops across the country. This trend may prove beneficial to the screen-printing industry, as recent changes in the sales environment have proven favorable to women.
A recent Harvard Business Review article highlighted seven capabilities that were crucial to the success of high-performing salespeople. These capabilities were:
- Analyzing
- Connecting
- Collaborating
- Shaping Solutions
- Influencing
- Driving
- Improving
While both men and women used all seven capabilities, high-performing women focused more on connecting, shaping solutions, and collaborating. In today’s post-covid world, a focus on customer needs beyond the tools offered by a business is more important than ever. The human touch has proven more effective in bolstering sales than male-dominated persuasion techniques (such as influencing customers), especially in an already socially distant cultural landscape.
We caught up with Susan Becker, owner of Jersey Ink, for her take on why women are thriving in the screen-printing industry.
How long have you been in business?
“I’ve owned Jersey Ink Custom Apparel for over fifteen years.”
What’s it like to be a woman in the screen printing industry?
“It is a very competitive field. There are hundreds of screen printers in the area. Many of them are owned by men. I feel one of the advantages of being a woman entrepreneur is that we have an edge. I’m going to be bold here and say that women, in general, can be more compassionate and understanding. Having a successful business is about the team you build and how you treat your customers.”
How do you define success?
“It’s really about understanding your client and client retention. Really knowing and solving people’s problems and having them feel comfortable with you. That’s really number one, is having your client feel comfortable with you.”
What is most important to your customers?
“In this day in age, people are a little lost. Email and social media are great, but there is nothing, and I mean nothing, like the human touch. More and more people want that human connection again. I can’t tell you how many people come in and are just happy to meet somebody from the team.”
What makes a strong female leader?
“Women, I believe, are more compassionate and have more of a gut instinct. I go with my gut a lot, and it’s never steered me wrong.”
What is your advice for other female leaders?
“All businesses are about human needs and desires. Taking care of those is going to propel your business much further.”
Susan’s ability to connect with her customer base on a human level has been an effective way to bolster retention and drive sales. If you’re interested in a more human touch for your screen-printing needs, please reach out to our team!