Sales Directors

Sales Directors, headquartered at 7257 Reeds Crossing Rd, Belvidere, Illinois, United States, has been a steady presence in the graphic arts and printing industry since its founding in 1979. Unlike a typical public relations agency, Sales Directors focuses on the intersection of sales strategy, marketing, and communications specifically tailored for companies that create, produce, or sell visual products. With a history rooted in consulting for printers, imaging companies, and art and design firms, the firm brings a pragmatic, results-oriented approach to helping these businesses grow. Their location in Belvidere places them within reach of Chicago's commercial printing hub while serving a national client base.

Specialized Expertise in Graphic Arts Sales and Marketing

Sales Directors has developed a niche expertise in the graphic arts sector, an industry that has undergone significant transformation due to digital disruption. The firm's consultants understand the unique challenges faced by printers, prepress houses, and design studios, including pricing pressures, technology shifts, and the need for more sophisticated sales processes. Rather than offering generic public relations, Sales Directors applies its knowledge of the printing and imaging value chain to help clients refine their marketing messages, train their sales teams, and build strategic relationships. This deep industry focus allows the firm to speak the language of their clients' customers, from trade publishers to packaging buyers.

How Sales Directors Applies Its Approach

The firm's methodology blends sales training with strategic planning and public relations & communications services. For a commercial printer, this might mean developing a targeted outreach campaign to ad agencies or redesigning the sales pitch to emphasize variable data printing capabilities. For an imaging company, it could involve crafting case studies that highlight turnaround times and quality. Sales Directors typically works alongside in-house marketing teams or directly with company owners, providing both high-level strategy and hands-on coaching. Their long tenure in the industry—over four decades—gives them credibility when advising on market positioning and customer retention.

Core Services and Specialties

While Sales Directors does not publicly list a full menu of services, their background and industry focus suggest the following capabilities:

• Sales training and coaching for graphic arts sales representatives
• Marketing strategy development for printers, imaging companies, and design firms
• Public relations and communications services, including press release writing and media outreach
• Strategic planning for business growth and market diversification
• Staffing and recruitment for sales and marketing roles in the graphic arts industry
• Consulting on customer relationship management and sales process optimization

These services are delivered through a consultative model, often involving on-site visits, workshops, and ongoing support. The firm's consultants bring practical experience from within the graphic arts field, allowing them to provide actionable advice rather than theoretical concepts.

Ideal Clients and Fit

Sales Directors is best suited for graphic arts companies—printers, prepress shops, imaging labs, art studios, and design agencies—that want to improve their sales effectiveness and market presence. The firm is also a good fit for organizations transitioning from traditional print to digital or hybrid business models, as they need guidance on repositioning their brand and retraining their sales force. Because Sales Directors operates from Belvidere, United States, they can serve clients across the Midwest and beyond, with a particular understanding of regional printing markets. Companies seeking a partner who knows the graphic arts industry intimately, rather than a generalist PR firm, will find value in their focused expertise.