A colleague I respect recently encouraged me to "focus not on everything you can do, but on the things that ONLY you can do." The concept resonated with me because it's so applicable to not our daily work (which so often consumes us), but also to strategic thinking about where our time and efforts should be directed in the long term.

In trying to be "all things to all people," we may fail to deliver optimally to anyone. By focusing on specific areas of areas of work, however, we can differentiate ourselves as experts and specialists and be the go-to people – and companies – for such work.

It's in that spirit that Print Solutions, PSDA’s flagship monthly magazine, focused in its July 2012 issue on building business in vertical markets. As more organizations seek vertical partners – focusing on medical, legal, retail, hospitality and other niche markets – some savvy print distributors are growing because they are positioned as specialists. Learn more about it, and how you can set your company up to succeed in vertical markets, in the exclusive articles from Print Solutions writer Darin Painter.

What is your company doing to pursue new business in this area? Any success stories or tips to share? Sound off in the comments area below.

John Delavan
Editor-in-Chief
Print Solutions – PSDA's flagship monthly magazine