Digital colour printing saves time and money

In the past, 'digital' has been a dirty word in digital colour printing, with accusations of inferior quality plaguing the technology. But with the introduction of new and improved digital presses that reproduce at 95 per cent the quality and accuracy of conventional offset printing, the digital alternative is gaining momentum.

And it's the perfect solution for small businesses that want to save time and money on short print runs. Whether it's a direct-marketing campaign of 1000 brochures, 200 copies of an annual report or half a dozen personalised Christmas cards for your VIP clients, promoting your business has never been simpler – or cheaper.

What is digital colour printing?

Put simply, digital printing is the reproduction of a digital image on a physical surface. It can be used for any traditional paper-based printing, but also works for fabric (think promotional T-shirts) and ceramics (for those office mugs). 

Unlike conventional printing, it doesn't require plates. Instead, the mathematical information contained in the digitised image is used to deposit toner and ink via electromagnetic energy.

What's it good for?

Digital printing is ideal for print runs of up to 1000 or so copies. The kinds of jobs it suits include:

• Brochures
• Flyers
• Direct-marketing material
• Annual reports
• Manuals
• Self-published books
• Back-catalogue books
• Sample stock

Basically, anything that requires a short print run can benefit from digital printing.

What are its advantages?

• Cost effectiveness: For short print runs digital is the cheapest solution; the equipment and labour required for conventional printing make print runs under several thousand copies less economically viable.

• Improved time-to-market: Digital printing's minimal press set-up eliminates many of the time-consuming processes that lead to slower turn-around times. With digital, your print job can be turned around in a matter of hours, not days or weeks. 

• Print on demand: Reduced turnaround times mean you can print stock according to demand.

• Reduced inventory: The ability to print on demand also reduces the risk and cost involved in storing inventory. 

• Fully customisable: One major advantage of digital printing is it enables you to cost-effectively customise and personalise each printed piece. Next time you send out your office Christmas cards, consider personalising them for each client – this is a great way to generate good will.

Promoting your business has never been easier

In the past, the time and money involved in printing discouraged many small businesses from using printed materials in their marketing and promotional campaigns. Today, digital printing is changing all that, with cost-effective, time-effective printing solutions just a mouse-click away.

So talk to a digital printing company today about how your business can take full advantage of the digital revolution.