The ‘paperless office’ is no longer a future vision. Today, companies of every size are capable of performing all their in-house functions without the need for print media. However, we are a long way from paperless marketing. In other words, when it comes to attracting and servicing customers, printed matter is a must.
There are a host of reasons for choosing to outsource your printing needs rather than printing your mail shots, flyers, leaflets and posters yourself. The factors fall into the following fairly obvious categories: cost, quality and convenience.
Firstly, even if you have invested in a good quality colour printer, it is never going to work out cheaper than having your printing done professionally. It won’t take long to calculate that in paper and printer consumables your outgoings are likely to be prohibitive when it comes to printing in even fairly modest quantities of, for example, the leaflets you require.
A key finding of one reputable trade magazine, having carried out a recent test to ascertain in-house printing costs, makes sobering reading. They found that a single A6 sized photograph cost a full 43p to print on a desktop inkjet printer.
When multiplied by the modest print-run figure of 500, the resulting figure for a batch of A6 leaflets containing full ink coverage is a staggering £215. Online printing firms will supply the same item for less than a quarter of that price. And when a greater quantity is ordered, then of course the unit cost plummets even further. This is not something that can be said for the office printer on your desk.
As far as quality is concerned, the paper stock which commercial printing can accommodate is simply not able to be handled by the desktop printer. The weight and finish of the paper is what gives the end-user that essential impression of professionalism.
But if for no other reason than the fact that few office printers can print right up to the edge of a sheet of paper, it is necessary to turn to the commercial print suppliers. Even when it comes down to cutting the finished item down to size, the professionals win hands down.
Naturally enough, when it comes to business cards, there is absolutely no alternative to using a good company with its dedicated equipment.
Finally, outsourcing to one of the many online print services, some offering a next-day service along with free shipping, frees up office space and staff time for more vital tasks. The savings made on efficiency and convenience scarcely need mentioning.
0 comments so far
There are no comments for this post yet. Why not be the first by filling out the form below.