Digital printing comes of age
Newbury's Apple Print speak on the advantages of modern printing
‘NOBODY reads printed copy any more.’
That’s a statement that Andrew Watts, managing director of Apple Print & Creative, has heard many times in recent years as the world dashes headlong down the helter-skelter joy ride to join the online revolution.
Indeed, his business is not immune to this.
In fact, Apple Print & Creative is rather proud of its social media team and digital marketing expertise. But it knows it cannot operate in a vacuum.
The fact is that 49 per cent of online searches are driven by offline messages in print, according to iProspect’s study into Offline Channel Influence on Online Search Behaviour. And 39 per cent ultimately make a purchase.
Shoppers who receive a direct mailing pointing them to an online site spend on average 13 per cent more than those who do not receive the printed piece.
Printed catalogues associated with online sites have been shown to boost online spending by 28 per cent.
On reading these statistics you are surely motivated to go online to find out how Apple Print & Creative can boost your business (www.appleprint.co.uk), but are perhaps daunted by the cost of printing, the complexity of the process and the quantities needed to be cost effective.
Perhaps that was the case when litho printing was the only option.
In 2008 digital printing accounted for only 9.8 per cent of the print market – by 2018 Smithers Pira expects it to double to 20.6 per cent. Digital printing has indeed come of age.
Three years ago, when Apple Print & Creative moved in to modern new premises in Abex Road, Newbury, it treated itself to a state-of-the-art digital printer: a Canon 710VP, since you ask.
Andrew admits he can get misty-eyed over this machine: “It is wonderful.
“With image quality that looks and feels like the output from the very best offset print, process it guarantees a great result every time.
“Because it is flexible, taking any kind of paper up to 325gsm thickness – about the thickness of a good-quality greetings card – in a whole range of sizes, our experts in the print room can configure jobs really quickly, which makes it much more cost effective for our clients.
“This certainly helped one client who asked if we could print and bind three copies of a 300-page tender document and deliver to London by 10am the next morning.
“‘Impossible!’ I hear you cry. No – we delivered by 9am.”
Andrew continued: ‘And let us challenge that ‘printing is generic’ mindset.
“How about 40,000 foiled and embossed invitations? Personalised? Generic? I don’t think so.
“The range of jobs is endless. 1,500 copies of an Easter card for a local church? No problem. Or 200 business cards for 100 employees? Bring it on.
“Then there’s 50,000 A5 leaflets for a marketing maildrop. When do you want them?
“How about that book ‘wot you wrote’ (apologies to those too young to remember Morecambe and Wise, who will not have understood that reference at all) – why not get a quote to print a few copies?
“But any printing machine is only as good as the people who operate it.
“I am not sure that they ever make my eyes mist over, but I never cease to be amazed at their ingenuity in helping clients at a price that suits their budget.
“The client that felt raffle tickets were a bit old hat and boring wanted something similar but different – with a bit of a wow factor.
“Scratch cards. Who would have thought it? We did. The client was delighted.”
Perhaps people still do read printed copy. When it is printed well.
Why not see how Apple Print & Creative can help you? www.appleprint.co.uk, email sales@appleprint.co.uk, call (01635) 521654, or pop in in and see them at The Orchard, Abex Road, Newbury, RG14 5EY.
