From integrated print and digital to 3D technology, the future of print is an exciting prospect. This blog explains what you can look forward to!
The future of printing is an exciting prospect as technology is going ahead leaps-and-bounds and is constantly changing almost on a daily basis. This blog will showcase some of the key areas to look for in regards to the future of printing and how it might impact you and your business.
Printing Efficiency
As with many sectors of business, the future of printing is just as much about innovation as it is about increasing efficiency of existing processes. Colour printing continues to improve from a quality, definition and price point of view. As advancements in technology lead to increased image quality, especially in the large format world, printing is adapting to suit changing business environments.
The significantly decreased turn around time for printing projects is also having an impact of the industry as a whole. Where once it would take weeks or months to print documents and books, businesses needed to run large volume orders to ensure they could meet demand. Whereas now the turn around time is significantly shorter meaning content can be printed in smaller more consistent batches if needed, minimising cost and waste.
Linking Online & Offline
Once the online sector was the archrival of the print world and now the two industries are starting to work together to optimise user and audience experience. QR codes are a good example of combining print and online platforms, through the use of smartphones and tablets. By scanning a QR code users can be taken directly to a companies website or desired landing page and interact with videos, promotions or games.
App integration is increasing in popularity as well within the business-printing environment. This can work in varying ways however, at the core the concept uses apps to increase a viewing experience by linking videos, sounds and music to printed material. This is also a great way to combine promotions and printed advertising to start attributing offline audience actions more accurately.
Maintaining an accurate customer database is crucial for any business but using this to market direct printed material is becoming commonplace in business. Taking customer information gathered online from, for example, a survey and then using this information to remarket to customers directly via print, geographic advertising or simply to gain insights for future campaigns is a major part of optimising printed campaign budgets and performance.
3D printing
What started out as a space age, very expensive idea is now fairly common within many companies and the potential this 3D printing technology has is massive. Consider a world where if you have a faulty product a company can send you a file digitally and you can use your 3D printer to print the required part. How about printing objects in space entirely from scratch or even car companies printing miniature mock-up designs to see the finished product before it’s built. While it might not be commonplace within small businesses at the moment, 3D printing technology is something to keep a close eye on for the future.
Eco Friendly
While being mindful of the greater impact your business is having on the environment is nothing new, the importance companies are placing on it has never been greater. From multinational companies sponsoring charities and organisations to small café businesses using sustainably sourced coffee beans, environmental awareness is key in business marketing.
For the printing sector this means recycled and sustainable materials, efficient production systems and quality is more important than ever. At Kwik Kopy we pride ourselves on being environmentally sustainable and aware. We also assist our customers in achieving this as well through a range of green business options from paper choice to database clean-ups to minimise waste.
If you would like to see how your business is placed for the future of printing visit Kwik Kopy today and chat to one of our printing professionals.
