Print Goes Digital
By Ken Chaletzky and Mark Bolgiano
The following article was
published in Association Management, June 2003.
In 1957 the editor in charge of business books for
Prentice Hall confidently remarked, "I have traveled the length and
breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can
assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year."
New technologies stimulate as much denial from some
quarters as they do declarations of magical world-changing powers from
others. The truth usually rests a safe distance from both extremes.
There's no denying that the Internet has added a new dimension to
publishing by reducing production and distribution costs, segmenting
markets, and adding an element of immediacy.
Nevertheless, many people prefer printed publications.
It's that simple. Printed documents look better and are easier on the
eyes, more portable, and often simpler to store and retrieve. In fact,
most people will print out worthwhile documents they receive electronically.
A Third Alternative
Print-on-demand—whereby publications can be printed on an as-needed
basis, even one at a time, using the latest technology—has become a
viable option that allows organizations to offer both printed and
online versions of their publications. In spite of its increasing use,
print-on-demand is not always clearly understood. Following are some
of the characteristics and benefits of this form of publishing.
No more inventory. There's no question that
the per-unit cost of printing 1, 10, or 50 copies at a time is greater
than printing 1,000 copies. But by printing in small quantities the
organization does not have money tied up in inventory, thus allowing
it to offer more publications to members. In that regard, no publication
need ever go out of print.
Easily updated material. Many of the benefits
of online publishing also apply to print-on-demand. Documents can be
revised as often as necessary to reflect new information, and directories
can be produced from live data. New offerings can be made available at
the same time the online version is launched.
Books by design. Purchasers can customize their
printed books to contain just the parts they want. If some members want
only chapters three, seven, and nine, that's what they'll get.
The quality of offset printing. Contrary to
what some unfamiliar with the technology might think, print-on-demand
products don't resemble photocopies, to say the least. Books are virtually
indistinguishable from those printed by offset, with only a trained eye
able to see the difference.
Quantities to meet your needs. One misconception
about print-on-demand is that it always means printing one at a time.
A print-on-demand service might produce one publication at a time for
one client but print sets of 100 for another. Further, publications
might either be sent directly to the member or, alternatively, in
sets to the organization for distribution.
No more overseas shipping costs. Print-on-demand
also can allow associations to create document in digital format
domestically and then have the publication printed at a facility
overseas, eliminating the shipping costs that can make international
association work so expensive, a handy trick for publications being used
at overseas meetings.
Other Benefits
With print-on-demand, production and fulfillment costs can be realized
when the purchase occurs, with many digital printing operations able to
print, bind, and ship within hours of the order. And because orders are
often placed online, there's the added benefit of essentially no staff
load for the order processing, production, and fulfillment tasks.
Members, meanwhile, are sure to appreciate a customized, up-to-date
publication arriving 24 hours after clicking the purchase link.
Offering print publications in addition to online
versions gives members more choices, satisfying the wishes of those who
prefer printed materials. In many senses, print-on-demand is a form of
online publishing. As previously mentioned, orders are often placed
online, and publications can be created domestically, sent overseas
electronically, and then printed there. The medium marries the speed
and timeliness of online with the traditional advantages of offset printing.
Ken Chaletzky is president, Copy General Corporation,
Sterling, Virginia. E-mail: ken@copygeneral.com.
Mark Bolgiano is vice president, ISG Solutions, Rockville, Maryland.
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