Web to Print by Amazing Print Corp Technology

Web-to-Print for the past years has been looked at like a great companion for any type of printing. Whether it is litho, thermography, digital, web, short run, long run or transactional, web-to-print software has been paired to fit those models. Some of the most successful implementations of web-to-print technologies online have been attributed to the methods of printing above.

But what about silkscreen, embroidery, wide format and mainly variable printing? Variable printing or variable data printing in  web-to-print storefronts has been a silent topic. And yet, web-to-print for variable printing is probably the most profitable type of w2p. Just imagine, your customer uploads their own data, sorts its own imagery, chooses it’s own mailing routes, proofs the entire job online and pays you premium money for having the ability to see text or images appear in an unusual format, that only web-to-print for VDP allows them to do.

Variable Printing and Web-to-Print should almost be as synonymous as web to print and business cards. Considering on a scale of anything that you could be printing utilizing web enabled order procurement technologies, VDP should be not only most profitable, but also most desirable, as not too many printers yet can offer that as a service, hence you will be able to charge a premium and not be afraid of the competition.

So, to keep with the spirit of top 5s, here is my list of
Top 5 reasons to offer web-to-print and variable printing online:

1. Outsource the hardest part of the project to your client using web-to-print. Data sorting or providing you with clean data.
2. Make more money where others can’t. VDP is still new to a lot of printers.
3. Make more money with less effort. It is up to your customer to approve the creative online.
4. Excellent way to get into fulfillment business. Get even more money from the same customer.
5. Make more money from time on your press. It takes you just as long to print a pre-made VDP piece as a static one. Except you get to charge more for that piece.

Your comments are welcomed.

Slava Apel, CEO
Amazing Print Corp
905-738-9920
http://www.amazingprint.com
http://twitter.com/slavaapel

http://twitter.com/amazingprint

Web2print was a hot topic recently on twitter. I used to use a hashtag of #w2p to describe web2print or web to print software, but got a message to the likes of “stop using #w2p and start using #web2print as w2p has been taken over by another group” by a member of a different movement that uses w2p to describe their services.

I liked using w2p instead of web2print as it is shorter, and in the world of 140 characters, every character counts. I have polled on linked-in, twitter and a few other places printers to see what they had to say. To my surprise, I didn’t find any loyalty to either web2print or w2p and even had a recommendation to switch to w2print as a method of keeping our unique hash tag.

I remember similar conversations with members of infoTrends on topic of keeping the hashtag that involves print. #twitterprint has been used to keep printing industry separate for people generally speaking about print, but why not claim #print like Adam Peck has recommended? #print is shorter, easier, and by some chance if we get non print industry person using #print, they may learn more about printing by just stumbling across #print.

So, in summary, when I have enough space to spell out web2print, I will. When I ran short on space, w2p will be used.

For the record, you can follow Amazing Print on twitter at http://twitter.com/amazingprint or follow Slava Apel at http://www.twitter.com/slavaapel

Online business card design software market has been growing due to popularization of many printers getting into web to print sales of business cards, postcards, letterheads and many other printed items. Online business card design software made it easier for printers that used to stay away from markets such as business cards to now offer the product and make money with it due to templates, design online functionality, easier upload and general consumer acceptance of self serve design online markets.

Applications like eCardBuilder, that offer over 15,000 templates have taken away the largest constrain that stopped printers in a past from offering business cards - proofing. Proofing of the printed order being the most time consuming event of the print ordering now has been online business card design software. In my recent conversation with a 175 million dollar printer, he has admitted that prior to online business card design software; they were spending close to $40 every time a business card order would come in.

So what are the typical features in business card design software that printers enable for their customers?

• Templates
• Branding and customizable websites
• Choices of fonts
• Font special effects
• Ability to upload a logo or photo
• eCommerce
• Shipping integration
• Reports
• Multiple product support
• Complete integration into current website
• Fast integration

Don’t take the above as the only features; take them as musts before making a decision on selecting best online business card design software for you.

Slava Apel
http://www.amazingprint.com

Two industry leaders share their experiences and cautions for making the most of Web-to-print technology.:

Moderator:

Heidi Tolliver-Nigro, TSR contributor and Founder of Digital Printing Reports
Web to Print seminar will cover:

• What business are you in today?
• Who is your target market?
• What products do you offer today/plan to offer tomorrow?
• What are you eCommerce requirements?
• What do you know about web to print software deployment models?
• Risks (good and bad)
• What do Clients want?
• Web to print use today
• Does your solution cover 5 goals?
• How to Chose a W2P vendor
• Marketing your web to print solution

and many questions that will come up during the webinar.

Free code coupon Tuesday May 3rd at 2pm EST use SAFREE0504 to get in for FREE. Regular price $89.00

http://www.seyboldpublications.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Webinar-WTPDemo

Recording of the presentation covering broad topics of web-to-print software will be available to attendies.

Someone sent me a funny picture of a poster for a seminar that I am doing in Vancouver for different ways how printers can be making money with shopping carts, ecommerce, printing storefronts and general web to print.

Whenever I speak to clients, they allays ask me. Can web to print make me money? How fast can I make money with web-to-print? What are the web2print software advantages? How do I sell Web to Print? Even though the question are common, using the wisdom of ages and our 13 year experience helping clients sell print online we have narrowed it down into a two hour discussion filled with facts, graphs and statistics.

Without getting into my 2 hour discussion on profitability of each web to print strategy, I can summarize the answer with the following:

There are 4 ways to make money with web to print:

1. Attract more clients or customers. That comes with a better consumer offering or ease of purchase.
2. Sell more often to your existing clients and devise programs for client retention.
3. Increase your prices or fees. Variable data print or mailing services or “like” products should help you do that.
4. Increase your product offerings and brand value.

Yes, at AmazingPrint.com we offer the tool sets and software solutions for all 4 above and train you how to use these techniques effectively without you having to go into the bonus 5th way of making money; spend more time promoting those offers that make you money and less on those that don’t.

Slava Apel, CEO
Amazing Print Corp
905-738-9920
http://www.amazingprint.com
@slavaapel @amazingprint

Someone asked us, what makes our software easiest to use? It is simple, we follow a very good rule.  Any good web to print system should look very carefully at these 5 rules and see if they pass it. Our software follows the 5 letters E. In order of importance (to us at least):

• Engaging first
• Efficient second
• Effective third
• Easy to use fourth
• Error free fifth

25 secrets you have to know about Search Engine Optimization for print websites.

Truth is… most websites do not work. Printers or print brokers who thought by putting out a website they will instantly attract the right customer and increase their sales flow, get disappointed very quickly. Website building is a multi step approach to covering a lot of bases like domain, hosting, design, presence, targeted traffic, conversions, sales, being able to be found and setting up for repeat business.

Selling online. eCommerce is no longer a complicated and mysterious add on to your website. In today’s world it seems like everyone is doing it. There are no more fears about credit card information being stolen, as today’s consumers are savvier and can recognize a reputable website from a fake website. Ecommerce websites allow you to take in orders 24/7/365. I can still remember that during one of the print tradeshows in Florida a client that we have built ecommerce platform for, ran up to me to give me a high-five, as after 26 years in business, he finally has taken in an order at 3am. He was extremely excited that the order came in without any human intervention, and the website did everything for him. Website got him found online, Keywords he used attracted the right kind of a prospect, content in the website conveyed security and reliability, and the check out form was not threatening, leading to a sale. You should have been there to see him. Best testimony of overnight success.

Advantages of eCommerce are numerous; a famous pizza delivery place states that online orders are generally 8% higher in value, than over the phone, as customers are not being pressured into making a fast decision by a live operator, thus extra order of garlic sticks is an easy decision to add to the shopping cart. Virtual shopping carts can give suggested sales, which a live person may forget. “Would you like fries with that?” or just 30% for rush print and delivery? Or would you like a matching letterhead order to go with your presentation folder?

With eCommerce, you can choose to only take in prepaid orders. No more chasing customers that tend to pay their bills on a 95th day after they’re due. Consider web to print software for your website.

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