Why London Printers Offer Best Value

Written by Laurence Hobbs Monday, 25 April 2011 10:17

London's fascination with printing has been ongoing from the first time a William Caxton's press was heard in the capital over five centuries ago. No doubt the amount of changes to the industry since those early days are phenomenal. I wonder what that great printer would have thought about the technology used by London printers today.

London's fascination with printing has been ongoing from the first time a William Caxton's press was heard in the capital over five centuries ago. No doubt the amount of changes to the industry since those early days are phenomenal. I wonder what that great printer would have thought about the technology used by London printers today.

How ironic that the technology everyone was saying would be the death of printing has become largely responsible for breathing new life into it in so many ways. So many print companies did succumb but the future gets brighter for those who held on and did what they had to do to overcome the many obstacles.

To survive the changes they had to start to think differently and try to look at the new technology as a friend, not a foe. Shop-fronted print houses started to materialize in prime positions around London offering instant printing and photocopying services to local companies. These print shops brought printing which was traditionally hidden away from sight to everyone's front door. The ones that are still operating now are open for business because they've taken advantage of the opportunities that were available and have much in the way of experience and value to offer.

At first it seemed that new technology was viewed as just something that, at best, would speed up the print process and may even improve the quality of the process in some instances. The array of new services and products that have come about were not even thought about back then. Things moved so fast it was difficult to adapt for many but those that held on during the initial transitions will likely be around to the end.

Typically, variable data and personalised mailings which were just a marketer's dream a short while ago are now in common use, with newer and more creative applications being developed all the time. Customized direct mail is as popular in print as it is online and some would even argue that it's more effective.

Quick response (QR) codes printed onto marketing and advertising material is another great brainchild springing from the integration of printing and technology. Working along similar lines to a bar code a QR code looks like a little box containing some random black squares and when scanned using a smartphone or similar, reveals an picture, some text or a link to a web page. It can even show a video or audio clip. The brilliant thing is that it can be printed on anything.

It would be remiss if printers had all these tools and knowledge at their fingertips and didn't use them for themselves. Most printers have websites where customers place orders but there's so much more available. Personalizing marketing messages are as big with printing companies as it is with the customers themselves. Taking it a step further, social media networking is hugely successful for many.

The effect all this is having on London print companies is great for them and their customers alike. As they integrate and learn how to use a variety of marketing tools for their customers they too are learning what will work to get their own message into the market place. Not only does this pool of knowledge and experience allow them to grow but it means they can offer it all to new customers at great prices too.