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The Value of Web-to-Print Solutions

12/20/2016 | admin_us401
The term “web-to-print solutions” is common in the world of marketing. You may ask: what are “web-to-print solutions”? Web-to-print is a service provided by marketing services companies who offer a customized online store for your most commonly ordered print pieces.  This allows for items to be printed quickly, without an extensive back and forth process each time they need printing. Web-to-print solutions offer three significant benefits for marketers and those responsible for administering collateral programs.

“Soft Cost” Savings

One of the main benefits is “soft cost savings,” or in other words, savings related to time. Prior to web-to-print, the printing process included numerous emails or phone calls back and forth with the print provider. Files needed to be sent, received, corrected, approved, and re-sent. This cycle would repeat until the project was finally approved. Web-to-print allows most of that back and forth to be eliminated.   After the initial approval of a printed piece, the approved artwork is added to the “store.” Users can then go to the online store the next time it is needed, search for the item, specify the number of copies needed, see and approve a proof, and order. Ordering through web to print can be done in minutes. Web to print can be used to order both static and variable products, such as business cards.  Customers can enter or change any variable information, such as name, telephone number and email address before the variable design is finalized. Marketers and administrators can also save their valuable time by allowing end users to log into the account and place a self-service order. To ensure orders are correct, administrators can be set up to approve orders upon submission.

Brand Protection

Another important benefit of web-to-print is preserving the integrity of a company’s brand standards.   This is especially true for decentralized companies with multiple remote offices. It is more convenient to provide an outlet such an online “store” for each local office to order its own marketing materials as needed. This puts less administrative responsibility on the corporate office. This also allows the remote office to better control their internal budget as well as the timing of when they receive their stationery, literature, and marketing materials. In the past, this was challenging because the corporate office needed to maintain control over the look and standard of the brand. Allowing offices to be in control of their own ordering risked lack of adherence to brand standards.  Now, with web-to-print, the convenience of remote office ordering no longer conflicts with maintaining strong brand standards. All of the approved branded material files can be loaded centrally on the web-to-print site. The remote office can then order the products in desired quantities, with customization if needed, while assuring the corporate office that the brand integrity is maintained.

Customization

Finally, web-to-print offers a company the ability to put a template online and customize it as required to meet local or campaign specific needs. For example, banners, signs, or flyers can be updated for events or campaigns, while maintaining the same design and messaging.  Additionally, core materials can be shared between various geographic offices while allowing for local customization. While “web-to-print” solutions are no longer new, many marketers have not yet taken advantage of the opportunities to streamline process and save time.  Consider a web-to-print service if you want fast, easy, and efficient ordering of your materials and if you are facing the challenge of maintaining your brand standards in a decentralized environment.

Twin Cities Web-to-Print Provider

agOnline is Alphagraphic's interactive platform that allows you to design and order all of your print, promotional and marketing materials. With agOnline, your storefront is customized to your business. It is very user-friendly, providing print on demand functionality giving you strict control over costs, delivery and providing easy reporting.To learn more about how AlphaGraphics Minneapolis and Alphagraphics Apple Valley can help you with web-to-print solutions, visit our website or contact your AlphaGraphics expert today at (612) 340-1111.  

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