Realistic Web Based Business Opportunities
for Commercial Printers
by John
Knapp, Binary Graphics, Inc. Seattle
© 1997 Binary Graphics, Inc. All rights
reserved worldwide.
Originally appeared in Canadian Printer Magazine
Everyone acknowledges the web as one of the more
significant events in recent history. Like the discovery of
gunpowder, we know it will change things but we're not sure
how. Experiments are underway at most plants while printers
busily try to figure out how they should use it. This
article will help you look beyond the obvious and gain
better perspective into your web involvement.
Your web initiative will probably consist of up to three
different aspects: PROMOTION to make your distinguishing
differences obvious to prospects visiting your website. WEB
PRODUCTION to help clients leverage existing materials in
new ways using the web. PROCESS AUTOMATION to get closer to
your customers, increase efficiency and facilitate
compelling new services. I suggest you develop a plan to
address all three within one year of posting your first
company website.
PROMOTING your company through a website is most people's
first venture into cyberspace but be careful, the standard
website-as-brochure is already passé. Use your
website to highlight the unique aspects of your company.
Share weekly success stories to spark ideas and show how you
go the extra mile. Every sales person, estimator and planner
should use e-mail to develop closer relationships with
clients. This first aspect of your web initiative is
inexpensive and you already have all the people and
equipment to make it happen. Just don't stop there.
WEB PRODUCTION is a revenue generating opportunity for
commercial printers. But let me be clear: I am not talking
about simple web page creation. That's your customers
business and you shouldn't compete with them. (About 33% of
the designers I talk to are doing web page creation now and
most of the rest are gearing up. Ask your customers.) You
can fill a critical need helping them turn their web pages
into advanced websites. They need you to provide database
interfaces, CGI scripting, electronic commerce tools,
ActiveX and Java programming. You should also operate your
own web servers to host customer sites and tightly integrate
these services into your production workflow. This second
aspect of your web initiative will require 4-5 additional
staff, about $US30,000 of equipment and about $US2,500 of
monthly telecommunications and internet connectivity
charges. Website programming and hosting may not be for
every printer but innovators that go this direction will
extend their vitality and their value to the creative
companies they serve.
This will require 2 programmers, a system administrator
and a project manager. Hire experienced programmers from
local schools or technical colleges. The system
administrator will manage and operate the web server, set-up
new accounts and maintain existing websites. In addition to
keeping projects on track, the project manager should work
with sales, estimating and accounts receivable staffs
bringing them up to speed. The workflow will include client
contact, proof and revise cycles, an on-going flow of data
from your clients and ongoing maintenance of the websites.
Fee structures often include project rates for development
work and monthly fees for website hosting and maintenance.
Hardware requirements consist of staff workstations, a
web server and networking gear. Overbuy on all this
equipment and be ready to expand. Network this group to the
prepress department for file transfers. Your full-time
"upstream link" to the internet needs to be fast. (A T1 is a
typical connection.) Select your internet service provider
carefully and talk to their clients about reliability of
service before you sign-up. (Your reputation is based on the
quality of their service.)
The third aspect of your web initiative, PROCESS
AUTOMATION, is where you can save money and become more
efficient. See what A&a Printing in Menlo Park
California is doing in this area. (www.aaprint.com) They've
created a web based information gathering system for
estimating, job tracking and scheduling functions and offer
a job upload facility. While this has necessitated custom
programming in the past, packaged software is emerging.
Luminous Corporation (www.luminous.com) has developed a
program called PrintersWeb. It facilitates quotations and
job input by interfacing a web page to a database in your
shop and it integrates with the Adobe Virtual Network for
production file submissions. It allows clients to check job
status and it serves as a communications conduit between
your clients and staff. You can run this with the same staff
and equipment you use for web production so the incremental
costs are slight. If you are not doing web production, you
will still need much of the same equipment; in that case
give the operational responsibility to your existing
prepress staff.
The web is here to stay. The printing and publishing
industry has entered an age of coexistence that spells
opportunity for those willing to participate. Those plants
that can leverage and expand their expertise will be the
leaders of tomorrow.
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