{"id":2627,"date":"2022-04-28T09:47:03","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T14:47:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comosoft.us\/lat\/?p=2627"},"modified":"2023-05-11T15:58:17","modified_gmt":"2023-05-11T20:58:17","slug":"how-automation-makes-print-production-successful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comosoft.us\/lat\/blog\/how-automation-makes-print-production-successful\/","title":{"rendered":"How Automation Makes Print Production Successful"},"content":{"rendered":"

Contrary to what you may have heard, print is not dead. In a world where the flood of ephemeral online ads is quickly seen and forgotten just as fast, the humble printed catalog<\/a> or circular ad<\/a> can have a long-lasting effect on the consumer. This is not just a matter of personal preference. A report in Scientific American<\/em><\/a> recently concluded that \u201creading on paper still boasts unique advantages\u201d over screens.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Suppose a printed catalog is well designed and produced. In that case, it is far more likely to remain on a table or counter, a reminder of the retailer\u2019s brand and an open invitation to browse calmly at one\u2019s leisure. The same cannot be said of an online or email ad, which is swiped aside forever in an instant by the next frantic, on-screen interruption. As publishing pioneer John W. Seybold once said, \u201cPrint speaks to us, quietly and patiently.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

But no matter how effective print may be, it is still a production challenge for marketing and production teams – especially for large, multi-location retailers. The hard reality is that the complexities of data-intensive printing<\/a> can mean sacrificing cost-effectiveness, design quality, or both.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The Data Dilemma<\/h3><\/div>

By definition, catalogs and flyers are complicated. Retailers and parts manufacturers have zillions of individual products to sell. Each one contains a multitude of information data. The data includes (but are not limited to) the following information on each product:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
SKU number<\/td>\nManufacturer ID number(s)<\/td>\nMake and model<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Full product name<\/td>\nAbbreviated name<\/td>\nShort product description<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Long product description<\/td>\nVersion number<\/td>\nSize or dimensions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Color(s)<\/td>\nMaterial specifications<\/td>\nComponent parts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Relation to other products<\/td>\nManufacturer<\/td>\nPurchase history<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Overall inventory quantity<\/td>\nStore location(s)<\/td>\nWarehouse location(s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Projected availability<\/td>\nItem price<\/td>\nItem cost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gross margin<\/td>\nItem price<\/td>\nSale pricing guidelines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Product reviews<\/td>\nMarketing campaign history<\/td>\nShipping information<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Warranty information<\/td>\nDisclaimers<\/td>\nAnd more<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Of course, not all these data points will make it into a catalog or flyer, but many will. The others are all relevant to planning every campaign – AND they are typically scattered across many separate databases. If you multiply all those data points by the sheer volume of individual products advertised, then you\u2019ll get an inkling of the formidable challenges every marketing production manager faces.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Each printed marketing piece includes an array of great products selected by the marketing team for their importance to the company\u2019s bottom line. Item pricing strategies offer specials on desirable but price-sensitive items while charging normal prices on other products to make up the difference. Campaigns differ by geographic region and demographics, meaning that each printed piece must have multiple versions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

Now comes the hard part (if you can believe it). The design goal of every printed piece is to stand out in some way, be appealing and memorable enough to hang onto, and satisfy the quiet but powerful appeal of print. But with all that manual juggling of complex data<\/a>, there is little time left to focus on design<\/a>. Print versioning makes it even more critical to have a production process that reliably maintains a solid connection to all data sources during the design process.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The Automation Answer<\/h3><\/div>

With so many time-consuming variables, and so many chances to make costly errors, the only solution is to automate the process. Now, it\u2019s true that automation is a hot button issue for many companies, often fueled by fears of consolidation, downsizing, and interdepartmental strife. But, as Home Depot, Lowe\u2019s<\/a>, and other large retailers have learned, there are enormous benefits to automating the print and media marketing process:<\/p>\n