DIGITAL digest

Efforts Undertaken to Stimulate Digital Printing Business

CHICAGO—Digital printing equipment might as well carry a warning label—"Customer education required!"—given how often that need is cited as the reason for the slower than expected development of the market segment. Several new programs recently have been introduced by industry groups and companies to try to fill the void.

"Designing4Digital" is a new customer education program launched at Graph Expo last month by the Digital Printing Council (DPC) of Printing Industries of America (PIA). This multimedia "outreach toolkit" reportedly is designed to help printers educate their customers about the benefits and techniques of digital printing, thereby stimulating new business. It is said to help print users understand the concepts and terminology of digital printing, and teaches them how to correctly create files that produce imaginative printed products.

The DPC partnered with Frank Romano, who is the Roger K. Fawcett Distinguished Professor of Graphic Arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology, to develop the program's content. It has been packaged into an interactive CD-ROM, a second reference CD-ROM and a book.

The interactive CD-ROM consists of 10 lesson modules that explore the fundamentals of digital printing, including databases, design issues, design approaches, linking data to design, digital workflows and more. Examples of variable-data printed projects also are provided. Each lesson takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.

The reference CD-ROM and book contain additional supporting materials related to digital printing. Included is a PowerPoint presentation that can be used by printers to host seminars for their customers.

DPC claims that the program is vendor neutral, so printers can tailor information to highlight their capabilities and workflow. However, four of the leading industry vendors—Electronic for Imaging (EFI), Heidelberg, Hewlett-Packard and Xerox—did contribute to the toolkit's development and reviewed the content, as well as helped fund the project.

The DPC is working with PIA affiliate offices and other organizations to bring local "Designing4Digital" orientation programs to printers throughout the country. These half-day training seminars will demonstrate how to use the program effectively.

A single copy of the toolkit costs $49 for DPC members, $99 for PIA/ GATF members or $149 for non-members. Bulk copies in bundles of 10 for seminars are available at a discounted rate of $350 for DPC members, $600 for PIA/GATF members or $1,000 for non-members. (http://www.gain.net)

Kennesaw, GA-based Heidelberg USA also used Graph Expo as an opportunity to announce new digital education offerings. It has added several new programs under its Business Development Services umbrella.

"Owners Guide to Digital Printing" offers support and coaching for transitioning to digital printing. Topics include: marketing strategies, purchasing considerations, compensation for digital sales professionals, training considerations and pricing for digital production. As a program sponsor, the company also plans to put on its own sessions using the aforementioned "Designing4Digital" program.

Other offerings in Heidelberg's current Business Development Services course catalog include: "How to Sell Short-run Color/Digital," "A Roadmap for Going Digital," "Hiring the Digital Sales Representative," "The Basics of Variable Printing," "How to Sell Variable Printing" and "Customer Success Stories & Public Relations." (www.us.heidelberg.com)

Just prior to the show, Hewlett-Packard launched a special "HP Impressions" program to promote the benefits of its digital publishing solutions. The program is being kicked off by a nationwide truck tour targeted to printers, graphic design agencies, corporate enterprises and paper manufacturers.

"The HP Impressions program is designed to show each of the communities in the digital publishing ecosystem how they can improve their impressions, both figuratively and practically, by using our solutions and services," says Bill McGlynn, HP vice president, Digital Publishing Solutions, in Palo Alto, CA.

The road show is scheduled to roll on through the summer of 2003 with stops in urban centers that have been identified as the country's largest print markets by the National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL).

The interior of the tour's custom-designed, 18-wheel trailer truck has been reconfigured as an all-digital workflow environment featuring a range of printing presses and related equipment. The new HP Designjet 5500 large-format printer also will be featured, along with the HP Designjet 50ps and HP Remote Proofing. (www.hp.com)