Digital Finishing: Different Paths to Success

Moving the postpress operation to the front end drops the minimum run length (and setup) from 500 to 50 pieces. "Traditionally, to set up a diecutting press, you need at least 500 pieces," Hirsch explains. "If you diecut first, you can print as few as 10 and alter the type and photos on each one."

This capability has profound marketing implications. Hirsch can send out four different postcards in lots of 50 and (he contends) generate a 40 percent response. "One day I send a fish. The next day I send a piggy bank. The next day I send a bite card or a hotcard. The cost is about the same for each. The unique shapes get immediate attention and my clients can follow up with a phone call and generate an appointment to close a sale."