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Color Printing by Number

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Large inkjet printer working multicolor CMYK on a vinyl banner.

Five years ago, color printing may have seemed out of reach for many small and medium-sized businesses. Color printers were seen as expensive and inefficient. As with all technology, color printers have evolved.

Businesses in every industry have found that in-house color printing is not only cost-effective, documents printed in color attract more attention and carry your brand further. If your organization has an eye for numbers, here are some statistics to keep in mind as you make up your mind about in-house color printing.

Attention

If your business is still printing all documents in black and white, you could be passing up the chance to grab and retain your reader’s attention. Studies show that color increases a reader’s attention span and recall by 82 percent. Consider all the documents your company is printing internally and externally. Do you want your boss or employees to read a long report? Are you hoping to gain or retain customers by sending marketing materials via mail or distributing them after a meeting? Not only is your audience more than 50 percent more likely to pick up a full-color piece of mail, they’re more likely to understand and remember what it says. Comprehension could increase by 73 percent when a message is portrayed in color.

Savings

Color printers used to be considered too expensive and inefficient for a typical office space. However, today’s color printers are optimized for high-quality, efficient use. Color ink is not as expensive as it used to be, and printers use less ink per print job than they used to. Newer systems can also print documents with high-quality color images within a fraction of the time it took in the past. Additionally, businesses save money by having an in-house color printer and sourcing materials themselves, instead of outsourcing printed materials and footing the bill for extra costs associated with using a print shop’s services. You’re also able to print the exact number of copies you need.

Efficiency

Did you know that documents printed in color can actually make your employees better at their jobs and customers happier? Color reduces errors by 80 percent, and readers can find information in a document up to 70 percent faster if it’s in color. This means that documents that are highlighted and color coded could help employees properly enter information and spot errors in forms, and do so faster. Similarly, your business can influence the information that stands out to customers by using color to send a message and emphasize portions of a document. From a workplace performance perspective, having a color printer in your office saves you time and energy on print jobs.

Sales

Since color documents capture and retain audience attention, your business’ bottom line could receive a boost. Colors convey meaning and emotion, all of which are layered into your organization’s logo and marketing materials. These portrayed values impact viewers immediately, and most consumers form opinions within 90 seconds of their initial interaction with a brand. Between 60 and 90 percent of that first assessment is based on colors alone. Not only are color documents portraying your organization’s values and capturing attention, documents containing color can increase brand recognition by up to 80 percent.

Infomax can help your business find a multifunction color printer that fits your organization’s needs and budget. Start a conversation with us today at InfomaxOffice.com.

Tips to Save Small Businesses Money on Hardware, Devices

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Small business owners and managers know that an itemized, efficient budget is essential to their bottom line. Office equipment and supply expenses can be a drain on a budget that could otherwise be allocated to other operational costs.

You could save costs on office equipment by following these tips.

  1. Get an IT assessment. A third-party IT provider could conduct a network assessment and inventory your current IT systems. This process can identify system risks and provide a list of updates and projects your business should prioritize. A proactive approach can save your business countless dollars in cyberattacks or system failures.
  2. Use eco-friendly equipment. Offices that have switched to energy-efficient appliances and hardware have seen a decrease in monthly utility bills. Many printing manufacturers offer a line of energy-efficient devices.
  3. Lease your hardware. Leasing allows you to obtain new office equipment immediately and gather funds as you use it. Budgeting also becomes easier as businesses can plan on the same monthly payments for a year or two instead of guessing as to what their budget should be for a new piece of equipment paid in full. Businesses also are able to switch out hardware when they need equipment with updated technology.
  4. Find hardware with multiple purposes. Multifunction printers — printers with scanner and copier functions — make sense for small businesses who have to stretch their resources in many directions. Multifunction printers are a solid investment and prevent you from wasting spaces and resources on a variety of devices.
  5. Consider using refurbished equipment. Many manufacturers or dealers offer refurbished options at a discount. Your provider can provide a thorough examination of every machine. They can repair or replace worn parts to make sure that your refurbished machine runs like new so you get maximum value.
  6. Receive regular maintenance. Similar to an IT assessment, receiving regular repairs on office equipment can stave off larger issues that upend workflow, costing you money in both expensive repairs and business operations. Managed IT services are the best model to save your resources and receive a return on your hardware investments. Instead of paying large fees each time you need assistance, your IT needs are covered in one monthly payment to one vendor.
  7. Scale your services. Most businesses need a variety of channels with which to communicate with staff and with customers. A managed IT provider can set your business up with a hosted communication system, which encompasses phones, audio and video conferencing, instant messaging and VoIP — voice over internet protocol. A hosted communication system is run through the cloud, and services are scalable so you can add channels as your business grows, paying for the exact amount of services you need.