How digital embellishment can improve your bottom line

In a world that’s dominated by digital communications, printed materials can achieve real cut-through with audiences. And printed materials no longer need to be quite so two-dimensional. Businesses can make their materials stand out from the crowd by adding a sensory element that takes them beyond the average and into a whole new realm of high-impact communications.

Impactful embellishment at a fraction of the cost even on short print runs

Digital embellishment adds an extra element to printed materials that makes them tactile and three-dimensional. This isn’t new; printers have often been able to spot varnish or create a metallic look when the customer has been willing to pay a premium and when the job run was sufficient to make the inefficient and time-consuming set-up process worthwhile.

With the rise of digital print, customers have become accustomed to being able to achieve high-quality printing with a fast turnaround even with short print runs. However, until now, digital embellishment has been too expensive to offer on these short print runs.

Digital embellishment technology has changed this. It lets printers add that three-dimensional, shiny, glossy, metallic look to just about any print job without adding premium costs. This means printers can add digital embellishment options to attract more customers and at the same time improve their bottom line. 

High-class materials that customers are willing to pay for

Digital embellishment technology lets printers spot coat prints, highlight defined areas, and add 3D effects, creating a tactile and impactful experience that makes materials pop. This makes it ideal for applications like greetings cards, invitations, menus, name cards for corporate and personal events like weddings or christenings, and more. 

Using this technology creates the kind of materials that look expensive and high-class, so customers are willing to pay a little extra for them. You can maintain your margins on these jobs because the digital varnish technology doesn’t increase costs substantially for your printing business. The result is an improved bottom line, happy customers, and a line of new customers looking to make their materials stand out from the crowd. 

The value of a tactile experience

Printers can help organisations transform their printed materials into an experience for their target audience. People are naturally inclined to touch raised and metallic lettering, for example, making them more engaged with the product and, therefore, more likely to buy it. 

In fact, research has shown that, the more people can touch and interact with a product, they more likely they are to buy it. Touching an object increases the customer’s perception of ownership and, in fact, the effect of encouraging touch can be stronger than previously believed. Psychological ownership increases by 22 per cent when customers can both see and touch a product, and their valuation of the product increases by 24 per cent, according to the research.[1]

This suggests that using digital embellishment technology to deliver a wow factor with marketing materials and product packaging can increase sales of that product, making it a hugely desirable print effect for customers. Printers who add digital embellishment to their offering can therefore charge a premium for these services.

With the holiday season on the horizon, very soon to be followed by Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and more, now is the time to consider how digital embellishment could enhance your print offering. To find out how you can improve your bottom line with digital embellishment, contact the team at Konica Minolta today.

 [1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227630721_The_Effect_of_Mere_Touch_on_Perceived_Ownership