For any organization or author that is looking to have some books printed, Short Run Printing and Print On Demand are popular concepts worth exploring. Considered by many to be interchangeable concepts, Short Run Printing and Print On Demand work in tandem to greatly improve the efficiency of ordering books or any multi-page documents.
Short Run Printing allows an organization or author to order books in smaller quantities. The ability to print in Short Runs is largely made possible by the use of digital printing equipment. Unlike traditional offset printing (which is the cost effective choice for long run printing), Digital Printing does not have the upfront expense of plate creation or time consuming set-up. This makes Digital equipment the least expensive choice for printing short runs because there are only minimal set-up costs associated with each job. This keeps the unit cost of each book low.
Print On Demand refers to the printer's ability to produce books on an "as needed" basis. You order only the quantity of books you need as you need them. Again, being able to print in Short Runs on Digital equipment makes this possible.
Just about anyone looking to order books can benefit from Short Run Printing / Print On Demand. Below are the primary benefits-
1) Less Money tied up. Since you order a small quantity of books instead of a whole skid, you don't have to invest much money. And you turn your inventory faster.
2) Less Waste. Because you are ordering in smaller increments, you reduce the chance of being stuck with obsolete or out-of-date books if the content changes more rapidly than anticipated.
3) Less Risk. You have the flexibility to make frequent changes to the content or design of your book. This is great for book projects because it allows for test marketing and relatively quick adjustments.
4) Less Storage Space. Books can take up a lot of room so the less you order at one time, the less room you'll need to store them. This reduces handling costs too.
5) Faster turnaround. You can have books in your hands quicker because a shorter run takes less time to produce. Also, there is less set-up time with digital printing.
If you would like to learn more about the many benefits of Short Run Printing / Print On Demand, just let us know. We'd be happy to advise and assist with your next book printing project.
Take care! Rick
