I recently attended a Webinar sponsored by What They Think.com titled “Q2 Economic Webinar with Dr. Joe Webb”.

The webinar focused on the current economic standings of the printing industry and future forecasts. It comes as no surprise to anyone that that the printing and publishing industry as a whole are feeling the effects of the economy. Year over Year employment has dropped on average 12.5% for printing production and 8.8% for publishers.

The American Association of Printers says that digital media generated $113million in 2008 which is an increase of 68.4% over previous years.  All published content can basically fit into the digital media market. Companies are transitioning to digital media more and more and providing their content to their users/members, etc, via electronic mediums vs. traditional print mediums.

I thought this was very interesting in light of the technologies that are available today and the need for users to access information quickly via electronic mediums. This just proves that we are in the digital/electronic world and companies are transitioning to meet the consumer needs more and more each day.

What is digital media?
Digital media is a term that relates to supplying files electronically to users. This can be via PDF download, PageFlip Technologies, print on demand, or the ever increasing popular e-books for readers such as the Kindle, Sony, iPhone, etc.

As more and more companies address the need for digital media and devices become available to enable users to download content, e-books become more and more popular.  As an example of this, with the Amazon Kindle, Barron’s reports that Collins Stewart analyst expects the Kindle e-book to generate $310 million in 2009 and $2B by 2012
– In June, the Kindle store offered 297,000 book titles, vs. 285,000 in May.
– Amazon expects textbooks to be available via the Kindle in August 2009. Amazing that we are transitioning into electronic textbooks as well.

Why transition into the e-book market?

• Book publishers and clients need the option of providing their materials in this medium
• Reduces print costs
• Many formats are needed to be available for the users (PDF, Kindle formatted, Sony formatted, etc.)
• Part of overall new media effort in mobile marketing – this is the future

With Digital Media, you can keep your organization in the forefront of providing content to your clients while keeping your name and brand ahead of the competition.

In today’s economy and considering current technologies that are available there are alternative solutions for delivering content to users vs. the traditional print method. Traditionally printed pieces for annual meetings, reports, technical seminars or member directories can be accessed and delivered to the users via electronic mediums while still providing the users with the option to purchase the hard copy versions as well.

Print to digital media

These alternatives provide solutions for those that want “quick” access to the material. These solutions can set yourself apart from your competitors and steer your organization towards the digital/electronic world that has been knocking at the door for years.

What are some of the electronic solutions?

1. Electronic Download (PDF download) – this item has increased in value over the past several months and there has been an increase in the amount of PDF files that are available for download via a quick and easy purchase directly from your website.  Some clients that I’ve spoken with over the past several months are even providing the electronic version for free and then allowing members to “order” and pay for the printed version if they want hard copy or perhaps receive a discount if they purchase both. This all depends on your business model and strategy for members and marketing materials but a viable alternative to delivery electronic content.
2. Online Member Directories – custom develop a member module that provides users with the ability to search for members.  This is still a topic that is relevant in today’s market and can include not only having the standard member web search, but also creating a member directory PDF file based off of your member database.  As an example of this, a program can be developed that securely accesses your current member database either daily or weekly and then generates a pre-formatted/designed PDF file that is set with your member print standards.  This PDF file will have the most updated information directly from your member database and can be accessed via your member website and/or available for purchase and print-on-demand.
3. Electronic Annual Meeting Programs – this is similar to the member directory as outlined above.  You have an annual meeting coming up and the programs and schedules/presenters/participants are always changing and being updated as the meeting date looms ahead.  A program can be developed that securely accesses your program database and creates a PDF file for electronic download and/or print-on-demand for the attendees.  The look/feel of the program will be set up so that the program has the current meeting design theme and will allow for the content to be as up-to-date as possible.

These are all viable solutions to consider when viewing budgets and ways to increase your digital and electronic presence.  Technology today presents you with solutions to continually meet the demands of the consumers and your web site users to stay in front of your competition.

For more information and/or solutions, feel free to conatct me via the contact page.