Looking for a cost-effective way to grow your business and communicate your brand?

In an Instagram society, visuals are very important, and it’s especially true in the food service industry. For instance, a study led by Crowdriff showed that including a photo of items on menus increased orders by 30%.

With on-demand printing, you can now harness the power of visuals by printing high-quality images on your menus and ensuring your marketing materials are always on-trend without having to break the bank.

What is on-demand printing?

With the rise of digital printing, an increasing number of companies have started to offer on-demand printing services. The idea is simple; you send a digital file to your printing partner, and they print the exact number of copies you need when you need them. Because digital printing doesn’t require the use of plates or minimum order quantities, the process is cheaper and more sustainable than traditional printing. It also allows for customisation, which is a powerful way for companies to grow their business nowadays.

The benefits of on-demand printing

On-trend

With on-demand printing services, you can always be one step ahead of the competition as your menus or table tents can be tweaked and adapted to any occasion in the blink of an eye (almost). Is there a local event happening next week? Add a special menu item referring to the local event to your menu to impress your guests and put a smile on their face! They’ll remember you and your efforts to not only offer great food and service but also provide them with a whole experience.

Adaptability

Because all the on-demand printing company needs from you is a single file that contains the marketing collateral you need to print, it’s also very easy to make changes, adapt, adjust or tweak your material. You’ve decided to remove or add a dish to your menu? Quick and easy! Just send the new menu item to the printing company, and they’ll amend the menu for you.

Price

Printing companies usually charge a premium fee to destroy outdated or inaccurate materials. By using on-demand printing services, you’re no longer ordering excessive marketing collateral such as menus, coupons, table tents or business cards to meet the minimum order quantities. Therefore, you no longer need to pay for storage or destruction fees of obsolete printed material. Besides, with digital printing, no plates are needed, so the setup costs are lower. This, in turn, leads to lower prices for the customer.

Sustainability

Some companies specialise in large orders and provide a discount for these, encouraging clients to order much more materials than they need and charging a hefty fee for the storage. As marketing collateral becomes outdated, these companies charge the clients for the destruction of the extra menus, business cards or table tents contributing to paper waste and pollution. On-print demand means there is no minimum quantity for your orders. Because you’re only printing what you need, you also contribute to sustainable practices as you’re minimising the risk of waste. Green printing has never been easier!

Types of on-demand food service printing services

As a food service operator, you probably noticed the changes in customers needs and values over the last decade. Nowadays, it’s not just about the quality of the food; it’s mostly about the experience you provide. Not only do you need to brand your venue to cater to the thirst for unique experiences, but you also need to ensure your marketing collateral fits in with the whole experience strategy.

Menus

Menus are an important tool for a restaurant, cafe or bar to communicate about the quality of their offer with customers, share their story and create a unique experience. They’re also a critical element of a food service brand strategy. Recognisable menus matching the font, colours and design of the rest of the marketing collateral is a great way to build consistency and stand out in your customers’ minds.

Using on-demand printing services means you can easily re-brand your venue or tweak your branding. Besides, as mentioned before, menus are a great place to add special dishes based on local events or stories. Not only will adapting your menus make your venue memorable, but it’ll also encourage repeat customers as they will want to check what’s next on the menu. Another reason to be able to easily tweak your menus is the fact that healthy millennial are driving changes to the Australian food culture. As trends evolve, so should your menu.

Table tents

Similarly to menus, table tents are a great tool to convey a special message, tell a particular story, celebrate an event or let your customers know about discounts or specials. Their design should match the rest of your marketing collateral.

Business cards

Business cards provide your customers with essential information such as your location, your phone number and website details. However, they’re much more than that.

Indeed, business cards can be used to create customer loyalty and increase brand awareness. Turn your business cards into punch cards that allow your customers to get a free drink, dessert or meal after they’ve bought nine meals, drinks or coffees.

Creating magnetic business cards is another way to subtly remind your customers about your venue and your great offering. By sticking the card to their fridge, they’ll become very familiar with your branding, and your name will pop up the next time they’re up for going out for a meal or a drink.

Coupons

Another interesting statistic from the Crowdiff study showed that 66% of consumers are more likely to remember about a voucher or coupon if they have a physical print in their wallet or in their house. Make sure your coupon carries your brand identity with font, colours, logo and other design elements matching the rest of your collateral. This way, your customer will easily remember where they got the coupon from and why they took it.

Mail

Print marketing is on the rise as customers enjoy interacting with physical prints. Touted as being more tangible and concrete, printed collateral has a longer-lasting impression on customers. Therefore, sending mail to your customers (along with emails) should be part of your brand strategy.

Customise your mail using on-demand printing services so you can communicate about your seasonal dishes, your current offers and your upcoming events. 23% of customers buy or order something after receiving an offer in their mailbox, making direct mail marketing an opportunity to harness. Besides, you’ll definitely stand out as most competitors are solely relying on emails these days.

We hope this article sheds some light on how on-demand printing can help you increase your sales and brand awareness. If you feel like it’s time for you to revamp or improve your marketing strategy, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to discuss your needs and see how we can help.