Digitalgg Printing: Transforming Memories into Masterpieces by Jared Davis, MCPF, GCF

ometimes,ometimes, as custom Sframers, we forget that our service is a secondary one in the grand scheme of a customer’s wall-decor selection. That is, consumers don’t invest in a custom frame unless they have something to put in it first, and these days, that something Business owner, Gillian Radford and picture framer, Chris Martin from Norvek Framing & is much different than Photography in Perth, WA. Norvek combines both custom framing and digital printing, with what it used to be. both concepts being equally essential to the businesses growth and success. More than a decade creating their own artwork from their memories ago, the art print industry was thriving and based on digital photographs. Whole industries generating a lot of framing business for custom have been created and propelled out of picture framers. There was a constant stream digital photography, including scrapbooking, of newly released images by a diverse group of photobooks and wide-format digital printing, or artists—all driving a strong wall-decor market. custom imaging. Today, that market is only a small fraction So, we find that amongst other things, today’s of what it once was, especially for custom consumer wants to put his or her own memories frameshops and art galleries. on the wall, rather than someone else’s vision So, where did all this business go? What has or artistic interpretation. Apart from both replaced this market, and what are people personal and sporting memorabilia, memories putting on their walls now? The answer: also refer to a rapidly growing market in digital memories. photography. Consumers today would rather hang their own photographs of the Sydney Art, of course, is still a primary product that Harbour Bridge than an artist’s photograph or generates custom framing work. But wide- painting of it. format digital printing and photography are strongly growing primary products that also When it comes to luxury purchases, today’s generate the need for more custom framing consumers strive—and potentially pay more— business. for owning something unique and individual, and nothing is more unique, individual and In general, mainstream consumers no longer personal than their own memories, combined find generic framed prints as appealing as they with their own unrecognized talent. once were, and few businesses can survive on selling this type of product alone, as they As custom framers, the more we can help fulfil once did. With the digital revolution leading the something-to-put-in-it requirement, the the way with digital cameras and photography, more potential custom framing work we create consumers are now self-proclaimed expert for ourselves. As business owners, it is always in photographers, spending time and money our interest to offer and promote these primary opportunities as much as possible. Don’t Drive Business Away How often do you hear customers ask: Do you print on canvas? Consumers are looking for this type of wall-decor in their homes now more than ever, and they naturally come to custom framers to provide it for them. This indicates a strong demand out there for this type of product. But, how much of this business do you currently refer to other businesses— perhaps the photo shop down the road—simply because you don’t offer this service? Pushing this type of potentially profitable business away from your Matt Puchalski from Masterpiece Framing from Chicago, USA has created this eye- shop is detrimental, as you are not catching, permanent in-store display to help educate and inform customers of their digital printing concepts & solutions, with an integrated PC and ‘service bar’ for guaranteeing it will come back customers to use. to you for subsequent framing or stretching. How to Promote Custom Imaging If you are fearful of getting into digital printing, When it comes to selling custom imaging, then don’t. But at least consider working out an you need to visually show your customers arrangement with another business that offers this what you offer. The concept of digital printing service, so you can outsource this work and not be is still new, and today’s customers might in a position where you have to refer it elsewhere not be able to visualize what you do. So, it and lose the client. is essential to display creative and popular The Benefits of a Wide-Format Digital Printer design concepts and elements for inspiring A wide-format digital printer (such as an Epson your customers. Here are three ways: Surecolour Printer) allows you to take any 1: Demonstrate Converting “This” Into high-quality digital image or photograph and “This” print a high-quality version onto a variety of Display a standard 4” x 6” photo. Then, different substrates and media, including canvas, show the same image blown up into wide- photographic paper, super-high-gloss photo paper, format canvas and different sizes with fine-art watercolour paper and even matboard. different effects, such as black and white Regarding size, you are only limited by the width of and polarized. Show different-sized images your printer, so if you only have a 16”-wide digital printed on different media, in different effects. 2: Post Signs In Your Store To promote your custom imaging services, create a sign that reads, “We offer different ways to put YOUR memories on YOUR walls!” 3: Show a Variety of Options Display different concepts, such as photographic collages or the ever-popular, wide landscape photos of common holiday destinations. printer, you can still print a 16”- x- 60”- wide landscape The Essential Display photo onto canvas off a roll. The most essential display every Many framers have traditionally thought that the main frame-shop needs is a “Good— business potential in owning a wide-format digital Better—Best” display. This is printer lies in being able to offer and sell reproduction especially critical for showcasing prints for artists; that’s certainly possible, but it really only canvas-stretching options. When represents a small percentage of where the true potential customers enter your store and ask, and profit lies in a wide-format digital printer. The real “Do you stretch canvas?”, what is profit and potential is being able to offer wide-format your response? Perhaps it’s “yes,” but custom printing for the average domestic consumer’s both your and their expectations memories and photos and allow them to convert these are nothing more than a generic into personalized artworks, or, in other words, transform gallery-wrap job. You could, however, memories into masterpieces. potentially be getting more framing work from many of these requests. Wide-format digital printers are actually not that Why not create a simple display of real expensive to buy or lease considering what they can do examples that shows three different and the level of technology they offer. And, the learning options for stretching canvas? The curve on how to operate them (with software like Adobe display could consist of the same 11” Photoshop) is not difficult for most framers with PC x 14” image (the more emotional, experience. With the abundance of free video tutorials the better) framed and presented available on YouTube, a person can become self-taught different ways. The powerful display and proficient at offering specialized digital effects on pictured above works as an up-selling photos, and even photographic restoration work, in weeks. tool for customers who already have Digital Printing vs. Custom Imaging generic gallery-wrapped canvases on “Digital printing” is a commonly used, technical, detached their walls at home but are looking term describing what a wide format printer can offer to uplift, change, enhance or update a consumer. However, the term we, as custom picture them a bit. And, customers really framers, should really use to describe wide-format digital like the fact that they can bring their printing is “custom imaging” because a wide-format canvases in for an affordable upgrade printer offers just that—customized image creation. That’s to an improved, timeless style of any image, any size, and any format on any media— presentation. Dave Wetterstroem from Framemakers of Powell, USA uses his graphic design knowledge to create inspiring promotions like this which help educate and inform customers about their printing and framing solutions.

totally customized to suit your decorating 13 Benefits of Offering Custom Imaging requirements. 1: It is relatively inexpensive equipment to invest in. The term “custom imaging” also has a nice, Or, at the very least, it can be outsourced. complementary ring to it when used in conjunction with the term “custom framing.” 2: It both complements and generates more custom (i.e., “We offer custom framing and custom framing. imaging.”) 3: It is appealing to today’s consumers as a highly As long as consumers keep having memories, desirable option of wall decor. there will always be a need to preserve these 4: It appeals directly to the same demographic of treasured moments, and being able to convert consumer that also buys and appreciates custom them into artwork and wall decor is extremely framing. desirable. Tap into the memories market as 5: It gives customers an extra reason to come into much as you can, and keep your business your store. up-to date with the future direction of our industry. Custom framers who are serious 6: It attracts new clients that you wouldn’t have had about long-term survival in our changing and before. (Remember the “Do you print on canvas?” competitive industry need to embrace the question.) custom imaging revolution. 7: It allows the possibility to offer corporate signage and display work. Jared Davis, MCPF, GCF, is an educator at industry tradeshows and has authored numerous articles for 8: It allows you to affordably create your own major industry publications. Jared can be reached at: professional point of- sale signage and promotional [email protected] posters for your own store. 9: It allows you to offer limited-edition runs of printed artwork for artists. Interested in Getting into 10: It can possibly offer customized printing on Digital Printing? matboard (depending on the model and brand of Contact Scott Bethune from printer), which is ideal for specially framed corporate Megawood Larson-Juhl for and sporting memorabilia jobs, where colourful information on our industry logos, images and words are used on the mats. leading range of EPSON Wide ? 11: If you don’t have the right colour mat, it’s no Format Digital Printers. problem. Just print the exact colour you want. 12: It gives your business another source of profit and income.