Innovative inkjet printers that produce high quality documents at lower cost and the fastest ever printing speeds are helping small business owners increase their productivity and reduce overheads.

Despite digital communications like e-mail and online marketing, printed materials still play a key role in communication for small businesses. Research from analysts IDC shows that smaller companies are less likely than bigger organisations to digitise their workflows: only one-fifth of small companies were likely to do this, compared to twice as many larger companies.

For small businesses that are looking to grow their customer base in competitive markets, the ability to produce professional printed documents quickly and cost-effectively is vital.

Making a good first impression is incredibly important and you can’t overestimate the power of high quality, well-designed printed materials in new business and other marketing activities. Consumers are inundated with direct mail, so getting noticed is half the challenge for businesses and research has found that customers are much more likely to read documents that contain colour.

A new generation of inkjet printers designed specifically for business use is faster and more cost-effective than comparable laser printers and enable time-pressured businesspeople to succeed in a competitive economic environment. In addition to reducing the cost of printing, the networked devices are allowing small business owners to connect, collaborate and do business from wherever they need to, improving overall business processes.

Due to significant improvements in performance, the research firm InfoTrends expects the use of business inkjet devices to grow rapidly. Although it was once thought that inkjet printers were only adequate for home use, smart businesses are challenging this assumption and bringing ink into the office. In addition to the improvements in speed and cost, the new generation of inkjet printers is providing the mobility and flexibility needed by businesspeople who must be connected at all times, wherever they are. In today’s fast-paced environment, every business meeting is a vital opportunity to generate new revenue. Therefore, small business owners need to be flexible, less tied to their desks and more responsive, for example travelling to meet customers in pursuit of new opportunities. This is one reason why, according to analyst firm IDC, two-thirds of the workforce in Western Europe have a degree of mobility.

The latest inkjet printers provide a seamless mobile printing experience allowing owners to quickly print e-mails, presentations and other business documents from virtually anywhere using their web-connected or Wi-Fi enabled smartphones and tablets. Within seconds, you can make sure all materials are fully up to date. This means going into a business meeting with a potential client or investor confident that you have the materials to show your business in the best light.

By increasing choice in business printing, we are seeing more and more businesses choosing ink printing over laser. In a world full of digital communications where the printed page can be used to even greater effect, this means that small businesses will be able to quickly produce the high-quality, cost-effective documents necessary to grow their revenue and delight their customers.

Mercè Barcons is vice president, Inkjet Hardware Category, EMEA printing systems, HP.

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