It was said that the IT revolution and the innovations it has brought, such as document sharing online and remote storage would eventually lead to a paperless society.
But there are still many households in particularly poor parts of the UK who either do not have access to the internet at home, or who are stuck in rural areas where high-speed broadband is still a distant dream and downloading any sizeable document or attachment may not be possible.
Some people also prefer to keep their e-mail addresses restricted to only those they really want to have them.
However, there are times when organisations like schools and colleges or charities need to communicate important information to students, parents and others in the community and need printed material to look professional but without breaking the budget.
Cheap printing services are often available to order online from printing companies that keep their prices and costs down by printing in large volumes. This may provide a better option for organisations that also have to watch their budgets.
Cheap printing does not have to mean sacrificing quality either. Many printing services companies now include a pre-print design service to ensure the quality of the finished product is as attractive and stylish as possible.
There are other ways to cut the cost of printing with a bit of thought and ingenuity.
One option for educational establishments is to offer advertising space to local services and businesses whose potential customers are in this particular sector.
Bookshops, sports facilities, gyms, music suppliers, private tutors in various musical instruments are just some of the possibilities that spring to mind. Some parents themselves might have their own businesses and if approached might be happy to contribute advertising the school or college in exchange for the positive publicity.
It is also always worth asking whether the printing services company itself would consider a discounted rate for a school, college or charity in exchange for a small advertisement space, or for its name on all the material produced.
Many companies value the chance to develop relationships in the community that can demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility. A favourite way to do this is to sponsor a local worthy cause so this may well be another avenue of approach.
It is to the advantage of both the organisation they are sponsoring or contributing to and to the company doing the sponsoring to have links that enhance both their reputations.
With a little care and the right approach it is possible for organisations to have the best of both worlds – cheap printing that is also stylish and affordable.
