Does your business spend a fortune on creating printed materials? Does your printing firm charge one hour’s work for minor page layout edits?
If so, it’s time to take advantage of DTP services and take control of your offline and online product catalogs.
This article outlines the various types of desktop publishing services available.
Read on to learn of the different DTP services available. And discover how a multilingual DTP facility can increase your reach into new markets.
What Is Desktop Publishing?
DTP or desktop publishing bypasses the commercial printing setup to create printed materials.
Software like Adobe InDesign enables businesses to produce their own layouts and edit content as they wish. They can also work with third-party companies to produce documents.
The finished files are often saved in PDF format. Commercial printers can then print the documents in hi-definition and share the PDFs online.
What Are DTP Services?
Most companies don’t have the expertise, time, or software to produce quality documents in-house.
They outsource to professional firms to produce materials on their behalf. This ensures that the finished product aligns with their brand and marketing message.
Some of these services include:
- Brochure/flyer/pamphlets etc. design and creation
- Styling color schemes and font selection
- Copy-writing and multilingual translation
- Formatting content to fit multiple mediums
A DTP firm has the experience and skill to produce high-quality results.
Basic desktop publishing software like Microsoft Publisher cannot match QuarkXPress, for example. The creation of documents with mass-market appeal requires extensive training and investment. A Word or Publisher template won’t cut it in today’s digital world.
DTP service providers are experts in their field so entrust them with your online and printed materials.
Multilingual Printed Materials
Many businesses believe that Google Translate can copy their documents to launch in new markets within minutes.
Copywriting is only one factor to consider in desktop publishing. The layout of documents may change when different content gets added. Images can swap to country-specific brands as will SKUs and part reference numbers.
A multilingual DTP service takes the original document and edits it to match the new region’s expectations.
That includes accurate translation; not just the words but their essence in a local context. Colors offer different meanings so the best providers adapt them to match cultural sensitivities. And don’t forget about alphabets and character sets.
Outsourcing DTP Benefits
Hiring a third-party DTP service professional offers the greatest flexibility for your business.
You get access to expert designers that can work with existing designs or build new page layouts. They can produce content in different languages that will appeal to those cultures. And they can send you the finished artwork online from anywhere in the world.
You might think that managing your printed materials in-house would be better in the long run.
Consider the cost of hiring someone with relevant experience and technical expertise. Factor in hardware purchasing and ongoing software licenses. Don’t forget about vacation leave and the lack of multilingual ability and the benefits of outsourcing are clear.
Take Advantage of DTP Services
DTP services offer a level playing field for businesses of any size.
You can hire a professional designer to produce world-class results. You can reach a new customer base through a multilingual DTP service. And you can edit your materials as often as you wish.
Read more about DTP benefits in our technology section.
