When Printed Documents Are Still Better Than Digital

It’s not a secret that digital files have replaced printed documents in many instances. But there are still times where you still need an ink-on-paper record of a transaction, official form, or other experience.

So where does it still make sense to use print?  Here are some examples:

1. Official documents. These are things like vehicle titles, birth certificates, or other items that need exclusive endorsement or limited access. Many of these documents have special security features like watermarks, security papers, borders, or embossing to identify them as authentic. Paper documents like these are difficult to replicate as digital documents, or to forge.
2. Chain of custody documents. King Printing Solutions used to make millions upon millions of multi-part printed forms every year, often for situations where several people or locations needed a copy as proof that a transaction had occurred. This is still the case in some instances, like drug testing, traffic tickets, or other documents.
3. Keepsakes. Because of security, most concert or game tickets today are electronic, with codes that must be scanned. It’s not the same as a paper ticket that was torn in half, and you kept something that you could save. But there are still many occasions and events where a paper souvenir is something that you’d want to hang on to for years to come. Which brings us to one additional point:
4. Permanence. Technology moves fast, and many of the high-tech storage systems we used even a few years ago are outdated. And if an electronic record fails, it’s typically lost forever. Paper documents are stable. Books last for hundreds of years. If something should be kept and held, then print is still the obvious choice.
5. Impact. Print documents, done properly, can make a more memorable, lasting impact than electronic documents, especially in a world where you’re exposed to thousands of images on a screen daily.

For nearly 50 years, King Printing Solutions has helped companies create documents that are memorable, impactful, and effective. Many of the items we printed years ago are still relevant and in use today.

Learn more about how we can help you use print by starting a conversation here.