Web-enabled mobile phones are much more than just a convenient way to make a phone call. Ultimately, they will likely become replacements for personal computers. This will enable consumers to instantly access information and connect with products and services anytime, anywhere in the world. Web-enabled mobile devices will create a powerful new way to reach customers, while enabling those customers to access information and connect with your products and services. The challenge is re-engineering your Web-to-print capabilities and forming a mobile-to-print opportunity for your business.

Offering a mobile-to-print site will quickly become a necessity, much like creating a Web-to-print site became integral for profitable service providers five to ten years ago. The Web-to-print catalogs will need to be constructed for mobile ease-of-use so users can find the appropriate items to order when searching with their mobile devices. Service providers will need to recognize the importance of design and usability between traditional and mobile sites. This will ultimately become the most important component for extending the printing and marketing services businesses outside of local geographies and around the globe.

While the mobile drum may not have been beating very loudly at Graph Expo, the tempo was picking up. As I wandered the show floor, a number of vendors were illustrating how mobile-to-print will be the next big thing. Some examples of emerging tools are outlined below.

Web-enabled mobile devices will create a powerful new way to reach customers, while enabling those customers to access information and connect with products and services.