Sometimes it feels like we spend our entire lives online. That goes for the business world too, as more and more transactions, communications, and interactions occur through email, texting, websites, social media, and more. But don’t declare print dead just yet! Printing—wide-format printing in particular—still serves several functions in the business world. Here are just four industries that can use wide-format printers. Look them over and consider how wide-format printing might benefit your own company.

Construction

Every building was once a dream in somebody’s head. However, between that and the final structure, it first appeared on paper. Construction companies use wide-format printers in a multitude of ways. They regularly print out plans and distribute them among the various contractors at work on a building. Often, companies hire an outside printer to produce the plans. But they purchase their own and run off plans as needed. It’s frequently a question of keeping printing costs down while ensuring that everyone working on a structure is on the same page, so to speak.

Marketing and Advertising

While the internet and social media rule as places to promote, a more “boots on the ground” approach is sometimes necessary. Print advertising supports campaigns at the ground level, often in the stores and other facilities they’re promoting. Wide-format printing also allows advertisers and marketers to see how the final ads will look, conduct focus group testing, and generally play with and brainstorm concepts from the initial stages of a campaign to the final stages.

Schools and Education

Print remains one of the best ways to put an idea in front of young minds and reinforce it. Even though more teachers, professors, and instructors are relying on digital presentations, a large poster can expertly illuminate and underscore a concept in a classroom. Having a wide-format printer in a school also provides the opportunity to create posters promoting school events and can inspire a wealth of class projects.

Photography

While there’s still a place for wallet-sized and other smaller photos, nothing beats the beauty and elegance of a large, framed photo commemorating a big event. Photographers can use wide-format printing to produce bigger and better family photos, official portraits, commemorative prints of weddings and other meaningful occasions, and more. More art-oriented photographers appreciate the ability of wide-format printers to print their images to any number of materials, including high-quality archival paper, textiles, mylar, and stickers.

Those are just four industries that can use wide-format printers. But the options are endless for anyone looking for a cool and creative way to share their images and ideas.