It’s a mistake to think all commercial printers are equal and your task is to simply find the best price. Any professional that has worked with printers will tell you there is a real danger to commoditizing print services. Poor production, late deliveries, and lousy binding can occur when price is your number one priority. Do yourself (and your company) a favor and take the time to find a print partner rather than a print vendor. Finding the right printer is hard so before you go shopping, be sure to review your basic printing needs by answering the three questions below.
Know your Basic Printing Needs
- What types of items does my company print? – Keep in mind that “Printing” is not limited to ink-on-paper items such as business cards, catalogs, and envelopes. It also includes promotional items, company branded apparel, and signage for trade shows and other events.
- What’s my annual print spend? – This number should include all categories mentioned in #1. Know what leverage you have before meeting with potential vendors.
- How do I currently handle storage and distribution of printed marketing material? – After marketing material is printed, where will it go? Sure, some will go directly to an event, but what about the items you intend to keep in the office and ship directly to employees upon request? Consider the benefits of our print fulfillment & warehousing to streamline this process.
Knowing the answers to these basic questions will put you on the right path to finding a commercial printer to partner with for the foreseeable future. A partnership that will lead to consistent production, volume discounts, and, most importantly, less stress when it’s time to go to press.
If you’re looking to enhance the design and creativity of your print materials, explore our creative services to give your brand a unique touch, before printing.
