Professionally printed, graphically appealing print materials are important for every company. They create a great impression for a prospective customer and reinforce your company’s brand image. But finding the right printer can be challenging.
As a consumer, your objective is to get the best quality print job for the lowest price. This means researching a variety of full-service printers, including commercial printing brokers, magazine printers, newsprint printing services or even pad printing services depending on your company’s needs.
Before you design your marketing materials, interview potential full-service printers. Be sure to ask the following questions:
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Request full-service printers to provide printed samples of their work
Reputable full-service printers will send you free samples that reflect the type of printed material you are requesting. Many magazine printers, full service book printers and newsprint printing services also provide online portfolios.
I recommend: At PrintingForLess.com, fill out a
sample request to get samples printed on a variety of papers. Professional Printing Center offers an impressive
online portfolio sorted by industry.
Ask full-service printers for a comprehensive listing of their services and capabilities
Printers service companies offer a wide range of capabilities, but most specialize in a particular type of printing service. Some printers focus on short run full color digital postcards or business cards, while other specialize in pad printing services for plastic, glass and metal items. Ask if the printer offers one-stop services like graphic design, templates or mail services.
I recommend: Search
ThePrintGuide to find the industry’s leading full-service printers. If you don’t have design experience, PsPrint offers more than
150 templates in a variety of software programs, free customized pre-designed templates for postcards and business cards and
graphic design services. Use PrintingForLess.com’s
mail services to deliver your mailing faster and cheaper.
Determine if the full-service printer can meet deadlines for your proposed printed project
Turnaround time can be a misleading term in the printing industry. For most printers, turnaround time is a production term that does not include shipping.
I recommend: If it is important to have your printed materials by a specific date, communicate that expectation with full-service printers, magazine printers or newsprint printing services. PsPrint offers a refund for rush charges if the company fails to meet a
turnaround commitment. Most full-service printers take no responsibility for shipping delays, so be sure to request a trusted shipping partner, like
UPS, that offers tracking services.
Secure a competitive price by comparison shopping full service printing companies
When comparing prices between full-service printers, read the fine print. Ask each printer to provide you with a written quote. Ask about additional costs for technical reviews, proofs or corrections.
I recommend: PrintingForLess.com offers
a free technical review for all commercial printing files. Many printers offer a free digital proof of your print job. Hard copy proofs add time and cost to production, increasing your costs. Corrections can be expensive, so check your files before submitting. See a term sheet from
Buyer Printing for typical charges for type changes and design changes.
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