Printing 101

Baby Steps To Print Purchasing Know How

The Printing Crash Course - Printing School

What Should I Ask My Prospective Printer?

Find some competitive printers when starting a project to be printed and ask to discuss the project with them. Get recommendations, ideas and pointers from as many sources as possible. Assemble ideas and formats. If this is your first project, consider all alternatives, the process does get easier each subsequent time... have patience and ask as many questions as necessary to understand the process. Depend on advisers that seem to know what they are doing over printers that profess to "know it all".

The printer will need to know as much detail on the job you are trying to print as possible. A good start is size, quantity, colors, sides, paper color, paper weight, folding requirements, other finishing requirements, use of printed piece, etc., etc. Each little element of the detail you can give your printer, the easier it is for them to recommend and advise you on the possibilities for the production of your printed job.

In addition to just discussing the details of the job with the printer, consider items like the hours of operation, equipment, proofing processes, changes and charges, scheduling, quality control, references, payment options, credit terms (if any), repeat runs, ownership of plates or images, storage of items for future use.

Getting to know your print supplier, and retaining loyalty to one or a small group of print suppliers is an advantage to the print user, as the quality of service will increase on repeat visits even for different projects as the printer gets to know you and your projects, its quality requirements, and its application after it leaves the print shop.

Ask for samples, testimonials and references. Your first job is the nervous stage, then it just gets better.

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