How To Choose The Right Printing Services
All businesses market their products and services in many ways – and printed marketing materials play a large part in many company advertising campaigns. Selecting the most appropriate printing services company for your business can significantly impact your brand image and overall business performance.
It is important that any printed marketing bearing your name and brand should look the part – you want it to look professional and high quality, thus projecting the image that your company’s products are of the same positive qualities. Choosing a print service company to produce your marketing materials is, therefore, an important decision – here are some considerations when selecting printing services to create that positive impression of your brand:
Establish Your Own Needs
The first thing you need to establish, before looking for the ‘best-fit’ printing company, are your own business printing requirements – unless you know what items you want printing regularly to support your business you will not be able to judge which print service is the most appropriate for your company.
Consider the items you will need the most – business cards, brochures, catalogues, banners and/or other items – consider also the quantities of each item you are likely to want to order, along with the print frequency of said items, and consider that with your available printing budget. Once you have established your own printing needs, you can then conduct a more detailed and accurate search for a printing services company that can best fulfil your requirements.
Quality of Work
Whilst cost is always a major factor, the quality of your printed materials is the biggest consideration – when sourcing appropriate printing services, it is always advisable to check for yourself beforehand the quality of any of the print shop’s work.
Your clients or customers will judge your business on the quality of the printed materials you supply to them – if your printed marketing materials, business stationery and such is poor, it is a natural assumption on their part that your services and products will be the same! Your printed materials need to present your business in a positive light so should be professional and smart!
The print service provider’s own marketing may promise excellent services and print products, but you should always seek out samples of their final products.
Any reputable print company will showcase samples of their work on their website or other social media platforms – check these out for yourself and then follow that up by visiting the print shop premises and see a selection of their actual hard copy printed products. You should look at aspects such as the colour consistency, text clarity and accuracy, and quality of the materials they use – if they satisfy your standards then you will feel more confident in placing a print order with them!
Technology
Different traditional and newer digital printing methods have their own strengths and weaknesses – and the materials you need may lend themselves to different print technologies. Establish with the printers which equipment they use – and if they have the best printers and print methods to best produce your printing requirements – as stated earlier, print quality is key!
Range of Products
Does this specific print shop cater for all your printing requirements? Confirm the range of printing they produce – if you require business cards, brochures, flyers, catalogues, and booklets ask to see samples of each of the merchandise you are going to need. Check whether they can print on materials other than paper products – you may want banners, stickers, magnets or other printed marketing merchandise – ensure this print shop can provide your exact needs before opting to use them.
Customer Service
You will want a quality service from your print provider – you aim to provide your customers with top quality service, so look to ensure you receive the same from your own providers! Always confirm the customer service levels of your selected print shop – do they listen to your requirements and, importantly, provide acceptable timescales for print turnaround and delivery?
Do they offer a same day printing service? Confirm that they can meet deadlines and offer a flexible service for ‘rush’ orders in a ‘print emergency’. Check whether they offer a personal service through a dedicated account manager – that one point of contact that will know your business and be available to communicate with you on a personal and regular basis.
Ensure that they will communicate effectively and regularly with you to confirm the progress of any order you have placed. You will want a print company that demonstrates customer value support and relationships.
Reputation
Perform as extensive research on the company as you can – check online reviews of the print provider from existing and previous customers. If the reviews are positive and consistent then that will solidify the credibility of the company in the printing market, and you can feel more assured of their products and service. Ask for samples of their previous work for other customers and references and recommendations from other satisfied clients. Look for any industry-related awards or commendations – these will reflect positively with the aspects of quality and customer satisfaction.
Pricing
The cost and pricing of your printing is always an important consideration – if considering more than one print shop to handle your business, ensure that any direct comparisons are ‘like-for-like’ with regards to cost, quality and service.
Consider some of the potential ‘hidden’ costs such as shipping and transport costs, and if there are additional charges for certain orders or revisions to existing arrangements.
Choose a print provider that is appropriate for your budget and will deliver the quality you want at an affordable price and make a ‘balanced’ decision – choosing a print service provider based purely on a cheaper price may not be a cost-effective decision in the long-term if the print quality and/or service is poor!
Sustainability Practices
A major – and ever-increasing – consideration in the industry is the environmental awareness and responsibility aspect. Look for a print provider that openly demonstrates this eco-awareness – enquire as to their materials and print practices – do they use eco-friendly inks, recycled materials, and energy-efficient technologies? Partnering with a print provider that demonstrates environmental responsibility in their everyday practice can reflect positively in your own business whilst also helping to contribute to your own brand’s environmental awareness and practices demonstrating your corporate commitment to the eco-issues and societal well-being.
When choosing your print services provider, take a holistic and thorough approach – do the necessary research on the print companies you are considering and take the time to ensure you opt for the best printing service that best aligns to your specific needs and values – your printed materials reflect directly on your business, so ensure yours accurately represents your products and services.
