Printing has come a long way since the 1930s, when this photo was taken. There are many printing options available for quality print marketing materials. (Image courtesy of Flickr user Seattle Municipal Archives)Any company willing to invest in well-designed and carefully thought out marketing collateral should also consider carefully the printer it uses to produce successful print marketing materials. A high-quality printer with trained staff who can advise their customers on the best materials, ink and other printing options to fit their needs is well worth the time and financial investment to investigate.
People often choose a printer based on the lowest price for last-minute work. While cost and ability to get the job done in a hurry are both important, taking time to research the various options or printing companies is time well spent. One common belief is that the bigger the company, the less expensive and higher quality the printed product, but that’s not always the case.
Choosing a large national chain is sometimes sufficient, but they often do not offer as many options or are not capable of providing the same level of service as locally-owned printing companies. The Belford Group has relationships with several printing companies at the local and national level that we can choose from based on our client’s specific needs.
Interview your printing company
Customers should ask several questions when looking for a printing company, including:
- Portfolio-Does the company’s portfolio include work similar to the job your company would hire them to do and is the quality something that can be consistently produced?
- Specialties-Does the printing company specialize in a particular type of printing?
- Job size-Are there any requirements for size of job, either print minimums or maximums?
- Turn-around time-If there is a need for quick printing, can they do it? What is the normal turnaround time on most projects?
- Testimonials-Are there any recent clients who had similar work done who can attest to the printer’s professionalism?
- Other services-Printing is not just about printing, in some cases. Is binding available? Mailing? What about other services that might come increase convenience?
- Ease of transmitting documents-Most companies offer the ability to email documents or to even upload them to the company website. How easy and reliable is that process?
- Delivery options-Once the materials are printed, how will they be delivered?
Need help?
The Belford Group is a full-service marketing and website development agency with a complete staff of web developers, project managers, marketing consultants, staff writers, and graphic designers. Producing everything from logos and branding guidelines to complete marketing and media plans to SEO and internet marketing strategies for businesses and non-profits, The Belford Group believes in partnering with their clients to most effectively communicate their message.