Finding a good printer

Choosing a printer can be a pain. Anyone with a computer and a decent printer can set themselves up as a printer and profess to be able to turn your beautifully designed marketing materials or stationery into a printed work of art and frankly – some folks deliver on that promise and some don’t. We have all heard the horror stories about business cards with blurry images, brochures printed upside down and the like. What I think separates the good printers from the bad is the same thing that separates all good service companies.

Do they do what they say?

When things go wrong do they create a timely reasonable solution that makes you want to do business with them again?

So how do you pick a professional printer that you can count on?

Ask for personal recommendations from colleagues or people in your network.

Ask for samples of previous work or visit them in person to see their set up. Do they have a set up? What types of presses do they have? Can you see samples they are printing and does the shop seem clean and professional and up to date.

Printing is sometimes a cost versus quality issue and a good printer will explain the ins and outs of taking a cheaper option and what you can expect the finished product to look like so you can make the decision.

A good printer should also be able to explain printing or paper jargon in easy to understand language.

Be specific. Be prepared to talk about colors, papers, types of print. A good printer will ask you these questions. Any vagueness on the part of the printer is a sure sign you won't get the product you imagine in your head. Once you agree on these points, make sure they are written down and you have a copy to refer to.

Ask for a quote. Consider whether you got your print quote in a timely fashion. Make sure your quote includes a date that your job will be complete.

If you are comparing print quotes make sure you compare apples to apples. When you compare quotes, check the level of service. Make sure other charges such as delivery, proof fees, design fees, correction charges etc are mentioned. These are often called incidentals. Ask what extra charges you could potentially incur. Do they charge you each time a business card file is changed for a new employee? Its best to know these costs up front.

Different printers specialize in different jobs. Ask your printer what their typical customer looks like and what jobs they see the most in their shop. The printer you use for business cards might not be the right choice for a die cut folder presentation.
Make sure you are provided proofs online or ask for a hard copy printed sample. Check for typos or design errors at the proofing stage. Ask someone not familiar with your piece to proof it – they will likely catch more errors than you will after staring at it for days. Most printing errors could get caught at this stage and most printers will not provide a reprint if your files have the typos in it – however, good printers may give you a discount on a reprint. They ultimately want you to be happy with your print work.

When you get your order is it packaged nicely to prevent your printed pieces from shifting and scratching in the box?

I hope you’ll give Printz.com a try. I truly feel we fit the criteria of a great printing and direct mail partner. We print and mail in less than 48 hours. We print hard copy proofs at no charge if requested, we touch up files that need help and troubleshoot or call you if your files are pixilated, lack bleed or don’t fold correctly. We have three checks on quality throughout our print process and our pressman are top notch.