As a full-service marketing communications consultancy, a significant proportion of our work is designed to be professionally printed, from the latest dynamic direct mail piece or stunning exhibition stand visuals to a punchy corporate brochure or lively sales toolkit.
So it’s vital that the partners we use for print share our passion for quality. In this post I’m sharing our top tips for getting the best from printers.
The quality of printed materials reflects brand values
Communication cuts both ways
Like any area of life and business, the key to a productive relationship with a printer is communication – both ways. At the outset of a project, prepare a clear and detailed brief. And if the project demands it, a mock-up of the piece. With the objectives plainly defined, now’s the time to listen. An experienced printer can add significant value by highlighting potential issues or suggesting improvements to the specification. Your brand values are reflected in the quality of your printed materials, so if your printer suggests you should consider a heavier paper stock, or comments that the finish you’ve selected will show fingerprints, it’s worth listening.
A good match
There’s a wealth of materials and print manufacturing processes available. Selecting the right printer depends on the job and the printer’s equipment and in-house resources. For this reason, we have a roster of suppliers encompassing a variety of capabilities and specialisms, from different surface materials to finishes such as varnishes, laminates and metallic inks, and end processes such as special cutting, folding, stitching or construction. For a large scale corporate brochure project with a high print run, we could turn to our lithography specialist, whereas a digital printer might be more suitable for a simpler job with a small print run. Naturally, a competitive price for the job is important too.
Post-job debrief
Once the ink has dried, it’s time to assess the job with your print partner. With a good brief and a mutual understanding of the objectives and expectations, the finished materials should be exactly as you planned. But as with any project, there are often aspects that can be discussed and improved for the next job you work on together.
With all the print options that are available, there’s no excuse to have mediocre materials. Get in touch if you’d like us to apply our creative juices to your collateral.
