Choosing a new printing company

Printed materials are a key part of marketing and promotional activities.  

In this digital age, it may be easy to think that we are on our way to a paperless society but we beg to differ. The Royal Mail have reported an increase in short run, personalised mailings and businesses are still relying heavily on print for many of their marketing campaigns. 

Whether it’s a simple business card, brochure or a more complicated piece of direct mail, receiving a printed product ultimately leaves you with something to have, hold and keep. Print should still be positioned as a fundamental part of your overall marketing strategy.

How do you choose a print supplier you can trust?

With so many print suppliers out there and most of them promising you the world, it is all too easy to become baffled by terminologies and quickly get lost in a minefield of different print processes. Before you know it you are operating with 3 or 4 different suppliers with contrasting processes and your marketing message has rapidly become distorted before your very eyes! You need a company who will act as your partner, holding your hand along the way and clearly and concisely explain all the different print processes that are involved in your project, so there are no nasty surprises around the corner. 

With so many ways to produce your print including digital, litho, flexo, screen print, wide format and continuous print, having a supplier who can advise you on the best print choice and be on hand at all times, can be truly invaluable. You can then rest easy that your material will look consistent throughout, whichever process is used to print it.

Technology is ever-expanding so it is vital to make sure that your supplier is in tune with these changes and is prepared to react to these advances in new software. Investment in new equipment and software is very costly and in such a competitive market, you have to make a return on your investment to ensure any printing equipment you buy has a sensible shelf life.

Not every print company can keep up with these on-going changes or latest technologies and may not be capable of producing all formats of specialist printing under one roof.

There is a very simple solution to this - an agency or print management specialist will remove all of this uncertainty.

A respectable printing agency will have all the necessary contacts and industry knowledge to advise you on how best to produce your print job and offer you the best and most relevant printing format for your printed piece.

An agency that has an in-house design studio will also provide you with the flexibility to manage how your job is created from the very start. Offering a full range of services under one roof, whether it is design, printing or marketing can be a far more efficient choice. 

Do they have an exceptional track record?

It is important to ensure they have an excellent track record with good quality customer referrals. There is no better way than being recommended by another client who has previous experience of using your potential print partner. 

You need to choose a company that you feel you can trust and build up an honest and reliable relationship, someone who really delivers what they promise and will look after you when the unexpected happens.

Competitive prices, that old chestnut…

We have all seen companies stating that they “will beat any quoted price!” Don’t take this as gospel and take your time to choose wisely. After all, can someone who states they will beat any quoted price really provide you with a quality service and give you everything you actually need? In our experience this simply isn’t possible.

Surely an agency offering a well-balanced package is a far better solution to ensure you get personal satisfaction and confidence in your print. How often do you hear that the cheapest is not always the best?

Lastly, take your time to consider the people working behind the company. Are they pleasant to deal with, how long do they take to answer the phone, do they offer a personal service or are you always transferred from one person to another? Knowing that you can talk to the same person and receive a one on one service with an honest approach can really be worth its weight in gold.

So, if you take on board these tips and don’t let yourself be fooled by quick and easy promises, we are sure your printing job will run smoothly and be a pleasant and stress free experience.

Need further help with your printing?  Visit our printing page for details on our printing services or download our free print guide ‘The ultimate guide to business printing’ for some handy printing tips.