Printing:
5 secrets you
can use right now to trim your printing costs ...
Here's
how to trim your printing budget and maintain the quality
of your work.
These
days, you can easily produce your own print layouts and
copy - or, you may find working with an ad agency can save
you time and money. Either way, you'll find these five secrets
helpful in turning your ideas into a quality print piece.
1.
Choose a cost-effective format ...
I know.
I know. Your ad agency has designed a lovely new brochure
- and it is 7-1/4" x 7" and ... "oh so creative".
There
is just one tiny little problem. It doesn't fit into a regular
envelope - so, we are going to pay extra to have an envelope
manufactured and printed.
Hint: if you want to save money on your next brochure -
work with a standard piece of paper. An 8-1/2" x 11"
size works well, can be folded into thirds, and can fit
nicely inside a standard business envelope.
2.
Use color sensibly ...
OK.
It is cheap to produce black ink on a white piece of paper.
Sometimes, that is just the "look" you want. And,
you may even splurge by using some colored bond paper
for the back-ground ...
But,
highlighting the print piece with some spot color may also
be a nice way to make your print piece a little bit more
eye-appealing - with just a slight increase in your printing
costs.
And,
if you can afford it - a full-color photo or graphic image
may produce the effect you want at a price you feel is worth
it to better showcase your products, goods or services.
3.
Know your papers ...
Lots
of choices out there ... but probably better to just look
at "glossy" vs. "plain" paper to start
with ... and make certain your designer works with the printer
and paper supplier to make certain the paper is just right
for your project.
The
"glossy" papers, although ideal for reproducing
color photographs, produce a glare that may be hard for
some to read.
The
"plain" papers are often used when there is limited
art work and more text.
4.
Deadlines. Deadlines. Deadlines ...
You
need adequate lead time to get your project completed. You
can't hurry because that's when most
of the mistakes will show up.
Make
certain your agency has the finished product ready to go
to the printer well in advance of when you need it for distribution.
It insures a quality job and saves on rush charges - and
re-dos.
5.
Proofread before printing ...
Seems
obvious, huh?
Unfortunately,
it is a step that many overlook - or neglect to do because
it can be tedious - especially if the deadlines are too
close.
When
you have everything ready, proof it again. Check spelling,
punctuation, grammar ... all the little things that can
go wrong.
Even
proof the things you see all the time, like you company
name, address, phone, etc.
If you
need help with your printing, here are some things that
we do well ...
* Creative
ideas -- so that you don't have to come up with
everything yourself
* Layouts
and designs -- so that you can "see"
what the finished project will look like
* Sizzling
Copywriting -- so that your marketing materials
sell for you 24/7 and ...
* Dramatic
photographs and eye-catching graphics -- so that
your materials visually tell the story you want told.
