Business Tools

3 Tips for Finding A Qualified Commercial Printing Shop To Work With

Print Shop

If your business creates any kind of printed materials, be it a sales catalog, flyers, advertising materials or more, you likely have at least a portion of your budget allocated for printing costs. Luckily, with a little research and the right set of parameters, you can often find a commercial printing shop that will be able to fulfill all your printing needs without breaking your budget. To help your business in this area, here are three tips for finding a qualified commercial printer to work with.

Use Printing Associations As A Resource

For those starting from scratch with finding a commercial printer to work with, you should start by doing research through some printing associations. Not only will these associations be able to help you know what you should be looking for in a reputable commercial printer, but it may also help point you in the right direction for finding actual candidates to work with or products to use. Some of the associations you might want to start with include the National Association of Quick Printers or Printing Industries of America.

Ask About Turnaround Times

Once you find a couple commercial print shops, it’s now time to determine which one will be best for the needs of your business. While there are quite a few questions you should be asking about all your candidates, Louise Jones, a contributor to Excel Colour Print, shares that one of the most important things to consider is turnaround time. If the printer isn’t able to get your order to you by the time you need it, there’s really no point in even doing the printing in the first place. Try to find the average turnaround time for the type of projects you’ll be needing and then find a printer that falls within that time frame.

Compare Cost With Quality

As with all things, you’re going to have to do some type of comparison where you weigh cost with quality. According to Steve Jones, a contributor to Solo Printing, you should try to find the true cost of the printing before you make a decision, which can include costs for shipping and delivery. However, cost should always be compared with quality. For example, it’s not worth it to get the cheapest printing company to work with if you’re never satisfied with the finished product. To find the right balance, seek to work with a printer that falls within your allotted budget but can give you the highest possible quality for the work you’re needing done.

If you’re looking to find a printing company to work with in a commercial setting, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you find one that will work well with your particular business needs.

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Anna Johansson is a freelance writer, researcher, and business consultant from Olympia, WA. A columnist for Entrepreneur.com, Business.com and more. Anna specializes in entrepreneurship, technology, and social media trends. You can follow her on LinkedIn.

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