What To Ask Your Commercial Printer

By Author: Kaitlyn Miller
Total Articles: 100
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There are a lot of questions you can ask about commercial printing but there are only a few important ones. You can ask a just about anything with your commercial printer but make sure you try to ask several of those listed below to keep you in line.

1) How much can you quote me with my print needs?

2) Are there ways where I can get lower prices for my packages?

3) Can you help me with the designs?
Your printers must help you. While some additional fees will be included in your quote for this service, it will likely be cheaper than getting a designer from the outside.

4) Are there ways to strengthen my prints?
There are a lot of methods to strengthen your prints. You can have paper stock put on your paper for protection and make your papers a little thicker, you can also have boards placed underneath your prints to help it stand up. These choices vary greatly for every printer, so if you need big prints you need to ask this question so you will have all the methods you can use to create strong prints.

5) Are there other options aside from what you showed me?
Some printers ...
... stick to a certain look specially if they have a specific design for your prints which may not be in tune with what you have in mind.

6) Can you do custom printing?
Custom printing is important because it makes your prints shout – you. People identify your brand to the prints. When you look at prints that have been very popular and visible everywhere, you see specific colors, text or pictures that are always around in their prints, that is branding. If you want to be known you have to have your own brand too and customization definitely will help you, so make sure your printers says yes to custom printing.

7) How swift is your turnaround time?
Almost all printers if not all allow rush prints, most of them though always request for additional fees. So ask before you request for this service. If you are currently in a saving mood, have your prints done 3 weeks earlier so you reach your goal date without requesting for rush prints.

8) Are all your prints of good quality?
Your printers must show you proof that their prints are magnificent.

9) Do you respond to issues on the print even after the sale?
Some printers do not respond to you anymore once they hand out the prints to you and you are already fully paid because for them the service is already finished and they are not required to talk to you already. Printers who still respond are the more professional ones because they make sure that you are fully satisfied.

10) Do I need to do anything with my art before I submit the file?
If they do not tell you what you need to do – ask! Printers have a specific process they want their clients to follow so the printing process will go through smoothly. They will most likely tell you what files they prefer and other specifications you need to follow to get good printing results.

It is better to ask a lot of questions to the commercial printer than asking less, you need to get a lot information as much as possible so you won’t have that much problems in the long run. Commercial printing is easy especially if you are more well-informed than the rest. Ask questions – be pro-active.

For more information, you can visit this page on commercial printing