4 Ways to Save Money with Professional Printing

In soft economic times, every business is looking for ways to save on their bottom line.  While your business must continue with advertising and marketing efforts to thrive, there are four ways you can save money with professional printing services.  

Getting a Quote
Before you can look into ways to save money, it is important to obtain a ballpark figure for how much the printing project may cost.  A printing quote will give you an idea of how much the project will cost, as well as other details, such as how soon the printed materials can be delivered.  A good quote will show the differences in prices between different options, such as heavier weights of paper/card stock or utilizing two versus four color printing.  Getting quotes from several different printing companies will allow you to ascertain how much the job should cost.

Ways to Save Money

Once you have obtained your printing quotes, then you can start inquiring about other ways to save money.  Here are four common ways that you can save money while getting professional printing services:

1.    Bulk discounts.  Think about how many items you need, and if there is a way to use more if you order more.  Many printing companies offer a cheaper price per unit if your purchase in bulk.  For example, if you can find a way to use 1000 brochures instead of 500, you could pay a much lower price per brochure.  Keep in mind that this is only effective on products you can continue to use over time.  If it is a seasonal promotion you are advertising, you may not use all 1000 brochures.

2.    Special discounts.  Some printing companies will give a special discount if you are a first time buyer.  You may also obtain a repeat customer discount if you have ordered from them before.  Or they may offer special discounts on certain products for club members.  Sometimes these specials are advertised, while other times they aren’t.  Be sure to ask about these discounts.

3.    Avoid rush orders.  Many printing companies offer quick turnaround service, but they often charge a premium for the shorter turnaround times.  Plan your project well ahead of time so that you don’t have to pay the rush fees.  This also makes sense if you are using a printing company for the first time, since it allows you time to correct errors.

4.    Take advantage of free proofing.  Many printing companies will offer free proofing services, where you are allowed to see the product before you commit to your order.  This can be a great way to correct errors and make sure that the final product is the quality you expected before getting an ugly surprise when the final product arrives.

You can save money on your printing services if you learn to shop intelligently.  Take time to shop around and find the best deals, and always inquire about discounts that may be available.  This will allow you to maximize your printing budget.