Commercial Printing: How to Get the Prints That you Want

Commercial printing is an expansive field. There are so many printing products, services and options that you can avail. At the same time, the technology of today makes printing richer in quality and detail so it’s really not that hard to get your printing project done right every time, right?

We can easily assume a lot of things, but to believe that we are going to get something without verifying it is a faulty exercise. As a printing client, you must be able to accomplish your printing tasks fully with the help, and of course, the service of the printing company.

Here then are some useful and practical ideas you can do make sure that you get what you need for your printing projects. As Mick Jagger has said before, “You can’t always get what you want…but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.”

1. Be Assertive
Completing your job order with a printing company is not only a transaction. It is the start, to use the cliché, of a beautiful relationship. Invest in your needs and invest in your position as a client.

It is good to ask questions when you don’t understand them. It is also good to make suggestions if you have other ideas in mind.

2. Be Specific
Along with the first tip, you should always be specific on what you want with your print project. Of course, files have the ability to show the client of what your files look like, but what if you want some embossing done. How do you specifically show your printer how you want it?

You can bring in samples or mock ups of your files if you live near your desired printing. For other circumstances or situations, you can always place a more detailed description of your print job.

3. Open Your Communication Lines
You and your printer should have open communication lines, such that you should always check your voice mail, answer your phone and check your email. This is especially true if you have rush printing orders.

In this way, you are always in the know of what is going on with your printing project. At the same time, your printer can call you if any concerns or needs arise.

4. Take Active Role in the Printing Process
Whether you have just placed a printing order or you have used your printer’s in-house graphic designer, you should always be actively involved. Know the status of your printing project, whether it is underway for gang or not.

This makes you more attuned to what tasks will come next. At the same time, you know specifically just what you need to do and be ahead of your game.

5. Understand the Choices and even the Risks You Take
You are in control of what goes in or not in your prints. You hold the decisions and it is the printing expert who can give a realistic sense of what are your best options for your project.

Whatever choice you make, understand it completely. Take into account not just the benefits but the risks as well. One good example is waiving the proof. Waiving the proof means that your file will be run immediately after payment so you won’t have to wait for the proof and approve it. However, if you do this, you risk running an erroneous print if you’re not confident about your files.

There is more to commercial printing that you should know. It is wide and varied and you can tap into a lot of your printing company’s resources if you know how to ask for them. Follow these pieces of advice and get your prints done the way you always wanted them to.