Three Tips To Help Save Money On Your Business Printing Needs
Posted on: 10 December 2015
Whether you need newsletters, mailers, business cards, or letterhead, printing services can be a substantial part of your operational budget. Since it is often spread over several categories, including marketing and office supplies, you may not realize how much your printing services are costing. While you don't want to cut corners or quality, you do need to make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck. The following tips can help you save some cash on your print needs, regardless of where they fall within your operational spending.
Tip #1: Mailers – Check Postal Regulations
The size of your direct mail pieces can affect both printing cost and postage fees. Start of with a list of prices from the post office or your mail service of choice. For example, if you are mailing postcards, you need to be aware of the weight and dimensions allowed before the next pricing tier. The same goes for catalogs, ad pages, and brochures.
Once you have this information, sit down with your printer and go over your options. For example, you may be able to save money on mailing by down-sizing your advertising postcard size. Your printer may be able to further save you money by scaling the advert to fit onto one-half of a standard paper size, so that you can print two per page. The key is to always begin with postal rates and then work backwards when designing any print product for mail.
Tip #2: Know Your Color Choices
Print color can affect price. As a general rule, black and white print jobs cost the least, followed by digital color prints. Four-color process printing cost the most, because it is the most time consuming and highest quality choice. Opt for black and white whenever possible, such as for inter-office applications, such as invoices, letterheads, or memo pads. Use digital color for the bulk of your color needs, such as on the interior pages of catalogs or for simple mailer ads. Save the more professional four-color process for things that are expected to catch attention or get a lot of use, such as the cover of a catalog, business cards, or bulletin board signage.
Tip #3: Pick the Right Paper
Much like print color, paper type also has a major bearing on your print costs. Generally, you want to use thinner, lower quality papers for inter-office use, medium quality papers for business-to-business use, and heavier weight higher quality papers for business-to-customer use. In the last category, business- to-customer, you can still save by using middle quality paper for the interior pages of an ad paper or catalog, with higher quality pages saved for the cover.
The one exception to these general recommendations is when it comes to any papers that go through office equipment, such as printers or copiers. This includes items like invoices or letterhead that is sometimes printed on in house. In these cases, opt for medium to high quality paper that is rated for use in your printer and copier. Otherwise, jams may cause expensive damage to your equipment.
For more information, talk to a professional like Kwik Kopy Business Center.
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