No, this is not a guide to bartering or price negotiation, it’s a few handy tips that will give you the best bang for your printing buck. Things like economical page counts, finished sizes, adding covers, embellishments and laminates, and choosing the right supplier for the job.
1. PAGE COUNTS.
Because of our printing equipment and paper size options, some page numbers are simply more economical than others. The easy rule of thumb is numbers (excluding the cover) divisible by 8, so 32 pages or 40 pages etc. This is the most efficient use of paper, labour and equipment and should be reflected in your printer’s pricing. If you’d like to know more about how printing impositions work, check out our blog Counting the Pages.
2. SELF COVERS VS HEAVIER COVERS.
Self covers books have the text and cover all on the same paper stock. As long as it sticks to the above rule of page counts, NOT having a heavier weight cover is a cheaper option. Why? Any part of the book on a different paper needs to be printed separately, adding to the cost.
3. EMBELLISHMENTS & LAMINATES.
No different to buying a new car or home, the more whistles and bells you add, the more it costs. Often people assume you need to ‘add’ more to stand out more, but that’s not always the case. I’ve seen plenty of ‘highly accessorised’ print work look less impressive than cleverly designed ‘plain Jane’ versions.
4. CHOOSING THE RIGHT SUPPLIER
This is a really important one, as no two printing companies will have the same equipment mix, and the ‘right’ equipment will produce a job more efficiently and at the lowest possibly cost. So how do you know if a printer is right for your job? Do your due diligence. That doesn’t mean navigating through 20 different quotes, but look at their website, ask questions and talk to more than one supplier. Check if your job will be printed ‘in house’, and yes, get a few different quotes to compare.
5. TURNAROUND TIMES
If you need your product delivered ‘yesterday’, then you might be charged overtime by the printer who doesn’t already operate a 24 hour shift. Once you’ve selected a supplier, work out a realistic time frame for artwork, proofing and production, and always allow a buffer for the unexpected.
6. DOCUMENT SIZING
Australia operates on ISO type A paper sizes. This means everything is an up or down size of A4 (297 x 210mm), and so the paper we buy best suit these sizes. That’s not to say you can’t have a square or uniquely shaped document, it’s just likely to cost you more.
Printcraft is a full service, Australia Post accredited mail house. We offer end to end solutions using print, mail and digital channels. For more information about mail processing, postage or any of the areas we touched on above, contact us.