Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Choosing a Printer - 8 Tips to Consider

1.  Do Your Research - It is important to know what you want your end product to look like and the work that will be involved in getting a final printed project.  Educate yourself on the printing process by visiting printer websites.

2.  Do Try to Supply Basic Information About Printing Specifications, including:
  • Size
  • Color
  • Binding
  • Quantity
  • Paper Type
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    3.  Do Get Price Quotes From a Few Printers - Make sure that you get detailed information on any and all fees, so that there are no surprises.


    4.  Do Make Sure That You Feel Comfortable With the Printer You Choose, and the Customer Service Representative that you will be working with.  It is important to note whether your communications will be via email or through telephone contact. With a printing project, you are looking for the increasingly rare combination of great service and a great end product. There are many online automated sites that can print your books, but some use templates and many do not have representatives that are accessible by phone.


    5.  Do Decide If You Want To Print as a personal project (poems to your grandchildren) or for commercial distribution.  If you want to sell your book through a wholesale or retail distributor, there are necessary requirements, such as an ISBN (International Standard Book Number).


    6.  Do Make Sure That You Provide the Correct File Type That the Printer Requires - Some criteria may include:  PDFs, embedded fonts, proper bleed.  Also, find out the printer's specific requirements for submitting images with the correct resolution -DPI (dots-per-inch.)


    7.  Do Be Realistic About Time Frames - Give your printer enough lead time to get the job done right.  For first printings, calculate approximately 10 to 15 working days.  Reprints are generally about 4 to 8 working days.


    8.  Do Consider Digital Printing - It offers:
    • Shorter print runs that require less initial cost outlay
    •  Easy version changes (edits) for the next time you print
    • Excellent quality