How to Choose a Printing Company for Your Business

Offset Printing

Why a Local Printing Company is a Better Choice

When you run a “printing company near me” search, you may find yourself overwhelmed with the sheer amount of options available. With so many affordable online options, why should you consider working with your local printer?

While online printers offer rock-bottom prices, they may not be cheaper than your local printer when you factor in other charges. Online printers don’t include shipping costs in their advertised prices, which can become expensive on larger projects.

It’s almost impossible to see the quality of an online printer without committing to at least one print run. Many companies and individuals have been disappointed by the low quality of online companies that advertise affordable, high-quality printing.

When you work with a local printer, you’re working with someone that you can build a relationship with for years. Instead of dealing with a faceless website, you can visit the print shop, talk to the staff, and learn more about how they operate.

Since a local print shop is close to you, you can also take advantage of many next-day promotions. If you have a rush job, you don’t have to factor in shipping time. Instead, you can rely on your local printer having the job finished the next day, and sometimes even earlier. You can even choose to pick up your project instead of having it delivered.

Working with a local printer also has less obvious benefits. By working with the same printer, you’ll start to develop a relationship. Since you’re not just one of the thousands of faceless customers, your printer will remember your past projects and understand your business better.

Having a relationship with the best printer in your area means you’ll have access to expert advice whenever you need it. Whether you’re unsure about a printing technique or whether you should do a long or short run, your local printer will be there to help you reach the best decision for your business.

How to Go About Finding the Best Local Printer

While price plays a role in your final decision, it shouldn’t be the only factor you consider. Working with the cheapest possible option can often lead to missed deadlines, low-quality work, and unsatisfactory customer service.

Technology and Innovation

Printing technology has continued to evolve since the invention of the printing press. With the advent of modern digital printing, many companies have struggled to adapt. Your printer will need to stay ahead of the technological curve to offer you the best quality at the best prices.

Innovation also means being environmentally friendly. Older, traditional printing equipment generates a large amount of paper waste and sometimes uses environmentally harmful inks.

Most new digital printing presses not only don’t generate very much waste but they also use paper that comes from sustainable tree farms. And the inks used on these presses do not contain any toxic chemicals. Even if the environment isn’t your primary concern, digital printers that take care for the environment are more likely to be responsible in other areas.

Range of Services

While you may think you only need one or two types of print jobs, you should still work with a local printer that can do it all. You never know when you’ll have a custom project that pushes your boundaries, and it can be reassuring to know you have a printer that can help.

Check out your printer online to find out what services they can offer. Try to find a printer in your area that offers large and small format printing, binding, mailing, and customization. Ideally, you also want a printer that can print on a variety of materials, not just paper. If you have any special printing needs, ask your printer if they’ve ever done that type of printing before.

Work Quality

Even more important than high-quality work is a consistent printer. Nothing is more frustrating than getting an excellent batch of work one day and a sloppy one the next. Since there are no re-dos in the printing world—at least not without budget increases and delays—you want a printer you can rely on for years to come.

When you first start shopping around for printers, ask to see samples of recent work. Evaluate them for quality, paying close attention to fine detail work. Do you see any smudging of the ink, blurriness, or mistyped text?

If you’re satisfied with the quality of the work, wait a couple of weeks and ask for recent samples again. Is the quality the same?

Quality is essential, regardless of whether the final product is internal or goes to clients. A high-quality printer takes pride in their work.

Quality isn’t an end-goal. It’s a reflection of the practices of the print shop. High-quality printers are more likely to deliver products on time, without any mistakes.

Timeliness

When you order from a printing company, you may have to compromise between deadlines and quality. While you want your work done as quickly as possible, this may involve mistakes, like pairing your run with another customer. A good printer will give you a reasonable deadline that doesn’t sacrifice the quality of your project.

If your company frequently has fast turnaround times, try to find a local printer that can handle that type of pressure. Some printers have on-demand services and the proper equipment to handle them. Consider doing a pressure test to find out how your potential printer works under pressure.

Communication and Customer Service

Every print job is unique and requires communication between the printer and your organization. Your printing company should take the time to understand your requirements and come up with a solution that meets those needs.

Nothing is more frustrating than working with a printer that goes silent until your job is complete. Try to find a local printer that is willing to communicate and handle any questions or ideas you may have.

History in the Business

Printing is an art and takes time to master. Print shops that have been open for longer are more likely to meet deadlines, set realistic budgets, and deliver high-quality work consistently.

When you’re overwhelmed with your options as you try to find a local printer, consider these points to narrow your search. Consider your printing needs, and use that information to connect with local printers that provide high-quality work you can recommend to others.