Choosing a Print Shop: A Business Owner’s Guide

Every business of any size needs a few trusted providers for essential services, from commercial attorneys and insurance agencies to electrical and plumbing technicians. You may already have those essential services taken care of, or at least you know what to look for when selecting them. But how do you choose a print shop for those equally essential marketing and informational projects?

Choosing the wrong printing company can leave you feeling limited, frustrated, or overcharged for what you’re actually getting, while the right choice can help you grow your brand and revenue smoothly and cost-effectively. Let’s look at some critical points to consider when you’re looking for sign printing in Eagle, Idaho.

Practical Considerations

A print shop may have most of the features and positives you seek and still do you no good if practical issues get in the way. First and foremost, you need to know where a prospective candidate sits on the affordability scale — and how that position balances with your needs and expectations. The cheapest shop in town may prove woefully lacking in skilled staff or up-to-date equipment, while the priciest one may offer features you’ll never need or simply overcharge for all their services.

Does the print shop’s proximity to your business matter? Many businesses are more than happy to have their print orders shipped to them without ever darkening the door of the shop itself, while others take a hands-on approach and/or prefer to have direct, in-person consultations with their chosen printer.

Types of Printing Offered

A typical business or organization may need a wide range of print products for both their internal operations and their outbound marketing efforts. Most print shops can meet the basic needs — brochures, sales letters, business cards, letterhead, and so on. But ask yourself what else you might require in the course of your everyday activities.

Will you need customer information booklets, training manuals, yard signs, or banners? Even if you don’t have a pressing need for those items now, you may well need them in the near future. You don’t want to be forced to switch print shops later, so select one that can create these products as well as custom projects.

Your ideal print shop should also offer the right print methods for your current or future needs. For instance, if you publish newspapers or books for a living, an old-school print shop that offers offset printing may suffice. However, modern digital printing processes can perform some of the same tasks as an offset printer — and a lot more. Even in the digital domain, it’s nice to have more than one technology at your disposal. Ideally, your print shop can provide both inkjet printing and other digital techniques, matching the most effective and cost-effective technology to the job at hand.

Special Techniques and Capabilities

Today’s commercial printing world encompasses much more than just ink on paper. Think about all those decals vinyl wraps. Product packages and oversized banners you see around you every day. The right print shop can equip you with all those special items so you can promote and package your work in an eye-catching manner. Then, there’s the actual shaping of your print products to consider. You want a print shop that has the right tools to cut, fold, crease, perforate, and slit your tabletop displays, brochures, booklets, tear-off tabs, and other items.

The most advanced print shops also have equipment that can print on much thicker substrates than thin paper or vinyl sheets. The most advanced print shops can print onto metal, foamboard, plastic, and even wood up to two inches thick. This capability allows you to create many kinds of signage quickly and affordably, so give it special consideration in your print shop search.

Customer Service and Communication

If you’ve been in business for long, you know the critical importance of good customer service — and you expect a certain level of customer service from your own contractors and providers, including your print shop. The last thing you need is a catastrophic error on a major print project because no specific person is supervising it. Make certain that the print shop can assign a dedicated manager to your business account or current project.

Communication is a key factor in customer service. When you start talking to prospective print shops, make a note of how clearly and efficiently they express their points, how effectively they answer your questions, and how closely they seem to be listening to your concerns. Ask about the print shop’s standard operating procedures for every stage of a writing project, from consultations on the initial design to production and shipment of the final result. If you can’t get straight, clear, easily digested information right from the beginning, move on to the next candidate.

Experience and Reputation

Even the most talented printing team with the most advanced tools may fail to address your needs if they just opened their doors for business the previous week or month. An established print shop will feature a team that has worked together for several years and built an enviable track record of success. A more experienced print shop will probably give better customer service as well since they’ve had time to iron out their operational processes.

You must also examine a print shop’s reputation before you rely on their services. Ask to see the print shop’s portfolio of various types of jobs so you can evaluate both the breadth and the quality of their work. Request testimonials and look up reviews by satisfied customers. What do others have to say about their experiences with the company?

The Simple Choice: inkr Printing

Obviously, all these considerations give you a lot to think about, even as they help you narrow and define your search for the ideal print shop. However, there’s one smart strategy you can employ that might just bring that journey to a swift and productive end: Choose inkr Printing.

Our print shop team combines years of experience, state-of-the-art tools, and an emphasis on top-quality customer service. Whether you need some simple copies, a run of booklets, a new array of marketing collateral, or massive vinyl banners for that next big trade show, we have the skills and techniques to meet your needs time and time again. Learn more about our services — and see for yourself why so many businesses choose inkr Printing!