One of my coworkers was talking with her 5-year-old son the other day about working to earn money and how people can run out of money. Rather than his mom running out of money, he suggested she visit money.com to get more. If only it worked that way...
Unfortunately, there is no money for order at money.com. And, although I have no free money to offer either, listed below are a few suggestions to help you get the most out of your investment in printing projects. Printed pieces — brochures, data sheets, pocket folders — contribute to the overall impression customers and prospects have of you. The investment in high quality printed pieces can be significant, but, with a well laid out plan, it doesn’t have to be. By using these suggestions when developing and printing your company’s marketing materials, you can streamline costs without sacrificing your brand.
Multi-function Creative
Assess your current marketing pieces to see if existing pieces can serve multiple functions. For instance, determine whether an existing electronic direct mail can be converted to a printed direct mail piece. Or use your existing pocket folder design to create proposal and report covers. Exploring these options can save you money in creative development and also provide a consistent look throughout your company materials.
Simultaneous Printing
Since the majority of printing costs are incurred on the front end of the process (ie. setup, ink and paper), planning ahead is another easy way to save money. For instance, if you have a three-part direct mail campaign, you could spend approximately $5,000 printing each direct mail piece separately, totaling $15,000 for the campaign. However, you could potentially save 15-35 percent if you print all three pieces together.
Internal Approval Process
Once you have submitted your electronic graphic files to the printer, editorial or graphic changes to your marketing materials can be extremely costly. Developing an internal process for approvals can help to ensure changes are complete prior to the preparation of the final electronic files.
Attending the Press Check
The press check at the printing facility is another opportunity to give the printing project one last glance before full production. If you choose not to attend, you run the risk of finding errors or color issues after the final product is delivered. Errors or problems can often warrant a reprint and additional costs.
Knowing as much detail as possible about the print production process and utilizing some of these potential cost-saving opportunities will allow you to maximize your printing budget. And not run out of money.
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