What to consider when choosing commercial printers for your business

Commercial printers have a crucial role to play in supporting offline marketing strategy for any business today. Having a reliable and efficient printing partner can be the difference between marketing materials that make a real impact and those that end up wasting resources. So, it ‘s essential to make sure that you choose the suitable commercial printers for your business – these are the key things to consider.

• What is the quality like? Obviously, this will be vitally important to the commercial printers you choose because the quality of marketing materials will feed into your brand reputation and credibility. One easy way to test this is to place a small order with several of the commercial printers you ‘re choosing from and then make your selection based on the quality of what you get back.
• Is there enough variety? Especially if you ‘re going to need a lot of different types of printing, does the business you ‘re considering offer enough variety? That could be flyers, posters, business cards, brochures and personalised direct mail. Sometimes it ‘s also worth looking for commercial printers that specialise in your niche – experience in a specific industry can make for better service and a more appropriate range of options.
• How much is it going to cost? There are two key factors when looking at commercial printers ‘ costs. The first is how much they charge compared to competitors of the same quality? Some printers will offer rock bottom prices that don ‘t end up being much of a saving if the quality is poor. So, ensure you ‘re getting the best possible price for the quality you ‘re looking for. It ‘s also essential to determine whether the commercial printer can offer discounts, for example, for large orders. This will also impact how much the service ultimately costs.
• How are they rated for customer service? Reviews and references can be beneficial for identifying commercial printers that offer a good service. Look for regards to availability and speed and how happy customers are after they have used the service. It can be helpful to look at how long a printer has been in business, as those with a poor customer service approach don ‘t tend to last long. However, newer companies can be very focused on delivering beyond customer expectations and may also have better-optimised tech.
• What are the turnaround times like? This flexibility can be invaluable, as even with all the world ‘s planning, sometimes things must be done at the last minute. Look for commercial printers able to be flexible but don ‘t over promise when it comes to potential deadlines and what can be achieved in a certain period.

Choosing commercial printers for your business is a big decision, as it will significantly impact the quality of your offline marketing. These are some of the essential factors to bear in mind.

CDP are leading commercial printers and managed print service providers, if you’re looking to outsource your print management to a professional and dedicated team, then please view our services and contact us.