Commercial Printing: Things you should ask

12 Jan Commercial Printing: Things you should ask

Before you purchase any commercial printing services, we advise you to ask your commercial printer a series of questions about the job. This will help you get the best results possible from your order, as well as ensuring you pay for services that are cost-effective. 

Bearing that in mind, what sort of questions should you ask? Here are some essential ones to line up:

What printing method is best for my order?

Commercial printers will use different methods for different clients based on what they’re ordering. For example, digital printing is usually called upon for smaller orders that need to be completed as soon as possible, while offset printing is for larger orders. 

Talk to your commercial printer about the methods they use and ask them what they recommend for your order. Based on how many items you’re printing and the products you’re printing, your printer will provide you with the best possible method. This makes your order cost-effective while guaranteeing the highest quality at the same time. 

What can you print?

A simple question, yet it’s one that you should ask to be sure the commercial printer can cater to your needs. If you want to print out a booklet or a newsletter, you need to know if the printer can do this. 

Most commercial printers will list their capabilities on their website, but it’s always worth asking to double-check. Ideally, you want to choose a company that has experience printing the products you’re after. You don’t really want someone to turn around and tell you they’ve never printed booklets before, but they can try!

Do you provide a proof?

In the printing industry, proofs are basically a copy of your printed piece for you to look at and approve before the whole order goes through. Understandably, it’s crucial that your final products are printed to your exact specifications and desires. There’s nothing worse – for both client and printer – to get an entire order printed out, only to find that the client doesn’t like the way the colors have ended up. 

Therefore, you need to ask your commercial printer if they provide a proof before printing. Realistically, they should say yes. Ideally, you want to be sent a hard copy proof of your printout, so you can see exactly what it will look like. Once you’re happy with it, you can approve the final order and get multiple copies. 

What paper stock should I use?

A good commercial printing company will have a range of paper stock to use for your order. This includes standard paper, but it can also include gloss, matte, different finishes, and so on. Asking them what paper stock you should use is a great idea to see the options at your disposal, but also to get some expert advice. 

By looking at your order and asking you what you’ll use the prints for, your printer will be able to recommend the best stock to use. If they’re really good, they can give you the best overall option, plus the best budget option to save money. 

How do I send you my design?

A critical question if you want to print something with a commercial company. Ask them the correct way to send and format your design, so they’re able to take it and print off a proof. If you are working with a graphic designer, they should be able to manage this for you, sending the design to the company. 

If not, listen to what your commercial printer says and they will guide you through the process to format it correctly and send it over. 

How long is the turnaround time?

It’s worth asking this question, though you’ll rarely get a concrete answer. Turnaround time varies depending on numerous factors. Two of the most obvious factors are the size of the order and the printing method. But, you also have to take things into account like how busy the commercial printer is. 

Still, they should be able to give you an estimate for the turnaround, so you’ll know if it’s worth ordering through them or not. If they can’t promise to get your prints completed by the time you need them, you’ll have to look elsewhere for a different company. 

Don’t forget to ask all of these questions when dealing with commercial printers. If you’re looking for reliable and experienced commercial printers, we can help you out. Bayside Printing has over 50 years of industry experience, so feel free to contact us today to ask all of these questions – along with any others you have!