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Brochure printing, secrets that save money. Volume 1

Posted by Chris Higgins on Sun, Mar 29, 2009 @ 22:02 PM

Brochure printing can be an expensive endeavor particularly if you don't know some of the many ways to keep costs down. Keep the following secrets in mind the next time you're involved in a brochure printing project, or any printing project for that matter.

Work with an independent professional. Don't go to the local printer that produces your other printed products like business cards and stationary, unless you know they have the right equipment for your project. Instead work with an expert that can find the right equipment to produce your specific brochure printing project at the lowest cost.

The right equipment is key. The most important factor in keeping your costs down is producing your brochure on the right equipment.  All print shops are interested in keeping their equipment busy, if you ask for a quote they'll give you a quote based on using their presses. They won't tell you that their equipment is not very efficient for the specific brochure printing project you have, or that the guy in the next town has a press that can run the job at twice the speed and lower cost.

An independent distributor or even a print broker doesn't have any equipment to keep busy and has no conflict of interest. They earn their money by matching your brochure printing project with the most efficient equipment that can produce your brochure at the lowest cost. Unless you're a professional print buyer working with an independent expert can provide big returns and ensure you get the quality and service you need at the lowest cost.

Press size is a perfect example of this concept. If your brochure printing project is four color on both sides of each page you want to find a press that can produce as many pages as possible in a single pass. If you have a 12 page brochure and can produce all 12 pages in a single press run the cost will be almost half of producing your brochure printing project on a press that can only produce 6 pages in a single pass. Essentially the job is produced in one press run instead of two.

Have your designer talk to the printer before starting the design. if you're working with a designer make sure they talk to the printer before they come up with the design. Most designers are focused on the creative marketing aspects of your brochure printing project, not the production details. A quick conversation with the production facility can ensure the designer understands the requirements of the production equipment and can create the design around those requirements. Taking this step in advance can save time and money by preventing last minute corrections to meet production requirements.

Page count matters. Understand how the number of pages impacts the production and the price. For example a 12 page 8 1/2 x 11" brochure is created by using three 11 x 17" inch sheets printed on both sides and folded over to create the 12 pages. If you create a 13 page brochure suddenly you have 3 blank pages. Understand this at the design stage and you'll save time and money instead of changing it after the design is well under way.

Pricing on brochure printing can vary within a wide range, understanding the secrets behind the costs can save you both time and money. Watch for our next installment Brochure printing secrets that save money volume 2 for more valuable secrets that will  pay dividends on your next project.

 

 

 

 

Topics: Brochure Printing, Business Printing, Save money, Booklets, Reduce cost, brochures