MIXED MEDIA
CREATIVE IDEAS FOR MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND WORKING WITH THE MEDIA
Preventing Printing
Disasters
Disaster potential lurks at every stage of the printing process; heed this advice
to make sure your print jobs sail through production
BY DAVID BERG
There are few pleasant surprises connected with printing projects. And the worst surprise is when the invoice from the printer shows a higher price than the initial estimate.
Disasters are okay in the movies. They're over when the popcorn's gone and the credits roll. But there's nothing entertaining about real-life disasters when it comes to getting your agency's print projects done on time and on budget.
Common sense dictates that printing should be a reasonably simple process. After all, you're paying professionals good money to do what they do day after day put ink on paper, fold it, put in a couple of staples, and voila. Its hardly ever that easy, however. Printing is a custom manufacturing industry. Every project is different in myriad ways, from type of paper to number of colors and from quality expectations to production time. Disaster potential lurks at every stage of the process.
Heed this advice to avert disasters and make sure that your agency's print projects sail through production.
Disaster one: The/re speaking Greek. Good communication is one key to printing disaster prevention. But unless you're an experienced print buyer with a sound technical background in prepress, press operation, paper selection, and ink and bindery technology, you'll likely get lost in technical jargon.
Disaster relief: Insist that you print representative, customer service person, and production staff translate what they're saying into language you understand. If you're confused by terminology, it can cost time and money.
Disaster two: That does not compute. The desktop publishing revolution of the past decade has fulfilled its promise of time and cost savings for many print buyers. But what the printer needs and what's generated on your desktop can be two different things.
Disaster relief: Early in the selection process, make sure the printer can handle files from your computer plaform. Some printers are as adept at working with PC- generated files as they are with Mac-generated ones. Others are not. Equally important is compatibility of software, both the program type and the version you're using.
Disaster three: What a deal. When the five printer bids you've requested come back, the highest bid is 63 percent higher than the lowest. What gives?
Disaster relief: The most common cause of a wide disparity in bids is a misunderstanding of the specifications for the project. Talk to both the high bidder (who may have factored in an essential quality step the others missed, such as scoring a heavier stock to ensure a clean fold) and the low bidder (who may have misread or overlooked a critical requirement). Another pitfall to watch out for is "low ball" bidding, the practice of bidding exceptionally low to get in the door with a new client. Often the low-ball bidder intends to make up any lost profit on future projects.
Disaster four: To leave a message, press one. Voice messaging systems can be an efficient communication toolor a frustrating barrier if your messages go unanswered.
Disaster relief: To prevent disasters stemming from lack of communication, make sure you can reach the right contacts by a direct phone line, cell phone, e-mail, fax, and voice mail. When you check the reference of potential printers, ask how easy it is to get answers to questions and how frequently schedule updates are given.
Disaster five: Mail call. What a relief! Your project is done on time and on budget, with hardly any headaches along the way. What's more, it looks great. All's well with the world, right? Wrong. The postage bill is out of sight, way more than what you anticipated.
September/October 1999 / 43
MIXED MEDIA
Disaster relief: Coordinate with your designer, printer, and mail house during the planning stages to get an accurate estimate of your postage costs. To reduce costs, consider using a lower-weight paper with equal bulk and opacity, changing the dimensions slights, folding a piece in half, or processing the mailing list for maximum automation discounts.
Disaster six: Surprise! There are few pleasant surprises connected with printing projects. And the worst surprise is when the invoice from the printer shows a higher price than the initial estimate.
Disaster relief: The only legitimate reason for the invoice not to match the estimate is if you change the specifications during the project. Changes may include increased quantities, pages, scans, and author alternations. While changes are often inevitable, the printer should inform you in writing of both what is being done and what the cost will be for the changes. Additional charges should be itemized on the invoice.
Though a couple of problems are likely during the printing process, here are some additional steps you can take to keep the problems from becoming disasters.
Find a printer whose capabilities fit your requirements.
Check out the printer's financial condition and stability.
Let the printer know you're interested in long-term benefits in both price and process, not necessarily the lowest price on every project.
Discuss your annual printing requirements and ask for suggestions and ideas.
Ask about project management services to reduce your workload.
Make sure your sales representative is a source of information and advice, not just an order taker.
Forge a strong relationship with a printer who takes the time to understand your audience, marketing and communication objectives, budget restrictions, work style, and deadlines.
DAVID BERG
marketing director for Bolger Printing, Minneapolis. This article is excerpted and reprinted with permission
of the American Society of Association Executives, 1575/ St., N.W., Washington, DC 20005-1168,
® 1999, ASAE, 202.626.2723: www.asaenet.org.
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1999/2000 Editorial Calendar and
Deadlines for Articles
Issue
Nov/Dec 1999 |
Special Focus
Economics of Parks & Recreation |
Deadline
10/1/99 |
44 / Illinois Parks and Recreation