The lowest cost provider is not always the provider of greatest value. In printing, if the quality of the product is poor, the cost to the customer in terms of lost opportunities and poor impressions can be far in excess of the price they would have paid for a quality product in the first place.

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In times like these, the universal inclination is to pinch a penny until Mr. Lincoln screams. Please take value into consideration when you make purchasing decisions. Think about the companies that you want to be doing business with when times get better. Times are tough, but buying cheap may not be the best choice.

“It’s easy to price low when you don’t deliver quality.”

Understand what you are purchasing. The printer you want to do business with will help you make a good purchasing decision. He’ll help you choose the correct value and price for the product and impression you want to produce.

The adage is: quality, price and speed – you can have any two. Fast, cheap jobs net low quality – high-quality, less expensive jobs take more time, and so on. Tell the printer which two you are most interested in and then insist on a reasonable mix of all three.

For simple one color jobs, one price may be adequate. But beyond that, it is good to get at least two and often three estimates on jobs over a few hundred dollars. Even if you have worked with a printer over a long period of time, you should bid out to others from time to time to keep yourself in touch with current pricing.

At minimum your printer will need to know the form of the artwork you will be submitting, the overall size of the piece, the finished/folded size, the quantity, the stock, and how you want it finished, folded, bound, packaged and shipped.

It also helps to show the printer an example of the quality you expect and the effects you are hoping to achieve. Tap the knowledge of the company you work with. Veteran sales people and your other coworkers can provide you with a wealth of information and guidance.

There is nothing equal to seeing your creations in print. Narrow the field, find people who care about quality, ask good questions, and the right printer will make a good job, great.