Message from a Print Island

Managing the Process

2010-10-18T15:04:00.001+01:00

I wrote this way back in 2006 while I was working for a print management agency. It is part of a larger report I produced on print buying for the hotel & travel industry. While the marketplace and my knowledge have become more sophisticated, I thought it would be interesting to show you it in its unaltered form as I think it is still valid…..

Formatting

1. Page Counts
Make sure that your pages are at least divisible by 8. For the A sizes (A4, A5) this is generally the minimum number of pages printed in one pass on the press. For example, if you had 84 pages of content, you would do better to increase that to 88 pages at relatively little extra cost.

2. Cover Options
Fold out covers mean that the brochure has to be bound in two stages, or the cover has to be smaller that the text. Try using a thicker material, but perhaps add a laminate, a fold foil, a spot UV varnish, or some embossing. These will prove less expensive options

Printing Method

3. Web print
This is often considered to only be for large jobs or those on lightweight papers. This isn’t necessarily so, and web print can be used for runs as low as 20k. However, the quality process does have to be closely monitored, and quite often web printers are not able to print covers or bind the books. Also, the web print industry is focused on magazine & catalogue production, so their schedules are not as flexible.

4. Sheet fed print
Sheet fed print is the less glamorous cousin of web, but it does have a great deal more flexibility. Many more, large format sheet fed printers are now able to compete effectively on the larger print runs as they have their own binding facilities. The overall process is slower, but the print is generally more consistent and there is greater flexibility in terms of materials used. Sheet fed is always worthwhile considering, and they are better able to meet clients’ ever changing schedules, BUT they do generally cost more on larger runs

Scheduling

5. Artwork
Select a completion date for each part of the process; first draft; content copywriting; page proof reading; final proofing. If you don’t set immovable dates then you can’t plan the rest of the schedule. Always allow good time for proofing.

6. Print
Order well in advance, and then plan to have your artwork ready a week in advance of when the printer needs it. Most good value print jobs have paper especially manufactured for them by the paper mill, and this normally takes at least 4 weeks to produce. Added to that, you may need a lot of press time and you need to reserve your production slot.

7. Press passing
If you aren’t using a print management company, or an agency, they ypu really need to be at the printers when they are printing to pass your job. It adds a sense of urgency and keeps the printers focused.

8. Binding
This can take longer that the printing. Be sure that you’ve scheduled for this, and that you are getting what you asked for. Often the most convenient form of binging is used rather that the most appropriate or best quality

Packaging & logistics

9. Packaging
Ensure that you know what weight you want your packages to be (no more that 11.5kg). Make sure that a uniform number of brochures go into each box. Have the boxes custom made to the correct size to that the goods do not move around in the box. If the brochures are to be couriered make sure that you use double walled cartons, and that the cartons are well sealed. Specify your labelling requirements

10. Logistics
Talk to a specialist as the savings are substantial if you have inside knowledge. Ensure that your printer stacks on standard pallets, in set quantities, and that the pallets are either heat treated or plastic. Make sure that the pallets & cartons are batched to the logistics company’s requirements. Ensure that the batches are ready at an exact time, with dispatch notes, as trailer hire is expensive and there will be charges if you do not keep to schedule.

The Environment

11. FSC certification
Try to use a Forestry Stewardship Council certified paper. FSC certified forests are managed to ensure long term timber supplies while protecting the environment and the lives of the forest dependent people & wildlife. You can carry accreditation for this on your brochure.

12. Recycled papers
Recycled and part recycled papers are greatly improved in recent years. It may be worthwhile considering as this will improve your company’s environmental rating for a relatively low percentage increase.

How do I get colour consistency in my print?

2010-09-14T10:54:00.000+01:00

There is a lot of confusion about colour management in print. Even the industry experts argue as to what is best. To help you out, and to cut through all of the techno babble, I’m going to give you my personal experiences……..

I had a client who was based in Los Angeles. This client had a printed product that they distributed Worldwide, so the location of the print plant really wasn’t terribly significant. The driving forces behind the choice of printer were Quality, Cost and ability to meet the Schedule. The client didn’t have an in-depth knowledge of the print process, and the prepress work on the pictures was fairly basic

As luck would have it (for me), the best print solution used to be in the UK, and I worked for one of the larger print companies there. The client used to fly over for the press pass, and we would produce high resolution proofs to show them a day or so before. There would be the normal last minute change to a few pages, and then the client would sign the proofs off. Then would come the fun bit, the press pass…….

The client had seen our proofs, and as would be reasonable, wanted to match these on press. However, back then the proofs were likely to be what we would term “warm”. This means that the colours would be more vibrant than we could expect to achieve on the press, and would also be a little on the red side (hence the warm). Added to this complication was the fact that we were trying to print 12 pages at a time, each with a different colour requirement. On average, the press pass would take 50 minutes per section, which was slightly worrying when running at 30,000 sheets per hour. This meant that we could effectively have run 25k of the job before it was signed-off as being colour accurate!

This was far from an ideal situation, but was pretty much the norm for the print industry at the time. However, luck had it that the print company I worked for was just about to start a colour management exercise that would make life easier. This exercise involved printing test sheets on all of the presses, taking various measurements against these prints and the proofs (way too technical to go into detail on). Once this profiling was done, the artwork file was adjusted so that the proofs and the printing plates matched.

One of the great things about this was that we were able to send this profile to a proofing company in Los Angeles. They ran the proofs out using this profile, and dropped them round to our client. The client then signed them off and couriered them back to us in the UK. The second great thing now happened. It took us an average of 10 minutes to press pass using the new proofs and profile! Although the client still came over for the first print run, they soon realised that this really wasn’t necessary anymore as the proofs were accurate. The profiling of the presses and proofs was an absolute revelation and a real time saver!

This whole process was self-governed, and there was no real standard to follow at the time. This still makes it difficult for print buyers as you really need a technical understanding to be sure that any printer has performed the profiling properly. I don’t know a printer that doesn’t claim to be colour accurate and have good quality. They will all state that they are ISO 9001 quality certificated, but this really has absolutely nothing to do with colour management (its really more about production process control). However, the good news is that there is a colour management standard now!

The standard is relatively new, and it is called ISO 12647-2. To my understanding, it is pretty much the same as the process I explained earlier. The only issue for printers is that it seems much harder to achieve certification, and you will find a lot of printers saying that they “run to” ISO 12647-2. This is all well and good, but in my experience unless you have the discipline of a set of certified standards to run to, then at some stage you will let something slip. My advice, for what it is worth, would be to seek out a printer who has actually gone to the lengths of getting certification.

When I speak to print buyers, the one thing they place at the top of their list of priorities is Quality. Delve a little deeper, and they mean the quality of the colour reproduction on the press. At the end of the day, most printed material is selling products, and if you aren’t reproducing those products as well as you possibly can, then you are going to lose sales. Thank goodness that you now have ISO 12647-2 to help make the process easier!

If you’d like any more information, or would like to discuss anything to do with print or direct mail, then drop me an email chrislewis@prinese.co.uk

Spend More, Get Less

2010-09-13T15:29:00.001+01:00

Yes, you did just read that right.

I AM advocating that you spend more on your print, but I’m not suggesting that you get less for your money. What I’m suggesting is that by NOT going for a bargain basement, commodity based, print buying approach, you can get a better return on your investment and hence LESS WASTE

I’ve noticed an interesting trend with the brochures and catalogues that I have received. A large number of them seem to be on lighter and lower quality paper. They feel cheap, and they are actually much less inspiring to read. One particular holiday company, that shall remain nameless, has gone the whole way and made the cover thin and….. I’m not sure how to put this…..erm…..nasty! This particular company had always been a favourite of mine, and I felt quite shocked as to how much my perception of them changed

Let’s be clear, I’m not a psychologist, or even a marketing professional. However, I my perception that this company had devalued its brand and product are clear. By scrimping and saving money on the brochure, this company had made their products seem cheap (and nasty). Furthermore, this really wasn’t helped by the change in design, which now seemed to be a flood of colour and offers.

With the paper being thinner, lighter and less white, the flood of colour on each page meant that the print on the reverse was showing through. Being of the age where reading gets more difficult (I must buy some new reading glasses), this made it a genuine struggle to read. I have to say that I pretty quickly gave-up. Not only was I now disappointed that my favourite holiday company was devalued, I couldn’t even read everything easily to see if I was still getting the same as before.

I suspect that I am not the only one to experienced this, knowingly or unknowingly. I’d be interested to hear the statistics, but my expectations are that a great number of loyal customers will be looking through other brochures this year

I am hoping that nobody reading this has already gone ahead and produced a cheaper brochure. Please, please, please don’t do it! Not for my sensibilities, but for your own profitability. Don’t let procurement dictate your marketing strategy. Remember that it has taken a long time to build your brand, and it can take a long time to build again

There are a whole heap of things that you can do to ensure that the perceived quality is maintained (or hopefully improved). I’m sure I have mentioned some of these before, but here are the basics:

1. Cover
My advice would be to go no lower than 250gsm. If you can stretch the budget to 350gsm, then all the better. Always laminate or UV varnish. Gold or silver foiling is a nice touch, and gives it a book type feel.

2. Text
For a quality brochure or catalogue, where colour is important, I would go no lower than 100gsm. Once again, if you can get the budget, then go for 115gsm. Either way, I would suggest a silk finish (gloss is harder to read and mat is harder to print on)

3. Design
Try A4 landscape as a format. It seems to have a higher quality perception to it, and is gentle on the eye. Perhaps add a 5th colour, such as gold or silver. Use the metallic inks as highlights or headers

These are all very much the basics of how to improve your brochure. There are a great number of other ways, such as case binding to give your brochure the real coffee table book feel. The thing to remember is that although this will all cost more, your brand is so important to your sales, and you will reap what you sow.

I’d be more than happy to talk through any of this with you if you need advice. I’ve been in print for over 25 years, involved in print, design and procurement, so there aren’t many things I haven’t dealt with or seen.

My personal email is chrislewis@prinese.co.uk

Perceived Quality – Why it is so important

2010-08-23T11:11:00.000+01:00

Have you ever wondered what makes you pay more for one product over another? Several products do exactly the same job, have the same reliability record, and yet you still find yourself stretching the budget to purchase the one you perceive to be of a higher quality. Why is this?

The best example I can give of this is a group of cars all from the VW family, and all based on the same mechanicals. There is the VW Golf, the Audi A3, the Seat Leon, and the Skoda Octavia. Although all of these cars are dressed in different clothes, they are all based on the same mechanicals underneath. Even more, when you sit in these cars, you can notice a lot of shared components such as air vents, switches, materials, and just the same sort of general layout. So if all of these cars are essentially the same underneath, why are the two most expensive ones (VW & Audi) the best sellers?

It’s all about perception, and not even long term ownership perception, but initial perception. The VW and Audi have been designed in such a way that the first surfaces you touch, the first parts you look at, the first controls you operate, are all of a slightly higher grade. It is not even that they are any higher quality in terms of durability, it is merely about initial perceived quality. That includes the textural experience, the smell, and the look. It sounds crazy, but it is very true, and is one of the main reasons why the Audi is able to sell for something like 25% more than the Seat: Amazing!

There are other factors, of course. As well as the perceived quality of the actual product through a one to one experience of sitting in the cars, there is marketing. If you look at Audi, they have been taking part in the Le Mans endurance race and winning for years now. This builds the perception that their cars are strong, reliable, and powerful. This is despite the fact that the race car owes very little to the road car, and despite the fact that we know this, we still fall for it!

I recently went to one of the Audi showrooms, and it has to be said that it is a homage to clean modern design. Lots of calm grey and silver, all of the cars laid out in neat rows, white floors (I think), and uniformed staff. The brochure is a wonder of marketing, and this is the point where my line of business comes in…….

Let me give you some key aspects as to why the brochure works so well at increasing the perceived quality (and increasing the price/profit of the cars!)

Materials
The use of clean white smooth paper increases the textural experience. I have a personal preference for silk art paper as this feel pleasant to the touch without your fingers dragging across a rough mat paper. If you can take the paper to as heavy a quality as you can use through the printing press you will increase the opacity and the perceived quality

Page Count and Binding
I put these two together because I think it is important that a high quality brochure is perfect bound. In order to achieve a perfect bound brochure you need to have a thickness of at least 3mm, which in turn affects the page count. This would imply at least 64 pages on a 115gsm silk to achieve a 3mm spine. You may also want to think about producing a small quantity of your brochures with a hardback cover (case bound). As you will no doubt know, 20% of your clients are likely to supply 80% of your business, so it would be good to send these clients a case bound version of your latest brochure. This way they feel special, valued, and are able to reassure themselves that they have chosen a real quality company to entrust their custom with.

Layout
Commonly designers & print buyers will get lazy, and automatically go for A4 portrait. They’ll squeeze as many products and images onto one page as they possibly can in order to keep down the page count and give as many images of the product as possible. All I can say is STOP! I promise you that if you want to increase your ROI, and increase margins, then less is definitely more in terms of content (although not page count). Leave some white space, don’t flood the page with images, give clear and concise product information. The rest of the information can be obtained from the website. Print no longer works on its own, and you always need to work in conjunction with your website

Format
In terms of format, it is still most economical to use the A sizes, and most commonly to use A4. However, try landscape rather than portrait. You will instantly gain a wider visual gamut, and a higher perceived quality. If you are feeling adventurous, then perhaps try a different size, such as the square format which is commonly referred to as Delta Fold by printers. The best pages size for the Delta Fold is 190mm x 190mm and the highest effective paper weight is 115gsm, but this format is commonly associated with quality products and works well if you do not have the product information to fill A4 in an effective manner

Colour
There are two aspects that I am referring to in terms of colour. The first is accurate reproduction of your images and chosen colours. Given that we live very much in a digital age, there is every chance that before the brochure or catalogue goes to press you will not have seen your print on paper. You can have paper proofs of course, but in order for these to be of any real use, you need your printer to be colour certified. There’s little point in having a printer who just says that they are quality without a certification, so make sure that they have ISO 12647-2, and that this is awarded from a reputable body such as FOGRA. If they have this standard, then you know your proofs will be as accurate as possible, and that the presses have been profiled & calibrated (I promise you, this makes all of the difference in the World when it comes to press pass time)

The second aspect of colour is the usage. If you want to increase perceived quality, then introduce a metallic, but not in a bright & shiny way (unless your product is about being bright & shiny of course!). In order to do an effective job of this you’ll need a printer with a 5th print unit, and try to keep it to one metallic colour. It is possible to get several metallic colours by combining the 4 colour process with either silver or gold, so ask your printer if they can do this. If you do want to do this, then you’ll need to look at this before you start the design as you’ll need to know the capabilities. In any case, it is always good to talk to the printer before starting the design, but I know that this isn’t always possible!

Certifications
I have always thought that if the company that I am buying from has gone to the effort to attain certification, then that shows that they have the right approach. I would recommend that any printer has all of the following:

- ISO 9001 Quality
- ISO 14001 Environmental
- OHAS 18001 Health & Safety
- ISO 12647-2 Colour
- FSC & PEFC Sustainable sourcing of paper

In order to lift yourself our of the commodity marketplace, and margins, you need to increase perceived quality. The simplest way to start doing this is to look at your printed materials, and the flagship of your printed materials will be your brochure or catalogue. It may well make your print bill more expensive, but I can’t think of anything more expensive than watching your prices spiral downwards in an ever decreasing price war where perception is that cheap is actually nasty.

Perhaps the best way to try out this approach is to create a separate brand. Pick out your best products, and create a premium catalogue or brochure. Have a website to match, and see where this takes you. If this works then you can roll it out across the whole range, and if it doesn’t (I’m sure it will if you do it right), then you will not have wasted huge amounts of money or created any brand damage to your existing range

To finish off, here is my recommendation for a brochure format. I’ve included a few things I haven’t mentioned, but feel free to drop me a line to ask about these or anything else you have questions about

Size & Format: A4 landscape
Page count: 64 text pages plus a 4 page cover
Materials: Text 130gsm silk and Cover 350gsm silk
Print: 4 colour process plus 1 metallic throughout
Additional processes to outer cover: Mat lamination & silver foil block of logo & title
Binding: Perfect binding
Packing: Carton packed for protection
Note: Produce 1k versions with hardback cover for my best customers

I look forward to hearing from any of you who want to tryout these options. It would be great to hear your results and to be involved

All the best

Chris Lewis
Emirates Printing Press
Tel +44 (0)1733 559 153
Mob +44 (0)7590 645 200
Email chrislewis@prinese.co.uk
Web www.eppdubai.com

How to make customers keep your catalogue.....

2010-07-27T12:38:00.004+01:00

or why my posh catalogues are better!

As part of my job, I receive a lot of catalogues & brochures. Before I get to file them away, they have to go through the hands of the lovely Mrs Lewis. For me, this is possibly the best research into what makes a catalogue have the "keep me" factor

This is purely a personal viewpoint, but here are a few things that I have noticed:

1. Thickness of cover
If a catalogue arrives with a heavy card or case bound cover, then it always gets a closer look. Added to this, it gets put on the bookshelf because it is not floppy (I know that this sounds silly, but I promise that it is the truth!)

2. Special packaging
A catalogue delivered in a cardboard envelope or corrugated packaging is on a winner before it starts. The problem with a floppy catalogue delivered in clear poly wrap, is that my wife doesn't even need to open it to decide if she is interested. However, with a catalogue in card packaging, it almost feels like a present or a delivery from Amazon, with all of the implied good feelings that go with that

3. Page layout
This covers a whole multitude of areas! One of my wife's pet hates is when the text is too close to the bound edge. You can almost see her bending over to read it!
Don't give pages & pages of useful info & offers at the start (save the useful info for the back). It makes it difficult to find the real start. Keep offers to the outer cover or an insert, and start your contents on page 1 of the text pages. On the inside of the cover, carry a brief message from the founder of the business, a bit like an author's message

4. Special touches
My wife is no expert (God knows she should be by now), but much like anyone else she likes novel finishes & touches

Here are a few suggestions that should not break the bank or be impossible to source:

a) Case binding or hard back cover.
Your catalogue will feel like an expensive hard back first edition, and this instantly increases the perceived quality of the products within

b) Pearlescent or Metallic finishes.
This can be done very effectively to the outer cover, and by adding a matt finish you increase the textural experience while reducing the chances of finger marks. I've found this to be an almost guaranteed "keep me" device

c) Page markers
These can either be the traditional pieces of ribbon bound in, or I have produced a card of "Post-it" style page marker tabs (better that I show you than describe!). Either are a nice touch, or you might want to consider thumb cuts which make it easier to flip to each section, although this only really works for thicker catalogues

d) Hot foil and embossing
This is often used on books, both paperback and hardback. By using hot foil and embossing you are giving it that book feel, and thereby implying a value to your catalogue (and something that you'd want to keep)

There are a great number of other things that you could try out. You could look at heavier text paper, different sizes, and personalisation. What you really need to do is look at what suits your needs. I know that all of these will cost more, but I am certain that you will see an increase in ROI, which will easily offset the increase in costs and at the same time improve your brand

Now for the advertising bit.....

I work as a print sales consultant for Emirates Printing Press. Unlike many printers, they are able to do all of the above processes in-house. I joined them because I was impressed by them as people, and only after joining them did I take a look at their quality. To be completely honest, I was absolutely blown away by the quality!! I have been in print for over 25 years, but this is as good as it gets
Take a look at the website www.eppdubai.com and then drop me an email on my personal address, which is chrislewis@prinese.co.uk

When You Need to Buy Your Print Direct

2010-07-11T23:31:00.004+01:00

I have often spoken about what a great solution to your print needs print management is. If you have a large range of printed items required, then it can make real sense to outsource this process and focus on what is important......

This important stuff is what I want to talk about.

While you may be happy to outsource stationery, direct mail, leaflets and information print (data sheets, manuals, etc), I dare say that you have often felt a degree of unease at the idea of handing over your major brochures, catalogues or directories. This has most probably stopped you from considering print management, and I can fully understand.

The thing is, it doesn't have to be a case of choosing one way or another!

I would suggest that sit down and write a list (this always works for me). Write down what print work you order reguarly and that really is just stealing your time.
Draw up this list, with specifications, and then send it out to tender. If you don't have time for this, then I recommend someone who can help

Now think about what print work really needs your time and is very important to you. I'd guess that this would include brochures, catalogues, directories and direct mail. As you've removed all of the small work that creates all of the white noise, you should be able to focus on these much more effctively. You will have time to think about response rates, brand and return on investment. You will have time to try out new things, and to try out new suppliers. Brilliant!

I am not suggesting that the outsourced print managers can't handle your important work, but lets be honest: If you outsource them, you are still going to want to be involved. If you are still involved, then you might as well be dealing direct with the printer!

Of course, your print manager may well tell you that he has much more leverage and experience. This is true to a degree, but at the same time, he is handling lots of different customers work and can't give the focus that you can. There is no emotional involvement from the print management company, whereas this is your baby!

If you pick your printer well, then they will be happy to advise and get emotionally involved. Make sure that you feel comfortable with your printer. Don't base you choice on cost alone, I would suggest that you make that the second priority. Your important print projects are important because they are revenue creators, and if you create less revenue from them through cutting corners...... well, you know what the result is!

I work as a Print Consultant, and I would love to advise you. I do have a contract with Emirates Printing Press, who I would always offer as an option, but at the same time I will always want what is best for you. So if that option is a local printer, be that in the UK or US, then I will advise it.

Please do take a look at Emirates website as they are the most amazing company. The quality is fantastic, and I love working with them as people

www.eppdubai.com

You can email me on chrislewis@prinese.co.uk

Thanks you

Chris Lewis

The Perfect Print Solution?

2010-04-27T16:10:00.003+01:00

Through my various blogs I am certain that I have betrayed my love for print management, and hopefully put up a reasonable argument for it (or at least a defence!). As a business man, and also as a sales person sitting on the customer's side of the table, I think print management presents a good business decision.

I have often said that it is not for everyone, and I still stand by that, but I have increasingly had a business model in my head that I think will appeal to a great number of customers or potential customers. Let me explain......

If you could indulge me, and imagine what would be an ideal scenario in terms of a print supplier. I am going to guess that you want all of the following:

- Quality
- Price
- Speed
- Service
- Flexibility

I dare say that it would also be fantastic if they had every type of printing press and were able to offer all of the post & pre production services. Unfortunately, this just isn't going to happen! Even if I think of our biggest and best printers in the UK, they don't have every piece of equipment and those that have a lot of it are not the best price.

Ok, we have established that the ideal scenario is not available, so what would be the next best thing, or the most realistic thing to hope for......

How about, a print management company with some print production of its own? Now there is no point in this print production being one huge web-offset press, or even a couple of B1 presses. That would just give you a printing company with an outsourcing service added on, and that really has no benefits (see my blog "I Can Do That"). What would be best is if the in-house print service is what I call the Fast Response print machinery. By this, I mean the digital presses, and the B3 & B2 sheet fed presses. These machines are generally for fast turnaround work, jobs that you need urgently. These jobs really are NOT great when you have to introduce another layer of command into the process, so if the production facilities are in-house, then it is fantastic. Client places order, costs are kept in-house, the job is printed and delivered: Job Done! I think this part of the process is a no-brainer, don't you?

Now, on top of this in-house fast response print facility, how about a team of design, data, and pre-press specialists? Meaning that if you need an artwork creating or adjusting there is no hanging about, or you need your mailing data cleaned, there is no messing about.

This all sounds brilliant, but what about the rest of the work. So far we just have a small to medium print company, but this is where it turns into a print management company. Through being a print company, but with a print management mindset, this print manager is able to build a proper relationship with the suppliers who provide the other services. Through understanding print, and the challenges that they are faced with, a select and precise group of print suppliers can be built up. No sending out the customer's quote request to dozens of companies, many of which are unsuitable. No diluting the relationship and weakening the buying power. Proper print professionals managing the whole of a customer's requirement, but with a true print management understanding

The gains are so obvious that I am not going to bang on about them. Fast response print for the fast response work, and fit for purpose sourcing for everything else. All the advantages of single sourcing, with very few of the disadvantages of traditional print management

Am I hoping for too much? Can this be done? I think the answer is Yes and Yes, but I don't think anyone has got it right just yet.......

What do mail order & catalogue clients want from a print supplier?

2010-03-22T17:05:00.002Z

I've just started at a new print company (new for me, not a new company), and this has made me stop and look at what various market places want. One market area that I have always been very interested in has been mail order companies, which tend to go hand in hand with catalogues

As is my way, I sat at my desk with a note pad and wrote down some key points that I believed to be important when ordering print for mail order and catalogues

- Colour integrity
- Quality
- Environment
- Fast response
- Knowledgeable
- Cost savings

If we look at the points one by one

Colour Integrity
There really is only one way to be certain of colour integrity, and that is the colour standard of ISO 12647-2. This requires the printer to maintain their equipment and run within set parameters. I know that many are sceptical, but it really does work. It makes life easier, and it makes colour matching more certain

Quality
I know that everyone seems to have ISO 9001 now, but it is an absolute given that your print must have this. I can confirm from my time at a printer writing a set of standards that this really is a pain in the butt. However, it really does sharpen everyones minds, and raises their game. The other little quality clues that I would look for are a clean factory, with clean presses, and an organised looking production board. It really does follow that a clean & organised factory means a clean & organised mind

Environment
Once again, there is a standard that has to be met, and that standard is ISO 14001. On top of that, I would absolutely have to insist that the printer is FSC & PEFC certified. There is absolutely no excuse for anyone not to be using paper from sustainable sources, and I would avoid anyone who isn't like the plague! It would also be good if your printer was able to offer a carbon offsetting scheme. Sooner or later we are all going to be compelled to carbon offset

Note: I haven't covered mailing in terms of environment. There is still a great amount of use of poly wrap in mailing, which I am not overly keen on. Hoverer, there are biodegradable versions of this, and I think it would do your company no harm at all in terms of image to use this. You still can't use poly to get postal discounts, but to be honest I can get better discounts by completely ignoring the official discounting structure, so the point of them is...erm....pointless!

Fast Response
It is very impressive having huge presses, and it is hugely productive when you have large run work that you are able to plan 6 weeks in advance. However, we all know that life isn't like that, and more often than not you are going to need to get something done quickly. To save you, or your print manger, rushing round like headless chickens when you have an urgent job, it might be an idea to choose a printer or print manager with fast response print presses in-house, This will save your life, and you can agree a price structure for these in-house presses (hey, guess what...... I have these presses in-house at my new place!)

Knowledgeable
Not matter what service or product your buy, isn't it always more reassuring when they know what they are talking about? That boring mechanic who insists on showing you the problem and how he solved it, the builder who wants to show you the foundations that he has dug, the plumber who wants you to watch him. I always feel safer, if slightly bored! Well, it is just the same for your print supplier, and perhaps why it is good to choose a print supplier who has actually production staff on board. This way you know that they know what they are talking about. Of course, they will have to subcontract work out, but at least you know that they know what they are talking about! I have worked at companies where the client services team have come from financial institutions and car hire companies, and I promise you that this doesn't make for great print management!

Cost Savings
Now believe it or not, I am not talking about the number on the invoice. This is important, and the knowledgeable print supplier will help you reduce this. What I am talking about it all the time you spend, and all of the processing of your print requirement. I have always advocated that you outsource the management of your print, be that directly to a printer, or a print manager, or some kind of half-way house where they print some & manage the rest. You will get one invoice very month, be able to take advantage of the experience of the staff, and save yourself a huge headache when you have to get a job produced. Then you can go back to doing what you do well, be that marketing, finances, selling, or even being a receptionist (yes, some companies still buy heaps of print via their receptionist) To me, this is an absolute no brainer, and I really don't understand why anyone would want to do different

Frankly, all of these points apply to choosing a print supplier for any industry, not just mail order & catalogues. There are heaps other areas to look at, and I would be more than happy to have a chat about these if anyone would like some free advice. My number and email are at the foot of this blog

Chris Lewis
Mob 07590 645 200
Email chrislewis@fmprint.co.uk

In love with print?

2010-02-11T13:57:00.002Z

Recently, I have had the opportunity to meet with a lot of different print providers, from B2 printers through to large print managers. It has been an interesting experience to say the very least......

Some are pure business people, interested purely in profit and new areas to exploit (not that there are many real new areas in print). You have to admire their business acumen, but I always feel slightly unnerved when talking to these kind of guys. The problem I find is that it all just a numbers game for some of these business people. They have little feel for print (those who do will understand what I mean), and quite frankly I don't understand why they are in print. This leads me to feel a little wary of them, and I find myself checking that I still have my watch on my wrist after I've shaken hands with them.

Now, it may just be me, but when I buy a service or product, I like to feel the natural warmth & enthusiasm towards the product from the sales staff. I like to think that they know it inside out, and they honestly believe that they are supplying a great product or service. This applies to all areas of life & business. If you take my window cleaner, he honestly believes that he is the best window cleaner, and he does ensure that he uses some sort of special water & special tools. When I talk to him, I really feel his enthusiasm, and to be honest, if he doubled his price I would probably still employ him to clean our windows

During the series of meetings that I have had recently, there was one guy who stood out to me. He had a long history in the print industry, and seemed to deeply care about print. Whatismore, this was an infectious enthusiasm, and really brought out my love of print. Now this chap's business isn't huge, but I'd happily buy print from him because I know that it matters to him. Moreover, I'd actually recommend people to him, and do what I could to help his business grow

I can hear you thinking "That's okay for small business, but sometimes you have to use big business". Well, I don't see why this cannot be upscaled. Why can't an employment prerequisite for any print services provider be that they have to love print? There are a few companies that do manage to carry this through into big business, but mostly this doesn't happen. It all becomes about numbers, and sooner or later someone who really doesn't care is going to make a mess of things

Companies need to actively involve their staff. They need to ensure that their staff are in love with what they do, and receive job satisfaction in more ways that a monthly payment. If you can achieve this, then it will shine out like a beacon to clients and prospects alike. Quality will be top notch, as will motivation, and your company will be driven forwards

Of course, it is completely up to you. I'm not suggesting for one moment that numbers shouldn't be crunched. What I am asking is, are you in love with print, and if not, don't you think you should be?

I Can Do That..... or why everyone thinks they can be a print manager....

2010-02-02T17:21:00.002Z

but they can't!

"Print Management is Dead or Dieing!" is shouted by so many printers. This is then followed by "We Can Manage All of Your Printing"

Erm..... so print management isn't dead?

It is a common perception amongst printers, & some print buyers, that print management companies are freeloaders. They don't do anything except drive down prices and collect the their profits. So often you will see discussions on the Printweek website work their way to eventually blaming everything on print management

To be frank, to a greater degree, this is nonsense. The theory behind print management is relatively complex and simple at the same time. We all know that for a set of business cards you go to a digital printer who specialises in business cards. Likewise, we know if we need 100k catalogues we have to go to a web offset printer. Simples!

I say "Simples" but it does seem to be beyond the ability of a large number of customers. Way too often we don't sit on the customer's side of the table. What we see as an easy process, they see as complex, and certainly not anything they learnt about in great deal while doing their marketing degree. As a more of the next generation of IT savvy people come through the career ladder, we will find people who are great at e-marketing, number crunching and social marketing, but not clued up on print. Even worse, can you imagine trying to organise direct mail without any experience.....eeek!

Now, going by the fact that you are reading this, I expect you are intelligent & inquisitive. You understand that you need to hold your customer's hand. You understand that the customer expects "Macdonalds" instant service. You know that you have to excel in all areas. However, you and I are an exception

Large printers, and some small printers, are famous for being difficult to deal with. Unless you are already a customer, or know someone on the inside, then it is a nightmare. I remember my first experience of a large web offset printer. It went something like this:

Ring, ring.... put through to estimating
CL - "Hi, my name is Chris Lewis of ABC Printers"
Estimator - "Uh huh"
Chris - "I have a client who has requested a catalogue quote from me"
Estimator - "Who is your rep?"
Chris - "I don't have a rep, but I have the specifications here"
Estimator - "You've got to have a rep"
Chris - "Can I not just email you the specifications?"
Estimator - "No you've got to have a rep. I'll take your number"
Chris - "Then what?"
Estimator - "The rep will call you, arrange to see you, take your spec, give it to estimating, and then we'll do the estimate"

This went on for a while, but there was no shifting them. Stupidity in the extreme, and very frustrating. The rep contacted me two days later, I vented my spleen at him, then two days later given my specifications to estimating, they then took a mammoth 4 days to produce an estimate, which they sent to the rep, who then a day later sent it to me. Guess what....... I didn't win that job!

To be fair, I didn't have any web offset experience back then, but then neither do customers or printers who only outsource the odd job. A print manager will probably have handled at least 6 web offset enquiries in 1 week. The volume of print that a print manager handles ensures that they get the client service and they build a relationship with suppliers. Their customers will then benefit from this

If I can just drag myself back to original point. Yes, printers can do print management, BUT they can't do it in a half hearted manner. There is absolutely no point in offering a part-time service, because that is exactly what you will get. If you want to offer print management, then go for it! Perhaps do it in partnership with another printer, or a designer, or even a print manager! Make sure you have expert staff, people who really understand print management, or at the very least make sure that your print management division has an MD that really understands it

Yes you can do THAT...... just so long as you understand what THAT is!

Sustainable Direct Mail on Your Own Terms

2010-01-13T10:03:00.003Z

Let's face it..... Direct Mail works. We've tried to use other routes, such as e-marketing, but on their own they have statistically been shown not to be as effective as combining them with real solid direct mail

So Direct Mail is an absolute essential for successful marketing and an uplift in sales

Direct Mail is, on the surface, a bit of an environmental nightmare. To the general public, it is a use of paper and energy that isn't strictly needed. The fact of the matter is that you can make it environmentally less damaging and you can reduce the carbon footprint. Direct Mail is a fact of life in the world of marketing, and without it many businesses would fail dramatically...... so what can we do to make it more eco friendly?

The Direct Marketing Association has been at the forefront of helping to introduce new standards and practices to help improve the eco friendliness of Direct Mail. The DMA have introduced a set of standards called PAS 2020: Direct Marketing – Environmental performance - Specification. Briefly, these standards provided guidelines for the use of sustainable materials, the use of environmentally accredited printers & mailing houses, and for the cleaning of mailing lists to ensure that mail wasn't sent to people who had moved, passed away, or just plain didn't exist

The Royal Mail was wise to this introduction of a set of environmental standards, and seeing a marketplace for new business they created a new discounted level of postal charges. These new postal charges are known as either Sustainable or Responsible post, dependent on if you are trade or direct. The Royal Mail created two levels of discount called Entry and Intermediate levels (we have to assume that there will be an Advanced level eventually) These levels were related to the PAS2020 standard, with the Entry level being fairly straightforward to obtain, and the Intermediate slightly more testing. You can see a PDF of the specifications here

ftp://ftp.royalmail.com/Downloads/public/ctf/rm/SustainableMail_Specification270109.pdf

Now, the Royal Mail does have to be applauded for introducing these discounts, even if the cynical amongst us would have to say it was purely to increase business (not that there is a problem with more business!). The only issue that I have is that it is actually relatively easy to obtain better post prices than the Royal Mail even with the Sustainable discount!

Of course, if you are paying more for your post, even with the Sustainable discount, then you are going to have to sell more stuff to cover the costs, which means that you are going to have to burn more carbon. This really does defeat the point of the exercise!

Therefore, I have a proposal for you. How about you do all of the things that you would need to do to achieve the PAS2020 standard, but you cut out the bother of having to be approved & ruled by the Royal Mail. You can quite easily use the correctly certified printer, use eco friendly materials, and get your mailing list cleaned up (why wouldn't you do this anyway?). Added to this, you are able to make a bit of a fuss about the whole process by letting your customers know how you have gone about this, without having to operate within the Royal Mail's guidelines. If you want to go one stage further, how about making your print/paper carbon neutral. It takes a bit of work to set up in the first instance, but once you have established the parameters it is relatively low cost (surprisingly so) and allows you to boost your eco credentials

Frankly, I don't know why any company wouldn't take steps to improve their environmental profile. This is all relatively easy, and need not really involve any additional cost. The most likely scenario is that you will save money, improve your profile with your clients, and increase response rates. Its a no brainer!

If you would like some advice, or some prices, then please do contact me by business email chrislewis@intygra-ppl.com

The case for print management

2010-01-11T09:36:00.003Z

Print management makes no sense...... right?

Well, the answer is Yes and No

From the printer's side of things, the perception is that print managers are purely middle men. The print manager (lets call them PM from here on in), is either adding cost or draining the profit from a job. Either way, from the point of view of many printers, this isn't a great thing. However, lets look at why PM exists, and why PMs make sense for many customers

Firstly, what is a PM?

Strictly, a PM is a person or organisation that manages the procurement and production of print. So, basically there is a PM involved in all print, it is just that some customers employ their own PM as part of their staff, and others choose to use an external PM (outsourcing is the buzz word)

Now given that print is a fairly complex process, that involves needing a broad range of experience to obtain the best value, then you are going to need a good PM. As a customer employing their own PM, you are going to need to make the decision that you either pay well to get a good PM, or you pay not so well and cross your fingers that it all works out. Both scenarios give cost, and one of them adds risk into the equation. You can reduce that risk, by getting in a trainer/consultant to help set up systems and give the less well experienced option some training, but remember the Ebbinghaus Effect is going to apply (look it up on Google if you don't know what that is..... or have forgotten)

Frankly, both of the above are far from ideal. At some stage, your PM is going to pack up their bags and take their knowledge elsewhere, or go on holiday, or call in sick. Then you are in trouble, as you either have to have a team of PMs (cost), or you are left struggling with the problem using inexperienced or untrained staff. You could call in emergency cover, but even then they need to get up to speed, and frankly there isn't a roster of experienced PMs hanging around waiting to be called in as emergency cover

So we have established that having your own in house PM is a costly and risky proposition. I'm not saying don't do it (it works for a lot of customers), I am just saying that you need to think about it long and hard

This leaves us with the PM option. What are the advantages of a PM company?

If we start with the obvious..... see above!

Basically, you are buying experience. A good PM company should have many years experience in buying and managing print. This will mean that they instantly know where to go to buy and print your work. The PMCo, will have a good working relationship with their suppliers. As it is permanently their job, the PMCo will not suffer from a lack of experience or focus, and more often than not will be able to bring innovation and alternative processes to the table.

The other main advantage that I hate to bring to the table is cost. When I say cost, I mean the figure that appears on your invoice. A PMCo will have many customers, all funneling their work through the PMCo's suppliers. This means that the customers will have access to a whole different level of pricing. When I first moved from a small to medium sized print company, into a print management company, I couldn't believe the pricing that they were able to achieve. This was in main, due to the fact that the large print manufactures actually answered the phone when the PMCo called, and then actually produced estimates! This was purely because the PMCo had a volume of work that made the larger print companies pay attention. I know how frustrating it has been for customers to get ignored by the large print companies, and how unfriendly they can seem.

So, we have established that using a PMCo can, and should, give you invoice cost savings. You can also benefit from their experience and knowledge, plus their 24/7 focus on print. Added to this, you have the hidden cost savings. No longer will you spend hours searching for the best price (assuming you can even get the best price); no longer will you need to spend hours managing the process; no longer will you need to make sure that everyone is coordinating with each other; and no longer will you need to rely on in house expertise (or lack of it)

Now, I'm not saying that PM is for everyone. I'm not even saying that PMCo's are interested in serving everyone (they aren't). What I am saying, is that despite all of the negative vibes, and comments, from some of the print industry, it is really down to the client to decide what suits them. Not one solution suits every customer, and there is room in the marketplace for all. Take a look at all of the options, do the maths, and pick what suits you best

Essential reading.......

2010-01-08T11:26:00.002Z

I'm not a huge reader, but I have learnt that there are some books you have to read in order to help your personal growth

Here are just a few that I have found helpful

1. Advanced Selling Strategies - Brian Tracy

2. Cold Calling for Chickens - Bob Etherington

3. I can Make You Rich - Paul McKenna

4. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work - Richard Carlson

5. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway - Susan Jeffers

My personal favourite is Paul McKenna. I find his work easy to relate to and the CDs are an added bonus. In the Rich book he goes into too much detail about a business plan, but all of the mind conditioning stuff is excellent. Try any of his books

If you want to get into a lot of the detail on selling, then Advanced Selling Strategies is really good. Many sales consultants quote this book (although they may not tell you that they are doing so!)

I'll update this list as and when I find other books that do the trick, but I'd generally say that continually reading these books will help to condition your mind

How do we know where to go?

2010-01-06T16:25:00.003Z

I am sorry to say that large numbers of sales people have no idea, BUT its not their fault!

When I say that they have no idea, what I really mean is that they have no direction. I have been lucky enough to have worked at several print organisations over the years, and all but one of them have completely failed to convey & implement any consistent sense of direction

Of course, as I have become wiser and older, my experience has taught me that I need to establish my own aims. I do this resolutely, and with great vigour, but my aims do not necessarily tie-up with those of my colleagues. This leaves us all pulling in different directions, with the consequential effect of no forward thrust and the very real possibility that we'll just end up in a crumpled mess

When you look at effective companies, you will always see a visionary at the head. In the print industry you'll see people like Simon Biltcliffe of Webmart, forming the company exactly how he visualises it. He keeps a very strong hold on what he wants his company to be, and everyone there fully understands the where, how and why of what they are aiming to do. Now, I am not saying that I agree with any, or even some, of the philosophies & approaches of Webmart, but they are a good illustration of how to empower your sales team

In order to know where you are going, you need to have a direction. My personal preference is to put an arm round each and every member of staff. I believe in nurture, not nature, and that this is the long term wining way

Here are just a few ways that I believe you can help your team:

1. Create a dress code. Yes, I really did just say that! It really helps if they understand what is the right way to look to sell successfully. Likewise, a clear code of conduct and a set of ethics is important

2. Teach them the company history, what the company does well, and what the aims are. Make them feel part of the company by understanding more of what it is about. Ensure that you have a long & thorough induction

3. Give some target prospects. Don't expect your sales team to get it straight away. It has taken me over a year to understand some companies that I've worked for, so selecting suitable targets is a nightmare

4. Provide consistent and rewarding training. I have been in print for 25 years, and I have forgotten more than I have learnt. Go to the training yourself, but try not to lead it, You will benefit from being amongst your team

5. Set realistic targets, and set rewards, but don't set punishments. I don't think that anyone really appreciates being hit with the proverbial big stick

6. Ask for ideas, and set-up rewards for those ideas that are implemented. In the one single year I saw an ideas scheme implemented, overall profits & productivity raised by 8%. If you don't listen to the ideas, and implement some of them, then you might as well give up trying to motivate your team!

7. Written reports, on a weekly basis, are a must. These aren't to aid you in running your company, or to keep a close eye on everyone, they are actually to help the sales individuals understand what they have done and what they need to do. I am not even suggesting that you need to read each and every one of them!

8. Keep in touch with your team. If you can talk every few days with your team, on an individual basis, then you will not become the big scary boss. Also, always answer their call, or return any missed calls. I always hated feeling like I wasn't important to my bosses

These are just a few very basic points, but hopefully they illustrate how much direction is needed to succeed. I am not suggesting that you make any ones lives a nightmare, I am just suggesting that you show your sales team some direction and love

I would be happy to talk further with any individual or company that feels they could benefit from my experience. My market experience is in print, and it is where I understand the difficulties, but I am certain that I can help in other industries

If we all push together......

2010-01-05T23:18:00.000Z

I'm going to be radical here with a suggestion........

How about we acknowledge that there are benefits to print management?

Ok, I can hear all the print producers chomping at the bit now. I know that there are print managers who submit ridiculous prices and then push these onto the printers, and then another print manager will go lower again and force another printer lower. This isn't what I am talking about. This isn't print management, its closer to print bullying, but I don't want to get side tracked by talking about the faults of the current system

Let me explain what I am thinking........

As there is a distinct skill shortage in print procurement from customers, they tend to find it attractive to stick with either a set of suppliers they have always used, or to use a print manager. By sticking with their normal suppliers they can be sure that nothing will get any worse, or any better. By using a print manager they can rid themselves of the responsibility, and hopefully make some savings, but always have a nagging feeling that they should be dealing direct

Now how about this as an idea......... several print companies, working in different but complimentary fields, join together in an agreement that sees them act as one

This cuts out the print manager, and ensures that the new group can cater effectively for all/most of the needs of clients. There could be a group that includes web offset, sheetfed, digital, mailing, and creative services. However, I can see problems straight away......

Who runs this group?

Who provides the sales staff?

Who provides client services?

Would the client become confused?

How to you ensure that quality is maintained?

I am certain that there are many more issues, but I think we have a fairly straightforward answer. What do you need to manage a group......... I hate to say it, but you need a manager, and as this is print I would have to say that is going to mean we'll have to call him a print manager!

As this gives all of the wrong thoughts, lets call them something different. How about Print Industry Servers (not sure that PIS is going to sound great, but it will raise a smile)

These new Print Industry Servers would be the client services, sales and accounts teams for this new group. This would allow the printers to focus purely on their print, creating greater efficiencies and hopefully improving margins. The Print Industry Servers would have to operate on either a commission or a management charge. To ensure that there was full integration, it would be necessary for there to be a certain number of client services staff based at the print sites, and I would also suggest that sales staff are located at the sites that they are most appropriate to.

I'll not go into the structure of this any further as I suspect that I could write pages and pages about this. Likewise, I am sure that I could get pages and pages of responses

To be frank, I can't see this idea ever coming off. By the nature of being entrepreneurs, a group of company bosses is unlikely to want to relinquish control of sales and strategy. This would mean that there would be management by committee, and that rarely gets things done. However, I do think it would be worth a trial run in parallel with the existing structure. It would be interesting to see what happens when we all push together...........

Does Size Matter?

2010-01-04T16:52:00.000Z

It’s not the size of the supplier but how they do it!

It is a common requirement of many larger companies that their suppliers need to be bulky. There is a fear that by dominating the order book of a supplier, that same supplier becomes too dependent.

To be frank, as a catchall policy, this is nonsense! Let me explain…….

Traditionally a Print Manufacturer’s costs are made up of wages, capital outlay, materials, and utilities costs. The materials costs are pretty much a given and not really up for debate. The materials costs account for 40-60% dependent on the nature of the job.

The other Print Manufacturers costs are classified as Value Added or Contribution. These are the basic costs of manufacture and are normally calculated to include profit , wages, capital, utilities and future contingency costs. These costs account for 40-60% also.

A Print Management company doesn’t work this way. As there are no manufacturing, or capital costs to cover, they can have a more flexible approach. The only costs that need to be covered are wages & buildings. We call these costs our Value Added.

This means that if we take a turnover of say £14M, a print manager's Value Added on that would be in the region of £700k or 5%. Therefore, if they were to decide to take on an account of say £5M, the influence on their Value Added would only be in the region of £238k, or possibly less at the early stage of a contract

An increase in business of £5M would require investment in machinery and the associated staff by a single print manufacturer. For a print manager the same systems and methods as are already in place can be used. This means that the only investment would be in wages, which are easily covered by the Value Added or Contribution

Frankly, I am surprised when faced with the size issue. Print & Marketing Services purchasers really do need to look a little closer at their purchasing parameters. Better still, call in an expert or consultant in the first instance. If you get this right, you can help smaller businesses to become bigger businesses!

DIY Print & Direct Mail?

2010-01-04T16:42:00.000Z

Print & Direct Mail are Powerful Tools, Make Sure You Know How to Use Them

Please excuse my audacity, but I'm willing to bet £50 of my own money that your business could be a lot more successful than it is today.

How?

It's simple, but let me make it simpler still by using an analogy

Let's say your car had some mechanical problem

Nothing complex. Something you could, in theory, fix at home

To fix it you need a range of tools

You'll need a LOT of spanners

Now........you could just use one adjustable spanner, BUT this takes forever to complete the job

Also, have you done the job properly? Something else always breaks!

So, you decide that it's easier and better to use a mechanic. Even easier, to use the dealer you got it from

Do you see where I'm going?

The simple truth is that by using a an expert company for print & DM you not only save money, you also save time & get the right product

Worth thinking about?

What Happens When You Start A Bun Fight?

2010-01-04T16:26:00.000Z

How Sending Your Print RFQ Indiscriminately Can Devalue Your Project & Increase Costs!

What happens when you send out your print project?

Do you send it out to as many companies as possible to get the best price?

Do you start a Bun Fight?

It is a common misconception that more is better. Frankly, by sending it out to all and sundry, you will devalue your project. Even worse, you are likely to increase your costs.

Here’s why:

1. There are a limited number of print manufacturers who have the right equipment. This means that by sending it to several printers, you are sending it to some inappropriate places. Even worse, they could all be inappropriate to that project!

2. Printers tend to see quote requests that don’t match their machinery perfectly as a waste of time. Unfortunately, this means that they tend to delay responding, or indeed don’t respond at all

3. If you send 2 or 3 quote requests to unsuitable printers, then the printers will be more inclined to ignore your quote requests. In turn, this means that when it does suit your project, they are unlikely to quote or pump up the price as you are seen as a time waster

4. Some printers are so desperate, that they will price your project cheaply even if they have the wrong equipment. This means that production will run slow and pricing will be unsustainable on a long term basis

5. You will gain a reputation as a commodity broker with a cheapest price wins approach and little loyalty. This means that you do not have a relationship with the print supplier, and when you need helping out of a scrape you will struggle

I’m absolutely certain that there are experienced print buyers out there. Print buyers with the time to study the print industry, make site visits, learn about new equipment, keep up to speed on paper developments, and able to place work appropriately

Do you have the time and experience?

If the answer is Yes, then well done and congratulations! Honestly, I mean it. You have the skills to be well paid!

If you have to do more than just print source, then I suspect that the answer must be a No. It is near on impossible to focus on several areas and achieve the perfect result. Then by not achieving the perfect result you end up have higher costs than you and your company would want.

How do you get better value?

How do you stop your print being devalued?

As with anything, ask an expert! In this case, that would either be a Print Consultant or a Print Management company. Both have their plus points, and have certain areas that suit different companies.

Print Consultant’s approach is for the customer to become expert. This is where the consultant comes in, and educates. There is a fee, and this depends on the number of days that you require them for. This will still require someone to remain expert, and for that person to be retained at the company. This will suit some companies, although it is an upfront cost without a known result, and has ongoing costs

Print Management’s approach is for the customer to outsource the expertise. The PM company will use their knowledge and experience to place the work as appropriate. They will be able to achieve much better prices, meaning that they can add a fee on top. However, even with the fee on top the costs are normally significantly lower. The PM co will manage the whole process, from sourcing to project management, leaving you free to focus on other areas. It is not as cheap as sourcing from the correct printer, but it is very much more cost effective.

Why is using a Print Manager more cost effective?

1. Print projects are analysed for cost effectiveness
2. Recommendations are made for changes in specification
3. Fit for Purpose production is selected
4. Purchasing power is consolidated
5. Management is outsourced
6. Processing is consolidated
7. Waste is removed

I'll leave you to decide what suits you

Personally, I would always rather pay someone else to do what I am not qualified, or too busy, to do!

Six Simple Ways to Reduce Your Brochure Print Costs

2010-01-04T15:10:00.000Z

If you're looking to trim your print brochure & catalogue production costs, consider these suggestions from our team:

1. Reduce your paper weight. Reducing your paper weight by just 10gsm will cut your paper costs and possibly your postage costs as well

2. Try a high-bulk paper. There are some excellent super-calendared papers out there now, with greater brightness & bulk

3. Reduce your page count, and consider changing the size to a standard trim. By matching your page count & size to the appropriate machinery you can achieve significant reductions

4. Change the finish of your covers. By changing from a laminate to a UV coating you can reduce your costs. Likewise, consider changing a foiled area to a spot metallic colour

5. Rethink your packaging. Consider shrink-wrap instead of cartons, and bulk pack on pallets

6. Look into choosing a local printer. You will save time in terms of press passing and transport costs

Have you thought about going naked? (I mean your mailings!)

2010-01-04T15:09:00.000Z

Have you thought about "going naked" with your mailings?

You may have noticed more and more catalogues going out with no polywrap. This is definitely an option if you do not carry inserts or loose order forms or if you can bind them in. Work out the costs, you can save £12 per k by forgetting the polywrap. It could boost your response too. When tested, polywrap-free received feedback from customers thanking the company for saving them the agro of the plastic. I always end-up with a pile of plastic that I can't recycle, which then gives negative thoughts in my head. Many established catalogues go out "naked" - Hotel Chocolate, Cotswold Company and Lands End, are just a few

If you are more bashful and going naked is not for you, consider the new compostable alternatives. A new 100-percent biodegradable material called Matter-Bi, for instance, can run through a regular polywrapping machine. One major charity has been testing this recently, and operationally the mailing went as smooth as can be. Of course, such new innovations are always more expensive in the outset, but rest assured you will get an upturn in response by showing your eco-friendly credentials on the design of the mailing piece

Digital Print's Potential

2010-01-04T14:07:00.000Z

I've been in the print industry for over 25 years now. I've seen a lot of changes, including the arrival of Apple Macs & DTP, the spread of colour printing (is anything printed 1 colour apart from books?), email marketing (supposedly the death of print), and a general rise in standards & competition. All of these things have been taken onboard by clients, and are readily used as part of the everyday marketing tools. However, there is one really significant tool that is not used to its full potential: Digital Print

The common perception is that digital print is there for short runs and urgent jobs. Clients think that the print quality isn't very good, and the range of stocks are limited. The print industry hasn't really helped with this perception, as they have generally marketed it as the poor relation of the King of print: sheet fed litho

Let me reassure you..... digital print has progressed hugely! For many print jobs, you would now be hard pressed to tell if it was digital or sheet fed litho. Of course, as with any type of print, you do need to use a good printer to produce a good piece of print. Having said that, digital print is actually less reliant on variable factors, and gives a more consistent result. With any form of lithographic print you need a good press minder, a good batch of materials, and you even need a good day!

So, digital print is of a good standard now, but it is still only for short runs & urgent jobs?

The answer is Yes and No. Yes, it is still great for short runs and urgent jobs. No, it is not restricted to just these. You see, where digital print really comes into its own is using the technology like it was intended: Personalisation

If I can just take a slight backwards step to sheet fed litho print. Sheet fed litho is excellent for producing thousands and thousands of identical items. You create the artwork, your produce printing plates, you set the press up, and then you print thousands and thousands of the same item. If that is what you are after, then it is brilliant! Frankly, if you want to say the same thing to lots of people, then I can't think of anything better

Digital print is different. Every time you want to print, it images the image, prints it onto the paper/card, and then starts over again: Image, Print, Image, Print, Image, Print. So, why image the same thing over and over again? Why not image something different for each person that you are going to mail the print to? Why not talk directly and personally to the recipient?

Can you see the possibilities? Can you see how you can make the message so much more effective? Do you want to know what the response rates are like?

Okay, well the truth is that fully personalised digital print mailings are generally 4x more effective. On a recent test mailing, a mail order clothing retailer got 4x the response from their digital mailing than from their sheet fed mailing. Admittedly, the sales rate wasn't as much of a success, but that is more related to the offer. The important thing is the response rate

There are issues with digital print. It takes a lot more thinking and planning. You need to have a good database, and you need to prepare the artwork better. You need a printer who doesn't just process your work. You need a more consultative printer. You a printer who understands marketing and all of the technical issues involved. You need a printer who is in love with digital print and all of the possibilities

I've only really skimmed the surface here. Just given you an idea of what digital print can really do. Digital print really can make your direct mail more personal and more relevant.