A Guide to Making Printing Projects Painless

I Have Seen the Future

When my wife and I were building our home a few years ago, we learned early in the process that our occupancy date was dependent on more than our desire to "be in by the end of summer". We were relying on a slew of disparate regulations, schedules, workloads, and vacations. I won't even go into the story of the subterranean rock mass we hit during excavation! Planning a successful printing project, though thankfully smaller in scope, is similar in nature.

Consider all the steps required to bring your project to fruition:

• Establish the purpose of your printed piece
• Write copy and design
• Rewrite copy and redesign
• Gather photos & illustrations
• Get consensus from all involved before giving the file to your printer
• Rewrite copy and design….again!
• File process and proof production by your printer
• Proof review
• Make changes to your proof
• Subsequent proof review & changes
• Printing
• Bindery
• Delivery
• Distribution

If you have a "drop dead" date, such as a trade show, a mailing, or even a meeting with a special client, work backwards from that date to determine your schedule for each of the steps listed above. Be realistic. Allow your designer enough time to produce quality work. Proofing is the one single process that nearly always takes longer than my clients expect. The more people who have editorial input, the longer it will take. Count on it. Expect to take 24 to 72 hours to thoroughly proof a multi-page project. There are several, surefire ways to minimize proofing time. I'll discuss them below in "Too Rich, Too Thin".

Work with a Great Graphic Designer

Assuming you're in business for the long-haul, it's imperative to develop a relationship with a great graphic designer. The obvious benefits a designer brings to your business, such as eye-catching design and the ability to provide a consistent graphic face for your business are merely the tip of the iceberg.

A great graphic designer is a terrific communicator and has a wealth of technical knowledge to guide you through the printing process. She knows all about appropriate choices for paper and ink. She knows what a proof reveals (and doesn't reveal). Image resolution? Handled. File preparation? Done. Font issues? Fugetaboudit! Seriously, like an expert in any field, graphic designers know a whole lot about stuff that would make the average business-owner's eyes glaze over. Choose someone you can relate to, which will allow her to get to know you and your business. Then, you can relax and rely upon her expertise and knowledge.

Designers are also available to manage your print project for you. However, if you choose to take on that task yourself, read on…..

Talk….Listen…..Talk and Listen some more

"Disappointment is that vast chasm between expectations and results." -Me Eliminate the disappointment by communicating clearly and concisely with your printer.

It's important that you choose a printer you trust. Consider the following conversation:

• Client: "…and that pretty much covers the scope of this project."

• Printer: "Do you have a budget for this project or even a rough idea of what you want to spend?"

• Client: "Nope."

• Client: [thinking to himself] "If I tell you my budget, you'll spend every stinkin' dime of it!"

This exchange is a clear indication that I, as the printer, have not clearly communicated one my core beliefs: If I best serve your long-term interests, I'll have you as a customer for life. If I do anything short of serving those interests, I'm robbing you of the value you're paying for and I should be replaced.

Ask your associates to refer a good printer. The names of printers with excellent reputations will tend to crop up repeatedly. A great printer brings a mix of technical expertise and artistry to the table. A great printing representative is very good at communicating those capabilities to you in the context of your project goals, then helping you reach those goals.

What should you expect from a great printer? Perhaps I can best convey that by putting myself in your place. Drawing from my 20+ years in the printing industry, what would be my expectations if I were buying printing for myself? Here's a brief list:

• I would be listened to, not sold to
• My time would be respected
• My expectations for the project would be heard
• If my expectations were unrealistic, I would be informed early in the process
• My print rep would anticipate potential project pitfalls and address them up front
• I would be offered alternatives to meet my project goals
• The rep would inform me if the project is not a good fit for his company. If it's not a good fit, I would expect a referral to another printer
• The printer's quote would be understandable. Any confusion about the quote would be cleared up
• My rep would review a timeline for the production of my printed piece
• The printer would communicate openly throughout the production process. I would be informed of potential delays immediately
• My rep and his staff would be readily available to answer calls and respond to email inquiries
• My project would be delivered on time with no pricing surprises
• The printer would follow up after project completion

Perhaps you can think of other important expectations. Just make sure your printer knows what they are so he can deliver the experience and product you want.

"You can never be too rich, too thin…or proofread too much."

Okay, so I put words in Wallis Simpson's mouth. But if she were buying printing instead of fooling around with the Prince of Wales back in the ‘30s, I'm sure she would have added that last part.

Remember that when you turn your file over to your printer, time is money. To put it more precisely, their time is your money.

To explain further, here's a short tutorial. The prepress department in a printing firm is the group of talented people who receive customers' files and after minimal manipulation, produce proofs for customer review. Upon proof approval, they produce the printing plates which ultimately go on the press to print the final product. There is a certain amount of prepress time built into the quote of every job, based on receiving problem-free files, and for production of a proof.

When that manipulation requires more than the allotted time to produce printing plates, your costs increase. The two biggest factors that contribute to more prepress time:

1. Poorly prepared files (see "Work with a Great Graphic Designer", above)
2. Changes.

Rarely will a complex project sail through on the first proof. Inevitably, small tweaks and adjustments need to be made before printing. However, you can save a small fortune by proofing your piece thoroughly before the printer gets your file. Here are some proofing tips to help you:

• Get editorial input up front. It's free!
• Have a fresh set of eyes proof your piece; someone who is not involved with the project. When we're proofing our own work, we tend to see what we meant to write, not what we wrote.
• Ask your print rep to proof it. What? He balks at your request? Get another print rep.
• When you receive a proof, PROOF IT! On countless occasions clients have handed back a proof with an offhand remark like, "I can't look at this again, I've lived with it for weeks. I'm sure it's fine." NO! This is no time to throw in the towel. Hang in there. You'll be glad you took the time to thoroughly proof your piece.
• Even if you're in a rush, take the extra hour to look at it again. That hour invested is a lot less time (translation: money) than it takes to make changes and to review yet another proof.
• Double check the minutiae: phone numbers, email addresses, URLs, etc.
• Some people recommend turning the piece upside down to proof it. Doesn't work for me; all I see is a bunch of upside down copy.

A final note on proofing and making changes…..

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

I don't believe for a second that it's all small stuff. However, don't worry about details that probably don't matter to your reader. Should I use this font size or that font size? Should my email address be a millimeter lower?

Here's a question to ask yourself when you're agonizing over something that might be trivial: "Will my choice be a deal breaker for the reader?" In other words, will your reader (prospective client) look at your business card and silently remark, "If only that email address were just a millimeter lower, I could do business with this person with a clear conscience!" Likely, the answer is no.

Go Forth. Be Bold. Just Be Prepared

Printing, like any specialized business, can be fraught with complexities and jargon that require you to rely on professionals who know their business. Find a graphic designer and print professional who truly listen to you and care about your success. Then, work their tails off!

Your printing project is an investment in the public persona of your business. Plan properly, choose your design/print team wisely, communicate clearly, and you'll be thrilled with the payoff.