The value of printed collaterals in a world increasingly going digital has already been discussed at length before. Some of their many incredible advantages include the fact that they’re capable of commanding more attention, which means that your brand will stay in the minds of your customers – both current and potential alike – for far longer.
When it comes to physical events like professional networking conferences and trade fairs, printed collaterals are also much more effective than their digital counterparts. After all, decorating your allocated space with banners and standees makes you stand out from the rest of the participants more, as opposed to having a tiny computer or television screen displaying your brand logo.
Because of the critical role that they play in marketing your business, choosing a printing partner for your collaterals isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. Ending up with the wrong one would most likely end in catastrophe – you might find yourself with thousands of poor-quality flyers that can’t be distributed or banners that arrived only after the event was over.
So, if you want to avoid these kinds of scenarios and get the most value for your dollar, then here are a few red flags to watch out for when shopping around for a printing service.
They only have one kind of printing style
There are various kinds of printing styles, each one carrying their own unique characteristics and special uses. For instance, Large Format works best when creating billboards and standees while Digital Printing is great for high-volume collaterals that are needed immediately.
Now, there’s a huge chance that you’d need only one or the other for your current printing project; however, it’s important to think long-term – that is, what about your future needs? You may need a billboard today, but next week might require you to prepare business cards and leaflets. It’s hard to anticipate what printing styles you’ll need for your other upcoming projects, which is why working with a company that only offers one service isn’t something that you should go for.
Choosing a printing service that only has Digital Printing limits your collaterals to flyers and the like while working with one that only offers Large Format means that you won’t be able to go beyond banner stands. However, working with a printing service capable of doing various styles will allow you to keep your collaterals fresh and unique at all times.
They don’t invest in their equipment
A printing company is only as good as the machines they use – faulty and outdated equipment would undoubtedly result in collaterals with poor color matching and blurred graphics while blunt tools mean wonky edges and crooked cuts.
Reputable printing services always have information about their equipment readily available, either on their website or upon request from clients. More importantly, they aren’t afraid to drop money on acquiring the latest technology in the field, so be on the lookout for machines that look old and worn, as well as those that seem relatively musty and dated.
If a printing company is prone to pausing their business operations due to technical problems, then that should be a cause of concern too. Equipment that frequently breaks down means that they aren’t being regularly maintained and taken care of, which would inevitably cause delays in your project.
They don’t offer printing samples
It’s common practice to request for samples when availing of a company’s service, be it printing collaterals or something else entirely. Naturally, you want to make sure that the items you’ll end up with are top-notch, made with high-quality materials, and are proportionate to what you paid for them. After all, nobody wants to waste any money purchasing services that they eventually won’t use!
More than that, though, taking a look at samples gives you insight into the services that the company offers – do they offer items in a wide range of sizes? Do the results match the exact shade of colors in the original design? Are the edges straight and crisp?
If a printing service hides their work and isn’t willing to show you samples of their past work, then it’s best to pick another one. To add to that, the absence of testimonials on their website or a lack of reviews on their social media pages might indicate customers who were less than satisfied with what that they received.
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Before picking a printing service to work with, make sure that they aren’t exhibiting any of the red flags mentioned above. If they are, then run away immediately! Otherwise, you might just end up with a few too many headaches later on.
One of the best and most trustworthy printing services in London is Printpal London, a company that has been servicing the printing requirements of businesses across the city since 2007. Their wide range of services includes posters, leaflets, business cards, stationeries, and more, enabling them to meet every single one of your needs. For more information, reach out to Printpal London here.
