If you”ve come to this article, chances are you are looking to buy printing for some project either in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Canada or the Eastern United States. I can look up in the yellow pages and get hundred of printing company”s names so what”s your shpiel?
My shpiel, is simply to make you think about what it is you are really looking for. Printing although thought of as a commodity it is really very specific to each persons needs. If you wanted a bottle of coke, you could buy it at Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, your local grocery or convenience store or even get it at a vending machine. The coke from all these places is manufactured at the same place with the same ingrdients and packaged the same. Your choice now comes down to either location, convenience or price? Printing though is specific to your needs. Your letterhead, business card, invoice, envelope, label, all have your logo on it. Paper stock for each item is countless. The type of printing, litho, offset, web, digital, thermoengraved and genuine engraved all give a different look to your product.
What kind of image are you striving for? Lowest cost? Highest Impact? Direct segmented marketing? What do you need most? Cheapest price, best service, guaranteed delivery time, guaranteed product or distribution? Do you enjoy impersonal dealing through the internet which gives you access 24 hours a day or do you like the personal touch of dealing with a representative who knows your business, your products and your needs?
Now we get to Solutions Ink. Solutions Ink is one of many Document Management Specialist. Another term being used is print broker. In today”s age company”s can”t be everything to everyone, or can they? The traditional printer had presses that did one type of operation ( printing business cards or enevelopes or forms or labels). If you gave them something outside their domain they outsourced it to another printer who had the appropriate presses. Print brokers, like every other document management specialist, takes the outsourcing to the max. They outsource all their printing. For each type of job they have 5 to 6 printers with those appropriate presses. With their larger sales volumes they are able to sell for less than most direct printers and still get the best quality and service. If your direct printer has 5 rush jobs to do but only 1 press, four of his customers will be disappointed. With print brokers bank of printers they are sure to be able to do your job and meet your deadlines. Many print brokers have invested in e-commerce ordering systems for both printing and promotional products. With in house programmers they can have a live site ready in days.
If your ready to take the correct next step, find a document management specialist that you are comfortable with. Finding the right person to work with require a little effort on your part. Find out what the company is about, can you deal with the personality of the company or representative, what they have to offer you to better your business. Think of it as the dating process. You are not committed to them unless you”d like to be. If it”s not a perfect match, continue to look. Try to find a provider who can offer you all the things you need and make you happy. Buying should”t be the stressful part of your business!
Related Posts
