Print Management vs Your Local Printer
As a business expands and grows so does its printing requirements. In the early days, 500 thin product brochures, labels, envelopes, and 100 business cards, may be all that’s needed. As stocks deplete, a quick phone call or email to your local printer ensures a new batch arrives, and everything keeps running smoothly.
Increasing business means increasing print requirements
Business is brisk, you decide to expand your operation. Perhaps franchise exhibitions attract you, with a view to franchising your enterprise. Or maybe you decide to take space at trade fairs to grow your brand and increase your client base. You may want glossy catalogues to follow up leads. You need point of sale literature, banners, and branded freebies such as pens, memory sticks, mouse mats, and mugs. You want a company calendar to send to clients. Suddenly a five minute phone call becomes a morning or full day contacting different suppliers, trying to get the best price for each individual item because nobody supplies them all. Have you forgotten anything - will they be delivered in time for your first trade fair?
This is one scenario. Of course, there are many other reasons you may need the services of a professional printing company, based on the specific requirements of your business model. The question is, do you take these requirements to a local ‘print shop’ or turn to a print management company?
A place for local printers
There is undoubtedly a place for local printers. Small, one man retail businesses or service providers have a relatively low print requirement. Local charities and good causes might need posters and leaflets for an upcoming event. These, and a host of other small businesses and organisations enjoy the personal, face to face approach of a local printer. In these situations, annual print cost is low compared to many other business overheads, and the local element can work well – great for stationary and the occasional mailshot. However, as print requirements grow and diversify, costs can creep up, which is why local printers aren’t regularly used for catalogue printing or large scale requirements.
Cost and time saving
As print and marketing requirements increase, do you delegate someone in the office to spend time managing your printing needs, or do you outsource to a company with comprehensive knowledge of all things related to the industry?
Print management companies have the advantage of dealing with nothing but print and its various offshoots. Just as large supermarket chains drive down the cost of foodstuffs by bulk buying, so professional print management companies’ drive down the printing costs for individual companies, by providing printing businesses with high volumes of print work for their various clients.
Add to that an intimate knowledge of design and marketing, and it becomes clear that the savings in time and cost to even a relatively small business can be substantial.
Take the worry out of your printing needs
21st Century Print is a young company with over 75 combined years in the print industry. Our expertise not only ensures meeting the highest quality, most cost-effective printing for your business, but we can work with you to enhance your digital communication strategy and rejig your internal print requirements. We can accommodate one-off print orders and provide full print management services as required. For more in-depth information on our services, please download our free eBook – The Catalogue Print and Design Guide.