Margie Dana

You may well be the most brilliant print buying pro on this good earth, but even if you are, there’s a statement you MUST include on every request for a quote or an estimate that you send to a commercial printer. It is simply this:

“If you know a better way to produce this job, please share your ideas with me.”

Only a stubborn know-it-all believes that the way he or she has spec’d a job to print is the best way to get it done. Maybe it is; maybe it isn’t.

There’s absolutely no harm in letting your printers know you’re open to their ideas – even if you don’t like what they come back with or you decide to stick with your original plan.

It’s silly not to ask for their ideas.

Things you might find out when you ask for a printer’s input:

– There’s a more efficient size and/or format.

– There’s a better paper option that won’t cause any problems on press.

– The way you’ve designed your direct mail campaign will increase your postage needlessly.

– The way you’ve designed your direct mail campaign cannot be mailed by the USPS!

– There’s a substrate that’s better suited for your outdoor signage.

– The stock you’ve spec’d isn’t thick enough for what the piece is intended to do.

– There are new types of banner stands that will give you a more professional product.

– A slightly different size will be more economical.

– Your files have the same problems over and over again.

And so on and so forth.

So swallow your pride and always ask a printer to share ideas for improving your job.

Diane Dragoff

April 27, 2014 at 9:39 am

Great blog.

However, I disagree with your last sentence. Its not a matter of pride swallowing, its the mark of a smart buyer to ask the vendor to partner with you on a piece, project or campaign. Equipment and production methods vary. Share the broad scope of the project with the vendor, ask opinion, request estimates based on varied sizes, production methods, etc. The vendor has probably seen similar types of projects and can be a valuable resource in to you.

A smart buyer should always start this conversation, a smart vendor should offer options along with the spec’d quote.

Margie Dana

April 29, 2014 at 8:44 am

Thanks for your two cents, Diane – always appreciated. Now let me ask you this, as you’re a lifetime print-buying pro: if a printer does make a suggestion that would improve your job he or she is bidding on – do you go with it and therefore reward that printer, or do you rebid the job with all of your other printers who are also bidding on it?

Tim McKinnon

April 28, 2014 at 9:51 am

Great Tip.

This should be the modus operandi for any good printer/print rep.

Here is a more important question. As a print buyer, would you take the suggestion and send out a new set of specifications to all of the vendors you have estimating the project?

Can’t wait to hear the answers from the print buying community.

P.S. I was at the most spirited trade association dinner ever when this question was put to a panel of print buyers.

Gretchen Morris

April 28, 2014 at 9:59 am

This is a great reminder of an easy and basic step to take that could save time, aggravation, and costs. Whenever possible I also provide the printer with a PDF draft of the project being quoted, or a sample of a similar printed piece, so they can see first-hand the graphic elements and/or the desired end result.

Margie Dana

April 29, 2014 at 8:45 am

Thanks, Gretchen – and I so love your practice of providing the printer with a sample or PDF of what the job will look like. Just makes SO much sense.

Margie

Steve Boss

April 28, 2014 at 4:58 pm

To answer Tim’s question: Should a print buyer turn around and use your idea of savings on THIS order/estimate they are not the professionals the industry needs. On the next order or re-run by all means use the new specs to quote the order. However credit should be given when credit is due, if a supplier shows you the way to save money on the order you should place the order with him. Just my two cents.

Keith Allen Lindbeck

April 30, 2014 at 6:27 pm

Great thread everyone — and Ms. Dana, a great question to be sure!

As we all know, printers all have different presses, finishing equipment, and inserters, printers, etc. This means that one printer will configure a job in one way, and another printer will do something else entirely.

When producing direct mail, it’s MACHINEABILITY is a major issue. Often the designs proposed by creatives necessitate that the mailpiece be inserted by hand, driving costs through the roof, and delaying your mail date, potentially impacting postage as well.

For this reason, estimating the job up front in writing with printers, mailshops, merge/purge shops, and call centers (if involved) is the best way to avoid budgetary surprises down the road.

I expect my suppliers to consult/recommend economies of scale and in fact if they plan to tweak my design at all, I also need to know this before placing the work with them. And of course, I reward my best partners with work that fits them well.

Janet Nicosia

May 27, 2014 at 11:00 pm

It’s a given fact with all of my vendors to advise should they have any ideas, etc on any project. It goes without saying at this point (I wouldn’t use them otherwise). Aside from their quality, it’s their knowledge (and use of) that makes them valuable. Layouts are always provided when available, along with the specs. When a vendor has alternate ideas/a better way, etc. I have them note it separate on the estimate so I can fairly compare costs and then taking everything into account, make my decision on how best to proceed. What one vendor may recommend, I don’t share with others. Vendors are chosen to bid based on their capabilities to print that particular job. They all have the opportunity to comment, what works for one may not work for another. I view any idea that is extremely modified from the original to be proprietary to that vendor who came up with it.