In the current economic climate every business needs to ensure that they are not only getting the best value for money, but that they are saving every penny they can.
With this in mind, here are eight ways that money can be saved when buying print that may help you to still buy the job you need without giving up quality or the quantity that you need.
1. Size matters! Only use 'A' sizes when having jobs printed, unusual sizes do not make the best use of paper, so cost more.
2. Weight matters too - drop to a lower gsm of paper but specify one that has more bulk (thickness). This will give the same feel but cost less.
3. Use a good quality un-branded paper. Watermarked paper can cost many times more than a good quality non-watermarked paper.
4. Order as many different sets of business cards as you can at the same time. Printing a business card for one member of staff is expensive. Go round the whole company and order as many staff member cards as you can together.
5. Avoid colour. Other than the top sheet of an NCR set (invoice sets, delivery notes, order forms, etc) printed in corporate colours, consider having all the copy sheets printed in black. This can make large savings.
6. Use less solid ink coverage. Ink can be expensive. In addition, if colour is printed off the edge of a page a larger sheet size is required. Again this is more expensive.
7. Watch for the extras - some companies, especially those online, charge extra for just about everything: proofs, pdfs, laser copies, faster turn-around, delivery, etc.
8. Payment charges. Most companies charge extra for paying by credit card. Check and consider using another if they do.
There are many other ways to save money when buying print. So next time you place an order with your printer, ask if they can suggest ways in which you can cut costs.
Article written by David Wimblett
