Sometimes, Quantity Counts

There are two ways in which catalogs can be printed: by a web press, or by a sheet fed printer. A web press is designed to run large quantities of paper, while a sheet fed printer will run smaller jobs. For that reason, a web press will produce far more catalogs in a much shorter time, but at a higher price. If you are printing a relatively high number of catalogs - say, 5,000 or more - it will be cost effective for you to run your job through a web press. If you are printing less than that, however, you will probably be better off sticking with a sheet fed printer.

Pay Attention to the Number of Pages

Designing your catalogs to be 32 or 64 pages can save you a great deal of money. Most commercial printers can use eight unit web press that will make it incredibly efficient to print pages in multiples of 8. That, of course, saves you money through reduced time and labor costs.

Use Smaller Pages

Another money saving option is to use a slightly smaller page. Changing from the standard size 8 3/8" paper to a 7 3/8" size will save you up to 10% in material costs. If you are trying to print a large enough quantity of catalogs to use a web press, using this slightly smaller size page can help offset the costs. And customers will not be negatively impacted by the change, either. A 7 3/8" size catalog is still easily readable, and still offers plenty of room for you to include all of your products.

Plan Ahead

Be sure to send your mailing list to your printer at least a week before your scheduled mailing date. This allows time for you to estimate the postage cost, and for the printer to check the list for duplicates and other possible problems. The more time you can allow, the better.

Communicate with your Printer

While most web presses run virtually non stop, they are very busy and hectic places. If you anticipate any delays in the design process, make sure you tell your printer right away. You do not want to make their job any more difficult by annoying them with time problems. It is a good idea to stay in regular contact with your printer to ensure that any possible problems are taken care of efficiently and quickly.