Why get your printing managed by a professional?

When it comes to your printed material, there is no substitute for quality and dependability. All too often we’ve seen clients print with an independent printer because they have found a better price. What they don’t realise is that although the price may be competitive the printer possibly isn’t.

A print buying service provider like Avant Communication can help you to avoid the common printing mistakes that you might not even know about. Print buyers have strong relationships with highly professional printers. They will handle your entire print job on your behalf ensuring that you get the best product at the right time.

Whenever a client produces a design with us, we recommend that we also handle the printing. Our production team has endless experience in print buying and a track record of thousands of jobs. With expertise honed over years in the industry, Avant Communication offers you a complete, dependable print management service.

Are the pitfalls of printing really that significant?

The answer is, ‘Most definitely!’ When you search for a printer, you need to consider manpower, experience and machine quality. For a small print-run with a few colours a certain printer might be sufficient, but if you have a complex job that involves a large number of premium materials printed in special colour on imported paper, an inexperienced printer could cost you a great deal of money in terms of wastage (paper that you paid for that wasn’t needed), overs (the number of items printed up and above the quantity that you actually needed) and delays (due to bad time management). Even the stitching or the smell of the ink that is used by lower quality printers can influence the quality of your end product.

What must you consider when printing?

Avant Communication has successfully handled hundreds and hundreds of printing jobs in our time. Our specialist production team is lead by our production manager who has 15 years industry experience. In this section he wishes to share a few beginners’ print buying tips.

1. Choose the right printer – It is critical to choose the right printer. The jobs that a printer can and cannot do depend on the machinery used. So be sure to select a printer that can meet your needs.

Avant Communication has built long-standing relationships with printers who have always delivered to our high standards. Whenever you choose to print through Avant Communication, you can rest assured that your job is handled by a quality printer who uses the most advanced machinery operated by qualified technicians.

2. Plan well – Share your ideas with the printer right from the start. This will ensure that no time is wasted on impossible efforts.

The print production team at Avant Communication will advise you on all the possible avenues you can follow to reach your desired printing goals. This means that every minute spent on planning your project is constructive.

3. Keep up to date – Stay in touch with the printing industry. Know what are the latest technologies, machinery and techniques. That way you’ll always know what is possible and how you can create printed matter with an edge and impact.

This is of course quite a task especially when you have other matters to focus on. As a marketing manager you have more pressing matters than to study various printers. As a business owner your company’s day-to-day processes are more important. That is where Avant Communication can help you. Our production team stays up to date with the latest advances in the printing industry and we can pass that knowledge on to you. You tell us what you need done and we’ll tell you how and where to do it.

4. Keep samples – It can be very helpful to have a range of samples on record. This allows you to reference various paper samples, formats and special finishes and will help you to visualise various options for your print job.

Stocking a large number of samples may not always be practical for you. That is why Avant Communication is here. We stay up to speed so you don’t have to. We can advise you on paper stock specification, ink effects, embossing and varnishing, folds and fastenings, paper and cardboard engineering, pre-print sample modelling and all available finishes.

5. Use standard sheet sizes – Paper stock comes in rolls of standard widths and sizes. An optimum design will utilise standard sheet sizes, as it will reduce wastage. Avant Communication will help you to use your paper optimally so you can reduce wastage and cost.

6. Colours – Printing professionally is quite different from printing on a digital printer. In the offset printing process, each colour requires a separate printing plate. This means that the more colours are used in a job, the more expensive it will be. There are four colours, which make up colour printed images. They are Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CYMK). There are however ‘special colours’ which are not produced in this way. There are a vast number of these and they are known as Pantone colours. When used in printing, each Pantone colour is always considered as an extra colour and therefore needs its own printing plate. So in the case where a corporate logo contains two special colours, e.g. red and blue, and it appears in a brochure along with photographs and text, the job will constitute six colours. (The pictures and text will be made up of the four CMYK colours and the special colours would be considered two additional colours.). Six printing plates will thus be needed for this job.

7. Planning – Always work with your printer to set up a detailed production schedule and insist on sticking to it. With Avant Communication you’ll never have to worry about this. We will coordinate with the printer and ensure that production stays on schedule and that your material is delivered on time.

8. Dummies and proofs – In some cases it can be very helpful if the printer provides you with a ‘dummy’ of the items to be produced, especially if you have a pack which contains various items. When Avant Communication handles your printing job we will ensure that you get a working dummy and proofs of the design so that you can see how and if it works.

9. The finer details – The print job doesn’t end at specification and price agreement. Once these are in place also be sure to clarify payment terms and ownership of materials. This includes artwork as well as the storage of materials. These logistical matters may turn into quite a headache for you, which is why we gladly take care of all of this when handling a printing job.

10. Finishing – Always consider the impact of the various type of finishing processes. The type of fold you choose may mean hand inserting instead of machine inserting. This will obviously influence cost. With Avant Communication you’ll never have to deal with nasty surprises. We’ll give you a clear and concise quote, so that you’ll always know what to expect.

Why choose Avant Communication?

Whether it is a business card or a large format billboard, Avant Communication will ensure that your material is produced to the highest quality and on time. With years of experience we can confidently undertake full management of your print project including collation, packaging and delivery. No more costly waste or mistakes. If it is quality, value and professionalism you’re after, Avant Communication is only a phone call away.