Thursday, August 14, 2008

Useful Tips for Selecting Postcard Printers

By Jacques Di Salvia


Postcards are one of the most effective marketing tools for boosting your business. They are cheap and affordable and communicate your messages directly to your client.

Advanced printing technologies with up-to-date machines will enable several different postcards to be printed at the same time and they can all have a different design, for a lot less. For that reason, choosing a reputable printer is the first and most important step before signing a printing contract.

The quality of the printed postcard will be a reflection of your company as well. Therefore, when selecting a printer, be sure to review samples of their printed material and do not hesitate to contact some of their current clients to discuss the quality of service.

A fully equipped prepress and post press section should be standard within the postcard printers operation. The prepress area employs professional graphic designers to advise you on the fonts, formats, designs, color schemes and other factors pertaining to the output of your postcard. An example is the screen or resolution used for a graphic is dependent on the paper it will be printed on. Uncoated paper may not require fine screen resolution whereby a high quality paper will require a higher resolution for more clarity.

Postcard printers should have the capability of printing a minimum of four colors at one time. With advanced technology the printing process requires only a minimal manual adjustments such as ink-water balance and can print high quality prints consistently. Other electronic sensors adjust print density and clarity that then deliver a high quality postcard.

Make sure your postcard printer has printing machines that can handle varying paper sizes and thickness. If your design is based on a specific paper size, which is not supported by the printing machine, it will cost you more because of higher paper wastage. Likewise, if the machine cannot handle very thin or heavy gauge papers, you may not get the desired quality you are looking for. It will be best to discuss these issues with your printer before finalizing the deal. Just check out if your postcard printer can handle large projects without failing on deadline.

Ideally, the printing company that you employ should be able to offer everything you need all within his or her operation. A post press division will enhance the look of the postcard with some of the special treatments like varnishing, dye stamping and lamination. Another benefit would be if the printer could provide a mailing facility as well.

If the postcard printer can offer you special services like handling mailing lists, marketing programs, or tailor-made corporate programs like variable data printing, network mailer, or account management facilities, you can expect a hassle-free end-to-end solutions.

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