subject: 6 Questions To Ask Your Poster Printer [print this page] 1) Do you use genuine inks and media? 1) Do you use genuine inks and media?
2) Do you have a written quality guarantee?
3) How should I prepare my poster design for printing?
4) What is the best media for my posters?
5) Can I order online?
6) Is this the best price for my posters?
1) Do you use genuine media and inks? Why bother asking this question? If your posters look good you may not want to know, on what, or what with, or how they are printed! However if appreciate true quality and require posters that possess the wow factor you need a printer that uses genuine product.
Genuine inks and media, referred to as a Matched Component System (MCS), ensure maximum quality in terms of colour, UV fastness and durability. There is a noticeable difference between posters printed on generic media vs genuine media. Genuine media and ink have a wider colour gamut producing greater depth and smoothness in colour and a certain polish that inspires an extra glance from the viewer. A printer that uses a MCS is a sign that the company takes pride in their work and appreciates the value of top quality printing.
2) Do you have a written quality guarantee? All printers claim to guarantee their work, but what are the finer points of their guarantee? A written guarantee should outline what you can expect from your printer and, what the printer requires of you.
3) How should I prepare my poster design for printing? Understanding how to supply your poster printer with the correct files will ensure you receive the best possible result from your design. Ask:
what file types are accepted (PDF is the most commonly accepted and easiest to create)
what colour space is best (CMYK or RGB)
what is the minimum resolution of images
Providing your poster printer with the correct file means there is less chance of delay or, of your posters printing incorrectly. Great designs always print and look the best.
4) What is the best media for my posters? There are many versatile types of media that large format posters can be printed on. Different media suit different display situations. Take the time to explain where you will be displaying your posters eg outdoors, in a shop window, backlit box, tradeshow etc. Based on this information your poster printer will advise which media is best suited to your situation, explaining the pros and cons of the media. Its a good idea to take their advice and avoiding choosing the cheapest media just to save money. The wrong media may not display well eg using paper in an outdoor situation what if rains? the wind picks up? Your posters will be destroyed, where as a proper outdoor banner media will handle these events.
5) Can I order online? Time is getting ever shorter as we all become busier and busier. The ability to order your poster printing online will save you time. Its also an indication that your poster printer is keeping abreast of technology.
6) Is this the best price for my posters? Be prepared to negotiate to get the best possible price.
You could increase your quantity for a better per poster price?
Extend the time in which you want your posters printed so they can be printed during off peak time.
Decrease the size of your posters so that waste is minimized on the roll.
