How many do you need?

"How many do you need?"

If you need to get a project produced quickly, it's best to know exactly how many to order BEFORE you contact the printer. An order with an indefinite quantity begins life with a loose end, and an opportunity for things to go wrong down the line. Here's the equation:

(Quantity for your current mail list) + (However many over the mailing service will need for set-ups and screw-ups) + (How many copies you want delivered to your office) = GRAND TOTAL

One piece of advice from 2008 so far...DO NOT CUT YOUR QUANTITY TOO LOW. Several projects this year have gone back to press for additional copies when the original quantity was chosen too low, or demand exceeded the customers' bare-bones guess. When you arrive at the Grand Total, ask the printer about rounding up a little and find out if the price increase might be negligible. The price of re-plating the job and going back to press will be many, many times that of adding a comparable quantity to the original order.

The place to plug this step into your time line is when you start the last round of type revisions...that's when you want to get your current list count (which often takes a day or so) and check with the mailer. By the time the artwork is approved, you're ready to go for real!

The bottom line is that an order placed with complete information stands a better chance of proceeding without nasty surprises. It cuts down on the possibility of error, and allows your vendor to get all pertinent information on the work right from the start. They will appreciate it!

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Thanks for stopping by,

Hugh
Your friend in the printing business