Why Outsourced Trade Printing Will Change Your Business for the Better

Why Outsourced Trade Printing Will Change Your Business for the Better

If you are in the printing business, you know that while things may go digital, print is not a thing of the past. You want to increase revenue with your printing business, but are the in-house printing projects and day-to-day operations taking away valuable time and resources when you could sell to new and existing customers?

Could you use an upgrade in your equipment that you know will benefit your customers? But, unfortunately, it is such an enormous expense for the time being.

It sounds like you could use a partner in trade printing to help you expand your business. Outsourcing is common, and it’s a good thing. Outsourcing helps us be efficient and do our core job responsibilities better.

Outsource Trade Printing

What exactly is trade printing and why should you outsource your work? First, a trade printer supplies print resellers with wholesale printing. A print reseller is the company or person who sells to the client.

In trade printing, only the reseller communicates with the customer. Not the trade printer.

As a reseller, you get wholesale prices that you can mark up. While you may want to mark up your rates to something comparable in the marketplace, you can mark up the prices as you wish.

Sometimes, resellers find it easier to place an order and have the trade printer ship to the client directly, offering their business speed and efficiency. Resellers find it better to do this versus doing the design, getting print bids, running the press, and then having to deliver the last pieces to the customer’s location.

Who Uses Outsource Trade Printing?

Print brokers, marketing agencies, graphic designers, and any business or professional that needs to deliver printed pieces to their customers commonly use outsourced trade printing.

There are even commercial printers who opt for trade printing. This happens if they are missing a specific capability and don’t want to invest in the equipment, like spiral binding, foil stamping, or large format printing.

Should I Outsource Printing?

If you want to go this route, you want to partner with a trade printer you can trust. It extends your business, so you want them to reflect the same product and service as you provide to your customers. There are few things you want to look for in a trade printer.

Quality

You want to look to build a relationship with a trade printer known for a successful business. You can request business references that you can contact and ask for samples of their work.

Non-Compete

You want to protect your business and your client relationships, so you want a reputable trade printer who won’t look to steal your client base. A good trade printer is one that will not contact your customers directly unless you give them permission to.

They also don’t put their branding on their samples and catalogs that you pass along to clients. If they offer direct shipments, they will ship it “blindly” in plain packaging.

Expertise

When you use outsource trade printing, you want to work with a company that provides consulting too and can help you find solutions when you need them. They should review the files you send them and offer suggestions on how to improve the end-product.

Capabilities

So that you don’t find yourself in a bind, it is good to partner with a trade printer that offers a wide range of services. This can also help simplify your business so that you don’t need to work with multiple trade printing vendors.

Superior Customer Experience

The outsource trade printing vendor should have excellent customer service with a trained staff that can help you by phone and by email, with fast turnaround times to respond to inquiries. Quotes should be drafted rapidly too. Online access to your orders can help you stay organized with the business you give them.

Speedy Production and Shipping

Outsourced trade printing should be used with a vendor that you know meets and exceeds deadlines. You should look for a printer who will give you preference as far as production times and offers priority shipping options.

Testimonials and References

If you do a quick Google search and check the trade printer’s website, scan to look for testimonial statements and awards. Check the Better Business Bureau too and see their rating. Last, see how long they’ve been in business.

Guarantee Policy

In case of returns or errors, review the trade printer’s guarantee policy. You’ll want to understand how they deal with such issues.

Should I Outsource Printing?

Now you may wonder, “Should I Outsource Printing?” The answer is most likely, yes. While everyone is different, almost always the benefits outweigh the downside or risk.

When you use outsource trade printing, you can benefit from top-quality equipment no matter how big or small your company is. You don’t need a budget for expensive equipment that you may not use very often.

You’ll look fantastic to your customer too when they receive the order. You can offer amazing projects without the worry of operating costs and associated time.

You can also take comfort in not having to make tough decisions or judgments on a variety of options because you have a professional that can help you. You have someone to consult and it doesn’t cost extra for advice.

How to Outsource Printing

If you are thinking to yourself that “I am ready to outsource my printing,” then do a little research to find the right source for you when you need to outsource trade printing. It is better to take the time to vet out the right partner before you resell anything.

The last thing you want is to have to be forced to make a last-minute snap decision because you came across a customer with an emergency, and you weren’t able to perform your due diligence to prepare for this earlier. How to outsource printing is best accomplished with an informed decision.

Ask your friends and colleagues for referrals. This can be a great way to locate the best trade printing services.

Don’t commit to any long-term deals either. It is good to try a few orders and see how things go. If you are unsatisfied with the product or the customer service, move on to a better source for outsource trade printing.

Outsourcing to Improve Your Business

We hope that the idea to outsource my printing is now top of mind for you and your next print project. Outsourcing is a fantastic way to help small businesses grow because it allows you to focus on what you do best and it gives you back time in your day so you can sell more.

Keep checking in for more articles like this one on trade printing. Visit again soon!

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