June 2002
MAINE MEDIA & MARKETING
Unraveling the mysteries of print
Copyright © 2002 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
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There are few specialties under the marketing and advertising big top that can cause more bewilderment than printing. Think you just want to get your brochure printed? Think again. There are myriad decisions affecting the look and cost of your finished piece. Are there bleeds? Will you use a varnish? What's the trim size? Will you opt for a digital or offset printing house?
Because of its intricacies, many businesses outsource print management to a graphic designer or advertising agency.
Should you outsource or tackle print management yourself, you'll benefit from a primer on the process. I asked Alex McCulloch, president of Spectrum Printing and Graphics, Inc. (www.spectrumprntg.com) to clear up some of the mysteries of printing. Spectrum, based in Auburn, Maine, specializes in one-to-six color offset printing and offers a full range of pre-press, printing and bindery services. The company, co-founded by McCulloch in 1986, handles projects such as postcards, stationery, newsletters, brochures, booklets, pocket folders, catalogs and annual reports.
Kimberly McCall: Can you give us an overview of the types of printing available?
Alex McCulloch: There are a number of processes used in printing, and the industry is continuing to grow and change. The primary types of printing available are offset, web and digital printing:
- Offset printing, which Spectrum is most familiar with, is a traditional printing method ideal for accurate reproduction of an image or original art. Offset presses are sheet-fed, which feeds paper into the press one at a time. Not only are you able to achieve color accuracy in offset printing, but registration [KM: see list of printing terms] and trapping are more accurate as well. The advantage to offset printing is there's quite a bit of versatility with design and the type of piece you're able to produce.
- Web printing is used in the production of newspapers and large run magazines or other projects that require large quantities. Web presses print on continuous rolls of paper rather than feeding individual sheets of paper through the press. The advantages to printing a job on a web press are that it's fast, can print on thinner, less-expensive paper, and can often print both sides at the same time.
- Digital printing is becoming more popular because it's ideal for projects that require smaller quantities and fast turnaround. There are a number of different presses and techniques available. Most digital printing doesn't use ink on paper, [instead] it's a toner-on-paper process. The toner is on top of the paper, whereas with offset printing, ink soaks into the sheet. Digital printing is used for a variety of presentation projects such as postcards, brochures and posters.
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COMMON PRINTING TERMS: (Courtesy of www.printus.com) | |
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Bleed Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet after trimming
Camera-ready copy Color separations
4-color process
Mechanical
Register
Specifications
Stock
Trapping
Trim size
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McCall: What are the merits of offset over, say, digital?
McCulloch: There are advantages to both but it depends on the project. The biggest advantage of offset over digital is the consistent quality of the printed piece. The other factor is that as the quantity increases, the cost for offset printing becomes less expensive than digital. The look and feel of a digitally-printed piece will not be the same as a project printed on an offset press because the majority of digital presses do not use ink on paper. For example, if you plan to print a solid over a fold or spine, toner may flake off, whereas ink would hold onto the sheet.
When selecting paper for your printing project, there are more options available when printing a job on an offset press. Digital presses tend to have more limitations with paper type, sheet size, color accuracy, and registration. If you're reproducing a photo or original art, you may find the color and quality to be more accurate on an offset press.
McCall: What can a small business owner do to ensure his printing project goes smoothly?
McCulloch: The best way to ensure a printing project goes smoothly is to deal with a professional organization. There are a number of excellent advertising agencies in the state that can design any project, and many of them will oversee the printing for you.
If you decide to handle the printing yourself, or have a marketing department that handles it, be sure you deal with a printer that has the technical expertise to help answer any questions you may have along the way. It's a good idea to get your printer involved early in the project so that they can assist you with design ideas, stock choices and budget issues.
Whether you handle the design of a project or hire a design professional, make sure you have reviewed the copy and design thoroughly prior to sending it to a printer. Changes at the final proofing stage can be costly, and could also affect your deadline.
McCall: Have you ever had to say "stop the presses!"?
McCulloch: On occasion we've had to say "stop the presses." We've had situations when the press operator or an employee has found a typo on a piece. We often have customers tour our facility and inspect their jobs on press, so there are instances when customers make color changes on press. There have been occasions when the pressman has discovered we received a bad batch of paper and we've stopped a job because we aren't happy with the way it looks.
McCall: Any additional insights on the printing process?
McCulloch: After having been in business for over 15 years, I've found that the employees at Spectrum are what make the company successful. I believe that how a job is handled is the key to its success, and it is reassuring for our customers to know that each of our employees is an expert in [her] field.
The printing industry is changing rapidly with many technological advances. Although printing equipment continues to improve, it's important for customers to know that service and technical expertise are still important parts of the printing process. The printing process can be a great experience. When you see an idea come to fruition with ink on paper it is a great feeling of accomplishment.
Kimberly McCall is a writer and the president of McCall Media & Marketing, Inc., a business communications company in Freeport, Maine. The monthly "Sales Force" columnist and frequent contributor for Entrepreneur magazine, McCall also contributes to inc.com and The Wall Street Journal’s StartupJournal.com. Sign up for her free marketing bulletin at www.MarketingAngel.com or contact McCall at 207-865-0055.