How to Plan a Bulk Printing Order
A bulk printing order is when someone wants to order many copies (hundreds, or even thousands) of the same printed item.
Say you are preparing for an event that will have a large number of attendees, or perhaps you are planning a sweeping advertising campaign. You will likely need to place a bulk printing order to prepare the print materials you need.
If you’re unsure about how to plan and execute an order on this scale, we’ve compressed the process into the following five helpful steps.
Read on for more details:
For the best service no matter what printing option you choose, we recommend working with an experienced, local print shop like JH French. JH French will provide top-notch customer service alongside exceptional quality.
1. Define Your Goal
If you’re reading this article but you may already have a final design prepared for your print order, you can skip ahead to Step #4.
Otherwise, the first thing to do when beginning the process of placing a bulk printing order is to identify the goal of your printed material.
Answering these two questions will help you develop a goal:
Who’s Your Audience?
When creating a product to distribute, even if it’s as simple as a disposable flyer, it’s important to know your audience and write in a way that’s appropriate for them.
For example, if your audience is a board of directors, you will want to create a document that is exceptionally professional, without jokes or unusual colouring, whereas if your product is for people attending a fair, then it can be exciting and full of pictures.
Brainstorming what your audience will respond to will allow your product to be received better.
What’s Your Message?
The next thing to brainstorm is what your product is trying to communicate.
For example, if it’s an instructional document, it should be clear and straightforward, whereas if your product is trying to convey excitement about an upcoming event, it could use large captions and colourful designs
Combining what you know of your audience with your intended message will allow you to write content that fits your goal.
2. Choose a Product
There are many different product types to choose from when placing a bulk printing order. These are some of the most popular choices companies select from for their high-volume orders:
Booklets
Booklets are exceptionally versatile, and perfect for when you want to display a larger amount of information,
Brief safety manuals, travel guides, and in-depth informational packages are all regularly printed as booklets.
They can be wire bound, perfect bound, saddlestitched, whatever method you prefer.
Event Products
Planning an event? Event-specific products are usually a bit more premium than normal.
You may want to use flyers made out of tougher cardstock for added professionalism, or even add in optional features like embossing.
Posters, tickets, programmes, and flyers are all common choices for events, business meetings, and convetions.
Forms & Stationary
If what you need is essentially practical, then all you may be after are the right forms and stationary.
If you’re a legal firm, a service company, or simply a company that needs to abide by many legal guidelines (such as a heavy equipment, you may need to have a variety of properly printed forms on hand at all time.
User manuals, license forms, release forms, grievance forms, cheques, receipts, and custom blank forms are some of the different options available.
Stickers & More
There are many more print products avaialable than the short list above, including:
Stickers and decals
Calendars
Lawn signs
Cards for special occasions
Books
And more!
Call your local sign shop to get an in-depth overview of what they offer.
3. Write & Design
Don’t be afraid to edit and re-edit your content.
After defining your goal and selecting a product type, the next step is to develop the text and graphics that will be printed within the product.
Remember to take your time for this stage. Even if your item is of the highest quality, if the content looks sloppy then people won’t take it seriously.
Write the Content
Your written content should be informed by your goal from earlier.
Above all else, text within your document should explain to the reader what your message is. For example, if you’re printing a flyer that’s advertising an upcoming carnival, the date of the event should be front and centre.
Always make the most important information the most obvious, and then fill the rest of the document with supplementary information. In the example of the carnival, you could also give advice on where to park, or provide a map of the grounds, but all that should be organized in priority of most essential information to least.
Graphic Design
Your graphic design choices should adhere to your goal, but they should also complement the content.
For example, if the information you’re conveying is about durability and longevity, people often use clean lines and dark blue.
There are many graphic design guides and templates you can find online for inspiration. If in doubt, try modeling your product after similar products you’ve personally come into contact with.
Some print companies like JH French will actually help you with your graphic design, making the whole process much easier.
4. Choose a Print Company
Many print shops offer specialty services like letterpress printing.
After finalizing what exactly you want to print, you need to identify a print company that can give you the service you need.
Consider these factors when researching a company to use for bulk printing:
Compare Prices - Many companies can give you an estimate of what different projects will cost. For more information, we have blog posts about printing costs here and here.
Ask About Printing Methods - Some popular printing methods include offset printing and digital printing. Most shops offer at least those two methods, but some also offer specialty methods like letterpress printing.
Support Local Businesses - Ask around and see which local businesses have a good reputation in your area. You’ll be supporting your local economy, fueling the need for jobs, and keeping an independent shop in business.
Mailing & Shipping - One of the most convenient features you will find are shipping services. If a shop offers mailing, then you’ll be able to have your order delivered anywhere you like.
Your specific needs may vary. Print shops offer many of the same services, so take your time to find a shop that will be the most convenient for you.
5. Finalize the Details
Double check the details before committing.
Finally, double-check these final details before committing to a bulk printing order:
Volume Pricing - Printing is always cheaper in higher volumes. Adjusting the quantity of your order from a few hundred to the tens of thousands can reduce the price-per-unit by 80%.
Timeline - Ask about how long the process is expected to take so you can plan around it. Average orders can be completed in 3-5 days.
Collecting Your Order - Make sure you have a plan to get your order once ready. Alternatively, you can make use of any shipping options the print shop has to have your order delivered to a more convenient location.
The easiest way to hammer out the details is always to call the print shop directly.
JH FRENCH
Specializing in printing large-scale orders for companies nation-wide.
JH French provides bulk printing orders for organizations in Hamilton, Ontario, and across the country.
We pride ourselves on our high-quality processes, diversity of services, and consistently excellent customer service.
To learn more about all the different printing products available, or for advice on what order setup would be the best for your upcoming plans, give us a call today.
“I was recently connected with Glen and everyone at JH French and I couldn’t be happier with the reference. Personal, friendly and professional. When I received my prints I couldn’t have been happier with the results. Real pros who know how to get it done.”