If you are out in the market to get a printing job done, here is a quick set of cheeky tricks you can use with your printers to get a better price, better quality or something completely free.
We probably won’t be able to show up at the annual Irish Printing Awards ceremony anytime soon but it was such a fun to compile this little list, that we simply could not resist to make it public.
Here we go:
1) Always give the impression that you have a lot more work for them than you actually do. If you have say one set of docket books to be printed, tell them you have 10 and are just printing one to test quality. If you are looking to print something for a B&B say it is actually for a hotel chain. Do not be afraid to exaggerate – it goes a long way.
2) Always say you will supply print-ready artwork. Then supply them anything (done up in Word, of course), ask for proof before printing and act disappointed. Ask if they can improve it. They very likely will do design free of charge.
3) Never agree to pay for design. Say it is just a press of a button. All the print industry reps think so as well.
4) Always say you got better quote somewhere else, but you want to support local business and make it clear that if they drop the price a little bit, you will go with them instead.
5) Never agree to pay per hour for design (you should not pay for it anyway). If you do, you will not get the pleasure of tormenting their designer for two days as he adjusts your business card. Does that title look better in the middle? Or maybe slightly more the the middle? Or slightly more to the middle, or…
6) Be the nightmare customer. Be bold and unpleasant. Such people get a lot more for their money than ordinary, polite customers and always get stuff done faster. Make it so they will utter your name with fear.
7) Pay attention to detail. If you attended any management course, you probably know that attention to details is a trait found in people of success. So pay attention to absolutely every small and insignificant detail. While doing this make sure you are not paying per hour – (see 5 above).
8) When receiving a quote tell the rep you have a horrible boss that has to approve it. Get back asking them to drop the price or throw in some extras to sweeten the deal for him (and make life easier for you).
9) After getting the quote say you are happy to go ahead but your boss wants 10% more copies. If you do not go above 10% more, you may get the extra copies free – the rep won’t like to go back and change initial quotation.
10) Refuse to understand technical matters. Say them that Printers X have always done it without even asking. Likely they will just fix whatever needs to be fixed without bothering you again. Free of charge, of course.
And here goes the bonus tip:
If you have some small job to print, say business cards or a small leaflet – get it priced along with a couple of bigger jobs. Tell them you need a 1000 of 100 page brochures, 10k of letterheads etc. After receiving your quote say you will go ahead just with business cards for now. More than likely the price will be extremely good.
Alright, by now you are probably thinking we have gone crazy to tell you all this. It may seem like we are sawing off the branch we are sitting on. Well, after all these years in printing business we are a bit like the TV license inspectors – we heard all of the excuses and none of them work.
Memorial Printers Team