These days it seems like any amount of time you have to wait is too long. We’ve perfected the art of instant gratification to a point where you can get just about anything instantly! But, there are still a few things that come with a lead time—like having a large printing run completed—and there’s not a whole lot that can be done to make a process instantaneous.
You can, however, give your local print shop in Sausalito a helping hand to speed things up, however! Take a look at five ways you can help to dramatically reduce the time it takes for your job to go to print and why each step is important in the print process:
- Have your document professionally designed and formatted. This is a major key in speeding things up and will ease a tremendous burden on your printer. Design professionals will make sure documents are the correct resolution for print, marked appropriately with bleeds and die lines, formatted accordingly and delivered in a file format that’s optimal. Having these variables correct from the get-go means cutting a major chunk of time out upfront.
- Alert your printer ahead of time that you’re going to be coming through with a big job. If you need a run of 1000 flyers, for example, it’s a good idea to give your printer a heads up about a week or so in advance, so they can set aside press time for you. If you dump off your files same-day, without warning, you’re going to have to wait until press time opens up, which can push your project back.
- Make sure you’re completely clear about your needs upfront. Tell your print shop in Sausalito exactly what you need, when you need it and any other special accommodations you might need so that when they get right down to it, there aren’t any questions to convolute the process or put a damper on progress.
- Make all media and files available to a professional. For example, if you have an InDesign file that you’re looking to have printed, make sure any graphics or other media in the file are also included in your delivery. That way, if something goes wrong with the file and the media needs to be replaced or re-embedded, it can quickly be done without having to get it from you.
- Make sure you have a point of contact and a preferred method of contact on file. If there are questions, the last thing you want is for them to go unanswered and hold up the printing process. Let your printer know who should be contacted in the event of questions and how they can be reached the quickest. Make sure this person is a decision maker and can resolve any issues as they arise.
Follow the above tips to the best of your ability and, with any luck, your project will hit the print floor quickly!