"You Ask. We Answer." Blog

Answer these four questions to help determine if bringing print jobs in-house could help reduce costs... and stress. 

If you're like a lot of churches, there's A LOT to be printed on a weekly basis.

Service bulletins, teaching materials, flyers, and of course the banners, posters, or other marketing pieces that advertise your ongoing series and/or convey your mission at large. More often than not, though the template may remain the same, the content within any given printed piece changes from week to week, meaning quick turnarounds are a regular part of your church staff's routine.

Based on my experience with both direct manufacturers and independent dealerships, here are four areas that will help you measure a production print vendor's capabilities, and their value-add, beyond the "box" itself. 

In my 35+ years in the office equipment/print industry (20+ as a production solutions specialist), it’s a question I get asked often, in one shape or form: “How can you demonstrate real value to my production print business?”

Inline and Offline finishing both have their share of pros and cons, dependent, of course, on a production team’s biggest priorities and goals. What are yours? 

If there are two items on every production printer’s bucket list, they likely include:  infinite customization options and a fully streamlined process for completing such a wide variety of jobs.

For those organizations on a limited budget, the release of lite-production models, like Canon’s imagePRESS Lite c165, open doors for these entities as an entry-level production printer with expanding capabilities and quality.

Most organizations — but certainly churches and non-profit organizations— rely on a variety of printed materials to serve their organization and/or get the word out in their communities.

From desktop label makers to production-class presses, to inkjet-based label printers that bridge the gap between the two, a solution can be recommended after assessing your specific needs. 

In the process of reopening during COVID-19?

Businesses fully opening their doors again amid the pandemic are taking every possible measure to ensure the safety of both their employees and customers. This includes communicating relevant information inside the workplace.

We'll cover five best practices for graphic designers as they transition between screen and paper in order to optimize final color quality and accuracy. 

It’s a classic, often frightening, tale in the world of print and graphic design: You’ve spent an enormous amount of effort into a design project — why doesn’t your finished product match what you’re seeing on the screen?

Print technology has evolved tremendously in a relatively short amount of time. The advent of digital print devices has created the capability to do more with less than ever before. But at the same time, a considerable knowledge gap still exists between graphic designers utilizing RGB input at the start line of the design process, and the necessity of CMYK output at the finish.

How does one bridge that gap? 

By embracing the G7 Method of printing procedures, you can achieve much-desired color consistency. 

For today's image and reputation conscious companies, a commitment to branding  is an equal commitment to consistency. Color consistency matters perhaps more than anything. 

The ability to match from proof to press repeatedly is crucial for the marketers who create materials, and for the production printers who produce them. So among your many output devices, be they offset, digital, or wide format, can you create a standard where color is consistently consistent?

The answer is yes, absolutely. And G7 is THE standard you should strive for.