As a business grows, it will inevitably need to tackle the question of who will do their corporate stationery. Stationery, after all, is a crucial physical representation of a business. It’s far easier for people to trust and value an organization that has some kind of physical presence compared to one that is entirely online.
However, not all printers that do corporate stationery printing are the same. Printing companies today have embraced a gamut of different techniques and technologies to deliver what on the surface may be the same thing – custom corporate stationery.
But as anyone who’s shopped around for a corporate stationery printing service knows, they’re not all alike. Some may specialize in specific industries, thus understanding the needs specific to them. Others may, instead, be more adept at using specific technologies to deliver a set of custom stationery closer to the customer’s vision. Others may specialize in techniques such as embossing and engraving that may not be on most other printers’ repertoires.
Before you choose a printing service, be sure to check for the following.
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Professionalism
Today, it’s easy to look up how satisfied customers are with their printer’s professionalism thanks to online reviews. Not only are customers typically able to leave reviews on the printing company’s site or social media pages, but there are also a number of third-party organizations that rate different businesses as well. A few organizations even rate printing companies specifically, so it may well worth be checking those out as well.
Value
Value can be subjective. Some business owners and managers may define it as the number of prints they can get for their dollar. Others may take a more nuanced approach, taking into account the quality of the stationery into their estimates. If possible, see if you can get a sample of the work done by a printing company before you make your final decision.
Expertise
As we mentioned earlier, different printing companies tend to have different specialties in terms of their capabilities. You will have to do an assessment of what your business actually needs before you choose a printer, as some may not necessarily be the best one for you, even if they are better for some other organization.
Be sure to assess their turnaround times, the quality of their output, their ability to communicate with you, as well as the specific printing techniques and print products that they are able to offer. You will also have to weigh your specific needs and be honest with yourself about what kind of items and designs will best match your organization’s goals.
Heritage
While not necessarily the most important factor, knowing a bit about a print company’s history can give you an insight into how well they might be able to do certain print techniques. For instance, a number of printing companies offer engraved stationery, but few can claim to deliver the “real” thing, made in the way it used to be done before modern mass printing. If the authenticity of your prints matters to you, this can be an area worth considering.