When you look to a professional printer and/or direct mail marketing expert, you’re not looking for drama. You want dependable, professional results that have a real impact for your business. And yet, there are companies out there who can actually make things more difficult and arduous for their clients, costing time and money in the process.
Obviously you want to steer clear of these companies at every opportunity. By knowing some of the things that a disreputable printing company might say, you’ll be in a better position to get out of a bad deal before it gets worse — or to demand the answers and solutions you need, before it’s too late! Here are three things a disreputable printing company might say:
“The details don’t matter”
No reputable printing company is going to notice errors or imperfections in the material they print for you, and simply tell you that such mistakes are “par for the course” and that you should live with them. If something is wrong with your printed materials, whether it’s an alignment problem or fading ink, the printer should make it right. After all, that’s what separates professional work from amateur work.
“Quantity over quality”
Obviously quantity is going to be an important aspect of your printing or direct mail project. This is probably something you’re planning on sending out to hundreds or even thousands of people. But the idea that quantity is everything is a mistake. Mailing lists are an excellent example. Some printing or direct mail companies will use a mailing list for your project that looks very impressive and has thousands (or tens of thousands) of names and addresses. But if the list hasn’t been professional vetted, curated and targeted to your specific business goals, you’re not going to have the impact you want — and you’re going to end up wasting a significant amount of money.
“The price just went up”
An agreement is an agreement, and printing specialists with good reputations will always honor their word. A disreputable printer, however, might try to sneak in extra charges or additional fees after the fact — and slap you with a surprise bill. This is never an ideal state of affairs, especially for businesses and departments with specific budgets. Always make sure your agreement is locked down in writing and that you are contractually protected from questionable charges. There’s also a double-whammy at work here — because if your printing company does things like this, they’re more likely to engage in other questionable business practices (such as the first two on this list).
The importance of trust
Direct mail and printing projects really do require a lot of trust. These aren’t casual projects with no real goals — these are targeted efforts to improve your bottom line and grow your business, whatever that business may be. Look for a specialist with consistently high reviews, years of experience, and a friendly/transparent customer service style. These are all positive indicators that the company you’re working with is dedicated to your success as much as their own.