In tougher economic times, you don’t necessarily need to trim your printing budget

Too often, our clients hear the dreaded “budget cut” phrase.  We hear it in our industry every January 1, despite whether it is boom or bust.  In reality, what a business is trying to do is get within budget, because so often printing is ‘over budget’.

Why is a printing budget so often breaking the bank?  The reasons may surprise you.  Actual printing costs don’t rise much from year to year.  The reasons  generally rest solely with a small proportion of the work that is:

1.    Behind schedule
2.    Time sensitive
3.    Re-worded/edited to accommodate last minute legal changes/additions/deletions
4.    Design issues that were debated too long in a marketing department.
5.    Poor inventory planning (ran low/ran out).
6.    Product became out-of-date and client didn’t know (incorrect address/phone/pricing/contact information
7.    Catastrophe beyond client control (flood/fire/theft, loss, or inventory shrinkage)

The key?  Eliminate the small percentage of jobs that cost the most money, by turning them into standard orders.  Very few printing orders actually have to be ‘rushed’.  Too often, a job is pushed through to cover for someone who should have completed the job sooner.  Try to create a corporate culture where every job isn’t a rush job.

By turning the rush job into a standard order, you will save money, conserve your budget, and in the end, preserve your sanity.  You will also greatly reduce the risk of a costly mistake.  And, you’ll be able to print everything you need!