An active print brokering client of mine recently contacted the printer directly regarding a new job. This was a printer we had been using for a number of recent jobs. The printer contacted me immediately. He said he had made it clear that my client needed to present all new jobs directly through me, her commercial printing broker.
I was grateful that the printer had seen my value in the mix and had made it clear that my client could not go to him directly. However, this experience (which happens periodically) raised some questions. Why shouldn’t the client go directly to the printer? What do I as a print broker bring to the table that justifies my commission?
The following are some random thoughts on print brokering. Maybe you need one for your work. Maybe you don’t. It will depend on your level of knowledge of custom printing and on the time you have in your schedule to find appropriate vendors and coordinate their activities.
Finding the Ideal Match
A good printing broker is a matchmaker of sorts. Over many years, he or she has developed long-standing relationships with commercial printing vendors, often across the country or around the world. Once he or she understands your printing needs, he or she can find a vendor with the specific skills you need and the exact equipment appropriate for your custom printing job.
For instance, if you are producing a diecut set of keys printed on cover stock, with variable data to personalize the marketing piece, a printing broker can find a supplier skilled in both offset and digital printing, with experience in diecutting, hand assembly of complex jobs, packing (to make sure the promotional pieces will arrive at their destinations unharmed), and mailshop work.
Negotiating a Good Price
If you were able to pay less than you had expected overall for a custom printing job, would you mind that the final bill included a commission for the printing broker? Probably not, since your total bill would be less than expected. In terms of your budget, the total expense would look great, regardless.
A savvy printing broker can often save you hundreds or even multiple thousands of dollars by finding the most appropriate equipment for your job.
Let’s say you had been producing a print catalog on a sheetfed offset press. Perhaps the press run has been on the longish side, but you have been comfortable with a local sheetfed printer. In this case your printing broker might have an established relationship with a web-offset printer that could reduce your overall cost substantially by using this alternate offset printing technology (roll-fed rather than sheet-fed offset) that is more appropriate for longer press runs.
In addition, since your printing broker often brings a lot of work to his or her select printers, he or she can often get lower pricing than you can (this is called “broker pricing”). In these cases, you will benefit from the printing broker’s connections.
Fixing Problems
What happens when a job goes wrong? Maybe the lamination on the cover of your print book is showing bubbles underneath the coating and/or peeling up on the edges of the book. Who will stand behind you and negotiate a remedy (a discount, a total reprint, or a reprint of the cover and rebinding of the book)?
Moreover, who will know when to suggest reprinting the cover, and then hand-trimming and rebinding the print book, and staggering final deliveries to meet your client needs? Your printing broker.
A good printing broker has specialized knowledge acquired over many years (or decades) into how to remedy problems that occur on press and in post-press operations. At best, you have a trusted ally, an advocate, and a technician able to discuss problems with the printer and come up with the best remedy.
Why You Should Care
If you can do all of these things, more power to you. You don’t need a print broker. But if you’re stressed out because you already have too much to do, or if you need an expert (even for a specific job you’ve never confronted before), you might just consider this option.
And if you decide you need a commercial printing broker, how do you find one?
This is a tough question, since not all printing brokers will have the comprehensive level of experience you seek in your particular niche.
My best advice is to only approach a broker who comes recommended by people you trust. Referrals are essential. Otherwise, how do you know that he or she will have the specialized experience?
If that isn’t an option, interview the prospects carefully and ask them to describe problems that have occurred in jobs and how they solved them. Look for concrete, logical answers that reflect a deep knowledge of the printing process.
And remember that the more you know about a particular custom printing or finishing process–whether it be screen printing, inkjet printing, or offset printing—the more effective you will be in selecting the right commercial printing broker for your job.
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on Monday, December 29th, 2014 at 3:06 am and is filed under Printing.
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