Even in today's widely digital age, print materials are still important to a business's success. This is especially true when it comes to marketing and branding, which a business needs in order to survive.
Many companies overlook the opportunities printed materials can give them, because they think that printing costs are too expensive. All businesses are looking for ways to save money, and it's easy to convince yourself that printing isn't worth it.
In order to stay competitive and brand yourself correctly, you need printed materials. But you shouldn't -- and don't -- have to pay a lot for them. Printing can actually be much more affordable than most businesses realize.
Don't let printing costs hold you back from key marketing opportunities. Below, we're revealing our top five tips for saving money on company printing needs. Read on to learn more. You can start revitalizing your company's printing practices today.
If everyone in your office is able to print whatever they want, whenever they want, it's not a surprise that your printing costs are high. You should always be able to trust your employees, but controlling print access is a move that can end up saving you a significant amount of money.
Try to create an objective way to determine who has access to your copier machine, such as basing it on job title. For example, you could say that only managers and above have access to a printing code.
That's not to say that other employees can't print when they need to. It just introduces a level of control and makes it easier to keep track of who is printing what and where your costs are coming from.
It's also a good way to cut down on non-essential printing or printing that isn't directly related to work. That will ultimately need to reduced costs.
Printing front and back may seem like an obvious solution, but many businesses don't consider it as a method of reducing printing costs.
And the truth is, it isn't applicable to every situation. If you're printing documents for an external presentation or assembling documentation for a high profile client, you want things to look as professional as possible. In those instances, printing one-sided is probably a better way to go.
But if you're printing documents for internal or informal use, you should consider printing front and back. It reduces the overall page count, which can eventually add up to reduce printing costs.
Some printers will even give you the option of printing multiple pages per sheet. You could fit up to four pages of text on one sheet of paper, which would lower costs even more. Just be sure, again, that you're using that option only in situations where it seems appropriate for your business and reputation.
When you run a non-profit or small business, your budget matters. Purchasing a reliable copy machine can help you get the most out of every penny you spend.
You want a copy machine that is affordable, of course, but you also want one that is reliable and will work as expected for as long as expected. If you're constantly having to repair your machine or outsource printing because your machine is broken, your printing costs can easily rise.
To make sure you get the best copy machine for your business, take some time to analyze your printing and copying needs. You want to have a specific list of features in mind.
It's important to set a budget too. Think about the lost-term costs -- maintenance, paper costs, repairs, etc. -- and shop within your price point.
There is nothing worse than printing a document, only to notice a typo. You want printed documents to be as professional as possible, so you ultimately end up re-printing the same document until it's perfect.
One way to reduce unnecessary printing -- and unnecessary printing costs -- is to make sure each document is typo-free and perfect before you print it.
Edit important documents on the computer with a critical eye. You should always have several people check one document, as fresh eyes tend to see things differently.
Viewing the print preview of a document also gives you a chance to see what it looks like before you actually print it. If there are alignment or layout issues, print preview gives you a chance to catch those errors and correct them, before you've spent any money on printing.
Your business probably prints a range of documents that vary in importance.
For example, an internal meeting agenda, while important, does not have to look as professional as a document that's being distributed externally. You're not trying to impress anyone with that item, you're just trying to communicate information to your co-workers.
Matching the quality of your paper to the quality of the document is a smart way to keep printing costs down.
Thick, high-quality paper is expensive, so save it for when you're trying to make a statement. It communicates professionalism and success, which is great for external documents and printed presentations.
For your day-to-day, internal printing needs, you can opt for a lower quality and less expensive paper. Your employees and co-workers won't mind, and you'll end up saving a significant amount of money in the long run.
When it comes to printing practices, there are lots of money-saving tips that you can introduce around the office. Ultimately, though, smart printing starts with the right machine.
If you don't have a good copier that you can rely on it will be hard to keep printing costs low, no matter what you do.
You shouldn't let a bad machine stop you from experiencing the benefits of printed material. Find a copier that works for you, and you'll be amazed at how your business is transformed.
For more information about selecting the right copier, please explore our guide.
