How to Print Booklets Online
Let’s face it. You don’t have time to figure out how to print, collate, bind, fold, and complete all of the other steps involved in printing booklets. Of all the printing projects you can undertake, booklet printing is one of the more frustrating. It doesn’t matter if it’s a four page training manual or a 200 page catalog; booklets are complicated.
That’s why more business are outsourcing to online printing firms. Believe it or not, many large printing firms have locations in several parts of the country so they can turn projects around more quickly for local jobs. The cost savings can be astronomical too. This is especially true with larger projects of 2,000 or more pieces, but smaller runs can also allow for major savings when compared to trying to do everything in house.
Prepare your Booklets
Most printers require that your booklets be formatted in one of several formats. Adobe’s PDF format is the most widely accepted. Just save a PDF version in the same exact page order that you would read your booklets – page 1, page 2, etc. Don’t worry about sending a file that has already been collated.
Find a professional booklet printing company
Here are a few things to look for: make sure they have experience, will guarantee their work, and are competitive from a pricing standpoint. The best companies have instant price quotes based upon the options you select.
Upload your Artwork
This is usually as simple as browsing to your file and clicking “Upload.” Email is sometimes an option, but many email systems cannot handle large file formats. Once uploaded, you should be able to check the file to be sure it uploaded properly.
Check the Proof
A proof is a mock up of your files. The printer might add a few things like crop marks and color bars to assist their staff, so don’t be alarmed if you see these. What you are looking for is to see that the content is in the right place and the colors and images are accurate.
Most proofs are just a digital file in PDF format. If this is a big project, fork over the extra money to get a physical proof made for you.
Approve the Artwork
Once you have reviewed your digital or physical proof and are happy with the results, you will likely be asked to approve the artwork. You might have to fax in an approval document or just click an “Approve” button on the website. This is necessary for both you and the printer and is usually fairly painless.
Check the Work
Once your booklets arrive, spot check for work quality. Most professional printers have a 99% solid work quality rate, but it’s worth checking random booklets to be sure. If all is well, then you are ready to distribute. Worst case, you will have a few copies that you want the printer to replace. If their work is guaranteed, you should just have to make a phone call to get replacements.
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