"Understanding Printerspeak"

Q U E S T I O N
I recently needed printing prices on a flyer. When calling printers for quotes, I felt like they were speaking another language...asking me questions I had no idea how to answer. Can you do a rundown on the need-to-know-info when you want something printed?

A N S W E R
Here’s a brief overview. Get “apples-to-apples” bids from printers of a similar caliber. It’s no use bidding a quick printer against a high-end color shop...it’s not a fair comparison. It’d be like getting prices from a BMW dealer and a Chevy dealer and trying to ascertain the best value. They’re too different to compare. 

Figure out what you need from the specific project... glorious, glossy, vibrant showmanship or a low-key “hello.” Match your jobs to the capabilities of each printer. To give an accurate quote, the printer needs the “trim size” (final dimensions), # of pages, inks (process color or PMS spot colors – PMS stands for Pantone Matching System...industry-standard color swatches - from New York to Tokyo, PMS 185 means bright red), if the job bleeds (bleed means an image runs off the edge of the page), stock (that means paper...and there are many finishes, weights and colors - ask your printer for swatch books), quantity, type of artwork you’ll supply (mostly digital files these days), required proofs and bindery work (folding, cutting, punching, etc.). Good luck!