When you publish a book, your chosen printing company greatly impacts your final product. You want a company with years of experience and a solid reputation. A good printing company will provide various services, including distribution and marketing. Here are five factors to consider when choosing a print-on-demand publishing service.
Reputation
While you can find many online book printing services, the best printers will be ones that print books at their facilities without outsourcing. This is a major difference because the book printing company can ensure quality and that all steps in the process are done properly. Choosing a printing company that offers everything under one roof can save time and money. When researching potential book printing companies, please email them to ask questions and get quotes. Be sure to clearly explain what you want, how many books you need, and the deadline. It is also important to know how much they can print at once since most printers require a minimum number of sheets to be published to keep their equipment running. Another way to determine the quality of a printer is to look at previous client reviews. This can be done by searching the internet for reviews, browsing comments on social media, or reading testimonials on a website. Choosing a printer with a high percentage of positive feedback from authors who have worked with them in the past is a good sign.
Pricing
Regarding book printing, price can be a significant factor in deciding. However, it is important not to focus solely on price, as cheap printers often provide sub-standard work that will negatively affect your brand and reduce the value of your books. A good way to assess the quality of a print company’s job is to look at the samples they have provided previous clients. This can give you an idea of the level of professionalism they display and their attention to detail. Another factor to consider when evaluating prices is how many books the printer can produce in a single order. Some printers offer a discount for larger orders, while others charge more for smaller runs.
It is also worth noting that some book printing companies will include distribution costs in their quotes, while others do not. This can have a major impact on the profitability of your project, especially if you plan to promote your book through local or national media appearances. Ensure that any quote you receive includes this cost before signing any contracts.
Technology
Not long ago, printed books seemed to be a thing of the past, but they’ve stuck around and even regained popularity as a new way to digest content in today’s overly saturated digital world. The book printing industry is also evolving, with emerging trends opening up new opportunities for publishers and authors. When choosing a book printer, consider their technology. The most common methods are offset and digital, with shorter-run books going digital and longer runs (typically over 1,000) being done by offset. Offset printing uses a plate coated with a chemical that attracts ink so that each print impression will be the same. This is ideal for high-volume paperbacks that are identical in each edition, and it is extremely cost-effective for large runs of books with color pictures. Digital printing, on the other hand, uses a series of inkjet heads that spray various amounts of ink on each page as it passes by beneath them. This method is less expensive than offset for short-run runs, and it’s ideal for print-on-demand services that print and bind books as they are ordered, eliminating the need to store inventory.
Experience
One of the most important decisions a self-publishing Author makes is their book printing company. This company will turn your digital manuscript into a softcover or hardcover print book. There’s something magical about seeing your work go from digital words on a screen to a physical book you can hold in your hand. When looking for a book printer, ask about their experience. How long have they been in business? Do they specialize in printing books? Do they have a dedicated customer service team? You also want to know if they offer any custom options. For example, do they offer embossing or spot gloss UV? These are features that can help set your book apart from the competition. It would help if you also asked about the types of paper they use. What kind of paper do they use for their covers and interior pages? What are their turnaround times? And what are their shipping costs?
Customer Service
A good book printing company will provide top-notch customer service. They should be available through email or phone and respond quickly to questions or concerns. Additionally, they should be able to advise you on how to best prepare your book for printing. While many medium to large general printers will assure you that they can print books, most will outsource the ‘finishing’ tasks of folding, collating, trimming and binding your book. This will result in a delay in production and can cause quality assurance issues. Finding a book printing company that can produce your book from start to finish without outsourcing any steps is important. While choosing a book printing company can be daunting, taking the time to research will ensure you choose the right one for your project. Consider the above factors and get quotes from multiple companies before deciding. By following these simple tips, you can be confident that your book will be printed in high quality and will meet all of your expectations.
