How to Prepare and Place Orders for Bulk Printing

Getting your file ready for bulk printing follows a very similar process to any other print job. However, it also comes with added pressure of that high copy count. When every mistake will be magnified hundreds or thousands of times, it’s best to just avoid any mistakes in the first place. That’s where this blog can help. Read on to learn what you need to do to ensure accurate, high quality bulk printing results the first time, every time.

Material Selection

For bulk printing, your print substrate (paper, cardstock, etc.) and coatings need to be chosen with the particular demands of your storage and distribution plan in mind. Here are few angles to consider:

• Opt for materials that don’t deform when stacked if you’ll be storing or shipping them in bulk quantities. 
• If you’ll be sending your materials via direct mail, choose materials that will resist tearing, crumpling, or smudging during the journey.
• Consider what materials are typical for the type of collateral you’re printing, and match your material choices with client expectations (ie thicker stock for package inserts vs. lighter weight paper for catalogs)

File Preparation

File preparation involves reviewing your formatting and content, then making any necessary adjustments to ensure your design is fully optimized and conforms to your printer’s specifications. Some of the most important checks to make during this phase are:

• Bleed: Ensure any part of your design that’s meant to extend to the very edge of the print includes an adequate bleed past the trim edge. For most printers, the minimum bleed requirement is .125”.
• Margins and Gutters: Ensure your content has sufficient space between components and page edges to provide optimal legibility and design balance.
• Resolution and File Formatting: Ensure all of your content is either in a vector format, such as .PDF, or has a resolution that meets your printer’s specifications. Typically, printers require images to have a DPI of at least 300.
• Design and Content Proofing: Have more than one party review your print’s overall design and individual content components to ensure all fonts, colors, images, terms, logos, etc. conform to your latest brand standards. Go section by section to check for spelling and grammatical errors.

To help you keep track of everything that needs to be reviewed during file preparation, feel free to follow our Wallace Carlson Prepress Checklist.

Submission

Once your file has been prepared and proofed to the best of your ability, it’s time to submit it to your print partner. With the specifics of your bulk order in mind, they can review your design and make recommendations if needed. Common recommendations a printer may make include design tweaks and formatting adjustments, and they’re usually intended to help you keep your print job on schedule, reduce costs, or improve overall print quality. 

Finalizing Your Order

Once all the recommended changes (if any) are addressed, a digital or physical proof will be provided to you for final approval. When reviewing your proof, you’ll want to conduct a similar examination of the content as what you did during file preparation. If no changes have been made since your file’s initial submission, this may seem like a redundant step. However, it’s always advisable to be thorough during this final check of the proof, as it’s not uncommon for small mistakes to slip through the cracks earlier on.

Before signing off, you’ll also want to confirm the delivery timeline and your shipping options with your print partner. This way, any logistical miscommunications can be revealed and rectified, ensuring you get your bulk order delivered precisely when and where you need it.

Pro Tips From the Pressroom

To wrap up, here are our top three pro tips for ensuring every single bulk print order looks great, functions right, and arrives on time.

1. Don’t worry about a physical proof for smaller, simpler designs. These days, approving smaller prints from a digital proof is the norm, and it’s an excellent way to save time during prepress. Save physical proof for more complex multi-page projects or those using high-end finishes and materials.
2. If your organization needs multiple pieces printed, coordinate them into a single run. This helps ensure everything that’s needed for a single campaign, event, etc. all arrives on time. It may also help you reduce costs further through increased order size and improved economization of materials.
3. Communicate with your printer early and often. Generally, you should reach out to your print partner with your project details six or more weeks prior to your delivery deadline. You should also feel empowered to ask any questions or request guidance from your printer at any time throughout your project.

Speaking of communication, we’re always excited to hear from new clients at Wallace Carlson Printing. Whether you’re looking to order something simple in bulk, or need a partner in creating a truly one-of-a-kind print product, we have the expertise to help you bring your project to life. See for yourself what a century of unrivaled print excellence can do for your prints. Start a conversation with our team today!