Got a folder job coming up and you're not sure which supplier to use? Is your current provider not performing as well as you'd like and you're thinking maybe it's time to make a change? Are you looking for a way to make sure you're getting the best product possible?
Well look no further. Below is a quick, no-fluff list of the 10 most important traits a folder provider should have. Read on and take note of what your current provider offers, is lacking or needs to improve on for you to get the best folders possible.
1. Speed
Provided the quality is good, faster is always better. Besides letting you compete and close tight rush jobs, a capable folder printer will get product into your clients' hands quicker, leaving them happier and more impressed with your service.
Doug Boysen, president of Folder Express, Omaha, Neb., mentioned that 24 hours is considered a fast turnaround time for a folder order. "Once we have artwork approved, we have the ability in most cases to turn those jobs in a 24-hour period," he said. "Most of our competitors are at a 3-day turn."
2. A Good Selection of Dies
All other elements being equal, a project that requires the creation of a custom die is going to cost more and take longer than one that doesn't. Sometimes it can't be helped (say on a hyper-specific, one-of-a-kind design), but in general, a folder printer that offers a wide selection of die types can save you time and money, especially on jobs lacking high or specific customization demands. Boysen noted that Folder Express keeps a large stock of dies in house, specifically for the purpose of giving customers a competitive price advantage.
3. Shipping Benefits
While this point isn't specific to folder suppliers, shipping benefits are still something to consider. Some suppliers will let you apply your shipping ID to orders (rather than their own company's), letting you apply for bulk business discounts with companies like FedEx. Others will offer free 24-hour rush shipping, and some, such as Folder Express, will offer free ground shipping.
4. Specialization
Specialization is a trait highly valued in some fields (e.g., medicine and music) and oddly glossed over in others (e.g., manufacturing). But, is it too illogical to believe a folder supplier will master their chosen field similar to an accomplished ophthalmologist or guitarist?
Look for folder specialists if you have a complex job (or simply need high-quality results). "What makes us truly unique is that presentation folders aren't just our bread and butter, they're also our meat and potatoes," said Joel Tardie, director of marketing, product design and development at Presentation Folder Inc., Orange, Calif. "Sure, we could have expanded to include binders, packaging, envelopes, tabs and many other printed products, but that would undermine the simplicity of our recipe for expertise."
5. Customer Service
This one's obvious, but if you're making any kind of "What should I look for in a company?" list, always include customer service. Call a company with a few simple questions, send a few emails, ask around at your local chamber-of-commerce or other networking events—whatever you need to do to get a feel for a company's service policy. In general, you want to look for a company that gives off a vibe like this:
"We take pride in providing the personal service that seems to be increasingly disassociated with many large print houses, and feel that service is a dynamic element in producing premium-quality finished pieces."
— Joel Tardie, Presentation Folder Inc.
6. Flexibility
"Flexibility means not being limited by the common constraints that cause others to break where we can bend," Tardie explained.
He went on to say, "Many gang-run printers are barred by elaborate web-to-print and MIS systems that constrict paper, printing and coating combinations, size/construction and the ability to have a human to intervene with the system to alter much of anything."
7. Decoration and Finish Selection
Ideally, any folder shop you build a relationship with should be able to offer more than a handful of decoration embellishments and finishes. This way, you have a partner who isn't just good for the current job, but also for a wide variety in the future. Workable paper stocks, lamination options, color techniques and ranges, and decoration flourishes like foil stamping and embossing are all areas worth investigating in terms of variety.
8. Experience with Custom
Custom folder jobs can be complicated and require a high attention to detail, especially if you're going to be fitting additional materials such as business cards or USB drives into the folders. In these cases, it can pay to partner with a company set up for such work.
"Custom construction is an area where we really shine," Tardie commented. "Rather than having our customers choose from a library of stock cookie-cutter dies to be different than the standard, we think form should follow function.
"Pre-designed generic 'custom' templates are certainly not personalized to fit the materials inside and cramp design options, compromising the overall presentation of the folder. For those who desire a truly custom size, shape, die-cut, etc., we think the best way to approach that is by creating a die from scratch, made to their specifications to ensure it is unique to them. Quite often people overestimate the cost of a custom die, and run in circles trying to fit a square peg in a round hole."
9. Design Sensibilities
Whether you and/or your client are used to handling the design work on your pieces, it never hurts to have a second set of eyes on a piece (or take over the work if you're not comfortable). Design skills are important for any print product. However, on pieces such as folders—where you're going to be bringing in outside materials and putting them inside the piece—it's always helpful
to have someone who has the ability to match whites, warn of potential color contrasts or help you place inserts in a way that's aesthetically pleasing.
10. Partnering
You and your folder supplier have plenty in common. You both have common competitive goals (beating other print suppliers and distributors), and common competitive enemies (online direct-to-consumer print shops). The best folder companies are those that understand these shared goals and are willing to work to your mutual benefit.
"Like reselling most printed products today, know that your customer may have options to buy it online for cheap if they can put the artwork together, and probably even if they can't," Tardie explained. "If that is a concern, there are ways to sell them a more valuable folder at a higher price (although the specifications might not seem much different), and there are ways to beat the low prices online by offering a simpler folder (such as a one-color foil stamp instead of the full-color printed folders they are seeing everywhere online)."
He concluded, "Finding ways to add value to a folder can not only help win that order, but also other orders that may be part of the presentation folder for consistency."
- Companies:
- Folder Express
- Presentation Folder
- Places:
- Omaha, Neb.
- Orange, Calif.