How to find the best poster printing companies

List of local poster printers

Before you can start considering and comparing poster printing companies in your area, you need to know the businesses. Make a list of local printers in your area who can do poster design and printing so that you have a starting point for the evaluation process. Your list shouldn't be too long to be cumbersome, but it is essential that it contains more than two print shops.

1. Determine if you need a large format printer

Due to the oversized format of the posters, a printing company with the proper equipment is required. Typical poster sizes can vary from 16 × 20 to 27 × 40 inches and can be printed on a wide variety of substrates. Not all printers have the equipment to do the job or to deliver custom sizes and substrates. Make sure you choose a large format printer that can handle printing your poster.

2. Evaluate the possible designs of your poster and select one

Before you can evaluate poster printing companies, you must have a final design in mind. If you have no idea what you are looking for in terms of design and techniques, you may not be asking the right questions or receiving relevant samples for your order. Having a design in mind will make it easier for you and the printer.

3. For businesses that don't have their own graphics department, a print shop that also offers design services will simplify the process and provide you with a complete solution.

4. Research each potential printer online to determine its reputation.

Once you have a list of poster printing companies, you can start to rate any printer on the web. Look at the overall reputation of each printing company and the number of complaints and dissatisfied customers for each company. This will help you distinguish the best printers from those that offer only average quality and customer service.

5. Compare costs

Consider the price each large format printer charges for its materials and compare what you get for a given price. If you do not compare the costs of the same services, a true and accurate assessment and comparison is not possible. Make sure each printer's quote includes the same materials and services.

6. Look for the guarantees offered

Some poster printers offer a warranty, some don't. A warranty may show that the printer supports the services it provides, but there are different types of warranties and some may mean more than others. A money-back guarantee is better than an offer to reprint your order if your original deadline is missed because your items weren't ready when you needed them.

7. Limit your list to two or three options

By now you should have your list of poster printing companies and large format printing options in two or three possibilities. Otherwise, do more comparisons until you get that number. This allows you to get in touch with each of the options and further evaluate the printer.

8. Contact the people on the shortest list and discuss their needs.

Now that you only have a few poster printers, you can call everyone on the list to discuss their poster needs. This gives you the opportunity to discuss what to expect from your printer and know exactly which printing techniques and methods to choose. Every printer is different, and some may provide supports or services that others cannot.

9. Ask any potential printer about their experience with the techniques you want to use.

Some poster printers may not offer certain techniques that you are interested in, whether they are large format printers or not. Make sure that the print shop you are reviewing has the expertise to provide you with the techniques you want and the final quality and results you expect.

10. Make your final choice based on the first nine steps

The final step in comparing and evaluating poster printing companies is to make a final decision and choose the printer that will receive your order. At this point, you should have all the information you need about each printer to make an informed decision.