Small budgets for catalog printing are not a hindrance in creating great designs. When you print cheap catalogs, it is still very easy to adjust different elements in catalog printing and design which should help in improving the look and impact of the whole color catalog. Let me give you the basics on working with color catalogs on a small budget in this article. Just read the general tips below for catalog printing, and a small budget should be easier for you to deal with when creating custom catalogs.
• Set your priorities straight – First things first, it is important that you get your priorities straight in catalog printing. Do you want to just sell things with your catalogs? Do you want to mainly impress people and establish a corporate brand? Do you just want to introduce your products initially? By setting your priorities in catalog printing, it should be easier for you to decide which catalog printing features to keep or discard in order to minimize your cost and be on budget. So set your priorities and define your goals before you actually go into catalog printing and design in earnest.
• What you can do to get things free – Now, let me tell you what you can do to get a couple of things free in catalog printing and design. This should help you get your catalog printing costs within your small budget.
o Free designs – Now, a designer for catalog printing can be costly. Layout artists may cost you a hundred or so dollars sometimes. To get these services for free, all you have to do is to look within your network of family contacts, friends and colleagues. In most cases, there is bound to be a good acquaintance, family member or friend that should gladly help you with your designs for free, or for a simple non-monetary favour. They might ask for a job reference or a product discount etc. etc. This should be your key for a free design layout for your catalogs.
o Free “images” – Images for your catalogs can easily be taken for free these days. If you have a digital camera, you can be your own product photographer for your catalog products. If you do not have a digital camera though, it should be easy enough for you to borrow one from a friend. With all the new advances in camera automation, you should be able to take great and free images of your products without paying for a professional photographer. This should lead to more savings for you.
o Free software – It is also possible to get free desktop publishing software over the Internet. Open source software such as OpenOffice.org and Gimp are just a few examples of free software that you can use in catalog printing. You won’t need to fork out the hundreds of collars needed for those propriety software with equal functionality.
• Saving costs in printing – Next, let me tell you how to minimize the costs in catalog printing itself.
o Catalog Size – You can lessen the costs of catalog printing quickly by just managing your catalog’s size. Don’t print large catalogs unnecessarily. Lots of people print catalogs that are a bit larger than they need to, leading to inflated catalog costs. You can save lot by just printing smaller catalogs that are just right and tight for your content.
o Catalog Paper – Catalog paper can also be a factor in catalog printing costs. You can try to save some money by simply using cheaper alternatives to the standard catalog paper that the catalog printing company uses. By using standard paper that has no coatings and is not imported from anywhere, you can cut the cost by as much as 20%. So be mindful of your catalog paper and see if you can get good deals.
o Catalog binding – Finally, you can minimize the cost of printing catalogs by cutting down on fancy catalog binding. Instead of expensive perfect binding, you can just use staple binding as a simple and cheap alternative that works.
So that is how you work with catalogs on a small budget. Try to get those free design tools and just minimize your cost in catalog printing. With a little work these should b easily achievable. Good Luck!
Author Resource:
Troy Duff works as a businessman and currently runs a printing company that offers catalog printing , banners, magazines, flyers, bookmarks, presentation folders, labels, cheap catalogs , pocket folders, postcard printing and other printed ads with myriad selection of poster templates and designs for any postcards marketing and business ventures.