It is important to get your ducks in a row as we approach the new year.
Planning in business is always important, but especially as the media continues to report on supply chain issues, staff shortages and increasing prices. But it’s not all doom and gloom, all it takes is some forethought for the year ahead and some smart print decisions. Thankfully, we’re on hand with our complete 2022 small business print planning guide, to help you get your print organised for the year ahead and keep your budget on track.
Why it is important to plan ahead
It is always good to be organised but when it comes to print there are some cost saving tips that will also save you budget, including:
Economies of scale
What do we mean by economies of scale? Simply, it’s when the cost-per-unit of goods brought goes down as your order increases. So bringing together orders for smaller items like branded clothing and business stationery (we’re talking those business cards, letterheads & pens) means you can save money by buying more.
Increasing prices of materials
Thanks to a recent hike in paper prices caused by suppliers having to absorb the increase in energy costs, the price of print materials is looking to increase over the next few months. However, as always, Q Print is committed to working with our suppliers to find you the best product at the best price.
Driver shortages
It’s not just petrol that has been affected by driver shortages and supply chain disruption, within our industry print materials and promotional items are also facing longer delivery times. With driver shortages looking likely to last for at least a year, businesses of all sizes need to start getting used to planning their print needs as far ahead as possible.
Less waste
Every business should be making steps to become more sustainable, and this is something that we are really aware of, in particular when considering how we recycle our print materials. Good planning and keeping track of stock levels is a sure-fire way to keep on top of your print levels which is good for both the environment and your budget, a win, win situation!
Steps to consider when it comes to planning ahead
There are a number of aspects that you might consider when you start to plan for your print requirements in the year ahead:
- Review what you need and what you can use again
As the world is starting to open up, more in person events are planned for 2022. Take some time to reflect on how many events you may need print materials for and ask yourself, can you use the same print materials for all of the events? Do you already have some in stock? Can you bulk order branded giveaways? Review your needs thoroughly enough and you can put an order in for the whole year.
2. Consider your audience
If your audiences’ needs have changed since you last topped up your print marketing collateral then it may be time to go back to the drawing board for a refresh. This means factoring in time for re-designing your messaging and the look of your print collateral.
3. Plan how you can get the most out of your print materials
There are certain products that by keeping the messaging generic will mean you don’t have to re-print them in the near future. Keeping things simple when it comes to things like branded clothing or external signage means you won’t have to keep reordering them – a simple and effective way to increase your cost-per-use, especially for staff uniform.
4. Bulk Buying
Bulk ordering your print products is a great way to save money. It cuts delivery costs without any impact on consistency. At Q Print we’re used to handling big orders with a quick turnaround whilst maintaining a high quality across the board.
In summary
Whether it’s providing a bespoke quote for bulk orders, designing print materials that can last event after event, offering an ongoing print management service or getting you ahead of the game so you don’t get caught out by delivery delays, we’re here to help make your 2022 print planning become a reality. we hope that our 2022 small business print planning guide has been useful to help get you started. Get in touch today to arrange a no obligation discovery call to discuss your brief.
Sources
Print Week – Print Prices Increasing article
CIPS – The impact of driver shortages.
