Producing a student-run publication is hard work. While your friends are partying, enjoying road trips or just hanging out, you’re doing serious work. Like keeping a check on your college’s administration. Investigating campus topics that the mainstream media misses. Providing an outlet for original literature or scientific research. The list goes on.
You certainly don’t do it because you hate to sleep. Nor do you do it for the pay, which is nonexistent. You do it for the real-world experience and the ability to contribute. You do it because you have a passion for creating great content.
So, if your publication printer is kind of meh, you deserve better. You need a partner who matches your passion and delivers print products and services that elevate your publication.
Getting Beyond “Meh”
Here are some attributes to look for in choosing a printer for your student-run publication.
Do they specialize in publications?
Maybe you think your student-run publication is too small for a publication printing specialist. Forget that notion. A partner with decades of experience in the special-interest publication world can deliver advantages your local printer can’t. When your printer knows the ins and outs of the publication business, it takes a load off you. Think about what you could do by spending fewer hours getting from digital file creation to final print production. Did we mention sleep?
Is their customer service structured for you?
A great printing partner is set up for ease of doing business—as in easy for you. Look for a layered team structure that provides leadership and plenty of bench strength. You want multiple people who are familiar with your publication so that you don’t miss a beat when your main contact is away.
Do they offer multiple print platforms?
When you’re putting together a student magazine, your focus should be on content and design – not whether your printing partner has the right equipment for the job. The ability to print on multiple digital and offset platforms can reduce your costs and provide the flexibility to easily scale quantities up or down. And, if you want to ensure consistent and reliable quality from device to device, ask if your printer has a G7® Master Qualification from IDEAlliance and Master Printers of America.
Do they provide a multitude of paper choices?
This is where publication specialization and economies of scale play in your favor. A skilled paper management team has your back. They’ll help you identify and secure paper stocks that meet your budget and publication goals. It’s also helpful if they have an extensive in-house paper selection, which can provide greater value on thin budgets. The right printer can provide environmentally friendly paper options that fit your budget.
Do they offer education and training that’s just a phone call away?
Publication printing now involves collaborative workflows between you and your printer—especially in the preparatory stage. But you’re likely not an expert in digital file preparation. Yet messing one up can slow production and increase costs. Professional, customer-friendly help should be readily available to you and your staff. Ask how your printer invests in knowledge sharing. The answer can mean the difference between frustration and success.
Do they use sustainable production practices?
Sustainability is likely a large consideration in your operations. It should also be in your printers. And we don’t mean just slapping an environmental logo on your publication and calling it a day. Responsible printers know an eco-friendly footprint begins with file creation and runs through distribution. Sustainable practices involve everything from their choices of equipment and consumables to the lighting in their facilities. Check out your printer’s environmental policies to ensure that they measure, manage, report and continually improve their environmental impact.
Can they help you reach your audiences where they are?
The most successful student-run publishers are adept at using data and multichannel strategies to reach audiences where they are. Print may form the core of your distribution strategy, but you may also incorporate digital distribution to expand your reach or address readers’ preferences. A great publication printer will not only offer the most efficient mail distribution services but also provide digital publishing apps, website solutions and other content delivery options to maximize your reader connections.
Can they provide room for you to dream and grow?
Maybe you’re just getting started or maybe you’re heading a student-run publication with decades of history. Either way, you aspire to reach new heights. The right publication printer will dream and grow with you. Help you stop outside the box. They should offer a wide range of reader engagement tools like inkjet imaging and variable data digital printing. And if you include advertising, then bindery options like gatefolds, belly wraps, tip-ons, inserts, uniquely shaped labels or poly bagging can invite readership and encourage deeper advertising engagement.
Don’t Procrastinate. Partner With Walsworth.
We live and breathe special-interest publications. And, we have a special enthusiasm for student-run publications. You’re the future of publishing, and your commitment inspires us to expand our capabilities.
That’s not just idle talk. We constantly invest in the equipment, services and solutions to meet the demands of student-run publications.
You’ll also love our easy-to-do-business-with approach. We start by providing you with a friendly, experienced customer service representative who’s part of a team steeped in know-how. And you can rest easy knowing that your Walsworth team is hard at work getting your publication produced at the highest quality, on time and within budget.
Getting in touch is simple. Just submit your information and a friendly Walsworth associate will be in touch within 24 hours.
