Starting a printing business

[Mitchellmoxo]

Hey There,

First of all, I would like to say thanks for the info i have learnt already from the forum from reading posts.


My family has been is the printing business for years, but because of this they are stuck with the old methods i suppose. I know nothing about printing at all to be honest, but want to carry on the family tradition of printing!

I am already a graphic designer, so plan to design for customers and then print my designs.

I was wondering where i could get started on printing ?

Any recomendations to what kind of printer i should buy?

I would be wanting to print business cards, flyers etc.

Thanks

 

[parveen.akhtar]

Help in business

Well If your family is already in printing business you should really ask you Senior member the right direction. You are lucky already that you have strong back bone of printers behind you.
Go to you seniors and i can tell you that they will be more than happy to assist you in right direction.
About the printers machines, Well there are lots out ther but you need again go to your seniors because they are strongly surrounded by the contacts of your need.
Good Luck

 

[warsonprint]

Online printing, get business opportunities from internet, touch with oversea customer, maybe you can get a new start by this three advices.

 

[jameswaugh8]

Best of luck!!!

 

[Ben Printing]

printers

If you are just printing flyers and business cards, I believe any laser jet printers will do. I hear from several people (who are in the same business) use Canon or Epson. Poster and banner printers are different. It would be best to outsource it for the meantime. If you like the output, ask for the brand they use.

 

[Raphael D Coccia]

I would look to grab an old HP indigo off ebay and get started with that. Make sure you buy digital finishing equipment also. Good luck this industry is a daily grind. But what can you do inks in our blood!

_____________
Raphael Coccia

 

[midnightstar]

How exploring social media? I think it would be a good way of interacting with possible clients.

 

[DCGWest]

Hi Mitchellmoxo,

The very first step to start any business is to do the market research to know what competitors are doing.
This will not only keep you updated but will also help to find out upcoming industry trends and follow them to get better results.

 

[nhmartin52]

Depends on the volumes you anticipate. Don't spend a ton of money on a press, if you can't justify the expense. It might be advantageous to consider an MFP with a stapling finisher, saddle stitch kit, hole punch kit, post sheet inserter, z-folding, and a Fiery, of course. This way you can still produce a quality product without sacrificing the ability to tackle short run business. Once you have established a need and built a customer base that demands longer runs, you will then be justified in considering a press.
This advice is based on my knowledge, which happens to be from experience on the supply side. However, educationally, my background is in business management and entrepreneurial studies. So, I am merely speculating as to what might make reasonable sense and approaching this as if it were my own prospective venture.
I see that you left that comment a few years ago. I would love to know what course of action you took, and how your business has developed, as well as any complications you have encountered.
Best of luck to you and your business!