Seattle Bindery Newsletter: Issue #42. We welcome your comments.

1. Tip of the Week. Helping your customers choose the right binding method can turn you into a hero and make your customers happy campers. To steer them in the right direction, here are some issues you should cover with them: What will the end-user do with the piece? Instruction manuals and cookbooks usually need to stay open and lay flat, which makes a mechanical or layflat perfect binding method the obvious choice. A book’s life expectancy also should be taken into account. Mechanical and PUR bindings are considered excellent choices for long-term durability. PUR and saddle-stitching are best when products will be used in extreme temperatures. Certainly the look of a binding and its appeal to targeted recipients should be considered. Will the book sit on a shelf and, therefore, require a printable spine? In that case, perfect binding would be a better solution over most mechanical bindings. Finally, run length will often be the deciding factor. Most perfect bindings are more economical for long runs, whereas mechanical bindings make sense for smaller-run projects. Call us if you have specific questions. We’re here to help.

2. Apples to apples. I know I’m not alone in my frustration at losing jobs on the basis of price, only to find out that the winning bid didn’t include a significant portion of the job. One such incident happened to us last week. We quoted on a job that we believed required scoring, and so we included it in our bid. The vendor that got the job didn’t include scoring. The customer went with the lowest estimate, not recognizing the disparity in specs. It’s unfortunate we find out about these discrepancies only after the fact. A Starbucks Frappuccino to anyone who’s figured out how to handle these apples to tomatoes conundrums.

3. Best little job on the floor. We just finished 300,000 of a 2-up and trim project on our pharmaceutical folder – yet another example of how versatile this equipment is. Speaking of folding jobs, I was talking to one long-time customer who told me he sends out “big” folding jobs to another bindery because they pick up and deliver. I just about cried. We’ve had free pick up and delivery for two years now and some of my best customers don’t know it. So our reminder: WE OFFER FREE PICK UP AND DELIVERY!

4. At a recent PPI meeting, graphic arts consultant Dick Gorelick gave a talk about managing printing businesses in these tough times. He said that although the industry is bemoaning the downturn, “about 30%” of the printers are actually doing very well and are almost embarrassed by their “riches,” so they aren’t talking about it. With all due respect, I don’t see that at
all in our marketplace. Don’t get me wrong, the guy has great ideas and advice but I just don’t believe the 30% applies to our market. He recently wrote an article for American Printer that can be read at: www.industryclick.com. Just search for Gorelick.

 
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