Running Twice I have had to grasp so many new skills - photographer, graphic designer, web operator, manufacturer, designer ... and on and on. Everything that can be done in house is done in house. Of course, in order to be able to do these things there is a steep learning curve - and I always come out better off somehow but sometimes things get thrown at me that really have me wondering what I am doing. Yesterday just such a thing happened when the much anticipated first run of 5000 Twice catalogues arrived ..... all absolutely unusable.
I have been very successfully using on-line printers for a while to produce leaflets and postcards and invitations and have worked hard to improve my abilities in desktop publishing. So, when I made the big decision to do a catalogue I looked for the most cost effective way of doing it which was for me to do the design and then get it printed by the same printer. However, I could see I might struggle with formatting of the artwork and I wasn't comfortable that I would be talking to someone in Germany to finalise the proofs, so I changed to a UK company, who cost more but assured me that that bought me first class customer service and hand-holding. I thought it was a price worth paying and went for them. I was sent about four samples of different paper finishes and plumped for one that looked wonderfully matt which I thought was very fitting for Twice. What I now know is that this particular finish (called offset) leaches colour out of photographs - the result for my catalogue is that all the wonderfully vibrant colours have just disappeared. When you are asking people to choose a product on colour, that's really not a runner. Anyway, there was a sad little puddle of me sitting in the office last night at midnight having just got back from a two day sale in Yorkshire, wondering what on earth I was going to do with 5000 unusable brochures. I wrote the printer a very sad email and got one back this morning basically saying that it is like that because I chose that finish. As the experts, do you think that they could maybe have advised me that that would happen? I do.
So, where are we today? Well I'm feeling a little more chirpy and have called my local printer for help (who I didn't use in the first place because I thought they'd be much more expensive) and they are going to match the price and we are going to go again.
In the meantime, there are an awful lot of boxes in the hall that the online printers don't seem to want either!
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11 comments:
Hello Caroline. Good to see you blogging again. This is an interesting post as I have also been on a never-ending learning curve myself. Running a business is full of new skills, but this is a bit different and the firm should definitely have advised you. It is scary how much time and money can be wasted isn't it? Hopefully your local one will come up trumps xx
Hi Pipany - good to hear from you to! It's been a nightmare - and, funnily enough, having had loads of contact with the printers when they were in the process of getting my business I haven't heard a squeak since I sent an email saying that I would be sending the catalogues back and would like a refund!
C x
Oh Caroline - what a bummer.
Good for you picking yourself up and getting it sorted.
I look forward to seeing the finished version - certainly your mock-up looked lovely.
You canb let me know which printers I should avoid!
J
x
Hi Jane - the problem with these mistakes is that they are SO incredibly expensive in both time and money. Sigh. Sitting in the office uploading tunics on to the website - frantically trying to get everything sorted before Wednesday when I leave home for two weeks on the road. And a brochure to reprint before then?!?!?
x
oh how awful I really feel for you. Over the years I have made the odd costly mistake so I do know how it feels. It hurts for awhile and you beat yourself up a bit but you get over it. Just get the kids to shred up the catalogue and use it for packaging. Tricia
Thanks Tricia - you're right, it does hurt! Not only from a monetary point of view, but I can't stand the waste. That's a good idea about shredding them. It's an awful lot of shredding though! x
If you cannot get any kind of refund then perhaps reporting the printers lack of giving you the right information to Trading Standards might make you feel better.
I just wanted to say I received my catalogue yesterday and it does you proud:)
heck - that is awful....
i have found that it does pay to use local folk as you generally know where they live :)
we had no end of problems with our first few sets of builders on the house - we now have two local chaps who are simply brilliant - we are now waiting for the roofers to come back over from Orkney x
i have received my Twice brochure and it is beautiful - great images and easy to read text - you should be very proud x
t x
Hi Tracy - yes, it was. Slightly over it now - although the payment side of things is lingering on. They want full payment, I want my money back! Interesting! Thanks so much for your lovely comments on the final catalogue - I am quite proud!
x C
Also - Gigibird, thanks so much for your comment re catalogue - been doing Country Living London and Glasgow so not had much time for blog. Home now so catching up.
x
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