10 Tips why you should print with a Local West Michigan Print Shop

Swift Printing was founded in Grand Rapids in 1950.

Since then, printing technology has changed dramatically. We have moved from generations of traditional equipment and hands-on production into an industry that also includes advanced digital printing, variable data, computerized prepress and online file transfers.

But some of the most important lessons have not changed at all.

Paper still needs to feel right. Color still matters. Deadlines still matter. Relationships matter even more.

As a third-generation family-owned company, we have had the privilege of learning from customers, employees, vendors, mistakes, changing technology and decades of experience. Some lessons were taught directly. Others were learned the hard way.

Here are a few we carry with us every day.

Lesson 1: Ask what the piece needs to accomplish

Customers often begin with a product.

“I need a postcard.”

“I need a booklet.”

“I need a banner.”

That is helpful, but it is not the full question.

The better question is: What does this need to accomplish?

A postcard designed to introduce a new business has a different job than a postcard reminding existing customers about an appointment. A booklet intended to remain on a donor’s desk needs to feel different from a handout distributed quickly at an event.

Once we understand the goal, we can make better recommendations about size, paper, printing method, quantity and finishing.

Printing decisions should begin with purpose, not habit.

Lesson 2: The cheapest option is not always the least expensive

Printing decisions are often reduced to price per piece.

But a low price can become expensive when materials arrive late, colors do not match, pieces need to be reprinted or no one notices an error before production.

We have also seen customers order far more than they need because the unit price looked attractive. When information changes, the unused pieces become waste.

The least expensive solution is the one that works correctly the first time and fits the actual need.

That may be a shorter digital printing run today. It may be a larger offset printing run when the quantity supports it. It may mean choosing a standard size to reduce paper waste or selecting an in-stock sheet rather than waiting for a specialty order.

A good printer helps customers evaluate the entire cost, not just the number at the bottom of an estimate.

Lesson 3: Paper is part of the message

The same design can feel completely different depending on the paper.

A smooth coated sheet can make photographs look vivid and polished. An uncoated stock may feel warmer, more personal or easier to write on. A heavy cover stock can communicate permanence. A textured sheet can add character before the recipient reads a word.

Paper also affects how ink behaves.

Colors may appear brighter on coated paper and softer on uncoated paper. Fine details may reproduce differently. Folding, mailing and writing requirements also influence the best choice.

Customers sometimes choose paper by weight alone, but weight is only one factor. Texture, finish, opacity, thickness, grain direction and end use matter too.

When the project is important, ask to see and touch samples.

Print is physical. That is one of its greatest strengths.

Lesson 4: Proofing is never a formality

Customers sometimes assume the printer has proofread every word.

We look for obvious concerns, but the customer must carefully review names, dates, phone numbers, addresses, prices, QR codes and other critical information. The person closest to the content is often the best one to verify its accuracy, but it’s also helpful to have someone uninvolved in the project review it with a critical eye.

Lesson 5: “Swift” does not mean careless

Our name creates certain expectations.

We understand that customers want quick answers and dependable turnarounds. Many common projects can typically be produced within a few business days after proof approval, and our walk-up copy center helps with smaller, immediate needs. 

But speed still requires decisions.

The file needs to be ready. Paper must be available. The proof must be approved. Equipment needs to be scheduled. Finishing may involve cutting, folding, scoring, perforating, binding or mailing.

Rushing blindly creates problems.

Moving efficiently requires experience.

We have learned to distinguish between unnecessary delay and necessary production time. Customers deserve urgency, but they also deserve a finished product that looks professional.

Lesson 6: Technology changes, craftsmanship remains

We believe in investing in equipment and technology.

Digital printing has transformed what is possible for short runs, quick changes and personalized pieces. Variable data can change names, addresses, offers, text or images from one printed piece to the next. Modern wide-format equipment makes signs, banners and displays more accessible.

But equipment does not replace judgment.

A press operator still needs to understand color, registration, paper and consistency. A bindery employee needs to notice when a fold is drifting. A customer service representative needs to ask the right questions. A designer needs to understand how a piece will be printed and finished.

Technology makes production possible.

People make it good.

Lesson 7: Every “simple” project contains decisions

A business card may involve paper, finish, quantity, color, bleed, coating, rounded corners, foil or multiple employee versions.

An envelope may involve size, paper, ink coverage, addressing, postal placement and whether it needs to run through an office printer later.

A booklet may involve page count, binding, creep, cover weight and whether the piece will lie flat.

This is not meant to make printing intimidating.

It is exactly why working with knowledgeable people matters.

Our products and services page lists many of the production and finishing options available, but customers do not need to arrive knowing all of them. They need to tell us what they want the piece to do.

We can help with the rest.

Lesson 8: Relationships solve problems faster than websites

Online ordering can be convenient for basic projects. But when something changes, the value of a relationship becomes obvious.

You may need to update the quantity, replace a file, change the delivery location or understand why a color is not reproducing as expected.

At a local shop, you can call a person.

We know many of our customers, their brands and the types of projects they order. That knowledge helps us notice when something seems different.

Local printing is not valuable only because of geography.

It is valuable because of accountability.

Lesson 9: Community investment is business investment

Swift is rooted on Grand Rapids’ West Side, and our commitment to the community is not separate from our business.

Strong neighborhoods support strong businesses. Local events create relationships. Nonprofits strengthen the places where employees and customers live. When local organizations succeed, the entire community becomes more vibrant.

Our Certified B Corporation status reflects our commitment to considering people, community and the environment in how we operate. That responsibility influences how we think about waste, paper, employees, partnerships and the projects we support.

Community involvement is not a marketing trick.

It is part of staying in business for generations.

Lesson 10: Never become too experienced to keep learning

Seventy-five years of experience is meaningful, but it does not mean we know everything.

Customer needs evolve. Equipment changes. Postal rules change. Design trends shift. New materials become available. Environmental expectations continue to grow.

The worst thing an experienced company can do is assume that yesterday’s solution will always be the right one tomorrow.

We respect tradition, particularly through crafts such as letterpress printing. We also continue to embrace digital production, personalization and new finishing techniques.

The goal is not to choose between old and new.

The goal is to use the right tool for the project.

The lesson behind all the lessons

Printing is ultimately an act of trust.

Customers trust us with deadlines, brands, donor communications, important announcements and deeply personal milestones. They trust us to tell them when something will not work and to recommend an alternative.

We do not take that lightly.

After 75 years, we still become excited when a project comes off the press and looks exactly right. We still enjoy seeing a customer hold the finished piece for the first time.

The technology may change.

That feeling does not.

Explore more practical printing advice in The Swift Drift, or request a quote for your next project.