ImagesMagUK_Digital-Edition_Dec17

www.images-magazine.com 58 images DECEMBER 2017 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Marshall Atkinson shares the tools – and wisdom – needed to handle large orders Inventory shipping concerns Be sure you ask how the inventory is coming in for the order as you need to prepare. Don’t get caught on the hop when the truck backs up and you are not ready. Have a plan in place for when the truck arrives. This means some space created for the inventory to call home, empty skids ready to load and paperwork accessible to use during check-in. When unloading, be sure to segregate the boxes by size on different pallets as this will help you check them in later. The more organised you keep your inventory, the better. Make sure you crack open every box, and double- check size and colour. I’ve seen more than one job have the wrong shirts delivered, or missing one size completely, and this is something you want to discover immediately, not at the press a few days later when you have a deadline approaching. Make the job easy Handling big jobs is better if you stay prepared and double-check everything as the job is being produced. Have a Y our client has let you know that you won that gigantic order. Congratulations! It’s going to be the biggest order your shop has ever printed and, along with that, the biggest payday. Then it hits you. It’s also the biggest risk you’ve ever taken, and the biggest liability if something goes wrong. The first bead of sweat starts rolling down your forehead as you feel the panic setting in. How are you going to pull it off? Keep calm. Below are some tips for making sure that your big payday happens without a hitch. Produce a sample and get it approved The big order probably has a time deadline, so it’s imperative that a sample order is created and sent to the client immediately. Print it on the press you are going to run the job, with the crew that will be printing the order. Don’t sample it manually and then try to replicate it on your auto in a few days as you may end up struggling to match the final print. For big orders, most shops throw the sample in for free as this is more about an insurance policy than getting paid to print a sample. Make sure that more than one person in your shop sees the sample and everyone agrees that it is the best you can print. Triple check that the sample is exactly what they wanted. I can’t stress this enough. You want to send perfection. Get their approval in writing. If the order has multiple locations, and not all of them are approved, try to get the job started by asking if one or more of the locations can be approved so you can start printing. Check your ink stock Want to see a shop owner go ballistic? Run out of ink during a long print run. You know what you need for this big order. Check your stock levels and make sure you have enough. If you are not sure, place an order. Ink isn’t produce from the grocery store; it won’t go bad if it sits on the shelf. If you are mixing your own ink colours, make sure you mix a little more than you think you need. There’s nothing worse than not being able to match a colour during a long print run for some reason. Colour matching is crucial. The secrets of printingmonster T-shirt orders