I am working on a marketing plan for a new venture. Your price guides have been useful for costing some of the items I need. However, the hard part seems to be actually finding a printer. How do you choose one if you have no existing contacts? The Business Pages directory for my area has over ten pages of printing companies. Where do you start? Name withheld on request

This is a tough one because it is best to choose any service provider from personal recommendation. If this is not possible then you are left with the Yellow Pages or similar. Do not make the mistake of regarding print as a commodity - it is a service you are buying. The quality of the finished work is dependent on the skill and commitment of the people printing it. You need to develop a working relationship with your printer so it is important to choose people you get on with. As well as getting samples of work it is a good idea to visit the premises. The condition of the print shop is often an indication of the quality of the work. If all you have to go on are print prices then I recommend against choosing the cheapest quote. There may be unwelcome reasons why a printer is very cheap. It is unfortunate but you can always find an outfit prepared to undercut a price. The first casualty is usually quality. The best source remains a recommendation from someone you trust. Bob

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