Printing Posters / "The cheapest sign you have"

[fresh]

I never know what to tell people when they ask for "paper signs" or something that is disposal / one time use / etc. I always say banners are the most economical thing we offer, but I keep thinking I'm missing something.

I have a mimaki w/ ecosol ink. I can get banner material for about $0.17 a square foot. Are there any papers that are cheaper? Actually, I am totally clueless when it comes to paper for my printer, at any price point.

Also, I don't even know why I'm asking this question, it goes against everything I stand for in business (I'm not here to chase the bottom.) But sometimes I have an otherwise great client who is looking for something cheap, and I'd love to know my options.

Thank you!

 

[HulkSmash]

you tell them you're not equipt to do 5 dollar banners, and don't waste your time?

that's how i'd handle it.

 

[P Wagner]

The least expensive solvent-compatible media I know of is paper at around 10 cents per square foot.

Latex ink printers can print on uncoated bond paper, and I have successfully profiled and printed on this class of paper (2 cents per square foot) with the L26500.

 

[Bly]

It's tough trying to convince people the cost of the paper isn't your largest overhead.

I can print on bond paper with my L25500 too. Doesn't mean I sell it at 50c / sq metre.

 

[P Wagner]

It's tough trying to convince people the cost of the paper isn't your largest overhead.

I can print on bond paper with my L25500 too. Doesn't mean I sell it at 50c / sq metre.

The last thing that I would advocate is to sell output for that price. The original poster was inquiring about media that he could print on to satisfy price-conscious customers. I gave him information on the least costly media options for two widely-used inksets used in sign production on a worldwide basis. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[fresh]

you tell them you're not equipt to do 5 dollar banners, and don't waste your time?

that's how i'd handle it.

That is what I say. If I'm feeling generous, I tell them they can get a 2x3' b&w paper print from a local print shop for $5 (I think that is what it costs, I can't remember now.) But I'm pretty sure they need to bring a file, I doubt the print shop will include a layout for that price.

And yeah, I just need to keep reminding everyone that we are not equipped to do traditional "printing".

Thank you for the info!

 

[fresh]

It's tough trying to convince people the cost of the paper isn't your largest overhead.

I can print on bond paper with my L25500 too. Doesn't mean I sell it at 50c / sq metre.

Yep.

 

[2B]

I I can get banner material for about $0.17 a square foot. Are there any papers that are cheaper?

The least expensive solvent-compatible media I know of is paper at around 10 cents per square foot.

With such a small price difference why even bother with paper printing? Banner is so much more durable and lets face it when someone hears the word "sign" from a "sign shop" they are expecting longevity.


back to the OP if they are dead set on the EL CHEAPO then do banner no hem / no grommets BUT as said you start doing this for the walk-ins you will be the CHEAP sign shop

 

[coyote]

Kinko's, Office Depot, and now UPS Store all offer that kind of stuff. We just send them there. We do what we do-sometimes the good will generated by the referral will bring them back when they want something more substantial.

 

[Bigdawg]

Kinko's, Office Depot, and now UPS Store all offer that kind of stuff. We just send them there. We do what we do-sometimes the good will generated by the referral will bring them back when they want something more substantial.

Shoot - you don't even have to go that far around here. The Walgreen's on the corner offers paper banners pretty cheap.

These types of signs (posters) use to be printed by offset printers with minimum quantities, etc. Now everyone just wants one-offs... cheap... and oh yeah - can you set that up for me? I print posters for a few customers, but they aren't as cheap as they can get elsewhere. When I do, we use the SIHL papers.

 

[goforit14]

You can get a printer such as an hp 500 designjet, you can find them used for $500 is basically a wide format deskjet printer you can use it to make the posters as well as printing photography, the ink is way less expensive. I wouldn't do the posters on my solvent printer because you wouldn't make money on them considering the price of the solvent inks.

sell them the banner with out the grommets like the other client said