Did You Know That Lighthouse Offers Print Services?

Did you know that Lighthouse Marketing offers printing services? From business cards to catalogs to yard signs, we can help you get your print projects completed on-time and within budget. Lighthouse acts as a “print broker”, but a more accurate term would be “print manager,” as we oversee all facets of production, from ensuring art is properly formatted for press, to the actual printing and bindery, and delivery or fulfillment.

As a print manager, we act as your agent between you and a wholesale print manufacturer. Our role is to source your project to a manufacturer that will produce it efficiently, which translates to a better price to you and better quality. We are always on your side, and our goal is to project manage your printed materials to success.

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to buy directly from a retail printer? Why should I use a third party?

Sometimes, particularly when you are trying to print a short run of 25-100 pieces, purchasing directly from a retail printer like Staples or OfficeMax can be more cost effective. We earn our keep by coordinating and managing projects so that you don’t need to worry about the details, particularly if multiple vendors are involved, and that is where we provide the most value.

Whether you use a broker or a retail printer, having someone who can act as a knowledgeable manager and attend to all of the details of your project frees you from having to learn the details of the print industry in order to get your projects done. Lighthouse handles a broad range of print tasks in-house and provides full-service print work, including project management, at very competitive prices.

The same kind of thing happens in many industries, like insurance, where your insurance broker finds you the best policy for your needs at the best price.

If I use a broker, is my work just sent out to the lowest bidder?

Some print brokers will seek out the lowest cost product every time. However, Lighthouse does not operate this way. Our knowledge of printing allows us to evaluate the specifications of a print project and source it to vendors that will produce it most efficiently. Sometimes this is because they have a particular type of print equipment on the floor, or they have finishing equipment that are appropriate for the project. When a manufacturer has to outsource things (which happens all the time) it increases your cost significantly.

Our role is to understand the needs of a print run and project manage it efficiently to a successful outcome in terms of timeliness, quality and cost.

What is the benefit of having access to a wide range of production equipment?

Manufacturers have significant costs tied up in their equipment and because of this, they need to be using it whenever possible. Print managers are valuable partners to print retailers because they enable them to make more efficient use of the equipment that is appropriate for the project. This translates into better turnaround times and better quality.

Our role is to understand the needs of a print run and project manage it efficiently to a successful outcome in terms of timeliness, quality and cost.

Is it common for print manufacturers to broker some of their work?

Yep. Because no print shop has every piece of equipment. If they did, the down time on lightly used machines would create a huge cash strain on the business. Because of this, they sometimes act as brokers themselves, working with other manufacturers to produce the job for them. Even the biggest print shops outsource some of their print and/or bindery functions to other businesses.

What types of businesses do you work with?

Lighthouse has managed projects for hundreds of businesses both in the Chicagoland area as well as across the United States and beyond. Our customers range from start up companies to global corporations, non-profits and for-profits alike. We keep our prices extremely competitive; we operate efficiently, providing our customers with some of the fastest turn times in the industry.

If you have a print project you’d like to get started, click the link below to get in touch with us!