Printing seems like a simple task on the surface. How hard could it be? Under the surface, however, there are many subtle printer mistakes that people often make. Individually, these mistakes seem minor. But in aggregate, the sum of these errors can have a serious impact.
Here are five common printer mistakes that, if corrected, can save your business time, energy, and money:
- Using .png or .gif images for print
Printing .png or .gif images leads to a loss of quality. These file types are meant for screen viewing only and should be kept off the page. Instead, use .jpg or .tiff images. These will retain quality better when printed, which is important for a business that aims to maintain professionalism through documents and promotional material.
- Printing in color or black and white in the wrong situations
This may seem obvious, but a lot of money is wasted on ink when documents are printed in color unnecessarily. Consider who is going to see the document and whether the color is necessary to maintain a professional image. If the document is for internal use only and is not primarily visual, consider black and white. If the document is for external use and has an intended visual appeal, color is justified, of course. Overusing color in promotional material can waste ink and cause the printed result to look unprofessional, however, so use it wisely.
- Printing in the wrong quality mode
Similarly to color versus black and white, choosing the right quality depends on your audience. If the document is for reference and not for show, use the lowest quality setting. If this is a document that is going to represent your business, make sure to choose the highest quality. Take the extra second to change this setting in the printing preferences in order to save ink and money.
- Printing single-sided pages unnecessarily
Whenever possible, set the printer preferences to print double-sided pages. This will halve the amount of paper you use– a major cost-saver in the long run.
- Double-checking for readability and quality
A document might look beautiful and clear on the screen, but come out muddled and distorted on the page. Don’t assume that everything will look exactly the same in translation. After printing, check to make sure that the font is legible and clear, and that images have retained quality and color. If something seems amiss, try changing fonts and checking file types.
If you’d like to learn more about printers and their function or are interested in purchasing a top-of-the-line Canon or Savin machine, contact us today.