Costs: Financial

• Using an exterior printer can cost significantly more than printing materials yourself. Not only will you be paying for the basic materials, such as paper and ink, but also for the time it will take the printer's staff to do the job, including tasks such as folding brochures. This can lead to the cost of printing at a print shop mounting to nearly twice as much as what it would cost you to do the same job in-house. However, the quality may be significantly higher when you outsource the work, and you will not have to take up your staff's time with a printing job.
  
  

Costs: Control

• Although you will have a great deal of control when it comes to your printing project, even when outsourcing it, you most likely will not be able to take the time to evaluate each and every element at the printer's before he undertakes the job. Therefore, you have less control over the finished product than you would if it were done in-house. To mitigate some of this uncertainty, you can ask to see a proof before the printer runs the job, saving you time and money if there are any errors.
  
  

Risks: Quality

• Unless you have used the printer often in the past, you risk him producing a low-quality product that you nevertheless have to pay for. Even though it is possible to get a proof to eliminate some of this risk, it can take a significant amount of time to get the proof correct before you can sign-off on it, minimizing one of the potential qualities of using an external printer. Before you choose a printer, ask for references from local businesses and associates who have high-quality printed materials.
  
  

Risks: Deadlines

• When you use a print shop, you risk missing a deadline for your printed materials, especially if you need them quickly. Although a printer may tell you that he can do a job by a certain date, other urgent jobs may come up and you may miss the deadline. However, you can minimize this risk by establishing a contract with this printer beforehand that specifies the absolute latest date when he can deliver the job without incurring financial penalties.