A dance recital program is a great keepsake for your students and their parents, but they can be time-consuming to create and expensive to print. If you sell ad space in your programs, you probably can cover your costs, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a little extra cash to put back into the studio? Use these tips to get high-quality programs printed for the lowest price possible.
1. Double- and Triple-Check
The year you’re not diligent about proof-reading will be the year that you end up with a major typo in the program. If you’re not careful, you could misspell a student’s name – or leave her out altogether – and face the costs of reprinting your programs. Make it part of the design process to double- and triple-check your text for errors. The more people that look over the piece, the better. Ask your instructors or a few trusted parents to proofread the program. You’ll be surprised at how many small mistakes a fresh pair of eyes will find.
2. Compare Prices Online
Even if you have a vendor that you trust, you should still shop around before picking a printer. Unique Venues explained that many online companies have extremely competitive prices and can turn around jobs more quickly than other vendors. If you’re concerned about the quality of work you’ll get from a company you haven’t used before, take advantage of free proofs. It might take a little extra time to get everything printed, but you can save some serious money when you compare prices.
3. Adjust the Specs
Making small adjustments to your programs is another efficient way to cut costs. The OmniPress blog noted that you can save up to 40 percent by changing the specs. Some less expensive options are using offset stock instead of glossy paper, designing pages without bleed area, consolidating pages or printing just the cover in color. You can also alter the size and shape of your program to fit your budget. Talk with your vendor about which types of changes will cut costs the most. Most of times you can adjust the specs of your dance recital program slightly and your customers won’t even notice. When you’re savvy in the design process, you can save quite a bit of cash on printing!
