Professional print buyers start out knowing very little about printers and printing. The exception, of course, is the buyer who comes from the printing industry - but that's pretty rare.

So for all of you who are about to buy printing for the first time, take comfort in knowing that we all started out in that same place. Here's some very basic information to help you get started.

1. Ask someone you know for the name of a printer he or she has used successfully. This printer may not be exactly right for your job, but it's a smart start. If you search for a printer on your own, you may or may not get lucky the first time. Printers come in all sizes.

2. Printers do different kinds of printing. Most are general, commercial printers, rather than specialty shops. Lots of consumers assume that all printers do the same thing. It's not that simple. Different presses mean different capabilities and different run lengths. You want a 'good fit.'

3. Printing prices vary from shop to shop. Always ask for prices before you hand over your job to a printer. Avoid surprises.

4. Paper accounts for about 30% of a print job. Sometimes it's higher; sometimes, lower. Select your paper carefully with the printer's help. In fact, if you're quoted a price that is too high for your budget, ask your printer to suggest some alternatives.

5. Determine your quantities wisely. It's usually more expensive to go back on press to print more copies than it is to print more the first time.

6. One-color jobs, using black ink, are the cheapest. But color sells, so get prices for two-color and even four-color versions if they're appropriate for your job. Prices for color printing have come way down.

7. Proofreading is your job, not the printer's. Check and re-check your copy before handing it over to be printed. The earlier you catch mistakes, the cheaper they are to fix.

8. Decide whether you need to see a proof for your job. Discuss it with the printer and find out when it will be ready, what you're supposed to do with it, and how fast you need to return it.

9. Make your deadline known to the printer. Don't use vague terms. You can't expect the printer to know what 'ASAP' means to you.

10. Be mature enough to admit you know very little about printing. Ask for help if you have questions! Printers aren't mind readers, and they want your experience with them to be good so you'll keep coming back.