A café owner has designed her own menu in a free online tool. She sends it to a print shop. The printer replies that the file is low resolution, has no bleed and uses the wrong colour mode. She does not know what any of that means. Three emails later, she has a usable file, and the job is two days late.
Artwork questions are the quiet time sink of every print business. Answering them clearly, before files arrive, prevents most of the problems.
What customers ask
Customers usually ask which file formats are accepted, what bleed is and how much is needed, what resolution images should be, whether they should use RGB or CMYK, whether fonts need to be outlined or embedded, whether the printer can fix their file, whether there is a design service and how to send large files.
Example conversations
These scripts use information a printer might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Customer: What file should I send? Assistant: The artwork page explains that print-ready PDF files are preferred, with fonts embedded and images at the resolution shown. If you only have a different format, the team can advise.
Customer: What's bleed? Assistant: Bleed is a little extra background around the edge of your design, so there's no white line when the print is trimmed. The artwork page shows how much bleed to add for each product, with a diagram.
Customer: My file isn't print-ready. Can you fix it? Assistant: The page explains that the team can check and adjust files for a small artwork fee, or create the design from scratch through the design service. I can pass your file details to them.
Plain-language guidance
Most artwork guides are written for designers. Many customers are business owners who made their own design. A short guide with plain explanations and diagrams helps them get it right first time.
Templates
Downloadable templates for common products, with bleed and safe areas marked, prevent most artwork problems. Customers who use a template rarely need a reprint.
Proofs
Customers often ask whether they will see a proof before printing. Explaining the proofing process, and how quickly approval is needed, keeps jobs moving. Rush jobs depend on this, as covered in rush print jobs and deadline questions.
Artwork in the quote
Asking whether artwork is ready is part of capturing a print spec, covered in print quote requests missing quantities and specs.
Repeated questions in other trades
Event planners answer the same supplier questions every week, as described in supplier and venue questions planners answer daily. Advisers answer repeated client questions too, as covered in how financial advisors use chatbots to answer client questions. Printers are no different.
Design services
Some customers do not want to deal with artwork at all. Explaining the design service, its price and turnaround gives them an easy option and adds revenue.
Large files
Customers often struggle to email large files. Explaining how to upload them, or which file-sharing services the printer accepts, removes another small barrier.
Answering at any hour
SpideyChat for printing and signage companies answers artwork questions from your own pages at any hour, so customers can prepare files before they send them.
An artwork page
Publish accepted formats, bleed, resolution, colour and font guidance in plain words, with templates and diagrams. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about answers on the features page.