1. Bolton Associates are printing brokers, how is that different from a Sales Rep or even from going direct to a printer?

A good question. You can view us as production managers. Right from the beginning we join you in seeking a solution to your printing needs. We don't just throw your information over to a printer's overseas team, like most Sales Rep's do. Joanne looks carefully at your book specifications and then asks several printers whom she thinks would give you the best quality and price, to bid on your book. She studies the pricing and gives you a quote based on what she believes matches your criteria the closest. She analyzes the quote and your requirements. She makes her choices based on twenty five years experience in her field. If you have a time crunch, then her choice includes that factor, or if cost is the most important element, she considers that. Most clients want it all, the best quality, the best price and the best schedule. And although it isn't always possible to get all three, at least with Bolton Associates you know which ones will most likely be met.

Joanne has this rule for press checks: If you can make a significant difference by being on press, then by all means go. But if not, then let them match your proofs, and let them be responsible for that. It applies to working with a printer. If you can have as much clout or more than we do, then by all means go direct to a printer overseas. But do you know the book manufacturing process? Do you know when to get anxious about a deadline? Do you know, as we like to say, how to reach down that phone line and grab the manager by the throat and really get his attention? And finally, do you know what to do when, in spite of your best efforts, things don't go well?

In order for you to do as good a job as we can, then you need to answer "Yes" to all the above questions. If we appear to be slightly more expensive than your going direct, would you choose differently if things go wrong, or if you end up with a book you hate piled at your doorstep? There is a learning curve, and it is very difficult to get something for nothing. That should translate into making sure you have someone working with you who knows what they are doing. That would be Bolton Associates, Inc.

2. There are many printers and printing brokers out there, how do I choose who to use?

The answer to that is to ask: "What is important to you?"
Do you want the very lowest price?
Do you want the quickest service?
Do you want someone else to handle everything?
or, do you want to be involved in the process, understand how things get done and enjoy working through the steps to good book manufacturing?

If you prefer that last summary, then you would be a good partner for Bolton Associates, Inc, printing brokers who offer fine printing services to the well experienced as well as the novice.

Working with Bolton Associates will instill more confidence in what you do. You will learn the proper steps in working overseas, and in publishing. You will see what it takes to make a project turn out on time and in budget.

We want you to enjoy your printing adventure, to share in all decisions, and to benefit in our expertise to bring you the best prices. quality and schedules possible. If you feel comfortable with Bolton Associates we will be able to do our job, and give you the best possible results. Call or e-mail us to start your printing process now!

3. When do I contact Bolton Associates, and what is the sequence of events that eventually produces a book?

Another good question. You can contact Bolton Associates very early to talk about your new venture, new book or new company. We can get pricing for you that will help you make a viable business plan for a new publishing company or a new book or printed product, such as a calendar, or a greeting card line. We can give you suggestions that will help you make those decisions about who will publish and who will sell the product you are considering manufacturing.

Once you have decided on all the specifications for your book, and have received a quote from Bolton Associates, then the next step is for you to have that book designed. We can help you there, depending on your budget, by supporting your own efforts, or helping you find a designer to do the work for you. Next you decide on final specifications and quantity, where the book is going to end up, and then we make out a Sales Agreement and ask you to sign it. For first time buyers we will ask for some money down when you send us the art for your book, and those details will be on the Sales Agreement. So we will also send you an invoice.

You will soon afterwards receive a blank dummy book that will have the final materials from the quote. You will need to approve that and if things aren't right we will change them. The dummy book is essential to the designer for making cover or jacket size adjustments. You can also use the dummy book with a mocked up cover or jacket and begin your preprinting marketing, or to pitch your product to other publishers or gift reps.

First step is proofing the color elements in the book. Often there are two proofs, first and second. Each takes about 10 days or so to arrive from the printer. We send one set to you and talk over the phone about corrections. We basically continue proofing until everything is approved. We generally allow about three to four weeks for that process for a first-time publisher.

Next, you get a blueline of your book to check pagination and position of the art. Once the blueline is approved production begins. Those approved proofs are used by the pressmen for matching color on press. Printing takes a few days generally, and binding and packing takes about a week. The finished advance copies are sent when all the books are packed and ready to go, and within a week of getting those advances the main shipment is on the sea to the US.

Bolton Associates imports the books for you, and arranges trucking to your house or warehouse. We don't mark that up because we feel it is part of our service to you. The bills for customs clearance and trucking appear on our final invoice to you. Believe us when we say both customs and trucking are hard to do if you have never been involved. And this way of doing the importing is much less expensive than asking the printer to price a door-to-door service.

Overall the process takes 3-4 weeks for proofing, and two to three weeks to manufacture and get the books on the boat. Overall about 6-8 weeks if proofing goes smoothly and if there are no other glitches.

4. Who benefits the most by working with Bolton Associates

First time publishers who want to produce high quality, affordable color books

Small publishers who have not yet printed overseas

Publishers abroad who are looking to print and sell their books in the US, and need an individual to be their print manager

Independent publishers who have gone from printing a few hundred books to needing a thousand or more books

Artists or photographers who want a printed catalog of their work to help sell their prints or to help market themselves for commission work

Children's book publishers

Photographers looking for duotone or tritone printing or very high quality color printing

Museums or art galleries wanting to combine artists or photographers into a hard cover book

Publishes who would like to print at the highest quality, who want state of the art printing techniques, papers or prepress work, unusual custom covers, die cut hand work.

Publishers who want to print limited edition books in matching slipcases or clamshell presentation boxes along with a signed print

Publishers who would like to combine soft cover books with hard cover books in split runs at economical pricing

Specialty publishers needing die-cutting, magnet closures, specialty wire "O" binding, tabs, silk screen or other exotic processes, such as laser die-cutting using specialty papers

Anyone who needs a printed product with a lot of hand work, or which is very complicated or of extremely high quality

Anyone who enjoys working with a highly creative individual, who will suggest things to enhance your product, and who will stay on track passionately so that you can sleep at night...

5 . Why would I consider printing overseas?

When Joanne Bolton started as a broker in the early 80's she worked with a Japanese printer. For West Coast publishers Japan was the place to print coffee-table books. Back then she worked for a Japanese printing company who had offices in New York and in San Francisco. For color printing that was the place to go. A few years later all of Asia started to open up. Now, with the web and digital cameras, you can print a 4-color book anywhere. But many publishers and self-publishers return to Asia for quality and price. Asia has led in quality and pricing since the 60's, and US printers are still trying to catch up.

Asian companies working with International clients have to meet very high standards within their industry in order to get the banking terms they need to export. The papers that are available, for example, are a high quality that ensures excellent printing. Low quality papers are reserved for local use. International disputes are to be avoided at all costs, so Asian printers are dedicated to the highest quality to ensure client approvals at every step. And labor is still cheaper in Asia, while talent is running high. All together Asian printers working with International clients tend to be the best of the best. When quality and pricing are the best, then it makes perfect sense to opt to go overseas.