Sometimes, the most useful business advice comes from a conversation you weren't expecting to have.
We recently spoke to a reseller about the challenges they were facing, from managing customer artwork and preparing quotes to juggling different software systems just to get an order over the line. And, by the end of the conversation, we had learned just as much as they had.
It made us realise that, at WTTB, we are fortunate to have dedicated marketing, technical and development teams, along with the systems and website to support a large print operation. It is easy to take those resources for granted. But when you are running a print business, you might be the salesperson, designer, accounts department and customer service team all rolled into one.
Finding time to research software, improve your marketing or investigate ways to automate your processes isn't easy when you've got a host of customers waiting for their orders. So we've done some of the legwork for you.
We've investigated business tools, compared actual costs and free plan limits, explored ways to simplify ordering your print and looked at opportunities to improve customer relationships without adding even more to your working day.
Some changes cost nothing, while others involve monthly subscriptions or technical investment. And, most importantly, what works for an established reseller processing hundreds of orders won't necessarily suit someone who has fewer, more dedicated customers.
This isn't a list of things you should go out and purchase. It is a practical guide to what is available, what it costs and when it is worth considering.
Before investing in all the systems, there is something worth figuring out. What actually takes up your time?
Maybe a customer emails their requirements. You prepare a quotation, copy the details into an invoice, enter everything again when ordering from your supplier and send a separate confirmation. Then the customer changes the artwork or needs a higher quantity, so then you have to do half of the initial job all over again.
Sound familiar?
When you're managing several jobs at once, the admin can become almost as demanding as the print itself. Start by identifying the tasks you are repeating most often.
The problem | A practical first step | When to consider software |
|---|---|---|
Repeatedly entering customer details | Use a standard enquiry form and customer records | When you are processing many enquiries each week |
Searching for previous print specifications | Save customer specifications and order references | When repeat orders are taking too long to prepare |
Creating similar quotations | Develop reusable quotation templates | When manual quoting is limiting how many enquiries you can handle |
Losing track of artwork approvals | Keep files, approval dates and versions in one place | When mistakes or missed approvals are becoming frequent |
Copying orders between different systems | Investigate whether your existing tools can connect | When the time saved would justify an integration |
Repeatedly answering artwork questions | Share guides and instructional videos | When customer support is consuming too much of your day |
Here is a useful exercise. Choose a task you regularly repeat and time yourself completing it.
If transferring an order between systems takes ten minutes, and you're doing that 30 times a month, that adds up to five hours spent copying information. Reducing that to two minutes gives you four hours back every month. It might not sound revolutionary, but imagine what you could achieve with that time over a year.
If you have customer information sitting in one platform, quotations in another and order specifications somewhere else entirely, there may be ways to connect them. The important thing is understanding what each system actually does.
Tools like Zapier or Make are designed to connect supported applications and automate repetitive actions. For example, imagine a customer completing an enquiry form on your website. Instead of manually copying their details into a spreadsheet, an automation could create a new record, notify you about the enquiry and prepare the information for your quotation process.
That doesn't necessarily mean it can send an order directly to your trade printer, but it can remove some of the manual labour involved.
Software | Free plan | Starting paid plan | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
100 tasks per month | £22.96 monthly OR £15.30 per month, billed annually | Connecting supported applications through straightforward automated workflows | |
1,000 credits per month | £11.87 monthly OR £8.16 per month, billed annually | Building more detailed workflows with several connected steps |
Prices are converted from USD to GBP at time of writing. Exchange rate, billing frequency, usage and additional features may affect the final price.
Zapier's free plan supports basic workflows with one trigger and one action. For example, a submitted form could create a row in a spreadsheet.
Make.com offers more flexibility for building processes with several steps, although the number of credits required depends on how intensive the automation is.
Neither automatically integrates with every print ordering platform. Before signing up, check whether your current website, accounting software, order management system or supplier has an existing integration.
If you are handling a growing number of print orders, a dedicated print management information system, otherwise known as a print MIS software, may be worth investigating. These platforms can bring quotations, customer information, specifications and job tracking together.
Some offer customer portals, production workflows and integrations with external systems. For example:
Print MIS software | Published pricing | What it offers |
|---|---|---|
£115 per month | Quoting system, job management, basic reporting and email support | |
£230 per month | Advanced quotation tools, production planning and API access | |
£115 per month | Customer web portal, online job submission and order tracking | |
Request a demo | Print estimating, job management and workflow automation | |
Request a demo | Online print ordering, storefronts and workflow management |
These systems are not interchangeable. Some are designed around printers managing their own production, while others offer features that may support resellers.
For a reseller outsourcing their manufacturing, the distinction matters. You might need a platform that manages customer quotations and approvals, but not machinery schedules or production floor workflows.
Before requesting a demo, ask the provider whether its system can manage artwork approvals, generate customer quotations, track outsourced jobs and other additional features you think might be necessary to help you function in your day-to-day.
Sometimes the simplest solution is already available. WTTB's order confirmations are unbranded, which means resellers using our services are able to share relevant confirmation information directly with customers without recreating it.
Before forwarding a confirmation, check that it contains the right recipient, order details, delivery information and no internal commercial details you'd prefer to keep private.
For repeat customers, this could reduce administration without requiring any additional software. It is worth considering especially alongside our saved product configurations and saved quotes feature. Saved configurations make it easier to return to familiar specifications and saving your quote allows you to lock a print price for 30 days while placing your order.
Both can be found through our existing ordering system, so they are worth exploring before investing in external tools.
If you have already got an established eCommerce website or ordering platform, an API could provide a more substantial opportunity to reduce manual processing.
An API allows different software to exchange information. In practical terms, that could mean a customer selecting a printed product on your website, paying through your checkout and having the order information sent to your trade supplier without someone manually copying all the details.
Our Print API provides a connection between eligible customer platforms and WTTB's production network. Once an integration has been developed, your system can send relevant order and artwork information to WTTB for production and white label fulfilment.
The API provides access to more than 140 print products, allowing businesses to offer print through their own digital platforms while retaining control of their customer relationships, branding and pricing. Think of your website as the shopfront and WTTB as the production operation behind it. Your customer purchases from you. We produce the print and fulfil the order.
To get our API integration up and running, you'll need three things:
You don't necessarily need an eCommerce website, but you do need an existing platform or system capable of supporting the API integration. The API isn't a ready made website or storefront. You'll still need to develop the connection and manage the relevant ordering processes within your own system.
A sandbox environment is available, giving you a safe place to check your setup, test how orders are submitted and make sure everything is working as expected before live orders are involved.
Not quite ready for an API? Our reseller hub brings together other print tools and resources designed to help your business grow without needing a customer integration.
WTTB's Print API is free of charge, but there is still the development work to consider when connecting it to your existing system.
You will need someone to build and test the integration, and depending on your setup, there may be costs associated with updating your platform and maintaining the connection over time. So, while the API itself won't cost you anything, it's worth understanding the investment needed to get everything working together.
For a reseller managing a small number of orders manually, it might be difficult to justify such an investment. But, if you've already got an established digital platform and are spending considerable time transferring orders between systems, it is worth investigating.
Start by calculating how long your current ordering process takes, how often you are repeating information and what that time is costing your business. That will help you understand whether an API integration could deliver enough value to justify the development work. For a deeper explanation, explore our guide to the WTTB print API.
Here is something that can quietly consume hours without anyone noticing. A customer sends you artwork. It doesn't have bleed, the dimensions are all wrong and the resolution is incorrect. In the spirit of being a good provider, you make a few adjustments to help them out. Then they send another file with the same number of issues.
And one turns to two and then ten, and then before long, you are spending a sizeable amount of your time amending artwork that wasn't included in the original quotation. Time that could be better spent working towards answering new enquiries, completing paid projects or growing the business.
There is nothing wrong with helping customers, but you need to draw a sensible boundary between customer support and additional artwork services.
One option is to establish what level of artwork assistance is included in your standard service. For example:
Artwork requirement | Suggested approach |
|---|---|
Checking supplied artwork against basic requirements | Include within your normal process or use any available artwork technical checks. |
Explaining how to add bleed | Provide a support guide or instructional video. |
Resizing an existing design | Offer a clearly priced artwork service |
Rebuilding or substantially changing artwork | Quote separately based on the work involved |
Creating a new design | Treat it as a commissioned design project with its own price |
You could charge an hourly rate, establish fixed fees for common corrections or include a clearly defined artwork allowance in the overall quotation. For example, if a correction takes 30 minutes to action and your chosen artwork rate is £40 per hour, that would mean £20 of work.
Note that this is an illustrative calculation and not a suggested market rate. Your pricing should reflect your costs, expertise and the time involved. The important thing is agreeing the price before completing chargeable work.
Not every artwork issue needs you to step in and fix the file. Sometimes the more valuable approach is to explain what needs changing and supply the tools for the customer to do it.
For example, when sending through a flyer quotation, you could attach a guide explaining safe zones or export settings. Or, if you are quoting for a booklet, you might include a short video explaining the different book binding styles and what is best for your customer.
Our reseller hub includes free, unbranded support guides and educational videos that you can share directly with your customers, helping them understand print requirements without having to create the resources yourself. Our Canva hub also provides artwork templates and guidance to help customers prepare their files more confidently.
You could even create a standard quotation email containing relevant artwork resources, so you aren't having to go through the trouble of finding and attaching the relevant information every time.
The goal here isn't to stop helping people. It is to reduce the problems before they become a problem, give customers more independence and ensure your time is being spent where it adds the most value.
If you're still manually creating invoices, checking bank statements and reminding customers to pay, there may be software that makes the process easier.
But invoicing software and full accounting systems don't necessarily provide the same functionality. A basic invoicing tool can help you issue bills, send reminders and record payments. A broader accounting system may also cover bank reconciliation, expenses, VAT returns, reporting and cash flow management.
Software | Cost | Free plan or limitations | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
Free | 500 invoices annual limit, two users and three projects | Smaller resellers needing straightforward quotations and invoices | |
- Free - Plus (£20 per month) | Free unlimited invoices and estimates; card processing fees apply | Businesses wanting to invoice and collect payments | |
- Free - Accounting (£20 per month) | Free Sole Trader option for eligible non VAT registered businesses | Resellers needing accounting, VAT and financial reporting | |
- Ignite (£18 per month) - Grow (£39 per month) - Comprehensive (£55 per month) - Ultimate (£70 per month) | Usage and feature limits differ by plan | Businesses wanting integrated accounting and invoicing | |
Existing spreadsheets | Manual processes can become difficult to manage as order volumes grow | Basic customer records, quotations and financial calculations |
Published prices checked in November 2026. VAT, payment processing, additional users, optional added features and promotional offers may affect the total.
For someone issuing a relatively small number of invoices, Zoho may be sufficient without paying a subscription. Square is another option if accepting customer payments is a priority.
Sage and Xero provide broader financial management options, although choosing the correct plan matters. Some entry level subscriptions have restrictions on the number of invoices.
Before switching, ask your accountant whether the software meets your bookkeeping and VAT requirements.
Think about the time you spend daily preparing invoices, checking payments, chasing overdue balances and collecting the financial information to pass on to your accountant. If new software reduces those tasks, its subscription could be worthwhile. But, don't judge it just because of the monthly costs.
Check whether it can import customer data, connect to your bank and send automatic reminders. Be sure to consider whether it integrates with other systems you use. The last thing you want is another platform that creates even more CTRL+C and V.
Getting someone to sign up for marketing emails is one thing. Giving them a reason to stick around is another.
Have you ever had someone join your mailing list because you've offered a discount. They use the offer, receive three generic promotions and decide they aren't interested and unsubscribe. Or maybe they don't even last the extra emails.
The answer isn't necessarily to give them another discount. While I'm sure they might appreciate it, the answer is making the content relevant enough that customers actually want to hear from you. That all starts with how you go about contacting them.
There are several free options worth looking at, but their limits differ considerably. Some restrict how many contacts you can actually contact. Others restrict the number of emails you can send.
Platform | Free plan allowance | Paid starting price | Worth considering for |
|---|---|---|---|
300 emails per day | - Starter (£6 per month) - Standard (£13 per month) | General email campaigns, basic automation and businesses starting out | |
250 active profiles 500 monthly emails | Dependant on profile count | Ecommerce businesses using purchase data and automated campaigns | |
250 contacts 500 monthly sends Maximum 250 daily | - Essentials (£9.77 per month) - Standard (£15.03 per month) | Straightforward newsletters and campaign reporting | |
250 subscribers 2,500 monthly emails | Dependant on subscriber count | Smaller mailing lists, forms and newsletters | |
No equivalent free business marketing allowance | - Business Basic (£4.20 per user per month) - Business Standard (£15.60 per user per month) - Business Premium (£22.10 per user per month) All annual subscriptions without Teams | Personal customer emails, quotation follow ups and business communication |
Prices and allowances can change. For some providers, the exact cost depends on contacts, sending volume, features and billing terms.
There are a few details worth knowing before choosing.
Brevo bases its free allowance on daily sending. You can send up to 300 emails per day, but unused allowance doesn't carry forward.
Mailchimp is easy to explore, but its 250 contact free limit means you may outgrow it relatively quickly.
MailerLite changed its free plan in June 2026. The allowance is now 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails monthly, rather than the larger allowances shown in some older comparison articles.
Klaviyo is particularly relevant if you operate an ecommerce website and want to use purchase history to inform your marketing.
Microsoft 365 Outlook is different. It's primarily a business email solution rather than a dedicated marketing platform. That makes it useful for individual customer relationships, but less suitable for sending large promotional campaigns.
The best choice depends on how many contacts you've got, how often you send emails and what you want the platform to do.
Not every customer needs to receive a newsletter. If you already have a Microsoft 365 business account, Outlook could serve as a useful way to connect with customers personally, without paying for another marketing subscription.
For example, you have a list of your top 20 customers. By reaching out with Outlook, you might be able to form a connection that might keep people coming back to purchase your print. It feels more personal because it is.
Microsoft 365 Business Basic includes business emails with your own domain and access to Outlook through web and mobile applications.
However, Outlook isn't a direct alternative to Mailchimp or Brevo. It doesn't provide the same dedicated newsletter creation, subscriber segmentation, marketing automation and campaign reporting tools. Microsoft also places sending limits on its business email service and advises customers to use specialist providers for bulk marketing.
So, if you do send regular newsletters to your subscribers, a dedicated email marketing platform is the more suitable option. But, for following up on quotations, checking in with customers or having more personal conversations, your existing business inbox might be all you need.
That said, remember that marketing rules still apply to promotional emails sent individually, including respecting customer preferences and previous objections.
One of the easiest improvements you can make is to stop treating every customer as though they need the same thing. A restaurant and a construction company might both buy print, but they aren't likely to need the same products at the same time.
Instead, create smaller customer groups based on relevant information.
Customer type | Useful email content |
|---|---|
Seasonal menu updates, table displays, window stickers and event promotions | |
Retailers | Sale signage, stickers, point of sale materials and packaging |
Event organisers | Exhibition materials, banners, promotional merchandise and event planning tips |
Fundraising materials, event print and practical advice | |
Designers and agencies | Artwork preparation, materials and specialist finishes |
You can also segment by purchase history or previous enquiries, provided you have an appropriate basis for using that information. Start small. Even two or three groups could be an improvement over sending every customer the same message.
As a reseller, when do you actually have time to sit down and read marketing emails? First thing in the morning? Between customer calls or maybe at the end of the working day? Perhaps even on the commute home? Your customers are no different.
Rather than assuming that Tuesday at 2pm is universally the best time to send because some website told you so, think about when your audience is likely to have time to engage.
Test different days and times and then review the results afterward. Look beyond open rates and check whether emails are generating enquiries and orders. Remember that an email being opened doesn't necessarily mean it's achieved anything useful.
Before paying for a different platform, check whether your current setup is actually working. Start with your sending domain. Email authentication methods help receiving providers verify that messages are coming from an authorised sender. Your email platform or domain provider should be able to help with these settings in some capacity.
Also, monitor bounce rates, spam complaints and unsubscribes, and regularly review contacts who haven't engaged with your emails for some time. And don't assume that swapping to Outlook or another inbox automatically fixes the problem. If your domain has reputation issues, changing the app likely won't solve them.
For a small group of existing business contacts, however, there may be a better approach. Rather than sending another generic newsletter, consider writing individual, relevant emails to 20 customers you already know. Ask about their upcoming projects, share something useful or offer help with a specific requirement. It is more personal and may be more appropriate than another mass campaign.
Ensure though, that your approach complies with UK marketing rules, including respecting unsubscribes and understanding the differences between corporate subscribers and sole traders. The ICO's direct marketing guidance is a useful reference.
Building relationships used to involve plenty of visits, networking events and face-to-face conversations across desks.Now, with remote and hybrid working more common, arranging a physical meeting can be difficult.
Some customers simply don't have the time or inclination to meet in person, but that doesn't mean everything needs to happen via email.
January can be a difficult month for businesses, particularly when customers are finding their feet after Christmas. Rather than waiting for enquiries to arrive, why not get a few conversations in the diary before the year begins?
It doesn't have to be a formal sales meeting. A quick "Happy New Year" message, followed by a friendly catch up about their plans and upcoming projects, could be enough to get the conversation started.
That said, it doesn't have to be January. Think about when your customers are likely to be planning their next campaigns, events or seasonal promotions and then arrange to speak before those decisions are made.
Maybe, ahead of the new year, identify a few key customers you'd like to reconnect with and arrange a short conversation for the month ahead. Even if there's no immediate print requirement, maintaining that relationship could put you in a stronger position when their next project comes around.
Imagine a customer sends a frustrated message about an order. You reply by email and they respond. Another explanation follows and suddenly you have a long thread where neither side feels they have made any progress.
A quick phone call gives you the chance to understand what's happened, ask questions and work towards a solution before another lengthy email exchange develops. Don't immediately assume the customer is simply unhappy. Find out what has caused the frustration. If you agree a solution, follow up in writing so that both sides have a clear record.
When you are discussing an artwork issue, complicated project or new business relationship, seeing someone's face can make the conversation easier. And you don't need expensive video conferencing software to do that either.
Platform | Free plan | Meeting limits |
|---|---|---|
Free | Up to 100 participants and 60 minutes for group meetings | |
Free | Up to 100 participants and 60 minutes for group meetings | |
Free | Up to 100 participants and 40 minutes per meeting |
For an introductory customer call or a discussion about a project, these free allowances may be more than sufficient. You might achieve more in ten minutes than through several days of messages.
Imagine you have supplied print to the same organisation for several years. You know the usual contact, their preferred products and how they like things handled. Then they leave. Their replacement may know very little about your business or your offerings.
It is worth making the effort to introduce yourself, explain previous work and ask whether their requirements have changed, whether that's with a short phone call or video conversation.
Sometimes, your usual contact leaves without warning and you are left wondering who to speak to next. The workaround might be easier than you think. LinkedIn could be a useful starting point. Check whether the organisation has announced any changes, look for someone in a similar role or reach out to your previous contact to see if they can introduce you to the right person. Alternatively, contact the business directly and ask who now handles their print requirements.
The important thing is not to let the relationship disappear simply because one person has moved on. You might need to rebuild the connection, but the work you have previously done together gives you a solid base to start on.
Reviews can help potential customers decide whether they trust your business. But the real value isn't just collecting positive ratings. It's understanding what customers think you're doing well and where you could improve.
Platform | Free plan | Paid costs | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
Free for eligible businesses | No standard subscription required | Local visibility, appearing in Google Search and Maps, and collecting reviews from customers | |
Free with 50 monthly review invitations | Plus (£289 per month per domain, billed upfront annually) | Building a wider business reputation through independent service reviews, particularly when selling beyond your local area | |
No free plan advertised | Essentials (£149 per month, excluding VAT) | Collecting purchase linked product and service reviews, customer insights and detailed feedback |
If you're a smaller reseller looking to build a local reputation, Google Business Profile is a sensible place to start. It's free for eligible businesses, and your reviews can appear when potential customers discover you through Google Search or Maps.
If you're selling print across the UK, Trustpilot could be worth exploring. It gives customers a dedicated place to review their experience with your business, helping new buyers assess your reputation before ordering. Its free plan allows 50 review invitations each month, making it accessible without an immediate subscription.
For businesses wanting more detailed feedback, Feefo offers a different approach. Alongside service reviews, it can collect feedback about individual products, including photos and videos. Its Essentials plan includes 200 email review requests and tools for displaying feedback on your website.
That could be particularly useful if you're selling a wide print range and want to understand what customers think about different products and their overall experience.
Our suggestion? Start with what you actually need. If you're only looking to collect a few genuine reviews each month, there's little reason to jump straight into a paid platform. But if you're processing larger order volumes and want more detailed insights, the additional features could justify the investment.
After completing a print project, why not invite your customer to leave an honest review? A simple follow up with a link to Google or Trustpilot makes it easy for them to share their experience, whether that's positive feedback or something you could improve. Just remember to ask for honest feedback rather than a particular rating.
First, understand what has happened. If the customer can be identified and it is appropriate to contact them, offer to discuss the issue directly. Sometimes a phone call can help clarify the situation more quickly than several public replies going back and forth.
That said, don't pressure customers to change or remove honest reviews. Instead, focus on resolving the issue and explaining what you'll do differently if something has gone wrong.
And you never know, you might be surprised. When customers feel listened to and their problem has been resolved, some will choose to update their original review without you even asking. It shouldn't be the reason you put things right, but it shows how much a personal approach can make a difference.
The same principle applies to your own suppliers. If you've experienced a recurring problem, don't assume the supplier already knows about it. Tell them what is happening instead.
We were reminded of this through our conversations with resellers. Some challenges aren't immediately visible from inside a business, particularly when the customer is working with different processes or fewer resources.
If nobody raises those concerns, there is a chance that they simply won't be understood. We're not suggesting customers shouldn't leave reviews, because feedback matters, but a direct conversation can sometimes uncover a solution much faster. And if you're repeatedly encountering an issue, explaining the impact on your business gives your supplier a better opportunity to investigate it.
If you've already raised an issue but haven't received the answer or resolution you need, don't be afraid to ask whether someone else in the business can help. Escalating a problem to a manager or another relevant team can sometimes bring a fresh perspective or uncover an option that wasn't initially considered.
No business wants unhappy customers or negative feedback, and most would rather have the opportunity to investigate a problem than discover it through a public review. The key is to keep the conversation constructive, explain what you've already tried and be clear about what you're hoping to resolve.
You do not necessarily need a large advertising budget to attract more enquiries. Sometimes improving what you've already got can make a difference.
If you are mainly working with a small group of regular customers, a straightforward website showing your services and providing an enquiry form might be enough. But if you're looking to reach new audiences, display more products or accept orders outside working hours, an ecommerce website could be worth considering.
For example, Shopify currently advertises its Basic plan at £19 per month when billed annually, or £25 per month on monthly billing.
However, website subscriptions are only one part of the cost. You may also need to account for design, payment processing, domain names, additional applications, content creation and ongoing maintenance.
And for print, there's another complication. Customers need to choose sizes, quantities, materials and finishes. They may also need to upload artwork and approve specifications. A standard ecommerce website doesn't automatically provide everything needed for print ordering.
That's why it's worth planning how the ordering process should work before choosing a platform.
If you've already got a suitable website and technical support, connecting to a print supplier through an API might eventually make that investment more valuable. But there's no benefit in building a complicated system before you've established that customers actually need it.
Speaking of websites, here's a question. Do you know which pages bring in enquiries? Not just which pages get visitors, but which ones actually encourage customers to contact you or place an order? Google offers two useful tools.
Tool | Cost | What it helps you understand |
|---|---|---|
Free standard version | Website traffic, visitor behaviour and tracked actions | |
Free | Search queries, impressions, clicks and indexing information |
Google Analytics can show which pages people visit, where traffic comes from and which actions visitors take, provided the relevant tracking is configured.
Search Console can show the queries your website appears for in Google Search, how often people click through and whether Google can index your pages.
For example, imagine your business card page attracts hundreds of visitors but very few enquiries. Before spending money on advertising, check whether the page explains the available products clearly, answers common questions and makes requesting a quote straightforward.
And if people are discovering your website through searches you hadn't considered, that could reveal useful opportunities for future content.
Think about what customers ask you most frequently. Perhaps they want to know which paper stock works best for menus, how to prepare artwork or what type of signage they need. Those questions could form the basis of useful website guides.
Rather than writing generic content designed only to include keywords, explain the options, provide real examples and help readers make decisions. That's useful for customers and can give search engines clearer information about what your business knows.
We'll explore content planning, search optimisation and writing useful blogs in greater depth in a separate article. For now, start by keeping a record of recurring customer questions. You might already have several worthwhile article ideas sitting in your inbox.
AI can help with everyday tasks such as streamlining workflow, improving your website or organising ideas.
For example, ChatGPT offers a free plan, alongside paid options with additional capabilities. You could use it to draft customer emails, improve website copy, organise your schedule or turn frequently asked questions into a useful support guide.
The quality of the information you provide makes a difference. Instead of simply asking AI to write an email about printing, give it some context. Explain who the customer is, what you're offering, what tone you want and the action you'd like them to take. Then review the result.
Don't be afraid to challenge it. You could also explain a problem you're experiencing and ask for suggestions. For example, describe the steps involved in preparing a customer quotation and ask whether any of them could be simplified or automated.
It may suggest tools or approaches you hadn't considered. But treat those suggestions as starting points, not guaranteed solutions.
If you are going to use artificial intelligence, you should treat it as an aid and not a replacement for your own knowledge, experience and judgement. Be sure to take what AI says with a grain of salt, because it isn't always correct. Also be careful when it comes to sharing confidential customer information, personal data or commercially sensitive quotations without suitable safeguards.
Before investing in new software, resources or training, check what your trade supplier already offers. You might be overlooking tools that could save time or help you sell more effectively.
At WTTB, our reseller hub brings together support designed specifically for businesses selling print.
WTTB resource | How it can help your business |
|---|---|
Share technical advice directly with customers | |
Use professional product imagery and mockups in marketing | |
Help prepare artwork and guide customers through design | |
Saved quotes | Secure quoted print prices for 30 days |
Saved configurations | Return to previous product specifications more easily |
Check your selling prices and margins | |
Identify technical issues before production | |
Get advice on unusual specifications and specialist requirements | |
Explore automated ordering if you have a suitable platform and technical capability |
There is also value in keeping an eye on supplier promotions. If your supplier offers a discount on a product your customers regularly buy, consider whether you could use it to create a relevant offer on your own.
For example, a promotion on banners could support an events campaign, while an offer on flyers might provide an opportunity to reach local retailers. You don't necessarily need to pass on the entire discount. It might help improve your margin or allow you to offer additional value.
Ensure your pricing still accounts for artwork, customer service and the work involved in managing the order. And if you're struggling with a particular process, speak to us.
Sometimes the most useful improvements begin with someone explaining a problem we didn't realise they were facing.
Not every reseller needs an API, an expensive marketing system or a new website. The right next step depends on where your business is now.
If your business is... | Start by considering... |
|---|---|
A sole trader or small reseller | Free invoicing, standard quotations, customer records and artwork guides |
Spending too much time on admin | Saved specifications, templates and simple automation |
Regularly fixing customer artwork | Clear artwork charges and unbranded instructional resources |
Managing growing order volumes | Print management systems and better approval processes |
Struggling with repeat customer sales | Email segmentation, customer follow ups and personal conversations |
Receiving little traffic or few website enquiries | Google Analytics, Search Console and website improvements |
Running an established ecommerce operation | Print ordering integrations and API feasibility |
Getting complaints or poor reviews | Direct conversations, feedback analysis and supplier support |
Before committing to a new system, ask yourself three questions:
If the answer to any of those is unclear, investigate further before subscribing.
You don't need to overhaul everything in one go. A few focused changes can be more effective than introducing several new systems at one time.
When | What to do | What you will achieve |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 | Record repetitive tasks, review customer records and identify the biggest bottleneck | A clear picture of where time is being lost |
Week 2 | Compare suitable software, review fees and test one free tool or improved process | Evidence of whether the change is genuinely useful |
Week 3 | Review customer emails, contact dormant accounts and make artwork guidance easier to share | Better customer communication and fewer preventable questions |
Week 4 | Check website performance, review customer feedback and speak to your supplier about unresolved problems | A list of practical opportunities for the following month |
At the end of the month, compare the time spent on your chosen task with the time it took before you made the changes. If you have saved time, reduced errors or improved customer responses, that is worth building on.
If something hasn't helped, don't keep paying for it simply because we told you it would be a good idea and you've already invested effort in setting it up.
Running a print reseller business involves much more than selling printed products.
You're managing artwork, quoting, invoicing, marketing, customer relationships and all the small jobs that keep everything moving. And if you're doing that with a small team, finding time to improve how the business operates can be difficult. That's one of the biggest things we've taken away from speaking to our customers.
We've realised that having the right people, systems and resources available makes a difference, and that recommending a solution is much easier than finding the time to research and implement it. That's why we've brought these options together.
Not every tool will suit your business, and you certainly don't need to use them all. But whether you start with a free invoicing platform, improve how you handle artwork or simply pick up the phone more often, small changes can make a difference. Because sometimes the best way to grow isn't to add more to your working day. It's to make more room for the work that matters.
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Posted on November 9, 2026 by Miller Lane-Williams
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