Working with printers and agencies: what to send them

Every partner needs something different

A printer works with ink and paper, a web developer with screens and code. So they need different files, even for the same logo.

If you send everyone everything, they have to search for themselves. If you send too little, you get questions, or they make something themselves. It helps to have a fixed set ready for each type of partner.

Think of other partners too, such as a stand builder, a textile printer or a company that letters your van. Always ask a new partner which files and formats they want. Then nothing needs converting afterwards.

What to send a printer

For important jobs, always ask for a proof. Colour on paper is hard to predict. Also have these files ready:

• Logo as a vector file. PDF or EPS, so it stays sharp at any size.
• Colours in CMYK and, if needed, Pantone. No HEX or RGB codes, because those are meant for screens.
• Fonts or outlined text. Ask whether the printer needs the fonts, or whether the design should come with the text converted to outlines.
• An example of previous print work. Then the printer knows which colour and look you are used to.

What to send a web developer or digital agency

Online has different requirements. A web developer or digital agency needs this:

• Logo as SVG. The most practical format for websites and apps, sharp on every screen.
• Colours in HEX or RGB. Ideally with a name and the role of each colour.
• Web fonts and licences. Check whether your licence allows use on a website.
• Favicon and app icon. The small icon in the browser tab and on a phone.
• Guidelines for imagery and tone. So that the copy and photos on the site fit your brand.

Agreements that prevent rounds of corrections

Don’t just send files, send the agreements that go with them too. Say which logo is the main version, how much space it needs around it and which combinations are not allowed. An agency that knows this makes fewer mistakes.

For a large job, include a short briefing as well. Where will the piece appear, who is the audience and which message matters most? Then an agency can make better choices within your visual identity.

Also agree how a partner gets new files. If you send attachments by email, someone will still be using that version six months later. A link to a fixed place with current files stays correct, even when your brand changes.

And have designs approved before they go out. Record who does that, so an agency doesn’t have to guess who to turn to.

Files coming the other way

Working together goes both ways. Photographers, designers and agencies send files to you too: new photos, designs and print-ready PDFs. Agree where they go and who checks them before they join your other brand files. Also agree how files are named and in which format they arrive.

In MarkBase you create secure share pages for this, with a password, an expiry date and only the categories the partner needs. External partners upload files without access to the whole portal, and you review them before they go into the library.