The most successful printing entrepreneurs start a printing business by finding a niche in a specialized area, such as digital printing. Instead of trying to be all things to all people, success is more attainable by targeting a need and fulfilling it. One of the best examples of this strategy can be seen by the success of franchise sign printing businesses, which target budget-minded business owners who only need occasional signs and banners, which can be spotty (inconsistent demand) or loaded with competition. They do not attempt to offer anything but quick-turnaround signs and leave brochures and envelope printing to traditional offset printing businesses. Realize that the niche for color printing and the better quality grade of printing may be in a certain number of dots per inch (DPI), which can be very demanding and tricky to match. Remember, as a business owner, you will be responsible for the timely completion of jobs to your customer's satisfaction. Caution: Any verbal or written agreement like You [the printer] know what looks right, so you can okay the proofs for color and quality is loaded with the danger of customer rejecting the finished product. For example, they may require: Product match, excellent quality very precise color, hue, and tone for high end products. Color match, excellent quality usually precise Process Matching System (PMS Colors) by screen values (tones created by dot sizes) of the 4 process colors (cyan, magenta, process yellow, and black). Or just pleasing color, of medium quality which is not so precisely matched. Caution: that means pleasing to the customer, not to you. Commercial quality printing is probably a cut above desktop publishing, done in your-office (above typical office printer, copier, or duplicator quality). It requires sharp line art and text fineness of line work does not vary from page to page, screen color or halftone detail is consistent. Any choice of printing process (or brand of paper) shown on a quote to your customer is for them to choose. No, you can not substitute a more profitable method or material. Unless they agree in writing to a change, they can demand that it be redone at your expense -- if you did not follow written specifications precisely.

Summary: Find a niche within the printing industry. Familiarize yourself with the business standards. Be careful with your words.

Read the number and count how many digits are in it, paying special attention to the digits that come after (to the right of) the decimal point. Example: Write 531.94 in expanded form. Read the number: five hundred thirty one and 94 hundredths. Notice that there are three digits before the decimal point and two digits after the decimal point. There will be a total of five separate places in the expanded form of this number. Rewrite the number, separating each individual digit by a plus sign. For now, write the decimal point, too. Note that the decimal point will eventually be removed, but you should keep it in place for now to prevent confusion while solving the problem. Leave some space in between the digits and the plus signs. More information will need to be written there. Example: The number 531.94 temporarily becomes: 5 + 3 + 1 + . + 9 + 4 Label each digit with the place value name that matches its position in the original number. When working before (to the left of) the decimal point, work from the lowest number to the highest. When working after (to the right of) the decimal point, work from the highest number to the lowest. Example: You will need to count three places to the left and two places to the right. For the left values: The smallest number is 1, which matches the ones (1) place. The second number is 3, which matches the tens (10) place. The largest number is 5, which sits in the hundreds (100) place. For the right values: The largest number is 9, which sits in the tenths (10) place. The smallest number is 4, which sits in the hundredths (100) place. All of the digits on the left side of the decimal point must be multiplied by their matching place value. Do that now. Example: [5 * 100] + [3 * 10] + [1 * 1] = 500 + 30 + 1 All of the digits on the right side of the decimal point must be divided by their matching place value. Do that now. Example: [9 / 10] + [4 / 100] = 0.9 + 0.04 Combine all of your rewritten values together, placing plus signs in between each one. Remove the decimal point. This will be your final answer. Example: The expanded form of 531.94 is: 500 + 30 + 1 + 0.9 + 0.04
Summary: Look at the number in standard form. Separate the digits. Identify each place value name. Multiply the left digits by the appropriate value. Divide the right digits by the appropriate value. Write your final answer.