The bad part is that dealing with the challenges presented by a print job--from business cards to posters--can be difficult, particularly if you have never worked with a print shop before and don't have the budget to contract a professional to handle the process for you.

The good part is that you probably have all the tools you need to produce excellent printed materials already installed on your Mac, so the real trick in establishing a successful relationship with your print provider is to know what questions to ask. For example, does your chosen vendor accept online jobs? Is your job in a format that your printer can handle? Have you chosen the right paper for the job? Do you have a preference for digital or offset printing for your job?

When it comes to printing, your choice of providers is ; while many professional print shops continue, even in this day and age, to cater primarily to professionals in the field of design, many have at least attempted to simplify their processes in order to become more accessible to customers with simpler needs and tighter budgets.

Therefore, before ducking into your nearest print shop or scouring through the Yellow Pages for a local printer, it's a good idea to check Google for one that does most of its business online. You'd be surprised at how easy it can be to deal with them, and amazed by the great variety of products they are capable of producing. In many cases, you'll also find that the quality of the end product is as good as the one you would get from a local provider, but at a lower price.