Design and Print

Business Card Printing the Right Way

One of your greatest advertising tools is your business card, since consumers collect, carry, and retain important bits of information about your business on these 3” x 2 1/2” cards. Before you send your project to an online business card printing company, take time to create the right card with the right design for your business. 
 
Be consistent

Create a business card that mimics the design of all your advertising. Use colors, fonts, and graphics that are associated with your business. A good company logo will fit nicely on a business card and will also reinforce your brand. Consistency with your online business card printing company is also important. In order to make sure that your business card is printed in the same way and with consistent quality, find a great company and stick to it so that all of your business cards have the same look and feel.

 
Be creative
 
Business cards are a standard size and they exist in great numbers. For this reason, you must be creative in order to catch the attention that you desire. Solid colors, rather than white, for the background can stand out. Just be sure that your font contrasts well with your background so the text is easy to read. And make sure that your online business card printing company offers full color bleed so that your background color seamlessly reaches the edges of your card. You may also want to ask your online business card printing company if they offer a unique texture option. Your card will be noticed more with a texture different than most cards.

 
Be Clear
 
Send a clear and concise message with your business card by creating a simple design. A messy card is hard to understand and might be thrown out. Keep the number of font types and sizes to a minimum. Use variations only to denote importance of information, such as emphasizing your preferred contact information if  you have more than one option. Keep the graphics simple. Your logo will serve to connect the card with your business, so no need to embellish with unnecessary pictures. Leave plenty of white space, which is the blank space left on your card. This will allow your information to stand out in a way that the reader can quickly understand the card. 
 
Be correct
 
Before sending your design off to your online business card printing company, be sure to check and double check it for accuracy. Any mistake is a big one. If your phone number is wrong on one card, it will be wrong on the hundreds of card that are being printed, a costly mistake that can be easily avoided. Proofread your card and then have two other people proofread it for you, since they may be able to catch those mistakes you’ve overlooked. 
 

Helpful Tips for a Successful Trade Show

A successful trade show experience depends on careful planning and preparation, and your booth will need to focus on telling attendees and potential customers what unique benefits your business can offer them. Here are some helpful tips for a much less complicated and more successful trade show.
 

Plan in Advance
One of the most important things you can do is begin planning well in advance for your trade show event. Advanced planning will allow time to take advantage of early registration discounts and more options for optimal placement of your booth. It will also give you plenty of time to prepare a professional show booth that will help you communicate to potential clients the level of quality they can expect when doing business with you. Your marketing approach for a successful trade show needs to promote your business to attendees as uniquely able to provide them with quality service or products.
 

Promote Early
A great way to get a head start on sharing this message with attendees is to obtain a list of those who have preregistered 3-4 weeks before the event. With the help of your online printing company, sending a direct mail piece to this list will be simple and will increase the chances that recipients will search out your booth at the trade show. This is also the time to prepare any printed marketing materials you will need at the trade show.
 

Prepare Business Cards and More
Business card printing is an absolute must. You may want to do a bit of design updating to your business cards to make sure that it will be kept and taken back to attendees’ business desks. Updated business cards using some attention grabbing details like the color red, a plastic stock, adding your image, etc will help make it memorable and difficult to throw away. Create small packages you can hand out to attendees that include a brochure, perhaps a coupon for saving on their first order, a small catalog, and a couple of business cards.
 

Including a personalized promotional item in your package is another great idea. Add personalized pens with your printed materials, or perhaps a monthly calendar which you can also order from your online printing company. A calendar gives you the potential to remain in front of attendees on a daily basis following the trade show.
 

Follow Up Your Leads
Finally, be prepared in advance to manage your follow-up process with leads you receive from the show. An access database or simply adding contact information to your outlook are simple ways to keep up with all the potential clients you will meet. Encourage them to give you their business cards for quick transfer of the contact information which can be entered at a later time. Use the information you gather to follow up promptly and track the success of your trade show experience. 

Is Your Catalog Design All it Can Be?

Presentation is everything when it comes to a catalog design that makes sales. A great product line-up is the place to start, but it is certainly not all there is to print catalog design. Here are some tips and suggestions for making your catalog design all it can be.
 

Brand Identity
Brand identity is important for growing your business, and the need for it does not diminish when it comes to a print catalog. Your catalog should reflect the same branding that your stores, websites, and other printed marketing materials have. A print catalog that clearly displays your brand identity assures consumers that they are receiving the same quality merchandise and customer service they would get when shopping in your store.
 

Visual Impact
Common layout mistakes such as crowding pages or look alike spreads can put off catalog customers. Consider the visual impact of the catalog as a whole. Rather than using page after page of the same tedious layout crammed with merchandise, concentrate on attractive spreads that appeal visually to readers and that keep them turning the pages.
 

Feature Copy
Another common design mistake is dismissing feature copy as lost selling space. Adding feature copy to your print catalog adds interest for readers. Feature copy can be used to create an emotional connection between the reader and your catalog. You will find that designer spotlights, product spotlights, and customer spotlights all help readers relate to the products in your print catalog as being useful items in their lives.

Target Market Research
Knowledge of your target market is essential for compelling print catalog design. In order to optimize the layout and style of your design, you will need to know who is buying your product and how they are using them. Distribute surveys to current customers or give them a call and ask what they like and what could be better. Just be sure to offer customers a free gift for completing your surveys so they feel like they are getting something in return for their time.

Professional Images
Photography is another area that can cause problems for your print catalog design. The balance of image size and composition can be a challenge to master properly. Overly complex images will create busy spreads that readers will find too confusing. In addition, using manufacturer supplied images can ruin the consistent style of your print catalog design. It is best that you supply the images for your catalog, which may mean hiring a professional photographer. The shots should be as simple as possible and have a consistent styling that promotes your brand to your target audience.
 

Quality Production
The production of your print catalog is the final step that affects its presentation. Customers who are purchasing from your catalog have only the pages you give them to choose from. Therefore the pages should be of high visual quality. Use a printing company who has the experience and equipment to produce sharp images and lifelike colors that will bring your products to life.
 

How To Tell If You Have a Balanced Design

A balanced design is achieved through careful layout of the design elements. There are several different types of balance: symmetrical, radial, and crystallographic or all over balance. Unity, proximity, and repetition work along with these different balance choices to create a well-balanced design. Sometimes a design is purposefully off-balance. This technique is used to create a sense of motion and action and cause uneasiness in viewers. Below are some of the characteristics of these types to help you determine if your designs for your brochure, postcard, poster printing project is balanced.

Symmetrical balance is centered on an axis. To avoid a boring symmetrical poster printing or brochure printing design, use a combination of elements to achieve symmetry. A symmetrically balanced design may include these elements:

• Perfectly centered, vertical, or horizontal
• Mirror image
• Equal segments (halves, thirds, etc)
• Block of text with an image of equal size
• Equal visual weight
• Central axis divides layout
• Convey soothing emotions

Radial balance originates with a central focus point and radiates out from it, perfect for a unique poster printing design. A radially balanced design may include these elements:

• Larger central element
• Smaller radial elements
• Off-center
• Odd number of elements
• Evenly distribute different size elements
• Intentionally avoid balance
• Express movement
• Convey strong emotions

Crystallographic designs have an all over balance with a grid-like composition. A crystallographically balanced design may include these elements:

• Equal emphasis over the whole page
• Repetition over whole page
• Pattern
• Quilt-like
• Uniform emphasis
• No distinct focal point

Experimenting with each type of balance will keep your designs fresh, whether they be postcards, brochures, or poster printing layouts. You may even find a design that works great as a brand image for your company. So, put your creative cap on and have fun trying out some new layouts that will impress your clients!

How To Avoid Common Service Marketing Mistakes

In the past, service providers have relied heavily on word of mouth advertising to generate business. With more and more choices out there, those in the service sector need to broaden their marketing strategy to keep clients coming. Below are some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid.

Don’t Let Your Work Speak for Itself

Some service providers think that if they do a great job for their current customers, those customers will tell others about their work, and this will generate new customers. While doing great work is essential to a successful business, you can’t count on your clients spreading the word about you. With so many other companies out there competing for business, you need to make sure people hear about you. A great way to tell people how wonderful you are is to have satisfied customers write testimonials, and then you can use these when you print brochures and newsletters or create commercials.

Don’t Assume All Clients Need to be Rescued

An old theory of marketing said that to pull people in you needed to ask them what was wrong and then provide solutions in your ads. People were asked questions like: What keeps you awake at night? Is your business going under? What kind of problems are you having? This strategy can be effective to a point. But not all potential clients have problems that need fixing. Many just want to improve something that’s already pretty good. Make sure when you print brochures, fliers, and other marketing materials, you address all kinds of needs and wants of potential clients.

Don’t Skimp on Your Website

Most people will look up your business online before they contact you personally. Make sure your website is easy to find, user-friendly, and looks sharp so you make a good first impression. But you should use your website as more than just a promotional tool. It is also a great way to keep in touch with customers and provide information they might want or need. 

Also, make sure your website stands out from others in your field. Not only should your site look different, the information you provide about your business should be different. Your business has unique characteristics, so let online visitors know this and tell how these characteristics can benefit clients.

Don’t Just Copy Others

Don’t print brochures, posters, and other materials that are too similar to others in your field. You want your business to stand out. Tell people what you have that is different. At the very least, you want your marketing materials to help people remember your business, and this won’t happen if your materials look similar to your competitor’s. 

Tips for Distributing Your Business Cards

Business cards can be great marketing tools but only if you take the time to hand them out. Here are some ideas for getting your cards into the hands of the public without spending an extra penny.

Keep Cards at Hand
Before you can give business cards to people, you need to have them readily available. Keep stacks at your desk, your reception area, in your car, and in your wallet. And remember to replenish your supply as soon as it’s getting low. 

Give Cards to Current Customers
Have your receptionist hand out business cards to people as they come in. You can also send business cards in your newsletters and promotional fliers. Also, if you mail packages to customers, you can send business cards with each one. Even though these people already know about your business, it’s good to give them a card that they can keep in their wallet or on their refrigerator so they think of you when they need your type of service or product.

Hand Them Out to Those with Similar Interests
Hand business cards out to people you can easily start up a conversation with because you have something in common. For instance, you can give cards to people at your kids’ little league games or school functions. Other places might be at aerobics class or high school football games. One way to bring up the subject of your business is to ask the other person what kind of work she does, and then ask for her card. Then it’s natural for you to talk about your business, and the other person might even ask you for your card.

Give Cards to Everyone You do Business With
You never know who might need your services. So, send business cards in the mail along with your bill payments. Hand cards out to the receptionists at doctors’ offices. You can also give them to clerks at the super market. Other small business owners are also great people to give cards to.

Put Cards on Public Bulletin Boards
Schools, libraries, and chambers of commerce usually have public bulletin boards that you could thumbtack a few cards to. You can also look for bulletin boards at local businesses and laundromats. Since you’re using everyone else’s bulletin boards, it’s a good idea to have a board of your own for others to put their cards and fliers on too.

Exchange Cards with Other Local Business Owners
Ask other business owners if they will keep a stack of your cards on their counter somewhere, and in exchange, offer to keep a stack of their cards at your place. Just make sure that their customers are those who are likely to need your services and products so that your business cards don’t end up just gathering dust.

Distributing your business cards can be fun and it’s really very simple. Just remember to know ahead of time what it is you want to say whenever you hand out your card so that you don’t find yourself tongue tied and lose the opportunity for a sales pitch. 

Tips for Improving Your Door Hangers

Door hangers are a great direct marketing tool whether they are hung on door knobs or sent in the mail. The secret to effective hangers is an irresistible design that makes consumers take notice. Here are some inspiring tips for improving your advertisement.

Bold but Simple
Use a large, bold design. Rather than getting as much information as you can on the limited space of a door hanger, use a spacious design that readers will notice. Large, bold print is a good start. Be sure to have your logo prominent in the design as well.
 

Thoughtful Color Use
Make careful use of color. Use one or two colors to create contrast and make your message stand out. Try to use the colors that are already part of your brand so that consumers can quickly identify who has sent them the door hanger.
 

Use Both Sides
Print on both sides of the door hanger. Printing on both sides of a door hanger is a minimal added expense for twice the advertising space. Use the back to give customers additional details about your business products or services. Or use the space for a map and directions to your location.
 

Consider Plastic
Create a promotional plastic door hanger. Plastic door hangers are a long lasting advertisement that can stay in consumers’ homes indefinitely. They are especially effective when used as seasonal promotions or to promote a cause. On one side of the door hanger print your advertisement. The other side can be used for a holiday greeting, yellow ribbons in support of military, pink ribbons in support of breast cancer awareness, a baby’s sleeping notice, etc. Any message that appeals to the strong emotions of consumers will help keep your door hanger in use in their home.
 

Special Offers
Coupons are a worthy addition to door hangers but they can become old hat. As an alternative, add value to your door hanger with special offers. You can makes offers like buy one (or more), get one free. Or free [your product] when you present this door hanger.
 

Positive Testimonials
Customer testimonials are another good way to add value. Great customer service is a benefit to all customers and having recommendations on your door hangers is a good way to get the word out that you offer great customer service.
 

Tips for Writing Better Postcard Ads

Postcard printing offers great advertising opportunities. Direct mail postcards go right into consumers’ homes or place of business, and postcard printing campaigns can be adapted to any product or service. Plus, postcards are one of the cheapest forms of direct mail that you can print: only a few cents per piece, and the cost gets lower with the more you print when you choose an offset printing company.

But how can you tell if your postcard is giving you the best return on your investment? The success of a postcard printing campaign depends on the quality of the copy used. Here are a few tips for writing better postcard ads.

Be specific. If you offer cleaning services, do not just say “We’ll clean your house.” Although that may work for some people, a more persuasive message would be “Don’t come home to a dirty house, let us clean it instead!”

Be beneficial. Focus the message of your postcard printing on the benefits you have to offer to your customers. Remind consumers of what they will gain by using your service or product. In the case of the cleaning service, you might mention that customers will have more free time to spend with their family.

Be truthful. Do not make promises you cannot keep in the course of business. This will give you a bad reputation with customers. Satisfied customers are the best advertisement there is so strive to meet each customer’s expectations.

Edit. One of the biggest mistakes made in postcard printing is the grammatical errors. Before sending off the final copy of your postcard design, take a break, then go back over it carefully checking the grammar and spelling. These errors are easy to miss during the process, but after a little break to clear the mind, you will be ready to put the final touches on your postcard.

Most postcard printing designs include placing the message on the front of the card with extra information, such as address, map, and business hours, on the back. Just make sure that you leave enough room for the mailing address, stamp, and bar code that the post office will stamp along the bottom of the back of the postcard. You wouldn’t want your postcards to get returned for not following proper mailing guidelines.

How to Write Poster Ads

A great poster ad draws people in and makes them want to contact you, but if you don’t include all of the right information, your posters could just be taking up space. Follow these steps to make sure your ad is as effective as possible.

Step One: Write a Compelling Headline
Your headline should be easy to read at a glance. If people can read it without really trying, you have the chance to pull them in and get them to read the rest of your poster printing. To write a great headline, think about how your product or service benefits the customer. If people know something is in it for them, they will be want to find out more.

Step Two: Tell Part of Your Story with a Great Picture
Include a picture or graphic to go along with your text. An image can be just as effective at drawing people in as a great headline. Just be sure the picture adds to what you have to say in writing. 

Step Three: Include White Space
When writing for your poster printing project, be sure to leave room for white space. White space is the area of your poster that doesn’t have text or images. Leaving some blank space gives the reader’s eye a place to rest and makes the overall appearance of your poster more attractive. Also, a lot of white space tends to make the poster look more high-end, while a busy poster can look cheap.

Step Four: Include Testimonials
Have a couple of satisfied customers write testimonials to put on your poster. Including testimonials lends credibility to your ad. Be sure to include their full names and their business or profession so readers will know the testimonials were written by real customers.

Step Five: Tell the Reader to Act Now
Give the readers of your ad a reason to contact you as soon as possible. If you don’t, most people are likely to forget all about you by the time they need your product or service. You could offer a discount that ends in a few weeks, or you could offer freebies to the first ten responders.

Step Six: Put in All Your Contact Info
Your poster printing project will be worthless if people can’t find you. And people will be more likely to contact your business if they can use their preferred method of communication. Some people will want to see you in person, so include your physical address. Others will only want to look you up online. Some like phone calls. Just be sure to include all of the ways people can contact you, and put this information in a conspicuous place on your poster.

How to Advertise with Big Posters

Advertising with big posters can mean investing a little more money, but with a little extra time, the return on poster printing will be more than satisfying. Here are some great advertising tips to increase memory retention of viewers for that eye-catching poster.

Step 1: Decide How Big

Know what size your poster printing requires for a proper fit. The standard for a small poster is the 11 x 17. This is common and will not stand out much in a crowd of posters, but using it on its side for a banner style poster adds some uniqueness without spending any extra money. An 18 x 24 is best used for a slightly bigger poster, and removes the crammed look of the 11 x 17, providing a little more space when needed. The more common large poster size is the 24 x 36. This size can fit a lot of content or can handle enlarged content for viewing from a distance. Last, the largest poster printing size is the 25 x 39. This will really show your willingness to give the extra effort when advertising a product, service, or cause. Plus, there’s nothing like overwhelming the competition with the largest advertisement in each location. 

Step 2: Find a Partner

Partner up for convenience and cost savings. Find a partner with a service or product that does not compete against what you are advertising but that has the same target market as you. You can save money on both poster printing and distribution cost and maybe even receive free mentoring and consultation from someone who has an established brand, or years of experienced marketing.  

Step 3: Follow the Competition

Place your posters in competitive locations. Competition can stimulate creativity while observing other marketers’ placements. Customers of your competitors will notice if your posters are always in the same areas and may even give you a try, especially if your offer is something the competitors don’t provide. Once the connection is made, if you miss a niche or particular hot spot to place posters, the consumer will still think of your advertisement when the competition is advertising there.             

Step 4: Design the Poster

Design the content and layout of your poster printing, keeping in mind that it should be oriented to your target market. Make an irresistible offer, one that’s not been made before, and balance the amount or graphics versus text needed to communicate your message. After the main message is stated, the extra content should support the message without overwhelming it. And be sure to limit the types of fonts and color variations you use to avoid a cluttered look that hides the all important message.