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Printed Material in BusinessThe Best Printed Materials for Your BusinessIn today's society of digital TV and satellite, the internet, and radio, can you still consider printed materials an effective media for advertising and marketing? Of course you can! The importance of printed materials should never be underestimated. Printed advertising is still one of the most effective forms of marketing available. One of the biggest problems with so many types of advertising, like in the newspaper or on the internet, is that people have become so accustomed to seeing them that now they just pass right over them. But with custom printed media, one has to look at it and hold it for a bit in order to at least figure out what the ad is for. The viewer might even read it a bit, even if he or she plans on throwing it in the trash. However, during that brief period of time, the ad is going to subconsciously register in their minds and have a certain measurable effect. Even a small effect is better than nothing at all. The fact is, when a person sees a printed ad in the newspaper or in a magazine, he or she reads it and it registers and produces much better results than any other type of ad. Other printed materials like brochures or flyers have the same effect. What a person sees on a flyer is more likely to register than an ad he or she catches a brief glimpse of on the internet. It's important to remember that the goal of advertising is to produce actual results in a cost-effective manner. This is where the benefits of commercial printing come into play in your business. TV, radio, internet ads may reach more people, but they're also MUCH more expensive to produce. And even though people see them, they just don't register as well as printed media does. Printed media tends to hold people's attention much better. All companies know how important their marketing program is, and printed media and advertising should be a major part of it. Yes, it's easy and relatively cheap to run a small ad in the newspaper or on the internet once in a while, but it's not going to produce the results that would come from having a beautifully custom-printed insert ad in the same newspaper. Or if you're at a marketing-type event, a well-designed and functional brochure that people can take home with them will have even better results. When it comes to building an identity for your business, one of the best and most trusted ways of doing it is through print materials. Though the print medium has been used for hundreds of years, its efficacy in reaching out to customers before they approach you is what makes print so useful. Printing materials allow you to create a first impression on your customer, giving him, or her, the idea of what you have to offer. This is precisely the reason why print materials and ads are so important in building a brand and identity. It allows you to communicate your intentions, promises as well as the quality of your products and services, with the benefit of adding an emotional factor that connects with your customers. Here are some points to observe when approaching print materials for your business concerns. Use catalog and brochure materials to relay information to your nicheYour print ads and materials must market your business in an innovative way that it grabs the attention of your customers, who have the specific needs you cater to. Niche markets are specialized markets with highly specific needs, often ignored by the mass production of large corporations. This is where you come in. Niche markets are often small markets, but have people who are willing to pay a premium for your services and products. Make your marketing approach more personal by offering brochures, leaflets and other small-scale print materials that can be filled with information and tips about your services and products. Outdoor advertising should stir emotionsConsumers want to create a personal connection between them and the products and services they use and hire. So as a business, your brand must convey a set of values and beliefs your customers can relate to. When conceptualizing billboards, posters and other materials that focus on images, it's a must that you resonate emotional content. The approach is totally up to you; your materials can either connect with a subculture, personal problems or common situations experienced by your audience. One-on-one print materials must build your credibility
One of the main goals of a branding campaign is to establish your business' credibility and reputation for professionalism. This is particularly important when it comes to one-on-one marketing, something which must be highly personal. HOW TO CHOOSE AN ONLINE PRINTING SERVICE FOR BUSINESS OR PERSONAL NEEDSOrdering you personal or company printing work online is the best way to go these days. Online printing is not only more convenient than other options but it is also more affordable and offers most people a better product selection than they would otherwise get. Whether you need business stationery and promotional materials or wedding invitations and greeting cards, you'll find that the range of product offerings with online printers is huge. However, with the growing number of firms out there online offering printing services it can be hard to know which one to choose. In the following articles we have set out some ideas to help you make an informed decision. Firstly, you want to find out some basic details about a printing company and who is behind it. Look for information on their site relating to how long they have been in business and where they are operating from. Do they have decent customer service support if things go wrong? Pricing is the most important consideration for many but don't let this be the only factor to influence your decision. The companies that offer the best products and services are usually a little more expensive. You may get better value with them than you would with a low-cost provider that will mess you around or rip you off entirely. You can easily compare prices as most online printing companies feature a price estimate calculator on their site. You'll find that there is a considerable range of prices for many commonly printed business and personal items so it is worth checking out at least four or five companies to get an idea. The selection of products and services on offer is important. A printing company must be able to provide what you need in terms of the product type, specifications and volume. If you need a wide variety of printed materials for your business then it will be convenient if you can get everything from one supplier. Many offer additional services like the popular mailing service where they will send your printed materials directly out to your clients, hot off the press. Some will even sell you a targeted mailing list if you don't have your own database. Find out if a printer offers offset or digital printing. Offset is usually the better of the two when it comes to quality although you will pay more for this unless you order a decent volume. Most online printing companies give some details on their websites about their printing operation and the kind of printing they are capable of. Give some though to the design of the materials that you need printed. At a minimum, you will have to be able to upload your designs to the site. It is also nice to work with a printer that offers you DIY options like design tools and templates. Some also have their own in-house designers if you need something specific. Requesting a sample is usually made easy as most online printing companies have a form on their site for you to complete for this. If you have time you may as well have them mail samples out so that you can verify the quality. Make sure that you are aware of the turnaround time for your order. This is the time that it takes for your order to be printed and ready for shipping. Delivery time is how long your order takes to arrive at your address from the time it is dispatched. Allow plenty of time if you need your printing done before a deadline on the off chance that there is a delay with your order. Before hitting the order button make sure that you are aware of a company's refund and satisfaction guarantee policies. Read the fine print on their site and make sure that it is fair. Most printers on the web will avoid issuing refunds or doing complimentary reprints unless the order had errors that were their own fault. It is therefore critical to ensure that your order is proof read and checked several times to ensure that it is correct in every way. Lastly, you should do some research online to find out what other customers have said about a specific company. There are numerous blogs, forums and consumer feedback websites out there that people will turn to if they feel that they have had exceptional service from a printer. There are also consumer complaints websites and the Better Business Bureau for those that feel that they have not been treated fairly. If the printing company that you have in mind has a lot of good reviews then go ahead. If, on the other hand they have had a lot of complaints posted about them then you should think twice. THE 5 MARKETING MATERIALS YOU NEED TO START A BUSINESSStarting a small business is an exciting, terrifying, and exhilarating adventure! It can take years of planning and recalculating before a business even opens to the public. A critical part of those “back of house” efforts includes certain marketing materials. These marketing essentials are universal as they ground themselves in the core ways small businesses connect with their target audiences. Today, we’re going to break down the five marketing materials every small business needs in order to prosper in the marketplace. Logo
What’s a business without a logo? A logo goes hand in hand with a business’s identity and is a necessary piece of a small business’s marketing material suite. You may be thinking, “I have no design background nor do I have budget to hire a freelance designer.” Don’t worry! Designing a logo doesn’t have to be time intensive nor expensive. There are affordable custom logo designers that allow you to work directly with a design expert to craft the perfect logo in no time. Business Cards
Small businesses often purchase business cards first because they are useful, relevant, and inexpensive. They offer the perfect place to feature your professionally-designed logo and begin crafting a cohesive offering of branded materials. Business cards are portable, professional reminders about your business. They include all pertinent details anyone would need to contact you and begin a customer relationship. Always keep a handful in your wallet; you never know who you’ll meet and how that person will impact your small business. Website
No matter the niche, a small business must have a website. Gone are the days when websites were nice to have; they have become a necessity for any business that wants to thrive in this era. Much like your business card, a website provides a level of professionalism and credibility to your company. More and more, people are looking to online searches to verify a business as trustworthy before they even step foot in a store. Business Name
Brief “About Us” section Postcards and Flyers
Small businesses can do wonders with postcards or flyers. Think about it: you probably encounter at least ten business postcards or flyers on any given day. Why is that? Because they are cost effective marketing tools that can be repurposed in a variety of ways. Social Media
You might be scratching your head at this one, but trust us, social media is a vital part of your marketing materials. As mentioned above, consumers are relying on digital searches to find companies. By incorporating a robust, but manageable social media presence, a small business exponentially increases its SEO and likelihood of being found by its target audience. Does Your Business Have These 5 Printed Business Essentials?Branding Custom LogoThe most important business essential is your company logo. Your logo is the most visible representative of your company’s brand. It’s the face of your company and should represent it well. The colors, fonts and design of your logo are reflected on the choices used for all your marketing materials. A well designed logo identifies who you are, what you do and how well you do it. Business CardsEven with our modern lifestyle of everything digital, handing a prospect your business card can make your first meeting personal and genuine. A well designed business card is the first impression of your brand. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but you don’t want it to look cheap. A cleverly designed business card may be shown to others, increasing your marketing potential. Always be prepared by having a card on hand. StationeryLike your business card, your stationery may be the first thing a prospect sees with your brand. Stationery is not only your letterhead, but may also include items like: envelopes, labels, invoices, thank-you cards, and presentation folders. Stationery makes your business look professional and credible. Only include the essential contact information and keep it clean, clutter free and easy to read. Investing in your stationery is an investment in your company. BrochuresA website does not negate the need for a company brochure. Like business cards, a brochure can be a personal touch to a prospect meeting. Brochures are versatile and can be distributed in racks, waiting rooms, mailed or handed out at trade shows. Your message can be focused and precise with a specific call to action. With short-run digital printing, brochure printing does not need to be a major expense. Give-away Items
Everyone loves to receive free stuff. A survey conducted by the BPMA lists several reasons promotional give-away items are beneficial. Promotional give-away items are proven to build brand awareness. The survey shows that 66% of participants claimed they could recall the brand on the promotional product they received. It can strengthen customer loyalty. The survey states that 79% would be likely to do business with the company again. The ROI on promotional products delivered a better return on investment than radio and outdoor advertising, and is equal to TV and print. CARDSandBANNERS.com is a nationwide printing company that makes it easy for hundreds of businesses and individuals every month to promote their services professionally. Our wide selection of print services consist of reliable, quality products at industry leading quality and prices. WAYS YOUR BUSINESS BENEFITS BY USING A PROFESSIONAL PRINTERObviously, outsourcing is a great way to take advantage of professional expertise and free up internal resources. But there’s a lot more to gain than that. Here are 7 benefits to your business when you choose to work with a professional printer. 1. There Are Far More Options Professional PrinterFrom huge stores of paper stock to binding materials to all kinds of enticing options for document covers, business cards, and direct mail – there are so many options you’ll need someone to help you narrow your choices when it comes to your next job. That brings us to Benefit #2… 2. A Professional Printer Offers Free Advice These are only some of the questions we get, which we’re happy to answer for our customers every single day. And when it comes to producing printed material that does its job to make your business look good, making the right choices is crucial. Having an expert there to guide you with suggestions means you’re getting the professional input you need to make your print jobs stand out. 3. You Benefit from Using Better Equipment 4. It’s Faster 5. The Sky’s the Limit Your creativity is not limited by the types of materials available. It’s not limited by the type of printing you’re able to do. It’s not limited by the size and scope of the project. It’s not limited by anything at all- see what we mean? You dream it, and a pro will find a way to make it happen. The sky is the limit! 6. Long-Term ROI Going pro with your printing job means all the wear and tear takes place at the printer’s expense, not yours. 7. Efficient Use of Resources Besides, laborious printing jobs are just bad for morale. It’s hard to think of any scenario where spending hours tending the company copy machine is seen as anything but a punishment. It’s boring, dusty, mind-numbing, and boring. Did we mention boring? Thanks to the advent of the Internet, today’s businesses can draw on multiple complementary advertising methods to reach their target audience. Through social media posts, online ads, and print ads, businesses reach more customers faster and more effectively than ever before. In fact, according to a USPS study, over 60% of consumers who received direct-mail advertisements were persuaded to visit the advertiser’s website. Similarly, 92% of consumers under the age of 25 reported that direct-mail advertisements influenced their final purchasing decisions. When you use your digital and print marketing campaigns to complement each other, both you and your target audience members benefit. In our blog below, we’ll tell you more about how printed materials can improve your overall marketing strategy. 4 Ways Print Can Help When it comes to designing a marketing strategy, print and digital advertisements each play different but crucial roles. In particular, here are four ways printed materials can influence your target audience. Print Reaches a Wide Audience!In a recent study, researchers found that 85% of consumers read and sort their mail daily and 40% go to new businesses after receiving direct-mail advertisements. Along those same lines, studies show that print ads generally outperform email ads by 10 to 30 times. If you want to reach the largest possible audience, use both print materials and digital ads to impact more customers. Print Guarantees Memorable Products In fact, a study by the Advertising Specialty Institute says that 84% of Americans are more likely to remember a company’s name when they receive promotional products with the logo on it. The ability to see, touch, and feel a piece of marketing creates an experience most people remember. Use printed marketing materials to help your customers or clients remember your business and return after a positive customer experience. Print Reinforces Brand Loyalty Loyalty cards are one way you can use print materials to promote brand loyalty. For example, a milkshake store’s loyalty card might read, “Buy six shakes and get the seventh one free!” Customers are more likely to return when they feel that they can receive a unique benefit that they can’t get anywhere else—and to get that benefit, they’ll take care to carry their loyalty card with them at all times. Not every business needs loyalty cards, but providing promotions on printed materials is a good way to build loyalty in your customers. Get creative with your printed materials and help your customers feel valued. They’ll reward you with loyalty and increased business. Print Generates Sales Research done by the Direct Marking Association found that for every dollar spent on print advertising, a business generates an average of $12.57 in sales. By comparison, online marketing averaged about $11 for every dollar spent. These statistics held true for all industries, which means that no matter what type of business you own, you can benefit from printed marketing materials. Invest in Printed Marketing Materials THE IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE PRINT MARKETING DESIGNAlong with a solid online presence, print marketing design can be essential to your business’ success. We’ve all heard the saying “print is dead,” but this is simply untrue. Print is still an effective, widely used form of marketing and will continue to be so for years to come, and there are many reasons why. Together with a solid logo design, your marketing materials are the face of your business. They are your visual identity; the representation of your brand. Having effective, well-designed print marketing materials will contribute to the credibility of your business, and build brand recognition. Your branding creates a visual and emotional connection with your customers, and good design can be the reason people do or don’t buy from you. The benefits of print marketing design include: Print Marketing Ideas to Promote Your Small BusinessDespite the attention given to digital marketing, printed marketing collateral hasn’t lost its relevance. Print materials and promotional products are tangible expressions of your brand and remain vital parts of any successful small business marketing plan. Printing is more affordable than ever, which means your marketing budget goes even further. You can get inexpensive 2-sided business cards on high-quality paper, professional signage that grabs attention, and useful promotional products to extend your brand. And many printers offer graphic design services like logo design, making it even easier to present a big-time image on a small-time budget. Use these suggestions from marketing experts and small business owners to create and make good use of offline marketing materials. Printed Marketing Collateral Pro Tip: For a more impressive look, go for a coated or glossy stock paper, or make your business card do double duty by using the backside as an appointment card. Posters & Banners: Large-format graphics get attention and allow you to show off products or announce a special offer or promotion. “Use oversize format printing to make a full-color poster for an upcoming event,” suggests Jon Feagain, art director of Adhere Creative in Houston. “Mounted oversized prints on foam core make perfect store signage,” Feagain adds. Brochures & Flyers: Even in this day of digital and mobile everything, these printed marketing collateral materials are still important marketing tools. Brochures and flyers are important as a way to present your information quickly and remind your customers about your products and services. You can deploy these materials in direct mail marketing campaigns (see below) to prospective or current customers, or use brochure holders to display the materials at the front counter and in trade show or expo booths. Pro Tip: In addition to your messaging, logo and location, include testimonials from satisfied customers, your URL and your social media handles. Direct Mail: Data from the USPS shows that 79% percent of consumers read or scan advertising mail and find direct mail more convenient than going online. And the Direct Marketing Association found direct mail marketing is seven times more effective than all digital channels combined. You can design brochures and flyers to be sent through the mail, or use these other options for a small business direct mail campaign: Postcards: Put your logo on a card to promote events or specials to customers, or as thank-you and holiday message notes to loyal patrons. If you have a great image or graphic — an historic storefront or a unique product — create picture postcards for customers to take along as mementos or to send to friends. Branded Promotional Products Promotional Apparel: Wearable branding, whether donned by staff or customers and fans, is effective and long lasting. “I have my beloved Panasonic windbreaker, and one of my best friends lives in a Panavision hat — I never see him without it,” says trade show veteran and consultant Michael Millar of Los Angeles. Pro Tip: “There is nothing worse than getting a paper-thin T-Shirt from a brand you love,” Millar says. The negative effect is two-fold. Fans won’t wear it, so you lose your marketing bump, and “it’s a reflection on the brand’s product quality. Better to go with cheaper — i.e., less expensive — swag than cheap-quality swag.” Even if you rely on email marketing, social media or websites for the bulk of your outreach, there’s always a need for printed marketing collateral. Use the print marketing ideas on this list to boost your business without breaking your budget. WHY PRINT MARKETING IS STILL THRIVINGPrint Marketing Is Far From Dead: Go Beyond Paper Products: Variable Printing: Interactivity Of Print Media: Include A Call To Action: Print Is Here To Stay: Why printed marketing materials are still valuable? If you ignore these consumers, you have just lost a segment of the population that could have been interested in your solution. No doubt, when you plan your marketing budget, you need to pay special attention to online components, including your Web site, your blog and your social media accounts. Ideally, you want to have a great logo, and you want your logo to appear on all online venues. To keep your brand highly unique and identifiable, you should also have the same logo appear on your business cards and on any printed marketing materials such as brochures and flyers. How to create an effective brochureNow that we’ve established the importance of brochures and of other printed marketing materials, here are a few handy tips for writing and designing an effective brochure: Make it visually appealing. Design is extremely important when it comes to brochures. If the design is boring or cluttered, people won’t bother to read your text. Look for a small business Graphic Designer who has a lot of experience and can show you samples of their previous work. Better yet, make sure they have positive testimonials on their site, or on a third party site. Well, printed materials may have lost some luster since the advent of digital marketing, but, know this…. they are experiencing a resurgence. Marketers are realizing that branded print collateral can be an integral part of a sound marketing mix. First of all, check out these surprising stats about print: REASONS WHY FLYERS ARE (STILL) IMPORTANT IN MARKETINGThink flyers are old fashioned? Think again! Flyers are important in marketing. While we might live in an age of high tech advertising, the humble flyer is still a priceless promotion tool. 1. IT’S A LOW-COST OPTION 2. IT’S LOW EFFORT, BUT HIGH IMPACT 3. PEOPLE LOVE TANGIBLE THINGS 4. FLYERS CREATE A PERSONAL TOUCH 5. IT’S EYE CATCHING ADVERTISING Importance of Flyers in Effective MarketingFlyer marketing is practiced from old times and is still one of the most favorable methods of marketing. Flyers do a great deal for any business. Besides making people aware they also drive the people towards your business. The type of flyer you make depend upon the customer you are targeting. EYE CATCHING FLYER WHY OUTDOOR BANNERS ARE IMPORTANT FOR ANY STOREFRONT BUSINESSMany of us have such short attention spans these days. Just take a moment to look up from your mobile device and peer over to the car next to you. Likely you will see a fellow motorist engaged with some sort of web-enabled apparatus. How is it then that we can hope to grab even a sliver of that precious attention span? One of the reasons why banners can work for you in your marketing or advertising efforts is that they get noticed by large numbers of people driving or walking by your business. Someone driving the same route to work every day will certainly notice a prominently placed banner that wasn't there the day before. An impression will be made as they have a few seconds to consider the message and it is committed to memory. Another reason to employ the use of banners in your sales strategy is the fact that they are affordable. For under $100 you can create a large outdoor sign that will last for years. That's some very cost-effective advertising provided the banner is placed in the best possible location. Another benefit is the versatility that banners offer, they can be taken down and re-hung at another time depending on your event schedule. Lastly, remember that in outdoor banner advertising less is more. Be quick in your message and you'll have made a short but memorable impression on a potential customer. The most effective banners usually have one or two lines of bold text so the reader can absorb the entire message within a few seconds. In fact, the less information on the banner the more likely it will be noticed in the first place. Benefits of Using Banners as Advertising?You can advertise your business to potential customers with a variety of media and advertising techniques ready to spread your message to specific audiences. While multimedia displays and online keyword targeting should be a consideration for any marketing plan, the age-old marketing standby, printed signs and banners, still offers many advantages to businesses.Inexpensive Why Choose Indoor and Outdoor Banners?You have a business and the opportunity to showcase it at an event. Why make use of indoor and outdoor banners? There are more benefits that you would have thought. Simple to make – Most indoor and outdoor banners are made of vinyl and they are quick to order and easy to make. If you need a banner in a short period of time, this is an option that won’t let you down. Even if your product has changed or upgraded, it’s easy to produce more banners and get them quickly. REASONS WHY BUSINESS CARD IS STILL IMPORTANTEverything we do in business today is digital -- sending mail, signing contracts, attending meetings, even networking. The business card is one thing that digital will not fully replace anytime soon. Here are five reasons why the old school business card is still important -- and why you should have a pocket full of them at all times. 1. Swapping contact information digitally is impersonal. Two individuals with their heads buried in their phones typing away won’t create any kind of significant memory of the encounter. You can easily transfer the information from a business card to your mobile device after the conversation. 2. They are the most effective direct marketing tools. You can encounter a potential lead or contact at any time -- tradeshows, industry conferences, happy hour, airport lounges -- and arming yourself with business cards at all times will ensure that you never miss an opportunity to make a valuable business connection. Keep some in your pockets, wallet, money clip or laptop bag so the next time you encounter a prospect you are prepared. 3. A business card is the first impression of your brand. When I make a connection via my business card, I don’t want my brand associated with the word cheap. A retail store trying to make a great first impression wouldn’t create a storefront sign with a piece of cardboard and a Sharpie. I have that same mentality when it comes to my business cards. Yes, they cost more -- but think of how many unnecessary expenses you can cut to allocate funds for great business cards. Hold off on the ping pong table and espresso machine for the office and get some business cards that will make a great first impression. 4. Creative business cards get shared -- continuing to market for you. If you meet a prospect and exchange email addresses and phone numbers you each walk away with another contact on your mobile phone -- it ends there. If you hand over a creative business card that makes a great impression that person is likely to show it to other people -- putting you and your brand in front of additional prospects. 5. Business cards show you are prepared. If you met two individuals and one was scrambling to find a pen and something to write on and the other person simply pulled out a business card, who would you want to do business with? Showing that you are prepared at all times is a great indicator that you are professional. Your Business Card Makes a Lasting ImpressionDespite its relatively small size, a business card can be critical to the development of your small business. As business cards are often handed to prospects and customers, they can be a highly personalized form of marketing. Their multiple design options also provide numerous opportunities to promote your business in a creative manner. First Impression Low Cost Portability Building Your Brand Plan Your Business Cards Printing Materials EarlyThe planning stage is crucial for any person that wants to create business cards with printing materials that will wow their colleagues and prospective clients. Remember that your business cards printing materials are only effective if you design them the right way and if you give them to the right people. To help you create dynamic and inspiring business cards printing materials, here are some things that you may want to consider during the planning stages of your concept: Please do your research Create a plan and stick with it Do not use your own printer Make a list of all the printers Use the right headline Avoid the use of jokes, puns and jargon Be specific as possible TIPS TO MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR PRINTED MATERIALS#1 - Product sell sheets, brochures and catalogs are among the most commonly printed marketing materials. If the design contains photography and vivid colors, coated paper stocks will provide a crisper and more vibrant image. There are various types of coatings including matte, dull and gloss among others with varying degrees of brightness depending upon the look you are going for. Consult with your designer or printer to help you select the appropriate finish. #2 - Speaking of paper stocks, there are literally thousands to choose from in all price categories. Paper swatch books are available which provide samples of different paper weights and colors. They illustrate how the various finishes will print to help you select the desired look and feel you'd like to achieve. If you are eco-conscious, high quality re-cycled paper stocks are available. #3 - Plan your printing requirement carefully with your designer. When preparing a direct mail piece, for example, extra care must be taken to assure that postal requirements are met. Otherwise, the cost for mailing could become excessive or worse, the mailing piece is rejected by the postal service. Also, one should consider the size of the brochure, catalog, pocket folder etc. Papers are manufactured in pre-cut sizes. Knowing this information will help you maximize the number of pieces that can fit on a given sheet. This will result in less paper waste and lower cost. #4 - How many colors should I use? - A black and white printed piece will typically cost less than full color (4 color process). So, depending upon what you are portraying in your printed piece will help dictate this. Research indicates that readers respond more favorably to color and the added cost is often justifiable. If you are marketing fabrics or paint, for instance, you don't have much choice but to use color. Utilizing 4 color process also allows your designer to combine the 4 ink colors (cyan, magenta yellow and black) in ways to create hundreds of variations in colors for type, backgrounds and graphic elements. Black and white has its applications but is not as commonly used as the cost of printing in color has become more affordable. #5 - Group similar jobs together when possible - For example, if your 8 1/2" x 11" brochures are being printed for multiple locations with different addresses and/or information, then gather as many of these various lots together and print them at the same time. This will result in considerable cost savings rather than running each one separately. This works best when the various lots are the same size and on the same paper stock. #6 - Be sure that your designer is using a computer publishing program such as Adobe InDesign or Quark XPress. These are widely accepted by most printers. #7 - Digital printing vs. Offset lithography - The lithographic printing process has been the standard for printing on paper since 1903.This process uses printing plates, ink rollers and rubber "blankets" which transfers (offsets) the image from the plates to the paper. Most printed materials are produced utilizing offset presses. More recently, digital printing which does not use printing plates or blankets, has become popular and increasingly sophisticated. They produce offset-like quality printing and don't require drying time but are usually reserved for smaller print runs that are printing in full color where they may be more economical than offset printing. #8 - Variable Data Printing - If you ever faced with the need for printing materials in which the copy or data varies throughout the print run, this can be economically produced utilizing digital printing. For instance, a direct mail piece in which the address, salutation and body copy changes is a perfect candidate for this process. #9 - Be clear when detailing specifications - This is key to receiving accurate estimates. Basic specifications like quantity, ink colors, size and paper type and weight are essential. Also, if the job needs to be folded, ink jet addressed, shrink wrapped, date required all come in to play. Be sure that you or your staff discloses all the particulars to your print production people. #10 - Purchase orders - Once the price is agreed upon, a purchase order or similar document should be produced that both you and your print production team are in agreement as to what is expected.
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