Month: January 2019

Achieve Great Results when Printing Professional Brochures

Professional brochures and other printed materials are becoming an increasingly popular way to promote a business. Although email and other digital marketing methods are cheap and effective, launching a full-blast print advertising campaign will also deliver the results that you want. In fact, it has even more of an impact to the millennials because they are getting something that’s tangible instead of digital. This is just one of the many reasons why you should seriously consider including brochure marketing in your to-do list for your business.

How to Impress Customers when Printing Brochures

The good news is that there are many offset printing companies which specialize in creating high-quality brochures. If you do want to include brochures as part of your print marketing campaign, here are a few tips on how you can succeed in the task:

  • Come up with a unique selling point.

When writing the copy for your brochure, always think of your purpose. Come up with a unique selling point. Is the content something that’s interesting or beneficial to your target audience? Are you launching a new product line? Or do you simply want people to know how they can get in touch with you if they require your services? By determining your purpose in the first place, you can effectively create a suitable brochure design.

  • Think of a physical feature that will make your brochure stand out.

Next, what specific brochure feature do you think will make it stand out? If you’re launching a line of cosmetic products, half fold brochures with stunning colors and a detachable business card should do the trick. For trade shows, you can print trifold brochures that include a brief company history so people can learn more about how you got started in the industry. The fold and shape of the brochure are a couple of examples on how you can make the material stand out.

  • Pay attention to the small details.

Aside from the folding option, you should pay attention to even the smallest details when designing your brochure. What kind of paper stock should be used? Which size is best for a Z-fold brochure, for example? For the print, what size, color, and type of font should be used? If you want to incorporate images in the brochure, are the photos clear and professionally shot? Is there too much white space around the image or maybe too much text? Brochures are tangible so readers will notice even the smallest details once they pore over it.

All in all, brochures are an effective and cheap marketing tool that all business owners should take advantage of. Knowing how to effectively design one in the first place will help you achieve your print advertising objectives.

Highlight Your Name or Logo with Spot Gloss Business Cards

When having something like spot UV business cards printed out, it is important to pay close attention to even the smallest details. There are many professional-looking business cards out there with odd sizes, a portrait instead of a landscape orientation, or a material that’s out of the ordinary. But if you want a classic effect that will still make you stand out, the spot gloss effect will achieve exactly that.

How are spot gloss business cards made? These printing jobs are taken on by professional offset printing companies. Unlike digital desktop printing, offset printing is a bit more complex because different coating can be used to achieve a specific effect. With spot gloss UV cards, for example, a special varnish-like coating is applied on top of the card. For this, an additional file in solid black and white is required.

The spot UV effect appears in such a way that the rest of the card’s surface has a matte coating, while a specific part has a glossy finish. Let’s say that you want to highlight the logo of your company which is encased in a square illustration. You need to create an additional file for this in solid black and white. During the printing process, that portion will get the spot UV treatment. Everything that’s in the square logo will appear glossy, while the rest of the card has a matte, silk, or satin finish.

To achieve the best results with a spot gloss business card, follow these quick tips:

  • Do not go with thin fonts or shadow effects. Highlight an entire portion or logo. If you want specific letters to appear glossy, choose a block or thick typeface.
  • For spot UV gloss cards, a silk 17-pt. paper or any thick paper is recommended. This way, the gloss effect of a particular area in the card is what will stand out.

When you  print business cards with a spot gloss effect, choose an offset printing company and make sure that you know how to layout the design in such a way that the highlighted part will stand out. All in all, spot UV cards are a great way to put on the spotlight your business name or company logo.

 

 

A Glimpse at How Spot UV Business Cards are Printed

Out of all the printing variants available, why should you go for spot UV business cards? This is a viable option if you want your business card to stand out. In a stack of thin, cardboard business cards, one with a shiny effect and a special coating for UV protection will make your card get noticed.

But how do spot gloss business cards get made in the first place? If this is something that you want to have for your business, it is important to look for the right printing company. There are plenty of digital printing companies out there and they will most likely use desktop printers. There’s nothing wrong with this, they’re cheap and are everywhere. But if you want to stand out and get professional-looking results, it is better to go for offset printing. Companies that offer this kind of printing employ state-of-the-art printing presses so whether it’s a business card with a glass-like coating or a huge menu for your restaurant, they can do a professional printing job.

Spot UV business cards are also called spot gloss business cards. Thick card stock is used and instead of a matte finish, the glossy effect is achieved because of a varnish coating used on the paper material. There are spot UV business cards which have a matte or non-shiny finish but if you want something glossy, a silk or satin effect can also be achieved with the same varnish coating.

When you print business cards, such an effect – be it matte or glossy – will make your brand or name stand out. If you want, the spot UV effect can be applied on a certain part of the card only, while the rest of the surface has a matte finish. For such a design and printing option, it is important to pay close attention to detail. See to it that the font, color, and other design elements used on the card all blend together to showcase what you are all about as a company.

Spot gloss business cards are a great option if you want your business card to stand out. Talk to your printing company about it and once finished, you can distribute these professional-looking cards to your business contacts with pride.

 

Layout & Design Techniques when You Print Pizza Menus

If you own a pizzeria, you naturally need to print pizza menus that customers can use as a reference when ordering. Whether it’s food to go or for dining in, these menus must give them a quick look at the sumptuous pizza flavors, drinks, and side dishes that you can whip up in your kitchen. These menus will also drive sales, so you need to make sure that it’s visually appealing and tempting to the palate.

If you are still in the process of creating your print to go menus, here are a few layout and design techniques that you can borrow:

  • Decide on the size of the menu.

When you print carry out menus, you can take your pick from these sizes:

  • 5” x 11”
  • 5” x 14”
  • 11’ x 17”

The size of the menu will be the basis of the layout and design. Don’t be afraid to go bold and create an oversized menu – the more space you have to feature your dishes, the better.

  • Set your menu apart from the competition.

Next, check out the takeout menu of your direct competitors. Are they using an only-text menu, or is it a combination of text and images? While you’re at it, check out the price as well.  Make sure that the rates of your food items fare well against your direct competitors – otherwise, they might rake in more sales.

  • Use professional-looking food photos or illustrations.

If you must use food photos, make sure that the colors are realistic but still pop out. If possible, have them taken by a professional photographer. If you’re selling food items from a family heirloom recipe, vintage illustrations might work better to your advantage.

  • Choose complementing colors and fonts.

Lastly, make sure to pay close attention to even the smallest details when designing your takeout menu. The design, background color, font type and size – all these must blend together to create a visually appealing menu that will sell your dishes to hungry customers. To achieve professional results, go for offset instead of digital printing – and choose a company that has the length of experience and proper equipment when it comes to menu printing.

 

 

 

 

Top Tips when You Print Pizza Menus

If your assigned task is to print pizza menus, how do you go about it? How can you make sure that you will not just finish the assignment, but succeed in letting the menu speak for your food business as well? Read on to find out.

Things to Remember when You Print Carry Out Menus

Be it pizza, Chinese, sandwiches, or other types of food, your dine-in and takeout menus are an important ingredient in running your food business. It’s the first thing that hungry diners will look at when they walk into your restaurant, so it says a lot about what you are as a food establishment. To get started, here are some key things to remember when printing out your takeout menu:

  1. Know what drives food sales in the first place.

For sit-down restaurants or diners, almost 80% of the sales comes from your menu – the waiting staff will sell the rest to the customers. For takeout fare, the number is definitely more than that – so you need to make sure that when you print to go menus, it has all your bestsellers and the quick-to-prepare but profitable dishes.

  1. Make sure that there’s a good balance of text and images.

Look at the online menus of the most popular fast food chains. There’s a good balance between text and image. If you must include food pictures, leave enough white space around each photo to still make it look interesting.

  1. Be aware of the ‘hot spots’ in a menu.

The upper right hand corner of the menu is one of the hotspots – although after scanning the whole page, people read menus as they would the page of a book. Keep this in mind when deciding how to layout the page.

  1. Skip the dollar signs and columns.

You don’t want people to feel the pinch of what they’re buying in their pockets – so skip the currency sign. Also, 9.99 looks less expensive than 10.00 even though there’s very little difference between the two amounts, so use such a strategy when pricing your food items. It also pays to use boxes and a more unique layout instead of traditional columns, with the prices arranged from the most to the least expensive.

  1. Know how to distribute menus to boost sales.

Finally, your takeout menu should not just be placed inside the restaurant or the takeout counter. People passing by may want to learn what your prices or pizza flavors are without having to walk into the restaurant – so keep several copies outside for them to pick out. You can also distribute a copy of your takeout menu to suppliers, in every delivery order, in public bulletin boards, and anywhere or any event where there is plenty of foot traffic.

 

Get to Know Rack Cards: How Can They be Used for Advertising?

Are you familiar with rack cards? If you are a business owner, you can benefit from having these useful, colorful cards printed out to help you promote your brand. You might have seen one of these after a performance in a theatre, at a hotel lobby or a travel agency. Rack cards are printed in full color, and both sides of the card are typically used. Heavy cardstock is the preferred material. Unlike flyers which are usually printed on thin paper, it is more difficult to ignore rack cards simply because they are thicker and are printed with an eye-catching design.

How Rack Cards can be Used for Advertising

The good news is that you do not have to be in the theatre or entertainment industry to take full advantage of the benefits of rack cards. No matter what the nature of your business, you can have rack cards printed out. Display a set of these cards in your office’s reception area, or in your brick-and-mortar store – anywhere that there is always foot traffic – people are bound to grab one so that they can learn about the products or services that you are offering.

If you are wondering what exactly should be printed on a rack card, here are a few quick tips:

  • If you’re in the medical industry, you can print information about a common disease which patients will find useful for them. An optometrist can make a rack card about glaucoma, for example, and a patient walking in for a consultation will most likely grab one to learn more about the condition.
  • If you are offering a new product or service, you can use rack card as the primary source of information for customers. What exactly is it that sets this apart from what you are currently offering to your clients? How much is it and how can it benefit the customer? How can they get in touch with you if they are interested with what you have to offer?

When you print rack cards, make sure to look for a reputable printing company that specializes in creating high-quality printed advertising materials. Offset is a much better alternative than digital, simply because of the quality of the results.

One last thing. After finding a suitable company for the of rack card printing job that you will offer to them, make sure that you know how to strategically place the cards. If you are attending a trade show, display a set of rack cards in an area where there is a lot of foot traffic. The reception area of your office is another strategic location. When meeting with suppliers, business partners, or potential customers, also have a few pieces of rack cards ready so that you can hand over to them when necessary.

By familiarizing yourself with the basics of rack card printing, you can use it to effectively advertise your business and promote your brand.

Rack Cards to Upgrade Your Print Ad Campaign

Do you know how rack cards can help upgrade your print ad campaign? Are print advertising campaigns beneficial in the first place? The answer to the second question is yes, it still is. Despite the prevalence of digital promotional methods, there is still room in the business industry for print ads. In fact, this novel and ‘old school’ way of advertising is being appreciated by the current generation more because everything is digital. When you have something solid or tangible on hand, it becomes an item that you are bound to keep and appreciate. So what’s the role that rack cards play in today’s business scenario?

First, let us have a quick definition of the term. Rack cards are printed advertising materials which are usually available in these sizes:

  • 5” x 8.5”
  • 4’ x 9”

You will typically see these printed materials in the lobbies of theatres after a performance. Hotel lobbies, airports, reception areas of most companies, medical offices, and similar places also have a special container for these rack cards. Wherever there is heavy foot traffic is a great location for rack cards. If the printed material is eye-catching enough, anyone walking by will most likely grab one card from the rack. If people like what they read, they are bound to get another one or bring the one that they have home and use it for future reference.

Next, if you would like to take advantage of the benefits of rack cards to your business, what should you remember while in the process of rack card printing? It is important to look for a company that specializes in rack card printing. There are many digital printing companies out there, but those with offset printers and state-of-the-art printing presses will deliver better results.

When it comes to the design of the card itself, it is best to stick to the basics. Make sure that the design, colors, font, images or illustrations all blend together to create an attractive whole. At the same time, the overall look of the card must reflect the image that you would like to portray as a company.

If you want, you can also incorporate unique features in the card. Whichever of the two common sizes you choose, you can opt to include a detachable business card or coupon card when you print rack cards. This way, you will not just print an advertising material that will make people remember your brand, but you can also offer something extra to those who will grab one of your cards from the rack.

Through rack card advertising, you can up the ante in your print advertising campaign.