Category: Online Printing Quality & Service

Professional Printing Basics: Which Printed Materials to Choose for Advertising

If you are considering getting a professional printing service provider, you need to know which products to print out in the first place. If you are newly building your brand, for example, you must order business cards so that potential customers would know how to get in touch with you. If you are launching a new product or service, brochures will give you more space to tell readers about your new offering. The good news is that there are many professional printing companies where you can order business cards and other printed promotional materials. You just need to know which among these products you should have printed out first:

• Business Cards

The standard size of business cards in the US is 2” x 3.5”. With very little space available, you only need to include only the essential contact information. When you order business cards and you don’t have a physical store, there is no need for you to include an office address. If you’re a purely online business, you must include your website, email address, and social media accounts. If you’re a solo entrepreneur, you must include your name and job title when you order business cards.

• Brochures or Flyers

The smallest brochure measures 4.25” x 11” while the smallest flyer measures 4” x 6”. These two can carry more information than when you order business cards, making it a good choice if you have a lot to say. Brochures are great for introducing a company, while flyers can be used for introducing a new product or service.

• Postcards

Another product of professional printing companies is postcards. These are usually mailed out to customers as greeting cards and they can double as discount coupons. Regularly mailing out postcards is an effective way of building customer loyalty.

• Rack Cards

Rack cards are usually seen in hotel lobbies and they have a specialized display case. The design of rack cards should be attention-grabbing, and they are usually displayed in areas where there is heavy foot traffic.

• Menus

If you are in the food business, you should look for a professional printing company that specializes in creating to go menus. These are perfect as inserts for supplier receipts, mailers, and should be included in every delivery or to go order.

Whether you order business cards, brochures, flyers, or all types of printed materials for a full-blast promotional campaign, it is important to work with a professional printing with plenty of experience in the field. This way, you can get professional results while also getting the best value for your money.

Looking for a Provider of Online Printing Services? Here’s What You Need to Know

Unlike online printing services that have an automatic ordering system, it used to be a big hassle to have printed promotional materials made. If you need 200 pieces of postcards made, for example, you need to go to the printing office to check out their equipment. You must come up with a design which has to be set up on the printing press. Then, you have to choose the material, paper thickness, and finish. After approving the proof, you have to wait for the job to be finished before you can finally pick up your order.

Today, you can do away with all these steps because there are professional printing companies that have a purely online ordering system. This means that you don’t have to visit any printing office – you just need to come up with the design, choose the materials and the finish, and wait for the materials to be delivered straight to your doorstep.

What You Need to Know about Online Printing

Whether you need business cards, brochures, flyers, menus, rack cards, post cards, letterheads, or any other printed promotional material, here are the essentials that you need to know:

 

• You can take your pick from different printing processes. Two of the most common are digital and offset printing. With digital printing, desktop digital printers are used. These are good for small jobs but if you need to order in bulk with a fast turnaround time, you should go with offset printing. For this, huge printing presses are used where a metal plate transfers or ‘offsets’ printed images onto a rubber blanket, which is then rolled onto the paper. Think of it as being similar to using a stamp pad on paper. Once the design is set, you can easily have hundreds or even thousands of copies made within a short span of time. Another advantage of offset printing is that it produces more professional-looking results. The more that you order, the lower the per-piece cost is.

• You need to focus on the design and content. Make sure that the text does not overcrowd the available space on the business card or letterhead – and it should feature your logo plus a short marketing tagline. The overall design should suit the image that you would like to project for your brand.

• You can choose from different materials, paper types, finishes, and sizes. Business cards, for instance, have a standard size of 3.5” x 2” but you can take your pick from different paper thickness and finishes like satin, ultra-smooth silk, soft touch suede, smooth matte or spot gloss.

• You have to go with an experienced, reliable printing company. For this, it pays to do your research so that you can choose a cost-effective printing package without compromising on quality.

By keeping these things in mind, you can look for an online printing service provider that will give you exactly what you need when it comes to printed promotional materials.

Should I Pay Extra for High Quality Business Card?

A 14-pt. smooth matte business card will set you back around ten cents apiece; while high quality business cards with the same thickness as a credit card will cost you around four or five times that. When you compare ordinary with high quality business cards, is the extra investment worth it? To answer this, here are a couple of questions that you can ask yourself:

• Do you prefer high quality business cards because you are offering products or services on the higher end of the price spectrum? If yes, then you definitely need to order the best business cards online. On the other hand, if you are trying to come off as an affordable brand or if you want customers to see your products or services as a lower-priced yet quality version of a direct competitor, you may not necessarily need to spend extra on premium cards. Just because a card is plain or uncoated does not mean that it comes off as cheap. You can always design the card in such a way that it looks standard but still excellently made.

• Do you have the budget for high quality business cards? If yes, then go for it! Nothing beats quality especially when it comes to the impression that you are creating for your brand. From best business cards online companies, you can select from cards that: – are made from thick paper stock, ranging from 14-pt. to 32-pt. – have unique features like rounded edge, painted edge (for super-thick business cards), spot UV gloss, foil stamping, plastic cards, and non-standard sizes.

When ordering high quality business cards, it is better to go with the offset printing option. Digital printers might offer cheaper prices, but the quality cannot match that of offset printing presses. The best business cards online are made with close attention to detail, and only high-end printing equipment can handle complex lamination jobs. Other things to consider when ordering the best business cards online are the turnaround time, costs, paper weight and thickness, finish, and quality of customer service offered.

All in all, it does pay to invest in high-quality business cards especially if you will order them from the best business cards online company. With impressive cards, you can leave an equally lasting impression about your brand.

 

Hassle-Free Ways to Find the Right Online Printing Services

If it’s your first time to have something printed out for your business, you might find it a huge hassle to look for online printing services. With dozens of results appearing on an online search, how will you know if a printing company can deliver the goods? How can you make sure that you are getting the best value for your money? If you hire an offshore printing company, how can you make sure that the prints will even get made? To help you out, here are some hassle-free ways for you to find the right online printing services provider:

1. Know what your printing requirements are in the first place.

Let’s say that you are launching a postcard mailing campaign. What are your printing requirements? Do you need EDDM mailing services? This stands for Every Door Direct Mail, a service by the United States Postal Service where it does what it says – direct mail is sent to every address within a specific area. EDDM mailing services is a great feature to have if you are just starting to build a customer base. If you need a large volume of prints with excellent quality, offset printing might be right for you. But if you only need a small batch sent out, digital printing is cheaper and gets the job done.

2. Decide on the design, material, and finish.

Next, you should already have an idea about the design that you want before looking for online printing services. If you need 100 pieces of postcards with mailing services, for example, you can use the website’s downloadable postcards template or an online design tool, if they have one. You should also think about the material. For postcards, different sizes are available in thick paper stock while the finish can be matte, glossy, or soft silk.

3. Search for online printing services and compare the top three or five results.

Finally, do a quick search for online printing services. Compare the top three or five results. If you need postcards with mailing services, for instance, look for a company that also offers EDDM. Make sure to also compare the turnaround time, quality of customer service provided, the length of experience that they have in the field, feedback about the quality of products that they deliver, and the costs involved. Know which areas you can’t compromise on – and decide from there.

Gauge the Best Professional Printing Service Provider with these Criteria

If you are trying to order business cards, flyers, or postcards online, dozens or even hundreds of results will be displayed on your online search. Out of all the professional printing service providers that will pop up, how can you choose the best one? Whether you’re a start-up or an already existing business, you want to get the best quality printed material while also getting the best value for your money. As such, you need to do your research and look for the best professional printing company out there.

Here are a few factors that you must consider when looking for a printing company:

1. The printing equipment and supplies used.

Let’s say that you need to order 300 pieces of postcards online. The first thing that you need to do is consider the printing equipment used. Traditional printing presses are huge and use the offset printing method.  This type of professional printing process has been around for a long time – and they deliver razor-sharp images. Once the design is set, offset printing can produce hundreds to thousands of copies in just a few hours! The “non-traditional” type of professional printing is the more modern digital printing process. Desktop digital printers or digital printing presses are used. If you need to order a small volume like 100 pieces of postcards online, this gets the job done although there might be a small compromise as far as printing quality is concerned – where offset deems far superior.

2. The design tools available.

Next, are there design tools available for download or online? There are professional printing websites where you can download templates for a business card design, or an online tool that you can use to create postcards online. What’s good about these tools is that there is no need for you to pay for the services of a professional graphic designer. However, it is recommended that you still get one if you are starting from scratch – for instance, if you do not have an official logo designed for your brand yet. Once you have a template for the logo, you can incorporate it in all your printed promotional materials.

3. The turnaround time, customer service, quality, and cost.

You also have to consider the costs involved. What’s the price for the minimum number of postcards online that you can order? How fast can they deliver the products? Do they offer quality customer service?

Whether it’s postcards, business cards, or any other printed promotional materials that you need, it is a must to do your research and compare these criteria. This way, you can search for the best professional printing company out there that can deliver the goods – minus the astronomical price.

Top Things to Consider when You Order Business Cards

When you order business cards or any other printed material, for that matter, you want to have professional-looking results – but without having to pay an arm and a leg for it. This is where your research skills should come in. There are dozens, if not hundreds of
online printing service providers to choose from. By taking a few factors into consideration, you can have great-looking promotional materials when you order business cards, while still getting the best bang for your buck.

To get started, here are the top things to consider when you order business cards:

• Process and Price

Basically, there are two printing processes available: offset and digital. Offset utilizes printing presses where ink does not directly come in contact with paper, but is instead offset onto a plate. This may sound a bit complex but once the design is set, you will see razor-sharp images and letters using offset printing. The second option is to hire a digital online printing service provider. This uses digital printers which, over the years, has greatly improved. Digital printing gets the job done and it’s good for small batches when you order business cards.

Price-wise, bigger volume printing jobs become cheaper per piece with offset printing. Digital printing is cheap and gets the job done for smaller batches, although its capacity for printing a larger volume of materials may be limited.

• Service and Sources

Just like when you’re taking advantage of any type of service, you must check on the quality of customer service that the printing company offers. How about sources? Check the website of the online printing service provider to see if they offer free downloadable templates or an online tool that you can use for designing business cards. This way, you don’t have to pay for the services of a graphic designer. As long as you already have your logo, you can incorporate that in the design when you order and use the online design tool or downloadable template.

• Finish and Feedback

Finally, check on the material and finish, as well as the feedback. When you order business cards, for example, a 14-pt. cardstock can have a smooth matte, glossy or silk spot UV finish. Some online printing service providers also offer unique features like foil stamping, rounded corners, and plastic or brown kraft cards. After deciding on the material and finish, check on the feedback of other clients when it comes to the quality of the products.

Make a comparison of all these features, narrow down your choices to two or three – then make an informed decision from there.

Digital or Offset: Which Online Printing Service to Go For

If you need a professional business card, you basically have two options as far as printing process is concerned: digital or offset. To start right off, here is some basic information between the two:

• Offset Printing

When you say that a professional business card was created using offset printing, it means that an offset printing press was used. For this, ink is taken from a plate which is then transferred or offset onto a rubber roller – then placed on paper. Before the onslaught of digital online printing services, offset printers were extremely popular. For small batches, they can be quite expensive but in terms of quality, the images are sharp and the printed materials end up professional-looking.

• Digital Printing •

There was a time when getting an online printing service meant that the provider will use a typical inkjet desktop computer printer – much like the ones used at home. Fortunately, digital printing has improved in such a way that it can handle more complex printing and lamination jobs. The reason that this has become the go-to choice for those who need a professional business card printed out is that it is cheap, fast, and there are many online printing service providers to choose from. The ordering process is also done purely online – if you need 200 pieces of professional business cards, for instance, you simply need to place your order through the website and wait for the products to be delivered straight to your doorstep.

Based from the basic information between these two, how will you know which one to pick? It all really boils down to your specific online printing service requirements. If you want razor-sharp images for a bulk order of professional business cards, offset is the better option. This is especially true because with offset printers, the per-piece price becomes lower when you have a higher volume of orders. If you just need something cheap that gets the job done, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with going for the cheaper and more convenient digital online printing service.

No matter which one you end up choosing, it’s important to search for a printing company with lengthy printing experience, has good reviews on their website, a wide range of products to choose from, and offers a quick turnaround time.

Make Your Brand Stand Out with Gold Foil Business Cards

If you love everything that shimmers, why not consider having gold foil business cards made? More than the glitter, it’s the impression that will really make an impact to the person who will receive your card. To get started, what are the things that you need to know about this type of business card?

First, gold foil business cards are made using a process called foil stamping. Similar to plastic business cards, the printing and lamination process is not as straightforward as, say, linen business cards. With foil stamping, metallic foil is used to create the glittery effect. It is recommended that you use a dark black or bright white background, for it to highly contrast with the metallic color – which can be gold, silver, or copper.

During the printing process, the white paper is used. Depending on the background, a white or black strip is combined with a second foil mask file. Based on the design, certain areas get foil while the other parts do not. The result is that a logo, name, or photograph stands out with the metallic gold color against the black or white background.

Second, when ordering metallic foil business cards, you must look for a printing company with the length of experience and the equipment required in achieving such an effect. Printing companies like BlockbusterPrint offer such services, so you can rest assured that products like offset business cards, gold foil business cards, and silk business cards are made with excellent quality.

Third, make sure that the design of the business card is suitable for foil stamping. Let’s say that you are a real estate broker and you want only your name to be embossed in gold color. The card should be design in such a way that the background and the rest of the text is in black or white, while your name is embossed in gold color. Under any lighting condition, your name will shimmer and get noticed by the person who is holding the card.

Indeed, metallic foil stamped business cards will make your brand stand out – so consider having one made for your business right now.

Print Pizza Menus & Watch Your Profits Soar

For most families, ordering pizza for dinner is a regular habit because it frees them from chores – so if you’re in this business, you should think about print pizza menus. The same thing holds true for casual or even fine dining establishments. You must offer customers the convenience of ordering food to go. This way, even if they do not have time for a sit-down dinner or if they are off to somewhere and just need to order something filling, fast – they will still consider ordering food from you.

Now, if you are offering different pizza flavors, how can you make sure that your menu becomes a marketing tool that will result to a boost in your profits? Here are a few tips:

  • Look for a company that specializes in tasks such as creating print to go menus. Gone are the days when pizzeria menus used to be thick, overly large menus with descriptions in big font. Today, you can still go for the oversized menu – perhaps for dine-in customers – but if you are targeting those who are ordering food to go, you must have a smaller, more easily accessible menu. Takeout menu printing companies usually offer pizza menus in these three popular sizes:
    – 8.5” x 11”

-8.5” x 14”

-11’ x 17”
When looking for a company to print the pizza menu for you, make sure that they offer full color HD printing; a variety of folding options; and good quality offset prints.

  • Pay attention to the design and content of your menu. Most people are visual so if you want to attract customers to order food from your menu, make sure that the images are drool-worthy. The pictures must look professionally-shot and appetizing. For the content, you should have updated contact information. It’s better not to incorporate dollar or currency signs on the menu – and use strategic pricing. For example, instead of pricing $10 for a pizza, you can use 9.95 or 9.99. This will make people think that they’re spending less and getting the best value for their money.

 

  • Distribution is also important. When you print carry out menus, remember that it should not be just for customers who are regularly ordering pizza from you. You should include a copy of the menu for every pizza order delivered to customers. You can also have the employees distribute the menus in high-traffic areas. You can send out mailers or put a stack of menus just outside your restaurant so people don’t have to actually set foot inside the store to see what you have to offer.

 

By remembering these key tips, you can make your pizza carry out menus work to your full marketing advantage.

Rack Cards are the Preferred Advertising Material in the Medical Industry

If you are a dentist, eye doctor, chiropractor, physical therapist, or any professional in the medical industry, you definitely should consider using rack cards for advertising. These are available in two typical sizes: 3.5” x 8.5” or 4’ x 9”. Usually seen on hotel lobbies and movie theatres, rack cards are an excellent material for print advertising. Why? Because they’re cheap, effective, and attention-grabbing. If you are in the medical industry, you must look for a company that specializes in rack cards printing so that you can enjoy these benefits:

  • It’s a cost-effective form of marketing.

Rack cards can be displayed in the reception area of your place of practice. Patients or customers who are waiting to be called, for example, would find something to occupy their time with. While they’re not looking at their phones, they can grab one of the rack cards which should be prominently displayed in your office. Instead of spending money on digital or other forms of advertising, you can hit the target right where they’re at – in your very own place of business! At a very reasonable price, you can have rack cards printed out. Put it in an easily noticeable spot in your workplace and you will experience almost instantaneous results from your marketing efforts.

  • It can feature a specific service.

If you’re an eye doctor, you can have a rack card printed out for specific conditions like glaucoma, retinal problems, and other related conditions. What’s good about this type of print advertising is that you can target a specific market and offer a new product or service, minus the huge costs.

  • It’s flexible and beneficial to readers.

If you chose to go for rack card printing to advertise a new service but you found out later on that it’s not cost-effective to continue it, you can simply remove the set of rack cards that you have for that specific service. An eye clinic that does not offer glaucoma-related service anymore, for example, can simply remove the set of rack cards that they have for that specific eye condition. They don’t need to spend too much printing a new set of rack cards for the new service they’re offering, and they get to reach out to their target market directly. When you’re offering a new service, on the other hand, you can include information on the rack card that will be beneficial to the readers – all while you are able to push your marketing agenda.

There’s really no excuse for you to say no to the prospect of using rack cards for advertising. Whether you’re in the medical or any other field, it is a great way to spread the word about your brand and the service you’re offering to the general public.