Want to flag down a few customers? Then it’s pretty clear what type of banners your business should be using. Banners are an effective way to get noticed (even their second cousins, the clings). If you want a versatile eye-catcher that can be set up anywhere, a flag banner is your way to go. Here are a few reasons why: They are cost-effective Marketing can be expensive (worth it, but sometimes pricey). Flag and banner printing are perfect for a smaller business or a company with a limited marketing budget. You only pay for the initial printing and production, so there are no ongoing costs or a ..read more

We’ve tested your knowledge with quizzes about commercial printing. Now, let’s see how well you know the past and present of promotional items. 1. What’s the most popular type of giveaway? A. Bags B. Wearables C. Drinkware D. Calendars 2. True or false: Abraham Lincoln was the first presidential candidate to use a promotional item during his election campaign. 3. Rank these regions by the size of their promotional items sales: Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America.Which region of the country has the largest number of promotional items firms in the U.S. top 50? 4. Which region of t ..read more

QR codes have been around for two decades, but they didn’t capture much attention until the pandemic. Brand owners and marketers chose to use them as a contactless way to do business. From adding them to product packaging to replacing physical menus, these codes are everywhere. What started as a contactless way to deliver information evolved into a direct-to-consumer communication channel. An estimated 11 million households scanned a QR code in 2020. If your business isn’t using them, here are a few reasons why you should start. They’re smart Anyone with a smart phone can scan a QR code. That ..read more

Want to get more personal with your customers? Try variable data printing. VDP allows for the personalization of every printed piece in a single print run. Names, messages, images and logos can be changed from one printed piece to the next without delaying the printing process, saving you money in the process. Studies have shown that personalized marketing pieces get higher response rates, anywhere between 20 and 40 percent. How does it work? Using the prospect or customer information that you already should have in your CRM tools, a digital printing press pulls the data and inserts the conten ..read more

If you want to produce an effective printed piece or digital image, you need to know the rules of the road. Let’s start with some basics: dots per inch (DPI) and pixels per inch (PPI). DPI refers to the number of dots of ink in one inch of a printed raster (non-Vector) image. PPI is the digital equivalent, referring to the number of pixels within one inch on a screen. DPI and PPI are important determining factors for print quality. As a rule of thumb, you want a DPI/PPI of 300 for the best printing results. For on-screen use, you can use smaller pixel dimensions to produce a good image because ..read more

Raster images and vector graphics are terms that get tossed around a lot among graphic designers and commercial printers. So what are they and which should you use in your upcoming project? Raster images are made of pixels or tiny dots that use color and tone. Pixels look like little squares on graph paper when the image is zoomed in or enlarged. These images are created by digital cameras, by scanning images into a computer or with raster-based software. Each image can only contain a fixed number of pixels; the amount determines image quality (resolution). More pixels result&nb ..read more

We recently wrote about the importance of sending direct mail pieces to your customers – those you have and ones you would like to get. One thing we didn’t discuss was choosing the right font for those mailers, including newsletters. While you should be more familiar with your audience than anyone else, read on for a little advice about making the right impression. Know your customers? Yes, we said this should be your strength. But just how well do you know this group? Fonts are incredibly important and can make a difference between making the right and wrong impression. If you’re putting out ..read more

Looking for promotional items that will impress your customers in 2023? Consider these ideas for a little inspiration. Campfire mug This isn’t just any coffee mug. This beauty, sometimes even made of stainless steel, is perfect for sitting fireside while enjoying a warm beverage. You can even make them cooler by adding a speckled finish that pops as you hear the wood crackle. Dust off the tent and let’s go camping! Divot tool with ball marker If you have golfers among your customers (and who doesn’t), this is a nice, inexpensive item that has a long-lasting impact. Most every player has a divo ..read more

Our digital world demands new ways to make connections with existing or potential customers. People are impressed when they see that you’re trying unique methods to market your business. Sometimes, they also embrace more traditional approaches. One of those is the dependable business card, a great way to make introductions dating back to the 17th Century. A few hundred years later, we’re still using them. The new challenge is making them stand out and stay clear of the recycling bin. Here are a few thoughts on making your card a must-keep. Use a paper stock that reflects your business Do you p ..read more

Looking for a way to personalize content for your customers? Then PURLs are definitely for you. PURLs (Personalized URLs) allow you to create contact-specific URLs to help drive offline activity online as part of a marketing campaign. You can easily include a contact’s PURL on a direct mail piece and send the potential customer to a personalized landing page to help increase conversion rates. For starters, you need a reliable mailing list to create your PURLs. Once they arrive, they find a page that maintains the design and tone of the direct mail package with a personalized greeting and pre-p ..read more