Talking About Printing

[talkingaboutprinting]

Why Rack Cards Are The Perfect Marketing Tool

Are you among those businessmen who are constantly on a look-out for newer and better marketing strategies to find customers? Advertising and marketing if done smartly, meticulously and persuasively can have a strong impact on your business growth by attracting more people to it. There are so many ways to achieve this. Distributing flyers, and brochures, placing newspaper or magazine advertisements, etc. are some of the more common ones. However, placing print rack cards in key locations is one of the effective marketing tools that can greatly boost your sales. There are several benefits of printed cards that make them more effective in some situations.

They can be placed in multiple locations

Rack cards are quite a versatile marketing tool. You can put them in many different places where other marketing material may not be appropriate. The smaller size of these cards makes it easy to insert them even in small areas like racks, shelves, etc. The high-impact graphic design on the card can attract the attention of people instantly even in a crowded place. Moreover, you can put them in places of relevance instead of just about anywhere in a random way. This way they help you target your marketing efforts. For instance, a tourist company can put their cards in restaurants and hotels at different travel destinations.

Convenient to carry around

Rack cards are smaller in size. This not only makes them easy to place in smaller areas but also quite convenient to pick up off the shelves and carry around by people. This is not the case with larger and more elaborate marketing pieces like brochures, flyers or banners. In fact, rack cards are designed to be picked up and taken away by people so that they can use the information on them anytime they want without having to memorize it.

Rack cards can contain enough information

Although rack cards are smaller in size than many other marketing pieces, they are still quite big enough to carry all the important information that you want to convey to your potential customers. Unlike business cards which are also very small in size, they can carry a lot more information than mere contact details. This makes them a very ‘handy’ tool to give information such as the kind of products or services you offer and their benefits along with your contact details like website URL, email address or phone number.

A unique and cost-effective way

Rack cards offer a comparatively less used way to advertise your products and services. This sets your marketing apart from your competition. Moreover, these cards, being quite small in size, are economical to print and distribute. The low cost of rack card printing does not diminish their quality and they look great in full-color printing as well.

So if you are looking for an effective yet economical way to market your business, rack cards are a great option. However, before you hand over your design for the cards to print, you should make sure that the printing company is good and experienced in the field. You also have the choice to get your cards printed online at economical rates.

.

.

.

.

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/

[talkingaboutprinting]

A Simple Guide To Large Format Printing

In this guide, we explain what large format printing (LFP) is, and provide some large format printing examples, along with giving you a quick explanation of how it works.

What is LFP?

LFP is short for Large Format Printing. In a nutshell, large format printing can help to maintain high resolutions for projects that need to be printed onto a range of shapes, surfaces, and sizes. The bigger the print, the more of an opportunity there is to get a brand name, message, or logo displayed. This is why there is a need and demand for large format printing methods.

What Types of Surfaces are Suitable for Large Format Printing?

Selecting the material is usually the first step in the process. Here are the most commonly used materials for large format printing.

What Products Can be Made with Large Format Printing?

There are varying limitations in terms of the actual end uses for the products, here are the most popular:

How Does Large Format Printing Actually Work?

The LFP process is actually quite similar to the digital printing method. It is ideal for items that require full-color printing. 

First, you will need to select which type of material you want to use, and what the end product is going to be. Then, you will need to define the exact shape and size of that product. 

Once this is done, the appropriate artwork will need to be created to match the right dimensions for the product. In line with the graphics, the press will set-out the toner via a range of large nozzles. During which, a very fine layer of ink is sprayed onto the surface according to the design. The ink gets directly applied to the product without using any form of transfer, and this creates a highly authentic print. 

Most printing companies will then use UV lights to help dry the ink and finalize the project. In terms of the time it takes to do large format printing, it is just as quick as digital printing, and delivers a high-quality image.

What is the Best Way to Prepare Image Files for Large Format Printing?

To get the highest quality large format print, you need to use the highest possible resolution in your artwork files. This will ensure the quality of your image is not lost when it is enlarged. File submission is an essential part of the LFP process. Due to the size of the products that are produced in large format printing, getting a high-quality product depends on your file quality and size. 

While most large format printers will give you their own precise guideline, the maximum width for the majority of printers is 61”. The length will typically be determined by the material length that is being used for production.

Other Considerations for Large Format Printing

There are lots of considerations for large format printing, and your printing company will be able to offer some guidance on the matter. Here are just a few things to think about before you decide on the best size or style of product to use.

Think About Your Audience

When you start to plan your artwork, you will need to consider how the product is going to be viewed. For instance, if you are producing signage for a trade show or a banner, the product is most likely going to be viewed by people who are up close. In this situation, you would want to increase the DPI (dots per inch) as much as you can. On the other hand, if your end product is going to be a large format banner or even a billboard, then the target audience will be viewing this from considerably further away. This would then mean you would have to utilize a much lower DPI.

The File Type You Use DOES Matter

Essentially, there are two core types of image file types: bitmap or vector. Each presents its own characteristics. For photography, raster files are thought to be best. And for graphical art, such as illustrations or logos, a vector format is thought to be the optimal choice.

In Summary

Large format printing is widely used across all industries, and on a huge range of surfaces, primarily for marketing and advertising purposes. One of the biggest advantages is that you can effectively improve awareness of a product or brand in a visually appealing way, making an impact at an affordable cost. The possibilities with using LFP are endless, and you have the opportunity to be creative and truly create an eye-catching display to engage and capture the attention of your chosen audience.

.

.

.

 Article from https://inkwellnation.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Banner Walls For Trade Shows

Banner walls are great trade show displays that are growing in popularity. They are generally made by combining individual banner stands together to form a larger wall, although there are a few models that are large, single banners. By making a larger display out of smaller, individual banner stands, banner walls tend to be compact and easy to transport. They also have the added benefit of allowing the individual stands to be used separately from the banner wall when the situation calls for it. Being able to repurpose the component parts of the banner wall like this is something that very few display styles offer.

Since a back wall display is the most common type of trade show display, banner walls are a cost-effective and versatile way of creating this popular type of display. Banner walls have an advantage over many other types of display walls because they can be made up to 10' tall and virtually any width. A banner wall can be used at a particular width at one event, and by adding and removing sections, a different size wall can be made for other events, without having to purchase separate displays for each show. There are even models that can be bent into various shapes to fit the exhibit space available.

Technically any banner stands can be combined to make a banner wall. However, some stands don't lend themselves to making a good banner wall display. In this category are products that were specifically designed for banner walls, as well as some combinations of banner stands we've selected because they work particularly well for this application. Some of the criteria we use in selecting the models presented here are the ease of setup, the space between each banner that is created when setting up a wall, and how easy the stands are to line up and keep together. While we have a fairly extensive selection of models to choose from, many other models can be made into banner walls if there are special needs to be met.

.

.

.

.

Info sourced from https://www.tradeshowdisplaypros.com/ 

[talkingaboutprinting]

Customising Wine Bottle Labels With Photos Or Artwork

Full-colour custom wine bottle labels are easy to make and perfect for all winemakers and wine lovers! The fun begins when you personalize the design. Add a company logo, or a favourite photo, type in your text and choose your favourite colours for a completely customized look.

Put Your Photos or Logo on a Bottle Label Template

Add anything you want to a label when you make your own wine labels. We're not kidding when we say anything; upload all file types from JPGs to EPS files, including PSD, PDF and PNG files. You don't have to have a design degree to make a professional-looking wine label from scratch.

Perfect for Homemade or Small Batch Wine

Winemakers, do you have a label design in your mind for your personalized wine bottle? Save the money you would spend on artwork fees and go straight to making your wine label using the online design tool. Many of our customers are small-batch wineries that use their own vineyard logo or photos of their grapes and vineyard to make a label for their family-owned estate wine.

Wedding Wine Bottle Labels On Your Favorite Wine

Add a touch of personalization to your big day. Customize our wine labels to match your wedding colors or add a photo of the bride and groom. It's an easy way to create wedding favours that are low-cost yet exude luxury. Your unique wedding design will set your wedding apart from all the others. Don't settle and use the same wedding favours all your friends have done and you've seen over and over at weddings for years.

Quality Waterproof Label Material

The label sticker stock we use for our wine labels is manufactured specifically for use on bottles so it's waterproof, colourfast and self-adhesive. It's a special combination of high-tech synthetic stuff that is thicker than paper and more resilient. It has a tough matte finish that holds the ink colour without bleeding and stands up when you store your bottles in coolers and refrigerators.

Personalized Wine Labels Make Amazing Gifts

Make wine labels for all the special occasions in your life. Put a personalized wine label on a favourite wine to give friends and family at birthdays, weddings, graduations, holidays, showers or any occasion that demands an extraordinary gift. Imagine how surprised the recipient will be to see their photo or a personal greeting on their wine bottle. Personalized wine labels are a fantastic holiday gift or housewarming gift and a way to say you care enough to go beyond the ordinary. Brides and Grooms will love how wedding wine labels add a personalized touch to their special day.

.

.

.

.

Info sourced from https://www.bottleyourbrand.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

All The Table Talkers Information You Need

Table talkers are a handy marketing solution, ideal for hospitality, retail and leisure. You can get table talkers in a variety of paper stocks, including various densities of recycled and uncoated, with optional extras like lamination, foiling and Spot UV; whatever works best for your product. 

What Is A Table Talker?

A table talker is a card promotional device, often used in a restaurant or a bar, letting customers know about new offers, providing decoration or displaying table numbers. They come in a variety of shapes, including triangular (3 panels), square (4 panels), hexagon (6 panels) and star (8 panels). 

Talkers provide equally-sized panels and, unlike tent cards, no one panel is the ‘base’; these handy products can be erected on any one of the panels or even placed vertically on one of their outer faces. They are an ideal choice if you’re looking to display multiple promotions since each panel can be dedicated to a different offer or event. 

Your table talkers will be supplied in flat pack form with easy-to-assemble interlocking tabs for your convenience. Once you’re finished with your display, simply unlock, render flat and use it again and again!

Table Talker Uses

Product Promotions

One of the most popular table talkers uses, this product offers fantastic promotional marketing. Create different designs for each panel and promote multiple products in one multi-faceted display. Ideal for bars, restaurants and hospitality, for showcasing new items on the menu or limited-edition cocktails! 

Table signs or numbers

Useful for restaurants, conferences and meetings, table talkers can be used to effectively identify tables with numbers or names. Consider using wedding table talkers- perhaps allocate a table based on individual imagery of the happy couple! Perfect for special events – consider a festive table sign for Christmas, a spooky talker for Halloween and a floral design for easter and add a touch of occasion to your venue. 

Menus

Create a food or drinks menu on a table talker! Durable, and less likely to suffer spills than a regular paper menu, these can even be made waterproof with lamination to ensure re-use. Plus, they take up less space than a conventional menu, meaning you can leave them on the table after orders have been placed, encouraging more orders and more profit! 

Price Lists

Often seen in hairdressers and beauty salons, table talkers offer an attractive and stylish way to display your price list on-site. 

Calendars 

Consider using a table talker as a nifty calendar, each side displaying days and months. A standard three-sided table talker can have 4 months per side, simply rotate as the days fly by. 

Table Talker Design Elements

Whether you’re looking for traditional talkers, show-stopping pyramid and hexagon display cards, or even tent cards the team at TableTalkerPrinting.co.uk can create any product with your own custom-printed artwork. Alternatively, design your own artwork using our handy free templates or take advantage of our in-house design service. 

.

.

.

Original source: https://www.tabletalkerprinting.co.uk/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Best Ways To Use Hanging Banners

Are you looking for more engagement and better branding visuals? Look no further. Most companies spend a significant amount of their marketing budget on visual solutions to help promote their brand. However, you can fall short on your investment without the right visual solutions. We will be discussing three original ways to include hanging banners in your next project.

Promoting Events:

Spreading the word for an upcoming event doesn’t have to be challenging; it just has to stand out. When it comes to events, it’s important to start promoting early enough to build excitement and anticipation with the right visual engagement. Hanging banners are a great solution to promote an event due to their scalability, versatility, and cost-effectiveness.

Wayfinding Signs:

Not sure where to go? No problem. Hanging banners are the perfect fix for directing people where to go. Visual solutions are strategically placed in instances like this to help tourists in new areas or even function as safety directions for emergencies.

Filling Empty Space:

No event is ever complete without hanging banners. Hanging large banners from the convention center ceiling completes the overall experience when attending an event; it is absolutely ideal. It provides valuable personalization and branding, but it helps you get noticed from afar.

By combining these visual strategies, setting the proper goals, and choosing the right large-format printer, you can effectively boost your brand’s image. Let’s work together to take charge of our visual branding.

.

.

.

Original source: https://www.supercolor.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Short Run Posters: Why And How To Use Them

Are you searching for a cost-effective way to promote an event, market a grand opening, or highlight products and services? Are you an artist looking for a way to sell your art prints? Short-run posters can do the trick. Creating a clean design can make your poster stand out and become a powerful marketing tool that can be hung around town.

With an affordable price, you can profit from the benefits of A3 printing, and they can push you to a profitable ROI. For an artist, this is especially an ideal avenue to keep high margins on your prints.

Increase Turnout to Your Event

Do you need to get the word out about an upcoming event? You can attract the demographic you’re seeking for your event with short-run posters. Below is a list of some events that can often have greater turnouts when advertised with posters.

Local Concerts

Art Shows

Farmers Markets

School Fundraising

Church Events

High School Football

Themed Bar Nights

Return on Investment from this type of advertising might not be easy to quantify if you are hanging them up in addition to sending marketing emails, mailing postcards, or posting on social media.

However, with their low cost and your great design, they will stir up interest in your community and generate word-of-mouth advertising from the people who see them. There are many places you can put them to draw in potential visitors to your event.

Advertising brings in customers, but word-of-mouth brings in the best customers.” – Jonah Berger

Pro Tip: Get permission prior to posting your posters. This will help ensure your ads are not taken down before your event. Do your research and educate yourself about the laws and ordinances in your area. This will pay off in the long run.

Popular venues for posting posters:

Coffee Shops

Bakeries

Book Store

Bars

Boutiques

Colleges

Schools

Community Bulletin Boards

Capitalize on Your Skills with Affordable Art Prints

Frequently artists who work digitally want the ability to sell their art prints in masses through avenues like Etsy, local art fairs, or weekly community markets. Short-run posters give you an affordable option for printing on-demand as needed, and not having to buy large quantities of a print before you are sure it will be a popular seller.

You can advertise your work through an e-commerce site and print them as orders come in. Or print 10 – 20 off before an event and not have to carry a large number of items with you to different locations.

There can be a significant return on investment by selling your artwork printed on short-run posters. Say you want to do a limited run of 100 digital prints.

Community Outreach

Ensure members of your community are aware of events and information that may impact their health, well-being, or local neighbourhoods. Provide daily visual reminders to your community to strengthen your other outreach marketing efforts.

Hanging posters around your community in places such as local cafes, libraries, food banks, grocery stores, and other frequently visited businesses will get the word out to a wide range of community members with the goal of getting them engaged.

Keep in mind that many of these places will have a captive audience while they wait in line to check out or during a mid-day meal. While some people may pass these by with a glance, oftentimes you are going to get repeated views by anyone who has your advertisement in their line of sight for an extended period.

Blood Drive

Neighbourhood Meetings

Community Cleanup

Local Elections

Parades

Food and Clothing Drives

Health Screening Events

Printing posters have proven to be a cost-effective and versatile marketing tool. They’re an exceptional way to expose your business and artwork to potential customers.

Posters continue to be a valuable tool for artists who need to sell their artwork to the masses, and not heavily invest in the front end for large print runs.  With a short turnaround time, you can start printing your posters today.

.

.

.

.

Tips reshared from https://www.primoprint.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Why Flyers Are Still A Useful Tool For Marketing Purposes

Although digital and online marketing has become increasingly popular over the past few years, print media still has its place – and this includes flyers. When they’re done correctly, flyers can be infinitely functional and helpful for your business in terms of both brand awareness and generating sales. This is why:

Flyers are time and cost-efficient

They’re a very affordable marketing medium when printed in bulk, and regardless of the size of your business, maximum return on minimum investment is always a good thing! It’s also relatively straightforward and easy to design and print flyers in South Africa, which means creating them is a very time-efficient process, and in business, time is money. Flyers are particularly useful in marketing because of their wide reach – because they’re most often printed in bulk, you can distribute large volumes of copies to many people in very little time.

Flyers create brand awareness

While people tend to prefer using online resources to discover brands, the large distribution volumes of flyers mean they help tremendously in generating brand awareness. Many people who may not otherwise have found your business online will certainly know about it if they’re handed a flyer at a street intersection, mall or any other public place.

Flyers create credibility and trustworthiness

Unlike many digital sources which are often not very reliable, flyers show that your business has made the effort to use print media, which is often more well-received than online information. Although online information is ubiquitous and useful, it wasn’t that long ago that we had to use newspapers and magazines and the like to get information about brands, and this is still deeply ingrained in consumers.

The ROI on flyers can be measured

It’s true that it’s easier to measure the effectiveness of online and digital marketing because of metrics like impressions, clicks and rates, but it’s still possible to measure the impact of print media like flyers, especially if you include discount codes or promo codes that are unique to the flyer advertising campaign.

Convinced? Consider outsourcing the design and printing of your flyers to professionals – this way you’ll get the most out of your campaign!

.

.

.

.

Info sourced from https://opticblaze.co.za/blog/

[talkingaboutprinting]

How Impressive Window Graphics Benefits Your Business

“I never knew that place existed.” How many times have you said this about a business that blended in like a wallflower but had been around for years? How many times do you think others say the same about your business? Sometimes all it takes to catch the eye of prospective customers is sign printing, like a clever window graphic, placed in a strategic location. Not only are window decals or decorative window film great for retailers, but they also help offices stand out from the competition.

Benefits of Window Graphics

Instant, inexpensive advertising: With window decals, you can tell prospective customers on the street exactly who you are and what you do. With this information, word-of-mouth advertising about your company will grow within your neighbourhood and spread.

Build your brand: To grow a business, you have to build a brand. A plain window doesn’t say much to a person passing by, except for the hours of operation and forms of payment that you accept. A smart window decal, however, turns heads and builds invaluable brand recognition.

Promote specials: You can only do so much advertising in newspapers, through social networking sites and on other forms of media. Give your marketing efforts an extra boost with a window graphic that makes the public curious about what you offer, the latest deals and your services.

Enhance privacy: There are some instances when people passing by don’t need to see everything that goes on inside your business, like when you’re talking to a new client. Other times, there are simply too many distractions outside. A decorative window film quickly solves these problems and gives the privacy that your clients seek.

Offer a better view: Things like a brick wall, back alley or dumpsters aren’t the ideal view for an office. Instead of covering the sight with clunky blinds, consider installing a window graphic instead. Use the graphic to thank your customers for their business, build your brand or offer helpful information.

Provide direction: When people pull instead of push, get confused about parking or don’t know which door to use, let a window decal give the message. The last thing you want to do is frustrate a customer before she even walks through the door.

Attractively shield the sun: Despite the view that you may have out of the window, a blinding sun is a turnoff to customers and reduces worker productivity. Instead, use the sun to your advantage. Use a decal to shield your eyes from the sun’s bright rays while making the colours on your window graphic pop.

Save on city permits: When you want to put up a sign, sandwich board or banner, most cities limit their sizes and/or require the purchase of a permit. If you don’t follow the rules regarding store- or business-front signage, you could receive a fine. Windows, on the other hand, is generally fair game. Use window decals instead of signs and banners to save time and money.

Placement variety: The windows on your business aren’t the only areas where you can use decals. Place a decal on company cars to build brand awareness in your area. Put one in your own car to let the community and your neighbours know that your company exists. Place small decals on mirrors of your business’ restrooms to share simple information, like the company’s Web address.

Some of the best ways to maximize your message are the simplest. Window graphics have evolved from paint that you need to scrape off with a putty knife to sleek, attractive decals that are visually appealing. Your local sign shop can tell you about the options available and give you guidance about what works and looks the best for your needs.

.

.

.

Article shared from https://smallbusinessesdoitbetter.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Expert Tips For Designing Effective And Professional Business Cards

Business cards are a great way to market your business to potential clients, so you want to make the most of them. In this article, you’ll learn how to design cards that are effective, professional, and represent your brand successfully.

Senior Production Print Analyst at First Copy, Richard Budd, said: 

“A good business card needs to have a design that reflects the personality of the business it represents and be able to grab the attention of the prospective client.  The right stock weight, texture and colour are all important things to consider as well as embellishments using custom colours (including Beyond CMYK+) and finishing (rounded edges/embossing/folding).”

1. What information to include

There is limited space on traditionally-sized business cards, so the information you include must serve a purpose because adding unnecessary information will dilute the essential parts. 

Let clients know how to contact you by adding your email address and phone number. Providing two options or more allows the client to select their preferred method of communication. You might list information differently from that on your website, perhaps with more prominent directions to your office, active social media channels, or other relevant details about your business. 

2. Branding

Branding is crucial. It gives your business identity and helps you stand out against the competition. Therefore, incorporating your logo on your business card is a must. Enlarge your logo so that it is unmissable; you may even decide to dedicate a whole side to it.

This business card below, for example, prominently showcases the logo and incorporates the name into the design:

3. Basic design guidelines

Follow basic design guidelines. 

Use high-resolution images and avoid enlarging images whenever possible to prevent distortion.

Design in the correct format. 

Leave 5mm around the trim edge.

Establish a minimum text size that is easy to read.

4. Colour and design

Make your design cohesive with your other business collaterals by using the same colour swatches and design elements. Your business card is an extension of your brand, so you need to make it recognisable, but that doesn’t mean you should limit creativity. Be bold with colour and create eye-catching designs to grab the client’s attention.

5. Typography

Selecting the right typeface can make a huge difference and shouldn’t be overlooked. Pick one that is legible and reflects the feeling of your business. Do you want sans-serif or serif? Perhaps you’d like to digitalise your signature and/or handwriting and use that to add a personal touch to your business card. There are loads of typefaces to choose from so take your time to explore your options. However, if your business has a set typeface in place, it might be best to use those from your style guide.

In this example, cursive script typography adds a personal touch to the design:

6. Don't be afraid of blank space

Blank space isn’t always wasted space, so don’t feel pressured to fill it with unnecessary information or images. Remember, you don’t want to smother the business card in things that will take away from what’s important. Plus, embracing blank space can help with composition, balance, and the overall hierarchy in the design. You may even want to purposefully leave some space for people who like to jot information down on business cards.

7. Business card size, shape and material

The standard business card is 3.5 inches by 2 inches – the ideal size to slip comfortably into a wallet for safekeeping. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick to tradition. You might want to round the edges of your business card, make it square, or do something else entirely to make yours stand out.

Another thing to consider is what material to print on. Traditional business cards are printed on 14 Pt cardstock, which is thick and durable. However, you might want to wow your customers by using something like the Xerox Colotech+ Gloss and Silk-coated paper range to add luxury to your business cards.

8. Multifunctionality

Consider making your business card multifunctional by including special offers or turning it into a loyalty card. By doing this, you are encouraging potential customers to keep hold of your card longer.

In this example, space is optimised by placing the logo in the background with a lowered transparency so text can be layered on top of it. What’s more, business cards can have the potential for multifunctional use -this one demonstrates that by turning one side into a loyalty card, encouraging customers to keep hold of it.

9. Finishing touches

Finishing touches can give an air of luxury to your business card and help you stand out against the competition. Examples include:

Embossing

Debossing 

Colouring the edge of the business card

Rounded corners

Metallic foiled edges

Foil print

Spot gloss

10. Proofreading

Check, check and check again. Get a second opinion because somebody else might spot an error that you overlooked. The expert tip is to print out what you’re working on once you think it’s finished and then proofread that – seeing it in a different format can help you find mistakes.

Is the printed business card dead?

No, we don’t think so. However, you may like to investigate digital or electronic options alongside them and consider how you might merge the physical and the digital with QR codes and the like.

.

.

.

Article shared from https://firstcopy.co.uk/

[talkingaboutprinting]

8 Great Tips For Designing Business Flyers

Flyer printing is an inexpensive way to extend the scope of your marketing reach. A flyer is a small, full-coloured paper that can hold a variety of information including your pressing offers, your product list and contact information.

Small businesses that deliver their products or offer home services can make full use of flyers. Have them passed around in different locations, have them mailed out, or have them inserted in shopping bags upon purchase - the things with which you can extend the use of your flyers are diverse.

Added to this, the full-colour printing makes the flyers attractive, while its size makes it easy to fit in almost any place, a handbag, a wallet or between book pages.

Flyers Musts

Designing your flyers is crucial to the effectiveness of your print to convey the message. Be sure to use the following guidelines when printing flyers.

1) Follow the natural flow of your eyes.

• The natural way of reading or scanning a page is to go from left to right, starting at the top of the page and going to the bottom. Your flyer should hold the most important information in the top left part of the page moving downwards.

• For contemporary layouts, you can always follow the patterns found in most comic books. Lay it out in a number 2 pattern or Z-pattern among others.

2) Use a simple and easy-to-read format.

• Most readers avoid laborious and heavy texts that are tiring to read. Break up long sentences and difficult ideas with bullet points or numbers. This way, the viewer can simply scan through the page and find the most useful information.

3) Avoid overlapping text and illustrations as it decreases readability.

• Dark-colored text should be placed over light-coloured print (preferably black text on white paper.) This helps the eyes isolate the lines and forms of the text from those of the illustrations behind it. The overlapping text also feels heavy and is tiring for the eyes to read.

4) Include eye-catching graphics and illustrations.

• Set aside a part of your flyer for the graphics and illustrations. You can allocate the front side of the sheet for this while leaving the back page for the text. Colours and images attract the eyes and can work to encourage your customers to make the sale.

5) Make an interesting offer on the headline.

• Your customer is always looking for ways to improve their lives and will often take a chance that convincingly shows them how. When you start with an interesting offer, this is more likely to grab your customer's attention than talking about your business.

6) Direct your customers to your website, the telephone, or your store.

• The goal of all marketing is to make a sale. When your flyer neglects to include your contact information, then the possibility of making the sale is lessened.

• Directing your customers to the website is a commitment-free way with which they can gather more information. The website on the other hand is another marketing tool you can use to encourage the sale.

Flyer printing is a must-marketing tool for every business. The ease with which the flyers can be printed and distributed makes them ideal for small and start-up businesses that want to extend their market share. Follow the simple and straightforward flyer guidelines to create effective flyers that get to places.

.

.

.

Tips shared on https://readabilityformulas.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

How To: Checking Your Artwork/ Design For Print

This step-by-step guide will help you through the process of print set-up, making your print experience smooth and hassle-free.

File size

The first thing to consider is the size you would be liking your print to be. Printers need your artwork to be supplied at the size you have chosen on your order, with the addition of a bleed area which will be discussed in the next section. Printers require your artwork to be the size you have chosen on your order.

Bleed

After you have chosen your size, you now need to create a bleed around your artwork. Bleed refers to an additional extended area around the edges of your artwork, which is cut off in the production process. Printing machines have a movement tolerance, without a bleed area, a white line may be visible along the edge of your print. Printers require a 2mm bleed around your artwork. Remember, this area will be cut off, so make sure to not put anything important here!

The safe zone

As well as an additional bleed area, printers also require your design to sit within a safe margin. Important elements to your design, such as text and imagery, should be positioned away from the edge to reduce the chances of it being trimmed off in the production process. Printers require your artwork to be positioned within a 3mm safe zone. For duplexed products, such as double and triple-thick papers, printers require artwork to be within a 4mm margin to counteract any movement within the production process.

Colours

A digital print is created using the four-colour CMYK colour spectrum. It, therefore, makes sense to set up your artwork as CMYK to provide you with a better idea of how your colours will appear once printed. For spot colour printing a Pantone reference will need to be provided for colours outside the CMYK spectrum.

Resolution

To ensure the best quality print, your designs must also be of high quality. What this means is that the resolution of your artwork should be high enough to prevent your artwork from appearing pixelated or blurred once it is printed. Printers require your artwork to be at least 300dpi.

File types

Printers accept a variety of different file types for print. The file types that professional companies that offer printing in Cape Town accept for print are:• PDF• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign• EPS• Jpeg and PNGRegardless of the file type selected, your artwork must adhere to the print specifications detailed above. For editable files, such as Adobe Illustrator, make sure to outline any text and embed any images so that nothing unlinks during the proofing stage.Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Publisher files should be converted to PDF before they are supplied....Info shared from https://aura-print.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

The How To Of Displaying Framed Prints Together

You’ve finally amassed a beautiful collection of photos, A3 prints and framed prints, but do you know how to display them together? If the answer is “no,” don’t worry. Here are a few tips and tricks to create a beautiful gallery wall that shows your unique style, and your excellent eye for art. Don’t be afraid to experiment with some of the layout options below to find the perfect display for your framed print art.

A Linear Display

If your wall space is long and narrow, try lining your prints up in a line. Lay them out on the floor first and arrange them in various patterns to see what pops out. Is there a colour pattern? A design theme? Linear displays are an excellent way to add balance and symmetry to a room. While this type of layout generally works best with wall art of the same size and shape, you can explore frames of varying shapes and sizes to give your space a quirkier feel.

Clustered Prints

If you want your room to have a relaxed, casual feel, try clustering your gallery wall images in asymmetrical groups. This layout works well for frames of different sizes and shapes. You can mix and match vertical and horizontal layouts, patterns, and textures to create a display that reflects your taste. A word of caution: don’t overcrowd your wall space with too many prints. You want each photo to attract your visitors’ eye without getting lost in the crowd.

Follow The Rule Of Three

If you are going for a more conventional, gallery feel with your space, try the tried-and-true “rule of three.” It refers to the idea that odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye and interesting to the observer. Stagger your framed print gallery wall family photos in groups of three, or arrange your prints in mini “collections” across your wall to create a sleek, cohesive look.

Go With (Or Against) The Flow

Is your wall tall and narrow? Try hanging your prints vertically to emphasize the space. If it’s long and low, hang your frames horizontally to flow effortlessly into the layout of your room. On the other side of the coin-- if you’re more of a non-traditionalist and want to create some visual interest in your space, try the opposite. When the eye can’t reconcile the conflicting position of two objects, like a vertical wall with a horizontal frame, the image naturally draws attention. Use the “opposites attract” layout for a piece you’re especially excited to show off.

A Dynamic Duo

While many designers and gallery owners believe that art should be displayed in odd numbers, there is something very satisfying and balanced about a well-paired set of symmetrical prints. Whether it’s a custom framed print of your family, your pet, or complementary prints from your favourite artist--choose two pieces that relate with each other to add immediate harmony to your space.

Showcase Your Staircase

Your staircase is one of the prime locations in your home to display photo prints. Stick to prints of similar shapes and colours to make the most of the space without overwhelming it. Hang frames at eye level or higher, and keep the groupings fairly symmetrical to add balance.

Make Your Own Rules

The most important thing to remember when it comes to creating a gallery wall is that it’s your space. It only matters if you love it. Choosing personalised prints gives that extra character and personality your home might be missing. Experiment with different layouts and prints until you find the one that truly reflects your personality and taste.

.

.

.

.

Originally posted by https://www.canvaspop.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Benefits Feather And Teardrop Banners

More people are using outdoor marketing like teardrop banners to draw attention to their events or business. There are many benefits to using them and we’ve listed a few of those benefits below.

Banners Can Speak Volumes

Both the teardrop and feather banners have the ability to grab the customer’s attention quickly. Whether using them indoors or outdoors, they are offered in a variety of sizes and will get your business or event noticed. There are a few options for hardware.

For indoor banners, you have the option to add a cross base with a pole. For the banners that are used outdoors - your options include a pole and a ground stake.

Easy To Transport

There are a variety of marketing tools such as banners, but they can be difficult to transport and take up a lot of space. However, that is not true with advertising banners. One of the many great things about custom banners is that they are relatively easy to transport because of their size and weight.

This will benefit anyone, but it’s ideal for those who frequently attend events where they promote a product, business or service. If purchasing additional hardware, it will be included in a convenient carry case.

Easy To Set Up and Take Down

Custom banners are probably one of the easiest types of marketing tools to set up and take down. The only thing that you will have to do is set up the stands and add the flag. They will then be ready to promote and advertise your business and start bringing in new clients or promoting a special event.

Affordable

When you compare the options for other event banners, custom-printed banners are more affordable. They are printed on one side of a durable Polyester fabric.

Banners Help Promote Businesses And Events

Custom banners are very versatile. They can be used by many businesses, including restaurants, boutiques, and car dealerships. They can also be used to welcome clients, advertise sales and many other purposes including at trade shows.

Furthermore, use them at different types of events. You can take them to tournaments, weddings, flea markets, concerts, outline booth spaces, and many other places. The possibilities are endless.

Those are just a few of the many benefits that can be reaped from using custom banners. They are a worthwhile investment that can help take your business to the next level. . . . . Compiled by https://www.primoprint.com/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Here’s How You Can Design An Unique Event Flyer

Event flyers are one of the most traditional ways to attract people to your event. They’re also one of the most effective — but only when done right.

Although there’s less buzz about flyers thanks to the dominance of digital channels, they still play a vital role in many organizers’ event promotion strategies. And in fact, flyers don’t always have to live on paper; digital flyers can be just as effective. Whether you’re printing your flyers or not, you’ll need to create beautiful, impactful flyers to actually drive ticket sales.

Here are tips for designing an event flyer that helps you spread the word and sell more tickets:

1. Ensure your text is legible, and keep the key text as visible as possible. In other words, don’t overlay light text over a busy photograph, making it difficult to read.

2. Include key information that will help your event-goers decide if they can (and want to) attend your event or learn more about it. This information includes your event name, the time and date, your venue/location, ticket price(s), and call to action (such as “buy tickets now” or “visit this site to save your spot.”) Other important information to include is your website, tagline, and any hashtags or handles associated with your event.

3. Think about visual hierarchy. Make the most important information (event name, time and date, price, and call to action) more prominent than everything else. Displaying this information bigger or in higher contrast helps it stand out to readers.

4. Don’t forget a call to action. What do you want the reader to do next? Should they scan a QR code, visit your Eventbrite page, or tweet to share with their friends? Try to stick with just one clear call to action to increase your chances of getting people to act on it.

5. Make sure it’s on brand. Your flyer is part of your larger marketing communication strategy and should support the event brand you’ve worked hard to build.

6. Proofread it. Have at least two other people unfamiliar with your event proofread everything to ensure there are no typos. This is especially important if you are printing your flyers, as mistakes can be expensive — and sometimes irreversible.

Now that you know what you need to convey and you have a rough idea of the overall look, it’s time to get your flyer designed. Here are some helpful tools for designing event flyers:

1. Do It Yourself (Beginner)

There are lots of great online DIY design tools out there. One of our favourites is Canva.

The free version lets you pick from a variety of pre-sized templates or choose to create a custom size. Then using its drag-and-drop functionality, you can mock up a professional-looking piece of promotional content in minutes. 

2. Do it Yourself (Pro)

If you’re a bit of a design whiz and want to add a more professional veneer, then the Adobe Design Suite is still a trusted market leader. And it’s not too expensive considering the added power and functionality you get with it.

Even if you’re unfamiliar with Adobe, there are lots of great online tutorials and courses you can take (many of them free) to give you enough understanding to take your design to the next level.

3. Crowdsource it

If you feel uninspired — or don’t trust your design skills — then a very cost-effective design option is using a crowdsource platform like 99 Designs.

The process is simple. You create a short design brief, choose how much you want to pay, and push your request live. Once it’s live, you’ll receive dozens of different designs back from the community. You can then provide feedback on the designs you like, and once you’re happy with one, pick it as a winner.

4. Find freelancers

Services like UpWork are a fantastic source of talent. You simply set up your project parameters, define the type of person you want to hire (based on experience, specific design skills, location, language, and more), and then let the applications come to you. Before you hire someone, you can review their portfolio of work, interview them, and even ask them to complete a basic assignment to see their skills in action.

.

.

.

Tips sourced from https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/

[talkingaboutprinting]

The Great Benefits Of Printing On Vinyl

The first thing you need to know about vinyl printing is that it’s better than printing on paper. Simple. The next thing you need to know is that graphics will look even more awesome once printed on vinyl. Easy. Now, consider the difference in quality you notice between images in a glossy magazine compared with a newspaper. Got a visual? It’s a pretty noticeable difference right? This goes to show that the material you print on will have an impact on the overall outcome and appearance of coloured inks - this is especially true with regards to label printing, but that’s a blog for another day.

Make Your Colour Pop

Printing images on vinyl will make the colours and graphics brighter and more defined, helping the images to stand out and make an impact. Vinyl is a durable material and will last longer compared to paper printing which makes it ideal for posters and banners. Investing in promotional materials that last are also really important so light-fast, sun-resistant inks should be used on vinyl to keep colours and images looking fresh.

Investing In Materials That Last

Vinyl is durable, so your artwork will survive in a variety of conditions, from trade shows and events to indoor office spaces and outdoor business signage. You also have the option of using waterproof or UV-resistant vinyl to prevent damage from rain, sun and wind. As extra protection from the elements, you can even coat the vinyl with a protective layer that is tough enough to tread on, in fact, you could walk all over it! This makes it an ideal material for floor signage and outdoor use.

Create Different Shapes And Sizes

The fun thing about vinyl is its versatility. It can be cut into any shape or size you can think of – that means no limitations on creativity! Now, if that wasn’t enough, you can let your imagination run wild with vinyl, for example, waterproof stickers – they stick to almost anything! Alternatively, you can have vinyl wallpaper prints (or decals, as they’re known) to decorate your office, walls, windows, or storefront. Think inspirational messages on the walls at your gym, sale signs on the windows of your store or creative visual merchandising to attract new customers. It’s a really simple and cost-effective solution for bringing personality to a space. Being lightweight, vinyl doesn’t require a lot of adhesive. This means you can peel it off without damaging the surface it has been applied to. What more could you want?

Convenient And Easy To Buy And Apply

Canvases and mounted boards are difficult to transport (not to mention carry!) and are heavy to hang. In contrast, vinyl is easy to move and reuse. Depending on your selected display structure, it’s generally simple to assemble and if you ever need space-saving storage, vinyl can be easily rolled up without damaging the print.

Vinyl Can Be Used Anywhere And Everywhere

Best of all, vinyl prints are incredibly versatile and can be reused for multiple situations that may arise from time to time. This means you’ll be prepared for any last-minute business opportunities without exhausting your marketing budget or scrambling for old, out-of-date posters in storage. Our tip is to keep a couple of generic pull-up banners, posters or wall-hung banners on hand, in case new opportunities pop up. You can easily advertise your brand at trade shows, special events and shop fronts at a moment's notice. Plus, vinyl is flexible and lightweight so it’s easy for mobile marketing, including vinyl car wraps and boat decals.

Minimise Waste

Vinyl is also great for workplaces with green initiatives. We recommend speaking with your printing supplier about how you can reduce waste by having multiple designs printed on the same sheet of vinyl. This will also help to minimise waste when printing die-cut stickers. Not only is this beneficial for the environment, but it will also save your business money!

Look Like A Professional

Have you ever been to a trade show and looked around at the bright and glossy banners and posters beaming back and thought, “wow, that business must know what they’re talking about?” Well, you can look like that too! Vinyl printing will make your graphics look more professional, clean and crisp. Also, paper creases easily, especially around the corners which makes it prone to tearing and flying away. Remember the posters with the tattered edges you tacked to the walls as a teenager? This is the last thing you want to happen to your materials. Vinyl prints won’t wear out over time, so your brand’s image will always be maintained.

Tips And Considerations For Printing On Vinyl

Will your print be displayed indoors or will it be affected by the sun, rain or wind? If so, you may need to request weather-resistant vinyl or coated layers.

Would it work best printed on sticker vinyl or is it a heavy, large format print that may need an adhesive?

Remember, the greater the GSM (grams per square metre), the thicker or heavier the stock so the vinyl won’t be as flexible.

Discuss the presentation of the vinyl with your printer. Depending on the situation, they may recommend a stand for pull-up banners, special coating for protection, adhesive for application or grommets for hanging.

The benefits of printing on vinyl outweigh those of printing on paper.

.

.

.

Article found on https://www.kwikkopy.com.au/

[talkingaboutprinting]

Innovative Ideas Office Decor - Canvas Prints

What is the one thing that most businesses fail to put as a priority? It is the key to first impressions and last impressions.  You may be missing this in your workplace.  It is your surroundings – the visual working environment. Bring life, love and art into the workplace. An innovative way to add beauty back into ‘business’ is to design the workplace with inspiring canvas prints. Printing giclee on canvas has become a popular form of art for interior design. Adding art to the surrounding walls of a work environment will have a positive effect on all who enter for business. Employees and customers alike will feel welcomed when stunning art stares back at them. For employees, decorate with the intent of creating their second home. For customers, design an inviting and intriguing look to welcome them in. This article introduces five innovative ideas for designing the workplace with gallery-style custom canvas printing.

Bring the Outdoors Indoors with Canvas Prints

One popular subject to print on canvas for any indoor area is an outdoor landscape. We all want to see the sun, admire the mountains, and hear the ocean from an enclosed area. The best one can do to bring this unattainable nature indoors is to print your favourite landscape on canvas. Choose a spacious wall and print size large enough to give the majestic scenery justice. Customizing a canvas print gives you an abundance of options as you can choose any location and reproduce that image on the canvas.

Print the Staff on Canvas

The foundation of a business is the workers. The individuals who build, operate, sustain and grow companies are living and walking business statements. One classic way to design the workplace is to paint portraits of these important people. The hallways of an office building can become a gallery of your business directors. The waiting room of a doctor's office can introduce the patients to their doctor before even shaking hands. A calming and personal relationship overall will develop when customers can first identify the person they are about to meet when they walk through the doors.

Canvas Prints for Office Make Your Walls Talk

Printing meaningful words on canvas is one way to inspire people. Customize on canvas your business statement, motto or slogan in an artistic manner and your customers will immediately know what you stand for. Or choose a general but inspiring statement that the employees will see every day and will constantly be reminded of their goals. Choose a readable font on a simple background so that it's easily read and understood. Give silent walls a voice by printing profound words on canvas prints.

 Print your Product on Canvas

Advertising for your business doesn’t have to stop once a customer walks through your doors. Continue to market your product or service on the walls of your office building. Take high-resolution photos of your products and display them on canvas prints!  Get closeups and creative angles of your product to make it look as desirable and irresistible as possible. This can work with many types of products. If you are a restaurant, display your tasty meals on canvas. If you sell clothing, get vogue shots of models wearing your designs. If it is a service you offer, schedule a photo shoot of your employees working happily with customers. Show how well the customer service is through the composition of your photo. Make sure the employees and customers interact in a friendly manner. Show your customers what kind of service they are about to receive.

Personalize Your Office Art with Photos Printed on Canvas

Bring a piece of your identity and heart into the workplace. Family and friends are what we live for and it's not easy to spend so much time away from them. A creative way to keep their essence close is to have photographic prints hanging in your personal office. Framed photos on the desk do not leave much room for supplies and writing space. The best way to have photos of family in your office is to print them on canvas and hang them on nearby walls. This also allows for more size options. Don’t go as far as printing them life-size! But you can have a decent size print where you can clearly see and feel the love from their smiles. Customizable canvas printing is a great option for designing the workplace to fit the needs of employees and customers. You can upscale the look and feel of the business when stunning canvas prints are part of its decor.

.

.

.

Article source: https://canvasgicleeprinting.com/decorating-with-canvas-prints-innovative-ideas-for-the-workplace/