Print Design TipsTips and Information About Printing

When selecting the printing company to cater for your marketing requirements, it is important to familiarize yourself with what products they offer, examine the different print quality, artwork, colors, layout, font and wordage used … promotional brochures must deliver your message with maximum impact, displaying at a glance the professional service offered by your company.  

Both quality and cost can vary significantly so ensure that you have been informed of any special deals that may be on offer, only order large quantities if you are likely to use them all to avoid the risk of a false economy! 

Make sure that the printing company are aware of any important time schedules you may have, and obtain assurance that they can meet any dead-lines. 

The essential Information to include on a detailed draft layout is: your Company name, logo, graphics, photographs, or digital images. Contact details, including address with zip code, web site, email, telephone number (many people forget this one) and remember, your customers will vary in their choices of how to communicate with you so it is important that you cater for their needs.  

Include all services that your company offers but don’t focus so much on what you do and who you are – focus on what problems and needs you can satisfy and solve for your prospects and customers because that is what they are looking for.

When your Brochure is ready for print, consult the printing company design team for advice, after all, it is their expertise that you are paying for!  Most print and design shops that are worth the name will be able to take your brief and information on CD, DVD or email and you can also send a print-out of the artwork for their reference.  This makes sure that everyone is working from the same material and pool of ideas so you are not disappointed when you get the proofs.

If you’re considering a company marketing campaign, you will most likely need quality printed promotional collateral as they are a powerful tool in your sales armory. 

A two-fold brochure is an easy and attractive means of presenting your company to potential clients and with a little research into the work produced by the copious number of print and design companies available to undertake this work for you, you are going to see a wealth of choice.

Make sure you request samples of their work and pay special attention to the design; is the artwork-eye-catching?  Are the colors powerful enough – it has been scientifically proven that people are more likely to respond to color and retain information! Does the wording inspire you to read all the content?  What is the overall feel of the quality of the finished product they are producing?  How happy are their existing customers?  What other projects have they carried out that are similar to your own needs?

Once you have satisfied yourself that you have found the perfect printing company, make some notes on how you wish them to portray your business and the services you offer.  Communication with the design department is crucial if they are to understand your requirements and they should have the expertise and production capabilities to deliver what you are looking for but you will need to clarify what you wish to portray.

You need to present an impressive impact in order to glean the most productive response to your marketing campaign.

Consider the extent of your marketing campaign, it is usually far more economical to order in larger numbers (but only if you need that quantity) while there are often offers of other stationery and printing supplies at much lower prices if all are included in the same order: business cards, headed notepaper, reports, packaging etc.

Discuss and agree the prices in advance of placing your order to save disappointment when presented with your invoice.

The information and ideas you have provided will be used along with the professional skills of both the design and production teams to produce a proof for your examination.  Don’t pay for your printing until you have examined the proof and agree it is correct, free of errors and what you are looking for because it is too late to argue once the job goes to print.

Whether you’re seeking gift ideas, invitations to a special event, production of your club newsletter or company marketing, you will appreciate the ever-increasing selection of products available from the modern print company.

Illustrated stationery printed with the personal details of a friend or family member or even for your own use. These can be stylish, modern, or as traditional as you wish. The choice of lavish packaging is amazingly extensive. Playing cards, drink coasters, all printed with your own design, or from the huge selection offered by the printer with your own message!

Birth announcements, party invitations, wedding stationery, just inform the print-shop of your wishes when ordering, chose the design from their extensive range on offer, or supply your own.  What nicer gift for a new born baby than a photo album personalised with the family details and information about the Baby’s progress throughout the first year or even five years for the larger version. 

Maybe have a family photo printed on the front cover!!  

An album depicting the life of a loved one due to reach a special Birthday or retirement, including photos of them and their school friends, work colleague’s, special events enjoyed over the years.

How about personalizing your wine or beer with your own labels to enhance the bottles for the occasion to add a touch of class when you present a bottle of home made wine, jar of preserves as a gift or at the table! 

How about personalizing your clothing embossed with your club emblem or sport-team’s name, fund raising paraphernalia for your club/team/charity, calendars with pictures of your choice, be it pets, nature, scenery, or even photographs of your club/team members. Mugs with your team logo, even have your team photo printed on. Pens printed with a logo or contact details…the choices are endless!

Printing companies advertize in a variety of places, including the internet.  Before deciding on which company will undertake your work, take a look at the product they use in their own marketing propaganda.  Many now promote the environmentally friendly properties of all materials used in the production of their printing process.  Consider the force with which your attention is captured by both the artwork and text. Pay special attention to the use of color, this has been proven to be what initially catches the prospective customers eye and maximizes absorbtion of information from the content. Are their prices competitive?  Prices vary incredibly widely and almost all printer sales consultants will negotiate a special price if you select them to supply all your printing needs, even your plain envelopes!!

Once you have made your selection, you must decide if you will submit your own design or take advantage of their experienced, in-house design team.  Although you will be given expert advice and guidance by your consultant, you will need to provide information about your company, the products and services on offer.

Firstly, consider the choices of what form of advertizing material you wish them to produce for you, and what quantity you require.  You may simply need as little as just the basics with envelopes, plain or printed with your company details, headed notepaper, compliment slips, business cards, or, all of this stationery and marketing collateral and reports.  It is advisable to use the same design, color, company logo on all of your printed products to enable your clientele to recognise your communications at a glance.

Marketing materials are also offered by the printer.  Leaflets or flyers are one of the most cost effective promotional techniques.  The design from your company stationery will enhance the immediate impact on existing clients, and familiarise your company to new clients. Consider your client-base and what is most likely to attract their attention to maximise an effective marketing campaign.

You’re planning as to how your Business Marketing Budget should be most wisely used, and inevitably this will include printing costs! Whether you decide to produce a glossy catalog depicting and describing your product in great detail, or a flyer merely listing the services your company offers, you will need to undertake a little research to locate the printing company that best caters for your requirements. 

The most expensive mass-mailing production is the catalog. The advantage of this choice is that your catalog is like supplying a portable, unobtrusive salesman who can enter your potential client’s business premises or home for them to refer to at their leisure.  The content must be dynamic; your product must be enhanced by the design elements and color, not competing with them.  Avoid overwhelming your customer with lengthy descriptions; condense your text to descriptions that hold their interest.  Arrangement of your products is important, place popular and lower priced articles to the front, graduating to the more expensive, superior items.  You may consider using speciality products on the outside covers.

Color leaflets depicting a sample from each of your product ranges are a much less expensive alternative to a catalog.  You can more afford the risk of a percentage of potential clients never doing more than putting it through the shredder!!  The same options are offered by the print company as with the catolog but pay special detail to the color and limited space for description detail.

At the lower end of the price spectrum is the ‘Flyer’ a single, usually two-color information sheet.  The limited space available for artwork and description of your company and product can be compensated by clever design and vibrant coloring.

Which ever option you choose for your company marketing campaign, it is essential that careful checking of all details be made prior to printing.  It is a good idea if the editing is carried out by two different people to double the opportunity to correct any errors that one person may miss!!