Print Design TipsTips and Information About Printing

Offset printing makes use of plates and ink to create an image on paper (though originally, the technique was used to create images on tin in industrial England).  This requires plates to be created which is time consuming and labor intensive; the plates are created by burning and mounting reverse images upon the film, typically now computer driven, and by adjusting the output to balance the color and contrast. For this reason, offset printing is not susceptible to making changes, and especially not in the middle of a print run which makes it imperative that proofs are carefully checked prior to giving approval for the print run to proceed.

Digital printing does not require this heavy labor-input or the cost of creating the plates upfront – everything is software driven, so the first printed piece can be created without incurring great set-up costs.  The catch with digital printing is that offset printing provides greater quality of reproduction and when large print runs are involved, the overall cost drops dramatically because the high set-up costs are spread over a large number of pieces.

The question arises as to when a client should opt for offset printing as opposed to digital printing, so here are a few guiding hints and tips to consider.

Quality

If you are seeking to create a great impression with a glossy marketing brochure, you are going to want the enhanced quality provided by offset printing methods.  Digital printing does deliver high quality reproduction levels and which is catching up with traditional offset methods, but it still lags some way behind them.

Print Run Sizes

The size of print run will determine the economics of the case – print runs of less than a 1,000 will favor using digital printing methods as the high set-up costs are not present, however the variable cost of digital printing is relatively higher than for offset printing.  Larger print runs will cause a financial argument to move towards using offset printing.

The number of repeat print runs you are likely to need will also form part of the financial case.  If you are going to need extra print runs, you should ensure the printer is aware of this so they keep the plates – this will avoid the need for incurring the set-up costs all over again when you place a re-order.

Turnaround Times

If you have a rush job that needs to be done overnight, it is unlikely you will be able to source an offset printer who can manage the job for you.  Digital printing on the other hand, involves setting up the print run using a computer and software – changes can be made on the fly and there is a dramatically reduced turnaround time.  Offset printing is more suitable when you have enough time to provide adequate notice to your printer so proofs can be created and properly checked before the print run takes place.

Summary

There are obviously more issues than these few factors in determining whether you should use an offset printer or opt for digital solutions – quality, time and cost are amongst the most important ones however, and you should discuss your immediate and long-term job requirements with your print partner to assess which is the best method of delivering the material effectively for you.

Whatever the business communication you are working on, even if it is not something for business use, the art of getting your message across is to concentrate on putting into words and images what is in your head.  This is what writing is really about – conveying your thoughts into a message which will be understood in someone else’s head and as a print design tip, it is one of the most powerful.

Two things come out of this – firstly, that it is important you think clearly and are able to visualize what you intend to have as a finished product to offer your audience; this includes conceptualizing the entire process from first encounter with a prospect, the anticipated journey through the buying process and the final delivery and after-sales care which you want to deliver.

Secondly, while you want to conceive of a clear message from your side of the divide, you want the prospect to understand your message – for them to understand the problem they have, for them to realize this can be tackled and that it is in their interests to act, and when they decide to act, that they understand you are the provider of the solution above all others.

This is a lot to take in but we can boil this down to very simple concepts and the most important is to focus your ad, your section of a brochure, your chapter in a white paper – whatever the print project is – to focus on selling one thing at a time!

Let’s take an ad – how many times have you seen an ad which has a great product or service with a fantastic price, but you can’t see where you have to call or email or what you are supposed to do?  There is just too much information being thrown at you from the piece that you suffer overload?

In fact, you probably are not aware of any such ads because your brain has automatically shut them off from your consciousness - it is only when you go looking for bad examples that you will become aware of them.

The rule is – one ad – one message.

This does not preclude you from exercising your creativity – it is not enough to say, “Buy this one now! Call 800-800-8080!”

Pick one of your products and then reverse engineer; look at what the product is able to do, what purpose does it serve, what unique problems or applications does it have?  Once you have identified these, what are known as Unique Selling Points or USP’s, you can then identify the target market which this problem afflicts; you can now craft your ad very specifically and very deliberately telling this target section that you have the answer and they need to buy your product.

This is important as if you leave focus, your ad, your brochure, even your simplest of business cards, will become muddled and incoherent and this reflects on your business and you.

In part one we covered why books are still the main form of dissemination of information – more so than the internet, TV or radio and any other form of printed media.  Books have credibility and in-built authority which can be tapped into by producing booklets – a cut-down version of a book which contains nuggets of information and allows you to mix your sales message into the content.

Here we continue with Booklet Design 101.

A guiding principle is to add value to your reader and their investment of time in reading what you wrote.  Provide information which is practical and usable by the reader.  A good example is a home improvement company – give advice on how to fix a shelf; a garage – car care; a doctor – healthy living or how to give up smoking.

Maintain the “uniformity of message” and this means being consistent throughout the booklet – a simple way of doing this is to ensure you use the same images throughout the booklet or if you are using different ones, that you ensure they are all to the same consistent quality, subject and format.  If you use diverse images and formats, you will detract from the impact and allow the booklet to deteriorate into a patchwork of ideas which will become easily lost, not least because you will easily lose the attention of the reader.

It’s a good idea to allow for some space for your reader to make some notes – a “jotting pad” at the end of each section or page,   By doing this you are personalizing the booklet to your reader and this is especially effective if they make use of the invitation – people rarely dispose of a document upon which they have written some notes!

As with any business literature, make it easy for a reader to find your contact information.  It may not be possible for you to have your telephone, email address or mailing address on every page but it is certainly practical to try or to have contact information repeated throughout the booklet.  Do not ignore this because when a reader encounters a piece of information in your booklet, they are likely to experience a “Eureka” moment – that is, they understand how your information can provide a solution to an issue they have – when that happens, they will want to contact you quickly.

Though a booklet may not be a purebred sales document (although it can be), this does not mean that you abandon marketing principles – as a reader goes through the booklet, there should be calls to action provided.  Examples are: an electrician – make sure you perform an annual electrical equipment safety inspection; medical – contact your doctor for a cholesterol test on a regular basis; garage – make sure you rotate your tires every 7,000 miles.

There are many other issues to cover but just because the document is a booklet and not a full-blown book does not mean you should skimp on the creativity or thought behind developing it.

We will continue with Booklet 101 in Part 3 with more hints and practical tips for you to improve the effectiveness of your efforts.

Novice designers, and this includes those who are finding themselves tasked with a design project for the first time, are frequently floundering when it comes to some of the basics of print design.  New technology is making the task of putting together brochures and newsletters all the more easier, but it is the slight hint of amateurism which can detract from an otherwise highly professional looking document.

Here are some of the issues we frequently encounter when being asked to help out.

Make Sure You “Bleed”

The bleed is that part of the document around the edges which the printer uses to manipulate the document – imagine you need a space at the edge of a photograph which allows you to hold the photo – a printer uses the bleed to correct design inaccuracies and optimize print production.

You may sometimes have to dig around your software package to find the bleed settings but it is essential you make sure they are set at an appropriate bleed.  Typically, a 3mm is fine for most pieces of work.

Use Overprinting if the Budget is Tight

When the budget is constrained, it is usual for a client to restrict themselves in the use of color.  This can lead to a dull or lifeless finished product but many people, including printers and designers, forget that most of our color spectrum is actually a compound of three primary colors.  That being the case, try using overprinting to create great color effects using only the minimum of colors, you only need 2 colors to make 3!

Using this technique you can create great image effects using photographs and other images, so don’t limit yourself.

Expand the Mind and Think Outside the Paper

Our minds will fill in information we expect to see, so play around with the print subjects at the borders of the paper and even though most of the image or text may be missing, the reader’s brain will complete the gaps.

Here’s an example of how the human mind can do this – try reading the following:

“The hmaun barin si ecelxlnet ta flinlig gpas ni ttex”

You should be able to read, “The human brain is excellent at filling gaps in text.” – as long as the starting and ending letters are in the right position, it doesn’t matter what order the other words are in – we can still read it.

Don’t Be a Slave to Standard Paper Sizes

Using a standard paper size can stifle creativity and the impact of your finished document.  How about using a square paper shape to create an interest, especially effective for booklets?  If you are looking to motivate and persuade people to take your document away with them, use a small paper size so it fits comfortably in their pocket or cane be stashed quickly and easily.

Don’t restrict yourself when it comes to getting your project off the ground, there are lots of different ways in which you can inject interest and vitality into any document.  It does require a desire and ability to let go of some preconceived notions and think, quite literally, outside of the “box”, or at least, the sheet of paper!

Using full-color printing for your letterhead will enhance your brand image and cement the marketing message in the minds of those receiving the letterhead. Creating a brand identity is an essential component of differentiating yourself from the competition and as your letterhead is seen by so many people, not just your customers, it pays to design it with your branding in mind.

An easy differentiator is to use full color – using one or two-color letterheads color schemes does not allow you to be differentiated much – using full color will let you create a simulated watermark, using your logo, you can add a design to the reverse, unused side or use photographic images far more effectively. Using full color will allow you to more completely customize not only the letterhead, but the entire stationery package far more effectively than using one or two colors, meanwhile, the vast majority of letterhead and stationery packages rely on single or dual color schemes so you can more easily and effectively achieve a brand differential with full-color.

This leads us onto the wider aspects of your business printing requirements. Letterheads are seen by more people than any other piece of business stationery but they are not the only tool in your arsenal – business cards are probably a close second to business letterheads, but there are numerous other opportunities where you will be using printed matter to send to customers, business partners and suppliers, prospects and general public, local and government agencies (such as the I.R.S. but also think of the budgets wielded by a local county which needs millions of dollars of external contracted-in services and products).

Invoices, receipts, compliments slips, business cards and don’t forget the envelopes, all provide an opportunity to promote your logo, company name, tagline and your contact information. Every occasion you have for sending printed materials for any reason should have the same basic components which provide a uniformity of message and image to all who see them. By ensuring that you are following the same theme with your stationery package you are seizing every opportunity to promote your business and engender the “idea” which is your brand identity.

Never underestimate how many people will see your letterhead and stationery package – it is not just the recipients of your letters or the accounts clerk who processes your invoice – send a letter through the mail and your letter will be handled by a number of mail workers before it gets to destination; if your recipient is in an office block, numerous other people will see the package or letter before it gets placed on the desk of whoever it is intended for. This is minor in comparison to many other marketing efforts but the effect is compounded by repeating the same thing over and over – the result is that your simple envelope and letterhead become synonymous with you as a business and this is the sign you have created a brand identity.

Most of your competitors will not be taking the time or energy to create a stationery set which clearly differentiates themselves from the rest of the pack – it does not need a great deal of time on your part nor a huge investment but this is an easy win for you.