Custom Printing

Custom Printing: Do’s and Don’ts for 2015

January 6, 2015

Do your paper printed products reflect your company’s brand and image?

The paper products used by your business can boast some impressive marketing power if created with your brand in mind. Since a form, a receipt, a business card and a fax letterhead may stay with your customer long after the purchase has been made or the meeting is over, you should create your paper printed products with care. Think of every single paper item that leaves your business as a potential piece of advertising for a new or repeat customer.

DO have business cards printed. Some may say you don’t need any business cards in 2015, and that the web has eliminated the need, but the truth is that business cards are just as strong a printed product as ever. You want to make a good impression, so start with your most commonly handed out piece – the business card. Does it look professional and leave the right image?

DO use high quality cardstock and paper. Add professional grade artwork or graphics, and include the correct information. Make certain that you will be remembered by the recipient – if, six months down the road, they can’t make a connection between the card and yourself then your card has failed the test. Your name, your company’s name, what you do and all contact information should be front and center.

DON’T ignore your receipts. These are something that shouldn’t be thrown immediately away by your customer, but kept for future reference. Include your guarantee, or a discount offer for the next purchase, in order to convince the holder to retain it for the next time they need a product or service you provide. By making your receipts full sheet size and using heavier paper than the typical receipt machine, you can make them harder to misplace and more likely to be properly filed away.

DO make everything match. Your stationery and letterhead should match your cardstock in font, style and quality. by maintaining consistency across all print mediums, you establish and reinforce your brand. Use an easy to read font, use left alignment in most cases, and consider what colors you should use to attract the audience you desire. Red gives a sense of urgency, and is excellent for advertising same day service, for example.

DON’T be afraid to get creative. Consider making up a fun job title for yourself; for example, instead of “CEO” of a dog sitting service, try “DBF”. When people ask, you can say you are “Dogs’ Best Friend”! It’s an excellent conversation starter, and a little humor goes a long way.

All of your contact points should deliver the same message – that you know what you are doing and do it better than anyone else! By ensuring that your paper printed items are consistent and attractive, you make recipients more likely to hang onto them and refer back to you as their preferred provider – no matter what you are selling!

Make Your New Year’s a Green One: Screen-printed Totes

December 28, 2014

Heading into 2015, look for ways you can move in an eco-friendly direction! One easy way to step up your “green game” is by cutting out paper and plastic bags. If you run a business and have to bag products for customers to carry out, screen-printed tote bags could be a terrific option.

Custom printed totes aren’t just earth friendly, they are a wonderful way to advertise your business. By providing customers with something reusable, you automatically gain a higher ROI – the bags can be used over and over for a variety of purposes and increase your brand visibility. Your Long Island screenprinter can help you create a new branding initiative for the New Year that falls in line with your other marketing efforts.

Start by selecting the size and type of bag on which you wish to have your company name and logo screenprinted. Think about your product and what kind of support it needs. Will a flat bag do, or do you need a boxy tote with a solid floor for added strength? What about handles – is a long over the shoulder or cross chest strap best, Or two simple handles for an easy one-handed carry?

Look for quality. The thread count of the bag and the type of material used will have an effect on the success of the screenprinting. Too weak of material will tear. Sloppy stitching will cause handles to detach and seams to unravel. The longer the bag lasts, the longer it continues to be used and acts as a prime form of advertising, so go for good materials over shoddy, cheap bags or totes.

The color of the bags can vary, but ensure that your logo will show up well. You may wish to use simply the name of your store, add a company motto or slogan, or go all out and put your contact information on the custom printed tote as well.

Once your newly screenprinted totes have arrived, distribute them! You can go one of two ways:

Sell them (this is good for high quality totes; offer them half off with a purchase of over $20 or whatever limit you set.
Give them away for free with any purchase. This is a fine option if you ordered in bulk and went with a small, inexpensive option.

You can encourage repeat business by giving any customer who comes in carrying the bag they received previously a discount. It doesn’t have to be huge – just a small incentive to get them to carry the tote around as much as possible!

Your local Long Island print shop can help you decide what kind of screenprinted tote bag is best for your needs Place your order as soon as possible, and start the New Year with a brand new outlook!

Order your 2015 Calendars Now!

December 5, 2014

Did you know? Calendars are possibly the highest use give-away item your business can create and pass out to customers, next to pens. Who can’t use another attractive calendar in their home? By ordering your own custom printed calendars in advance of the New Year, you have the best chance of being the calendar chosen by customers to hang front and center in their home or office. Since nearly 98% of all homes and 100% of all businesses use at least one calendar, this is a terrific way to keep your company in their thoughts!

You can easily leverage the power of custom printed calendars; it’s a simple matter to hand them out to your clientele or bag on with their latest purchase. Calendars are proven to work – research shows you can see a 7-10% increase in clientele with promotional calendars.

How can you help ensure that your calendar is used regularly? First, ensure the calendar is provided as close to the start of the New Year as possible (before they have a chance to go shopping for one themselves). Second, seek out your most valuable potential clients and get your calendar into their hands.

For example: If you provide dog grooming services, ask your local vet if you can set a stack of your free calendars in their waiting room!

Promotional product studies show that people don’t just appreciate receiving custom printed calendars; they actually become more likely to purchase products and services from the company that provided the calendar!

Don’t stick with the just one custom calendar option. Think about your client base and what their various needs might be.

You can hand out customized stick-up calendars that provide a quick and easy reference point for scheduled appointments.
Everyone loves a traditional wall calendars. Jazz up your custom printed version with attractive photos
How many times does the average person ask “what date is it?” They’ll love calendar magnets they can stick on the fridge, for quick reference in any situation.
The same goes for pocket calendars that fit in a pocket or a purse – these are especially handy when writing a check or confirming an appointment on the go.
Have a higher end customer base made up of business executives? Consider professional desk calendars to help track business appointments and client meetings.
Catering to the family crowd? Make mom happy with a customized daily planner to keep everyone’s schedule at her fingertips.

The custom printed calendars you give away at the start of 2015 will provide an ROI that lasts all year. Call your local Long Island printer today, and get a head start on the competition!

Holiday Card Printing

November 16, 2014

Are you thinking about the holidays yet? If not, it’s time. The holidays are an ideal opportunity to let your business contacts know just how much you value them. Everyone deserves appreciation, from your vendors to your clients and even colleagues in the same industry. Don’t forget your employees!

Custom company holiday card printing gives you an opportunity to both express your appreciation and remind your contacts of your business. Thanking the people who make your company the success that it is a gateway to successful future interaction.

It’s a relatively inexpensive gesture of goodwill. Custom printed, personalized business holiday cards are affordable, and allow you to add an update if needed (“Now accepting new clients”, perhaps, or “Check out our holiday discounts!”) You can instill a nice professional appearance by having each card carefully embossed with your corporate logo – try gold or silver foil for extra flash and class!

Don’t wait until December to order your company’s holiday cards. It takes time to have the design worked out and the cards printed, and you will still need to arrange the addressing and posting. Buy checking into custom holiday card printing now, you can cross another item off of your holiday to-do list!

Remember, your card will be a reflection on your business. A cheap, generic looking card (or heaven forbid, an e-card) won’t make an impact. However, a gorgeous, customized holiday card that is personalized with your company logo and enclosed in a matching envelope with your return address inn flowing script will make a great impression.

Keep it simple, however. Ensure you don’t cause insult by choosing a neutral greeting that won’t alienate either religious or secular contacts – “Seasons Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” are excellent options, and you can stick with calm winter scenes or pictures of presents and avoid religious symbols. This keeps you from worrying about whether your card should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah”!

If you can, include a photo – this could be of your company building, with the storefront decked out for the holiday, or of the staff dressed up in Santa hats. Humor is your friend, as long as it is clean and respectful.

Finally, mail your custom printed company holiday cards out two weeks in advance of the holiday for maximum exposure between the time of receipt and after the New Year when everything is usually discarded!

Ready for your holiday cards to be created? Contact us today for delivery in plenty of time for mailing out your cards!

Embroidery vs Screen-Printing

November 7, 2014

Are you trying to choose between ‘screen-printing’ or ‘embroidery’? The best options really depends on a variety of factors – your budget, your time frame, and your intended use for the finished product.

Screen-Printing

Screen-printing allows you to create incredibly detailed images in any size you wish. There are two steps to screen-printing: preparation and production.

The desired image is adapted for screen-printing, the different colors separated, and a series of screens made to apply the color. Once preparation is complete, production can begin.
The item to be printed (often a shirt) is laid flat and held steady. The colored emulsion is pressed through the mesh of the screen, and depending on the color of the shirt, may be flash cured before moving on the next color. After drying, the shirt is ready to wear!

The main time investment for screen-printing comes from the prep-work, not the process itself. The artwork and screen preparation take time, but the actual printing process can be very quick, with runs numbering in the hundreds or even thousands possible in a single day.

Embroidery

Embroidery has two steps as well, and can create durable artwork on the item in question. However, it is not suitable for extremely complex, large, or detailed images.

The desired design must be digitized using embroidery software to convert the artwork into a replicable format. The design is then loaded into the embroidery machine and the machine threaded with the correct colors of thread.
The machine then reproduces the image, usually starting working backwards and layering on the colored thread. Most machines have a maximum of 12 colors and can run up to 8 identical reproductions at once.

The main time investment with embroidery varies depending on the complexity of the design and the size of the batch. Complex designs take longer to digitize and reproduce, while simple, one color designs can be rushed into production quickly.

Cost and Benefits

The cost of screen-printing is usually less than that of embroidery (exceptions apply). However, embroidery lasts much longer; standing up to multiple washings and dryings. Screen-printing is a good choice for printed promotional products, while embroidery is generally better for corporate wear.

Not sure whether your project should be completed in Embroidery or Screen-Printing? Talk to one of our experts and find out which is best for your specific circumstance. We can embroider and screen-print almost any type of fabric.

October is Fire Prevention Month!

September 30, 2014

Are you ready for Fire Prevention month? Your business can take the lead in your community by promoting fire safety. This is something that affects every person in every state, county and town across the country. Your business can help spread the word about fire prevention during the month of October using printed items, which can be handed out to children to educate them about the dangers of fire and how to keep themselves and their families safe.

fire-exting Each year, fires cause hundreds of avoidable deaths as well as millions of dollars in property damage! However, over 50% of all fires are completely preventable. In many cases, fire is caused by carelessness or lack of common sense in fact, 10% of fires are caused by cigarettes, matches, or other smoking materials; another 10% are caused by unattended candles or stoves, and 10% more are caused by improperly stored chemicals or flammable materials.

By distributing fire prevention products, you can be part of the solution! Help educate children and their families about fire safety with items like:

Coloring books
Crayon packs
Small totes or sacks
Memo books
Stickers
Helmets
Frisbees
Balsa wood gliders
Rubber bracelets
Magnets
Cups

All of these custom printed items plus informational brochures about fire hazards can be quickly and easily printed and delivered to your company base by your local Long Island printer in plenty of time for National Fire Prevention Week (scheduled for Sunday Oct. 6 through Saturday, Oct. 12 in 2013)

Every goodie bag full of printed fire prevention items can help a child learn about how they can help prevent fires. Every season we hear about young children who have helped to prevent fires and who have saved lives by showing their parents unsafe conditions in their home.

Even adults can slip up and miss dangers like paint cans stored in warm basements, trash kept too near a furnace, or old rags stored in a closet by a fuse box. A child’s fresh eyes can pick up on these hazards, especially when they have just learned about them thanks to a fire prevention kit!

Don’t forget to have your Long Island print shop add your business information to the fire prevention items you order for your company to distribute. This will mean the items you give away provide a lasting advertisement for your busi9ness – you might be surprised at how many customers remember your name and drop in the next time they need the products or services you provide!

Plan your giveaway in conjunction with a store sale, and pin p some flyers announcing the free gifts or even have a radio spot on Fire Prevention week to drive traffic to your place of business. You can distribute the bags to children from your store, or participate in a larger community event in your town if you like.

This is a great way to serve your community and make life a little safer for everyone living in it! Ask your Long Island printer about fire prevention week items today!

Are You Overlooking Custom Printed Paper Items for your Business?

September 24, 2014

A great way to help bring in repeat business is by ensuring that your clients have a strong reminder to return. While your paper, envelopes, and business cards are certain to be custom printed, have you considered a way to get your branding onto other paper printed materials in your place of business?

If you sell anything, whether product or service, you have the opportunity to remind your client or customer to hang onto their receipt. This should be larger than a simple cash register or credit card slip! Customizing your receipt system makes it easy for people to file your receipt away for future referral.

Having a stack of custom printed receipts makes it easy. Simply have your company name, information, guarantee, return policy, and more printed on a full sized sheet of paper. You can even include a discount offer or coupon on this side. Stack the receipts in your printer, so that you can print the backs with the customer’s actual purchasing information. They will have a receipt with a built in ad on it, and a reason to hang on to their receipt!

This manner of organizing your customer is highly professional, and makes it easier for customers to remember both what you have done for them recently and what you can possibly offer them in the future!

Gift certificates are another area your company can shine. If you are in an industry that provides any sort of personal service – from manicures to birthday party planning to gourmet pastry baking – offering customers the chance to share their favorite vendor with friends and family is an excellent idea.

Your Long Island printer can easily create stylish looking gift certificates which you can sell. You can also donate certificates to local charities or youth groups to use in raffles, or give away small certificates with purchases to lure existing customers back in to spend more.

If your business encourages regularly scheduled visits – such as dog grooming, haircuts, next oil change, dental cleanings, or more, you can have custom printed items created specifically for these purposes. Consider printed stickers that can have the next scheduled appointment or reminder written on them, to be taken home and simply peeled and stuck to the client’s calendar.

Don’t stay with boring printed paper items for your office. Look for ways to keep your brand in front of customers in new and exciting ways!

Why your Office Needs Professionally Printed Paper Products

April 25, 2014

Why should you seek out a professional printer for your in-office products? In this age of “find the cheapest way”, many offices go the online route, but using a local New York printer can set you head and shoulders above your competition.

Cheap prices from online vendors are often a sign of lack in quality, so don’t fall for ads that advertise low prices on printed products. Any savings you might see would be undone by shipping costs and you won’t be happy with the finished products. Likewise, printing your own papers out can be prohibitively expensive once you factor in the enormous cost of ink, paper and cardstock, so it is in your best interests to cultivate a relationship with a professional printer.

While digital cards are good for sending along with emails, a physical copy is important for occasions such as meetings or other in-person events. Your business cards are often the main physical link your client has with your company after meeting you. A flimsy card isn’t worth the paper it is printed on. Business cards reflect your company, and a high quality, well laid out card is a fantastic introduction for your business. Go for a card with clean cut edges and on center print, and make sure to get them printed on heavy cardstock, since some cards may live long lives in people’s wallets or briefcases.
Brochures can also provide important first impressions, and should be printed on reliable paper that will not bend when put in briefcases & bags. High quality images should be placed on glossy paper, and they should be attractive enough to keep, increasing chances of future business. Spend the extra money for a professionally designed brochure printed by a professional printer, and the end product will be well worth it to both you and your customers.
Postcards and direct mail pieces are the third type of first impression, and should also be handled by a print shop with an eye to detail. Slick and professional mail options are important, and the incentive to open them and hang onto them is vital. Matching letters and envelopes look formal and eye catching. Avoid blank, computer generated stickered mailers, since they will go straight to the junk pile. Make sure to include a logo, return address and phone number on the envelope, so even if they don’t open it, they have your information on hand. Your Long Island printer can help you produce high quality versions of all of these products as well as other incentive materials that can help your business receive the recognition it deserves.

Every item that comes out of your company should be a marketing opportunity, and professionally printed paper products can help you boost your brand!

Using a Custom Printer for Community Event Flyers

March 28, 2014

Printed flyers can be utilized for many different events throughout the year! There are a few tips you should follow when planning your community event flyers – use them as a guide, then find a custom Long Island printer to help you refine your choices, create your flyers, and deliver everything you need to make your event a success!

Flyer Layout

Begin with graphics. You can use your company logo, find a piece of royalty free clip art, or have a member of your group create a great original piece of art you can use. Remember, the more colors you use on your flyer, the more expensive it will be to print! Think ahead and consider options to ensure a proper color contrast between your logo or image and your background flyer color.

Flyer Text

Depending on the community event and those expected to attend, you may choose a font that is informal (Arial), dignified (Times New Roman), fun and kid oriented (Curlz) or even a sketchy, hand written type of style. Don’t be tempted to go crazy with fonts, however, pick at the most two and stick with just a couple of font sizes as well, with the time and date in large print as they are what people need to remember. Stay with a max of two colors for the text to avoid confusion. Above all, your flyer should remain easy to read and understand.

Flyer Style

Too much text will be consider TLDR (Too long, didn’t read) by the current generation! It’s a flyer, not a treatise. If you need to supply a large amount of info, do so with sub headers and bullet points, and break things up with images to tempt readers into attending the event. You can always provide contact info on the flyer, so people have the option to get more information via phone or on a website or social media page.

Flyer Posting

Basically, consent is key. If a sign says: “no signs or flyers”, don‘t post. Do not post flyers on trees, telephone poles, or cars. When in doubt, ASK. Request permission to post flyers at schools, churches, community centers, or government offices. You can also try businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, and other popular gathering places; just ask if you can post a flyer or leave a few for patrons to read.

Viking may have ideas and suggestions for your flyers as well! You want your sponsored community event to be well attended and enjoyed, and creating the perfect flyer then distributing it properly is the first step towards successfully pulling that off.

How Custom Printed Stationery & Envelopes Bring Professionalism to Your Company

February 11, 2014

Do you know what the top ordered paper products for large and small businesses are? Custom stationery and envelopes! While of course you can simply use any old paper and handwrite the return address on each envelope, the savvy companies who go the extra mile and have these items custom printed understand exactly how important it is to project a professional image. Professionally printed stationery and envelopes created by a well established Long Island printer is the first step towards that image you need to present.

Even something so seemingly insignificant as a piece of mail can be amazingly important. It could be one of the first impressions a potential customer gets of your business – possibly the one and only impression you will have a chance at! Having an elegant looking custom printed envelope and letterhead stationery gives an immediate feeling of professionalism, far more handwritten or labeled envelopes

There’s more… When you opt for custom printed stationery and envelopes, you have an opportunity to share as much about your business as possible. Ensure that your company information and address are already printed on envelopes and stationery to save your employees precious time. Time is money, and avoiding mundane tasks like adding a return address to blank envelopes can save you more money than you spend on pre-printed ones in the long run.

Are you convinced that custom printed stationery and envelopes are the right choice to help your business? The next step is making your mailings certain to be opened. Think about what would pique your own interest if it showed up in your mailbox. You probably get at least a few pieces of mail each week that capture your eye. Think about what makes you choose to open a certain envelope first instead of last. Is it the font of the text? The colors used on the piece? The unique logo?

Imagine how you want your own business to be portrayed, and factor in your target demographic. Opt for simple and clean when in doubt. Once you have a design, work on the font you want for the text (also legible, although a little flourish is fine) and the weight and color of the paper (heavier is better and an ivory is preferable to white.)

Finally, choose a print shop. A local Long Island printer can offer personalized service you might not find at a bigger chain, and you can even pick up your order to save on shipping and put your custom printed stationery and envelopes to work for you sooner. Don’t delay – the time for getting customer printed paper products for your office is now!