Even with the advent of online shopping, beautiful catalogs are still coveted by any business selling products, goods or services. After all, a beautiful catalog printing can display your wares in an attractive light and provide your customers with a wealth of information.

Here are just a few reasons why catalogs still reign supreme in the world of sales:

• A catalog, regardless of your business, is the most effective way of providing your customers with precise details regarding your goods or services. Best of all, the quality photographs entice them into buying your goods or services. A catalog allows you to print details about your goods or services; details you may otherwise have difficulty getting across to your customers.
• Catalogs are easily distributed to your customers or clients.  Regardless of whether you are selling to retailers, distributors or customers, catalogs are the easiest way to get your information and services into the right hands. Plus, catalogs are a great way to gain valuable exposure.
• Catalogs convey your company sales information better than any other type of medium. Radio and television ads are splashed in front of consumers’ eyes for seconds, and Web quality pales in comparison to the overall quality of a catalog. A catalog can stay in front of a consumer for as long as needed, thereby allowing them to make better, more thoughtful decisions.
• Catalogs, when compared to other forms of marketing or advertising, are incredibly cost effective. In other words, think of the number of catalogs you could print and distribute for the cost of one television commercial! In addition, businesses with small advertising and marketing budgets will often turn to catalogs because they give them the most bang for their buck.
• Catalogs are an investment for your business. Unlike other forms of marketing or advertising, quality, printed catalogs can produce income for your business for an extended period of time. Consider that, simply by producing one catalog design per year, you can reap the benefits for an entire calendar year. Not many other forms of marketing or advertising have the longevity that catalogs have.

Many of us focus so much on our marketing and advertising materials that we don’t stop to consider the envelopes in which we are sending them.

Your marketing and correspondence efforts should be appealing and eye catching, and should show your business’ professionalism and perhaps its creativity. In short, envelopes deliver a professional appearance for your business and will be the first thing your customers see when they open their mailbox.

With that in mind, envelopes printing should be given as much attention as your other marketing materials so you can put your best foot forward with your customers or potential customers, particularly if you participate in direct mail campaigns. A printer may be able to add customized text, shades, borders, graphics and images to your envelopes, including photographs and logos.

Here are a few factors to consider regarding envelope printing:

• Customized envelopes, printed by a professional printer, will strengthen your business’ reputation and identity.
• Customized, printed envelopes almost always improve the response rates for direct mail campaigns. In other words, if you don’t entice readers to open your correspondence, you can’t wow them with your marketing materials.
• Businesses can often achieve competitive rates from printers by ordering bulk quantities. The only time you may want to skip on bulk envelope printing orders is if you foresee your business address or logo changing in the near future. Printers will also likely offer businesses discounts by bundling envelope printing with other types of printed marketing materials.
• Customized envelopes often have the strongest impact when businesses design them to match their other marketing materials. In other words, business recognition is incredibly important for a business’ marketing efforts and this is easily accomplished when there is consistency between marketing materials.
• Don’t miss an opportunity to market your business and create a strong business image. Customized envelopes are one of the easiest ways to capture your customers’ attention and entice them to open your correspondence. Customized envelopes are also a great way to set yourself apart from the competition and stand out from the other mounds of correspondence awaiting customers as they open their mailbox.

Marketing is all about being creative. It’s all about getting word out about your business in new and inventive ways.  The question is: Have you considered the power of door hangers printing for your business?

Here are just a few of the reasons why you should consider door hangers for your business:

• They are inexpensive to print – Door hangers will likely fit easily into your annual printing budget, as they are generally quite cost effective to print. Some of the factors that may affect the pricing of your door hangers include: number of colors, type of card stock, and printed images or photographs. And, of course, you will likely enjoy savings if you order a larger number of door hangers.
• Door hangers can convey important information about your company – Of course, door hangers can provide inexpensive advertising for your business, but they may also serve more practical purposes for some businesses. If you need to convey information to a large number of clients or customers, door hangers may be quite convenient. From charities to churches, door hangers allow organizations to spread the word.
• Door hangers are a great way to market to your local community – If you want to garner the attention of your local community then it pays to invest in door hangers. Most people, as they have to remove them from their door, give door hangers at least some of their attention. Because of this, you have already captured the attention of your potential customers simply by hanging your marketing efforts on the door.
• Door hangers convey a better sense of quality than do flyers. If you want to focus your marketing efforts on your local community, printing door hangers will likely produce better results than flyers, as they are generally more attractive, they are more likely to be read, and they don’t blow away as easily!
• Door hangers can be useful for new businesses that want to introduce themselves into a neighborhood. In addition, door hangers may also be used to welcome new residents into a neighborhood. In other words, a door hanger is like the welcome wagon, either for you or your customers!

Do you want to concentrate your marketing efforts on the local market? Then consider the power of flyers!

Flyers are a great example of strategic advertising, and they help many businesses achieve success with their local marketing efforts. Perhaps best of all, flyers are an economical and cost-effective way to promote your business and your business’ goods or services.

Many businesses use flyers printing in an effort to raise awareness about their company, as well as their goods or services. Depending on their use, flyers can be quickly and easily printed by professional printers. From door-to-door distribution to distribution at trade events and public shows, flyers are a great way to spread the word about your business and the goods and/or services you provide.

Here are some factors to consider when designing flyers for your business:

• Your flyers should have key information and striking features. In other words, your flyers must be able to catch your target audiences’ attention in a short period of time. If there are other businesses also distributing flyers, your flyer must stand out from the crowd.
• Your flyers should have concise and accurate information. If you don’t pay attention to the small details (i.e., making sure the wording is clear and concise), you will very quickly lose your customers’ attention.
• It is vital for your business to make a lasting impression by using quality flyer materials. If you use better quality stock and use the services of a professional printer to produce a quality product, you will likely gain the trust of your potential customers.  Consider the last time you received a glossy flyer on a solid cardstock versus a simple copied flyer on printing paper.
• Make sure your flyers accurately reflect your company’s other marketing materials.  It is important to stay consistent in an effort to establish brand and business identity awareness with your customers.
• Flyers help businesses grow through exposure. Simply put, if you need to get the word out about your business and the goods and services you provide for your community, there is nothing more cost-effective and simple to produce than flyers.
• Flyers often do more than announce a business and the goods and/or services they offer. They may spur business by providing customers with coupons, specials and other types of discounts.

Whether in your personal or business life, a strong first impression is priceless.

The question you will likely want to ask yourself when designing marketing materials for your business is:  am I making the best, possible first impression on my clients?

One of the first forms of marketing that will fall into your clients’ hands will likely be a business card. Does your business card evoke a sense of creativity and professionalism, or does the low quality poorly reflect on your business’ image?

One of the most important things to consider when designing a great business card is making it a clear reflection of your profession or business. Here are a few types of business cards you may want to consider:

• Traditional business card – A traditional business card is no muss, no fuss. In other words, it is ideal for clients who simply use business cards as a way to convey simple facts and contact information about their profession or business. Traditional business cards are usually white with black lettering, as it will likely give businesses more bang for their marketing dollar. A traditional business card will likely have a simple message or business logo, along with contact information.
• Designer business card – If you are in a creative field, you will likely want your business card to reflect your flair for design or style. The colors, images and even the shape of a designer business card will be eye-catching and appealing, and it will speak to the creative field in which you are employed.
• Multi-purpose business card – Business cards can do more than just serve as contact information for your business. Many businesses get additional use out of their business cards by printing information on the reverse side of the card. From appointment cards and directions to surveys and coupons, consider getting more bang for your marketing buck by using both side of your business cards.
• Photo business card – Many small businesses choose photographs for their business cards because they add a personalized touch to their marketing materials. Real estate agents, for example, often use their photos, while an interior designer may use a photograph of a beautiful home.

One of the easiest ways to stay visible in the marketplace is to produce a number of high-quality marketing materials. If your marketing budget allows, why not consider bookmarks?

Bookmarks may not seem like an obvious choice for marketing materials, but the truth is that the intrinsic value afforded by bookmarks is often overlooked. Consider that a bookmark used by a reader will be looked at every time the reader opens and closes his or her book. In fact, bookmarks are a great way to achieve the all-important marketing concept of brand imaging.

If you want to explore the idea of bookmarks for your business’ marketing efforts, you will likely need to consider the following:

• Decide upon the size of your bookmark. Printers should be able to offer you a number of bookmark sizes, although the size of your bookmark will largely depend on the image on your bookmark, the information you want to include on your bookmark and, of course, your budget.
• Consider the type of paper stock your printer will use in your bookmark printing. Of course, the higher the stock, the more expensive your bookmark printing costs will be, but a better stock will also produce a better-quality product that will likely be used longer by your customers.
• Consider the design and message you want for your bookmark printing. The number of images or words found on a bookmark is a bit of a tricky proposition; this is because you want to convey your message or your business contact information and its products or services, but you don’t want to cram too much information into one small space. The best rule of thumb is to think simple in terms of bookmark design, but to also get your message across loud and clear.
• Consider adding something valuable during your bookmark distribution. Many small businesses will offer discounts, coupons, promotions or even giveaways with their bookmarks, thereby ensuring that their bookmarks are making a lasting impression on their customers. Other things you may want to consider include: attractive photographs, pictures, designs or sayings, as this will better ensure your customers will use your bookmarks for a longer period of time.

Booklet printing is the ideal way to produce quality marketing and business materials for your business. Booklet printing can be anything from your company’s annual report and newsletter to marketing materials, such as magazines, sales booklets and product catalogues.

Although your business’ needs will be highly individualized, there is something that all businesses have in common: a goal to produce quality, printed materials, and that includes booklet printing.

Regardless of whether your business’ booklet printing is for business objectives or a creative form of marketing, there are a few things to consider when it comes to booklet printing:

• Consider what you want to achieve with your business booklet.
• Consider your intended reader.  Who is this booklet targeted to, and how will your design compliment your target reader?
• Consider how you will accomplish a booklet that will stand out from the competition; this usually means creating an original, eye-catching design.
• Consider how many booklets you will need printed. Most of the time, printing more means saving money, so give this idea some serious thought.
• Decide how you will want your booklet to be bound. Your printer will be able to show you a number of binding ideas (spiral, cerlox, saddle stitching, gluing and stapling), but keep in mind that prices can vary between binding options.
• Decide the paper stock you will use to produce your booklet. Of course, a heavier paper stock will produce a more professional image, but will also come with a higher price tag, so it is important to keep both of these factors in mind.
• Consider whether you want or need a full-color booklet or a black-and-white booklet. Remember: the more colors you choose, the more expensive your booklet will be, so choose your colors carefully.
• Consider the size of your booklet. Your printer will likely be able to produce your booklet in a multitude of sizes, so ask about pricing when it comes to booklet size.
• Consider turnaround time. Make sure to check with your printer regarding turnaround time, and ask if there are added fees for a rush job.

With these considerations and decisions in place, you will have a booklet that shines with professionalism and converts prospects into customers!

Presentation folders are not only designed to contain vital marketing tools like brochures, bound presentations, DVDs and CDs, but are also a form of promotion. Presentation folders are professional ways to distribute press kits, samples, product information, sales presentations or a combination of these materials.

Instead of presenting important marketing or sales tools in a plain, store-bought folder, you are presenting them in a customized, professional folder designed to meet your business’s needs.  Better yet, custom presentation folder printing will highlight your specifically developed brand.

When you decide to choose custom presentation folder printing, remember these printing tips.

• Selecting Folder Size – If you plan ahead of time what your presentation folder will contain, you’ll be better equipped to order the folder size you need. The standard folder size is 9 by 12 inches, but you might not need one that large because you’re including a small product sample and promotional DVDs, for instance. Should your planned folder contents be printed on legal paper, for example, you’ll need to increase the length to 14.5-inches.

• Type of Folder Paper – Your custom printed presentation folder will represent your business on paper and should make a favorable impression. The best choice is double-sided coated paper, but if your budget only allows for single-sided, just be aware that it’s not as durable and shouldn’t be overloaded with a large sales presentation, for example.

• Number of Pockets – Carefully planning what will be inserted in the folder will help you choose the amount of pockets. Do you need multiple pockets so that each marketing tool has its own place or will a single pocket on each side work best?

• Make Room for Accessory Slits – If you plan to insert accessories, like DVDs, business cards, pre-printed envelopes for requesting additional information, or even an introductory letter, all will benefit from a specially designed accessory slit in the folder to prevent items from sliding out of the folder’s regular pockets.

With careful planning, you can make the most of your custom printed presentation folders and be prepared when discussing your needs with your printer. Being prepared means your presentation folders will effectively represent your business in a professional light and make potential customers take your business seriously.

Greeting cards are traditionally a great marketing tool because businesses rely on customers to purchase a product or service in order to succeed. Businesses also rely mostly on repeat customers to continue making those purchases and even telling others in order to grow.

Sending greeting cards for certain occasions, such as holidays or to celebrate a business anniversary, make existing customers feel appreciated. Customers recognize and remember a custom greeting card, whether it was sent in appreciation or with a special incentive.

There is a way around designing a completely customized greeting card, which can help you save money, but still appear like a custom product once printed. Pre-designed greeting cards allow businesses to “design” the greeting card by choosing from ready-made designs and then customizing the card with a logo, business name and message.

These hints will help your next greeting card printing go smoothly and stay on budget:

• Be Colorful – In general, choosing a full color greeting card is the best decision because not only will using color make your greeting cards appear more customized, but will enhance the design you choose.  Color will make your greeting card will shine.

• Match the Design to Your Business – If you fall in love with a design that features a whimsical garden scene, but you operate a law firm, you might want to skip the flowers and find a design that reflects the tone of your business better. A florist might choose the whimsical garden scene, however, because it meshes perfectly with the business.

• Be Eco-Friendly – Customers respond to ecologically responsible businesses, and one way to show your dedication is to choose eco-friendly greeting cards. These could be printed on recycled paper or plant based renewable paper, or you can even consider using “green” soy ink.

• Save Money on Size – Printing your greeting cards in a standard size will not only save you money in postage, but will reduce the printing cost that comes with larger paper and reduce the cost of creating custom envelopes. Customers will appreciate the custom feel and won’t require a larger than life greeting card.

Customers like their patronage to be recognized and sending greeting cards is the perfect way to encourage continued loyalty and business into the future.

Although the economic climate this past year has been a struggle for both consumers and businesses trying to stay afloat, 2011 bodes well, according to newly published reports and several economic changes occurring in 2011.  These reports are good news for businesses and should help lead America to economic recovery.

Proposed Tax Cuts Means More Spending Money

The government instituted tax cuts for 2011, including a cut in employees’ Social Security taxes, meaning consumers will be taking home more money in each paycheck this coming year. More money in consumers’ pockets typically promotes a rise in consumer spending, benefits businesses, and helps the economy recover more swiftly. According to economists, consumers are boosting their spending habits at a faster pace now than compared to the past four years.

Venture Capitalists Have Money to Invest

Although the venture capital dried up like Death Valley after the 2007 financial crisis, a survey conducted by the National Venture Capital Association with the Dow Jones VentureSource claims that venture capitalists will focus their funds in 2011 on tech start-ups. The survey also shows that venture capitalists are positive about economic growth overall, with 51 percent expecting investments to increase for 2011. When investors are willing to back new businesses, this often helps propel economic growth, meaning 2011 is looking up for many industries.

Consumer and Investment Spending Set to Increase

The 2011 economy is set to support increased consumer and investment spending, meaning businesses will benefit from both. The sectors predicted to explode in 2011 include digital and internet media aimed at the consumer, including cloud computing. Stocks are also on the rise, which promotes active investment from both brokers and individual investors, which also helps boost a sagging economy.

How Businesses Benefit

Businesses that take advantage of all the positive changes will likely see growth in 2011. The tax cuts and increased consumer spending, coupled with venture capitalist interest and higher stock prices, should help boost the economy in 2011 – which will help existing grow as well.

Remembering that consumers are starting to spend more, focusing your printed marketing materials on attracting budget-conscious consumers will help grow your business in 2011.