Month: September 2022

Print Rack Cards & Distribute Them Wisely

After seeing a play, you will usually pass by the theatre lobby where people are reading brightly printed, glossy cards. These are called rack cards and they are used to advertise anything from theatre plays to museum events, theme parks to tourist attractions, restaurants to corporate businesses. What’s good about rack cards printing is that it gives entrepreneurs a cost-effective way of spreading the word about their brand. Whether you’re offering a product or service, you can rely on this type of printed advertising material to let people know that your business exists.

Rack Cards Distribution

Should you decide to print rack cards and include them in your printed advertising campaign, the first thing to do is look for an online printing service provider. Take your pick from digital or offset printing. Digital uses desktop printers and they may be a bit cheaper. But in terms of quality and turnaround time, offset printing will far exceed your expectation. Rack cards should be attention grabbing so imagine if the photos or illustrations in the card are printed out poorly. By investing in high-quality prints, you can give a great first impression to your customers.

Now, when it comes to distributing rack cards, here are some points to keep in mind:

  • If your direct competitors are using rack cards, too, collect samples of their cards so that you can compare them with the design that you have in mind. Also take into consideration your target market. Is your bed and breakfast suited for honeymooners or families? Depending on your audience, you can choose colors, fonts, and designs which will be visually appealing to them. Then, think of the places where you can effectively distribute the rack cards.
  • Display your rack cards in your place of business. It can be the reception area of your office, the check in counter of a hotel, or a theatre lobby. Make sure that the rack cards are prominently displayed in areas where there is high foot traffic. This way, people can easily notice and pick up one of your cards.
  • Aside from displaying rack cards in brochure stands, you can also distribute them through mailers. If you already have a mailing list, send out a copy of your rack cards to customers so that you can get their repeat business.

Get the Best Deal When You Print Rack Cards

Despite the popularity of online and social media advertising, there is still something about getting actual postcards, brochures, flyers, and rack cards that appeal to most people. Since these advertising materials are tangible, the name of your business will be more memorable to the reader. This is why it is a must to print rack cards if you’d like your target audience to remember your brand name. Rack cards are standard-sized, thick cards where information about a play, hotel, a country’s tourist destinations, and other similar information are printed. They can be distributed as mailers but they are usually displayed in brochure racks or stands, thus the name.

How to Get the Best Deal when Printing Rack Cards

Now, if you want to include rack cards as part of your printed advertising campaign, how can you get the best deal? Naturally, the first thing that you need to do is look for a printing company to create the rack cards for you. Here are some rack cards printing tips so that you can get the best value for your money:

  • Know beforehand the type of material that you want to use.

There are printing companies that print postcards, brochures, rack cards, business cards, etc. Look for one that has been in the business for a long time. Check out the reviews and customer feedback so that you would only deal with the legitimate printers.

Before comparing different rack card package offers, it pays to know beforehand the type of material that you want to use. Rack cards come in two sizes: 3.5” x 8.5” and 4” x 9”. Rack cards can be made with a detachable business card at the end – something that you may also want to consider. You can choose to print on just one side of the card or both sides. The thickness is 16 pt. paper stock and for the finish, choose between ultra-smooth matte or ultra-smooth gloss.

  • Go with offset printing companies.

Digital printers use desktop printers but they do not necessarily offer the same print quality as offset printers. Also, the turnaround time might be longer since desktop printers cannot print in bulk. With offset printers, Heidelberg color printing technology is used so you can rest assured that the colors come out sharp and vivid. Since the machines are state-of-the-art, you can also expect a quick turnaround time.

Finally, check out the per piece price when having rack cards printed out. With offset printing, the price becomes lower as the volume of your order increases. By knowing what to look for, you can get the best deal out of having rack cards printed out for your business.

Advertising Techniques when You Print Rack Cards

You often see rack cards displayed in tourist centers, theaters, hotels, casinos, theme parks, museums, and similar places. If you’re a business owner, you should definitely consider printing rack cards to spread the word about your brand. Rack cards are called such because they fit into a brochure rack or stand, and they can be easily slid into standard number 10 envelopes for business mailing.

Rack Cards Advertising Techniques

The first thing to do if you want to use rack cards for advertising is look for an online printing company. Rack cards should be attention grabbing, so go with a printing company that uses state-of-the-art printing technology. Combined with premium stock paper, your rack cards should stand out from the competition.

Here are some of the advertising techniques that you can use when you print rack cards:

  • Use bullet point copywriting.

When it comes to content, business cards are too short, brochures are too long, while postcards also have limited space to write in. With rack cards, you have just the right amount of space to write content in – so the copy should immediately grab the reader’s attention. On a 4” x 9” rack card, for example, you can write the basic information about your business first. Next, on a bulleted list, write about the products or services that you offer. The final part should be a call to action – indicate whether you want customers to visit your shop, check out your website, or give you a call for more information.

  • Distribute the cards in areas where there is high foot traffic.

Rack cards should be prominently displayed in areas where there is high foot traffic. If you own a bed and breakfast, display a stack of rack cards on the reception area where they can easily be seen and picked up.

  • Provide benefits!

Finally, tell the reader about the benefits that they can get from doing business with you. What are the benefits of the products or services that you offer? If they will keep your rack card for future reference, will they be entitled to discounts or freebies? Be creative in attracting customers so that they would want to do business with you right after reading the content of your rack card.

Steps to Follow when Printing Rack Cards

If you want to launch a full-blast print marketing campaign, you should print rack cards along with business cards, flyers, brochures, notepads, letterheads, envelopes, and similar materials. Everyone may be going digital these days, but print advertising is still very effective in reaching out to your target market. Rack cards in particular work great because they are displayed in areas where there is high foot traffic. In a hotel lobby, for example, guests can pick up one or two rack cards if they are displayed in brochure stands. Not only will it service as reference for future check-ins, but they can be passed on to friends and family for referral – thereby increasing the number of prospective clients in the future.

So what are the steps that you need to follow for rack cards printing? Here’s a quick list:

  • First, look for an online printing services provider.

You have the option to go with digital or offset printers. Digital service providers typically use desktop printers for printing rack cards. This does the job well, but if you want excellent print quality, it’s better to go with offset printing. This uses state-of-the-art printing technology so the cards will be made with vivid colors and sharp resolution. Of course, you also need to consider the price when having rack cards printed out. The more cards you need, the lower the per piece price is.

  • Second, come up with the design for your rack cards.

Who is your target audience? If you’re running a family-friendly restaurant, you may want to use family-oriented illustrations and attractive colors. If you have a law firm, the colors and design need to be more elegant. Make sure that the colors of your logo also appear in your rack cards for uniformity. The overall design should be eye-catching, and fits the image of your brand.

  • Third, upload your design on the website of the printing company.

There are printing companies that offer to check the correctness of the colors in your design for an additional fee. Take advantage of this so that your rack cards would come out professional-looking. Upload the design on their website and wait for the turnaround time.

  • Fourth, wait for the package to be delivered then distribute the rack cards accordingly.

Once you receive the rack cards, look for strategic places to display them. Make sure that they are prominently displayed, on eye level of people walking by, in areas where there is high foot traffic. Another option for distribution is to include rack cards in mailers.

By following these steps, you can include rack cards in your print advertising campaign.

Takeout Menu Printing: Paper Options

One of the best ways to promote your food business is through takeout menu printing. Here, you will print a cheaper but still eye-catching version of your dine-in menu. They are for distribution to customers so you can personally hand them out, display them storefront, or send them out in mailers. Takeout menus would give existing and prospective customers an idea of your menu items and prices. This is a great way to increase foot traffic in your restaurant, while also boosting the number of repeat customers and orders.

Paper Options for Menu Printing

For takeout menu printing, you want to work with an online printing company that specializes in offset printing. Sure, there are digital printing companies that offer cheaper packages – but they usually just use desktop printers, so the quality is not that good. With offset printers, state-of-the-art printing technology is used to create advertising materials with vivid colors, long-lasting ink, and an overall impressive design.

Here are a few paper-related questions to ask yourself when having takeout menus printed:

  • What paper stock and finish should I use?

It’s always better to go with thick paper stock when printing out dine-in menus but for takeout, you can go for cheaper paper options. Still, make sure that the print quality is good. For takeout menu, you can choose from 100# gloss text book paper or 100# gloss cover paper. Different printing companies might offer other paper stock and finish, so always ask about the available options.

  • What size of takeout menu is good for my food business?

These are the available sizes for menus: 4.25” x 11”, 8.5” x 11”, 8.5” x 14”, 9” x 12”, 11” x 17”, and 11” x 25.5”. Since your goal is to use the takeout menus for advertising, the first two sizes are suitable. Specifically, the 4.25” x 11” size is perfect for mailers.

  • Which folding option should I go with?

Lastly, decide on the folding option. You can get anywhere from two to twelve panels with different-sized menus. Would you like a trifold menu? Or maybe you want to go with a Z-fold, half fold, single gate, double gate, double parallel, roll fold, accordion, French fold, or half then trifold.

By knowing what your paper options are, you can come up with a final design for your takeout menu that perfectly suits your food business advertising needs.

Takeout Menu Printing Distribution Tips

If you own a restaurant or any food establishment, you need to invest in good quality, well-designed menus. Use the dine-in menus for customers and takeout menus for advertising. There are printing companies that specialize in takeout menu printing – look for one which offers high-quality offset printing to get the best results.

Ways to Distribute Takeout Menus

After having a company finish the takeout menu printing task for you, how would you go about distributing them? Here are a few ideas:

  • Include a takeout menu in every delivery or takeaway package.

When you order pizza, don’t you usually receive a copy of their takeout menu with your receipt? Even if it’s food other than pizza that you are selling, you should include a takeout menu in every delivery or takeaway package. This can be kept by customers for future reference, and it’s an excellent way to get repeat orders.

  • Add one when giving out receipts to suppliers.

Suppliers can be customers, too. If you are receiving raw ingredients from a supplier, for example, include a takeout menu with the receipt so that you can increase your network of prospective customers.

  • Add one to the receipts of dine-in customers.

You should also include a takeout menu in the receipts of dine-in customers. Better yet, have some in-store promotion where they can win freebies or get discounts from their bill if they sign up for your mailing list. Use this list to send out mailers and other advertising materials in the future.

  • Send takeout menus in mailers.

Perhaps the most effective way of distributing takeout menus is by working with an EDDM mailing company. EDDM stands for Every Door Direct Mail, where the printing company works with the USPS to send mailers to every door in the zip code of your choice. This way, you won’t have to gather customer’s addresses manually. EDDM mailing would not cost you that much. At just a few cents per takeout menu, you can send out mailers and effectively reach out to those living within the vicinity of your food establishment.

Dine-in versus Takeout Menu Printing

Marketing in the food industry is quite straightforward because everybody is a potential customer. Whether you’re making pizza, doughnuts, if you have a diner, a formal restaurant, or a casual bar, those living within the vicinity can be your target market. This is where takeout menu printing proves to be useful. Here, we will compare dine-in versus takeout menus in terms of design and distribution.

Dine-in versus Takeout Menu: Should there be a Difference?

Before breaking down the difference between the two, let’s delve a bit deeper into why menus should be used as promotional materials in the first place. When you visit any food establishment, the first thing you look at is the menu. What are the prices and the specific food items offered? Which are the bestsellers and what are the items with the ingredients which some people might not necessarily like, or may be allergic to? Menus should be quite detailed, and the price should be indicated opposite the name of the dish. These can be turned into promotional materials because food is what your business is all about. The more eye-catching your menu is, the more tempted customers would be to place their orders.

Your dine-in menu will be used by customers while takeout menus can be used as promotional materials. If you have a fancy restaurant, your dine-in menu might be leather bound or have the biggest menu size possible. Although you cannot replicate the size and material of the dine-in menu for takeout menu printing, the content can be as close to the original as possible. This way, the online printing company does not have to make too many changes and simply print your takeout menu on a different, cheaper paper with thinner stock.

In terms of distribution, you can include takeout menus in deliveries, takeaway packages, or include them in the receipts for suppliers. More importantly, mail out the menus to those living within a five-mile radius in your area. These are your target market because they live close by. Once they get their hands on a sample menu from your food establishment, they will be tempted to try it out because they already have an idea about what’s on the menu and how much the items are.

Of course, you can always design your takeout menu differently from the dine-in menu if you want. But to save time and effort, keep the design as close to the original as possible. With takeout menus, you can spread the word about your business and get as many people as you can to try your food out.

Information to Include in Takeout Menu Printing

Menus play a crucial role in the success of those who are in the food business. Whether you’re offering American, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, or fusion fare, a menu will give customers a taste of the food that they can have in your restaurant. There are two types of menus that you should invest in: dine-in and takeout menu printing. Dine-in menu is for those who are visiting your restaurant, while takeout menus are more for advertising your wares. You can include takeout menus in food deliveries, to-go orders, receipts, mailers, display them storefront, or distribute them in areas where there is high foot traffic. These menus will increase your chances of gaining new customers and having your existing patrons as repeat customers.

Before you can even look for an online printing company to create the takeout menus for you, you first need to design the menu itself. What type of information should be included in takeout menus? Here’s a list:

  • Accurate information about your food establishment

The first page of any menu usually includes the name of the restaurant. At the bottom, make sure that these are accurate and updated: your address, telephone number, website, and hours of operation.

  • The name of the items in your menu

The goal of having a menu in the first place is to list the food items available, so make sure to list these down accordingly. For dine-in menus, if the size is big enough, you can have a short description of each dish. Some restaurants even list down the ingredients and calorie count of their menu items.

  • The prices of the items in your menu

Naturally, you should include the price opposite each menu item.

  • Other information to include

Do you offer delivery services? What about promotions like weekday discounts or weekend buffets? For takeout menu printing, you can even include promotional codes which entitles the person to a certain percentage as discount.

By knowing what to include in your dine-in or takeout menu, you can boost the power of this printed advertising material and boost your overall sales.

Why Offset Printing is Best for Takeout Menu Printing

Takeout menu printing can be included in any print advertising campaign for those in the food business. Why print takeout menus? First, they can be included in almost every paper transaction to be used as marketing material. You may have noticed how pizzerias include a takeout menu in every order. This is one way to ensure that you have their contact information for future reference, and you can use the menu for repeat orders.

Second, takeout menus can be used as mailers. You can send out mailers to every address within a five-mile radius of your restaurant, for example. This will introduce your brand to new customers and entice those who have already tried eating in your restaurant to become repeat patrons.

Now, in the process of takeout menu printing, you must make sure that you are getting high-quality prints. You want to leave a lasting impression to your clients, so investing in well-made takeout menus will achieve exactly that. But how can you get good quality prints? Your two options when looking for an online printing services company are offset and digital. Digital printing companies usually use desktop printers.

Although there are some good desktop printers out there, the quality is simply outdone by offset printing. Offset printers use vivid colors to produce full-scale photographs. There is a dedicated metal plate for every color which is then transferred to rubber rollers. Since there are four plates that control the flow of ink, there is practically no wasted print and the hues come out vivid every time.

Offset printers also use state-of-the-art printing technology to ensure that the colors pop. For takeout menus, color is important especially if you have images of food in the design. If you need a huge number of menus, offset printing can quickly deliver since high-tech machines are used. Also, the higher the number of copies that you will order, the cheaper the per piece price gets.

With all these benefits and more, offset printing is clearly the best option if you want to use takeout menus as advertising material.

Brand Building through Brochure Printing

Have you noticed how most digital companies that invest in digital ads never venture into print advertising? You don’t want to fall into the trap of just staying digital – although there are those who thrive in the medium. By expanding your marketing options into something more tangible like brochure printing, you can enjoy a multitude of benefits as a business owner.

Ways to Use Brochure Printing for Brand Building

As you may already know, brochures are printed advertising materials where you can include your company information, as well as a detailed description of what you have to offer as a business. Whether you’re a startup, a mid-sized corporation, or even a mom-and-pop establishment, you can use brochure printing as part of your overall marketing plan. Here’s how you can use brochures in building your brand:

  • For establishing authority in the industry

When a prospective customer receives a thick, glossy brochure with well-written content, what do you think is the impression made? People would think that if you are willing to invest in tangible marketing materials like well-made brochures, you can ensure the same quality in delivering the products or services that you offer. Brochures and other printed materials establish your authority in whichever industry your business is in.

  • For brand name recall

Again, brochures are tangible and having the weight of a thick, glossy material in the hands enhances brand name recall. Unlike websites with URLs which are difficult to remember, seeing your company name on print is bound to leave a mark in the minds of potential customers.

  • For networking

Brochures are usually mailed out or distributed in person during corporate events and tradeshows. By handing out brochures in such events, you are increasing your network of contacts, which is always a good thing for business owners.

When looking for a company to make brochures for you, consider online printing services that offer high-quality prints. Check on the materials and ink that they use, the printing technology, the quality of customer service, and the turnaround time.

All in all, brochures are a great advertising tool that you can use to build your brand.