Author: BlockbusterPrint.com

High quality online printing servicing businesses large and small at the fastest production and delivery speed in the industry all while providing the lowest prices. From postcard mail marketing that helps expand a business's clientele to in office printed products for day-to-day business operations. Are your full service one stop shop for anything print.

Gauge the Best Professional Printing Service Provider with these Criteria

If you are trying to order business cards, flyers, or postcards online, dozens or even hundreds of results will be displayed on your online search. Out of all the professional printing service providers that will pop up, how can you choose the best one? Whether you’re a start-up or an already existing business, you want to get the best quality printed material while also getting the best value for your money. As such, you need to do your research and look for the best professional printing company out there.

Here are a few factors that you must consider when looking for a printing company:

1. The printing equipment and supplies used.

Let’s say that you need to order 300 pieces of postcards online. The first thing that you need to do is consider the printing equipment used. Traditional printing presses are huge and use the offset printing method.  This type of professional printing process has been around for a long time – and they deliver razor-sharp images. Once the design is set, offset printing can produce hundreds to thousands of copies in just a few hours! The “non-traditional” type of professional printing is the more modern digital printing process. Desktop digital printers or digital printing presses are used. If you need to order a small volume like 100 pieces of postcards online, this gets the job done although there might be a small compromise as far as printing quality is concerned – where offset deems far superior.

2. The design tools available.

Next, are there design tools available for download or online? There are professional printing websites where you can download templates for a business card design, or an online tool that you can use to create postcards online. What’s good about these tools is that there is no need for you to pay for the services of a professional graphic designer. However, it is recommended that you still get one if you are starting from scratch – for instance, if you do not have an official logo designed for your brand yet. Once you have a template for the logo, you can incorporate it in all your printed promotional materials.

3. The turnaround time, customer service, quality, and cost.

You also have to consider the costs involved. What’s the price for the minimum number of postcards online that you can order? How fast can they deliver the products? Do they offer quality customer service?

Whether it’s postcards, business cards, or any other printed promotional materials that you need, it is a must to do your research and compare these criteria. This way, you can search for the best professional printing company out there that can deliver the goods – minus the astronomical price.

Top Things to Consider when You Order Business Cards

When you order business cards or any other printed material, for that matter, you want to have professional-looking results – but without having to pay an arm and a leg for it. This is where your research skills should come in. There are dozens, if not hundreds of
online printing service providers to choose from. By taking a few factors into consideration, you can have great-looking promotional materials when you order business cards, while still getting the best bang for your buck.

To get started, here are the top things to consider when you order business cards:

• Process and Price

Basically, there are two printing processes available: offset and digital. Offset utilizes printing presses where ink does not directly come in contact with paper, but is instead offset onto a plate. This may sound a bit complex but once the design is set, you will see razor-sharp images and letters using offset printing. The second option is to hire a digital online printing service provider. This uses digital printers which, over the years, has greatly improved. Digital printing gets the job done and it’s good for small batches when you order business cards.

Price-wise, bigger volume printing jobs become cheaper per piece with offset printing. Digital printing is cheap and gets the job done for smaller batches, although its capacity for printing a larger volume of materials may be limited.

• Service and Sources

Just like when you’re taking advantage of any type of service, you must check on the quality of customer service that the printing company offers. How about sources? Check the website of the online printing service provider to see if they offer free downloadable templates or an online tool that you can use for designing business cards. This way, you don’t have to pay for the services of a graphic designer. As long as you already have your logo, you can incorporate that in the design when you order and use the online design tool or downloadable template.

• Finish and Feedback

Finally, check on the material and finish, as well as the feedback. When you order business cards, for example, a 14-pt. cardstock can have a smooth matte, glossy or silk spot UV finish. Some online printing service providers also offer unique features like foil stamping, rounded corners, and plastic or brown kraft cards. After deciding on the material and finish, check on the feedback of other clients when it comes to the quality of the products.

Make a comparison of all these features, narrow down your choices to two or three – then make an informed decision from there.

Digital or Offset: Which Online Printing Service to Go For

If you need a professional business card, you basically have two options as far as printing process is concerned: digital or offset. To start right off, here is some basic information between the two:

• Offset Printing

When you say that a professional business card was created using offset printing, it means that an offset printing press was used. For this, ink is taken from a plate which is then transferred or offset onto a rubber roller – then placed on paper. Before the onslaught of digital online printing services, offset printers were extremely popular. For small batches, they can be quite expensive but in terms of quality, the images are sharp and the printed materials end up professional-looking.

• Digital Printing •

There was a time when getting an online printing service meant that the provider will use a typical inkjet desktop computer printer – much like the ones used at home. Fortunately, digital printing has improved in such a way that it can handle more complex printing and lamination jobs. The reason that this has become the go-to choice for those who need a professional business card printed out is that it is cheap, fast, and there are many online printing service providers to choose from. The ordering process is also done purely online – if you need 200 pieces of professional business cards, for instance, you simply need to place your order through the website and wait for the products to be delivered straight to your doorstep.

Based from the basic information between these two, how will you know which one to pick? It all really boils down to your specific online printing service requirements. If you want razor-sharp images for a bulk order of professional business cards, offset is the better option. This is especially true because with offset printers, the per-piece price becomes lower when you have a higher volume of orders. If you just need something cheap that gets the job done, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with going for the cheaper and more convenient digital online printing service.

No matter which one you end up choosing, it’s important to search for a printing company with lengthy printing experience, has good reviews on their website, a wide range of products to choose from, and offers a quick turnaround time.

Minimize Your Environmental Impact with Eco-Friendly Kraft Business Cards

Are you considering having kraft business cards printed out? Whether you’re a freelancer or an employee of a huge corporation, you need to be aware of the environmental footprint that you are leaving as you go about your business. With recycled business cards, you can do your share in helping minimize your carbon footprint – while also enjoying numerous benefits for your business.

If you decide to take the eco-friendly path in printing out business cards, not only are you being a responsible business owner – but you can also use ‘going green’ as part of your community outreach. The more eco-friendly your day-to-day operations are, the more that people will appreciate your business. It’s also quite cheaper to produce eco-friendly cards because they are made from recycled material. In terms of design, the earthy look of the thick paper will look great against straightforward fonts and cute black-and-white illustrations.

With kraft business cards, there are many sizes to choose from. You can go with the standard US size which is 2” x 3.5”. European size is slightly larger, measuring 2.125” x 3.375”. There are also square and skinny business cards which measure 2.5” x 2.5” and 1.75” x 3.5”, respectively.

 

Because of the recycled material used, it is good to go with a thicker paper stock – the usual is 18-pt. paper. The earthy brown surface of kraft business cards with visible fibers can be printed using white or black ink. Design-wise, you can be as creative as you want with these cards and customers will surely appreciate the work behind crafting these eco-friendly business cards.

 

When looking for a printing company, make sure that they will give you the option of using recycled brown paper. More than just being a good representation of your brand, the fact that these kraft business cards are eco-friendly can be your main selling point.

Let Us Help You Decide on the Material & Finish when Ordering the Best Business Cards

The best business cards may only contain your company name, logo, and contact information – but they are an important representation of what you are all about as a brand. If you will distribute business cards with barely-there print on thin, cardboard material in a plain beige color – do you think that customers will think highly of you? Perhaps not. If you will launch a full-fledged print promotional campaign, you really need to focus on coming up with the best business cards so that your brand can leave a good mark of your brand in the minds of your target audience.

Fortunately, there are many professional printing companies that specialize in business cards. Before contacting one, you need to come up with a business card design. If you don’t already have a logo, have one created for your business. Then, decide which pieces of your contact information must be included on the card. Layout the design, decide on the colors, and make sure that the overall look of the card is a good reflection of your brand.

In terms of material and finish, here are a couple of options that you can choose from:

• Option 1: Paper or plastic?

Paper is the most common material for business cards. You can choose from the standard 14-pt. to something as thick as 32-pt. paper stock. The thicker the card is, the more impressed your customers will be. There are also different laminating effects available for paper business cards, making it a popular option for entrepreneurs and professionals. But if you want to stand out, you can also have plastic business cards made. These are usually made from 20-pt. plastic which has 63% the thickness of a credit card.

• Option 2: Material finish

Next, decide on the finish of the material. For plastic business cards, you can go for see through, frosted plastic, or white plastic. For paper business cards, there are a multitude of options: suede, cotton, brown kraft, silk, premium, pearl, foil stamped, or metallic ink.

The US standard size for business cards is 3.5” x 2”. There is very little space so make sure to maximize it. Pay attention to the smallest details because a typo or a non-sharp image will painfully stand out. By keeping these things in mind, you can have the best-looking business cards printed out for your brand.

When & Why You Should Go for Ultra-Thick Business Cards

Although you can always choose something inexpensive like thin linen carboard, why not go the extra mile and opt for ultra thick business cards instead? If you’re handing over the business card to a prospective customer, he or she will think more highly of the quality of your product or service compared to, say, a beige business card in plain print. The thicker the material and the sharper the print, the better. The good news is that there are many offset printing companies that can make these ultra thick business cards for you without charging an astronomical fee for it. Just make sure to choose one with plenty of experience in the field, the right printing equipment, and offers good customer service.

Choose from Any of these Ultra-Thick Business Cards 

When having professional business cards printed out, you can take your pick from these paper stocks:

– 14-pt.

– 16-pt.

– 17-pt.

– 18-pt.

– 19-pt.

– 20-pt.

– 22-pt.

– 32-pt.

The thinnest is 12-pt. paper stock, but the standard is 14-pt. All the others can have a thickness that’s comparable to credit cards and as mentioned earlier – the thicker the material, the better. If you want to go all out and choose the thickest paper stock, here are the finishes that you can choose from:

1. Uncoated 32-pt. business cards

This ultra-thick business card has clean lines and an uncluttered, non-shiny look. It’s best for those who want a straightforward but still impressive business card.

2. Gold foil stamped 32-pt. business cards

If you want something with a bit more flair, go for a super thick business card with an uncoated surface. Depending on the design, the letters or the logo can be topped with chrome gold for that extra oomph!

3. Painted edge 32-pt. business cards

Finally, you can go for super thick business cards with a painted edge. Because of the thickness of the material, the color on the edges will make your business card stand out. Choose from 16 colors like red, blue, yellow, orange, purple, green, pink, and a few other hues.

With ultra-thick business cards, you can make your brand easily stand out!

Luxuriate in the Fabric-Like Feel of Suede Business Cards

One of the best ways to impress customers, clients, suppliers, and anyone you are transacting with is to present suede business cards to them. These thick business cards are laminated in such a way that the paper feels like suede fabric. Thick, luxurious to the touch, with an amazing texture, people will think very highly of your brand when you hand over these cards. This is especially true if you match the suede material with razor-sharp, professional-looking print and an excellent design. One of the best ways to impress customers, clients, suppliers, and anyone you are transacting with is to present suede business cards to them. These thick business cards are laminated in such a way that the paper feels like suede fabric. Thick, luxurious to the touch, with an amazing texture, people will think very highly of your brand when you hand over these cards. This is especially true if you match the suede material with razor-sharp, professional-looking print and an excellent design.

Just like when ordering silk, linen, or cotton cards, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when having suede business cards made:

• Which size should I go for?

The standard US size is 2” x 3.5”. A slightly larger version is the European size which measures 2.125” x 3.375”, while there are also square business cards that measure 2.5” on all four sides.

• Which type of finish goes well with my business card design?

If you’re going for a muted design, choose the ultra-soft touch matte suede finish. This has a matte, non-shiny surface that will ooze sophistication because of the suede, fabric-like finish. On the other hand, if you do want the glitter and shine, choose the raised spot UV gloss suede finish. This looks great against a black or white background, because certain parts of the card can be topped with chrome gold foil. A similar effect is made with the raised foil stamped suede effect which has a wider color palette to choose from: orange, blue, red, yellow, green, pink, or purple.

• Should I go for special features?

When you order business cards online with a suede finish, the paper stock is usually 19-pt. laminate. This has 60% the thickness of a credit card, making it really durable. If you want your card to stand out, you can opt for a unique feature like a rounded corner. You can also change the orientation so instead of landscape, the card will have vertical or portrait orientation. Just make sure to adjust the design accordingly.

True enough, suede business cards are an ultra-luxurious option that will leave your customers equating the high-quality material with the quality of the products or services that you offer.

Dos & Don’ts when Creating the Content for Personal Business Cards

 

If you think that you should include all your contact information for business card printing, think again. Unlike postcards, rack cards, flyers, and brochures, you have very limited space on the surface of a 3.5” x 2” business card. If you will include everything – even what’s unnecessary for your business, the card will look overcrowded and off-putting. Here, we have put together a list of some dos and don’ts when creating the content for personal business cards.

Do:

• Know what you are representing. If you are an employee of an IT company, for example, make sure to include the business name, official logo, and your job position. If you are a real estate agent working independently, highlight your name and profession – one example is Joe W. Brown, Real Estate Agent. If you’re a freelance interior or graphic designer, your name and profession should be highlighted as well.

• Make sure that the design reflects your brand’s image. Designers should have a creative business card, while lawyers may opt for a more formal design. When creating the overall look of your business card, pay attention to even the smallest details because of the very small space that you have. Coordinate the design with the font, colors, logo, material, paper stock, and finish.

Don’t:

• Include all your contact information. When deciding on the content of your personal business cards, you might think that it’s okay to include all your contact information – but you will end up overcrowding the card. If you’re running an online store, there is no need for you to include an office address or telephone number. If you’re an employee, do not include your personal mobile number and you may want to indicate the hours when you are available for calls.

• Skip your digital information. Lastly, do not skip your digital information. Business cards may be an old school print promotional material, but you can still modernize it by including your social media account information – especially if your audience is on the younger age range. Include your website, email address, Facebook and Twitter names, Instagram handle, etc. You can even include a QR code which users can scan so that they can be lead to your website.

With these tips in mind, you can come up with a concise, up-to-date, and accurate content for your business card without overcrowding the limited space that you have.

Maximize the Results of Your Marketing Efforts when You Print Postcards

If you’re an independent professional in any industry, you are bound to enjoy numerous benefits when you print postcards. If you’re a real estate agent, for example, you must have business cards, posters, and brochures readily available so that whenever a client asks for information from you, there is something for you to give. If you’re running a small law firm, postcards are important to make people aware of the legal services that you are offering. The same thing holds true for professionals in other industries.  This means that whatever line of business you are in, you need to look for a color postcard printing service provider so that you can maximize the results of your marketing efforts.

Printing Postcards: The Essentials

If it is your first time to print postcards, here are a few essential reminders to keep in  mind:

There are many printing companies online and when looking for one, consider the equipment used. Generally, offset printing offers better quality and more professional results than digital desktop printing, so go for the former. Also check on the turnaround time, the quality of customer service offered, the thickness of the paper stock, whether it’s full color HD printing, and the rates. Compare the rates offered by different companies, check on the quality of the products, and make a selection from tehre.

  • Keep the purpose of the postcard at the forefront when coming up with the design.

What’s the purpose of your postcard printing in the first place? Are you using it as a discount coupon, holiday greeting card, appointment reminder, or a regular marketing material? Based from the purpose, you can come up with the design of the postcard.

  • Think about the size, design, color – and pay attention to the small details.

5” x 7” and 4” x 6” postcards are the most popular. Since you have very limited space, it is important to pay close attention to even the smallest details. The design, color, font used, the quality of the images – all these should combine to a pleasant, eye-catching whole.

  • Use postcards as a regular part of your marketing campaign.

To succeed in postcard marketing, consistency is key. The first time that you send out those postcards, you can use it as a way to introduce your brand to your customers. The next time, you can use it as an appointment reminder and holiday greeting cards. Then, you can send it out as discount coupons. The more consistently you send postcards to your customers, the more loyal they will become to your brand.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can maximize the results of your postcard marketing campaign.

 

Print Postcards and Enjoy Numerous Marketing Advantages

Most people receive postcards, brochures, and flyers in the mail but if you’re an entrepreneur, why should you choose to print postcards? First, it can be easily combined with other printed marketing materials such as brochures, business cards, flyers, rack cards, and letterheads. Second, postcards are a cheap yet effective form of print marketing. Whether you’re launching a new product line or building a business from scratch, you can use postcard marketing to promote your brand.

Marketing Benefits of Postcards

 The good news is that there are many color postcard printing service providers out there that can provide you with high-quality HD, full color prints. When looking for a  print postcards online company, make sure that they have different sizes of postcards to choose from along with paper thickness and paper finish.

To give you more of an idea about why it really pays to go with this type of printed advertising material, here are more of the marketing advantages of using postcards:

  • It’s a highly targeted form of marketing.

If you’re a chiropractor in a small town, you can easily send out postcards to those living in your immediate neighbourhood. You can use the postcards as an appointment reminder or make it function as a discount coupon that patients can use when taking advantage of your professional services. Postcards are a highly targeted form of marketing that deliver almost instantaneous results.

  • You can use it to sell a new product or service.

If you are launching a new product line or an add-on service, you can print postcards and mail it out to your existing and potential customers. This is a way of building brand awareness while boosting the results of your marketing efforts at the same time.

  • It’s a cheap yet effective way of building customer loyalty.

Aside from using it as a marketing tool and appointment reminder, you can also use it as a holiday greeting for your existing customers. This is a cheap yet effective way of enhancing customer loyalty, and consistency is the key.

You can also use postcards as a VIP invitation card, a membership card, to promote an event, to post updates about your brand, or offer something new to your customers. True enough, postcards are a small but powerful material that you can add to your marketing arsenal.