BlockbusterPrint.com – Page 35 – BlockbusterPrint.com Blog

How Print Postcards Came to Be

How did the practice to print postcards actually start? During the late 1890s, it was only the United States Post Office who could manufacture postcards. You can write a message on one side while the back page is where the mailing address is printed out. In the next decade, the Post Office authorized the use of private mailing cards manufactured by others and it worked pretty much the same way. In the early 1900s, the printed material was known as a Post Card. From here up to the late 1930s, the appearance of postcards evolved from something plain that you can write a message on, to the full-color photograph postcards that we see up to now.

Postcards for Marketing Your Business

With the improvement of the postal system and photography technology, postcards have become the go-to ‘short message sender’ for most people. If you’re in a foreign country and you want to send a quick hi to your family back home, what you can do is mail out a postcard. There’s no need to use paper and seal it inside an envelope because you can simply write a short message at the back of the postcard. This convenience is something that you can also use if you want to include postcards in your list of brand promotional materials.

Fortunately, there are many companies that print postcards online. You can take your pick from some of the most popular sizes including 3” x 4”, 4” x 6”, 4.25” x 6’, 5” x 7”, 6” x 9”, and 8.5” x 5.5”. When choosing a color postcard printing service provider, look for a company with state-of-the-art printing presses and a wide range of printed products to choose from. Aside from the available sizes, postcards should be printed using thick card stock. For the finish of the print, you can usually take your pick from high gloss or matte with a dry surface.

Postcards can be included in direct mailers, they can double up as discount coupons, and they can be distributed during trade shows and similar events. From its humble beginnings as a plain and functional card that people can write messages in, postcards have now evolved into a cheap yet effective marketing material that business owners can take advantage of.

Highlighting the Design of Professional Brochures

Professional brochures can be used as an effective print marketing material. When you’re promoting a product or service, these handy brochures can be distributed to and be read by your direct target audience. If you’re offering beauty services, for instance, you can have half fold brochures printed out. The pages can include a brief history about your salon, the types of beauty services and products that you offer, and the brochure can even serve as a discount when presented in your place of business. Brochures can also be distributed at trade shows, out in the streets during a product launch, it can be included in mailers – the possibilities of how you can distribute them are practically endless.

Focus on Your Brochure Design!

With the marketing benefits and flexibility offered by brochures, it really is a must for you to have them printed out for your business. The first thing that you need to do is look for a good printing company. They should have the expertise in printing high-quality materials, as well as state-of-the-art printing presses.

Next, come up with suitable content for the brochure. If you decided to have trifold brochures made, there will be six panels or pages for you to fill up with content. Make sure to include high-quality images as well to break the monotony. Content-wise, see to it that the way that the material is written fits the image that you’d like to project as a company. Use language that’s appropriate for the market. A brochure for a law firm should use more formal language as compared to a brochure that’s targeted for teenage girls buying feminine products.

Based on the number of pages of the brochure, you can have a design laid out in such a way that the pages would not look too crowded. Remember that there must be a good balance of text and images. Highlight certain parts of the text in such a way that it will stand out to someone who does not have time to read the full content of the brochure – think of the way this is done in online and actual magazines.

Lastly, pay attention to even the smallest details of the brochure design. Make sure that the content is free from typographical and grammatical errors. Your contact information must be included. The colors text, and images used on the brochure should combine to a whole that matches your brand’s identity. By taking these things into account, you can print out brochures that will leave a lasting impression to your customers.

Professional Brochures: Need-to-Know Facts about Content Writing

In the process of printing professional brochures, there is more to it than just aesthetics. You might have 100 pieces trifold brochures printed in full HD color and thick, semi-gloss paper. But if the content is badly written, do you think that you will achieve your marketing goals? Not necessarily. In order for your print advertising campaign to be successful, there should be a good balance between text and image. The quality of the brochure itself is important as well, and you should pay close attention to the message that you want to impart to the reader.

Ways to Write Brochure Content

To make sure that you can effectively write marketing content for your brochure, here are a few ways to go about it:

Determine your marketing goal, and make the content revolve around that.

If you are newly launching a business, you need to tell people about how your company started, what your products and services are, and how they can benefit as customers by choosing you over other brands. If you are an existing business, you might want to print brochures to introduce a new product line. If you’re joining a trade show, you might want to use brochures to gain more following. Brochures are a truly flexible marketing material, so much so that you can use them to promote almost anything. When writing the content, keep your marketing goal in mind and make the content revolve around it.

Keep the content short but impactful.

While writing the content, you should also consider the number of pages that you need to use. If you think that you’ll have four pages of content, for example, you can have half fold brochures printed out. If you need to include a short page about your company history or mission and vision, go for an 8-age accordion fold brochure. Just remember that even if you have multiple pages, you must not crowd each page with so much content, that it becomes unreadable. Keep the content short but impactful, and don’t use any more pages than necessary.

Creatively use a play on words.

One example of creatively using a play on words is “A tab of gold, a pinch of foil”. This is used by BlockbusterPrint to market their line of metallic foil stamped business cards. You can apply the same technique to market products when writing brochure content.

Offer customers benefits.

As a final touch, you can include benefits for customers in the content. There can be a page which, when presented at one of your stores, can be used as a discount coupon. You can also include maps, detailed product descriptions, special offers, and similar useful content on the brochure.

By following these tips, you can effectively write content for your marketing brochure.

Know Which Folding Type to Choose for Professional Brochures

Did you know that the “old-fashioned” type of marketing using printed materials still work, so professional brochures are a must-have in any type of business? Sure, there are plenty of digital avenues that you can use to market your brand. But if you want to stand out in a sea of online advertising methods, especially in today’s business environment where customers have a very short attention span – something printed and tangible will truly make you stand out. This is precisely the reason why you should consider having brochures printed out. No matter the nature of your business, you can use brochures to effectively reach out to your target audience.

Get to Know Different Brochure Folding Types

So you decided that brochures are an effective marketing tool, but you don’t know the first thing about them. The number one thing to add to your to-do list is to look for a company that specializes in printing brochures. Make sure that they have high-quality offset printers; different paper stocks to choose from; full color HD printing options; turnaround time; and excellent customer service.

Next, make sure that there’s a good balance of text and images on your brochure design. Consider your goal in printing out the brochures in the first place. Are you introducing your company to a new audience? Are you launching a new product line? Would you like to let existing customers know that your pricing has changed? Curate the content of the brochure in such a way that it can effectively fulfil your marketing objectives.

Based on the content, you can now choose the brochure folding type. Here are a few options:

Half foldbrochures are the most common. The paper is folded in half so you have four panels or pages to print the content in.
Trifold brochures consist of six panels, giving you more pages for content writing.
Z-fold brochures have the same number of pages as trifold, only they are different in folding orientation.
Single gate folding is perfect if you want to have a middle page that’s wider than the front and back cover.
Accordion folding has eight panels and when going for this option, make sure that you organize the content carefully to prevent reader confusion.

Other folding types include double parallel, double gate, roll fold, half then half, and half then trifold. With the help of brochures, you can effectively impart your desired marketing message to your target audience.

More than Just Shiny: The Unique Qualities of Gold Foil Business Cards

If you’d like to combine shine with substance, gold foil business cards is the way to go. As a business owner, your goal is to make a good first impression, have people remember your brand name, and for you to make a great impact overall. These are things that can be achieved by launching a marketing campaign which does not necessarily have to be all-digital – print still works. This is especially true when it comes to distributing business cards. Even if your business is purely online, the fact that you’re still using business cards and handing it over to clients will make you stand out.

So why choose gold foil business cards? Just like plastic business cards and offset business cards, this is a type of premium business card so it immediately stands out in a stack of cardboard or linen. Metallic foil business cards are made using a foil stamping method. The effect is that a certain part of the card – it can be a name, logo, or photo – is colored gold, silver, or copper. When set against dark black or white background, the metallic color will shimmer under any lighting condition.

Because of the foil stamping method used, gold foil business cards must be made using silk 17-pt. paper. It has 60% the thickness of a credit card. So when you compare a thin linen business card with a thick, gold-foil card – which one do you think will stand out?

Another extra feature that you can consider when having this type of business card made is applying a spot UV coating. This protects the print on the card from wearing out, even after prolonged sun exposure. Foil stamped cards are also resistant to tearing, creases, and it’s even water-resistant!

When having business cards made, you really should not scrimp. Instead, go all out and use a laminating effect like gold foil stamping. With such elegant, classy, shimmery cards, your business name or brand will be stamped on the mind of whoever is holding your business card. The fact that you exerted such an effort in having elegant business cards made will make them think highly of your brand, and make them want to do business with you. What more is there to ask for?

Make Your Brand Stand Out with Gold Foil Business Cards

If you love everything that shimmers, why not consider having gold foil business cards made? More than the glitter, it’s the impression that will really make an impact to the person who will receive your card. To get started, what are the things that you need to know about this type of business card?

First, gold foil business cards are made using a process called foil stamping. Similar to plastic business cards, the printing and lamination process is not as straightforward as, say, linen business cards. With foil stamping, metallic foil is used to create the glittery effect. It is recommended that you use a dark black or bright white background, for it to highly contrast with the metallic color – which can be gold, silver, or copper.

During the printing process, the white paper is used. Depending on the background, a white or black strip is combined with a second foil mask file. Based on the design, certain areas get foil while the other parts do not. The result is that a logo, name, or photograph stands out with the metallic gold color against the black or white background.

Second, when ordering metallic foil business cards, you must look for a printing company with the length of experience and the equipment required in achieving such an effect. Printing companies like BlockbusterPrint offer such services, so you can rest assured that products like offset business cards, gold foil business cards, and silk business cards are made with excellent quality.

Third, make sure that the design of the business card is suitable for foil stamping. Let’s say that you are a real estate broker and you want only your name to be embossed in gold color. The card should be design in such a way that the background and the rest of the text is in black or white, while your name is embossed in gold color. Under any lighting condition, your name will shimmer and get noticed by the person who is holding the card.

Indeed, metallic foil stamped business cards will make your brand stand out – so consider having one made for your business right now.

Gold Foil Business Cards Offer the Ultimate in Class & Durability

When making a presentation, meeting clients, or talking with potential business partners, your goal is to impress – and there’s no better way to do just that than by having gold foil business cards. Here, we will take a look at how this type of business card offers the ultimate in class and durability.

Why It Pays to Choose Foil Business Cards

Anything that’s made with gold or is colored gold is bound to leave a lasting impression. There’s just something about this precious material that exudes class and sophistication. If you want to set yourself apart from all other businesses, you really should go for metallic foil business cards, gold in particular.

Aside from being classy, the finish of gold foil business cards has a similar effect as plastic business cards. The unique material will make your brand stand out in a sea of cardboard business cards. Quality-wise, here are more reasons why you should go for gold foil business cards:

You can highlight a specific part of the design – a photo, your logo, your company name, or your name. When the gold foil area of the card is hit with sunlight, it will shine and glitter because of the gold color. This just screams class and quality so anybody who holds your business card is bound to remember your brand.
The gold foil used prior to the lamination process is made from a high-end material that’s very reflective, so it will shimmer in all lighting conditions. To make sure that the design of the card is not too busy, stick with a black or white color palette.
Gold foil business cards are usually printed on 17-pt. laminated paper stock. This lasts ten times longer than typical cardboard cards.
The gold foil mask file, when combined with the protective silk coating, is resistant to creases, wear, and tear.

Metallic foil, suede, luster, plastic, and offset business cards are examples of specialty cards that you must consider when having a set made for your business. As compared to beige, barely-there, cardboard-thin cards, something that’s more substantial – especially if printed with gold – will make people notice you and your brand.

Effective Ways to Utilize Spot UV Business Cards for Marketing Your Brand

Whichever industry your business is in, it is a must to include spot UV business cards as part of your print marketing campaign. With the proliferation of digital ad campaigns, printed materials will really set you apart. It’s something tangible that will leave a lasting impression to your customers. The good news is that there are many companies specializing in printing spot gloss business cards. You just need to find one that will give you high-quality offset prints, without charging you too much for the service.

Another thing that you need to consider when using business cards to market your brand is its design, overall look, and the material used. Remember that you have only a few seconds to leave a good first impression to your customers. When you hand over a thin, barely readable business card with your contact information in it, the person you have the card to might not even bother keeping it. On the other hand, when you carefully present a thick, impressive business card with a special coating like spot UV – it looks and feels really luxurious. The impression is that the attention and expense you put into having the card made will translate to the way that you conduct your business, and offer your products or services.

Now, when it comes to spreading the word about your brand with the use of business cards, it’s all about creatively presenting it to your existing and potential customers. When you print business cards, here are a few tips on how to effectively utilize them for marketing:

Liberally distribute your cards to existing and potential customers. When you’re meeting a supplier, for example, you can give him or her half to a dozen of your business cards and guess where those will end up? In the hands of people who are already connected to your business network. The only value of business cards is when they’re handed out, so don’t be stingy about it.
As a form of courtesy, also ask for the card of your business contacts when they do ask for yours. Networking is an important part of business, and exchanging cards is one of the most classic yet effective ways to give your brand a boost.
Design the card in such a way that there’s a place for someone to write a short note about you or your brand. You can leave the entire back part of the card blank, or only print on 50% of the back’s surface so that they can have something to write on.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to always follow up. What was your goal in distributing the card in the first place? If it’s to increase the orders in your food business, for example, you can make a quick call or send a casual email to your new business contact. If you gave it to a supplier for a potential business deal, don’t hesitate to place a phone call for a follow-up.

By knowing how to properly print and distribute business cards, you can use it as an excellent tool in spreading the word about your business.

Standard-Sized Spot UV Business Cards or Something Else? Know Which One will Work for Your Business

If you want your contact information to stand out in a stack of thin, cardboard cards, then you really need to think about having a set of spot UV business cards made. These can be ordered from printing companies that offer offset printing services. What’s the advantage of going for offset over digital printing? Take a quick look:

Offset printing delivers more professional-looking business cards and other printed promotional materials.
Offset printing uses state-of-the-art printing presses that can print out dozens or even hundreds of copies in a short period of time. As such, it’s the better option for bulk orders.
The print from offset printers last for a longer period of time as compared to digital prints.
With offset printing, you can come up with more printing or lamination effects. With spot UV business cards, for instance, high gloss is applied on a specific part of the card which could be the company logo. It leaves the rest of the surface flat and matte. When you run your fingers through the embossed, high-gloss parts of the card, it feels luxurious to the touch and looks really impressive.

Next, when it comes to size, should you go for standard or something that’s bigger or smaller? When you print spot gloss business cards, the standard size available is 3.5” x 2”. If you want to print business cards that really stand out, you can go for this standard size – but wit a portrait orientation on the design. This makes the card look upright, but it would still fit into a stack of other standard-sized cards.

However, if you really do want to veer off the standard size, you can have European-sized business cards especially made. This is a bit larger, measuring 2.125” x 3.375”. You can also go for square instead of a rectangular business card. These are available in 2” x 2” or 2.5” x 2.5” sizes. Slim business cards are also available, as well as mini-business cards and folded business cards you’re your business is creative in nature, then you can probably go for odd-sized business cards. But if you want to stick with the classic while still making your brand stand out, go for spot UV business cards which are made through offset printing.

Know How to Use Spot UV Business Cards as Membership Cards

If you ordered a set of standard-sized spot UV business cards, then you are already on the right path in advertising your brand. Business cards are an effective way of branding, and it can be part of your print marketing campaign. Let’s say that you just launched a business and you are in the process of gathering new clients. The cheapest way to advertise is to print business cards, letterheads, flyers, brochures, envelopes, and notepads. When you distribute notepads at a trade show, for example, make sure to also include business cards in it. The more people to get their hands into your printed promotional materials, the easier it will be to gain new customers and make your brand more well-known.

Now, how can you make sure that your business cards will leave a lasting first impression? By simply choosing a variant that’s as impactful as spot gloss business cards, you are well on your way towards making an excellent marketing statement. Your goal in printing out the cards in the first place is to leave a great first impression. If you hand over a thin, barely noticeable business card to a supplier, imagine how disappointing it must be to see such poor quality. Meanwhile, investing in a business card that’s made of thick grade paper, with luxurious printing effects like spot UV treatment – it will make an instantaneous impact.

Another thing to think about when you print business cards is its distribution. If you have a food business, for instance, you can include one business card in every takeout bag or delivery box. Simply putting your cards out there will give your business influx a good boost.

If you want, you can also turn your business cards into a discount coupon or a membership card. Using the previous example of running a food establishment, you can tell your customers that the business card will qualify them for a 10% discount when they order food to go or when dining in. You can also create a membership program where a specific group of customers will be entitled to freebies or discounts. Offering such benefits to your existing and potential clients will develop loyalty to your brand, increase your profit, and make your business grow significantly.