Author: BlockbusterPrint.com

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Things to Remember when Designing Color Business Cards

When a customer asks for your contact information, do you pull out a bunch of color business cards with an eye-catching design that will impress the recipient? If not, then you definitely need to think about having a new set of business cards online. The good news is that during the design process, there are ways for you to incorporate color and get the marketing results you want.

How to Use Color when Designing Business Cards

When you print business cards, you must look for a printing company with a wide range of products, plenty of experience, and high-end printing presses, preferably using the offset printing process.

Next, here’s how you can incorporate color into the design:

  • What’s your goal in designing the business card in the first place?

The standard size for a business card is 3.5” x 2”. With such a limited space, you need to really think about the design elements so that you can achieve your goal in having the card made. Would you like to stand out among other business owners? If yes, use color in such a way that your card will really grab someone’s attention. If you’re an interior designer, for example, you’d want to show off your creativity. Think of a business card design with a unique shape, folding option or material to give customers a preview of your design perspective.

  • Apply color psychology when designing your business cards.

Did you know that you can actually use psychology when designing business cards or any printed marketing material? White is the standard background but when you mix it with yellow, you are conveying a message of optimism. Blue means that you’re a dependable business; green is associated with nature and health; grey is neutral; while red is perfect for when you have a young target market.

  • Learn about color placement.

If you already have a business logo, what are its dominant colors? How can you blend it with a black background or make it stand out against a white background? If you have an image or a drawing in the design, which complementing colors should you choose?

  • Pay attention to the smallest details of the card’s design.

Finally, think about the finer details like font type and size; the type and thickness of paper that you will use; and the print finish. You can go for textured linen, metallic, foil-stamped, brown kraft, suede, ultra high-gloss or even plastic business cards.

With the use of color, you can come up with an overall business card design that will leave a truly lasting impression to your clients.

 

Learn the Symbolism behind Different Color Business Cards

Did you know that there is a psychology behind using different hues which you can apply on color business card printing? Similar to designing a house, choosing a specific color will attract different results and convey a particular message to your target market. Here, we will take a look at a rainbow of colors that you can use when printing business cards and understand the effect that it will have on your audience.

What’s the Effect of Using Different Colors on Business Cards?

Before you order a batch of business cards online, the first thing that you need to do is have a design for your business card. What’s the background color? How about the font? You also need to make sure that the information is concise and up to date. Which paper stock and finish would you like your business card to have? It’s important to pay attention to even the smallest details because of the limited space that you have.

For the background and the letters or images, here are a few colors to choose from – as well as a quick look at what each color conveys:

  • Black

Black is bold, formal, and elegant. This is perfect for those in the legal industry and business owners who want to exude sophistication. You can mix it with metallic hues like gold, silver, or copper – or more fun colors if you want to make a standout statement.

  • Blue

The color of the sea is tranquil and when used in business cards, it conveys a message of being trustworthy and honest. A lighter shade injects a bit more fun into the design, while the darker shades of blue lean towards a more serious, formal image.

  • Green

If you’re marketing yourself as an eco-friendly company, you can choose green as the background color or the color of the font in your business card. Green is associated with nature, the environment, healing, compassion, balance, and security.

  • Gold

If you’re offering a luxury product or service, you can probably go with a gold-themed business card. Just make sure to keep it muted to prevent the card from looking too pretentious or crass. Gold is the symbol for opulence and premium quality – but on business cards, it looks best when mixed with subtler colors like ivory.

  • Grey

Grey is a neutral color that suggests being conservative and neutral. It’s always a safe color choice on business cards, but is not recommended if you want something that stands out.

  • Red

Red symbolizes passion and when used in a business card, it definitely will grab someone’s attention. It’s stimulating but be careful in choosing the exact shade of red since it can also convey anger or aggression. If you must use red, go for the darker shades like maroon or burgundy to make it a bit more formal.

  • Silver

Like gold, silver-based business cards are stylish and formal. It can be used by companies in the Information Technology industry, or combined with other fun colors to make it look more elegant.

  • White

White is the standard background for most business cards and there is absolutely nothing wrong in going for this safe choice. It’s a blank canvas, making it perfect for almost any type of business. However, if you want to also stand out, make sure that the overall design of the card adds up to a pleasant whole. It should also fit the image that you’d like to project as a business.

Keep these tips in mind when you print business cards so that you can send out the right message through the colors, font, and overall design of the card.

All About Designing Rack Cards

Just like business cards, brochures, flyers, booklets, door hangers, envelopes, folders, letterheads, and postcards, rack cards are used as a traditional form of print advertising.  Despite the emergence of digital marketing campaigns, having something tangible like rack cards creates a huge impression on customers. It increases name recall, and you can actually combine print with your digital promotional campaign by including cool features like QR codes that can be scanned or discount codes that can be applied on online or in-store purchases.

How to Get Started in Printing Rack Cards 

After learning about the benefits of using rack cards in print advertising, how can you actually go about the process of having one made? The first thing to do is look for companies that specialize in rack card printing. Offset printing is better than digital printing, simply because of the sheer difference in output quality. The former delivers professional-looking results, which is something that you need if you want to grab the attention of people walking by when your rack cards are displayed.

Design-wise, here are a few things to remember when you print rack cards:

  • When writing the copy, determine what your goal is in the first place. Do you want to introduce your brand to your target market? Or are you introducing a new line of products or a new service? Based on your marketing goal, you can come up with content that will effectively convey your message.
  • Strategically include photos or illustrations in your rack card design. There should be a good balance between text and images. If you want to include pictures, make sure that they are professionally-shot and there should be a description at the bottom.
  • The overall design of the rack card must fit the image that you would like to portray for your brand. You don’t want to use too-dark colors if your target market is women of all ages – it should be a bit more fun and feminine. If possible, use a palette that is similar to the colors used in your business logo.
  • Include a call to action. Just like brochures and flyers, there is sufficient space in a rack card for you to squeeze in a line or two for a call to action. It can be your contact information – something that you can incorporate in the design through a detachable business card at the bottom of the rack card. It can also be a scannable QR code that will lead a customer to your website, or discount codes that they can use when purchasing.

There should be plenty of information here to get you started on rack card printing, so make it work to your business advantage and start right now!

Rake Profits from Rack Cards Specifically Designed for Your Business

Rack cards are a handy marketing tool for when you need to introduce your brand to the market, or when launching a new product or service. The most popular sizes are 3.5” x 4.5” and 4” x 9”. When both sides are used, the cards can contain just the right amount of information to effectively deliver your marketing message.

Follow these Tips to Boost Your Profit when Printing Rack Cards

You will often see rack cards displayed in hotel lobbies and the reception areas of offices. Your goal when you print rack cards is to make people walking by stop, notice, pick up, and actually read the card – so it should be attention-grabbing. Here are a few tips on how you can make your rack cards noticeable, while also using it as a tool to rack up your profits:

  • Make sure that there’s a good blend of images and text.

There’s more to rack card printing than just putting a bunch of pictures and standard copy together. With the limited space that you have, you must make sure that there is a good balance between the text and the images. Too much text will make the rack card read like a boring pamphlet, while too many photos without descriptions is also a big no-no. When writing the copy, it can be short but still convey your marketing message.

  • Combine your digital campaign with your print campaign.

Printed advertising materials are considered traditional, but you can actually combine it with your digital print campaign. Include scannable QR codes in your rack cards. Once scanned using a smartphone, it will automatically go to your website. You can also provide codes which will qualify users to discounts on your products or services.

  • Consider ordering rack cards with detachable business cards.

Aside from QR codes, you can also include a detachable business card at the bottom part of your rack card. This way, you can have a double purpose card without paying double the price. It’s also an effective way of creating awareness about your brand.

  • Invest in good quality paper and print.

Your goal is to make a good first impression, so your rack card should be printed using thick stock paper and high-quality ink. If possible, go for offset instead of digital printing so that professional-looking rack cards are produced.

With the help of rack cards, you can send out your desired marketing message using an old-fashioned but distinct and still-effective advertising material. Design one for your business now and reap its benefits in the long run.

 

Top 3 Tips when Displaying Rack Cards

Rack cards offer more space than business cards, but less space than flyers or brochures. This makes the material ideal for print advertisement because it can contain just the right amount of information. This is also the reason why you’ll often see rack cards displayed on hotel lobbies, clinics, tourist information centers, and retail stores.

Keep these Tips in Mind when having Rack Cards Made

So if you want to print rack cards, the first thing to do is look for an offset printing company. As compared to digital printing, offset printing delivers more professional results, there are more printing effects that can be made, and there are several sizes to choose from. You can also order in bulk or have your rack cards delivered as soon as possible, especially through companies that offer 24-hour printing.

Next, what are the top three rack card printing that you need to keep in mind? Here’s a list:

  1. Maximize the available space that you have.

Rack cards are displayed in areas where there is high foot traffic, so it should immediately catch someone’s attention. Maximizing the available space that you have doesn’t mean that you should cram it with information. There should be a good balance between image and text.

Photos and logos must be professional-looking, and fit the theme or logo of your business.

  1. Offer incentives to customers.

Rack cards are used for marketing, so what incentive are you offering to customers for them to pick the cards up? There are rack cards which have a detachable business card which you can use as a discount coupon for your products or services. You can also include scannable QR codes or discount codes that customers can input before checking out the items on their cart if you have an online store.

  1. There should be a call to action.

Just like all the other printed materials used for advertising, rack cards must have a call to action. If it’s a real estate rack card, you should include your complete contact information so clients can give you a call. If it’s a retail store rack card, they should know which physical or online store to visit so they can use the discount codes you’re offering.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can enjoy maximum results when printing out rack cards for your business.

Suede, Foil Stamped, Spot Gloss Business Cards: Which Do You Prefer?

Are you considering ordering spot gloss business cards? This is a type of business card that offer an extra oomph, leaving customers impressed with what you have to offer as a company. By going for something that’s luxurious and extra special, you can easily achieve your marketing objectives.

Take Your Pick from these Luxurious Business Cards

Traditional business cards are sized 3.5” x 2” and are made from thin or thick cardboard material. But if you want to veer away from the traditional, there are many types of luxurious business cards to choose from. Here are a few options:

  • Suede business cards

Just like silk business cards, suede business cards feel like fabric to the touch. If you want to give your customers a glowing impression of your brand, this is definitely something that you must consider printing for your business. Made with 19-pt. paper, it has 70% the thickness of a credit card. The soft suede effect is achieved by using velvet lamination, something that cannot be done using simple desktop printing. If you want an organic theme for your business card, suede is the way to go.

  • Foil stamped business cards

Another luxurious business card option is foil-stamped cards. If you’re a lawyer, for example, and you want to impress clients, gold foil business cards is your best bet. Gold, silver, copper, or colored foil is used – not metallic ink – to ensure that a real metallic lustrous effect is achieved for the card. 17-pt. paper stock is used, and it is best to design the card with dark colors in mind to make the metallic glint pop out.

  • Spot gloss business cards

Finally, there’s the spot gloss business cards. As the name suggests, these are cards which have glossy ink applied only to certain spots on the card. It could be the logo, the name, a box with an image, etc. The combination of matte and glossy ink makes the spot appear raised or embossed for a fully impressive effect.

No matter which among these luxurious business cards you end up ordering, you are bound to leave a lasting impression to your customers because they’re extra special.

 

 

A Preview at How Luxurious Spot Gloss Business Cards are Made

There is absolutely nothing wrong when you go with traditional business cards – but why stick with it when you can go for something extra special like spot gloss business cards? Just like

silk business cards and gold foil business cards, spot gloss cards has an extra layer of printing that makes colors pop and the design stand out. Here, we will have a quick preview of how these ultra-specialty business cards are made.

Outlining the Process behind Making Spot Gloss Business Cards

There are many companies specializing in printing business cards, brochures, flyers, rack cards, and similar products. When looking for one, make sure that spot gloss business cards is included in their products list, or you might not achieve the same effect.

Now, here’s a quick preview at how luxurious spot gloss business cards are made:

  • Offset printing is used, not digital.

Companies that specialize in printing brochures use state-of-the-art printing presses that apply the offset printing process, as well as features like Heidelberg color technology. Although there are cheaper digital printers out there, it is better to go with offset printing if you want superior and professional-looking results.

  • After the first layer of printing is done, a second layer of glossy printing is applied on specific areas of the card.

The first application of ink on the business card paper has a matte effect. Then, specialized ink to achieve a high-level of gloss is applied – but only on certain areas of the card. If you want to outline an image, the logo, or a specific part of the card, this is where the gloss is applied. The combination of matte and glossy ink raises the part of the card that’s printed in spot gloss, making the colors pop and highlighting the name, logo, or image.

  • Thick paper stock is used on standard-sized business cards.

Because there are two layers of ink applied, it is best to use thick paper stock for spot gloss business cards. Printing companies recommend using thick 16-pt. or super thick 17-pt. paper. You may also want to place your orders in advance to give the printing company plenty of time to perfectly finish the process.

Indeed, spot business cards are an excellent option if you want your brand name to really stand out.

 

Get that Super Cool Effect from Spot Gloss Business Cards

If you want to up the ante in representing your brand, why not distribute spot gloss business cards? This is a super cool printing effect that can only be achieved using the offset printing method from companies with state-of-the-art printing presses. If you’re going for something cheaper like digital printing, it might be difficult – if not impossible – to achieve the same luxurious effect.

How is the Spot Gloss Effect Achieved?

Just like gold foil business cards, a specialized printing process is used to achieve the spot gloss effect. As the name implies, gloss is applied to certain parts of the business card. If you have a standard-sized 3.5” x 2” card, for example, a high-gloss layer can be applied to the logo. If the design is black-and-white, gloss can be applied on the white parts of the card to highlight certain aspects of the design. The application of a glossy layer makes the colors pop. Since the rest of the surface has a matte effect, running your fingers through the parts with the glossy layer makes the business card feel extra luxurious. It adds another dimension to the design, making your brand stand out.

Here’s a quick list of other things to remember when ordering spot gloss business cards:

  • Consider adding gloss to logos, illustrations, a name, or just the parts of the card’s design that you wish to highlight.
  • The spot gloss effect works best with a thick card stock, so go for thick 16 pt. or super thick 17 pt. paper.
  • The ‘gloss’ part is a combination of matte and glossy layers, making the area raised – which is something that you need to consider when creating the design. If you want to highlight a name, for example, make sure that it’s in a large font – otherwise, the glossiness of the design might be indistinguishable.
  • Similar products are silk business cards, silver or gold foil stamped business cards. All these add that extra layer of dimension to otherwise plain contact cards.

All in all, if you want your brand to stand out, you really must consider going with super cool spot gloss business cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Printing Professional Brochures? Here’s How to Make the Design Stand Out

When printing professional brochures, the first thing that you need to determine is its purpose. Marketing is the general answer, but what exactly is it that you are trying to sell? Are you launching a new product line or a new service that you want people to know about? Are you a new company working on creating brand awareness? Are you attending a trade show and you want to print brochures that does a good job of representing your company? Upon determining your purpose, you can come up with a suitable design that will suit your needs to a tee.

Next, to get you started on the design, here are a few tips on how you can make your brochure’s design stand out:

  • Choose the right folding type.

There are several sizes and folding types to choose from when you’re printing a brochure. Choosing the right one again boils down to the purpose. If you’re attending a trade show, for example, trifold brochures will give you six pages – enough so you can include a brief history of your business, as well as a preview of the products or services you’re offering. Half fold brochures will give you four wide pages to use, which is perfect when incorporating other features into the brochure like a discount coupon for marketing purposes.

  • Make sure there’s a right balance between text and images.

Brochures will instantly give you multiple pages as a layout base, but you still need to make sure that there is a good balance between text and images. Having an image-centric brochure is good but to make it effective for marketing, you still have to include a short description of the image to sell it. On the other hand, having a brochure that’s too wordy might turn off most readers – so there has to be just the right balance between the two.

  • Go for high-quality print.

If it’s your first time distributing brochures, you want to give customers a good impression of your brand. This means that you must pay close attention to the paper stock you’re using, as well as the print quality. There are many printing companies that use state-of-the-art printing presses along with an offset printing method. As compared to digital printing, offset printing will deliver more excellent results, so the extra investment will be well worth it in the end.

By taking these factors into consideration, you can design a brochure that will leave a lasting impression to your customers and help you achieve your marketing objectives.

 

 

 

Get to Know the Most Popular Folds for Professional Brochures

Professional brochures are an effective and non-costly marketing tool. Whatever type of product or service you’re offering, you can let customers learn more about it through brochures. If you are trying to build brand awareness, a brochure has enough space for you to include a brief history of your company, along with a short description of what you have to offer as a business. This is precisely the reason why you should include brochures in your print marketing campaign. Here, we will take a look at the most popular brochure folds that you can choose from if want to promote your brand using printed materials.

Top 5 Most Popular Brochure Folds

Before choosing between half fold brochures and trifold brochures, you must first look for a good quality printing company. Make sure that they offer offset printing using state-of-the-art printing presses, and that they have a variety of brochure sizes to choose from.

Next, here are the top five most popular brochure folds that you can go for:

  1. Half Fold

The sizes of brochures range from 4.25” x 11” to 11” x 25.5”. Your first option for any of the available sizes is half fold, which gives you four pages to work with. This is perfect for when you are introducing your company to clients and you want to give them a brief history of how your business started.

  1. Trifold

Trifold brochures give you six pages back and forth, which is plenty of space. This is suitable if you are introducing a new line of products and you want to incorporate images with descriptions on the brochure.

  1. Double Parallel

Double parallel-folded brochures have a total of eight panels. For this option, make sure to carefully plan how you will assemble or layout the pages. Should you place an image on the cover, or leave it for the backmost page? Incorporate a good balance of image with text so the brochure doesn’t read like a book – unless that is your intention in the first place.

  1. Single Gate

A single gate-folded brochure has one back-and-forth page which is twice wider than the front cover. It literally does fold like a single gate, and it gives you four narrow and two wide pages to use as a base for the brochure.

  1. Z-Fold

A Z-fold brochure looks like a letter Z when viewed from the top, giving you six pages to work with.

Other brochure folds include: double parallel, double gate, roll fold, accordion, half then half, and half then trifold.