When it comes to business marketing, first impressions matter. Whether it’s a business card, a brochure, or a poster, the design of your print materials plays a crucial role in how your brand is perceived. A good design can captivate, inform, and persuade. So, how do you create a visually appealing print design? We explore the essential principles: color theory, typography, and layout.

Color Theory for Print Design

Color can convey emotion, set a mood, and even drive action. Complementary colors are positioned opposite on the color wheel, and when placed together, they enhance each other’s intensity and make images pop.

Typography: The Art of Arranging Letters and Text

How you arrange printed text so it’s appealing and legible is just as impactful as the imagery. Enhance the overall design with relevant, straight-to-the-point copy that resonates with viewers.

Arranging Your Layout for Print Design

How you compose or layout the elements of your design, per the dimensions of your product, is also vital. Strategic placement of visuals and text enhances readability and ensures the design’s message is effectively communicated to the audience.

Effectively Applying the Principles of Print Design

Creating a compelling print design goes beyond just aesthetics. It’s about communicating your brand’s message efficiently and effectively. By understanding and applying the principles of color theory, typography, and layout, you’ll be well on your way to crafting designs that catch the eye and resonate with your target audience. Remember, consistency is paramount. Maintain a uniform look across all your marketing materials to bolster your brand’s identity.

__________

At Econo Print, we’re committed to delivering the highest-quality printed products promptly and affordably. We prioritize our clients’ needs, listening closely to support their business objectives. With cutting-edge technology, unwavering service commitment, and expert knowledge, we’re confident our products will exceed your expectations. Reach out today to see how we can elevate your business.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

There is virtue in finding balance; the same can be said with a good marketing strategy. Promoting your business is most successful when using a combination of digital and print mediums because you’ll reach a larger audience to view your product or service. While both advertising channels are important, this article focuses on using print to market your business, a tried-and-true marketing approach.

Printed materials can provide a personal experience that digital media can’t replicate, making them effective tools for establishing a brand and driving sales. Print is in the moment and captures one’s full attention, even for just a few moments. Print can be luxury in a package with glossy ads or high-end publications. It sets a tone of trust and quality that one can’t get online, and with more spam and less junk mail, direct mail marketing is making a comeback. 

Initial Marketing Strategizing

When strategizing to market your business, first define your goals. What do you want to achieve? Do you want to increase brand awareness, promote a specific product or service, or invite customers to a special event?

After pinpointing your audience, it’s important to determine and research your competition. Understand what’s already out there and try to set yourself apart. Establish a budget and gauge results before adjusting. Create and design engaging high-quality graphics and content and ensure that it aligns with your brand’s identity (color, fonts, messaging.) Keep material clean, professional, and easy to understand.

Traditional Print Marketing Materials

Below are some of the most common forms of print marketing proven to grow your business:

Business Cards: Networking is about making personal connections, so should sharing your contact information. Always have business cards on hand. Ensure they have essential contact information, your logo, and a tagline or brief descriptor about your business. This way, your brand remains beyond your first interaction and boosts your professional image.

Brochures & Flyers: These are handy, compact documents that can hold a lot of valuable material. Include only essential highlights about your business, products/services, and contact information. Depending on your audience, these are ideal to distribute at trade shows, local events, bulletin boards, or even door-to-door.

Yard Signs & Banners: Large signs or banners are great ways to promote special events, sales, or new product launches. Place them in high-traffic areas to generate unplanned impulse stops and help direct people to your door.

Direct Mail Campaigns: Readers are often excited to open and hold mail received from their mailbox, especially if it’s a product they are already interested in. By sending postcards, catalogs, or newsletters directly to your target audience, chances are high of getting a return on the investment. Be sure to use compelling call-to-action content and enticing incentives for better engagement.

Promotional Items: Like a business card, promotional products such asbranded pens, notebooks, calendars, or tote bags can serve as constant reminders of your company. Research suggests that this medium is even more impressionable than business cards. Consider using them as a lead magnet, giving a promotional item in exchange for more information about them.

Alternative Ideas for Print Marketing

Besides traditional ads in newspapers and magazines, there are a lot of other exciting ideas you can use to promote your business using print marketing. We list our favorites below:  

Branded Packaging: is becoming a popular yet pricy phenomenon. Alternatively, slip in a customized letter sharing your appreciation with the valued customer before sealing the package.   

Loyalty Cards: encourage repeat business by offering stamp or punch cards that provide rewards after a set number of purchases.

Testimonial/Review Reminders: handheld cards inviting satisfied customers to share their positive feedback online helps build trust among your consumers.

Printed QR Codes: QR codes are an easy way to lead people toyour website, promotional video, online menu, digital vouchers, and more. Include QR codes on your business cards, flyers, and direct mail to make it easy for customers to find what you want them to see.

Remember, the key to any successful marketing strategy is consistency and quality. Ensure that your printed materials reflect your brand and the quality of your products or services. Also, make sure that your printed materials are up to date with current offers, prices, etc. Even as digital marketing continues to grow, the tangible nature of printed materials still offers a unique touchpoint to engage customers. With the right strategy, combining print and digital messages can complement each other, creating a cohesive multi-channel harmony.

Econo Print is your one-stop shop for marketing materials. We’ve got you covered, from business cards to banners and everything else in between! Contact us to learn how we can help you.

____________

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Glance around and notice how many promotional products are within eyesight. Chances are, there are probably a few. Quite common in today’s society, promotional products offer a way for businesses to gain valuable impressions at a small cost. 

Thanks to Jasper Meeks, promotional products first came to the United States in the late 1800s. A newspaperman who wanted to keep his presses running in lulls, he began printing burlap bags with messages. Soon after, a local shoe store handed out printed bags to promote its company. As the industry grew, sales were $124 million by 1947. 

As businesses discovered how to implement promotional items, they realized that this marketing method gave them a great return on investment. Today, the promotional products industry has multiplied exponentially, with a whopping $23 billion in annual sales recorded, according to Promotional Products Association International (PPAI).

Generally, promotional products consist of branded, customized items used by customers and other parties. Apparel, office products, kitchen tools, gadgets, water bottles, etc., are typical promotional items companies use to promote their business. Products range in varying sizes, shapes, and weights. For example, t-shirts from live events, swag bags, notebooks, hats, phone chargers, pens, etc., can all be used as promotional material.  

These seemingly unremarkable items create lasting impressions since they allow potential customers to familiarize themselves with the company’s brand. Moreover, promotional products are almost always an essential object that most people would use anyway. 

Promotional products come from suppliers and distributors. Suppliers manufacture and customize promotional products centered on the customer base. Distributors advertise and promote the products focused on customer needs. 

Once a company decides to purchase promotional products, they find a distributor and examine the options. After choosing what they are looking for, companies place an order with the distributor, which sends the order to the supplier. The supplier then creates the product(s), and the distributor sends the finished product to the customer. 

Promotional products can increase your brand awareness, create buying incentives and sales, generate new referrals, raise customer appreciation, heighten corporate culture and help employee retention, improve investor relations, and more. As a highly effective marketing tool, promotional products can help a company achieve numerous goals.

Looking to create Promotional Products specific to your company? Check out our items here!

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/ 

Yard marketing is no new feat, but there is a reason it has thrived through the years since its invention in Ancient Rome. Throughout history, yard signs were first used in the United States in the 1820s when President John Quincy Adams used them for political campaigning.

Whether for political reasons or business advertising, yard signs make a difference. Read on to learn why your company should invest in yard signs.

Target Customers
By placing the signs within your store’s vicinity, your audience will easily see your information and be more likely to pull into your driveway. Use directional arrows, when possible, to encourage the flow. 

Cost-Efficient
Compared to roadside billboards, television, radio, or website advertisements, yard signs are super economical. All you have to do is order them once, mount them, and watch the magic happen. 

Exposure
Adding signs around your building adds exposure to a larger audience. People will take notice of a newly displayed yard sign, so incorporate the relevant information you want to share to gain traction.

Design
Yard signs are easy to customize and can be tailored for any business. Keep the design double-sided, neat, easy-to-read, and short so people can glean what they need to in a mere few seconds. Space is limited on a sign, so forgo branding and stick to promoting one message.

Multiple Options
Do you have more than one business that you’d like to showcase? Place yard signs in relevant areas but keep them separate to ensure potential customers don’t get confused. 

If you are looking for a tried-and-true way to promote your business, contact the design and print experts at Econo Print today. We have an extensive array of options for you to gain customers. 

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/ 

Digital marketing has dominated the marketing field for more than a decade as potential customers shift their focus from physical media to an online presence. With this shift, television, radio, newspaper, and other previously-relied-on traditional advertising methods have needed to pivot in different directions.

Business-to-Consumer (B2C) service companies anticipate the biggest move to traditional advertising at 10.2 percent, while B2C product companies guesstimate they will see five percent growth. Those companies that rely on the internet to provide 100 percent of their sales are switching gears and aiming to increase traditional advertising spending by almost 12 percent through the next year. 

Recent evidence suggests a change is underway. Some factors behind this include: 

Becoming Numb: Many consumers view digital advertising as clutter and do not engage like they used to. For example, frustration from having to watch an ad before a video is fueling the shift back to traditional media.

Tried-and-True: The top most trusted advertising formats are traditional, which include print, television, direct mail, and radio. 

Devouring Cookies: Third-party cookies used to track website visitors are being phased out by both Google and Apple. As a result, more than 20 percent of companies seeking advertisement rely on traditional methods.

Podcast Growth: Similar to traditional radio, podcasts use an on-demand approach with over 100 million monthly listeners who trust their hosts and follow their endorsements. 

While experts have been suggesting traditional advertising will be extinct soon, it is, in fact, poised for major growth for the first time in over ten years. Traditional and digital marketing is the best bet for companies looking to expand their customer base. 

_____________________

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/ 

Many question whether physical printing will remain relevant with the ever-growing popularity of digital media and the Internet. Yes, the future will involve printing, but read on to discover why. 

The forecast for the printing industry is positive, with the profit (percentage of sales) remaining steady or increasing annually since the Great Recession ended in June 2009. 

Especially between 2018 and 2019, print markets flourished. In 2020, COVID-19 shutdowns impeded the upward trend, but the industry swiftly rebounded as economies re-opened. In the post-coronavirus era, sectors such as graphics, commercials, packaging, publications, and label printing face marketplace adjustments. 

Commercial printing is entering an era where elite printers will modernize their company’s process and print rooms, paying close attention to customer demands. Local print shops and chains have seen an uptick in revenue as digital printing is on the rise. E-commerce packaging is also continuously gaining momentum, providing an opportunity for advertising without flyers.

Direct mail media is increasingly popular; 43 percent of Americans feel reassured by brand communication. Many local communities are boosted thanks to 56 percent of people wanting to know what the business is doing. Moreover, mailing management accounts for 52.7 percent of a printing company’s time.  

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, the printing sector, among many other industries, took a big hit. Now, commercial printing is thriving again thanks to new opportunities and stand-out businesses that have weathered the storm.

New challenges arise daily, and print marketing is headed in the right direction. Whether you want to attract new customers or reel back your existing ones, contact the experts at Econo Print today. 

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

As we age, technology progresses. With that progression comes the inevitable retirement of countless devices we have come to use throughout our daily lives. Some obsolete examples have been phased out, including rotary phones, floppy disks, CDs, pagers, cassette tapes, typewriters, etc. While some have been repurposed or had a comeback (vinyl records, we’re looking at you), most have faded into oblivion, written in history books to come. 

Speaking of books, these printed paperback and hardcover reading materials have also dwindled in popularity. Newspapers, magazines, and other paper media all rely on the printing press, which has a history of its own. 

Johannes Gutenberg is credited for the invention of the printing press; however, records show China was printing documents roughly 150 years prior. Wang Chen developed a woodblock printing process in 1297, but it took approximately 100 years (the year 1440) for the technology to reach Europe, which was when Gutenberg’s metal version emerged. Gutenberg’s invention used his own ink, designed to adhere to metal instead of wood. He also pioneered replica casting, the process of using a metal mold to create letters with lead. 

As the printing press gained popularity throughout Europe and North America, the way in which people communicated vastly changed. Prior to this novel invention, literacy and education were only available to the elite and wealthy. 

Through the years, the printing press has evolved and changed with time. However, in the past 25 years, critics are suggesting it will soon be obsolete. With the emergence of the digital age, press and printing rooms have dwindled, shuttering at staggering rates. The Los Angeles Times, for example, will close its downtown LA printing facility in 2024. 

But what does all of this mean for the future of print publication? For some communities, newspaper companies are feeding a niche market, as they remain relevant and provide some of the only local news for small towns. Hyperlocal, pertinent news is still attracting many readers, which appeals to advertisers. 

Printing is not a dying art; rather, the industry is seeing astounding growth in advertising. The Global Commercial Printing Market is expected to produce a valuation of $484.22 billion by 2027, an increase of 12 percent from 2021. 

Pratik Mistry, author of “The Future of Print Industry in 2023 and Beyond,” said, “In America, 25,000 companies are specialists in commercial printing. It generates approximately $900 billion in revenue annually. Single-wide press with additional or all-color pages, a Jaw folder with quarter folding, and quality automation perfectly addresses the next chapter for newspapers.” 

Are you looking for high-quality printed products at an affordable price? Check out our extensive selection of options, or contact us today to learn more about our services. 

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

In the past, books were produced only in large quantities before digital printing because time and expense for smaller batches were not economical. Digital printing makes short runs easy and affordable without sacrificing quality. Paper stocks have a high-quality finish and a fantastic overall look. Moreover, they provide flexible options for printers who want to offer this product to customers. Some other benefits of digital print, short-run books include: 

Affordability
Smaller print runs are much more affordable than large runs, requiring a lesser investment for both printer and client. 

Reduced Storage Space
Books generally require a great deal of storage space, but with short-run printed books, they take up less surface area than the alternative. 

Hardcover Upgrade
Short runs can more easily be upgraded to hardcover since they have a lower page count and the overall cost of printing is lower than the alternative. 

Less Waste
With short runs, companies can order a smaller number of books, which helps to reduce the chances of producing unnecessary trash. 

Swift Production
Digital print runs require minimal setup, which lowers production time and makes the entire process quick and effortless. 

New Editions
Shorter print runs mean that minor updates can be printed every time a small run is ordered, which keeps the content accurate.

Are you looking to print a book in small quantities? Look no further than Econo Print! Our local experts can assist you today. 

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Handwritten thank-you notes are great ways to show gratitude and stand out among the text message and e-mail crowd. Handwritten notes don’t have to be complex either; the simpler and more sincere, the better. 

Personal or business connections can be improved with a quick note, which shows how important the relationship is. You show good intentions for continuing the relationship by expressing your thoughts in penmanship.  It also signifies that the connection you have is meaningful by exhibiting your willingness to put forth an effort to create a personalized message. 

Text messages and e-mails can seem impersonal and cold behind the lifeless screens that hold their meaning. Even phone calls can show a lack of personal connection, depending on the overall tone. On the other hand, notes written by hand can forge an impression that is not easily forgotten. A physical token of your appreciation goes a long way. 

With automated technologies mass-producing notes (season’s greetings, thank you cards, birthday wishes, etc.), these responses can imply a sense of generic repetition. Automated e-mails can quickly drag the heartfelt sentiment from ten to zero. 

Handwritten messages are personal and come from a place with good intentions. Handwriting is unique, and clients often interpret custom notes as a valuable effort, especially in our fast-paced world, where everything is accomplished at lightning speed. It takes time to sit down at a desk, put pen to paper, and convey your thoughts adequately. The recipient will notice this effort and weigh it against the – much easier – other option of typing out an e-mail or sending an automated message. 

Handwritten notes are appropriate in the following situations: 

• Thank You Letters
• Referrals
• Prospective Customers
• Product Announcements
• Season’s Greetings
• Congratulations

Sending a handwritten note is easier than you think. There are numerous templates available that allow you to write your text, add personalizations, choose your card stock, and more. 

Econo Print can help you create a handwritten note template for your business. Contact us today.

At Econo Print, we strive to deliver the highest-quality printed products possible. We produce top-rated goods in a timely fashion at a competitive price. Listening to our clients and helping them achieve their business goals is our top priority. We are proud of the strong roots we’ve built in the community and pride ourselves on using cutting-edge technology. Our products, commitment to service, and level of expertise exceed our clients’ expectations. Contact us today to learn how we can help launch your business to the next level.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/