Printing & Copying

Isn´t it great. Apple announced their first software update for the iPad after releasing it in April?. The announcement was in September and the final update will be in November. WoW, amazing, wonderful, easy, and sooooo fast.

But enough of the complaining. It´s really getting time that the iPad is getting Apples “Multitasking” and Folders. And of course, there will be some new features. Printing might be nice and it´s definitely going to be geeky, like the second new feature “AirPlay”. Streaming stuff from your iPad and iPhone directly to your TV might have a high coolness factor and just brought me a reason to test the new AppleTV.

For more information, just visits Apples new iOS 4.2 site.

I promised myself not to get the sewing machine out today. I have to finish my thesis by tomorrow evening (Well, I don’t have to, but I want to. All my friends have finished, and we want a craft party).

As expected, I found a way around this by deciding to play with fabric paint instead.

Apologies for the wonky/dark picture… I was too lazy to take another one.

Anyhow, all you have to do is cut out your desired stencil and paint.

I just drew the picture on paper, then cut it out using a scalpel. Stuck it onto the fabric using cello-tape, then dabbed a little bit of fabric paint on with a paint brush. Ideally, you would use those sticker papers (you can buy them in craft and stationary stores), so you don’t have to hold the paper down. By doing so, you’ll also get a crispier edge.

But I think paper worked just fine!

Oh, and make sure you put cardboard or something underneath the fabric when you paint. It will most likely seep through to the other side.

On a different note, ever wonder what to do with your left-over fabric scraps? Why not make cute coasters out of it?

Underestimating the importance of a business card is a pretty common thing.  While speaking to someone about a new card they had in mind I have heard it said, “It’s just a business card.”  I responded to this by reminding them how important this small but mighty marketing tool really is.

Often this is the first impression that a business makes to a potential client.

Making a First Impression

How important is this card now?  It is pretty important in this context.  Ask yourself a couple of the following basic questions.  How good do you feel about handing your business card to a new prospect?  Is the business card representative of the type of products and services you offer?  If the card was to be seen in a place that you were not present to explain what is you do, could the prospective client easily realize what you have to offer them? How quickly can they learn who you are and how to contact you?  Finally, does the card design help it to stick out in a sea of other business cards that someone may have collected?  There are many factors to consider when deciding on how your business cards should be designed.

Color vs. Black and White is something that is frequently questioned in print decision making.  Which is better?  Color printing often leads to greater retention of the information being presented; however, Black and White does have its place.  If certain colored papers are being used then Black printing may show up much better than Color.  Generally, it less expensive to print in Black than in Color as well.  The best idea is to think beyond the cards.  How is everything else branded for your business?  How was your logo designed?  What colors are used throughout your website?  Do you have signs made for your business and/or vehicle?  If so, what colors are in those?  Hopefully you tie everything together with a sense of continuity.  You want clients to see your information in any form and know instantly that it is your business they are dealing with.

There are other design features you can use that will help your business cards stand out from others.  Rounded corners, special Die Cuts where a certain shape is made, Foil Stamping, or Spot UV where a design is made with a UV coating instead of color are all examples of how you could do this.  You can even have Stainless Steel business cards made.  That sounds very expensive?  The last option listed is on the expensive side, but if you are in the manufacturing business this would make for a pretty impacting first impression to a large client you were trying to obtain.  The likelihood of this card being tossed is on the low end of the scale.

The next time you get an opportunity to hand a potential client your business card be sure you are making a good first impression.  Depending on where the card ends up from there, you may get a shot at multiple first impressions.  How is that possible?  If the person you hand the card to isn’t really in need of your services but knows someone else that is, a second party may end up with your card.  In this case your card is what is going to make or break the opportunity to gain this person as a client and not you.  Is your business card up to the task?

If you want to learn more about this you can find and article on our website that goes into further detail and is titled “It’s Just A Business Card.”

So for some time, I’ve been interested in dabbling in the card/stationary business…it’s just another way to design my thoughts and moods.  I go to Hallmark a lot, and I can never find the perfect card for someone.  Most of the time, I want to design a card…and sometimes I have…but I’m thinking about making cards in larger quantities…

I sketched a few things a while back, but now I’m obsessed with Photoshopping things to add some pizazz…here’s one that I worked on…

What do you think?  I think the blue maybe should be changed??  Maybe to a green?  But green isn’t the most appetizing of colors…

Anyway, I’ve done some research on companies that can print things while I can at least make a small profit, as well as have a portion of the profit go towards a specific charity.  I was thinking this one could go towards St. Jude’s since they’re all about treating young cancer patients…birthdays are important to kids, so yeah, it’s a bit of a tangent, but I think it works…birthdays are milestones, especially when you’re young.

As far as printing companies go, I have a few in mind: Snapfish, Zazzle, RedBubble, and Kodak.  I know Zazzle has their logo in the back of the cards, which I’m not a fan of, but they surely make things super easy for you!  Snapfish’s 5×7 card is $1.99…so I’d have to charge at least $2.75 to make a profit.  Redbubble is similar to Zazzle, but I’m not sure if they have their logo printed on the back.  But for a 5×7.5, it’s $2.75 with the markup.  Kodak only has one size… 3.5×5.  Tiny card!  That’s $1.49, so I’d have to charge like $2.25…

Are there any other companies where you can upload photos and have them make things for you?  Right now, unless a miracle happens, all the orders will probably be small quantities…and since I’m just starting, they have to be practically free or else people will be turned away from them due to the price…

Suggestions??  How much would you pay for a card like this??

Stop being cheap and lazy- it’s costing you money!

I just called you cheap and lazy and right now, because you might feel offended, you are considering whether or not you should continue reading this article. The smart business person will read on because they have capability of digesting the hard facts without taking them personally, but that’s for another article.

Now that I’ve made a bold statement it’s time for me to justify it. Computer technology has come a long way over the years and has made a lot of our lives much easier. Automated emails and online advertising can save you time and money as a business owner, but only if used wisely and in tandem with more traditional methods of marketing and advertising.

The exponential expansion of web content aids in the dilution of any ad or marketing piece that is floating around in this virtual jungle. Because web ads and emails seemingly cost very little in comparison to print media, a credibility problem can arise even without apparent justification. For example, ABC Services, for lack of a better generic name, decides that they are going to cut costs by sending out all of their direct marketing material electronically. They abandon their postcard campaigns and design a fancy HTML newsletter. By sheer virtue of the fact that this campaign costs almost nothing, it undermines their goal of establishing trust with their potential customers. ABC Services made no perceivable investment in conveying their message which will most likely be deleted immediately.

That is not to say that Eflyers are not useful or effective, quite the contrary, but without being used in conjunction with a tangible marketing/advertising piece like a sales letter or a postcard, their effectiveness is not optimal.

A large part of branding and sales is psychology. You have to win the trust and confidence of your potential client. Making an investment in reaching out to them with an offer is one way to do this. The fact that you have spent time and money on developing a direct mail postcard or a sales flyer shows that you have confidence in what you are trying to sell.

Even when you spend money on online advertising the results of that investment are fleeting unless you have enough of a budget to consistently keep your offer in the consciousness of the customer. The big boys can afford this- most of us can’t.

Tangible marketing pieces also have a longer shelf life, especially if they serve a purpose beyond a mere sales pitch. That is why you’ll see business cards with calendars on the backside or bookmarks with a prominent special offer or promotion.

Don’t be cheap and lazy and take the easy, yet ineffective path. Visit Promotion Lotion today to see the variety of ways we can help you reach out to your existing and potential customers with tangible marketing materials of your own.

Three new prints in the gallery

Hit that up.

Email me at jamesseymourart@hotmail.com to buy

As a new business owner, you have to be extra cautious in releasing the introductory brochure printing in the market, which has a chance of making a great appeal. If you are able to bring out an efficient work of artistic beauty combined with useful tips for customers, you will definitely go up ahead of your competitors. The feat creates a strong foothold in the market, which many people ignore while creating the first ever brochure.

To create a history as a debutante, make it worthy to be remembered by the society for times to come. Provide high importance to the first brochure printing task for your business. Find the market easier through the wonderful publicity that you have undertaken as brochure printing activity.

You need to understand basics of the material so that you produce quality brochure. It should be fundamentally correct in approach and should fulfill the need of customers, who are always in search of fresh and valid information. You must understand that information is the key to the success of the brochure created in a presentable form.

The outside attraction may draw the attention of a customer, but the real motivation of a customer resides in the accessibility of useful information. The effect of the brochure becomes permanent when it carries potential and current information of benefits. You are sure to make certain mistakes as the first timer does in every aspect of life in the world.

You should try to minimize flaws by studying the real meaning of brochure printing by consulting several successful brochures and comparing them with ordinary ones. You should seek valuable help from a talented online printing company. Make responsible interaction with them as they are well experienced in this line and can guide you perfectly to produce a competent brochure printing for the new business.

Discuss the designing part of the brochure with the expert graphic designer or use a free template that is available with the online printing company. Study market trends and keep an eye on the investment part of the business. If you are able to make a feasible mixture of common sense and the evaluation of business possibilities, you will certainly be successful in the job of creating flawless brochure printing.

Through this article, we try to provide valuable information about brochure printing company. For printing and mailing more products at discount price, please visit Brochure Printing

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Business cards are of great importance in the prevailing business world. The main reason why they are so important is the fact that the business cards will be the first encounter with your business for a person who may be willing to do business with you. If you are trying to make a good first impression in the people who you are meeting, a quality and impressive business card is necessary. Two important factors determine the worthiness of a business card. They are mentioned below.

Design and layout of the card are the main physical aspects of business cards that are important in determining whether the card you have opted is the best one for you and your business. All the information printed on the card should be in an organized way. You have to make it sure that in the place where contact information is printed, all the contact details are printed.

If you are a creativity based professional, make it a point to display your talent in your Business cards. You should make an impression about your work through the card you are offering. If your business or company has a logo, you should ensure that the logo is printed on the card. The logo should be given ample prominence in the card so that it is recognized.

Another factor is function of the cards. When business cards first came into existence, only the name of the person or business was printed on it. After some time, even the contact details were printed on the cards. The latest trend is to print information that can be beneficial for the businesses. Business cards can be of great help to the business if you keep the aforementioned information in mind.

For more Information Please Visit:- Business Stationery



Back in March, I posted about how on demand printing was impacting the publishing industry. The emphasis in that discussion was at the publisher level. Northwestern University Press, for example, faces the choice of whether to print a title conventionally to enjoy low variable costs but hold inventory or to print a book using new technology that has a higher variable costs but can respond to orders on demand. The former makes sense if you have a potential New York Times best seller on your hands. The latter is a better choice if you have a niche product (like an academic imprint might offer) whose volume will be measured in dozens.

There’s an obvious follow-up question to this story. If the technology exists to do this at a publisher’s distribution center, why can’t book printing be done at a bookstore? Given a sufficiently large digital archive, a neighborhood bookstore could offer a wide variety of titles while offering convenience to Luddites who prefer paper to e-readers. Turns out the technology does, in fact, exist (Bookshops’ Custom Prints, Aug 27, Wall Street Journal).

One of the equipment providers is On Demand Books of New York. Here is what their Espresso Book Machine looks like in action:

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