The recession has been bad news for companies in many different industries and commercial printers have not been immune to the trend. With many businesses going under and others cutting their marketing budgets in an attempt to save cash and stay afloat, coupled with the increasing popularity of digital marketing and communications, many commercial printing companies have seen their profits dwindle in recent years. Yet there is a way that commercial printers can actually profit from the recession – as long as they’re willing to adapt! For the commercial printing company willing to embrace change, there is still a good deal of business to be had. How? By focusing on secondary markets.

In the past, some professional printers have relied on big commercial accounts to carry them through the fiscal year. These accounts carry big returns, but once the project is complete, the printer may be faced with several months – or even a full year – before the client comes calling again. This practice leaves commercial printers with a great deal of downtime. Statistically, most printing companies find that nearly 30% of their time is left unfilled by these regular clients. If your list of regular clients begins to dwindle on top of that downtime, it can be a recipe for disaster. That is why secondary markets are becoming increasingly essential. Basically, the term “secondary markets” refers to any client that you do not normally depend on, but whose business could be invaluable to your success. One of the best ways to increase your share of the secondary market is to consider working with the U.S. Government Printing Office, or GPO.

The GPO has well over $400 million to spend on the services of private printing companies each and every year, and all you have to do is apply. There are jobs of various sizes, worth a couple thousand up to many tens of thousands of dollars. In order to take full advantage of what the GPO has to offer, you should focus on being flexible and scheduling your work sensibly in your company’s downtime. Remember, the GPO expects high quality work in a timely fashion – there is no learning curve when it comes to government-commissioned printing jobs, so know your limits and pace yourself.

Before you can begin work for the GPO, you must be certified to work at one of the organization’s four print quality levels. The first level is reserved for companies with the highest quality printing capabilities, such as what you would find in art books or medical journals. In order to obtain level one certification, an on-site inspection of your equipment and facilities will be required. Level two refers to “library quality” printing capabilities, while level three is good quality, as you would find in annual reports, textbooks or catalogs. The fourth level is basic printing quality. This is mainly for utility purposes, like phone directories and technical manuals. Keep in mind that you can only bid on jobs that fall within your quality level.

When you need the services of a commercial printing company, you want to make sure you’re choosing the very best. Nothing is more frustrating than placing an important order for print marketing materials and receiving a finished product that does not meet your high standards for quality, takes longer to complete than you expected, or simply does not fit within your budget. That’s why it’s important to take the time to do your research and carefully consider all of your options before selecting a commercial printing company for your business’s print marketing needs. Here are five tips to help you make an informed decision when it comes to professional printers:

1. Where is the printing company located in proximity to your home and/or business? It’s not an absolute necessity to choose a printer in your own neighborhood; you can find many reputable printing companies that offer customers the option of placing their orders online and having the finished product delivered to their doorstep. However, if there is a top-notch printer near your home or office, it could be extremely convenient if you have any questions or concerns, or you’d like to view your proofs or pick up your order in person.

2. Does the printing company offer competitive pricing? Gone are the days when printers could charge customers an arm and a leg for a simple batch of postcards or flyers. In order to stay viable in a changing industry, printing companies must now offer professional results at affordable prices. Make sure you shop around before choosing a printer in order to form an accurate idea of how much your order should cost, and always ask for a quote upfront to avoid any unpleasant surprises once the job has been completed.

3. Can I count on this printing company to provide me with a superior level of quality? When it comes to printed materials, your number one concern should be quality. Remember that your advertising will be viewed by customers as an extension of your business; therefore, if you distribute materials that look cheap or shoddy, people will think that your business is similarly unprofessional. Ask to see samples of each company’s previous work, and always inspect a physical proof before placing your final order.

4. What kind of turnaround time can I expect on my order? Another important consideration when it comes to choosing a commercial printing company is time. Specifically, how much time will the company in question need to fulfill your order? As with pricing, you should compare time estimates from several different companies in order to form an accurate idea of how long you can expect your order to take. Most printers will expedite your order – meaning that it can be ready in just twenty-four hours or less – for an additional fee.

5. Is this company committed to providing excellent customer support? Choosing a printer that offers a superior level of customer support is an absolute necessity. If you have any questions before, during or after the printing process, you’ll want to know that your printer is just a phone call away. Look for companies that offer customers several different methods of communication, such as phone, chat and email assistance. Some printers even offer design help to customers at no extra cost.

With these guidelines, selecting a great commercial printer has never been easier.

There are many different reasons why custom office supplies are a great investment for your company. In addition to being both fun and functional, custom office supplies let you establish your brand and place your company name and logo in front of people in the community who may not have learned about your goods or services any other way. A wide variety of office supplies can be emblazoned with the name, logo, and contact information of your business, including:

• Printed notepads. Many companies choose to have these custom notepads on hand for employees, so all interoffice communication – as well as some outside correspondence – can be easily identified as work-related, and traced back to the company in question. Custom notepads are also an excellent want to nonchalantly publicize the name, since people write and exchange notes on a daily basis.

• Custom folders. Having folders printed with the company name and logo gives any business meeting or presentation an extra air of legitimacy, and can be quite eye-catching to boot. Give them to clients, or present new employees with informational packets enclosed in a special custom printed folder.

• Envelopes. These offer a fast and easy way to differentiate your postal correspondence from that of your competitors, as well as presenting yet another opportunity to draw attention to the company name and logo.

• Personalized mailing labels. Adhesive labels make it extremely easy to place your company’s return address on mailings; alternately, you may want to consider printing mailing labels with the company logo and the names and addresses of your customers, and offering them as a freebie or gift with purchase. That way, your logo will be visible on every piece of mail your customers send out as well!

The usefulness of these items can hardly be disputed, but there is one question in the minds of many entrepreneurs looking to create custom office supplies: Do they need to hire a professional printing company, or can they complete the task on their own? To save yourself time, money and a great deal of hassle, always call upon a professional printing service for your custom office supplies!

Why? It’s simple: Once you’ve invested in the printer and software program you need, not to mention the ink and the paper supplies (such as envelopes or folders), you’ll be spending more money upfront than you would had you hired a pro. And that’s to say nothing of the time you’ll be spending! Sure, mailing labels may seem relatively easy, but printing your own notepads is virtually impossible without specialized equipment. An expert printing company, on the other hand, can have your custom supplies completely finished in a matter of days. Plus, if anything goes wrong during the printing process, you’ll have no one to turn to for help or advice. And, of course, the quality of a “DIY” printing effort can hardly match that of a professional company. If you want your custom office supplies to have maximum impact, choose a reliable professional printer to get the job done right.

This year is winding down and the new year is on the horizon. With 2010 only a few weeks away, it is time to refresh your company’s manual. Figures from the past year, new company policies and more can be printed in a booklet to be handed out to your staff and investors. Starting the new year off with an updated company manual is beneficial not only for conveying information in a convenient place but it also is a way to keep company morale up. Create excitement in anticipation of the possibilities that the new year will bring with a manual that is professionally printed, informative and inspirational. When you go to create your company manual, using a commercial printing company for your printing needs will eliminate the stress of doing it yourself. Here are three reasons using a commercial printer is the best choice for the production of your company manual.

Variety

Commercial printing services will be able to offer you a variety of templates to help with the design process. Your company manual should be informative as well as interesting. However, finding the right balance in the design to do both can sometimes be a tricky endeavor. Seeing templates that convey functionality along with a touch of fun will help you to create a company manual that will be referred to often. You may want to include pictures along with figures to better illustrate your goals. You may want to have charts and graphs that pop. Whatever goals you have for your company manual, the commercial printing services will be able to assist you. Most printing companies will also have an in-house graphic designer on their staff that can work one on one with you to create a truly unique and effective design for your manual.

Quality

In order for your company manuals to be useful they also need to be durable and that means you need to have quality materials used in the printing of them. The quality of supplies and production offered by offset commercial printing companies cannot be rivaled by at-home printing options. The quality of papers that are used, the vibrancy of the inks and the printing technology is simply more advanced than the options available to you when you try to print on your own.

Affordable

There is no doubt that budget will be a primary concern in the printing of your company manuals. When you use an offset commercial printing company, their printing process allows for the price per unit to decrease with the increase in volume printed. This advantage is incredibly useful when you have a bulk amount of manuals that need to be distributed. If you were to try to print the manuals on your own you may run into trouble because of the cost of materials alone. Quality inks and papers will be expensive and will run out and need to be replaced when a bulk order is being processed. Leave the work to the professionals and you’ll leave extra room in your marketing budget.

If you’re looking for an effective yet affordable way to promote your business, organization or event, the services of a skilled commercial printer could be just what you need to increase your presence in the marketplace. It can be all too easy to overlook the advantages of print media when it comes to advertising in the digital age, especially when utilizing the Internet for promotional purposes is so commonplace. But make no mistake: Printed materials, from posters and brochures to stickers and business cards, have a unique impact that online ads and announcements simply can’t match. Investing in commercial printing services will help you reach a wider audience than you ever thought possible, in addition to lending your marketing materials a valuable air of legitimacy and permanence.

Of course, in order to harness the full potential of print, you’ll need the help of a professional. When you hire a commercial printer, you can count on receiving materials that are of a higher level of quality than what you could create on your own with design software and a desktop printer. What kinds of services can you expect a commercial printing company to offer? They include:

• Free Samples Upon Request. Before you place a large order with a commercial printer, it’s important to see the quality of work they offer firsthand. Any professional printer, whether they’re a brick-and-mortar store or an online company, should be more than happy to provide you with samples; all you have to do is ask! Make sure you specifically look for their skill in creating and printing the kind of print materials you’re hoping to create. For example, if you need brochures, then ask to see a sample of a brochure or a catalog, rather than a simple business card. This will give you an idea of whether or not their skills are in line with your vision for the project.

• Design Assistance. This may not be a given, but the best commercial printers will offer design assistance in addition to help with the printing process itself. Templates, which can be easily downloaded and customized with your information, are one common way for printing companies to help clients design their printed materials; others offer access to actual pro designers who can answer questions and address concerns every step of the way. This can be especially valuable if you have little or no experience in graphic design.

• High Quality Printing Services. It should go without saying, but any top-of-the-line printing company will offer a wide range of printed products for customers to choose from, including brochures, business cards, catalogs, posters, flyers, greeting cards, postcards, calendars, door hangers, bookmarks, letterhead and envelopes, and even premium items like magnets and vinyl stickers.

• Custom Orders. Finally, if you need something that your printer doesn’t ordinarily offer, the company should be happy to oblige. Many commercial printing companies accept custom orders; all you need to do is describe what you have in mind and provide the exact specifications, and you’ll be able to place your order. If you can dream it, your printer should be able to make it a reality!

How can these services help grow your business and boost your bottom line? Contact a professional printer today and find out for yourself!  Make the best use of commercial printing!

Company calendars are a great way to have your company and its products or services acknowledged all year round. There aren’t many other forms of advertising that can almost guarantee this, but the calendar, as a useful item, achieves it with grace. Whether you are sending a calendar out to potential customers or existing clients, it is a sure-fire way to promote your company. You should print your company calendars using a commercial printer. They will save you money, offer higher quality and increase your promotional reach.

When it comes to using a calendar as a form of advertisement, there are many ways that you can implement your business into the calendar without spoiling the visual effect. In terms of imagery, you have to make sure that the person will be willing to have your company calendar on their wall for a year. Having an image that relates to your customer is a smart way to increase the chances of a positive response. For example, if you own a car dealership, include images of the cars you sell. It will relate to your customer while at the same time promote your product. However, some industries may have to go for broader, non-industry images, which will allow their business promotion to be less apparent.

Regardless of what imagery works best for your calendar, you will need to make sure that the person knows where the calendar came from or the advertising and promotional effect will be undermined. Having your contact information and logo just on the front and back of the calendar cover will not be enough. It is more effective to have your company apparent, but not prominent, on every page. For the year-round effect, you want the calender owner to be able to determine who sent the calendar, without it being blatantly obvious. Pure promotion will be less effective than a subtle promotion because it can destroy the visual effect.

Commercial printers are your ticket to a successful company calendar campaign. The amount of money you can save by printing in bulk will make it all worthwhile. A calendar, like any other promotional tool, will be more effective if it reaches a broader audience. Without a commercial offset printer it would be difficult to achieve a quality calendar campaign without surpassing your budget. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of the increased business opportunities this proven promotional tool will provide!

Commercial printing companies offer more services than most people realize. The work of the printing company is not just limited to printing the given order. Embossing, gluing, binding and sometimes even mailing is often done by a commercial printing company. Printing using digital printers will cost you a lot when high volume orders require to be done. But with offset printing money can be saved. This will help your business in more ways than you can imagine, with one of the primary benefits being the amount of money you will save by not printing high volumes yourself.

Embossing

Depending on the purpose of your printing project there are several ways to make your products more effective. To make products look more appealing and interesting, embossing can be done on them. To make the effect more dramatic, foil stamping can be done as well. This involves using a metallic foil often gold or silver. The foil is kept on the area where the print will be and a heated stamp is used to transfer it. Most high volume jobs make use of pneumatic stampers for accuracy. This can be done on pencils, pictures, and more. It also works well for invitations and flyers. These special effects may prove to be a little more expensive than normal full color prints.

Brochures and Newsletters

Full color brochures and newsletters are very popular and have a great impact on the viewer. Very often when more than one sheet is involved in a brochure or a newsletter, it is usually folded in half and stapled at the spine which is called as saddle stitching. This is cheap, quick and efficient. A good number of papers can be held together with this kind of binding. They can be made more attractive by using various coatings. The best quality of commercial printing is the price. The cost is nearly always affordable.

Binding

Commercial printing companies use the method of perfect binding for most soft cover books. Flexible glue is often used for this kind of binding. Usually the cover is made of heavy paper and the durability depends on the quality of the perfect binding and the materials involved like the paper, glue, etc. There are several binding methods used by commercial printing companies that require holes to be punched and standard punches are used. Most of the hole punching machines can be made to punch holes of any pattern.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss Using This Service

Commercial printing is a service that will take care of all your printing requirements. Not only will they get the job done but they will also help you improve the quality of the things you want to get printed with better designs, colors,and papers. The completed work will have a professional finish which will in turn give it more credibility and attract customers to your business. A well made book, brochure, pamphlet, CD or a newsletter is always appreciated and you should make sure you choose a good company before you place the order.

All successful advertisements, books or CDs are made when the creativity is given a chance. If you limit your marketing to two color prints thinking you will spend less but get a high turnover, be aware that there is another option. Full color commercial printing allows you to create any design you imagine.

Materials

It is common for people to use paper to print on but today’s technology will allow you to print on a variety of surfaces, including plastic, metal or heavy paper. The final product can have coating that will give it either a matte or glossy finish. Some books are even given a plastic UV coating to make it last longer and look better. Shrink wrapping is often done where a plastic material shrinks and tightens around a product to keep them clean and prevent them from being tampered with. Commercial printing companies will do this for you if you wish to get it done.

Commercial Printing Offers Die Cutting

Additional services like die cutting of stickers, invitations, bus cards, boxes, calendars, and presentation folders can be requested if you need it. A lot of time and work will be saved when you outsource all of this work to one printing company.

Why is Commercial Printing Better Than Desktop Printing?

Desktop printing or ink jet printing limits the surfaces you can print on. You will not be able to print on as many different sized materials as the commercial printing options allow you. The ink and paper used for desktop printing will prove a lot more expensive than the ones used in offset printing. This means you will be spending more on the materials.

Commercial printing companies offer numerous services for small orders as well as bulk orders. They are very essential for a business that will need a lot of billboards, cards, etc. printed. Commercial printing is especially beneficial if you have a large order.

Business cards

In the past, business cards were only meant to give the customer an address to contact but today, people have realized that a well-designed business card can be used as a marketing tool. Commercial printing companies offer a variety of business card styles for example embossed, colored, bi-folded, and many more styles, making these companies a popular source for ordering stand out business cards.

Brochures and flyers

Distributing brochures is another important advertisement strategy where people are given pictures of products with details and pricing. Brochures tend to be a very effective tool and get good results. They are cost effective when printed by commercial printing companies. A well made brochure will bring the best out of the product, resulting in more sales. Flyers are commonly used for a small area, usually around the business, to attract customers and get them to take advantage of offers during sales. Sometimes these flyers will also be included in newspapers as inserts. As above, well-designed flyers get more customers.

Billboards and more

The billboards that actually capture attention are the ones that have a good design and a great print. A badly made billboard reflects the quality of the company, which will have a very negative effect on the business. This is why it is important to have a good commercial printing company do your billboard work. These companies also do book covers and carton boxes. Labels and packaging materials can be printed and custom-made designs and sizes can also be ordered. Banners, photos and other artwork are very important for any business. A good printing company can be hired to do this for you. Depending on the kind of printing assignment they are given, different types of printers are used which will be charged with different rates.
Advanced printing techniques
Embedding and imprint technology is widely used to make the product look more sophisticated and attractive. This is seen mostly in business cards but can also be seen in a lot of other forms of advertisements.

In- house designers

Most of these companies have designers working with them and if you cannot decide on a design, they can do it for you, if you give them all the details and explain what to expect from it. You may also have to give them your budget so they can design something that will fit within that. Most good companies will have a questionnaire ready for you to fill out so you can tell them exactly what you want and not have to waste much time explaining it to them. You will need to specify the kind of paper, color or black and white, date of delivery, and any other details necessary.