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Jan 30

Market Segmentation and Print Advertising

Posted on Saturday, January 30, 2010 in Design Tips, Desktop Publishing, Printing Tips, graphic design, marketing
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The single most effective way to improve your return on investment for print advertising is by carefully selecting to which customers you send your materials. This process is referred to as market segmentation and involves defining your most lucrative customers in terms of their demographic information. Once well defined, you can either only market to specific customers or develop print advertising campaigns for each market segment. (more…)

Jan 26

Design Tips For Vertical Business Cards

Posted on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 in Design Tips, Desktop Publishing, Printing Tips, graphic design, marketing
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In order to stand out in the world of business cards, uniqueness is key. Vertical business card printing is one way of making your business cards stand out. Few people choose this option because it appears to have drawbacks. For instance, it would seem that a horizontal layout can hold more information. However, the vertical business card layout provides a wide range of creative design.  Read more.

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Jan 20

Graphic Design for the 4th of July

Posted on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 in Design Tips, Desktop Publishing, graphic design
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The 4th of July is the consummate all-American holiday.  Fireworks, hot dogs, hamburgers, road trips, family, friends, and country are all themes that we connect with on the 4th of July.  This represents a wonderful opportunity for your company to connect your brand with all of the positive feelings associated with the 4th of July.  Whatever print advertising your company decides to use, here are a couple of tips for designing the perfect campaign.

4th of July icons
A number of icons can be incorporated into your print advertising campaign.  Remember, this is the ultimate patriotic holiday so any icons associated with the USA are good fit.  A short list can include:

  • The Statue of Liberty
  • The Liberty Bell
  • The American flag
  • Fireworks
  • Uncle Sam
  • George Washington

The list can go on and on.  Just make sure you keep the same icons throughout your print advertising campaign and don’t forget to include your own logo.

4th of July colors
Red, white, and blue.  It’s hard to miss the color connection of the American flag, but this doesn’t have to be the limit.  You can still include the colors of your own company.  You may even just use red, white, and blue for smaller elements throughout your design.  Once again, make sure that your print advertising is consistent across mediums.

4th of July tone
The 4th of July is a holiday celebrating our independence.  Use words throughout your copy and headlines that connect this spirit of independence.  For example:

  • Freedom
  • Liberty
  • Explosive
  • Strength
  • Pride
  • Tradition

Explode onto the scene
Make a big impact with bright colors and glossy finishes.  Work with a professional printing firm that can help you get spectacular results to get your print advertising noticed. And take advantage of your printer’s mailing services so that your brochures, postcards, or flyers arrive to your customers before the big event.

Jan 18

Layers Magazine Design Makeover Blog Response

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I was recently inspired by the Design Makeover piece in Layers Magazine that I came across a few days ago. The brochure was redesigned by three designers, and each of them had a different take on the client’s requests. Looking at three different designs for the same brochure reveals the subjectivity in design. However, I think they all got it right in one way or another. Some of the things they did right can be carried into any brochure printing design. Some of the ideas they used really stood out to me as a lesson in brochure makeover for the rest of us designers out there… (more…)

Jan 18

Learn to Design Your Corporate Logo

Posted on Monday, January 18, 2010 in Design Tips, Desktop Publishing, Promotion, graphic design, marketing
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Designing your corporate logo may seem like a simple job, until you begin. Soon you will find that this job takes more time and know-how than you anticipated. Don’t loose hope, though. Here are the basic steps for designing your logo, with a few invaluable tips thrown in. With a winning logo, you will be prepared for all your poster, brochure, letterhead, and business card printing projects. (more…)

Jan 14

Postcard Printing Templates

Posted on Thursday, January 14, 2010 in Design Tips, Desktop Publishing, Promotion, graphic design, marketing
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More and more businesses are using postcard printing as their primary go-to marketing method.  A great way to save time and, therefore, money is to use postcard printing templates.  These templates ensure that the layout of your postcards is exactly as it should be so that your final product looks great every time.

If you have never worked with postcard printing templates, at first glance they can be intimidating.  Templates use a series of guides and lines to make sure that the important information is included while also preventing extra white space along the edges.  These guides and lines represent the bleed area, cut lines, and safety lines. (more…)

Jan 13

Tips for Using Promotional Items at a Trade Show

Posted on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 in Design Tips, Desktop Publishing, Printing Tips, Promotion, graphic design, marketing
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Trade shows are an exciting way to promote your business and with the right materials can be a successful endeavor. Often, visitors are making many contacts at the trade show during the day and making deals over dinner at night. Here are 5 tips for promotional items at a trade show that will get your foot in the door, so to speak, with potential clients so that you can be a part of the deal-making dinners. (more…)

Jan 9

Tips for Networking with Business Cards

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Networking is a vital piece of building business relationships and making the connections necessary to succeed. Handing out business cards is one of the ways business professionals the world over build their networking base. But there is more to networking than just handing your business card printing pieces out. Here are some tips for networking successfully with business cards. (more…)

Jan 4

Helpful Tips for Designing a Catalog for Any Business

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A print catalog can be a great asset for any business. If you stick to an online catalog, you never know how many people will find you, but if you mail out catalogs you know that your clients have a catalog in hand and will be that much closer to doing business with you. Below are some tips for quality catalog printing that gives people a good impression of your business and encourages orders. (more…)