» printing http://printingnorthshore.com Tue, 29 Aug 2017 03:21:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.25 It’s All in the Ingredients… http://printingnorthshore.com/it%e2%80%99s-all-in-the-ingredients%e2%80%a6/ http://printingnorthshore.com/it%e2%80%99s-all-in-the-ingredients%e2%80%a6/#comments Wed, 30 May 2012 01:08:28 +0000 http://printingnorthshore.com/?p=656 Continue reading →]]> All Printing is the Same, Right? Leaflets from us are the same as leaflets from that bloke your brother knows. Business cards from that little shop on the high street are as good as ours, right? Wrong. They may sound the same, but it’s like comparing apples with whales. We give you a “business class” product at an “economy class” price.

How It Works…
You don’t have to understand it to appreciate it, but here’s a brief explanation if you’re the inquisitive type! Full colour (process colour) is a system which allows a multiplicity of shades to be created from just four primary printing ink – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. 

Full colour means you can have virtually every colour of the rainbow, without worrying that you’ll need the pot of gold at the end to pay the extra costs. As many colours as you want. As many photographs as you want. One price. Simple.

Offset vs. Digital Printing
Now you understand how colour works it’s time for a little education about our two different printing processes we offer at printing.com North Shore and how to decide which is right for your needs.

Digital Printing
Digital printing eliminates many of the mechanical steps required for conventional printing, including making films and color proofs, manually stripping the pieces together and making plates.

Advantages of Digital

  • Shorter turnaround
  • Cheaper low volume printing
  • Customizable. Using information from a database, text and or graphics can be changed on each piece without stopping or slowing down the press. For example, personalized letters can be printed with a different names on each.

Offset Printing
In offset printing, the desired print image is burned onto a plate and is then transferred (or offset) from the plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. The process is based on the repulsion of oil and water. The image to be printed gets ink from ink rollers, while the non printing area attracts a film of water, keeping the non printing areas ink-free.

 

 

Advantages of Offset

  • High quality print
  • The unit cost goes down as the quantity goes up
  • Quality and cost-effectiveness in high volume jobs

Still not sure which is right to use?

Use this check list to help decide:

  • Quantity Offset printing has a front-end cost load. Short runs may have a high unit cost. But as quantities increase, the unit cost goes down with offset printing. Very short runs can be much more cost effective with digital printing; while larger quantities are likely to have a lower unit cost with offset printing.
  • Printing medium Do you need or want a special paper, finish or unusual printing surface, or unique size? The options are increasing continually for digital, but offset printing still offers the most flexibility.
  • Turnaround If you need it fast, digital usually offers quicker delivery.
  • Proofing Digital offers accurate proofs since you see an actual sample of the printed piece. Accurate color proofing for offset printing can be expensive.
  • Customization Without question, digital printing offers the most affordable way to customize marketing materials, direct mail pieces, letters, etc.

Well we hope that we have given you a little inside information on colour and the printing process and next time we talk or quote about digital or offset options you won’t stare blankly at us!

]]> http://printingnorthshore.com/it%e2%80%99s-all-in-the-ingredients%e2%80%a6/feed/ 0 Looking ahead to a booming New Year http://printingnorthshore.com/looking-ahead-to-a-booming-new-year/ http://printingnorthshore.com/looking-ahead-to-a-booming-new-year/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:47:23 +0000 http://printingnorthshore.com/?p=587 Continue reading →]]> I know, you’re probably swimming in holiday orders at the moment and are counting down the days until you can take a much needed break from production. But a funny thing happens between the end of December and January – the orders come to a screeching halt.

Instead of taking the month of January off, or sitting back with the understanding it will be a rough month, do something about it and plan ahead to get your customers back in the door for the New Year.

Spicy new ideas for 2012

Create a New Campaign
If you keep doing the same stuff, you’ll get the same results. Instead, come up with an entirely new idea – something you’ve never done before or have never seen anyone else do in your area.


Offer packages for recurring work
It may seem obvious, but if you only offer one-off services then your clients won’t have a reason to hire you again. Create a relationship with your clients through follow ups, VIP cards, loyalty cards etc. All these things keep you in front of their mind and stop them from just using the closest or the cheapest competitor.

Give your best clients special treatment
Always treat your best clients better than prospective or new clients. Best clients are those who have brought you the most amount of business or referred you to new clients.

“Special treatment” may include discounted rates or unannounced gifts. You can also offer exclusive services for them. Always make time in your schedule for last-minute requirements from existing clients.

Revive “zombie clients”
Haven’t heard from a past client for some time? Give them a gentle nudge. What about making up a “where have you been” letter, to ask clients why you haven’t heard from them…or ask for feedback. Worth a try :)

Mark important dates
Send existing clients a birthday card or another gift. While you’re at it, why not include a voucher. Or, you could do something similar on the anniversary of when you first started working together

Ask for referrals
Having a referral system in place can be good for your business. Aside from bringing you new clients, having an existing client refer a prospect to you increases her loyalty to you. You can offer incentives in exchange for referrals, such as a discount on a future project or an outright commission.

If you don’t offer an incentive, always send the referrer a simple, but thoughtful email.

I know, it takes work to keep track of these things. But, these details are what makes you stand out from your competition. You will notice there is a common theme running through these tips. They’re all about making your clients feel special, appreciated and loved. So always ask yourself, “What can I do to show my clients how much I value them?”

Christmas is the season of generosity so this December we are offering THREE fantastic specials so that you can get organised for the New Year. We are offering 40% off A4 3 Panel DLE Premium Brochures, 30% off Regular DLE Rack Cards and 25% off Starmarque Spot UV Business Cards helping you to hit the ground running in 2012.

Merry Christmas from the team at printing.com North Shore and all the best for the New Year!

]]> http://printingnorthshore.com/looking-ahead-to-a-booming-new-year/feed/ 0 Get your act together in the blink of an eye with our Luxurious Presentation Folders http://printingnorthshore.com/get-your-act-together-in-the-blink-of-an-eye-with-our-luxurious-presentation-folders/ http://printingnorthshore.com/get-your-act-together-in-the-blink-of-an-eye-with-our-luxurious-presentation-folders/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:53:51 +0000 http://printingnorthshore.com/?p=499 Continue reading →]]> First impressions count right? If you could increase the odds of winning quotes, proposals or tenders, what is that worth? From 52c per presentation folder, seriously improve how your business is perceived with our high impact folders. They rock.

Presentation folders are a great for holding loose paper or documents together. They act as an organizational tool while protecting everything inside. Folders are an awesome marketing tool for business presentations to give a helping hand in the sales process.

Why use presentation folders?

  • Try showcasing an exciting new product! Show customers all the benefits of that product in an organized fashion.
  • For physios, nutritionists, personal trainers, life coaches to deliver their findings and a personalised exercise/eating program.
  • A take home pack of information for training and seminar days
  • Great for corporate conferences and training manuals
  • For proposals for architects, builders, developers or designers to potential clients
  • Perfect for holding brochures, samples and much more…

For the month of October our Luxury Presentation Folders with interlocking pockets are on sale, up to $1042 saving on 2,000 folders. See below the four styles currently on offer.

Folders you can rely on – versatile, strong and matt laminated for a professional finish. Go on you know you want too. Wow your customers with flashy-looking presentation folders.

]]> http://printingnorthshore.com/get-your-act-together-in-the-blink-of-an-eye-with-our-luxurious-presentation-folders/feed/ 0 The Future of Business Cards http://printingnorthshore.com/the-future-of-business-cards/ http://printingnorthshore.com/the-future-of-business-cards/#comments Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:00:22 +0000 http://printingnorthshore.com/?p=241 Continue reading →]]> Business is tough these days.  It is becoming harder to stand out in your industry and budgets are decreasing.  Technologies are changing.  Not just the evolution of digital printing, but also online.

Websites have taken over the traditional brochure, email taken over physical mailing and google search taken over Yellow Pages.  Networking has gone online.  In summary, business marketing, particularly for small businesses has evolved.

Where does the traditional business card fit within all this?  Do we still need them?

Absolutely.  They are a necessity of any business.  It is your lead generation calling card.  At any networking event or meeting, business cards are exchanged.  They are a physical reminder of you that people still love to receive.  Yes, the technology is there with the smart phones, iPads, online address books and even apps to scan in a business card, however at the end of the day the physical card is your image – the first point of call, easy to hand-over in a face-to-face conversation or networking event.

This is why business cards are one of the first things people order when they are going into business.  It is their first foray into design and printing.  They tend to think “I need a business card.  Oh, and I need a logo to go on it”.  It is making the statement of “I’m in business now, take me seriously”.

Which is why it is important to get the 3 key elements of a business card right:

  1. Design – professional image
  2. Quality of the printing and the card-stock – first impressions count
  3. Content – use the card to communicate all ways of networking with you, including your LinkedIn username, Facebook Page Name, Twitter handle, as well as the usual website, email and phone numbers, and (depending on your business) your office/shop address.  Balance the content with design and try to avoid clutter – many people utilise the back of the card

Consider how many cards you need and remember the power of referrals.  When someone wants to refer Your product or services, it is so much easier when they can hand over a physical card on your behalf.  It is therefore important to plan to have an appropriate number available.

So, whilst the ways of doing business is changing with technology and we are becoming more reliant on online profiles – the business card will still prevail as the first point of contact.

What may change long-term is what is on the card and the quality of the card-stock and printing.  Trends will change with the technology, as they have done with uv spot-gloss, digital printing, etc.  Remember to think about who your customer is and what they will be looking for and consider the above 3 elements each time you do a new print-run.

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