8 Cheap Promotions That Will Strengthen Your Branding

No matter how big or small a business the brand is what customers need to remember. One of the best marketing strategies is printing cheap promotions to attract attention. Everybody loves getting something for free. Here are some suggestions for cheap free give-away promotions that are fun, useful and keep your brand in front of customer’s eyes. 

1.     Bookmarks are a very popular promotion. Since so many people read books, custom printed bookmarks are a great way to reinforce your brand to parents, teens and children. Put a cute photo or illustration and non-selling inspirational or funny copy on one side. On other side, add a strong call to action along with your logo, business name, address, phone number and web site. Your free gift will be used for a long time and every time the book is opened, your brand and contact information will be seen. 1,000 bookmarks are printed as low as $ .13 each

2.     Calendars are always a welcome free gift everyone can use and appreciate. They can be handed out or mailed to your targeted audience. The best thing is they are a full year’s promotion for a very low cost. 5,000 8.5 X 11 24-page full color custom printed calendars cost about $ .83 each. What other marketing promotion can you buy for that little money? It’s a good idea to distribute calendars around Thanksgiving so there is no rush to receive them before the holiday rush.

3.     Magnets attract attention and can be placed on any metal surface. They can promote a business for years. They are available in many sizes from 3.5 X 2 business card to 8.5 X5.5. They can be printed with a team schedule or any other important emergency information like police, fire department, hospital or contacts and your ad can be placed on top or bottom of the magnet. 1,000 business card size printable magnets cost less the $ .17 each.

4.     Membership Cards are a fabulous restaurant or local store promotion.  They are same size as credit cards so they make customers feel like VIPs. They can be offered as a freebee or as a valuable discount when a predetermined number of visits or total amount is spent.  They can keep customers coming back to build and collect their rewards. To make membership card more valuable, offer VIP specials on occasions like birthdays and holidays. If you let them bring guests, your member list will grow and so will your business. Membership cards on 20 Pt. white plastic can be printed on both sides while frosted or clear plastic cards can only be printed on one side. White is the most popular choice for VIP membership cards and 5,000 cards cost about $ .11 each.

5.     Notepads are used by many local businesses including realtors, doctors, dentists, attorneys and lots of other professionals and businesses that want to keep their name close to your eyes. Cheap notepads are available in 25 and 50 sheet glued chipboard backs. They are 5 standard popular sizes including 4.25 X 5, 4 X 6, 5.5 X 3.5, 8.5 X 5.5 and 8 X 11. They are printed on premium 70lb. white smooth offset paper and they can be tinted to any CYMK color you choose. Printing is on one side only. 1,000 pads 8.5 X 3.5 cost $1.20 ea.

6.     Stickers are a collectable marketing promotion. Since customers want discounts let them earn and redeem them for points. Place a value on each sticker and when a given quantity is redeemed, an appropriate discount or item is given to them. The more stickers, the bigger the discount or the more expensive the item. For a collectable promotion, the best size is 2.5 X 2.5 so a lot of sticker can be placed on a sheet of paper. Stickers are available in many sizes and shapes and can also be used as labels. They are printed on 70 lb. crack-N-peel sheets on rolls. 5,000 roll stickers cost $ .05 each.

7.     T-Shirts printed with your businesses logo and a powerful graphics in full color are walking billboards that promote your business. They can be sold with a low markup or regular customers can earn them. Good quality 100% cotton custom printed T-Shirts are affordable and the ROI is very high when you consider the amount of coverage and the length of time they last. T-Shirts are a terrific way to drive new customer through your door. The cost depends on quantity of the order and the brand you choose. They can be ordered in mixed sizes so they fit everybody.

8.     Trading Cards are a novel approach to marketing. If you make new trading cards every month and give them to your customers, it will drive them back at least once a month. Once they collect 12 months, they receive a free gift or reward. If the customer is a regular, they can give a extra card to another person who might start collecting them. 1,000 trading cards cost about $ .12 a piece.

As I said in the first paragraph, “Everybody loves getting something for free.” Any one of these eight marketing promotions will create higher brand awareness in a fun and affordable way. Building a loyal customer base is the foundation a successful brand every business is built on.

PRINTING SERVICES FOR STARTUP BUSINESSES

A budget for a marketing plan is most important first step in developing a new business. This is your path to reaching new customer. Of course the best way to start is to use cross marketing, both printing and internet to attract customers. But with a low budget many small business can’t do both.

Full color printing online is cheapest and faster way to getting your message out to lots of people in a short time. Every business needs business cards to hand out. Most business use direct mail postcards, flyers and brochures as standard marketing tools to advertise promotions and new products and services.

Custom printed top quality full color business cards make an impressive first impression. You will need to attract attention, get noticed and remembered. There are many business card options to choose from.  A standard business card should be printed on 14 or 16 point card stock with products on 20 and 21 Pt  plastic stock with round corners. Anything less will feel cheap and flimsy and if it’s heavier it will be to stiff. Inexpensive business cards should be printed in full color with choices of high gloss UV coating, matte / dull coating or no coating. You can write on matte or uncoated cards. High gloss spot UV coating on selected areas on your can add flair to your business card with cards to create a matte / high gloss effect.  It’s a little more expensive but worth it if you want to stand out.

EndurACE cards and flyers on printed on 10 Pt. water proof, tear and fade resistant synthetic paper. It’s the perfect solution for harsh environments both indoors and out.


If you want a truly unique business cards that is so unforgettable it will be remembered even if your name is forgetting choose a WOW FACTOR supper card with eye candy. Choose an elegant smooth silk laminated card that is water and tear resistant. Add spot UV coating and / or stunning gold or  silver foil.

Akuafoil cards print every CMYK color into foil. They are printed  on heavy 16 Pt. card stock and you You can make as many foil colors you want and mix them to make solids, blends, gradations and halftones. You can choose between no coating, UV coating or spot UV  coating. Foil cards are not as expensive as you may think. They use a cold foil process that does not need expensive dyes or hot foil stamping. The foil is printed on the business card using a process using a process the was reserved for book covers, labels and packaging. This foil printing service is not available for business cards, postcards and flyers.

Plastic cards are very popular because they are an eye magnet that’s sturdy. They are available in clear, frosted and white plastic. They last for a long time. They come with rounded corners in your choice of 1/8 or 1/4 inches.  Standard business card size is available on 20 pt stock or

Lenticular cards can tell a story in 2 or 3 flips. They are printed on 21 Pt. card stock and come with rounded corner  to protect for sharp edges. Most lenticular card are printed in China so thay have to go through customs and take a long time to be delivered if there is a problem you will have to pay to print them again. We print lenticular right here in the United States and they are a 100% guaranteed to be printed correctly from you files.  


Postcards are a  great marketing tool. Most of the business card effect are available with postcards.
Local businesses can take advantage of Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM), a USPS service the distributes mail to every home and home and business in your selected carrier route for $ .175 each piece.

When compared to building a website and paying for design, programming and expensive constant search engine optimization and content writing as well as social marketing that’s necessary to get a high ranking to keep you on the first page if you can get there which is unlikely if you have a new url. First page can never be guaranteed no matter how much money you spend on pay per click unless you ready to get in a bidding war with your competition. The truth is very few people ever click on paid ads.

CHOOSING THE BEST BUSINESS CARD

There are so many ways to print business cards that it can be confusing.  Choosing the best business cards for your business requires some thought. To find out which type of card is best for you and your business,  ask yourself some questions about how you define your business.

• For businesses that are conservative professional practices, a subdued matte or silk laminate finish on a 16 pt. business card stock would be appropriate.

• The best business card for a jewelry store or luxury item business is a gold or silver foil on a silk card would be an excellent choice.

• 3.5 X 4 fold over business cards offer more information than a standard 3.5 X 2 card. They can be used as a mini brochure. Businesses wanting to provide more information than a standard business card provides will find this type helpful.

• Magnet business cards are the best cards for home service repair businesses and restaurants or take-out foods that deliver. Magnet cards with your name and emergency service phone numbers make a great promotion with a long life.

For businesses that want a unique stand out business card that will attract attention, consider a card with an eye candy Wow factor effect.

• Spot UV coating is a popular choice

• Plastic cards with your choice of clear, frosted or white will be remembered.

• EveryColor foil is a new process that lets you create blends and gradations of every     cymk color and convert it to foil.

•  Lenticular business cards tell a story.  People love them because they are fun to play with and are shown to other people.  Your name may be forgotten but your card will not.

Color Printing Pros has free business card templates for all these business cards. They make creating your card easy and simple.

We love to help and answer questions. You can email or call Color Printing Pros at 800.598.1814. We are here for you.

CUSTOM BUSINESS CARDS ATTRACT ATTENTION

     Business cards are the first marketing tool every business needs. They create the first impression of how your business is perceived. If you want to make a strong presentation, you need a powerful attention getting custom business card. To help you with the layout and design, we suggest you use one of our free business card templates.

     An impressive business card design is what captures the eye. It takes less than a second to create interest. If you can’t do that, you’ve already lost your customer's attention even if your presentation is good.  Your potential buyers make their decision later so you want your card at the top of the pile.

     The second most important factor is feel. If your card is printed on flimsy paper, a buyer may still lose interest. Buyers need to feel secure in the fact that they are dealing with a first class quality oriented company, Customers will even pay more to feel safe with their choice. The best business cards are printed on heavy 14 pt. or extra heavy 16 pt. card stock. UV coating or matte coating should be applied to protect the card from scuffing, scratching and fingerprinting. These are the most common basics for any business cards to be considered top quality.

Beyond the basics, there are additional eye candy high tech printing techniques that will grab the eye of the beholder like a magnet.

• Spot UV coating on selected areas add an interest that overall UV coating can’t.

• Silk laminated cards have an elegant smooth texture and also makes the cards a soft, silk-like finish, that is water-resistant and tear-resistant, and compliments vibrant colors.

• Gold and silver foil can’t be ignored and your card is sure to stand out. They are cheap to print because they do not require an expensive metal die and dye stamping.

• EveryColor foil is a unique process that makes every CMYK color a foil color. You can design your card with multiple foil colors and make blends and gradiants.

• Plastic cards get noticed. They are available in clear, frosted and white. These cards will always be remembered.

• Lenticular cards are animated with your choice of 2 or 3 flips. These cards are fun to play with and almost always are shown to others because people may forget your name but they will always remember your card.

These 6 new WOW FACTOR EFFECTS business card ideas are like mini billboards that fit in your pocket. They are guaranteed to make you and your company standout and be noticed.

COLOR PRINTING WITH A WOW FACTOR

When thinking of ways to draw customers to your business, it’s worth bearing in mind that you will almost definitely have some kind of competition for their attention. It is very important to give the best first impression possible, in order to rise above your competitors and show that you are indeed the best choice.


Having a Wow Factor is something that will help your business to stand out from the competitors; when customers can see the care and attention that you have put into creating your business cards, flyers and other advertising and marketing literature, they will be far more likely to consider using your company over the others.


Striking artwork is, of course, essential to this. You need to come up with a design that is relevant, simple, eye-catching and balanced. It has to really work. Think about what kind of image you want to portray – Classy? Vibrant? Energetic? Professional? Your logo and the design of your printed products will be what people remember when deliberating what company they should be going with.

As we have mentioned time and again, first impressions mean everything. If you don’t feel you can come up with something inspiring yourself, it’s worth commissioning an experienced professional graphic designer to get you the look needed. The additional cost can be well worth it if it increases your conversion rate.


And once you have chosen your logo and branding design for your printed products, it is time to think about your choices with regards to full color printing. At Color Printing Pros, there is a large range of color printing ideas and services that will add that Wow Factor you are seeking.
A simple way of giving your business cards, post cards, club cards, rack cards and trading cards the edge is to use heavier card stock. The heavy 14 pt card stock or Our FREE Upgrade of extra heavy 16 pt card stock will immediately give your card products a more expensive look and feel, thereby making your business more profitable and professional. In addition to this, you can choose to have the 14 pt and 16 pt card stock finished in a dull matte effect. This reflects less light and gives your printed card products an elegant look and feel.


Spot UV Coating is a fantastic way of drawing your prospective customers eye to the design that you or your chosen artist took so much time and effort into creating. The sharp, glossy contrast between your design and the more matte finish of the main body of the printed product draws your eye into your message and gives it a real premium look.


Gold or Silver Foil or our special EveryColor Foil can also give your full color printing jobs that Wow Factor you are looking for. Color Printing Pros offers you a easy method of creating the full range of CMYK colors with a light reflecting metallic foil finish. This new unique first class printing effect is guaranteed to make your business cards stand out and get noticed at a price that will give you true competitive advantage.


Want something really different, try one of the latest stocks.  Color Printing Pros has added such as silk laminated, plastic cards (clear, frosted or white), waterproof or Lentek cards (3D lenticular). Be the first with these new stocks that offer you that one-of-a-kind looks. When choosing a provider for your color printing, Color Printing Pros should be your first choice for creating that Wow Factor without breaking the bank. At the top of the color printing services game, they can give your printed products the edge over your competitors.