HOW TO DESIGN A TRI-FOLD BROCHURE

Tri-fold brochures printed in full color are a very powerful advertising, sales and marketing tool. A well-designed printed full color brochure is sure to get an excellent response and a high ROI. If you have a good sense of design and are comfortable using professional design software like Photoshop™, Illustrator™, InDesign™, Quark™ or other professional design software you may want to design your brochure yourself. Most people in business don't have the time or knowledge and hire a professional graphic designer that understands all the technical stuff involved designing a color printed brochure.

A word of caution, many small business owners think they don't have the money to hire a professional graphic designer. The idea of a printed color brochure is to attract more business. If the design, the text or both is not created correctly and there is technical printing issues you could be shooting yourself in the foot.

Keep in mind; no one knows your business better than you. A professional graphic designer is an insurance policy for the success of the job. Make sure you know what you want and keep control. Make the changes you deem necessary. If you spend some time doing your homework and thinking about your tri-fold brochure you should know what you want. Many design customers know what they don't want after they see it. By having a clear picture of the finished brochure you can save a lot of time, money and aggravation. Over the years I've seen this happen over and over again. It's not the printer's fault. Remember the old saying "garbage in, garbage out".

Before you even think about the design think about what you want to say. You know your product or service better than anyone else. A brochure contains more information than a flyer. The most common for a brochure size is an 8.5 X 11 tri-fold. No matter what kind of fold you choose if you take a piece of 8.5 X 11 paper and fold it into thirds you have 3 panels on each side, each panel is 3.366." Brochure templates online are free and it's a good idea to use one for your copy layout. You can design your tri-fold brochure using all 6 panels or use the backside of the brochure opened to 8.5 X 11.

The front panel of the brochure should feature a photo or illustration. The design should be compelling so your brochure will be opened. Keep the copy to your logo, headline, subhead, company name and 3 to 5 bullets listing your products or services, don't forget to make sure your phone number, address and URL are correct.

The inside panel behind the front panel of your tri-fold brochure should have a photo or 2 and tell the reader the name of the product or service. Your tri-fold brochure should explain all the features and describe what the product or service does to make the reader life better in a short few line of copy. Bullets should tell the customer exactly why they should buy your product and how it will improve their life, for example:
• Guards against cracks 

• Moisture resistant 

• Dries in 2 hours 

• Easy one-step application
 
• Protects your investments

The back middle panel and right side pane can be used with additional copy that may include more detailed information about additional benefits or specs of product and or service.

The next brochure panel is on the right. It folds inside to the left inside and can be used for anything you want to get attention. Keep in mind that this panel must be about.062 narrower than the other panels so when it folds in it doesn't touch the middle panel fold line. The brochure panel that forms the back cover side is the outside middle panel. Be sure to make a strong closing with a call to action and a small discount code or other free benefit that will increase your response. The great thing about using a code is that you can track the effectiveness of the brochure.

If all of this is not for you, contact an online printing company and ask if they have an in-house design service or can recommend a designer that knows how to design a tri-fold brochure. If the online printing company recommends a designer you can be sure they know how to set up files for print. If the online printing company can do the design for you let them do it so they become responsible for the quality of the printing. Even if it's more expensive consider you are buying an insurance policy to make sure the job is printed to the highest quality.

Marketing professionals with big custom printing budgets use full color printed tri-fold brochures to increase sales and brand awareness. Small and medium sized business can level the playing field with wholesale priced high quality cheap full color brochures you can order online.

Now is the time to take the challenge, which could put your business on a new road to success. It costs nothing more than a few minutes to see how affordable and easy using a personal online color printing service is. Make your business stand out as a leader in your field. Go to Color Printing Pros and see all the useful custom printed marketing tools to help you make your business grow.

POSTCARDS - A Cheap and Effective Marketing Tool

Postcards are one of the oldest direct marketing tools that are still effective today.

In our high tech digital world low tech postcards are still the best, fastest working direct marketing tools ever. If you don't believe me, check your mailbox. Don't think the companies that stuff your mailbox are stupid. If they didn't make big bucks, you wouldn't get all that mail from the same companies over and over again.

Postcards Get Noticed

A well-designed inexpensive postcard campaign with strong call to action copy will keep your company at the top of the mind of customs.

Postcards Are Cheap

Postcards when compared to other marketing tools are the cheapest to print than they ever have been. Online printing companies make it easy to find the best value cheap postcards without spending a lot of research time. As a matter of fact, full color postcards are cheaper than two color cards were just a few years ago, so you get more bang for your buck. You can buy 5,000 4.25 X 6 high quality full color postcards for under $160

Postcards Are Read By Almost Everyone

It's harder not to read an interesting postcard than to avoid reading it. An eye candy design and a compelling offer can catch your eye and it's difficult not to read it. Nothing else in your mailbox can capture that much attention except a large check from the government. Most junk letters never get opened unless they looks official. People don't have the time or care to read. Flyers can also have too much to read and they instantly get tossed. On the other hand, postcards are noticed and read because the message requires just a second to decide if you're interested or not. They don't have to be unfolded and they don't waste time with a lot of words.

Postcard Campaigns Return a High ROI

If you plan on sending only one postcard, you may be wasting your money if you are trying to determine the results.You don't have to have a huge mailing list to monitor your postcard stats. If you don't have a lot of money to test the direct mail marketing waters- and what small business does-, you can print wholesale inexpensive postcards in short runs of 100, 250, 500 or 1,000. The trick is to send them every 4-6 weeks to the same list. Each time with a different offer. It's not the quantity, but the frequency that keeps your brand in front of your customer.

Postcard Effectiveness Testing is Fast and Easy

Use short run postcards to try different ideas and see which ones have the best returns. Once you know what works slowly increase your mailings and keep on checking results. The best value for short run postcards is about $55 for 1,000. You can send as few as 100 cards at a time to spread your mailing cost. Just make sure you change lists.

Postcard Printing Tips:

1. When buying cheap postcards online, don't buy the cheapest deal you can find. Cheap looks cheap, feels cheap and can represent your company as cheap. Considering the size of a postcards, the paper stock should be the issue unless you are printing hundreds of thousands. The minimal card stock weight should be a heavy 14 Pt or extra heavy 16 Pt.- either UV or matte coated card stock.

2. If you're distributing the card through the mail, the address area should NOT be UV coated. UV coating is a liquid laminate that can't be overprinted with a personalization or address for mailing. There are two solutions for this issue. Order your cards with UV coating one side matte coating one side or pay a little more have your cards printed with spot UV coating so you can decide what is to be glossy. Spot UV coating is an eye candy wow factor effect that will catch attention so your card has a better chance of standing out and getting noticed.

3. Bigger is better when it come to postcards and diamonds. Postcards are available in many sizes. Small 4 X 6 and 4.25 X 6 postcards can be sent at lower postcard postal rates. You'll save money but lose impact. If you're going to do it, do it right.

4. Print "SAVE THIS CARD," you'll be surprised at how many will then save it. If you say it, they will be it.

5. Be sure to put a time limit on your offer. Add a tracking code so you can identify the mailing you sent out. The offer should be redeemable only with that code. Customers like to receive codes because they are identified as being special.

It doesn't matter if you have a small local pizza takeout or you're selling tours to Europe nationally, the key is to make sure you have a "can't refuse" offer and your card looks impressive. You don't have to spend much money to get a postcard campaign going. Plan to send six different postcards in 6 months and you will make money fast and easy once you get your program started. Remember it takes money to make money and cheap but high quality postcard campaigns will make you money and a high return on what you have spent.

HOW TO CREATE A POWERFUL MARKETING BROCHURE

Brochures, pamphlets and leaflets are a printed and folded piece of paper used as an advertising tool for business and organizations to sell products, services, promote their brand and corporate image.  They are designed to tell a story about the benefits, products and or services a business provides.

Brochures provide information about how a potential buyer will benefit from your products and services. They are a tactile tangible call to action used to inform and assists you in closing the deal. They develop a key message that will convert a buyer to your service rather than your competitor.

If you have the time, are creative and willing to learn the file requirements which are easy to find online, then this is a project that may be fun and self satisfying. The first thing you need to do is think about the benefits you customers will get from your product and service. Explain what makes you different. Every company advertises they are the best, lowest price, high quality, etc. The message is why they should buy from you, what makes your company unique in its field. Write your copy and decide the size and the number of panels you need to tell your story. Once you’ve thought this out gather the photos, illustrations and charts and any other visuals you need to make your brochure easy to understand and visually attractive. Now think about the layout, design, fonts and background.  Now you’re ready to do it yourself.

TIP: Don’t make your brochure about your new equipment or your company and how great it is. Your customers don’t care about how you do it; they only care about the results. Buyers are only interested in how your products and services can solve their problem and make their lives better.

There are many sizes and folds of paper you can use when you are thinking about designing a brochure. The most common brochures are an 8.5 X 11 piece of paper folded in half to 5.5 X 8, have 2 panels on the ourside and 2 panels on the inside  which  separate information. A trifold, also called a letter fold has two folds that create 6 panels. Other standard sizes are 8.5 X 14 to make 4 panels, 11 X 17 that folds to an 8.5 X11 four page,  8.5 X 22 which folds to three 8.5 X 11 panels  8.5 X 11 panels and l1 X 25.5 six panel brochure. These sizes are standard sheet sizes  that fit most efficiently  for the least paper waste on large color printing presses.

Another option is to hire a professional that specializes in print design and knows the rules needed so your job will print correctly. Most designers that are not experts in print design will create technical problems when your brochure goes to print. It takes more than a pretty design to create great out come. Most printers cannot or will not take the add liability to correct your mistakes. If they do they will charge you for your designers. This will slow down your job. If you have the budget to pay for a graphic designer it will be the safer, faster way to do the project. Don’t try going cheap, you get what you pay for. You can find excellent, affordable print designers online.

Do it yourself or hire an expert print designer, the end result will be an effective marketing tool that will strengthen your brand, move your products and sell your services. Brochures are essential for trade shows, direct mailings, counter displays and business meetings. When distributed to your target audience they provide a high ROI.

Learn Four Rackcard Marketing Tips For A High ROI

Rackcards are a high ROI marketing strategy. Tourists are always looking for places to go and spend money. Some tourist attractions, like the Grand Canyon attract everybody. Other attractions fit best with a specialized demographics, for example, bus trips that go to lots of points of interest in a short time, others are looking for golfing, hiking, horse back riding, zip lining and sky diving to name just a few.

Rackcard design is very critical to attracting your targeted market. On the front side you should have easy to read large bold eye catching copy and exciting photos of the location and the activities you offer. Below there should be a strong call to action that offers a special discount or a free desert at your restaurant or some other incentive to attract interest and show your friendliness.

 Rackcard printing tips. It’s not difficult to find an online printing service that offers rack cards. Looking for the best value rather than the cheapest price is a good idea. If the card is thin it feels cheap and it’s likely it won’t convert as many buyers as one with a heavier feel. The card weights for the biggest bang for your buck are heavy 14 PT or extra heavy 16 PT UV coated or matte / dull aqueous coated stock. When your card is first picked up the thing about these stocks is they are generally the same or less cost than as the thin stocks so look for the best value. Matte/dull card are elegant and a perfect choice for an upscale restaurant, hotel or a trendy shop. UV coating is best for excitement and fun. For an additional eye candy, WOW FACTOR EFFECT pop try adding spot UV coating to you your rack card. It costs less than you might think and it draws attention like a magnet. The standard size for rack cards is 4 X 9 so they fit in rack card racks.

Rackcard distribution should be affordable. Since most tourist attractions are local go online and find a distribution service in your area. To save money you or an employee can ask to put them in card racks at visitors bureaus, welcome centers, chambers of commerce, bulletin boards, hotel and motel lobbies, restaurants, other tourist destinations to help your neighbor and they will reciprocate.

Rackcards attract business and one of the most affordable marketing strategies to create more business you can do. Just one or two conversions could pay for the cost.

COLD FOIL VS HOT FOIL PRINTING

FOIL PRINTING

Foil has long been the standard to express the best in high quality printing

There are 2 ways to print using foil.

COLD FOIL PRINTING

Cold foil printing is a 21^st century hi-tech WOW FACTOR EFFECT marketing tool that makes printing gold, silver and every combination of CMYK foil colors easy to create. You can even make color blends and gradations. The way it works is that on a selected area you want to foil an adhesive is printed on the card A foil laminate is then sealed on top of the glue using UV light to cure and dry it. This process is done on a offset printing press so you don’t need expensive custom made dies and traditional hot foil stamping. This revolutionary eye candy printing technique cost less and attracts as much attention as the old way. At this time we can only print cold foil on standard 2 X 3.5 business cards and 4 X 6 postcards. This is a designer’s and marketer’s dream because it’s not only possible, it’s also affordable for the average small business.

PROS:

Cold foil does not require a custom metal die.

Silver or Gold Foil printing as well as EveryColor Foil is printed in-line with the printing press.

It only requires a simple mask to indicate the foil area.

Registration is very accurate.

You can combine as many process colors as you want using EveryColor Foil.

You can make blends and gradations using EveryColor Foil.

You can add high gloss Spot UV coating as an option.

The process is fast.

The process is more affordable than traditional hot foil stamping.

Quick online quotes are available. Check out our cheap and affordable prices at https://www.colorprintingpros.com/foilbusinesscards.html

CONS:

Cold foil is not as bright as hot foil.

Colors are not as deep.

Dark colors are not recommended.

HOT FOIL STAMPING

Hot foil stamping, also know as foil blocking, became practical in the 1950’s when new formulas for colored foils became possible and they did not fade. The way it works is a custom metal die (usually a magnesium die) is made of the area you want foiled. A foil stamping machine is then used to heat the die and pressure is applied to a roll of foil onto the substrate you want stamped. If printing is needed for the project, it is printed on an offset printing press first and then transferred to a stamping machine.

PROS:

Foils are brighter and richer.

Holographic, Lenticular and Psychedelic colored foils are available.

You can use darker colors.

You can emboss or deboss foils.

You can emboss or deboss the substrate without foil.

You can make custom sizes with stamping.

You can use die cutting as an effect.

CONS:

Tight registration can be a problem.

Dies are expensive.

Stamping dies are usually outsourced. The more steps and people in a job, the greater chance of problems. Who is responsible when there is a problem may occur.

Different foils have different cost.

Size of the custom die affects cost.

It is more expensive than Cold foil.

Custom quotes required.

Color Printing Pros provides both cold foil and hot stamping services. If needed, our customer service experts are always available for free consultation to help you decide the method and practices needed to meet or exceed your expectations. 

COLOR PRINTING WHOLESALE - ONLINE CHEAP PRICES AND HIGH QUALITY

There aren’t many things you can by cheaper today than 10 years ago. High quality full color printing wholesale is one of the few exceptions of the best value buys any business can make. The truth is printing is no longer an art or a craft. The old expert master printers are now with the dodo birds. Gone are the type houses, air brush artists, color separators, film strippers and master pressman who would work miracles to bring out the most on a difficult printing job.

Now anybody with very little knowledge can replace the creative high professional craftsman with just a digital camera and an inexpensive computer. Printing is now a technology. While great design and layout are still an art, tools are available to anybody that wants to do it themselves. Digital automated color separations have been replaced by direct to plate technologies. Computers now do press stripping easily and more accurately. Newer presses read the colors and set the ink levels. Old style solvent based inks and varnish have been replaced by vegetable based inks and aqueous coatings to protect the environment.

Online printing services have replaced many local printers except for most simple 1 and 2 color jobs. With the replacement of all the highly trained craftspeople, printing prices have dropped accordingly. 10 years ago 1,000 color business cards would cost $100 - $200. Today even better color business cards with free matte or UV coating costs less than $40 online. Today 1, 000 8.5 X 11 flyers with free aqueous coating cost under $200 and the quality is better.

There are over 100,000 online printers all competing for your work. It’s one of the few places price wars occur. The problem for the consumer is not the price, it is selecting the best printing service that will give quality, price and value. Not all online printers are the same.

For example, printer A charges $29 for 1,000 business cards. These cards are printed on thin 12 Pt card stock. They upcharge you $10 more for printing the back side and the only coating available is varnish. If you want a glossy UV coating, there is another extra charge. A savvy buyer would know that this offer might not be as good as it sounds. One give-away is varnish, which is only used on old style presses that do not have inline coating towers.

Printer B is offering 1,000 business cards printed on heavy 14 or extra heavy 16 point card stock printing full color on both sides with matte or UV laminate coating for $ 36 with everything included. There are no surprises or extra charges. They provide quality, price and service.

Both customers can be happy with their deals and their printing services. But which one got the better value? It’s fine if you selected the lowest price if you are aware of what you are really getting on printer A site and how much it really will cost you. Some online printing services would rather give quality as its most important offer. They believe in offering the best price for the best product. Be sure to look for the details of exactly what you’re buying. Paperweight and finish are important. Don’t complain later. It will do you no good if you didn’t ask the right questions.

Some of the best choice online printing services also offer unique WOW Factor effects. These are special choices such as spot UV, foil, silver, colored metallics, waterproof stock, plastic, or silk laminated, to name a few. You may not need them today but it does show that this printer is up-to-date with state of the art choices. If the prices are comparable, you may be best served by choosing a printing service that offers these special services with the knowledge that you may want to use them in the future. By establishing a relationship now you know you have a reliable printer you can trust if the time comes when you wish to add some creativity to your marketing in order to get noticed. You can also be assured if an online printing service can offer WOW Factor effect, they are using the latest technologies for the highest quality and fast turn-a-round.

Finding the right printer is important to every business. Remember all printers are not alike. Cheap price does not mean best value. Be aware of what you are getting for your printing dollar. Look for a printer who offers all the advantages- quality, price, service and value.

Wholesale color printing services with are used by marketing professionals with big custom printing budgets. Small and medium sized business can level the playing field with wholesale priced high quality color printing you can order online from: http://www.colorprintingpros.com

Now is the time to take the challenge which could put your business on a new road to success. It costs nothing more than a few minutes to see how affordable and easy using a personal online color printing service is. Make your business stand out as a leader in your field. Go to hppt://www.colorprintingpros.com and see all the useful custom printed marketing tools to help you make your business grow.

TRADING CARDS WHETHER BUSINESS OR PERSONAL CREATE HAPPINESS

When writing about trading cards it's easy to smile and get nostalgic. I remember when I was a kid and how important they were for socializing after school. Trading cards are still popular today, but they have taken on a new personal roll. Now every kid can become a sport hero with his or her own trading cards. They’re also very popular with adults too, and not just athletes.

Personal trading cards are used like business cards for social events. Kids love to trade cards with their picture and a short bio about them. They like to hand them out at team sports events because it's a cool thing to do. Many teams have sets printed for each team member and different team trade cards. Hobbyists hand out their personal trading cards and collect from others attendees at group meetings and conventions. Schools can create trading cards for their athlete students to share with other schools.

Custom printed trading cards make a cheap give-a-ways for cast members of corporate promotions, trade shows and charity events. In most areas of interest history buffs collect individual trading cards and sets of characters that include their brief story and photos. Police and fire departments have found them very useful to hand out at community events.

Anybody can have his or her own card to trade, hand out and exchange. They are popular with all age groups, and can be used as a personal business card so you will be remembered.

High quality trading cards should be printed full color on extra heavy 16 Pt gloss card stock and finished with a high gloss UV or matte coating to protect them for handling. You can find the trading card printers from many online printing services.

If your a mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend or any one that’s looking for a great original gift idea. All you need is a photo and a short story and you can make your own personal trading cards for a loved one. At the bottom of the article is a link for a trading card template so you can design it yourself or if that's not your thing ask your printer if they can put it together for you. It might be smart to pay a small fee and have it done right the first time and ready to print. Before it goes to press you should receive a digital proof for your final approval. The minimum quantity that economical to print is 100 cards but you can order 25,000 or more if you’re a famous celebrity. Everybody gets a smile on their face when you had them your personal trading card.