Business Card 101 – 4 Tips To Help You To Create An Amazing Business Card.

business card

A business card is the must have marketing tool for your business. It maybe the first interaction that a potential client may have with your brand, so your business card must always make a good first impression.  A well thought out business card will make you look professional, build trust with clients and set your small business apart from others.

Always carefully consider every aspect of your card – dimensions, font, layout and information color, shape, design and information, thickness, your brand

Dimensions

Most business cards fit the dimensions of 3.5” x 2”. This size fits most wallets and purses alongside credit cards, and fits in easily with other cards in a business card holder.

However, cards with a distinctive shape stand out from the crowd and easily spark interest and get noticed. This is a natural choice for someone who wants to be distinctive, memorable and creative.

Font

Use the same font that you currently use on your website and other properties. The font and text should be easy to read, with your important information in a larger typeface, a different typeface or in bold. A good rule of thumb is to make the company name larger than a 12pt font and never use any font sizes smaller than 8pt.

Layout and display of information

Each piece of information should be clearly distinguishable and your information should flow nicely. A good visual flow for business card design should begin with the logo, then the name, then secondary information such as email and phone numbers.

Do not clutter your card with too much text. Make sure that you leave enough white space so that the most important details stand out.

Most business cards are in the traditional landscape format, however, the portrait format is become more popular with companies whose brand identity is about being fresh, new and distinctive.

Special finishes

Special finishes can go a long way in making a lasting impression on potential clients. If you want your card to stand out, consider adding an unusual design element or special print treatment. Foil accents, uv coating and raised spot uv gives your card a hard-to-forget feel.

Paper stock is another way to add a special touch to your business card. Thicker card stock, suede finish, recycled Kraft paper are all ways to make a long lasting impression.

If you are looking for a distinctive business card that puts your business ahead of the competition, then contact us and we will present you with some very attractive options and prices.

Here are 5 New Year’s resolutions that will hopefully help you work smarter in 2022.


1. Your mental health should be your priority
Wellness is essential to good work – after all, you can’t work without your brain. Believing that you can put your mental health on mute to deliver more, faster, is an illusion. Issues such as anxiety and depression can affect your ability to focus, your energy levels, and many other facets of your work life such as your collaboration skills. In turn, overworking yourself can impact negatively on your healing process and even worsen your symptoms.

To work smarter, you need to inject self care routines into your work life such as taking regular breaks, never missing a meal, setting work hours on your calendar, learning to say no, and not be afraid to request a mental health emergency day if it all fees too much. Your employer might even provide some mental health support services at work. Some organizations also offer workshops to help you deal with mental health-related issues.

2. Collaborate more
Smart working and collaboration go hand in hand. Collaboration can spark unexpectedly brilliant ideas you wouldn’t have thought of on your own. Different people, different skills, different ways to approach problem-solving: the perfect mix for coming up with out-of-the-box ideas.

When you are faced with a challenge, putting heads together with your colleagues or peers and brainstorming as a team can help you work smarter and open your creative horizons. It’s also a great way to unload some of the stress and pressure you might feel on your shoulders. Plus, it’s nice to have someone to talk to!

3. Prioritize your workload
Work related stress often comes from an overwhelming workload. Having constant deadlines and tasks to do makes it difficult to give 100% all of the time. Prioritizing your workload is simple, but it can do a lot to relieve stress and help you work smarter. Even if it feels like you don’t have time for it, when it all gets too much, take a few minutes to write down all your tasks. Some of these tasks might look tiny, and it’s easy to fall into the trap, but you shouldn’t prioritize them based on the satisfaction of quickly crossing a bunch of items from your to-do.

Small tasks are the kind of things that will come up on a daily basis, so make sure you look at their deadline rather than their size when assessing your priorities.  Group tasks by priority or similarity to save time and effort – it’s always easier to move to a similar task once you’re on a roll. If you’re not sure about timelines, don’t hesitate to ask the task initiator – and negotiate deadlines that seem unrealistic.

4. Learn to delegate – You don’t have to do everything on your own  
Delegating is one of the keys to smarter working. You don’t have to do everything on your own! If you’re part of a team, you need to think of it as one entity. In that sense, the amount of work you receive should be equally distributed amongst your team members according to their skills. That means if the request comes to you and you’re already at maximum capacity, you don’t need to carve extra time for it, you simply need to redistribute.

There’s nothing wrong in delegating. It shows you’re able to manage your workload and recognize your limits. You might think you’re wasting time training someone when you could have done it faster on your own, but in the longer term, you’re passing knowledge to someone who will be able to perform the task for you, the next time you delegate.

5. Get the right training
Training is essential to growing in your career. Expanding your knowledge is the best way to work smarter and explore new horizons. Not only does it help you save time and energy at work by providing you with the right tools, it also helps you see the bigger picture and understand the connection between your current role and the infinite possibilities out there. Don’t pass on opportunities to develop your skills at work. If your company offers in house workshops or training budgets, make sure you take advantage of them.

It’s a new year and you may want to rebrand your business. Why not get in touch with us for your printing and promotional needs. We can offer you a range of cost effective and attractive possibilities.

7 Tips On How To Avoid Business Card Fail

business card design

The world is gradually opening up and networking events are shifting from on line to in person. We are getting back to brushing up our elevator speeches and handing out business cards.

While you can change your verbal message easily, changing your business card message is harder to do and more expensive.

Bring focus to the most important information

After your name and brand, what is the most important focus you want people to notice once they have your business card in their hand? Do you want people to visit your website, call you, follow you on social media?

Don’t overload your card with information

Too much information will make your business card less striking. Give your design some breathing space by just displaying key information and making your call to action clear.

Keep the information simple

Your business card is a physical product. You don’t need to display your full site URL or Instagram link, as no one is going to be able to cut and paste your link. So replace your https://mywebsite.com with a simple www.mywebsite.com

Readability is paramount

Don’t prioritize aesthetics over readability. Use a readable font and avoid overcomplicated script fonts for small text. Make sure the colour of your text contrasts with the background of the card without blinding the reader.

Be consistent with your brand

Your business card should represent your brand. Ensure that you use the same color and fonts as all your other brand materials. A lack of consistency makes your business cards less memorable.

Don’t forget to use the back

Yes, your contact information is important, but so is what you are promoting. Use the back of your card to showcase your business.

Use a bold design

Don’t be afraid to step outside the box – you might actually catch someone’s attention and help turn the business card into a sale! Using simple design features, textured paper or embossed lettering can make your card stand out from the crowd.

Want your business card to stand out? Get in touch with us and not only will we make you an amazing business card, it will have an incredible price!

What’s the REAL Difference Between Offset Printing And Digital Printing, And Why Should You CARE?

Walk into a print shop and get some printing done. Do you know if your job was done using an offset printer or digital printer? Does it matter? The answer is – it depends. Offset printing is more cost-effective for large print runs and digital works better for short runs.

Offset printing

Also popularly known as lithography, is the most common kind of printing for high volume jobs. It requires a lot of time and preparation, as the image is etched to a metal plate and then transferred from the plates onto rubber rolls. Different colors of ink are spread onto the rubber and the paper is run between them.

Advantages:

  • Offset printing creates a superior image quality that results in clean distinct type and images, without streaks or lines.
  • Colors are more accurate as inks can be mixed to get the right color fidelity.
  • It is cheaper to use when there is a large volume of printing as the cost of making the plates is fixed and can be spread over the number of copies.

Disadvantages

  • High cost for low volume jobs.
  • Takes longer to print as the plates have to be made.
  • Harder to fix – if there is a problem on the plate, the whole job is ruined and the plate has to be redone.

Digital printing

The laser or inkjet printer you have at home is a digital printer. Print shops have much larger and sophisticated versions using the same technology. No plates required here, as images are transferred to paper using lasers, positive and negative static charges and either dry toner or suspended liquid toner particles.

Advantages

  • Cheaper cost for low volume jobs.
  • Faster turnaround time.
  • Identical prints as there are fewer odd variations caused by imbalances of water and ink.
  • Easier to fix problems and make changes to the print run.

Disadvantages

  • Higher cost for large volume jobs.
  • Slightly lower print quality and sharpness.
  • Harder to match the required colors as standard inks may not be able to exactly match the colors.

Factors to decide when to use offset and digital printing:

Size – Offset works better with larger projects (500+ prints).

Time – Digital printing can be done much faster than offset.

Type of material – Not every type of printing surface can work with digital.

Uniqueness of the project – Digital is the easiest and cheapest way to customize your projects.

Proofs – Easier to give a proof using digital printing.

Many businesses trust us to get their printing done right. Contact us for high quality print work with quick turn around and very competitive pricing!

5 Inspiring And Creative Ways To Use Banners For Your Business

Custom printed banners are great for communicating your client’s message in a big way. You can normally find them hung on walls, suspended from poles, or displayed in frames or stands.

There are many other ways of using banners and It’s time to think outside the box and be inspired. There are many other creative ways of using banners that are often overlooked and here are 5:

1. Tablecloths and Table Runners

Big banners can cover an entire table while smaller ones can run along the table for a unique, customized table runner. This helps you save space at trade shows, conventions, and markets while still showcasing your brand.

Table banners
Image source: Dynamic Decor Designs

Tip: Table sizes vary, so you should be prepared to print a variety of sizes for your banners, including custom sizes.

2. Room Dividers and Partitions

Banners are an affordable way to temporarily divide a large area into smaller ones. Unlike bulky traditional dividers and partitions, banners are easy to transport to the venue and store when not in use. You may even want the name of the activity printed on the banner itself so that participants know where to go.

Room divider and partition banners
Image source: 20/20

Tip: Add grommets or pole pockets to banners so that you can hang them. That way, the banner partitions won’t take up extra floor space at the event.

3. Signed Cards

If you are planning to hold a business anniversary celebration, retirement party, or some other event that involves getting a lot of people to sign a card, why not  skip the small folded card stock and go big? A great idea is to print a solid colored banner and have guests sign with permanent markers. At the end of the event, you can roll it up and give it to a special recipient.

Signed card banner
Image source: Bridget Kromhout

Tip: Always test the banner material first to see if the marker ink stays on. If you’re buying from an print supplier, ask for samples

4. Cover-Ups

Why look at a disorganized pile of work when you can look at a beautiful banner instead? You can hide the messier parts of your business behind large banners. Most types, such as vinyl and mesh, are suitable for indoor and outdoor use, which is why many construction companies will hide the unsightly work-in-progress behind branded banners.

Cover up banners
Image source: In-Signs

Tip: Grommets are a must if your client plans to attach these banners to a fence or wrap them around a pile of inventory.

5. Backgrounds

Next time you are filming a video or doing a photo shoot, make sure you have the right background. Print beautiful scenery on banners to instantly create a more appealing background, or print your name and logo so that your branding is always visible and stands out. These are especially useful during elections when candidates want lots of media coverage.

Background banner

Tip: Go for a matte finish instead of a glossy one. The matte surface reduces glare so that the artwork is easier to see, even under harsh lighting from filming or flash photography.

There are so many different ways to use banners, so don’t be confined to just their most typical uses. If you require any banners printed or ideas on what to print, contact us and we will be more than happy to help!

Don’t Print Your Brochures Until You Have Considered These 3 Important Points

brochure printing

Like all the other marketing tools in your business, a brochure is an important component and should be designed, produced and distributed with specific goals in mind.

Collaborating with a good graphic designer and content writer can be a major advantage in creating the right visual schema and content to reach the right audience. While the first impression of the brochure hooks the reader, the information inside is what sells them the products or services.

An effective brochure must:

Make a Great First Impression

Whether distributed within their place of business or given out at a conference or trade show, a brochure serves to foreground the most important aspects of your company and everything that your customer needs to know as soon as they take a glance at it.
To make a great first impression, a brochure needs to be both well designed and well printed. The design should be eye-catching for the target audience and the printing should demonstrate dedication to quality with a good quality paper stock.

Demonstrate Success

If your company has received accolades within the industry, or has been involved in any community efforts, a brochure is a great way to display that side of your operations. Not only does it reinforce professionalism, it shows potential customers that you are a strong, steadfast, and successful company. This is where the content plays the most crucial part.

It’s important that the brochure sends exactly the message it intends to the customer base. It should feature a great design and brief copy meant to incite interest. Some examples of this include favorable messages about your company, a brief history or introduction to how things started, why your company cares about the industry, what goods and services it provides, and most importantly, an idea of what products or results a customer can expect to see. In addition to this, contact information is a must.

Expand Your Company’s Reach

It may feel like a grassroots approach, but brochures will likely be received the most by local residents around your company’s base of operations. This can serve as a huge benefit; the need to support local businesses is strong in many communities, and if you provide strong local service, it will likely see a word-of-mouth effect spread. There is no point in creating a brochure that makes a great first impression and demonstrates success if there is nobody to read it!

Brochures are indispensable pieces of marketing collateral that informs customers about products and services, but in order to transform their use into sales, brochures need to create a great first impression, demonstrate success, and expand your company’s reach.

If you require brochures designed and printed, reach out to us and we will make sure you get a brochure that will create a great first impression, demonstrate success, and expand your company’s reach.

4 Useful And Practical Strategies For Graphic Designers To Stand Out In Instagram

design strategies for instagram

Instagram is a great graphics platform in which you can promote your graphic work, especially if you are a graphic designer. However, it has become saturated with talent, and nowadays it is a real challenge to stand out.

Here are 4 great tips that will help you stand out from the crowd:

1. Make sure your bio is clear and resonates with your audience and don’t forget to include a link.

You have a 150 character limit to populate your bio.

Here are 6 important things you need for a stand out bio in Instagram

  • Your name should be clear
  • Your services should be easy to understand
  • Include something personal that makes you stand out
  • Link to your website
  • Let people know which city you are in
  • Make proper use of emojis as bullet points

Show off your portfolio in your gallery

You have a great opportunity to display your work in the gallery. While it is nice to show your completed work, why not show some work-in-progress, some behind-the-scenes videos, some happy clients etc.? Your captions should bring value to your audience – Use your captions to work for your business.

Here’s what your caption should do:

  • Get your audience to react
  • Teach your audience something new
  • Entertain your audience so you get more follows

Keep the following in mind when writing captions

  • Make them easy to read
  • Make them interactive when possible
  • Make them relevant to the picture or video

2. Use relevant hashtags that are specific to popular

Hashtags are very important in Instagram. Popular hashtags help you show up on more feeds, but are less likely to get you noticed as they are associated with hundreds, if not thousands of posts. Specific hashtags may show up less on people’s feeds, but will get you more noticed because there is less competition.

3. Post regularly

People like knowing what to expect and when to accept it. Keep your posting consistent and regular. It will make you look more active and more people will follow you as a result.

4. Track your metrics

You need an Instagram business account to track your posting.  The information lets you know your post reach, post impressions, profile visitors and link clicks. Having this type of information will help you make better decisions on which posts to promote and what type of posts work better in the future.

Small business gets a raw deal when it comes to printing. Connect with us for business card printing or any other printing needs.

5 Very Common Typography Mistakes You Should Avoid

typography mistakes to avoid

When designing a project, you will often need to utilize typography. It is an essential part of the design that may seem simple – letters and word on a background. Typography is an art form, however, and requires a skilful technique.

Here are 5 Typography Mistakes you should avoid:

1. Avoid Crowding Your Letters and Lines

Crowding letters and lines is arguably one of the most common typography errors. People often feel tempted to manipulate spacing between the letters and the lines in order to fit more words on a page. As a result, the cramped design can be hard to read. 

Tracking, the individual space between letters, ensures that each word is legible. Leading, the space between lines, helps each sentence appear clearly. Tracking and leading should be consistent throughout the design to optimize readability.

2.  Avoid Clashing Colors

It’s a fact that lots of designers get caught up in the design process that they forget to pay attention to color choices! Be careful of the colors that you use. A good rule of thumb is to use contrasting colors for the text and the background so that words are easy to read. Take a moment to step back to look at the overall design and ensure that every word shown is legible.

3. Avoid Using Too Many Fonts

An easy approach to typography for beginners is to limit the amount of fonts in one design. Surely you have seen the many inspirational quotes posted on social media. Inspirational quotes are usually designed with a mix of typefaces, and this works – at least on social media.

For a professional project, however, you should be more selective. Limit yourself to two fonts when designing the job. These two fonts should have complementary styles. Avoid this typography mistake, and your design will look clean and organized.

4. Avoid Using All Capital Letters

Capitalized words can help to bring attention to important information. BUT DO NOT CAPITALIZE ALL YOUR WORDS. When you attempt to emphasize the majority of the content, the effect is lost. Most of all, your readers do not want to feel like they are being yelled at.

5. Avoid WordArt

This typography mistake of utilizing special effects on words can make a project look amateur and outdated. WordArt is a popular tool available on Microsoft Word. It is convenient to use and offers effects such as drop shadows and gradients.

In certain designs, these types of special effects can work well, but most of the time, the results look unprofessional. If you must choose WordArt, err on the side of caution. Consider other design programs that are free like Canva.

Even if you are a beginner at designing, you can create professional work by avoiding these 5 common typography mistakes! Overall, keep in mind readability and context during your design process. Are the words legible even from a distance? Is the font suitable for the brand? By keeping the design simple and clean, you can avoid most typography errors.

If you have a printing requirement, don’t hesitate to contact us for a competitive quote and superior service.