The best place to start branding your office space would be to come up with a budget. “Find out how much you can spend on branding. Once you have that, you can determine what materials to go with,” Kristyn says. It is also a good idea to really look at your space to determine your best branding solution. The Printing Solutions team is always happy to assist a customer with suggestions, or even make a trip out to take a look at the space in person.

On the Windows

They eyes many be the window to the soul, but your office’s windows are the eyes to your business. Window clings are the perfect way to dress them up and show off your brand before anyone even comes in.

“I have seen plenty of clients do outdoor window clings to identity their brand, taglines, or even inspirational quotes,” Kristyn says.

But outside isn’t your only option when it comes to window clings. If the inside of your office space doesn’t offer the seclusion you need, window clings can be a great solution.

“We have a great frosted vinyl graphic we used to give our conference room a sense of privacy,” Kristyn says. “Many people think it is the glass itself, but you can really give that effective with the vinyl.”

And if that’s not reason enough, window clings come without the hassle of strings and cords, like traditional drapes or blinds:

On the Walls

The walls of your office are one of the most ignored spaces when it comes to branding, but these vertical spaces hold a ton of potential.

“We really love the large wall graphic that is in the hallway of our office,” Kristyn says. “It says ‘Long Live Print’ and really rings true to our industry. We love it not only for the visual representation, but because it is what we live by in this business.”

Copy a page from Printing Solutions’ book and opt for a wall cling of your business’s tagline, or if you want something a little less permanent, a custom canvas print is another great solution. Use these to display your company’s core values, a photo of your team, or each step of your business’s customer journey. Your company’s walls hold more combined space than anywhere else in your office, so don’t forget to include them when branding.

On the Surface

Decorating your office walls and windows are a good start, but it’s all in the details when it comes to branding your space thoroughly. Even the items on your employees’ desks play a role in the image your office projects, so it’s a great idea to invest in branded promotional items and office supplies that they can use in meetings and consultations.

“We have the ability to print several promotional product item,” Kristyn says. “We print solutions for our customer so anything you are looking for when it comes to branding, just let us know.”

Our table throws are also popular choices for offices that want items to serve double duty. Table throws are just as perfectly suited for your trade show booth as they are for your front reception desk or in place of a wall graphic, and they’re great way to make a strong, high-quality statement about your brand.

Want to use print to brand your office space? The Printing Solutions team would love to help. Give us a call at 480-596-6300 to request a quote.

The post How to Use Print to Brand Your Office Space appeared first on Printing Solutions.

If you have an event coming up, here are some guidelines to help you promote it in the best way.

BONUS: Train Your Staff to Get the Most From Your Trade Show Booth

1. What’s your budget?

It’s important to allot a large enough budget to promote upcoming event effectively. It’s always good to have a few different branded visual references at your table. Use these basics as a guideline:

• A table throw: about $179
• A retractable banner: about $249
• At least 1 handout (brochures, postcards): $79
• A Business card: $39

Total: $546

When planning your budget, remember that these promotional materials aren’t a one-time investment. Most of Printing Solutions’ customers reprint their signs and banners only once a year at most. So you can invest a few bucks into something big and high-quality that other marketing material just cannot do.

2. What functionality do you need?

Consider your purpose for attending the event when you plan your promotional materials. Do you want to connect with potential clients, or are you there to look for new companies to partner with? Tailor your materials toward your end goal.

Certain materials are essential regardless of your end goal — you’ll always need a large sign or banner to attract the most attention possible. But if your booth doesn’t include a table front and center, you might want to skip the table throw and put your budget toward more interesting freebies to hand out at the event.

Keep in mind that just because you purchase these materials for a specific event doesn’t mean that they’re useless between trade shows. A lot of wide format printing is very versatile in that you can use it for many different occasions. Once your event is over, displaying your signs or banners in your office or conference room just adds additional branding to your workspace.

3. What products do you already have?

It’s always a good idea to go through your existing supplies before an event and take inventory of what you already have. If you’ve attended trade shows or tabled other events before, chances are you can repurpose some of your existing materials, like table throws, business cards, and banners. But if the materials show signs of wear or are of a low quality, you might want to consider reprinting.

“We take print and see how we can design something specifically for it. The two go together,” says Kristyn Dingman, Printing Solutions’ Director of Marketing. “You can have a high-end retractable banner that has an unattractive graphic on it, or you can have a really solid design of your logo that is printed on a cheap material. The two are essential to one another. Printing on a high-quality material with a high-quality visual is the best route to take.”

If you’re planning your first event and need to start from scratch with promotional materials, our On-The-Go Package was created just for your. It includes over 6 different print marketing options for one price and is a customizable and comprehensive solution to that helps to promote upcoming event.

BONUS: Large Format Printing and What You Are Doing Wrong

For us, the best part of planning any event is seeing the customer’s face light up when we have the display set up in our office for them to pick up. Seeing that end result and the reactions we get are priceless.

Need Help To Promote Upcoming Event?

If you need help planning and to promote upcoming event or trade show, let Printing Solutions help. Give us a call at 480-596-6300 to get started.

The post How Should I Promote My Upcoming Event? appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Over the past months we’ve observed a few changes in styles among our own clients and colleagues, and we’ve compiled them for you below. Here’s what’s trending in the print world.

Social Events

Lately there are more and more social events that businesses are looking to attend, whether it’s a trade show, conference, or other tabling event. Making sure you are visually prepared and well represented at those events is key.

Large format print marketing materials like signs and retractable banners are a must for setting up a great booth. But to really stick with visitors, you’ll also want to invest in flyers, brochures, and business cards to hand out. Additional freebies like postcards, notepads, or stickers can also make a strong impact with anyone who stops at your booth.

When preparing for a trade show or other social event, it pays to plan ahead.

A full trade show package from Printing Solutions includes seven different products, all of which take time to design, print, and deliver.

BONUS: The Trade Show Basics – What Essentials you Should Bring

Direct Mail

We’re loving the trend of businesses developing effective direct mail campaigns. With direct mail you’re literally placing your company’s brand directly into customers’ mailboxes and homes. It’s a valuable “in” with your customers that your competitors likely don’t have.

If you’re jumping on the direct mail bandwagon, keep in mind that design is everything. You only get one chance to make a first impression, especially when the medium you’re using is something that most consumers consider “junk mail.” So having something designed so well that it entices customers to open it is important.

At Printing Solutions, we’re here to help through every step of the Direct Mail process, from design and printing to creating a mailing list to sending your mailers out.

BONUS: 5 Common Direct Mail Mistakes Most Businesses Make

Unique Business Cards

Making sure you are visually better than your competition is especially important in the beginning of the year when you can go all out with guns blazing. With a brand-new budget, you can create a lasting impression with your business cards. Many of our clients are using foil stamping and colored-edge business cards as a way to stand out from the crowd.

We have also noticed our clients giving extra attention to the thickness of a business card. Most business cards are printed on a 16pt matte-finish card stock. Lately, however, we have been seeing clients going for a super thick card with a silk laminate finish.

BONUS: Our 3 Favorite business Cards from 2015

These changes in trending print will not only bring a more effective visual representation of your business, but it will give your company the upper hand and attract the right customers for your business.

Looking to give your company’s printing a boost? Give Printing Solutions a call at 480-596-6300 to get started.

The post What’s Trending in the Print World? appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Fortunately, there’s a lot more to stickers than the arts and crafts aisle, and when it comes to choosing one that’s right for your business, the options are pretty much endless. Read on to find out why stickers are not just for kids.

What is a Sticker?

“We have this definition of ‘stickers.’ Well, ‘stickers’ means so many things,’ says Kristyn Lechwar, Printing Solutions’ Director of Marketing. “An adhesive label is more so the proper term — it can be anything that you would like to stick somewhere.”

BONUS: 5 Innovative Ways to Use Print Marketing

Printing Solutions’ stickers are usually paper-based, and come in a wide variety of stocks and finishes. The most commonly requested finish is a glossy coating that seals and protects, making stickers perfectly touchable and long-lasting. Our paper crack-back stickers are a popular choice, as they are a cost effective and high quality option for someone looking for a large order of stickers to hand out or distribute.

Vinyl is significantly tougher than paper and is great for bumper stickers, outdoor surfaces, or for any situation where the sticker might be exposed to the elements — think of them as all-weather labels. While a little more on the pricy side than paper stickers, the professional look and rugged durability of vinyl makes it worth the extra dough.

But when it comes down to it, stickers really can be anything that sticks — paper and vinyl are the most popular sticker materials, but are far from your only option. We can print on countless labelling materials, each of which can act as a solution for what our clients are looking for.

All of Printing Solutions’ paper stickers come with a UV glossy finish, and can be printed in countless different shapes, sizes, and stocks.

How Should I Use Stickers?

Our clients use stickers for all kinds of purposes — anything from labels for bottles or boxes to placing them on products directly.

Healing Solutions is one of our clients that really has this down. They use an attractive sticker as a label for all of their aromatherapy products.

“We do their labeling as a skinny, long piece,” Kristyn says. “It can’t really come off and it gets wrapped around. Water bottles that have the paper wrapper, they fall off. This is a great, cost-effective solution for the thousands of pieces they do.”

We also offer bumper sticker options, as well as large stickers that clients can actually resell. A bumper sticker we did for U and Improved is a great example. It turned out really well and it was perfect for the owner to hand out.

Several clients of ours love handing stickers out as gifts as well.

“We do a really fun sticker for The Boys and Girls Club,” Kristyn says. “They hand these out at events with a very strong message on them. It really creates a lasting impression.”

Who Should Use Stickers?

The key thing to think about when it comes to picking the right print marketing materials, including stickers, is to see how it would work with your company’s culture overall. For example, a dentist office might want to invest in a kid-friendly sticker to hand out since the dentist is such a scary thing for kids.

“This isn’t just for fun, goofy companies,” Kristyn says. “Anybody could use a sticker.”

Another thing to consider when choosing a sticker is its purpose. Will it be adhered indoors or outdoors? How long do you want it to say there before it is removed?

“Stickers leave a physical impression, so if you are going to be handing them out, once it’s adhered to something it doesn’t go away,” Kristyn says. “It’s permanent.”

BONUS: Guerrilla Marketing — Why You Should Use It

Are you considering investing in a nifty sticker for your business? Printing Solutions can help! With countless shapes and sizes to choose from and a talented design team by your side every step of the way, your final product is sure to be a hit. Give us a call at 480-596-6300 to get started.

The post Stickers: Not Just for Kids! appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Fortunately, we know a thing or two about decor here at Printing Solutions. Many of our customers have come to us specifically for help to give their office walls some new life, and we can’t wait to share our best tips with you. Here are five ways to pump up your office with print decor.

BONUS: Custom Vinyl Decals Make Your Walls Talk

1. Window Clings

They say the eyes are windows to the soul, but if you own a business, your windows let eyes see straight into your office.

“Most offices are rented so you can’t throw whatever you want up on the walls, so window clings are a good option,’ says Kristyn Lechwar, Director of Marketing at Printing Solutions. “They are so versatile and you can do so much with them.”

That versatility extends beyond the standard window decals. For a more custom look, Printing Solutions offers several different vinyl options that look great over the entire window. For example, a frosted vinyl with your business’s name cut out of it gives the same feel as a modern frosted glass. But the real frosting on the cake is the fact that achieving the look with vinyl is much more cost effective than purchasing a new pane of glass with etched lettering.

2. Big Banners

Another crowd-pleaser is the heavy, durable kind of banner typically seen at trade shows and job fairs.

“It’s super inexpensive and the print quality comes out really good, so we always suggest that because it’s cost-effective,” Kristyn says.

These banners are made of a material called 13-ounce scrim, and come with metal grommets to reinforce the corners when you hang them up. Another versatile decor choice, these banners are great for hanging on a blank wall in the office, but can also be used at any events you attend as a business.

This sort of versatility also makes it an ideal option for businesses that may be moving offices in the near future. Unlike more permanent lettering options, you can take scrim banners with you when you leave.

3. Canvas

Custom-printed canvas signs are a bold way to liven up your office space and make it more inviting. Canvas gives the same feel as collector art, but is brands and prints to meet your company’s needs.

Canvas prints crisply and has a high-quality finish. And because it’s a three-dimensional product rather than a flat banner, custom-printed canvases really pop on most office walls.

Like banners, canvas pieces are not permanent, which is great for offices whose lease is expiring soon.

“You can move them anywhere in the space, you can put them in the windows, you can put them up front, wherever. If you move, you can take it with you,” Kristyn says.

4. Retractable banners

For offices looking to make a big statement from the moment a customer walks in the door, retractable banners are the way to go, especially during the holiday season.

“You can put that in the front for when people walk in and have it say ‘Happy Holidays’ or something like that,” Kristyn says. Then you can put it away when the season’s over, because you’re only going to have it out for a month.”

Retractable banners are also easy to store when not in use. They fold up really small — about two or three feet by six inches — and each comes with a little bag so you can keep it nice and clean.

You can also switch out those banners throughout the year. Once the winter holidays are over, you can easily change the message to match other seasons.

5. Brochures and Cards for Customers

Another way to make a great first impression is when clients walk in the door is to be sure to have plenty of brochures and business cards ready for them. Pamphlets describing your company’s services, locations, past projects, and more make a nice display in the lobby.

If brochures aren’t your style, you can take a page out of Printing Solutions’ book.

“We have a card that’s specifically for the customer,” Kristyn says. “When you walk in it says ‘Get a Starbucks gift card from us,’ and if you leave us a Google+ review, you get a Starbucks gift card.”

For such a great incentive, it’s a really simple idea. It’s a clean, to-the-point business card just like Printing Solutions does for many of its customers. It simply shares a different message than the traditional business card.

BONUS: Decorate Your Office to Promote and Foster Culture

These are just a few of the ways you can use materials you print to really pump up the decor in your office. For more ideas, or to learn more about our custom and commercial printing services, give Printing Solutions a call at 480-596-6300.

The post 5 Ways to Pump Up Your Office with Print Decor appeared first on Printing Solutions.

At Printing Solutions, we work with businesses every day to help them choose the perfect materials for company. Over the years we’ve noticed a few that are consistently at the top of the “need to have” lists, so we’ve listed them for you below.

BONUS: How to Decide What Print Material is the Best for My Business

1. Business Cards

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to business relationships. Make yours memorable in the good way by having quality, well designed business cards on hand at all times. You can even spice them with a plastic coating or 3D effect to make them really stand out from the crowd.

2. Envelopes and Letterhead

It has become quite common for people to throw mail away without even opening it if they can’t tell where it’s from. There’ll be none of that when you use custom envelopes and letterhead for your business mailings. They make your correspondence automatically more professional and official, and are a must-have for any business in any industry.

3. Notepads

Want to really wow visiting clients? Give them a branded notepad to jot down thoughts from your meeting. You’ll immediately put them at ease by providing a way to take notes, which they may not have thought to bring, and they’ll always know which meeting the notes are from, thanks to your prominently displayed logo and company name.

4. Signs

Signs are essential to any business, and not just for the building’s exterior. Mark your spot with a professionally printed sign for your business’s interior wall. Choose from banners, foam core, canvas, and more to display your products, services, pricing, and more.

5. Postcards

Send appointment reminders and event announcements in style with one of our eye-popping postcards. Available in black and white or full color on two different paper weights and a variety of finishes, postcards are the perfect way to send a message in an easily digestible format. To make sure they’re really noticed, you can even add a special 3D effect.

BONUS: Leverage Postcards to Build Business Relationships

For more tips on choosing print materials for your business or to schedule an appointment with one of our talented designers, give Printing Solutions a call at 480-596-6300.

The post 5 Print Products Every Business Should Invest In appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Related: Why Your Print and Internet Marketing Need to be Working Together.

Therefore, if you are not using call tracking, you are passing a major opportunity to generate a wealth of data that can improve overall marketing efforts. By utilizing call tracking metrics, you can amass critical information about phone leads as part of your campaign. As a result, you can optimize your marketing channels to receive the best return on marketing dollars spent.

Best Call Tracking Marketing Channels

Call tracking can gather phone lead information retrieved from almost every aspect of a marketing campaign including:

• Billboard marketing
• Direct mail marketing
• Email marketing
• Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing campaigns
• Print marketing
• Television marketing
• Web marketing

For the most accurate performance tracking results, you want to utilize different call tracking numbers for each platform.

Identifying Performance Issues with Call Tracking Metrics

Call tracking metrics can tell you the percentage of leads that each sales team member converts into sales. This data is critical to determine which team members need additional training, who to send the most calls to and to evaluate team member performance for dismissals, promotions and raises. Also, it can provide insight into the performance of PPC campaigns. Determining that one PPC keyword grouping has acquired a higher conversion percentage than another, you can invest more resources in the better performing group. It can also help to identify if adjustments must be made for the campaign.

Related: Design a Print Strategy Around your Website Analytics

Call tracking metrics are an extremely critical resource for any company’s print marketing campaigns as they can help to identify successes and failures, thus allowing you to put more resources into the better performing campaigns. With so many different marketing tools available, call tracking is not as utilized as it should be. This resource should be part of every company’s marketing strategy.

The post How to Use Call Tracking to Optimize your Print Marketing appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Colors serve as a sort of non-verbal communicator. As humans, we tend to subconsciously assign certain traits and characteristics to colors, including their shades and hues. Dark red used at a restaurant, for example, can make an entirely different statement than a lighter red would.

Related: Metal Business Cards; The Newest Trend in 2015

To understand what messages colors are sending, consider the following color chart, which lists the emotions, characteristics and ideas each color can portray:

Red

Aggressive, Energy, Excitement. It has been pointed out that restaurants use red to not only stimulate appetite, but also to keep people moving along so there is always room for the next customer.

Blue

Dependable, Safe, Loyalty. Banks and other financial institutions use blue to help portray a safe and steadfast environment. Blue is also often used in uniform design from military to police to security guards.

Green

Growth, Peace, Health. If you are going for a calming feel for your marketing material, use green. People feel more connected and natural with green logos and branding.

Yellow

Happiness, Cheer, Sunshine. You can use yellow to convey optimism and positivity. Women tend to like yellow more than men.

Orange

Playful, Engergetic, Fun. Often used to promote toys and various forms of entertainment. It has been used to express a beginning, like a sunrise.

Purple

Wealth, Sophistication, Royalty. Purple often associates with prosperity and wealth. Many have had success using purple when targeting young women in their teen and pre-teen years.

Pink

Youthful, Sweet, Creative. Perfect color choice when promoting romance or femininity. Used for candy and sweets.

Black

Power, Mystery, Authority. While black is a very powerful color that conveys intelligence and sophistication, it also evokes emotions of death and grieving.

White

Clean, Pure, Safety. Perfect to use for anything health related or with baby products. White can give a feeling of balance and it’s use will convey neutrality.

Related: Information to Include on your Business Cards

When it comes to choosing the right color for your marketing material, it really boils down to what message you are hoping to get across. Do not make the mistake of underestimating your color choices. Carefully consider what it is you want to convey immediately with your marketing material. Remember that color is sending a message whether you want it to or not.

For more questions about color use in marketing material, call Printing Solutions at 480-596-6300.

The post Best Colors to Use in Marketing Materials appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Your Booth

You’ll be competing with everyone else at the trade show for visitors’ attention. You’ve got to have an eye-catching display to command attention. We can create for you something as small as a stand-up banner or as big as a whole trade show display that can house your technology and marketing materials. (Call for details)

Marketing Materials

We can help you design the perfect marketing materials that are sure to leave the expo with your visitors. You don’t want something that goes in the trash! Give them something they will hold onto like a plastic business card or an origami postcard!

Related: Why You Should Have Plastic Business Cards

Who Will Be Speaking?

Undoubtedly you’ll have to designate someone to speak at the trade show. As people pass your booth, they’ll be expecting a presentation. Who would make the best face of your company? Who is best at public speaking? Have them practice their spiel and they’ll be sure to knock it out of the park!

Related: Get Yourself Prepared to Speak at the Trade Show

Once you’ve taken the first step in deciding to showcase your company at a trade show or expo, your next step should be to call us here at Printing Solutions. As the leading print company in Scottsdale, we’re the go-to place for all things trade show. Our talented graphic designers can help you have the perfect materials and we can cover everything from banners to plastic business cards.

If you have any questions about our printed products, give us a call at 480-596-6300 or stop by our Scottsdale printing company. We’ll make sure you have the best booth at the event!

The post 5 Tips to Make a Successful Trade Show appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Make sure you have someone professional and outgoing manning your booth

The person responsible for representing your company should send the right message. You won’t create a unique experience at trade shows with a shy representative. Timid personalities will get lost in the crowd at trade shows. You’ve got to command attention not only with your booth, but with your physical presentation. Have your representative work on their spiel that they’ll be giving to visitors. It should be rehearsed, but also very easy-going and should flow in a natural way.

Related: Step-up Your Public Speaking Game

Bring the right materials

It’s imperative that you have the right materials for the show. People will have their hands full of swag and marketing materials so you want something they’ll actually hold onto. This can be as simple as a well designed postcard that they’ll want to hold onto, maybe a notepad that you know they’ll hold onto or something unique like a plastic business card that will stand out above the rest.

Related: Have a Killer Trade Show Display

Give them incentive to visit your website

Consider offering a discount for anyone who signs up on your website or gives you their email while visiting your booth. They’re going to be overloaded with information about businesses so why should they take the time to look you up? Give them a reason to!

Encourage participation

There’s many ways you can make sure that people remember your booth and actually interact with your company. The more they interact with you, the more likely they are to remember you the next day, the next week or the next month. Raffles are a great way to keep their attention. Hand each visitor a ticket and give them a time to come back to participate in the raffle. Ask them to post pictures to your social media and offer a prize for the best picture. Make sure to include a hashtag relevant to your company!

If you can manage to capture the attention of trade show visitors long enough for them to remember you later, you’ve broken through the trade show barrier. Being unique can go a long way when you’re room of hundreds of people and exhibitors.

If you need printed materials to take to your next trade show, stop by our Scottsdale printing office or call 480-596-6300. We can help you design and print everything you need for a trade show. We also have designers on staff to help with the initial design process. From logos to business cards, we do it all.

The post Create a Unique Experience at Trade Shows appeared first on Printing Solutions.