“It’s just like the filter that you put on a photo; it says a lot about the person and who they are. That’s what font faces represent,” says Kristyn Lechwar, Printing Solutions’ Director of Marketing. “It represents who you are and what your company is. Without someone actually being able to read the words, they can get a feel for your company just by looking at the font.”

We’ve put together our best tips for how to choose the best fonts for 2016. Is your favorite font sending the right image? Read on to find out.

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“Helvetica is the most famous font face around the entire world,” Kristyn says. It’s simple, easy to read, and not distracting.”

Other strong options include Akzidenz and Gotham, both of which are client favorites when it comes to san-serif font faces. For a more classic look, opt for Times New Roman, by far the most common serif font face.

You’ll also get more mileage out of a font family that includes bold and italic faces along with the regular font face.

“You can be versatile with them but they still maintain their same visuals,” Kristyn says.

BONUS:The Worst Fonts for Marketing Materials

Choosing a Font

If you’ve never worked closely with different font faces, you might not know which is really best for your company. You want to make sure you choose a font that fits the feel and attitude of your company while still making a statement. You can get a better idea of what font best fits your business by asking yourself some of the same questions that we ask our clients.

“When we’re making a new logo, it’s our job to feel out the client. What is their business? What is their mission? What is their culture like? What kind of clients are they working with?” Kristyn says. “If it’s a young, kind of hip company, then we can go with a young, hip font, but if a lot of their clientele is 50 and older, we need to make sure that it’s appropriate to the demographic of people that they’re working with.”

For example, Kristyn says, a law firm would not want to go with Curlz MT as their font face, but a Dr. Seuss-themed pediatric dentist might want something a bit more in keeping with the whimsical feel of the books it is based on.

“Every company is different. That means that every font chosen is going to be different,” Kristyn says.

BONUS:How a Graphic Designer Can Help Keep Your Print Materials Fresh

Color Matters

Our favorite fonts are nothing without color, which says just as much about your business as your font does.

“Colors have all their theories about what they mean, and people take those seriously,” Kristyn says. “We all have this same kind of idea that pink is feminine and blue is masculine, and red means angry, and black means angry, and yellow means happy and sunshine. It says something about your company.”

If you’re running a law firm, for example, pink probably isn’t going to be your first choice of brand colors. You’re much more likely to opt for red, black, or yellow, which are typically seen as more strong and authoritative.

It’s also important that you use your colors consistently with your font choice to prevent brand confusion. Kristyn uses Google as an example.

“Their company is recognized not just because of their name, but you think of Google you think of the red, the blue, the green,” she says. “That’s just colors. It’s nothing really to do with the font but they have to go hand in hand.”

BONUS:What Colors Work Best for Direct Mail Campaigns?

For more tips on choose a font and color, or to learn more about our design and print services, give Printing Solutions a call at 480-596-6300.

The post How to Choose the Best Fonts for 2016 appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Custom printing jobs are no exception. While commercial printers are an increasingly popular choice for several reasons, there are just as many reasons why they simply don’t hold a candle to local printers. If you’re considering having something professionally printed, read on — we’ve compiled a list of pros and cons of using commercial printers below.

BONUS: Tips to Finding a Great Graphic Designer for Your Marketing Material

Pro: They’re convenient.

Con: They’re impersonal.

One of the best things about a commercial printing company is its convenience. Most have a handy online store that guides you through the design process before landing you at the checkout page. But the downside is that you never see or speak with your printer before purchasing, and even customer service representatives are limited. You don’t get to ask questions before placing your order — you simply send it into the void of the internet and hope for the best.

But nearly every business has a website or web store now, making it convenient to shop online even with local businesses. Even better: Local printing companies like Printing Solutions typically deal with fewer customers at a time than commercial printers, which means you get personal care and attention throughout your order process. You can ask questions along the way and meet with designers and printers before you even purchase their services to make sure it’s the best fit for your job.

Pro: They have a fast turnaround.

Con: They lack quality control systems.

Most commercial printing companies deliver even large orders in a matter of days, while a local printer may take a bit longer to complete a job. If you’re working on a deadline, this is a nice advantage. However, big commercial printers often lack the quality control systems that are in place with local printers. They may not be as willing to refund or reprint a flawed order, and they likely won’t take the same precautions and care as a locally owned company that has developed close relationships with its customers and takes pride in the product it produces.

Pro: They’re affordable.

Con: They’re limited in their selections.

Commercial printers often have much lower prices than local printers, but unfortunately, those prices correlate directly to their selection of available materials. Usually there will be fewer cardstocks and finishes to choose from with a commercial printer, and the sizes may or may not correspond exactly to what you had in mind for the project. A local printer has much more flexibility in the papers available to use, and projects can be customized to any size to suit your printing needs.

With a local printer, you also have the added bonus of being able to see and feel each weight and finish before making a decision. With a commercial printer, you need to make a decision based only on an illustration and written description.

BONUS: Get the Cutting”Edge” In Your Business Cards

Do you have a printing project you need completed? Let Printing Solutions help! Give us a call at 480-596-6300 to learn more about our products and services.

The post Pros and Cons of Using Commercial Printers appeared first on Printing Solutions.

Rather than just sitting idly waiting for your ship to come in, this is one instance when getting creative with some guerrilla marketing might be the ticket. There are some guerrilla marketing strategies that have been proven to work in the past over and over again that you, as a small business, could and should use to promote yourself.  Here’s why…

It’s Inexpensive

There are many different clever ways to promote a small business that cost very little. In fact, many people would argue that the best guerrilla marketing strategies are the least expensive. When it comes to marketing, bigger isn’t always better. Rather than billboards or television commercials, think stickers, postcards, mini-Frisbees, or even inexpensive flyers that say just the right thing. Try leaving your business cards in tactical places where your intended audience will more likely see them.

BONUS: 5 Branded Gifts That Don’t Suck 

Lasting Impression

One of the advantages to using guerrilla-marketing tactics is that it can often be very liberating when it comes to creativity. It allows you to push the envelope and be just a bit daring when it comes to getting your message across. Some businesses have found that these risks lead to more memorable messages that stick with their potential customers longer. Even the simplest or least expensive marketing campaign can create a buzz or a following rather quickly. Don’t be afraid to try something unique and different to help your cause.

Keeps You Focused

There will always be time for well thought out and well-organized marketing strategies that are might be considered mainstream, traditional and proven. Those things are definitely important. However, by remaining open to the idea of occasional guerrilla marketing ideas, you are keeping yourself in the right mindset for the growth of your business. When you look for the small and unique opportunities to push your branding or draw attention to your products or services, you will be more growth oriented and focused. This can definitely be contagious and soon your entire team will be on the ball when it comes to guerrilla marketing.

When any of your guerrilla marketing strategies involve design or print, be sure to turn to the experts at Printing Solutions. We’re ready to put our experience and expertise to work for you and provide you with quick and effective solutions at the right price. Give us a call at 480-596-6300.

The post Guerrilla Marketing – Why You Should Use It appeared first on Printing Solutions.

The world of website design can definitely be intimidating, especially when you’re not a designer. You might hear the radio ads and see the TV commercials about do-it-yourself website design programs and wonder if you’re making it too complicated. On the other hand, as a business owner, you may have first hand experience of how a well thought out and designed website can make all of the difference.

Keeping a website looking updated and current as well as attractive and eye-catching can be tricky for several reasons. For one thing, it is not easy to find a quality web designer that is capable of creating the phenomenal website you are looking for. Do a quick online search and you will find that there are dozens of individuals and businesses in your area that offer web design services. It’s knowing what to look for in a web designer that is often difficult.

Templates vs. Custom Design

One thing to consider as you choose a web designer for your website is if they are able to provide custom design in addition to working with templates. There are many different website templates available these days that can be customized or enhanced to make them more individual.

However, if you know that your website will require very specific elements, you’ll want a completely customized site from top to bottom. As you probably guessed, a customized site not only will cost more, but will also require the knowledge and technique of a top-notch web designer who is familiar with the coding and design that goes into such a site.

Businesses are often fooled these days by web designers who simply take an existing template, make minor tweaks to it and then call it customized. Do some research and look at their portfolio closely and you’ll be able to know if your web designer is legit.

Trends and Functionality

Be sure to find out if the web designer is up to speed on the latest trends and functions of websites. Start by looking at the sites of your competitors as well as some of the more well known businesses out there. Take note of the style and design of their websites and find out if your designer is capable of doing the same. You don’t necessarily want to copy someone else, but this is a good way of knowing you are working with a web designer who is experienced.

BONUS: 2015 Print Trends

A good web designer will not only have an eye for design, but will also be able to guide and advise on SEO strategies, lead capture and functionality for mobile devices.

We at Printing Solutions have worked with a number of very talented web designers in the past and are happy to put you in touch with one. Give us a call at 480-596-6300.

The post Find a Quality Web Designer to Create a Phenomenal Website appeared first on Printing Solutions.