Color catalogs look far more attractive than black and white ones, and so are more effective marketing tools. Just adding color will increase the appeal of your print catalog, but if you want to take your catalog to the next level, there are a few color guidelines that will help.

Be Consistent With All Publications
To reinforce product branding when printing catalogs, use the same color scheme in every publication and on all your signage and marketing materials. This is not to say all your photos in the catalog should have the same colors in them, but your cover page, logo, and order form pages should have the same color scheme.

Use Color for Impact
On each page of your print catalog, there should be one product that stands out. You can do this by having a monochromatic background that contrasts with the product you want to emphasize. For instance, you can emphasize a bright red coat by using a picture of a model wearing it on a gray city street. Using only a few colors per page also makes the spread look more attractive. If you were to use lots of colors inconsistently on the page, it would just look busy, and nothing would really stand out.

Use Colored Text Sparingly
Black text on a white background is the easiest to read. In your efforts to be creative, you must keep in mind whether or not your words are readable, because if people have to struggle to read your catalog, they are less likely to order from it. On the other hand, if you want to emphasize only a few words, this is one instance in which colored text is acceptable. For instance, you could put the word “sale” in red. If only a few words are in color, then they stand out much more than if the entire page is full of colored words.

Use Background Bleeds
Using background bleeds in your print catalog makes it look more attractive and professional. When bleeds are used in printing, the background color extends a little beyond the edge of the page. That way, the color extends all the way across the page and there are no white edges showing in the final printed product. Just remember that when you use this technique you need to keep your text and important images within your printer’s safety guidelines so they don’t accidentally get cut off during the trimming process.

There are a lot of words thrown around that have similar meanings to advertising, so you might be wondering what advertising really is and if a specific definition really matters. Advertising is basically anything a business does to try to get consumers to have a positive view of their company or to get consumers to purchase their goods or services. There are four basic purposes for advertising.

Creating Demand
The objective for advertising is sometimes to create a demand for product or service. There are two types of demand: primary and selective. 

• Primary demand is the demand for a type of product. The Got Milk? ad campaign is an example of this type. The advertisers are merely promoting the consumption of milk in general, not a specific brand of milk. Unlike the milk example, primary advertising is usually done to promote a new product; in this case the marketer tries to create a demand for something the public doesn’t currently use.
• Selective demand is the demand for a specific brand of the product. Selective demand advertising kicks in once the new product has competition.

Promoting a Brand or Company
Another purpose for advertising is to shape the public impression of a brand or company. An advertisement might try to make a company seem reliable, cutting edge, or customer-oriented. The hope is that if people think the company is a good one, they will be more likely to use it rather than the competition. For instance, a printing company might have a commercial showing the bands it has helped make famous by completing quality poster printing projects.

Causing Action by Consumers
The desired action by consumers might be direct or indirect.

• Direct action advertisements call for consumers to buy this product or service soon. The ads do this by having limited time offers of special prices or packages. For example, a print company might offer poster printing at a reduced rate until a specific date.
• Indirect action advertisement is a lot like promoting a company. The purpose is to get consumers to have a positive view of the brand or the product a company makes. This type of advertising is aimed at building a customer base over the long run. 
   

Benefiting the Public
The purpose of some advertising campaigns is to promote public safety or well being. Campaigns that encourage people to wear seat belts are an example of this.  Another example is when regional forest reserves do a poster printing campaign to promote fire safety.

Now that you have a basic knowledge of advertising, you can better know where you should start with your advertising campaign. Your next step is to research specific advertising campaigns and hire professionals so that your advertisements can be as effective as possible.

Booklet printing is a great marketing resource when you need more space to properly showcase your product than a brochure allows. There are a few design notes you should keep in mind when planning a booklet. Here is a list of some of the most common booklet printing mistakes to avoid.
 
#1 Too Much Text

All of that extra room can make your copywriters go a little crazy! You will need to watch for too much text added to use up all of the extra space. If you find this to be the case, edit the text and then, if there is too much white space, try enlarging the headlines and subheadings. Limit your text to what is needed.
 
#2 Page Malfunction

Missing pages or pages that are out of order are another unfortunate mistake of booklet printing. Be sure that you have a copy of the finished product to scrutinize specifically for consecutive page order.
 
#3 Skipping the Final Proofing

Always get a proof from your booklet printer of the final product. Most printers offer this as part of the package deal. The proof is your last opportunity to edit any grammatical errors or missing words before the booklets are shipped to customers.
 
#4 Not Printing Enough Booklets

Many times businesses fail to print as much as they will use and that is a mistake! In printing, the price each piece drops dramatically as the quantity goes up. So if you will use 20,000 in a year, go ahead and print them all at once to save significant money.
 
#5 No Color

Color is ideal for most any advertising. Unless you are purposefully using black and white for design emphasis, your booklet printing should be in color. Color allows a much greater range of design possibility and adds considerably to the credibility of the sales pitch your booklet holds.
 
The above information may seem like fairly common sense advice, so it might surprise you how often these details are overlooked either by carelessness or a greater interest in saving money. But a mistake is detrimental to the credibility of the booklet and your product. When readers see a mistake, it causes doubt for the business as a whole. Attention to details as small as a booklet printing project show customers that you are paying attention to the details that count.

Improving a brochure is a great way to increase revenue and retain existing clients, and images and content are one of the most important aspects when improving the memory retention of your brochures. So if your brochure printing pieces need an overhaul, try the following suggestions to turn your design into an easy sales tool.

Images    
Paint the perfect picture with images. Here’s how:

1. Images are a great enhancement to any brochure. They are often used to suggestively sell the product or service in the brochure. So, how does a suggestive sell create desire for a product? 
2. Show the value of the product with images. Inform the consumer of the utility that will be gained. A pain relieving patch will often show an individual before and after the use of the pain reliever.
3. But show more than proof of the product working. Show a dancer performing in a dance after using the pain relieving patch or grandpa playing catch with the grand kids. The utility gained here is much more than just pain relief. 

Content     
Remember that readable content makes all the difference when taking brochures from good to great:

1. Get to the context of the content by using an overview. Giving an overview and repeating it is much more effective and memorable than a lengthy description.  
2. Keep it simple to increase memory retention. Repetitive is not enough, the brochure must be an easy read. Big words and too many unique words will require the reader to decode the message that you are sending. Decoding and deciphering will reduce retention. 
3. When can context be contrary to the simplistic approach? If your brochures are for internal marketing or for a specific trade, the terms of the trade are best to gain the attention of the reader. If you are selling your team or management on something, use the terms that they are comfortable with and used to hearing. In wood working, instead of using the more common terms “wood and plywood,” use “dimensional lumber and sheet goods.”    
4. Be ready with a rhyme or a core catchy message. Memory retention is also improved with content that is very rhythmic. Help your viewer catch the fever of desire for your product or service with a core message that is catchy. 
5. Finally, keep a close eye out for offensive context. Be careful to not talk down to your brochure reader. When the printed material requires much telling, soften the message with an uplifting message before and even after your core message.       

When trying to create product/packaging labels for your business, the process can become quite complicated and frustrating. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be such a hassle to get your labels designed and printed. Here are a few steps to simplify the process and give you label printing designs that will reinforce your company image. 

First, list the required information and choose a paper. The paper used for label printing depends upon the product, company, and type of distribution. The packaging label for a piece of furniture is often cheaper and less essential than the label on a box of toothpaste. The same goes for the required information on a label — it depends upon the product. There are legal requirements for food and other products. There are also courtesy requirements due to industry standards. Just try to find a bar of soap without the amount in ounces on the label. Even the handmade craft or specialty soaps include the ounces on the labels.       

Second, choose a design and printing style for the label, keeping in mind the product and company. A children’s product will be colorful and use various sized fonts, while a label printing design for a package of financial books will show strength, stature, and stability. Label printing styles include glossy or matte coatings as well as size. The larger your package, the larger you want your labels to be.   

The third step is to decide on placement. Will the package include several labels or even include labeling on all sides? With front and back or multiple sides labeled, decide upon how important the secondary labels are. This will allow you to discern whether the money spent on the secondary labels should be equal to the primary label or not. The other part of placement is where the information is placed on the packaging. Convenience to the consumer and readability are the two main concerns when choosing where to place the information on the label printing.

Last, get some professional help or choose the do-it yourself approach. For the do-it yourself approach, there are pre-made label designs. In these designs, you just place your company name and logo and send it to your printer. A pre-made label includes pre-determined placement for product name, instructions, required tools or items, and other information. Keep in mind that label printing is an important part of advertising your brand, so if you are unsure about designing it yourself, consider using a professional. All of your time, and money spent researching and designing labels will not be wasted with a professional. Instead, this preparation will allow you to be a better customer and allow you to communicate what you want more effectively.

Flyer advertising is a great way to build your customer base without breaking your advertising budget. Just make sure that when designing flyers to promote your brand and image, to be clear with your message, and to then be prepared for responses. With these few techniques, your flyers will take your brand even further and increase revenue for your business.

Use Images
Images are great branding techniques, even if the only image you can afford to use is your logo. Photographs and graphic designs used are usually related to the product or service to build credibility. And never forget your logo and any graphic designs you use to reinforce your brand.  

Be Ethical
Be creative and outgoing when advertising with flyers, but never mislead the customer. Unethical behavior must be hidden and covered up, and a cover up is a distraction from the real service or product. Be ethical and build up your business, don’t tear it down. One of the most important aspects of being ethical is to provide amazing customer service. Always follow through with what you promise in your flyer printing message.

Be Assertive
Create desire and include a call to action with your advertising. Show how your product or service makes life better and more enjoyable — how it works better than your competitors’ products or saves time. Action phrases are the best way to motivate your customer. Don’t sell your message short by being too modest. Most ads use “Call Now!” or “Purchase Today” to motivate the customer. Whatever call to action you use, make sure it specifically states what you want a customer to do and keep your contact information handy.
             

Follow Up

A well-designed flyer will get the attention of the consumer and cause action. Unlike brochures, the purpose of a flyer printing message is primarily to cause viewers to contact you. It is the responsibility of the staff to follow up and close the deal. Be prepared for increase in business and inform the staff of the advertising. Make sure your staff is knowledgeable and can answer any detailed questions that consumers will have. You may even need to be prepared to hire temporary staff to handle to influx of new customers. You never know to what new heights an effective advertisment will take your company.

Deciding on a brand can be an enjoyable and creative task for a small business owner, but with understanding of the comparable market standards and research it will also be rewarding. Develop a branding strategy that is both all-encompassing and interesting to help grow your business and make your company more easily recognized by consumers.
Have a Branding Strategy

There are contractors who will only buy a red Ford pick-up because the image that Ford has developed matches the job. Don’t stop with a message such as this, though. Once you’ve decided on your image, use a logo and tagline on everything. Your logo needs to be distinctive, and the tagline should be a condensed mission statement that is used on letterhead and business cards. Use websites, online social marketing, and thank you letters to develop the brand name. No business is too small to be branded, so establish a brand with a strategy and customers will take notice.       
Know the Market Standard for Branding and Promotions

Several years ago, Sonic had as many total units in the United States as McDonalds opened every year across the world. Sonic started to advertise at college sports in order to keep up with McDonalds’ advertising at professional sport events. In the same way, identify your competitors’ branding strategy and use their hard work and research to know who, what, and where to promote your branding.

 
Be Interesting when Branding

Why does Sonic use the two guys in the drive through or the guy and his wife in the drive through? These ideas make for interesting branding. If someone made a spoof of these commercials, you would identify them with the Sonic commercials. Be clever and interesting, and maintain this image on business cards, letterheads, and websites. 

Do Your Own Research

This will help you fully understand your target market. Using your competitors’ research is not enough. You may be successful if this is all you do, but to guarantee that your company’s branding is appealing to your target market, you must do some of your own research. Your target market is likely to be different from your competitors’, so use surveys to better define it. Once you have completed surveys and gathered demographic information, develop your branding specific to that market. Even the fonts when printing business cards and other printed material should be tailored to that market.

Custom envelopes are an important part of any business’s identity package. They impart importance to the items contained within while enhancing the professional image of your business. Here are a few reasons why you should include custom envelopes in your corporate identity printing package.

1. Professional Image
Custom envelopes maintain the professional image of your company and simplify the mailing process. Adding a window will eliminate the need to do any kind of addressing: simply place the correctly folded invoice or other correspondence inside the envelope, add the correct postage, and mail. And lining up the address with the window is a breeze with any desktop publishing software, including Microsoft Word. Plus, with custom envelopes, only one window is necessary, since your return address is already printed on the envelope. This eliminates the need to line up two addresses for two windows, rather than just one.
 
2. No Experience Necessary
Custom envelopes are easy to design. Make use of your logo on the front left, and print your billing address across the back. Photos and graphics are some more ways to add interest and impact to your custom envelopes, but you’ll want to be careful to not overcrowd the envelope. Too much clutter will not only put you at risk of violating mailing guidelines but also annoy recipients.  

3. Recongnizable
Custom envelopes help distinguish your mailings from the masses of junk mail. Customers will see your logo and know who sent the mail right away. Custom printed envelopes help your customers quickly distinguish between junk and legitimate mail. In the process, they help build and maintain brand recognition in your customer base and in new markets.  

4. Competitive
With a slow market and fierce competition for customers, you can’t afford not to have custom envelopes to help liven up your marketing efforts. A plain envelope will be unnoticed whereas a custom envelope with your business logo prominently displayed will be quickly recognized, a reminder to customers to frequent your business. Use an online printing company to simplify this printing job. Plus, an online printer can provide low prices the more envelopes you order, as well as plenty of printing options.

Protect your investment in creating a business card by making your card memorable. You don’t want it to just get lost under piles of paper or thrown away. Make your color business cards a true promotional tool that sends customers your way by using one of the tricks below.

Use Colored Card Stock or a Colored Background

Most business cards are white, so if yours is in color, you are already one giant step ahead in standing out. Make sure your color fits your company; rich shades of grey and brown add sophistication, and bright colors are energetic and fun. Some printing companies offer colored card stock, and almost all printers provide the option of full bleed, often for free, which gives you more options for background colors.

Choose an Unusual Material

Rather than use paper, you can choose one of a variety of materials for your business card printing. You could use metal, plastic, wood or laminated materials. Magnets are a great way to make your business cards easily accessible to clients, and business cards covered in fabric provide texture.

Use Colored Ink

If you want to stick with white, beige, or pale grey card stock, you can still add color by using a colored ink. Don’t get too off the wall in your color choices, though, and make sure there is enough contrast between the lettering and the background to read the type.

Print on Both Sides

When business card printing, don’t forget to use both the front and back of your card. Put your logo, name, and preferred contact information on the front and use the back to add further information. On the back you might put your picture along with bullet points giving your qualifications. A discount, store credit, and other incentives encourages your clients to take the next step.

Include Your Website

Putting your web address on your business card lets people look up more information about you than can be included in a business card printing design. And it helps to tie your online and offline marketing together.

Use a Memorable Font

Instead of using the standard Arial or Helvetica type font, you could choose a font that fits well with your company. For example, if you are a wedding planner, you might want to use a pretty script font. Just make sure that it is readable at the small sizes required by business card printing (9-14 pts.)

Use Texture

People hold business cards in their hands, so the feel of the card can be memorable as well as its look.  Consider using embossing or a textured paper like mulberry paper.

Print Multiple Cards

Print several different styles of business cards, and then when you give them out let clients choose the one they want. Chances are the person you are giving a card to has not had that experience, and they will be more likely to remember you.
 
Once you have created a memorable business card, don’t forget to pass it out everywhere: put some in with your bill payments, leave them at businesses and libraries, and hand them out to everyone you meet. And with a memorable design, your promotional efforts are sure to bring you incredible results.

Learning about cultural differences in relations to marketing and advertising is important in our current market that is ever-expanding via the World Wide Web. The ability to move your product or service into foreign markets with ease is a great advantage. The ease with which this can be accomplished involves several influential factors including the cultural differences and similarities between the current market and the market being entered, and the need for the product or service in the new market.

Cultural differences between markets
Whether you are vacationing in a foreign country, taking in the unknown experience, or have gone as part of a foreign studies group, it is difficult not to notice the cultural differences. As we observe these differences and learn the motivations and reasons behind them, we learn to understand the culture, learn to understand that people have life-shaping forces that are very different than the forces that shaped our lives in many cases. This is a great experience for personal growth but also for anyone who is working with foreign business markets.

Cultural similarities between markets
In addition to our differences, however, there are many ways that humans are the same the world over. These similarities are also important to note and may simplify some aspects of foreign marketing. There is a balance that must be achieved between a standardized marketing campaign for use in all markets and customizing the marketing efforts for certain markets. This depends on the product and how its performance may differ in varying market locations.

Easy transitions between markets
There are some products and services currently offered online that do not require much alteration between markets. One of those is printed materials. An online printing company is able to serve customers where ever they are located through the use of digitally transmitted designs. The customer will dictate the needed cultural variance in their marketing material when it is submitted. The online printing company’s capacity to communicate with the foreign market makes doing business there more easily accomplished than through using other products or services.