Everyone is rushing online to be heard, seen, bought! But there is definitely still something to be said about a nicely printed souvenir from a business or event. These types of things, as they become more and more rarely done, enhance your uniqueness factor tenfold.
So here are some tips when choosing your flyer, menu, or event’s printed materials from the print shop near you:
Content and Color
- Don’t be afraid to let this thing stand out. You want to be remembered right? Convey your brand or event’s special qualities and sophistication.
- Colors can be used to create a certain feeling or mood. Choose a combo that will appeal to the type of message you want to communicate. Here are 30 great example color schemes you can try out! (PDF).
- Have a killer headline. The average attention span is supposedly shorter than a goldfish (ie. less than nine seconds), SO your headline or title has to be action-oriented, memorable, funny, in-the-moment, or at the very least relevant to your audience.
- No long paragraphs. Speaking of short attention spans. Use bullet points, lots of pictures or graphics.
- Stick to the point (and the BENEFITS). What is the primary goal of this printed thing? Don’t try to achieve lots of goals in one shot because that will be confusing and far less effective than you’d like.
- No grammar mistakes please!
Paper Choice
Think of this in terms of: if you could take your biggest hero or favorite celebrity out for a night, would you take them to McDonald’s? Or would you impress them with the nicest things your town has to offer? Think of your customers this way. Without them, you’d be eating at McDonald’s (or working there). Therefore, treat them like the best in the world. Give them something that represents the reputation you want your business to have.
What kind of mood do you want to set?
- Glossy finish will make your message pop with a little shine, and a little “look at me”. Very durable and good for two sided printing, but more easily gets stained. Where will you be putting these?
- Matte finish is softer on the eye, deflecting glare and is more resistant to stains. Used by professionals and photographers, it gives a more relaxing feel. How do you want your audience to react?
- Colored paper is a good option if you’re printing in black and white and still want that standout appeal for your message.
- Premium paper is smooth and pure white, resistant to smudging, and is great for rich, clear photos and presentations.
- Go for recycled paper if promoting any sort of environmental message!
Let’s print already!
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Pick a paper size
- Business Brochures: folded in thirds with the standard 8.5” x 11” is the most common and easiest.
- Event Flyers: many people use the standard 8.5” x 11” but smaller down to 4.25” x 5.5” work as well.
- Restaurant and Wedding Menus: these vary greatly depending on the amount of food or products you offer, your desired fonts, number of photos, etc. The average restaurant menu size according to Google is about 9” x 12” but you want to also take into consideration the size of your tables and place settings. Don’t create unintended awkwardness for your customers!
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Paper weight:
(and no I don’t mean that shiny rock you have on your desk at work).
- 70 lb Text – 100 lb Text: used for brochures, flyers, or magazines
- 67 lb Bristol: good for raffle tickets or postcard handouts
- 65 lb Cover – 110 lb Index: used for menus and posters
- More detail on paper stock.
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Ink:
- If you don’t mind spending a little more money, glossy ink will print photos very nicely.
Lastly don’t forget, the more you print the cheaper it will be per piece!
If you’d like help with your design phase, and/or are looking for digital printing services, K-Kom is here to cater to your needs!
“OK Google: printing services near me!”