In continuing the concepts of digital printing and offset printing, from our last article at http://www.makepapereasy.com/blog/digital-printing-vs-offset-printing, we found a more recent blog post at PrintCEO discussing the market-share of both technologies:

http://printceoblog.com/2008/11/digital-offset-cross-over

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com.

Unlike basic sheetfed offset printing, where the pricing is based on each unit, banners are priced based on each square foot. This is mainly due to the fact that banner printers by their materials by the square foot, so they pass on the same pricing structure to the client, with printing built in of course.

So if the banner is $5 a square foot (not real pricing here), and you have a banner that is 6 foot by 9 foot, then the total would be $270 (6×9=54; 54×5=$270).

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com.

This is really a classic issue that happens in any sales environment, so I felt the need to share it:

A client made a request for 1000 flyers, specifically sighting quality as their main motive. They wanted sales slicks that would represent them at a well-known trade show, so they wanted magazine quality work. The price quoted was around $200, to which they replied they wanted to see the price of a job quoted on a copier, which immediately contradicted their quality motive. 

The price for the copier job turned out to be around $300. What??? The client couldn’t understand why the something of lower quality would be higher in price. We explained that while copier prices remain the same price per unit, the offset printing price per unit goes down as the quantity goes up. Not believing us, the client then bid us out on the job, only to find out that we were right on target.

Two weeks later, due to them waiting for their “cheap” graphic designer to complete the artwork, they came back asking for 100 units of the flyers. The price for printing was around $100, and the price for copy work was around $50. Again, the client was dismayed. “Why is the copy price lower than the print price this time?”. We had to reiterate that the price per unit for printing goes down as the quantity goes up, which would suggest that the price per unit goes up when the quantity goes down.

So the client wanted to see a sample of the copy work, but they were not satisfied with the quality. At the same time, they did not want to pay $40 more for the offset printing quality. 

We asked them, out of curiousity, what they paid their graphic designer for the artwork, and they said $150. We told them we could have gotten that artwork done for them in one hour, and we charge around $70-$80 per hour. The math: $150 – $80 = $70 saved. That savings would have nearly paid for their print job.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit www.makepapereasy.com.

Every size of mail has specs to allow the mailer to print and send the materials efficiently. From the lower right corner of a 6×9 postcard, the address space needed is 1 1/2 inches from the bottom and 4 inches from the right, and the barcode space needed is 5/8 inch from the bottom and 4 3/4 inches from the right.

Address space: 1 1/2″ x 4″

Barcode space: 5/8″ x 4 3/4″

Check out ProjectCenter at www.makepapereasy.com or call us at 602.252.6655. Please feel free to comment.

By taking advantage of Windows 95/98’s shortcuts, it is so easy to let the computer do all the work….

What is the best way to print PRN files and what is a PRN file?

A PRN file is a special type of file which contains instructions for a printer, it tells the printer what to print on the page and where, as well as which paper tray to use, what the paper size is and a number of other controls. Open a .PRN file in any text editor, but first check whether it contains any junk or any other unnecessary code.

PRN files are usually created automatically by a printer driver. In fact, this is the primary purpose of the printer driver- to translate the generic output from an application such as Word or Notepad into something the printer can understand and interpret. Normally this whole process of creating the PRN file is transparent that even a lay man can print a document in their favorite application.

There can however be some uses for intercepting and capturing a PRN file before it gets to the printer. Having the PRN file offers one an option to reprint the document without running or even having the original application that created the file. Print to File is perfect for being able to reproduce an exact print out time and time again. Knowing how to print the PRN file is the only requirement, which is where PrnPrint enters the picture.

PrnPrint (386k – W9x/2k/XP) is a free program that has a option to easily print captured “Print to file” files, (*.prn), text files (*.txt) and postscript files (*.ps). There is an option in this application that will add a link in the “ Send To” menu that points to PrnPrint.

Print in a Flash

Most folks print a file by opening its application, then opening the file, choosing File, Print, and finally closing the application. To save on clicks and keystrokes, try the following technique instead.

Open Windows Explorer or My Documents and locate the file or files to print. Right-click the file or a group of selected files and choose Print. For most file types, the associated application will automatically open, send the file to the printer and close without further action.

Sometimes with image files the right-click Print command will launch a special process, such as the Photo Printing Wizard.

Check out ProjectCenter at www.makepapereasy.com.

When making and printing packaging, such as display boxes, there are some certain terms that one needs to know. These terms are for the communication between the seller, a die-cutting firm and designer, and not so important to the print. A printer will simply print whatever is needed on to sheets of cardstock, that then gets turned over to a die-cutter that cuts, scores, glues and folds to spec. If the designer and the die-cutter do not communicate, and the specs are not exact (i.e. a measurement or the artwork is millimeters off target), the project will become waste. Once the package is assembled, it will become quite clear that something is not right (i.e. the design is not positioned correctly or the box is not geometrically sound).

Now for the first term- Pylocks. Unfortunately, a photo can not be supplied here. 

As an example, if you take a box of pain relievers off the shelf of a grocery store, look at the lid of the box.  Opening the lid, you will see that the lid has a lip. Between the lip and the “top” of the box, there are slits on either side. These slits are the Pylocks that allow the lid to naturally lock with the underlying flaps.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit  www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at http://twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

RGB is for viewing and CMYK is for printing.

Color Modes and When to Use Them:

Bitmap: 1-bit color. Pixels are either black or white. Good for simple line art with no shades of gray, no fuzzy edges. If you are saving to EPS format, remember to check for “Transparent Whites” if you want the black areas to be solid but the background to be “clear.” Be VERY careful messing with the Halftone Screens. If you want a cool T-shirt, silk screen effect, go for it, otherwise be prepared to see you work mangled beyond belief. To make this format more workable, you can convert it to Grayscale (then to duotone, or CMYK or RGB, etc.). If you have something in another format you have to convert it to Grayscale first, then Bitmap will become an option. Bitmaps are good for line art, doesn’t always need trapping, and can be colorized in programs like PageMaker into solid inks.

Grayscale: 8-bit color. Pixels can be black, white, or any one of 256 shades of gray. Good for black and white photos and illustrations. Full color images can easily be converted to grayscale for publication. (But if you want to see a full color–CMYK or RGB image as a grayscale, without actually converting it.

Check out ProjectCenter at www.makepapereasy.com, or call us at 602-252-6655.

Helvetica and Arial- two reasonably good san serif fonts that are often mistaken for one another. Here are a few hints to keeping them separate in your mind.

A little bit of history to begin with:

Helvetica was born in Switzerland in the 1950s. Created by the Haas Foundry, it was quickly adopted as the “new modern and clean” typeface of the corporate world.

More people have PCs than Macs and suddenly Arial is more popular than the “original” Helvetica.

Some other tips:

-The capital C in Helvetica has horizontal cusp ends. Arial’s are angled.

-The capital R in Helvetica has a curled leg. Arial has a straighter (though variable weight) leg.

-The lowercase t in Helvetica’s top is straight. Arial’s is trimmed at an angle.

-The number 1 in Helvetica has a flat underside to its “nose.” Arial is a simple stroke.

-The ampersand in Helvetica has a slightly taller end arm. Arial’s is a snip tighter.

Check out ProjectCenter at www.makepapereasy.com or www.projectcenterprinting.com.

So many people want to set their sights on online printing. Reasonably, clients find the idea of online printing more efficient and easier. Why should a client have to talk to someone? Why not load up some artwork and press a “submit” button?

This experience sounds wonderful, but what happens when the client doesn’t send the files in the right format, or provides files that are inherently flawed? Depends on the printer, but some will just print what they receive and blame it on the provider (a.k.a. the client). Some will do the right thing, and work with the client.

Printers like the online world because it allows them to put the responsibility on the buyer. The problem here is that there is still such an incredible lack of  knowledge of the print world that it is ridiculous to put the blame on the buyer. As an example, there is still a vast amount pf people that believe that they can create artwork in any software and expect it to print with quality. This myth alone creates around 50% of the printing problems today.

Companies that care about their marketing should strongly consider having a graphic artist, print broker and/or tested printer to help them along with their projects, rather than settling for the online experience.

Check out ProjectCenter’s services at www.makepapereasy.com.

A Pillow Pack is a form of packaging that can be printed on and is often used in marketing scenarios and/or gift giving.

Pillow Pack Packaging

A Pillow Pack is very attractive in its style, and is very easy load and unload. Thus, it is often used by outfits that want to represent themselves as high quality establishments.

There are important items to note regarding the Pillow Pack: 1) Make sure the printer is setting up the job so the paper grain goes the length of the box once it is cut; 2) Make sure the printer is using or recommending the proper paper stock; 3) Make sure that, if the printer is not also the die cutter, that the both the printer and broker are in close communication with the die cutter, because a die cutter knows exactly what needs to be done in order for the job to be perfect.

Check out ProjectCenter at www.makepapereasy.com.

When printing a catalogue via a web printer, money can be saved when you print in slightly smaller sizes. To understand this concept, one needs to know the difference between web printing and other more common printing processes, such as sheet fed printing.

Sheet fed printers run large sheets of paper stock through a printer, and then the sheets are cut down to the sizes that were requested. Because the sheets are always the same size going into the printer, the cost is goods is the same everytime. Thus, size does not matter in terms of cost savings. Web printers stock their paper on very large rolls, which allows them to cut off the paper at any place they choose. This gives them the advantage of saving paper, resulting in a lower cost of goods. This savings is usually gets passed on to the client.

So, something as simple as printing a 8.25″ x 10.75″ catalogue, rather than a 8.5″ x 11″ catalogue can save a client quite a bit money when going through a web printer (a 1/4″ difference can amount to a 25% to 50% savings).

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit  www.makepapereasy.com or follow us at www.twitter.com/ProjectCenter.

Self Cover refers to a book’s or booklet’s cover. Most covers have a thicker stock, whether it be a hard cover or a paper cover.  Sometimes, a booklet will have a minimal amount of pages, and in this situation a booklet would simply not lay flat if it had a thicker cover. Thus, it would be necessary to have the cover be the same thickness and type of stock as the inside pages, which is conveniently called a Self Cover.

Self Cover can also be recommended for those clients that are wanting to save money. Logically, if the cover of a book or booklet is thicker, it needs to be collated with the inside pages at a later time, resulting in a higher service cost. A Self Cover project can be run at the same time as the inside pages, so long as both are either color or black and white (again, having a difference in color will require the job to be collated because it would be run on two different printers).

For ProjectCenter services, check out www.makepapereasy.com.

Promoting business can be very tricky at times to make sure to get the most out of the time, effort and money for a great ROI (return on investment). There are several ways of doing this like postcard promotions, sales letters, tele-sales, email marketing and more. A popular means of marketing is making use of specialty catalogues.

However, creating a specialty catalogue may not be an easy thing. Several things need to be considered for this purpose. A few creation tips on hand, like the following ones, can give a business venture a real boost:

• Short description: A specialty catalogue is a medium to market several products at the same time. As a specialty catalogue has a long list of products, people who are expected to read them will not like spending much time reading descriptions for each product. Therefore, it is very important that these descriptions be as brief as possible.

Keep in mind that the main idea behind specialty catalogue is giving short but attractive descriptions.

• Precise description:  Although it is necessary to describe the product in limited sentences, the description should be targeted and ‘to-the-point’. Mention the major features & benefits (or even just the main one), that people usually desire for such a product. Do not try to include more points; just include the most important ones in the space allotted.

• Specific products only: Make this a specialty publication, so all the products included should be related to the same specialty.  Readers are seeking this convenience.

• Catchy line for the catalogue: A catchy headline, which describes the specialty of the catalogue, can be very useful.

• Product and even page headlines: Headlines are very important for each product and product categories. However, avoid including the product description in headlines. For example, if you are selling diet pills, write a headline that says, “Want to lose weight?” to highlight the purpose of your product instead of just stressing your product’s name.

• Letter from company: A letter from company is something that most customers look forward to reading. Therefore, one of the most important catalogue creation tips that should be followed is to add a genuine company letter if possible. This letter should explain the quality of products from this company, guarantee (if any) and this company’s commitment to its customers.  If a letter from the president of the company can be included, it will add a friendly touch to the catalogue.

• Different space for different products: In the catalogue, there will be some products that are in great demand from customers, while there are some, which are not. Most people will give equal highlights to both these types of products. However, remember that it is very important that the customers locate the product of their interest easily among the list of products. Example: place top selling, well-recognized, popular items or specials on the covers to get readers to pick up the publication.

By just making use of a few these simple specialty catalogue tips, a business can be set up or expanded in just a short time. Keeping an open mind, and accepting new creative input from friends or colleagues, can also help in designing a better specialty catalogue.

ABOUT PROJECTCENTER:

ProjectCenter is a single-source service company providing marketing and document solutions to small, medium and large-sized businesses in the U.S. area. ProjectCenter is based in Phoenix, Arizona and its services include graphic design, web design, printing, copying, scanning and mailing. For more information, please call (602) 252-6655 or visit  www.makepapereasy.com.