Bringing in a Heavyweight: Navigating Paper Weight and Thickness

Posted on July 3, 2019 Written by

When your customer is creating a print piece, often their stock choices are one of the biggest factors in how that project fits into their budget. With stocks labeled with both points and pounds, though, it can be tricky to decode what these labels mean. Luckily, we’re here to help! Here is a little advice on navigating lightweight stocks, heavyweight stocks, and everything in between!

Pound vs. Point
Two of the most common measurements for paper are pound (lb.) and point (pt.), but it can be challenging to know what this stock information means. What really makes these measurements difficult to navigate is that they are literally measuring different aspects of paper.

Pound is a measurement of how much a one ream of a paper stock weighs; weights range from 20 to 80 pounds for bond paper and 50 to 140 pounds for card stock. Point is a measurement of the paper’s thickness, with each pt. equal to .001 inch—14 pt. paper, for example, measures in at .014 inches thick.

With both of these measurements, though, you can be sure of one very important thing: the bigger the number, the more heft the stock will have.

How Do These Stocks Measure Up?
Unfortunately, it can be hard to match up thicknesses and weights because the measurements simply aren’t easy to translate. For example, 12 pt. cardstock weighs in at approximately 100 lb., but they aren’t exactly the same thickness. Your best bet is to focus on the type of paper first and the weight or thickness afterward.

This confusing set of measurements also means that your customers might have a hard time visualizing the stock thickness when they’re just reading numbers. After all, unless they are looking at stocks that are both measured by weight, the comparison is a challenge. That’s part of why swatch books are so important to have on hand when you’re making a sales pitch—they allow for easy stock comparisons.

Keep an Eye Out for New Heavyweight Champions
We know that many customers are looking for heavier paper options—that’s why we’ve got exciting new stock options coming soon! Keep an eye on your inbox for news about new stock options in a variety of different weights. And, if you’re not signed up to get Navitor’s emails, take a moment to sign up or update your email preferences.

Do you have any other questions about how to navigate stock choices? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Education, Folders, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Great Signage is On The Menu

Posted on June 28, 2019 Written by

From the perfect menu to the plates and napkins that form the foundation of the dining experience, there are many important details for your customers to consider when they are operating a restaurant. However, it’s important to look at the complete dining experience, and one of the biggest ways to ensure that the décor evokes the right mood is to create great signage. What great signage is on the menu?

Even Before They Step Through The Door
Whether they’ve been to a restaurant before or are stopping the first time, outdoor signage is a diner’s first impression of a restaurant. You want to ensure that the outside of a restaurant is an inviting and enticing promise of what will be inside, and architectural signage is the perfect way to bring their restaurant’s style to the building.

If your customer wants to add even more flair, they can use their windows and doors as an additional branded space. Decals can easily be coordinated with branding and are a great way to display business hours, new menu items, and other details on restaurant windows.

Making the Space Accessible
Accessibility is essential for running a business, and restaurants are no exception to this rule. Stock Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant signage makes creating accessible spaces easier, while custom signage brings branded flair to the signs your customers need. These signs are especially important for restrooms and other essential signage.

Coordinated With Brands and Décor
The biggest reason for your customers to create custom signage is that it will ensure that their restaurant’s look and feel are consistent, and their signage is a great way to achieve that. Floor decals, wall decals, murals and wall coverings are a great way to personalize almost any surface in a restaurant without having to worry about the mess and permanence of paint. Dry erase and chalkboard laminate signs are an ideal way to create a branded sign for daily specials or other short term menu details.

Your customer should also look at coordinating their signage with their badges for much the same reason! Not only will a matching set of badges bring the branded style of their signage to every customer interaction, it will help bring together the image of a restaurant.

Banners and Signage for Special Occasions
Whether it is a grand opening of a new location or a special event, banners are a great way to add to a restaurant’s décor for a shorter time. They can be hung in the restaurant itself or outside. A-frame signs, pedestal signs, table tents, and yard signs can also be used to build buzz about new menu items, upcoming events, and more.

Want to know more? Sales tools and information about the restaurant industry are just a click away! And once you and your customers are feeling inspired, explore our signage selection online or take a look at our catalog to learn more.

Do you work with customers in the restaurant business? Which signs are their favorites? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources

Designing an Extraordinary Business Card

Posted on June 27, 2019 Written by

When everything works—from the print design to the stock choices—a business card can be a key part of making a great first impression. And if your customers are coming to you for advice on their business cards, considering all elements of the design can help ensure that their business card is striking. Here are our tips for designing a business card that is truly extraordinary.

Remember Your Design Principals
Good design starts with the basics, so keeping those basics design recommendations in mind is an ideal foundation for designing a great business card. Keep important information and images at least 1/8 inch from the trim edge, work at 300dpi for a clear image, use CMYK for full color print, and ensure that your fonts are above the minimum size to ensure that the card is legible.

Change it Up
A memorable business card is often a business card that stands out, and that’s why it can be a great idea to change things up. If your customer’s business card design features rounded shapes, for example, choosing rounded corners for their business card can help their card stand out from the square-cornered crowd and reinforce the look of their design. A vertical business card can also be a great way to change things up.

Keep it Simple
A business card is a great canvas, but it’s also a small canvas—don’t oversaturate it with information! Talk to your customer about the information that absolutely needs to be included and focus on the details that will be most relevant to a potential client.

Talk To Your Customers About Stock
A great design can be made even better when it’s printed on a great stock, so be sure to talk to your customers about how their stock selection might impact their design. A bright white will give them the truest color, while an ivory or ecru will soften the colors slightly. They can use a specialty stock like pearlized stock to add a shining dimension to the design, or they can add an accent color with color core stock for an added visual pop.

And speaking of business cards, keep an eye out for more exciting business card options coming soon from Navitor. Click here to adjust your email preferences to ensure that you receive news about new options that will help your customer’s business card order truly extraordinary.

What do you think makes a great business card design? We’d love to see your recommendations in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, Marketing, News, Print Products

Is it Time For Your Customers to Update Their Form Design?

Posted on June 21, 2019 Written by

When your customers use a form every day, it can be easy to let it stay exactly the same. However, if they’re looking to add another touch of branded flair to their day-to-day interactions with consumers, their form offers big opportunities! Not only are custom forms a blank canvas for their creation, but they can use their form as a foundation for better brand recognition. Here are some simple ways for customers to update their form design.

Remove the Information They Don’t Need
One of the biggest benefits of custom forms is that your customer can include all the information they need and save space by not including anything that they don’t actually need. When it comes time for your customer to update their form design, it’s also a good time to take a look at the information that they have on their form. Is there a piece of information that often gets included in a note on a Post-it® Note when the form gets filed? Is there a form category that your customer simply doesn’t use anymore? It’s time to make an adjustment!

Put it in Full Color
If your customer has been using the same form design for a long time, chances are that they haven’t updated the details that could make their form truly shine. One of the best—and quickest—ways for your customers to update their form design is to put their logo in full color if they’ve previously used black and white forms.

And, if you want to take that full color logo to the next level…

Add a Pop of Branding
Your customer’s form is a branded piece that will be seen by many of the consumers they work with, so adding a bit more of their brand is a great way to increase brand recognition. Your customer can easily add a border of one of your customers’ brand colors or use their brand fonts to create a cohesive look.

Add a Photo to the Header
Does your customer work in an industry that values great visuals? Add a photo to the header! Whether they decorate cakes, work as a contractor for striking remodeling projects, or offer design services, a photo can be a great reminder of what their clients will receive. They’re also a great visual nod to the design of brochures or sales sheets that consumers might be looking at to make their order.

When your customers update their form design, what special touches do they love most? We’d love to see your suggestions in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, Education, News, Print Products

Brochures vs. Sales Sheets: Which One is Right For Your Customer?

Posted on June 14, 2019 Written by

Sometimes the print piece your customer needs is obvious. It might be the perfect business card or just the right promotional product to make their business memorable. However, the right product doesn’t always jump out at you. Sometimes it takes some thought. This is especially true when those print pieces are seemingly very similar—like brochures and sales sheets. That’s why we’re running down the questions you should ask to help them decide whether brochures or sales sheets are right for them.

Do They Want Their Piece to Stand Alone?
If your customer wants to create an informational piece that will create a big impact right away, flyers are a great choice. Their large, unfolded size and vibrant color allows them to stand alone, catching consumer attention and informing at a glance.

Brochures, on the other hand, are a better fit for customers who want a larger number of informational pieces to be displayed in one place. Their more compact folded size makes them easier to display in a compact tradeshow booth, as a part of a tabletop display, or at the front desk of their business.

Will Their Customers be Reading Now or Later?
If consumers are going to read their piece now, your customer might want them to get directly to the message. Sales sheets are the perfect way to deliver that! With no folds to undo, they are easy to read immediately after they are received.

Brochures are a great option for customers who want their piece to be read at a later date because of their more compact size. However, if your customer is creating a folder of informational pieces or sending a piece along with a mailing, a flyer might still do the job—just remember that its size makes it harder to stow in a tote bag.

Who Will Be Reading This and How Familiar Are They With Your Customer?
If your customer is looking for a great introduction to their business, flyers printed on sales sheets are a great choice. With a large size, vibrant color and no folds standing between the reader and the information in front of them, they can be a splashy introduction to your customer’s business or to a new product.

Brochures, on the other hand, are a good option for consumers who have a little more of an idea what they’re getting into. Whether your customer has had a chance to chat with them at a tradeshow booth or they’ve had an introduction to the company but still need to get to know the products, a little more knowledge is often the incentive that consumers need to open the brochure and discover the information inside.

What questions do you ask to help your customers make a decision about their print order? We’d love to see your suggestions in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Print Products, Stationery

Perfect Print for Real Estate

Posted on June 13, 2019 Written by

Whether you’re working with a small realtor or a large company, print is an essential part of their repertoire of sales tools! Print pieces add professionalism to their office, help bring together open house events, and more. Here are our top suggestions for print pieces perfect for the real estate market.

Signage
With versatile full color print, different styles to suit different budgets, and a freestanding style that makes them easy to display in front of houses, yard signs are a classic print piece for the real estate market for a reason! Full color plastic yard signs are a lightweight and eyecatching option that your customer is sure to love. If your customer wants to make a bigger investment in their signage, on the other hand, they should consider full color metal yards signs; these durable signs are easy to reuse time and again.

Business Cards
Another business classic that real estate professionals should keep on hand is a business card. They should particularly look into including realtor photos on their business cards because it is one more way to reinforce the personal connection that realtors build with home buyers.

Folders
No matter how many homes are on a buyer’s list, it can be hard to keep their information straight. Offering them a branded folder is a great way to keep that information organized and to add a polished finishing touch to the home buying experience. Branded folders can also be used to hold paperwork, create welcome packets to be given at closing, or to hold files in the office with professional polish.

Promotional Products
Promotional products are an ideal way for your customers to get the word out about their business. Your customers in the real estate market can attach key fobs to keys at closing, give business card magnets to remind new homeowners of their realtor’s contact information, and hand out a variety of other promotional products at community events to connect with new buyers. They can also create personalized napkins perfect for adding a branded touch to any refreshments offered at an open house.

Labels
In addition to more traditional uses like address labels and name labels, labels are also a popular addition to open house events. Use labels to personalize water bottles at the refreshment table, seal paperwork, and more.

And this only scratches the surface of what print can do for the real estate market. Want more ideas? Consider requesting a copy of our property management vertical market kit for your next sales meeting!

Are there any other products that you would recommend for real estate? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Deals, Folders, Labels, Marketing, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Resources, Stationery

Make the Grade with School and Educational Labels

Posted on June 6, 2019 Written by

As summer approached and another school year came to an end, Ms. Claire Gilman felt it was time to breathe some new life into her 5th grade classroom. The school was repainting classrooms, which would certainly freshen things up. With things pulled apart to paint, Ms. Gilman knew it was the perfect opportunity to implement some ideas she had been considering for some time. She had wonderful plans for the reading nook in her room. She had also begun to collect some creative additions for the art supply storage. New colors, new shelving, and some new technology were just the beginning to Ms. Gilman’s new and improved 5th grade room!

As the project progressed, Ms. Gilman looked for ways she could best keep art supplies organized on the new shelves. She ordered some custom industrial strength labels that would adhere nicely to the shelves. Voila! Everything was clearly labeled and would stay neatly in the right spot! The students would have no problem finding what they were looking for. When the school’s technology liaison delivered new Chromebooks to her classroom, she noticed each device was labeled on the bottom with a barcode tracking label, an official ID label, and another label offering contact information for tech support. Hmmmmm, she wondered. Could she use labels on the top of the laptops to help the students? She ordered colorful labels instructing students how to log on to the school’s server, as well as cheerful labels that reminded students of safe internet use practices. For fun, she also ordered custom-shaped tech labels in the form of the school’s mascot paw print. She placed them on the closed top of the laptops. “Nothing like a little school spirit to brighten up these black devices!” she thought as she finished placing the labels.

What other ways could she use labels to help her in the classroom, she wondered. Over lunch that day with Mr. Frank, the kindergarten teacher, and Mrs. Horner, the administrative assistant, Ms. Gilman shared her label endeavor. Mrs. Horner piped up to add that the office, too, was utilizing labels and stickers for the upcoming school year. “I just ordered visitor badges, as well a parking permit labels for our cars, accreditation seals for official documents, and mailing labels with our school mascot. I also helped our librarian order new labels for our books and music, as well as custom school spirit labels that affix to water bottles for the back to school barbecue!” Mr. Frank reported that his kindergarteners would be excited to see themed sticker sheets throughout the year, keyboard tech decals to help them learn to type, and Elmwood Elementary Wildcats bumper stickers for moms and dads, which would be handed out during School Spirit Week.

The dedicated teachers and staff at Elmwood Elementary aren’t the only ones who regularly put educational labels to work. Preschools, high schools, colleges, and even tech and trade schools rely on labels to perform a myriad of different jobs. School property ID labels, contact info labels, parking permits, window decals, and even fun locker stickers are just some of the many uses for labels in the school and university setting.

Label Works’ new tech decals are a wonderful way to keep your school’s colors and motto front and center, 24/7! These affix to laptops, computers, tablets, keyboards, and even cell phones. They are available in individual sheets, making them perfect to hand out to students and parents, and free gloss lamination is included. That’s an A+ school spirit win! Convenient removable adhesive ensures easy removal without sticky residue.

We offer a wonderful selection of various shapes and stocks in our 24 Hour FasTurn® labels. We also offer our freeform™ laser-cut labels, available in any shape you can imagine. No matter how unique the mascot might be, Label Works can create the perfect label!

Study up on what Label Works has to offer the school and educational market! Contact our Customer Support team at 800.522.3558, to order school specific sample packs, or to ask about any of our products.

Filed Under: Design, Labels, Marketing, News, Print Products

4 Tips For Perfect Poster Design

Posted on June 5, 2019 Written by

Whether your customer is looking for a way to promote their event in the community, wants to create posters to inform their clients about special offers or summer sales, or simply wants to create more striking décor for their space, poster design can be a challenge. When you are called upon to help them create a design for their upcoming event or promotion, use these four tips to create a striking poster design.

1. Stick to the Most Important Information
A poster might be a large print piece, but that doesn’t mean you should cover every inch with information. A good poster gets its message across clearly, and the best way to do that is to focus on a small amount of information. For example, if your customer is using their poster to promote a fundraiser, their poster should include the essential information: what kind of event it is, when and where it will be held, and other essential information like sale details or ticket prices.

This goes double when a poster is going to be displayed on a crowded bulletin board or in a busy space. If the people reading it only have a moment to see what it says, focusing on the information that is most important will ensure that it is memorable even in a busy location. And speaking of location…

2. Keep Location in Mind
Is the poster you are designing going to go in a specific place? It’s important to keep that location in mind. If the poster is going to be displayed on a community bulletin board, for example, you’ll want to create an eyecatching design that will capture attention. If it’s going to be displayed in your customer’s place of business or at their event, they might want to create something that matches their brand or event décor.

3. Use Your Colors
With full color print, the options for color on your customer’s poster are nearly endless. That’s why color is one of the most useful tools in creating an effective poster design. Your customer can use bright colors to add energy and excitement to their sale, use seasonal colors to highlight a seasonal event—think red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July—or use high contrast colors for a more readable design.

4. Take a Step Back
Think about where you see posters. Sometimes you walk right up next to them, but sometimes you see them from across the room. That’s why a poster should be as visually impactful from a distance as it is from nearby. No matter what your customer’s poster is for, it’s important for that poster to be appealing from a variety of vantage points. Don’t get bogged down with the little details as you design—take a step back, too!

Do you have more tips for designing a great poster? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, News, Print Products, Stationery

Quiz: Which Print Process Are You?

Posted on May 31, 2019 Written by

You know that every print piece your customers buy has a personality. Maybe their business cards express just how professional and polished they are. Maybe they evoke a sense of fun. Maybe they show off something new and exciting. With all that personality, you might start to see yourself in the many print processes you offer your customers. So, which print process are you?

1) What does your desk look like?
A. Decorated! I like to have a fair bit of color around me. I also like to have my resources at the ready so I can use them whenever I want.
B. It’s pretty old school. I like my pens, my file folders, and my bookshelf, but I do like to get good quality pieces that will last a long time.
C. I try to keep my desk clear and as organized as possible. I love that my desk gives me a blank canvas for my work.
D. Organized and simple. Most of the things I’ve got on my desk fall within the same color scheme.

2) Everyone can use an inspiring quote sometimes. Which one of these quotes speaks to you?
A. “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.”–Chris Grosser
B. “Hard work pays off—hard work beats talent any day, but if you’re talented and work hard it’s hard to beat”—Robert Griffin III
C. “Make an empty space in any corner of your mind, and creativity will instantly fill it.”—Dee Hock
D. “The secret of success is to do the common thing uncommonly well.”—John D. Rockefeller Jr.

3) What’s the fastest way to catch your attention?
A. Vibrant color
B. Quality
C. Subtle detail
D. Strong design

4) Which of these is most important when you’re going into a sales meeting?
A. Showing the variety of options you offer.
B. Showing off your company’s history and professionalism.
C. Making a striking first impression.
D. Showing the thing that you do the best.

5) What do you think about taking center stage?
A. Sounds fine to me—I’m flexible.
B. It depends on the stage. I’m more comfortable in a professional setting than entertaining.
C. I can do that, but I also like to support others who are more colorful than I am.
D. I’m not loud, but I’m perfectly comfortable being the center of attention.

ANSWERS:

Mostly A’s: You’re Full Color! Full color print is vibrant and versatile, just like you.

Mostly B’s: You’re engraving! Professional, polished, and maybe even a little bit upscale, engraving is a great fit for high end customers.

Mostly C’s: You’re spot gloss! Whether flat or raised, you’ve got plenty of potential. You work well paired with full color print, but you can also shine on your own to add a subtle design element.

Mostly D’s: You’re spot color! Tried and true—and maybe a little old fashioned in the very best way—you’re someone who knows what they do best.

So which print process are you? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, Misc, News, Print Products

4 Reasons Post-it® Notes are a Great Fit for Customers Large and Small

Posted on May 30, 2019 Written by

You may work with a wide variety of different customers in your day-to-day life. Some of your customers might work for big companies. Some might be entrepreneurs doing things on their own. No matter what size their company, your customer should consider what Post-it® Notes could do for them. Here are four of the reasons Post-it® Notes are a great fit for customers large, small, and everywhere in between.

1. Small Need? No Problem!
One of the biggest reasons that Post-it® Notes are a great fit for a wide variety of customers is that there are a wide variety of quantities available. Does your customer want to create just a few note pads? Are they a smaller business looking for a great employee “thank you” or a gift for top customers? Low quantities of Post-it® Notes are here to deliver!

2. The Same Goes for Big Projects
Is your customer looking for more? Post-it® Notes are a flexible product that can deliver. Whether your customer wants to create a promotional piece for a large event or has several locations in need of practical sticky notes with branded flair, larger quantities make Post-it® Notes pads a great fit for their larger projects, too!

3. Personalized Printing Makes Notes a Canvas for Many Projects
It can be easy to think of Post-it® Notes as only a note pad, but with a bit of creativity they are a great canvas for a wide variety of different print pieces. Does your customer want an invoice that will stick with their products in transit? Consider a larger Post-it® to keep that information with the package being delivered. Is your customer looking for a practical form? The adhesive on Post-it® Notes will stick securely to homework after a student absence, paperwork in need of a signature, and a wide variety of other documents. Does your customer want to highlight donations to their nonprofit? They can create a colorful sticky note to be displayed in donation centers as a visual reminder of every donation.

4. The Name You Know
Your customers will appreciate that they can personalize genuine Post-it® Notes when they are ordering their print. They stick securely, remove cleanly, and come in a variety of different sizes, making them deserving of their status as a household name.

Ready to place an order? You can order short and long run Post-it® Notes quantities through our catalog, or through Navitor.com.

How do your customers use long or short run Post-it® Notes? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources
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