On Press articles highlight a variety of print design techniques and methods that a premium online printer like Smartpress can help you bring to life on your own project.
They also provide insights into our online printing products, paper stocks and finishing capabilities.
In your print marketing arsenal, a custom brochure is a staple. But a creative brochure? Now, that’s the holy grail for engagement, sales and brand awareness
Marketing is all about attracting attention, but how do you do that exactly? One awesome strategy is to use a unique mailer like the Rectangular 9-Panel Reveal to engage your audience and drive sales.
Table tents. You see them everywhere, but are they an effective marketing tactic for your business? And what exactly is a table tent anyway? Not just for restaurants, bars and breweries, table tents are handy little marketing mavericks. We’re diving into what they are, describing how using them can benefit your biz (any biz) and offering some tips for designing and printing yours.
What is carbonless paper? As marketers and business owners, you’ve likely come across it. But what is it, really? And how can you use Carbonless Forms to benefit your biz? With carbonless paper, the first thing that comes to mind might be those notepads wait staff use to jot down your order at diners. But from a business standpoint, it’s more versatile than you think, so let’s break it down in three ways.
By learning how to make flashcards, you open up a whole new world of branding, engagement and sales. They’re unexpectedly effective marketing assets! As businesses and organizations of all kinds know, new and inventive marketing tactics are essential for staying ahead of the competition - and flashcards help you do just that. Let’s take a look at how to create and print them in just seven steps. Plus, we lay out six design tips you don’t want to miss.
As a business owner or marketer, you hear the word booklet thrown around a lot. You know it’s a print marketing asset, but what is a booklet really? And how do you design one that’s effective? The beauty of booklets is that they can be whatever you need them to be. From event programs to lookbooks, manuals and annual reports, they’re customizable for any branding intent or promotional campaign. To help you create your own, we’ll clarify what booklets are, how they differ from books, standard length and size and offer need-to-know design tips.
For small business owners, retail corporations and resellers, getting products to customers is paramount. How to ship them quickly and easily? Slip them into poly mailers. They’re ideal product packaging because they get products to clients safely and provide a double-sided branding opportunity. So let’s break down what poly mailers are, common sizes and products they hold, plus some customizing, designing and mailing tips.
You’ve heard of a direct mailer, but what is a self-mailer? And how do you design and print one that converts target audiences into customers? As business owners and marketers, you know that when it comes to direct mail, immediate captivation is key. Which makes the self-mailer the perfect print marketing asset. With no need for packaging, your branding and messaging stands out from everything else in your audience’s mailboxes.
No print marketing strategy is complete without flyers. Whether you’re designing them for business branding or product promoting, the right flyer size makes all the difference for your ROI. A versatile marketing asset, flyers can be customized for just about any message and are ideal for major companies, small businesses and nonprofit organizations. So let’s clarify a few things before you design and print yours with Smartpress.
For an online printer like us, with print nerds left and right, it doesn’t get much better than a new paper stock. We’re so excited to announce we’ve upgraded our coated gloss and coated matte stocks to the totally premium and seriously sustainable Symbol Freelife coated paper. Dive into its details with Smartpress’ director of print production and get designer insights from our very own Creative team before adding it to your print marketing repertoire.
Your print marketing needs to plant a seed of interest that grows into a sale, an engagement, an RSVP. Whether you’re promoting a new product, offering service details or inviting guests to a gala, custom Tulips do just that. We talked to some of our clients, as well as Foldfactory’s Trish Witkowski, about why they make such effective folded invitations, brochures and all-around marketing assets for your brand or organization.
You don’t need to be in the book business to leverage a unique marketing asset like custom bookmarks. Endlessly customizable, they turn every campaign into a successful new chapter - they’re so much more than page holders! Check out five ways (plus one bonus) that bookmark printing puts a plot twist on your marketing strategy.
As a premium commercial printer, we know providing a wide range of eco friendly materials isn’t an option - it’s a requirement (and one we’re happy to fulfill). With our future-focused clientele in mind, we’ve added six new materials for sustainable signs, banners and decor. Whether you’re designing marketing for your brick-and-mortar, nonprofit headquarters or office space, we make it easy to print with the planet in mind and profit at the same time.
To make the most out of your sales brochure, you need targeted content, an on-brand design and a compelling format to present it all. Easy, right? With the Square Petal, it is actually. See how this creative brochure idea attracts attention, personalizes promotions and ensures your biz blooms.
Business cards have to do a lot with a little. The thing to set the tone and set yourself apart? Raised spot UV on business cards. It’s ultra shine for ultra sophistication with a raised texture you can actually feel. This is clear gloss on another level. Your networking won’t know what hit it.
To fold or not to fold? That’s not the only question. Which fold to choose once you’ve decided to fold? That answer is crucial to your print marketing strategy and could determine whether it’s successful or not. So we’re taking you through our 12 types of brochure folds to see which layout does your message justice - no existential crisis needed.
Effective print marketing doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel. Great campaigns often mean putting a twist on the traditional or a spin on the staple. To go beyond retail counters and reception areas, check out our top five ways to refresh your rack card printing, get creative with collateral and see substantial results.
For multipurpose marketing you need a multipurpose format. Enter the Wrapped Stepped Accordion. With an engaging pull-out interior, stepped panels and a wrap cover, this accordion fold brochure is the whole versatile package. See how four of our clients printed it four different ways to attract attention and drive business (and how you can do the same).
Lots of things are extraordinary. But a fold? Our exclusive Designer Folds collection gives new meaning to a simple paper crease. And in 2023, our clients proved it can make an extraordinary impact in advertising and events. See what they did with these nine brochure folds, invites and mailers, and then add a little specialty to your own marketing strategy in the year to come.
With marketing, presentation is everything. How you present a message is one thing, but how you present your brand? That’s an entirely different level. With our Branded Folders, your business shows off in all the right ways (and you really look like you know what you’re doing - win-win). With plenty of space for inserts, packets, even samples, these folders are the whole package.
For customers to connect with marketing, your message has to be open and accessible. And while Circle Locked Gates may sound counterintuitive, these gate fold brochures do just that. With a circle locking mechanism that opens to reveal your content in full focus, they’re the kind of direct mail that provides a gateway to serious success. See why our clients and Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski say this small format packs a big design punch on brochures, invites, cards and more.
When using a backdrop for branding, you don't want your message getting lost in the background. The way to keep it front and center? Tension Fabric Displays. (Hint: We just made them easier to order.) We talked to three clients who went beyond event backdrops and designed their Tension Fabric Displays with modern marketing mastery.
With brochures, postcards and catalogs, the direct mail field is a crowded one. You’re competing for attention, engagement and mailbox real estate. For direct mailers that stay ahead of the pack, look no further than a T-cross mailer. We’ve got two variations that Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski says offer marketing opportunities aplenty and add value to every advertisement.
Whether you need a branding ace in the hole or want to personalize your next round of Rummy, our NEW custom Playing Cards change the game. Casino-grade and poker-sized, we blend their classic look and feel with custom backs and packaging for a seriously decked out finish. See how they up the ante on marketing and more.
With Smartpress, custom wall decals are more like custom wall art, with sizes from small to wow, that’s covering the whole wall, plus green alternative materials and an easy install for both messaging and decor. And if that’s not enough inspo, our graphic designer Nate Johannes shows you how wall decals gave our own space an upgrade you won’t believe. (Seriously… it’s larger than life!)
As an environmentally conscious printer, we’re always trying to eco-ify our products and practices. The latest one we’re drawn to? Recycled magnets. With five magnet products in our repertoire, we had another opportunity to make the sustainable option the only option - so we did! See why our new eco friendly magnet material is the main attraction.
Versatile, educational, effective. Three things you want not only your marketing strategy to be, but also the print collateral you use to make it a reality. Perhaps the most multi-purpose piece in your toolbox? The one sheet. Designed with our Sell Sheets, it’s a resource that’s simple, practical and necessary. Here’s why.
When choosing a paper stock, it’s important to consider the material’s intrinsic features. What’s it made of? Is it eco-friendly? But for true impact, you’ve got to consider the aesthetics, too. How does it look? How does it feel? With sustainable specs and a unique color and texture, Kraft paper packs a one-two punch. Learn how to design print with it (and why designers love it).
When it comes to label printing, the more specific you can be, the more compelling your product’s going to look. The better your product looks, the more customers are likely to buy. Which is why we’re pinpointing the particular and the precise with NEW Wine Labels, Bottle Labels, Health & Beauty Labels and Food Labels. See why specific is the new savvy.
When it comes to engaging with your customers, we think it’s best to wear your marketing on your sleeve. In the case of the Sleeve Mailer, it’s more like print your strategy on and in your sleeve - literally. Add an insert card and these mailing sleeves create anticipation for any reveal. See why Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski says it’s a marketing ace up your, well, you know.
At Smartpress, eco-friendly printing is a way of life. It’s part of everything we do, no matter how complex. And as conscious consumers, we know it’s important to you, too, which is why we’ve added four all-new green alternative materials to our lineup of sustainable products. With new eco-options for Wall Decals, Floor Graphics and Clear Signs, we practice what we preach print.
When it comes to catalog printing, there’s a lot to consider. How much content do you have? How will you distribute it to your audience? How long do you need it to last? To create the experience that suits your business, we’re taking you through four ways to make custom catalogs your marketing moneymaker.
No matter what business you’re in, you want to end the year (or start it!) with a bang. And the marketing mailer to help you do that? The Rectangular Folded Cross. Memorable and totally customizable, this self-mailer ensures your messaging ends on a high note, from the holiday season to the new year (and beyond). We talked to Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski about why it’s a favorite, when to use it as a carrier and how to mail it with ease.
Whether you need custom boxes for retail, kits or gifts, our NEW Roll End Boxes put product packaging front and center. From clean and simple messaging to bold branding inside and out, these roll end tuck top boxes create an opening experience no customer will forget.
We all want to tell our own story. And if it comes with a classic look that’s professional, too, even better. That’s what you get with our NEW Hardcover Books. Whether you’re showcasing artwork or photography in a portfolio, providing a business overview or commemorating personal moments, our hardcover book printing highlights it all. See how we put a modern spin on this traditional storytelling format.
Direct mail is trending because it works. Really well. But standing out in a mailbox is harder than ever. One way to rise above the junk? Creative mailers like our Traveling Snake. A specialty format ideal for marketing brochures and custom invitations alike, it leads recipients on an interactive journey as each panel is revealed. Check out our chat with Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski and get her expert design ideas, see why you should personalize print and try her hack for saving on postage.
A marketing trend that needs no introduction? Foil book covers. With our NEW Foil Perfect Bound Booklets, your campaign lookbooks, product catalogs, graphic novels and photography portfolios stun before they’re even opened. See why upping the flash factor on custom book printing pays off and get insider tips for how to design yours (Custom Quote no longer required).
To make your print piece truly special, you need a specialty finish. And our newest addition is spot on. Introducing spot gloss, an embellishment that truly brings the wow factor. Similar to clear foil, spot gloss adds an unexpected shine to your print marketing and customized stationery. The result? An ultra-polished, vibrant look.
Wouldn’t it be great if mailers did more? (As if engaging with target audiences and communicating crucial information wasn’t enough.) Our Tri-Fold Pocket Mailer delivers your essential marketing assets and then some. See why Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski says this tri-fold mailer blends more than just form and function for small businesses and organizations of all sizes.
If you’re a business owner or marketer, you know product labels are paramount. And since making a good impression is imperative, we’re introducing a NEW silver stock on our Roll Labels. Whether for corporate retail or a side hustle, silver label printing ensures your products stand out with shine.
Ready to have your print projects flash before your eyes? With our NEW rose gold foil, that’s literally going to happen. Its warm pink-copper color adds can’t-miss character to print marketing and personal projects alike. It’s now available on all of our Foil Printing products, plus three NEW ones: Foil Postcards, Foil Brochures and Foil Bookmarks. You asked for them, we delivered.
A brochure is a brochure is a brochure, right? No way! Check out the Broadside Reveal. With a classic tri-fold format, an unusual broadside folding and a surprising horizontal reveal, this designer fold makes its own marketing rules. Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski tells us all about this creative mailer, how to choose the right imagery and why using variable data makes the ultimate statement.
At Smartpress, we pride ourselves on doing the best business in the best way, so we’ve just added lots of new eco-friendly materials to our ever-expanding sustainable printing repertoire. Get ready to do online printing differently and make your signage strategy a green one.
Whether we’re talking about retail products or personalized gifts, the presentation is key. Create one customers and recipients won’t forget with NEW Tuck Boxes. Perfect for small business owners, resellers and creatives alike, these custom product boxes give your branding the spotlight and turn opening a package into a true experience. Explore our custom sizes and finishes for playing cards, cosmetics, candles and more.
How’s your print marketing strategy shaping up? Is it all sharp lines and rectangles? Think outside that traditional box with the Circular Accordion. Its round design gives your creative assets unexpected visual impact, whether they’re product pamphlets, service brochures or custom invitations. We chatted with Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski about why it’ll have you running circles around your competition.
‘Tis the season for holiday cards, but ‘tis not the season for those cards to have generic messages and dull designs. With custom Cards and Greeting Cards, plus matching envelopes or flashy foil features, online printing with Smartpress is a present in and of itself. For small businesses and corporations, nonprofits or your own family and friends, send your glad tidings with a personalized touch… and stand out in the sea of holiday mail.
Once simply a mode of quick communication, Postcards are now a marketing necessity. For small businesses, nonprofits and everything in between, custom postcards put a modern spin on package inserts, menus, direct mail and more. Go beyond the greeting and see how postcards prove it’s not the size of the print piece, but what you do with it that counts. (Hint: Jump to the end for some Postcard Design tips and tricks.)
While direct mail coupons may sound like a thing of the past, they’re actually the way forward. From small businesses to big retailers, coupon advertising gets your brand into the hands of new and established customers alike. We talked to Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski about our Coupon Mailers (“They invite interaction!”) and how they deliver not just discounts, but also details and dividends.
What’s a must-have school supply used by educators across the board? The classic deck of flashcards, of course. Helping students learn everything from letters and languages to mathematics and chemistry, they also make great memorization tools when used as trivia cards and matching games. With Smartpress, you can customize yours with personal artwork and innovative topics that span every subject imaginable.
With products and packaging, the label says it all. From shape and size to color and content, custom product labels do more than sell - they tell your brand story. Whether you’re designing labels for wine and beer bottles, handmade soaps and candles, baking mixes or jams in mason jars, label printing with Smartpress gives you options to capitalize on opportunity.
When it comes to signage, you want a message that lasts. Whether for branding, directions or safety, custom Aluminum Signs ensure just that - and look good doing it. For indoor or outdoor use, these durable metal signs add a vintage patina or modern flair to your business in any shape and size.
As more restaurants open up, expand their services and offer indoor dining again, one thing’s for sure: menu printing is more essential than ever. From dining in to taking out, brunch to happy hour, your restaurant menus need to do a lot with a little. So we’ve compiled the top features (and design ideas) for our six types of custom menus that can coordinate with your space and strategy and help get you back to normal.
Brochures, advertisements, pamphlets... Whatever you call them, your marketing assets say a lot about your products and services. But they also need to reflect the professionalism of your company. A designer product from Foldfactory, the Stepped Accordion does both with panels that zig and zag as they tell your story. Add an edge to your collateral by following our design tips and learn why Foldfactory founder Trish Witkowski loves this fold.
While custom magnets obviously make great refrigerator decorations, they’re also essential marketing tools. Whether you hand them out at trade shows, include them in multi-piece marketing packages or offer them as promotional giveaways, we have FIVE types of magnets to ensure your message stays put. And the best part? You can customize yours in any shape and size, with no predetermined parameters. How’s that for a strategy that sticks?
Builders, developers, and architectural firms recognize the sheer importance of showcasing your company’s work in a high-end manner. A proven staple in the real estate industry, print marketing gives potential clients and partners a glimpse into your skills - and thus should reflect the same care and professionalism with which you conduct your business.
Whether it’s a simple greeting or for an extravagant event, your correspondence needs to captivate. With our Foil Cards and Foil Invitations, it’s easy to step away from the digital and into the dazzling. Design custom cards and do your invitation printing in gold, silver or holographic foil and let these stationery staples add beautiful bling to business communications and personal messages.
Opening your mailbox to find a greeting card is a rare occurrence in our digital world. It’s a personal touch that goes above and beyond standard expectations. So make it extra special with our Foil Greeting Cards that put shine into the salutation, whether for friends and family or clients and customers.
When it comes to marketing your brand, the right sign says it all. Whether you’re promoting new products and services at your locations, embarking on an entire business signage refresh or simply soliciting honks for grads in your front yard, our custom signs spread the word. Check out our indoor and outdoor signage options (along with customer feedback and design tips), and get ready to get noticed.
When you think Retractable Banners, you think event marketing. But with our custom banner printing options like convenient sizes and portability, you’ll also think real estate advertisements, product announcements, visual aids, trade shows and more. In durable, tear-resistant vinyl, our pop-up banners do more than promote. But don’t just take our word for it - read on to hear what five of our customers have to say.
So much more than a finish, Soft Touch laminate gives your online printing projects a sensory element that’s anything but ordinary. Premium and protective, it enhances print marketing and personal designs with an unexpected feel that yields extraordinary results. Velvety smooth, Soft Touch laminate excites the senses and the sales.
Whether you’re designing a sophisticated atmosphere in your office or decorating your home with memories and moments, custom Metal Prints furnish any space with a high-end look and vibrant, engaging color. Created with durable dye sublimation printing, our aluminum prints bring your favorite photos to life, display your brand in brilliant fashion and showcase artwork with high-resolution clarity like you’ve never seen.
The layout of your annual report determines one very important thing: whether someone’s actually going to read it or not. (And if they do read it, will they remember it?) The right design ensures your success stories shine and your statistics aren’t a slog. With binding, finishing and customizing options, Saddle Stitch Booklets turn annual reports into page-turning presentations.
Collated Printing. What is it exactly? Simply put, it’s when you have sheet sets in the same size, shape and stock with unique content on each page that are then printed and stacked in a specific sequential order. Efficient and economical, it’s for marketing manuals and annual reports, custom flashcards and playing cards. Check out our Top 10 printing possibilities for this trending phenomenon.
When it comes to marketing, it’s all about getting your message to stick. And whether that message communicates your entrepreneurial vision or a strategic sell, our custom Labels, Decals and Stickers adhere to any advertising strategy. Print your own for product packaging, seals for envelopes or personalized gifts and ensure your branding doesn’t budge.
Coloring books aren’t just for kids anymore. And with Saddle Stitch Booklets, they’re not just for relaxing either. Sure, adult coloring books are an ideal addition to your de-stress toolbox, but they can also be a branding opportunity for your business. As for kids’ coloring books, they can be as educational as they are entertaining. With custom booklets, you can make your own coloring books for just about anything.
Your business signage begins and ends with a storefront that gets customers in the door, right? Wrong. The way you present your brand, products and services inside and out has a major impact on sales, recognition and ambiance. One key player in your custom signage toolbox? Clear Acrylic Signs. Sophisticated with a glass-like appearance, they create a high-end look for logos, decor, utility placards and more.
Planning for the year ahead is essential for any business owner or marketing professional. And the tool to help accomplish this? A custom calendar. No matter how many devices we have at our disposal, those digital days can’t compare to the real thing. Whether you need to manage fiscal milestones or remember family birthdays, promote personal artistry or boost brand awareness, calendar printing puts time on your side. We’ve compiled some design tips to consider as you create your own custom calendar.
When creating a print project, the most challenging part is making your design stand out so customers, target audiences, even friends and family, don’t overlook it or toss it on a pile of similar-looking assets. Fortunately, we have a solution: White ink printing puts a superior spin on business essentials and passion projects alike. It’s a truly compelling specialty and gets your design noticed.
Your work environment directly affects your customers, guests and employees. If it’s drab and mundane, productivity and attitude will follow suit. Instead of generic stock photos in traditional frames, create a compelling space that inspires, motivates and excites with SEG Wall Graphics. With custom designs and a simple setup, this high-impact eye candy boosts morale and markets brilliantly.
Whether your print projects are for business or pleasure, they have to be memorable. And no matter how much the content sings, if the design doesn’t impress, the message gets lost. Enter the Square Folded Cross. Anything but ordinary, this specialty fold is your new printing secret weapon for sending marketing materials, invitations and so much more.
Business cards do more than offer your contact information. They’re a prelude that promotes, an appetizer that advertises. And because they’re doing double marketing duty, they need a design that compels customer connections and potential business partnerships. Unique business cards printed at Smartpress do just that.
You’re invited. Two very powerful words when it comes to events. Big or small, for work or pleasure, events simply can’t be successful without the people who attend it. And the best way to draw a crowd? Send unique, personalized, hold-in-your-hand invitations. Taking the time and effort to design, detail and print invitations translates to the time and effort your organization takes in caring for its business relationships. (And you thought it was just a card with a date and location on it.)
When it comes to print projects, one of the most eye-catching, stop-them-in-their-tracks design tactics you can employ is die-cutting. It immediately elevates a piece into the echelon of “never seen that before” and spurs the question, “How’d they do this?” With Smartpress, if you create it, we can cut it.
When it comes to political campaigning, print works. No question about it. Studies show print is still one of the most effective tools in the fundraising and stumping season. Digital marketing will only get you “so far.” You need to be proactive in getting the word out in print.
Smartpress is honored to be the digital printer for hundreds of churches across the nation. Whether you’re a church plant in its fledgling stage or a well-established megachurch, using print allows you to engage with your community and welcome newcomers in a big way. And these same tactics can be translated to businesses and all other organizations. After all, print marketing is about engaging your audience and drawing them in (to check you out).
At Smartpress, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to Signage. And we heard you - combing through the gamut of substrates, display options and uses can indeed be a daunting task! So we’ve made your shopping experience much easier - and more informative - by breaking out Signs by type. Oh, and there’s an added perk: now that we’ve categorized Signs, our pricing is better, too!
The ultimate in professionalism, the Perfect Bound Book gives you a clean, tailored look. It’s the elegant choice for portfolios, lookbooks, magazines, graphic novels, catalogs, manuals, annual reports, and paperback books.
Going Big: The Smartpress rundown on large-format vinyl banners. From materials selection to finishing, everything you need to know before you hang it up.
Ready for calendar season: Selecting the best options for your 2020 calendar project. From bindery to paper to finishing, here’s everything you need to know to make your calendar a success.
Born in the luxury retail space, silicone edge graphics (SEG) are the ultimate signage solution, transforming everything from intimate restaurants to sports arenas. Featuring a premium fabric print and a simple interchangeable system, SEG is the perfect union of impact and flexibility.
Booklets are incredibly versatile and can be printed for a variety of purposes. How good your booklet looks and how well it is received could be impacted by the paper choices you make when it’s printed.