Category: Business Development

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How Giving Back Will Grow Your Business

Giving Back

If you’re here reading our blogs, you’re likely a small business, just like us. Our main source of income comes from our local community and we’re willing to bet that yours does too. When we support our community, they support us. It’s a symbiotic relationship and if you have not explored this option, you need to read on. Here are three ways giving back will grow your business:

 1. Brand Awareness

Let’s face it, everyone can use some positive publicity. Partnering with a local sports team or reputable charity that matches with your brand’s values can do wonders for brand awareness. This is yet another touchpoint where you can reach your customers. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Canadian parent who hasn’t had their child in a custom uniform with the words “Timbit” printed across the back. Does this make you think fondly about Tim Hortons? Your brand may not be as well-known as Tim Hortons, so if the first time your prospective customer sees your logo or name gives them a positive feeling, the more likely they will be to want to come and support your business. It takes time to build awareness of your company, so anything helps.
Things to consider when giving back:

  • Does this charity or cause match my brand values? Does this charity or cause make sense to partner with? It’s a good idea to think of giving back as a partnership. If you are a pet supply store, it would make sense for you to donate to a rescue shelter.
  • Is this charity or cause of reputable standing? It will reflect poorly on you if you do not do your due diligence and ensure the charity you are supporting is not under investigation for fraud and they do what they claim to do. Take a tour and ensure your donation is going to somewhere you care about.

2. Your Internal and External Customers Will Boast About You

Your first customers are your employees. They’re your most powerful supporters and when their company supports something good, they can’t wait to share it with the world. They will then be more passionate when speaking to your customers and your customers will feel that fire. By giving back, you empower your employees to be passionate about their place of work. Joy and passion are contagious. You’ll have less turnover if your employees feel committed to the great things your company is doing. Employee turnover is expensive when you consider training time, training materials, and the inefficiency of a new employee’s learning curve. Keeping morale high is good business sense.

How many times have you talked to an employee in a store and asked them for their truthful opinion of their company? Their answer is everything. If they’re silent, you wonder if it’s a bad company to work for and maybe you shouldn’t support them. If they start telling you all about the great things their company does for the community, you are far more interested in investing your hard-earned money with that company.

3. It’s Just Good

Giving back feels good. It is the act of gratitude and gratitude creates joy. This one is more psychological than even that last one. When you feel good, everyone around you feels good and they want to be around you. Supporting your community or a cause you care deeply about connects your business to something larger than yourself. Humans are wired for connection and especially at a time of social disconnection, anything you can do to build a sense of community around your brand with only boost business.

Tips to let people know what you’re doing

  • Add a charitable contribution/ corporate social responsibility page on your website listing the causes you support with links to their websites.
  • Create social media posts and tag the organization you’re supporting. For example, if you donate your employees’ time as well as financially, get them to take photos of them at the organization. With guidance, this can be done from their personal accounts to engage their personal connections as well as the business audience.
  • Share the organization’s campaign information when they post it.
  • Use your print and digital advertisements to offer a discount/ incentive for anyone who shows a donation receipt.

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Giving back is both personally and professionally beneficial. When you choose the right organization to donate your time or money, both organizations succeed. Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard is a firm believer in supporting local and we are eternally grateful for our community. Giving back does not only mean charitable organizations. It also means supporting our local businesses as well. If you are looking for a local business to support or need support yourself, head to Bounce Back Canada. We are here for you because We Design. We Print. You Profit. Contact us today to support our local business with your next print or design job.

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5 Benefits of Supporting Local Businesses

local businesses

Now more than ever, we’ve learned the importance of supporting the local businesses in our community. Whether you’re buying, eating, or partnering up with a local business, there are multiple benefits that come from supporting local companies. We’ve listed a few:

1. You’re Strengthening Your Local Economy.

Think about it this way – Every dollar you spend at an independent business will go back to your community.

According to Civic Economics, for every dollar you spend at an independent business, 3 times more money is returned into the local economy, compared to that spent at a larger chain (50 times more compared to an online retailer).

Small businesses often give back to the community in other ways: donating, buying or financially backing other independent groups. When small businesses are strong, the community and local economy are strengthened as well.

2. Create more jobs.

Not only is your local economy strengthened when you shop locally, but you can also help create more jobs. These jobs could go to your friends, family or neighbors—people who would probably experience much more competition at a large chain store. Or, these jobs could go to you, just from doing your part to support the community.

3. Reduce environmental impact.

Locally owned businesses often make more local purchases for their products, requiring less transportation and outsourcing. They typically consume less land, locate closer to residents and create less traffic and air pollution. All of this leads to less congestion, less habitat loss and less negative impact on the environment. While this may not impact you immediately, it can impact your children and grandchildren in the future.

4. Lower your taxes.

Everyone loves lower taxes, and supporting your local businesses can help do just that. Small businesses use land efficiently and have central locations which puts less demand on roads, sewers and safety services. Even more, independent businesses often generate more tax revenue per sales dollar. This means a greater percentage of local businesses helps to keep your taxes lower, as compared to mega stores.

5. Improve your family’s health.

When it comes to buying produce, and choosing places to eat, local food distributors and restaurants are often the healthier choice for yourself and your family. According to GrubMarket, buying local food has numerous health benefits—opening you up to the world of organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, fresh eggs and dairy provided by grass-fed cows. This means you and your family can enjoy a tasty meal, while supporting the local community and choosing the healthiest option.

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When it comes to choosing local businesses, helping the community means helping you, too. Whether it’s aiding the economy now or building a better world for future generations, small businesses are here for you. But first, they need a little support from you.

Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard is constantly striving to support local brands by creating strategic marketing partnerships that will impact their businesses positively. To learn more, contact us today.

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24 Calls to Action that Drive Engagement

call to action

Have you heard the words, “Call to Action”? If they’re just marketing buzzwords that make you glaze over, this blog is for you. We’ll give you 24 calls to action and teach you how to write your own. You’ll be able to communicate effectively with your customers and have greater conversion rates on your products.

Calls to action are exactly what they sound like. They’re your request (call) to your customer to take the next step (action) in furthering your relationship along the path to a purchase. They’re also your promise of value to your customer to make them want to further your relationship. Customers are more likely to do what you’re asking them to do if there is something in it to benefit them. The value add to your customer could be information or a great deal. Whatever it is, a clear call to action let’s your customer know how to get it, which will increase the odds that they will try.

Here are some tips to create your next call to action:

Use action words

Use powerful and clear words that guide your customer. These aren’t gentle requests, so don’t be shy. Tell them what you want them to do. This isn’t the place to be subtle or passive. “Click here today to get your free copy.” is more effective than, “If you want your free copy, click here.” They know they need to click here and ‘today’ adds a sense of urgency.

Be concise and clear

Use as few words as possible. The rest of your copy has been written and your customer should understand the information. Your call to action is meant to close the deal.

Talk about services/ products

This is the value add we mentioned in the beginning. What is making them listen to your call? Do you have a new service or product? Do you have a new deal? Always point towards something that will add value for your customer. “Try the latest…”

Choose colours

Whether your call to action is on a website, a graphic or in print, use eye-catching, contrasting colors that catch your viewers attention and draw them in. Ensure the colours complement your brand colours while being very visible. Also consider the goal of your messaging and the emotion that the colour will evoke in your customer. For example, yellow is fun and joyous, red is passionate, while blue and green are loyal and safe.

Go step-by-step

If your call-to-action process is overly complex, there is little chance that your customer will make it through. Walk through your process and make sure it’s simple. If you would not follow your own process, why would your customers? When in doubt, simplify.

Think “I want”

Consider you are your customer. What do they want? Your call to action is meeting your customer’s needs. Think of it as an “I want” button. What do you want the end result to be? What would your customer want to get there? They may not want to submit a form to hear more about your amazing service just yet, but who is going to say no to, “Get your free sample”? Not many.

The tips we’ve just outlined will get you started on your way to having an influx of customers clicking your CTAs. If you’re not ready to create your own just yet, here is a list of 24 examples to get you started:

  1. Stay in the loop.
  2. Sign me up.
  3. Request an invite.
  4. Find out more! / Learn more.
  5. Get samples.
  6. Shop now.
  7. Read what our customers have to say.
  8. Check our prices.
  9. Click here and save!
  10. Sign up for our newsletter.
  11. Join our mailing list.
  12. Become a member!
  13. Get started!
  14. Subscribe now.
  15. Follow for more.
  16. Partner with us.
  17. Start your free trial.
  18. Try us today!
  19. Let’s talk!
  20. Book now.
  21. Watch the demo.
  22. Two buttons: “I’m opting in.” and “I’m missing out.”
  23. Meet the team.
  24. Donate here.

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A pointed call to action will increase your engagement and your bottom line. Whenever you are writing a message to your customers, always include a call to action. Let your customer know what you want them to do and show them the value you are adding for them. By utilizing these tips, your company will make a lasting impression both digitally and in print. Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard can help you design and create print content that will improve engagement with your brand. Now we will leave you with our own call to action: Contact Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard today to discuss the best print options for you!

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Spring Cleaning – Five Signs it’s Time to Consider a Brand Refresh

spring cleaning

Now that Winter is over and Spring has sprung, spring cleaning is on everyone’s mind (well almost everyone). You can use this time to refresh your company’s branding and/or marketing collateral too. Many use the start of Spring as a time for new beginnings in their home and in their lives. The same concept can apply to your business’s branding also. Take an unbiased view at your logo, your colors, your fonts and messaging – both tone and word verbiage. A refresh can be as simple as designing a  logo tweak or as big as a total brand makeover. How will you know if the timing is right? Check out these five signs it’s time to consider a brand refresh this Spring:

1. You Can’t Recall When You Last Refreshed Your Branding

If you’ve been around for years and can’t remember ever changing up your logo, colors or messaging, it may be time to evaluate your branding. If you aren’t sure where to start, seek an outside opinion from branding experts. Have a professional audit of your website, latest marketing materials, logo and other messaging. This will help give your business an outsider’s opinion on whether or not it’s time for a change. They are impartial and unbiased. Sometimes you are too close to your brand to see what others see.

2. You’ve Never Changed It

If you think your brand is so recognizable that you can’t possibly refresh it, consider this: Even big name brands like Tim Horton’s and Shaw have undergone brand refreshes in recent years. No business is so recognizable that it can’t undergo an update. Consider auditing your branding to see if there can be any improvements made. While you shouldn’t simply change things for the sake of change, there may be small ways to improve. Consider what your logo and branding means to others not to you. Does it convey the message you intended? Another 2021 recommendation is to focus on mobile first. How does it display on the smaller screens?

3. Your Website Doesn’t Match Your Other Branding

If you’ve undergone a major change to your website but you failed to update other aspects of your brand – such as business cards, brochures, signage, invoices, etc. – it may be time for a refresh. A common mistake many businesses make is updating one part of their branding, and forgetting about consistency across the board. If your website is in the 21st century but your logo or tagline are lacking, consider updating so that all of your marketing materials, including your website, are consistent.

4. You’re Expanding or Contracting

Sometimes what you originally planned changes course. Businesses can outgrow their branding as their core vision or mission changes. Sometimes taglines or logos are too narrow (or too broad) and encompass only one core offering or product. While this may be where your business started, consider refreshing it to encompass where your business is going – not just where its at. It’s important when setting the course for your branding that you leave enough room for change.

5. Your Marketing Responses Have Plateaued

Your current marketing can say a lot about whether or not it’s time for a rebrand or refresh. Consider the responses to your most recent marketing campaigns and whether or not you’ve been effective. You can also poll your current customers to see how they feel about your branding. Ask what feelings your primary colors evoke. Ask if your tagline is easy to remember and helps drive your values or mission. The feedback you receive could be telling toward whether or not it’s time for an update. Keep in mind that each brand is different, and while your business may need a brand refresh after a couple years, another might still be going strong after the same number of years. Pay attention to the response you’re getting from your marketing materials and feedback from your website.

How Can You Tackle your Brand Refresh?

Start at the top. If you start Spring cleaning with the vacuum cleaner, you’ll later knock dust all over your floor with the duster. A top-down strategy works best, both for spring cleaning your home and whipping your brand refresh strategy into place.

  • Look at your logo, colours, and fonts.
  • Next look at what is most customer facing like your website, signage and sales collateral.
  • Finally look inward to your transactional communications like invoices and labeling. If you are in retail, consider how a refresh to your branding impacts your product packaging.

Remember, if you opt to refresh your branding, it does not mean you have to roll it out in a single moment. If you have significant volumes of perfectly good collateral with your older brand, decide whether the branding of it will impact your future. It may be perfectly okay to exhaust this inventory prior to updating with new collateral.

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If you haven’t touched your branding in ages, it’s definitely time for an evaluation. And if all else fails and you aren’t sure where to start, don’t be afraid to seek out branding experts for some help! Contact the team at Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard today. We Design. We Print. You Profit!

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Why Brand Consistency is Key to the Success of YOUR Business

Brand Consistency

Why Brand Consistency is Key to the Success of YOUR Business

If your business has a strong and consistent brand identity, it’s easier for your clients to recognize your brand and its products or services. If you have inconsistent visuals, your brand’s message may be confusing and difficult to remember, making client awareness and retention a daunting task. Brand consistency has the power to boost your company’s value – and it’s completely free! Keep reading to learn the importance of brand consistency for your business.

What is Branding?

Branding is a way of distinctly identifying your business through its name, tagline, design, colours, logo or any combination, and is an essential part of your marketing strategy. This is how your customers will recognise your business and perceive your brand. Many people incorrectly assume that a brand is simply a good logo design. A strong brand is more than just a logo — it’s reflected in everything from your customer service style, to your corporate colours, staff uniforms, business cards, tradeshow presence, signage and is the foundation for your marketing materials and advertising.

Here are four steps to building a successful brand:

 

  1. Define how you want to be perceived by your clients and potential customers.
  2. Organize your business’ visuals based on this promise.
  3. Communicate your promise in every part of your brand.
  4. Be consistent.

How do you develop Brand Consistency?

As you strive to build brand value and trust, assess how consistency works across all aspects of your identity. This includes messaging, tone, imagery and delivery. These elements are the basic building blocks of consistent branding.

Logo

Incorporating a logo into your products and marketing collateral is the easiest way to create consistent brand identity visuals. Adding your logo onto all company designs – both internal and external – will make it easier for your consumers to connect the object to the brand. For example, any apparel featuring your branding will automatically be associated with your organization.

Message

A consistent brand message should clearly define your positioning and align with your core behaviours. This can be seen in the core values of your mission and vision statements. If your actions consistently align with your message, customers begin to trust and have joy in your service. If your brand promise is inauthentic or unable to be delivered, customers may feel disappointed or deceived.

Tone

Tone is an element that companies tend to forget as they develop their brand. Conflicting tones, however, lead to mixed messages. Is the spirit of your brand an aggressive go-getter who gets things done? A friend who is willing to lend a helping hand? If your tone switches often, customers may develop differing expectations about your product or service, making it more difficult to satisfy each customer each time they interact with you.

Design

Imagery is perhaps the most obvious element in your brand consistency toolkit. Design using brand elements thoughtfully and strategically helps build visibility and increases customer recognition and association.

Delivery

Beyond these fundamental elements, the delivery of your brand through timing and across channels and mediums significantly contributes to the consistency of experience. The channels you choose, as well as the frequency of contact, create a rhythm of communication.

Why is Brand Consistency So Important?

  1. Brand consistency takes your brand to the next level: You’re no longer convincing your clients to stop and buy your product and/or service. Your brand is so consistent, so synonymous with your product experience that when a consumer sees your signature brand logo, they are already thinking about making their next purchase from you. Using a tactic like newsletters and direct mail is a great way to create, and build consistency with regular intervals.
  2. Consistency makes your brand feel more dependable and trustworthy: When you’re getting to know a person, you start to develop opinions, ideas and assumptions about them based on your interactions. If they are dressed in a business suit one day, Bermuda shorts and a ratty T-shirt the next and then a scuba diving suit another time, it may be hard to nail down exactly who they are and what they are all about. Now imagine this same person is someone you are considering doing business with. Wouldn’t you be concerned about their consistency in their work based on their inconsistent appearance? You may think twice before bringing them into your business because they’re unpredictable. Your consumers can feel the same about your brand if you aren’t careful. If your social media voice is whimsical and silly but your product packaging is sterile and plain, you’re sending mixed signals that will confuse consumers and leave them feeling like your brand can’t be trusted.
  3. Recognition: Brand recognition is not just about getting your name out there. It’s about helping consumers get to know your brand on a personal level. It’s a long-standing concept thatpurchasing is more an emotional decision than a practical one. Part of engaging the right emotions with your consumers is making them feel like they know your brand and that your brand can be trusted.
  4. Giving consumers a dependable experience across all your media and channels of communication works along the same lines as always putting out a dependable product. Consumers want to know you! Interacting with consumers through a consistent brand voice and aesthetic is a major step towards letting consumers get to know you as an organization. When they know you, they will identify with you and your purpose. And when consumers feel like they know you and can trust you, they will be more likely to purchase from you and more likely to recommend you to their peers.

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We’ve heard so many people say if they could just get consumers to try their product they know they would like it and would want to buy from them again. Well, putting a consistent brand message in front of consumers is one strong step in the right direction to attracting new customers.

Your potential customers are more likely to purchase from a brand they recognize for their consistent image and content schedule, so make sure to maintain both. Printers like Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard assist you in ensuring that your branding is consistent across all your printed materials. This helps your business be profitable in part by being memorable. Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard can work with you to maintain a consistent brand image. We specialize in graphic design for all your printing needs. Contact us today to bring your brand to life in print! We Design. We Print. You Profit.

If you enjoyed this blog, you might also like 5 Ways to Create Brand Exposure in a Contactless World.

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Effective Corporate Signage Can Help Your Business Succeed In A Big Way

Corporate Signage

Effective Corporate Signage Can Help Your Business Succeed In A Big Way

As a small business ourselves, we inherently understand how your bottom line can often be very tight and how important it is to make sure that every dollar spent in your marketing budget needs to create maximum impact. Indoor and outdoor corporate signage is one way to make this happen. Signs can be a very effective and profitable marketing investment for your business.

You want to stretch your marketing budget as far as it can go. With the advances in digital printing technology, signs – which could include large posters, banners, window signage, displays and more – are now more affordable than ever. Enhance the curb appeal of your storefront with signs that grow your business (also sandwich boards). Show who you are and what you do for all that walk or drive by your location.

What Makes Corporate Signage Effective?

  • Brand Identity: One of your first considerations in any design will be color. Many people identify certain hues with particular brands, and a printer can even custom create a new color for its customers – to match your logo for example.
  • Contrast: Since there is a good chance your sign will be read from a street level or drive-by traffic, it is good to use a font size that will be easy to read, even from a distance. To make sure your text or graphics are clear and really stand out, you can use contrasting colours can be a great design idea. Adding borders or drop shadows around the lettering can also be helpful.
  • KISS: Use this principle that is easy to remember: Keep It Simple, Stupid. What was originally a design principle noted by the U.S. Navy 70 years ago to remind designers that the key goal in design is to avoid any unnecessary complexity, marketers now use it in designs to remind themselves that they only have 5 minutes to grab the viewer’s attention.

Three Ways to Use Outdoor Corporate Signage

Below are three ways you can use signage as an effective outdoor advertising strategy to raise brand awareness and make people interested in your business and to help you profit through your print: 

  1. Poster Printing is a very affordable method of marketing your brand. You can create large numbers of ads to distribute across several venues. Your business can place your posters in high-traffic locations to raise ad visibility, such as public transportation areas like grocery stores, malls, bus stops and train stations.
  2. Roadside advertisements like stake signs and sandwich boards can help you grab the attention of passing motorists and pedestrians. Your business can use sidewalk displays to inform your customers and prospects about important events and new changes to available products or services. Roadside ads provide you with the added benefit of 24-hour marketing, since potential clientele may pass the business at night.
  3. Banners are excellent outdoor advertisements that you can use to promote your brand. Your business can use the larger space to share your high-quality images of products to impress your customers and potential customers.

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Corporate signage produced by a print company like Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard can prove to be a powerful marketing tool. No matter what your budget and production challenge, Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard has the imaginative creative team and the depth of resources to deliver a solution that fits your needs and budget. We can design and produce your corporate signage in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Make Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard your one-stop solution for professional indoor or outdoor signage and request a quote today!

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4 Ways Print Partnerships Can Save You Time and Money

print partnerships

4 Ways Print Partnerships Can Save You Time and Money

Your business, like almost every business, needs paper products (like brochures and letterhead) to build and strengthen their brand. Between graphic design, production pre-sets and regular re-orders, keeping things organized can be a challenge. Consistently partnering with the same printer and forming print partnerships can make things significantly more efficient and convenient for you and your business.

Below are four ways print partnerships with a professional printer like Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard for the long haul can save you time and money:

Collaborative Process

You have your own unique needs. A professional printer can work with you to design and print materials that are right for your business. Printers can make a difference through graphic design services, brand building creative, or by securing branded promotional products (like magnets, notebooks, or water bottles). Printers serve as true marketing partners, often costing less than you would pay to individually produce or order all these items.

Flexibility

It’s likely you don’t have the time or capacity to develop high-quality print marketing on your own. It is vital to consider a collaborative partnership with a print and design company. A professional printer can easily adapt your designs or logos to work for professional booklets and brochures, banners and flags, letterhead and business cards, presentation folders and flyers, and more.

Craftmanship

Quality craftsmanship is paramount in printing. The skilled, tenured experience of a printer’s staff ensures your projects receive meticulous attention to detail, seamless color matching, and superior finishes. By working with a printer, you benefit from an experienced eye, a skillful touch, and unrivaled personal service.

Competence

Competence and quality are often the most important factors in weighing your print options. Although it can be difficult to evaluate these before you’ve worked with someone, there are several indicators to look for from any print partner:

  • Request to see samples of past jobs done for other customers
  • Inquire about areas of specialization
  • Ask if bundled pricing or services are included
  • Ask if shipping and/or delivery is included
  • Inquire about the quality control process
  • Inquire about the communication process
  • The make-up and size of the team
  • The make-up and diversity of the print equipment
  • Typical turnaround time for specific jobs
  • Environmental standards
  • Proximity and availability to your location

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Your time is valuable, so making wise choices is of utmost importance. Taking time to enter a print partnership that maximizes your investment is well worth your consideration. Often, choosing the right printer means you are beginning a relationship that will last for years. Curious how Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard can help you save time and money for your printing needs? Contact us today. 

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4 Ways to Market Small Business Through Print

small business

4 Ways to Market Small Business Through Print

Your small business — whether a sole proprietorship, franchise, partnership or professional corporation — has plenty of competition and must work hard to stand out from the crowd. When looking at offline solutions, you need to take advantage of cost-effective products to advertise your products and services. A key is to procure items that will consistently be seen by multiple people over an extended period. Because you are a “small” business, financial limitations may price certain advertising products (such as billboards) out of reach, but there are many less expensive products that can equally spread your brand without breaking the bank. Here are our suggestions to focus your budget to market your small business through print: 

Business Cards

The most important advertising product in which you can invest is business cards. The reason they make such an excellent marketing tool is because they contain all your pertinent information in a small amount of space. This ensures your message is clear and concise. Business cards are so small, in fact, that potential consumers have no qualms about taking one. Most importantly, business cards are inexpensive to obtain. A well-designed business card includes most of the following key elements:

  • Business name
  • Logo
  • Contact information (address, telephone, email, website)
  • Company slogan
  • A brief description of your products or services

Signage

Business storefronts and subsequent signage are as old as stores themselves. Your sign provides you with a 24/7/365 advertising opportunity. Like a business card, the minimum elements are name and logo, but you can also include your hours, website and phone number. This allows potential customers who see the sign after hours to learn about your company the moment they interact with your storefront on their own time.

Posters and Flyers

Depending on your business, posters and flyers for distribution among busy local gathering areas (such as shopping malls) can pay huge dividends in getting your business found. This print collateral can be created with software found on most PCs and free online templates. Or, you can have them professionally designed with print in mind. It is important to capture the viewers’ attention with:

  • A catchy heading
  • An attractive image
  • Easy-to-read text
  • Most importantly, what action you want them to take (call you, visit your website, visit your store)

Promotional Items

Promotional items are additional products that small businesses like yours can purchase to advertise their brand. Apparel merchandise such as jackets, caps, t-shirts and pullovers, as well as other useful goods such as travel mugs, pens and notebooks, are all products that consumers will use in their daily lives. Having your business’ name and logo on them makes them walking billboards for your company. You can give them away to reward current clients, raffle them off, or even sell them if there is intrinsic value and interest.

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Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard can work with you to create the right print marketing campaigns for your business. We specialize in graphic design for all your printing needs. Contact us today to bring your brand to life in print!

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6 Design Pitfalls When Creating Business Cards

6 Design Pitfalls When Creating Business Cards

Everyone knows how important it is to make great first impressions. If you’ve ever been to a networking event and found yourself with a handful of business cards, you’ll know what we mean. For better or worse, a business card is how your newly met contacts remember you. A professionally designed business card is essential to making long-lasting positive impressions on new contacts. However, a poorly designed card may result in the loss of a potential client and a lack of familiarity with the brand.

Companies can prevent negative interactions by avoiding these six business card design pitfalls:

1. Providing Insufficient Information

While it may seem self-explanatory, ensure that all your company’s information is included. This includes the common details such as your company name, contact information and logo, but also other pieces that tend to be forgotten such as your slogan and/or mission statement. We cover 4 ways to market your small business through print in another blog here.
 

2. An Unoriginal Design

If your business card lacks originality is likely not going to be remembered. To ensure your card is not forgotten, seek out a print company to alter your business card with visually interesting customizations. For example, a custom die cut will help businesses turn their cards into unique, non-rectangular shapes that stick out from the norm. Spot UV also deviates from the typical card, drawing eyes to the card’s information.
 

3. Failing to Represent the Brand

Your business card is a lasting impression of your brand. Business cards without clear brand representation prevents companies from properly introducing customers to their brand. Create recognition by including prominent brand-related visuals on the card, such as the corporate logo, company colours, and typeface. Business cards can be coloured by printing companies to expose contacts to themes utilized by the organization.
 

4. Offering No Additional Functionality

Increase the value of your business card by incorporating design elements that give your business card additional value to your customers. Depending on your industry, your business card can double as a stampable loyalty card or you may include a tear off discount code.
 

5. Typos, Misprints, and Colour Alignment

While everyone makes mistakes, your business card is an area where you don’t want typos, misprints, or misaligned colours. Nothing screams, “I don’t care about my business” louder than these three problems. Print companies normally offer a, “physical proof” before beginning a print job. This is your only opportunity to perform quality control, so make sure your business card is perfect!
 

6. Using a Poor-quality Card

High-quality business cards with thought and intention behind them leave a positive feeling in your customer’s mind. Your customers make decisions based on emotions, so make sure there are positive emotions associated with your business card. Cards that are feather-light, have rough edges or are peeling create an impression of cheap-quality which reflects poorly on your company. Take the time to plan and design your business card—even the card material itself.
 

Post Press

Post-Press Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard has years of experience with creating high-quality, memorable business cards for hundreds of businesses, offering timely and friendly service at competitive prices. Ready to get started on building your network through memorable business cards? Contact Minuteman Press Calgary Shepherd today.

 

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5 Ways to Create Brand Exposure in a Contactless World

5 Ways to Create Brand Exposure in a Contactless World

If you are one of many small business owners who has a brick and mortar location, the pandemic has fundamentally changed how customers access your company’s brand exposure. Physical restrictions on businesses have transferred in-store purchases to online ordering and contactless delivery.  

This does not mean that print is dead. On the contrary, it is more important than ever to be strategic in your placement of branded content to continue to leave a lasting presence in your customers’ minds. With so much online competition, your imagery must dance online and thrive offline. How can you continue to make a lasting impression?

1. Create Branded Packaging

Packaging can be expensive as a small business, but when customers cannot come into your location to view your product, packaging becomes even more crucial to brand exposure. Ensure there are company symbols, colours and logos on the packaging, so it sets your product apart from others. Each order is an opportunity to maintain brand recognition with the client. Well-conceived packaging tells the customer that your company has considered the details and values their experience. Print service companies can help design packaging to match your company’s products and branding.
 

2. Direct Mail

Direct mail includes print advertisements like flyers, postcards, and catalogues that are sent in the post. In addition to direct mail, placing items inside your curbside pickup or posted packages is an excellent way to show your customers what is new and exciting at your business. Utilize these to encourage reorders and create loyalty. The more your imagery makes its way into your customers’ homes, the better.

Printed catalogues can display your current product or service offering and share upcoming offers. Drop a single page flyer version of your catalogue with each order and mail more detailed monthly catalogues.

Newsletters can offer behind the scenes insights into your business as a community. The energy that customers once felt when they entered your store must be replicated in some other way. Newsletters should be a part of that plan. Newsletters can share plans for the coming month or your favourite project from the previous month. Memorable stories create a personal connection that the customer will wish to revisit in the future.

You can’t forget business cards. Business cards are portable calling cards that your customers can take with them wherever they go. “Where did I get that awesome product? Oh right! Their card is in my wallet.” This puts your contact information and your website at their fingertips and solidifies your brand exposure.

3. Match your online imagery to your offline imagery

Your digital content must match your offline content to keep a cohesive image and direct customers back to the website they ordered your products from. This means working with your printer to design signs, labels, business cards, internal documentation, invoicing and packaging to match the colours, fonts, and imagery that is found on your website and social media. If your colours look completely different on print versus on screen, your customers may not immediately make the connection between your branded content and your business. A graphic designer at a print shop can help ensure these things are cohesive and allow your customers to tie your digital presence to your product or service.
 

4. Use your website and social media to create a loyal following

 Though there is less foot traffic entering your brick-and-mortar store, you can still communicate with your customers. A landing page and/or ecommerce site is an absolute must. Here is where you will place the bulk of information about your business. To direct your customers to this page and keep an open dialogue with your customers, utilize social media platforms to continue the conversation. Monitor your emails, messages and social media channels and stay active. Building a following and creating awareness requires diligence and a plan. If you are a B2B business, LinkedIn is a great place to start. Instagram is excellent if you have visual content. Twitter is perfect for linking back to the appropriate content on your website.
 

5. Video marketing

Video marketing is an online trend that is sure to stay. Create a well-constructed video that is geared towards your target audience and their interests. You can use video to showcase a product in use or share a heartwarming story about your business. In addition to your digital branded content on the video, strategically placed branded print items in a video will reinforce your company’s imagery. If you’re still working in your physical location, film your video in your showroom to create a virtual shopping experience for your customer. A printed backdrop in your branding colours will pop in the background as you showcase your product or service and solidify your business’ personality.
 

Post-Press

 In the age of physical disconnection, it can be a challenge to create brand awareness. By utilizing these tips, your company will make a lasting impression both digitally and in print. Harmonious use of these elements is essential to create an enduring relationship with your clients. Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard can help you design and create print content that will strengthen your brand awareness in a contactless world. Contact Minuteman Press Calgary Shepard today to discuss the best print options for you!