Advertising Your Garage Sale

You can’t just put a bunch of stuff in front of your house and hope that people will come by looking to buy it. It just doesn’t work that way. In order to generate revenue from your garage sale, you need to advertise. Advertising is an essential part to any sale – and you can use many of the same techniques that major companies use to make your garage sale a success!

There are a three important factors to consider when thinking about how to advertise your garage sale – who your best customers are, when to advertise to them, and how to advertise to them. We’ll take you through each step along, but first, you need to take inventory.

Make sure that you have a list of all the major items that will be on sale, and take pictures of the items that you’re looking to sell the most. We recommend offering a range that includes low to high priced items for sale to attract the widest variety of potential buyers to your garage sale.

Putting it All Together

Let’s go through those three important factors to consider when advertising your garage sale…

Who Is Your Customer?: This one is easy. People who go to garage sales, go to garage sales. Marketing Your Garage SaleMany bargain hunters spend each weekend seeking out treasures from local garage sales like yours, so they are your best potential customer. Now that we know this…

When Should You Advertise?: These weekend warriors are out there every Saturday and Sunday rummaging through garages, so make sure that you’re out there with them for a few weeks leading up to your garage sale. Meeting your potential customers in advance will help you to get them to browse your sale – and buy when the time comes.

How to Advertise?: Just like any business, you’re going to need to invest a little if you want to get a lot in return. Take the time to turn your inventory list and selected pictures into a printed flyer for your garage sale. These are perfect for handing out weekends leading up to your sale.

Just before the weekend, you will want to remind the neighborhood of your upcoming garage sale with signage pointing them in the right direction. Stand out from the cheap poster board and marker crowd by printing yard signs to advertise your garage sale. Include the address, map with arrow directions and a shorter version of your inventory list to bring buyers to your door!

Not Everyone Will Buy Right Away

It’s getting close to Sunday afternoon and your biggest ticket items haven’t sold yet – but have generated a lot of interest. No need to fret. Print up a small quantity of basic business cards that you can hand out to people you think may want to save up some money before purchasing certain items. This way, they will remember to reach back out to you, even after the garage sale is over. Happy selling!

Measuring Business Card ROI

How much money is a business card worth to you? How much revenue can a business card generate for your company? These are tough questions to answer, but important ones to ask. Tracking, measuring and improving ROI from all business routes play a role in your company’s overall success. Not every dollar spent will produce two in return, but custom printed business cards tend to have a high ROI for low investment costs.

Measuring your business card ROI is almost always coupled with other business expenses. You don’t just go around handing out your business cards to everyone you see, right? In most cases, there are other costs – such as trade show admission, networking group fees, or advertising expenses that lead up to handing out that business card. The ROI from your business cards relies on other business investments to help you close the deal.

Of course, you will also need to factor in how many business cards to order, as PrintFirm offers discounted pricing on higher quantity orders for customers. The more per order, the less it costs to print per business card. In the end, you’re looking at a very low cost per each individual business card – but potentially very high ROI from each of them.

The Value of Sales vs. Customers

One commonly missed aspect of calculating any business ROI is the value of the customer How Many Business Cards to Printvs the value of the individual sale. A first time sale that comes as a result of personal contact and a business card exchange may only produce a modest ROI, but if you can turn that person into a long term customer, the value increases exponentially.

With so many different variables and low cost per individual business card, it can be difficult to really calculate an exact ROI for your business. Instead, these should be grouped into a category with other promotional print products, like flyers, branded envelopes and custom logo notepads. Used together, your products will compliment each other to reinforce branding with leads and existing customers.

Increasing Your Return Even Further

You aren’t the only one handing out business cards. Get creative with your design to stand out from competitors with square or velvet business cards. Yes, velvet. We offer a variety of business card options – and would be thrilled to have you as a new customer. Order online or contact us via phone today.

Flyer The Neighborhood

Business has been a little slower than normal and you’re looking for a boost in new clients, right? We thought so. Many businesses are able to drum up enough business in their local area just by flyering the neighborhood. A well designed business flyer can help to generate new business in your own backyard that you didn’t even know was there.

Flyering the neighborhood is great for local service businesses. Dog walkers, babysitters, day care providers, and overall general help are often driven by local business generated from neighborhood flyers. You will need to put more than just a name and phone number on your flyers if you want them to produce new leads though.

Flyer design plays a big role in determining how successful a campaign will be. Put the focus on the customer’s needs first – “Dog have too much energy? Let us walk them for you!” followed by your contact information and credentials. Seems simple, right? There is more that you can do to increase the number of leads you receive…

Beyond the Basics

Remember tabbed flyers with “take one” pieces of paper? We do too – and they’re long gone. PrintFirm QR CodeCell phones have changed the game. Why would they take your contact information when they can simply add your name and number to their phone? Make sure to tell them exactly what do do – “save our number today, call us tonight!” You can even generate a free QR code to make it even easier!

Don’t forget to include YOUR location on the flyers as well. Since you are targeting leads in a local area, you should show them that you’re local too! If you don’t have an official business address, you can just name the neighborhood that you service. Testimonials from other local customers can help increase credibility too – all from a flyer!

Follow Up

Your neighborhood flyering is working great – and you’re starting to get some calls. Don’t let them forget about you! Hand deliver your custom business cards to show them that you mean business, and want theirs! A little professionalism goes a long way, so be sure to follow up with all leads as soon as possible for the best results.

Online Printing Service Reviews

PrintFirm has been in business for over 20 years now. When first opened our doors in 1996 the Online Print Service Reviewsinternet was in it’s infant stages for most businesses – much different from how it’s used now. Customer reviews came in the form of local word of mouth referrals, and orders primarily came in over the phone. Now, most reviews of our printing service come online, along with the majority of our orders as well.

That doesn’t mean that we’ve changed our approach. We recognize that high quality products need to be compliment with high quality service, which is why we continue to put so much emphasis on our customer’s experience when ordering with us. PrintFirm values each customer more than each sale – we not only want you to come back and order again, but we want your to tell everyone you know about us too.

While the internet has certainly changed how our customers interact with us and with each other – it couldn’t be better for us! Our customers leave reviews of their experience with our online printing service all over the internet – you can find reviews for us on Facebook, Yelp and Google.

What Our Customers are Saying

Not trying to brag, but a lot of people have said very nice things about PrintFirm online. We want to share a few of our favorite customer quotes here with you…

“I have been using Print Firm for about 5 years now, and their service is the BEST!!  No matter how fast you need things done they will do their best to accommodate, the print quality is Excellent!” – Denise B.

“Website is easy to use. Templates always available. Great pricing, turnaround and excellent print results…always.” – Rob M.

“They are very helpful to the uninitiated and seem to solve any printing requests that one can think of. Their customer service is second to none” – Richard F.

We’re lucky enough to still have some of the same customers we had when we started doing business back in 1996 – and continue to do our best to improve our service even further in the future.

We Want to Hear From You

Nothing makes us feel better than hearing from happy customers. Even if you haven’t ordered online with PrintFirm yet, but have enjoyed our free print product templates or gotten a custom quote from us – let us know how we did! We’re always looking for feedback too – hope to hear from you soon!

Choosing the Right CD Packaging for Your Album

Months spent in the studio. Days dealing with booking agents & promoters planning your upcoming shows. As an artist, you want to put your best foot forward and make a great first impression everywhere you go. Before anyone buys your album or comes to your show, they’re probably going to see the cover of your CD. You need to make sure that you get it right.

High quality album art isn’t as prevalent as it once was with the expansion of digital music distribution – but real fans still want real packaging. Your band might not be printing as many CDs as you used to, but you know that your biggest fans will want a physical copy of your latest album when you come through their city on tour. Make sure you give them the best.

You have three primary options when it comes to CD covers – Booklets, Inserts and Sleeves. All 3 have their benefits and can be a great option for your newest record.

Booklets, Inserts or Sleeves

CD Booklets: Are you going the traditional route, with a full jewel case? You’re going to want a full CDExample of CD Booklet Printed by PrintFirm booklet to showcase cover art, with pages of additional artwork, lyrics and band information. CD Booklets will give your record a very official look and feel – a great choice for artists that print relatively small numbers of records.

CD Inserts: Want to provide your fans with a case that opens, but don’t need a full jewel case?CD Inserts Inserts print artwork directly on the cover of the packaging, with foldable opening options to hold your CD. The high quality printing looks and feels professional, while conserving space so that you can jam more into a box to throw in the back of the van.

CD Sleeves: Printing CD’s in bulk? CD sleeves are convenient, slim and provideCD Sleeve Printing high quality cover formats. Choose from glossy or matte finish to customize your cover with front and back design areas. These work great for giveaways and are perfect for throwing off the stage!

Don’t Stop Digital Though

CD booklets are still great for fans and concert attendees, but don’t give up on digital distribution. People need to be able to find your music online too if you want them to support you when you release new music or play a show in their town. You can even use PrintFirm to create a custom design for your album cover that you can then use online too! Get started today.

Great Gifts for the Business Minded Graduate

Buying a graduation gift can be difficult. Trying to find that perfect gift for someone who is transitioning from one phase of life can make it difficult to find that perfect present. While you don’t necessarily want to buy a graduation gift that better fits the recipients “younger days,” it’s not easy to anticipate exactly what they will want or need moving forward either. Graduation gifts are among the most difficult to buy – but it’s not impossible.

We all know that kid from the block who was selling Lemonade starting at the age of 7, moved onto mowing lawns for cash at 10 and was banking every paycheck through their high school years. It’s pretty easy to spot a business minded student – and most times, those students end up continuing their business ventures after graduating as well.

But that doesn’t mean they know it all quite yet. Going from being praised as a young entrepreneur to the real world can be tough – not knowing what exactly the business world expects from you as an “adult.” Help them out – give custom printed promo products as graduation gifts to the business minded graduate this year.

For High School or College Graduations

It doesn’t really matter if the former student that you’re buying for is finishing High School or College, custom business cards make great gifts for graduations. Keep it simple – name, phone number, email address, city & state is all the information you really need to include. Not only will they use the gift, but giving them their first business card will also motivate them to nurture their business nature.

How many business cards should you print for the graduation gift? We’d only recommend printing between 50 and 200 – you don’t need to order in bulk to make a big impression here. And with PrintFirm’s low pricing on business cards, you can afford to do a bit more for the graduate as well…

Say “Congrats” in a Big Way

Along with your pocket sized gift of business cards, you can also say “Congrats” in a big way on Graduation Day with a vinyl banner! Bring it along to the graduation to stand out in the crowd, or save it for the graduation party with family and friends.

4th of July Sales Ideas for Small Businesses

You know that you have to have a 4th of July Sale for your small business. 4th of July Sales for Small BusinessPeople expect discounts around national holidays, but it can be tough to stand out amongst all the competition. You aren’t the only small business having a sale this 4th of July, so how can you actually use the holiday to boost sales & revenue?

Better 4th of July sales advertising. Just because you are offering a discount on your services or goods doesn’t mean that people will come and take advantage of lower prices. When advertising your 4th of July sale, you should have two primary goals in mind for your customers.

If they are existing customers, your goal should be to get them to come back – and buy more! Repeat customers are often your most valuable resource because they’re already familiar with your business, are easier to sell to – and a potential referral source.

The second goal you should have is to use your 4th of July sale to acquire new customers with your low prices. This doesn’t just mean that you have to make a sale during the first week of July – but effective sales advertising will introduce your business to people & generate interest that doesn’t produce an return until your Labor Day Sale!

Everybody Loves Fireworks

It’s true! Everybody loves fireworks! Stats show that 63% of people attend firework displays – what a way to kick off your sale! Plan on taking your company van & some staff out to the local events this year to advertise your sale! Create a custom vinyl banner that is the same length as your van that you can hang on the outside of your vehicle when you park. This is a great way to get your company name & logo out there to firework attendees on their way into the event.

Once inside, have your staff hand out 4th of July themed custom printed stickers with your business name to people waiting to watch the fireworks. Parents who recognize your business name on the sticker are likely to strike up conversation, where your staff can give them the sale information printed on a trading card or sales flyer. Just make sure not to interrupt the fireworks show!

Consistency is King

If your small business plans on having a 4th of July sale this year – you should plan on having a 4th of July sale next year too. And the year after that. Your most loyal customers will anticipate the discounts and come back year after year to take advantage of your sales. As this core customer base grows, so does your revenue! Keep up the annual 4th of July sale and you will reap the benefits for years to come.

What Size Are Trading Cards?

The standard trading card size is 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches (6.4 cm by 8.9 cm), and is what most people are familiar Trading Card Size Examplewith from major league baseball cards or trading card games like Pokemon. For comparison sake, trading cards are just larger than a credit card, which measures 3.370 Inches by 2.125 inches.

Trading cards are typically utilized in portrait format, but some manufacturers design their cards for landscape as well. We’ve even seen trading cards with a portrait image on the front, with landscape design on the back. Despite the relatively small size of trading cards, design options are endless!

Many of our print customers create custom baseball cards for kids or their own trading card games, but we’ve also seen trading cards used for other purposes as well. We’ve seen trading cards for cops, musical artists, politicians and more. Don’t let the small size fool you, trading cards pack a big punch!

Beyond Portrait vs. Landscape

There are more ways to customize your trading card design than just turning the template 90 degrees. Standard trading cards are printed on 14 or 16 pt thick cardstock, which is similar to what you might find in a pack of baseball cards from the comic book store. There are trading card material options available though.

Silk laminated cards have a clear finish that protects the artwork from wear and tear over a long period of time. These are often used for collectible cards to showcase high definition artwork on the front and back of the product. Super thick trading cards with a middle core are twice as thick as standard ones, and feel great in your hand. Perhaps that’s why we’ve seen them being used as business cards!

Designing Your Cards

PrintFirm offers free downloadable trading card templates in the standard 2.5in x 3.5in format that you can customize, and then upload for ordering online. We also offer custom designs from professional graphic artists – just tell us what you’re looking for and we can help you create your own trading card masterpiece.

Company Yearbook Design Tips

Yearbooks aren’t just for High School anymore. Company Yearbooks have become a popularCompany Yearbook Printing Services end of the year gift for employees, but many companies don’t even know where to begin when it comes to designing one. Any company can make their own yearbook – and we’re here to make it even easier.

If this is your first time designing a company yearbook, we recommend using templates that fit with our business booklet printing sizes. You can select the number of pages you need for your project, as well as paper type to make it feel more like a classic yearbook.

Before you actually start creating pages, you need to create an outline for the yearbook. Make sure to include Front & Back covers / introductions and pages for events or activities specific to your company. Many companies include fun yearbook themed pages like Superlatives to showcase a bit of the office environment too.

Everything You Need to Get Started

Once you have your dimensions selected, it’s time to choose a company yearbook template. PrintFirm offers templates for both covers and inside pages in a variety of formats (yes, we offer photoshop templates too) that you can customize to fit all of the different types of pages you will need.

Make sure to give your team more than enough time to design, edit and approve the company yearbook before you need it to be sent off to the printer. For most companies, 6 to 8 weeks (after collecting all of the content pieces) is enough to complete the project. From there, we can have them printed and shipped to you in as little as 3 business days. For standard shipping, plan on about a week.

Save Those Templates

If your company yearbook is a hit among employees, you should probably consider it again for the following year too. Make sure to keep your templates saved so that you can make the process even more efficient next year!

Your Best Friend in Business

National Best Friend Day is upon us yet again. You’re likely National Best Friends Day for Businesses to see #hashtags or even receive a mention or two from your real life best friend to celebrate the “holiday,” but you shouldn’t forget about your business buds either. #NationalBestFriendDay is also a great opportunity to reach out to your best friend in business to show your appreciation for their support.

So, who is your best friend in business? This answer varies. For some companies, their answer may be “our investors,” while others may have partnerships that they really value. For us, it’s our customers.

Some of our customers have been using PrintFirm as their commercial printer for as long as we’ve been around – starting in 1996! We like to work closely with our customers to learn about their business, and how we can truly provide them with the best product for their needs. In turn, they have referred our services to other business partners, helping to make PrintFirm the success it is today.

Showing Your Appreciation

Regardless of who your best friend in business is, it’s important that you take time to show appreciation on days like #NationalBestFriendDay. In B2B relationships, sending custom printed greeting cards via snail mail is a great way to show partners that you appreciate their business friendship.

Companies who want to highlight their B2C relationship with customers often use social media inspired holidays like #NationalBestFriendDay to offer discounts or sales on products or services. It’s a great way to bring the friendship even closer together!

Showing Our Appreciation

After all that, of course we are going to offer you a token of our friendship on #NationalBestFriendDay! Our 48 hour sale will start at 12:01AM on Thursday, June 8th with ALL products on sale – 15% off! Use promo code BFF17.