In today’s tough business world, you need to use as many creative skills as possible to ensure that your marketing literature and corporate materials stand out from your competitors. If you’re looking for a company to print your commercial marketing materials then make sure that you ask them if they provide document drilling and die cutting services as these services will give your marketing materials a smart, professional and creative edge.

What is die cutting?

This is a method of using a steel form, shaped cutting rule or rollers to cut various shapes into your paper. The shape is mounted into a die cutting machine and pressed through the material that requires cutting. This printing method is commonly used for items such as door hangers, document wallets, folders, invites and postcards. The benefit of die cutting is that it personalises your marketing materials and provides them with a uniqueness which is an excellent way to raise brand awareness and stand out from your competitors. Adding simple touches to your printing with processes like die cutting can make a big impact and create an excellent first impression with potential customers.

What is document drilling?

Document drilling is the process of drilling holes into a sheet, it can be used for standard applications such as creating holes for ring binders and Filofaxes but it can also be used more creatively too. This method can be used to create patterns in your marketing materials – you can have business cards drilled for example so your cards get noticed at exhibitions and networking events, you can also have brochures document drilled to add some fun and creative flair to your corporate literature.

Whether you’re looking for a printing company with designers in house or if you’re looking for a print company to make your designs come to life, be sure to ask them about the process of die cutting and document drilling to add a touch of brilliance to your marketing materials.

Foil printing is a great way to add an elegant look to a diverse range of products and can be used by businesses for promotional purposes or for individuals looking for a unique design for personal stationery such as invitations and greetings cards.

What is foil printing?

Foil printing (or foil stamping as it is also known) produces an eye-catching shiny design on materials such as paper, cloth, vinyl, leather and more. Foil printing uses heat and special metallic foil to create the designs and these techniques are often combined with embossing. Embossing is when paper is pushed slightly in or out of the material to give a three dimensional effect.

Who is this type of printing suitable for?

Companies often use embossing and foiling on their business cards to ensure that their cards stand out. The foiling and embossing processes are also popular for invitations and cards such as silver foil on wedding invitations and gold and red on Christmas cards. The techniques can also be used on items such as diaries, book covers, packaging, statement wallpaper, t-shirts and much more. Foil printing is particularly popular for personalising commercial items with company names such as menus, stationery, smart carrier bags and other promotional items.

How does the process work?

Metal stamps are heated and then used to seal a thin layer of foil leaf onto a material, this process works in a similar way to a letterpress. Colour combinations can be used to achieve the desired effect and embossing adds another dynamic to the process so you can achieve your desired look. Foil printing brings a creative look to a number of materials and is one of the best ways of attracting people’s attention. Speak to specialist digital printers to find out more about the types of foil printing and embossing available and how they can work for promotional items for business use or for your personal stationery requirements. requirements.

If you run a holiday company or provide accommodation such as a hotel or holiday cottages then you will no doubt rely on printed material to promote your services and facilities. Holiday brochures and leaflets not only entice potential guests to try out your accommodation but they also act as referral tools as satisfied guests can pass them on to their friends and family and recommend that they stay in your accommodation or use your holiday company. Another important role that holiday marketing literature plays is to inform guests about the accommodation and also the attractions in the surrounding area.

Holiday companies can use digital printing to produce their bespoke brochures, leaflets and travel guides at a fraction of the cost of traditional printing. This is because digital printing is a completely tailored service which makes it perfect for holiday companies as you could order short print runs of brochures promoting individual holiday cottages or which focus on destination guides for particular countries for example. You can also use digitally printed brochures to help you target different markets such as promoting the same accommodation to guests as diverse as couples, groups of friends or families. This flexibility not only keeps costs low and allows for targeted promotion but it also means that you can still promote time-sensitive events and holidays. For example, if you required a special Christmas or Valentine’s Day brochure then having these digitally printed means that you can order a small amount, such as a direct mail shot of 100, so you don’t end up with hundreds of outdated brochures.

Items such as postcards, greetings cards and calendars can also be digitally printed for an affordable price so you can offer bespoke postcards of local beauty spots to your guests or send previous guests custom-made greetings card to build on your relationship with your existing customers.

The options are endless for digital printing for holiday companies so speak to a specialist printer to discuss your ideas.

On demand digital printing has revolutionised the business world. Traditional printing was expensive, involved long setup periods and often companies had to request huge print runs to make the process cost effective. Print on demand services have eliminated this and now businesses can choose from a complete range of flexible printing options with many benefits.

1) High speed On demand digital printing is a quick way to see your designs in print whether it’s new business cards, promotional leaflets, posters, booklets or anything else you wish to print. The technical set up for digital printing is very quick and straightforward which can cut both costs and print time.

2) Low price Digital print on demand services operate at a lower cost per copy than traditional printers and many companies offer a further reduced rate for ordering in bulk. This lower price is a result of lower set up fees and allows companies to receive a reduced cost per copy for their printing. Digital print on demand can save you money on producing marketing materials for one off events such as exhibitions as you can order the exact number of posters or leaflets you require rather than ordering in bulk and paying for items you won’t use. The time and work involved setting up each digital print job is minimal which also keeps costs low.

3) Flexible Whether you’re a budding author who’s keen to self publish your first book on a budget or if you’re a business wanting to produce a new brochure, print on demand is a suitable choice for all types of printing. On demand digital printing is flexible in terms of the scope and size of a project. Printers will be able to produce poster size prints in brilliant colours which make ideal marketing tools for example. The short print runs mean that you can target your marketing more by printing different leaflets which are tailored to different customers for example.

Wide format digital printing is the ideal way to professionally print large images. Often used for advertising materials and fine art, wide format printing ensures the size of the image doesn’t compromise the print quality. Below are the top five uses of this type of printing…

1. Advertising banners Businesses use banners to promote themselves in a variety of situations such as at trade fairs, at presentations or even outside their offices or shops to attract passersby. Banners can generally be printed on PVC or vinyl and can be tailored for indoor or outdoor use.

2. Backdrops Backdrops are a great way to add a professional touch to an office or shop as your company name, latest event or promotion can be printed on a high quality canvas or PVC background. Backdrops are also commonly used at events such as fashion shows, comedy night and award ceremonies.

3. Fine art and photography Whether you want a poster size print of your favourite photo of if you require a dramatic effect for a special event or promotion, large fine art and photography prints certainly get noticed. Giclée printing produces a high quality finish which is perfect for fine art prints and canvas printing is the ideal option for adding an elegant touch to your family photos.

4. Posters Posters can be a great way to bring some fun to a special occasion such as a milestone birthday party or wedding. Theatres, clubs and educational institutions also use posters to promote upcoming events and special offers. Posters are a versatile and affordable way to get the word out about your company.

5. Signage If you run a business and have offices or a shop then adding a sign to your premises is vital so that customers know who you are and what you do. Signage can also be used for promotional purposes or as a practical and highly effective way of giving information to customers.

Home computing

Digital printers are not just used in businesses; these printers are readily available and provide a professional and inexpensive way to print documents and photos at home.

Publishing

Gone are the days when publishing houses relied on printing presses to produce huge volumes of books. Thanks to digital printing, publishers can save money and help the environment as printing is often done on demand. This means that books are written and produced as they used to be but they are only printed to order so publishers can cut costs on storage, surplus stock and shipping which can also benefit the environment.

Digital fine art

Paintings can now be reproduced to the highest standards thanks to digital printing. Giclée prints are created using digital inkjet printers and are the ideal solution for artists who want an affordable way to mass produce their work.

Photographs

You no longer have to go to a high street developer to have your photos printed as digital printers can provide this service in your home and many of them will print your pictures directly from a camera’s memory card. Specialist digital printers offer a range of services to enhance your favourite photos such as resizing or printing onto canvas.

Personalised printing

Digital printing comes into its own with personalised printing on short print runs. Whether it’s wedding stationery, customised children’s books or advertising literature for example, digital printing allows you to select the exact parameters for your print and order a short print run to keep the costs low without compromising on quality.