Useful Information & Frequently Asked Questions

The festive season is a great opportunity to get in touch with your clients, let them know they are appreciated and thank them for their business – of course whilst reinforcing your brand! In an era of digitalisation, here are some ways you can use print to ensure that you stand out from your competitors this Christmas.

Christmas Cards

An obvious but effective option! Corporate Christmas cards are a great way to get your brand in front of your clients for the whole month of December, so it is important to get organised as early as possible. Never underestimate the power of saying thank you with a simple card. Coloured or printed envelopes can also be used to further strengthen your brand and ensure that your card makes an impact with your customers and prospects. Whilst it does take extra time and effort, including a hand-written note can add a personal touch to really show your appreciation.

So what should you include in the design? It is important that your Christmas card is reflective of your brand. This might be through the use of your corporate colours or other elements that reflect your industry or something that people know you or your company for. Be as eye-catching as possible whilst ensuring that you are appealing to your target audience.

Calendars

Whilst Christmas cards can promote your brand for a whole month, calendars are a great way to promote you brand for a whole year! This could include tent calendars, wall planners, CD calendars, printed mouse mats (double sided – so you get two year’s exposure!) and much more.

Branded Gifts

The festive season is the perfect time to thank your clients. A branded box of confectionery will always be well received, but useful gifts which people want to hold on to are likely to be the most effective. Did you know the Norwich Print Solutions has a wide range of useful items such as branded pens, notepads, diaries and coasters which will get you noticed all year round. Vouchers are also a great way of saying thank you.

Events

What better way to celebrate than to hold an event! This can be a great way to generate credibility and likeability around your brand, as well and building relationships with your prospects and clients.

At Norwich Print Solutions are able to supply all the print essentials for your event, from invitations and menus to banners and napkins. Make an impact with specialty finishes such as foil blocking, coloured edging and duplexing to add a high-quality and luxurious feel.

With an unrivaled range of printed materials and gifts, get in contact to see how we can help you to stand out of the crowd this Christmas. You can drop us a line sales@norwichprintsolutions.co.uk or call us on +441603 430730.

This is a question we get asked a lot. If you plan on supplying files for a job, take note of the following points to ensure a perfect print.

• All files must be supplied in a CMYK colour format as this represents the colour that will be printed. We sometimes receive colour references for RGB, however this format was created to represent colours on screen only and so may appear differently when printed.
• For us to print your artwork, in most cases we need files supplied as PDFs.
• The resolution of a reproduction is determined by how many pixels are used digitally to recreate the images. The greater the number of pixels, the higher the resolution. High resolution images should have at least 300dpi (dots per inch) at 100%.
• Most finished artwork needs to be supplied with ‘trims and bleed’. ‘Bleed’ refers to part of the design that will be trimmed off when the print is cut to size. The purpose of this is to prevent any white borders around the design as we are not having to cut right up to the edge. ‘Trims’ are then needed to indicate the final size of the print after the ‘bleed’ has been cut off. If you do not have trims and bleed, we may have to add system time charges before we go to print.
• It is also important to keep a ‘safe area’ on the inside of the trims to ensure than any text on imagery isn’t at risk of being cut off.
• Please ensure that files are supplied as single pages instead of spreads.

How do you know which method is right for your print requirements? Overall, digital is more suitable for short run printing whilst litho is more suited to mass production. However, there are a number of issues to consider when looking at the two options.

Quantity and budget

Generally, digital is more suitable for short run printing (i.e. fewer copies) and litho for longer runs (i.e. more copies). This is because digital printing is done directly from the file to the machine so there are no set up processes and you only print what you need, resulting in no waste and making small print runs very economical. Litho printing however requires additional set-up costs, therefore making it more expensive for short runs.

Turnaround

Digital printing is controlled by computers and requires minimal set up, which significantly reduces the turnaround time. Litho set ups however are far more complex and uses plates to transfer ink onto paper, so the set up therefore takes longer.

Proofing

Digital is the way to go if you need to see an accurate proof of the finished print before you order. Creating accurate proofs through litho printing can be expensive as it involves making plates and preparing the press just for one sample copy.

Customisation

As computers control the printing process for digital printing it is much easier to change the content of the item whilst it is being printed. This adds a level of customisation and personalisation that cannot be achieved through litho printing.

Quality and Colour

Whilst the quality of digitally printing continues to improve, when printing graduated tints and large solid blocks of colour, litho is often the preferred process as it is far more accurate than the four-colour digital process. Spot colours can also be produced through litho printing.

Still unsure which option to go with? Get in contact with us today.

A good quality and well designed roller banner (also known as pull up/roll up banners) are an important resource for any exhibition, trade show or event. They are also useful to promote your brand in your shop or place of work.

After dealing with hundreds of roller banners over the years, designing, printing and assembling them has become second nature. But for those of you who are unfamiliar, here are our 10 useful hints and tips:

1. Keep text to a minimum – use clear and concise wording to get your message across.

2. A good quality roller banner will come with a carry case to make them super-portable.

3. The pole to erect the banner is stored in the base of the cassette.

4. The pole is assembled by slotting the ends into one another to form the full length pole.

5. The feet are needed to steady the banner – they are at the base of the cassette and swivel outwards to form a base.

6. It’s important to ensure the bottom of the pole is slotted in through the hole on the cassette and inserted firmly all the way down to the bottom.

7. Before pulling the graphic out of the cassette place your foot on the cassette. Not doing so will result in the cassette being lifted off the floor which could cause irreversible damage to the graphic or the cassette. Do the same when you are taking your roller banner down.

8. Pull the graphic out of the cassette slowly and keep it as straight as possible to avoid damage.

9. Once the graphic has been fully extended slot the pole into the black bracket, the pole will then hold the graphic in place and the roller banner will remain stable.

10. And finally, choose your roller banner printer on quality. Whilst a ‘bargain’ roller banner might look great straight out of the case, it won’t be long before the colours start fading and the edges curl. Never is the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ more true than in the case of roller banners!

Regardless of the size of your company, exhibiting is a great opportunity to collect leads, make sales, add credibility and build relationships. So how are you going to make the most of your day and the opportunities exhibiting creates?

1. Plan ahead.

Make sure you have all the print and equipment you need ready for the day. Don’t panic though! For those last minute leaflets, business cards and roller banners we can provide a same day/next day service. Also don’t forget to TELL PEOPLE you are going and invite them to visit you at your stand; this may involve posting about it on social media and don’t forget to use the event’s hashtags.

2. Never assume visitors know who you are and what you do.

Any graphics must be clear, precise and well-labelled. Having an eye catching question or statement on your roller banners is a great way to get people thinking. Your stand is also a great way to get your brand noticed but don’t get so caught up with a fabulous design that you leave visitors guessing what your business is all about. People are more likely to come over for a chat if they know what your business does, rather than feeling silly for asking.

3. Stand out from the crowd.

This may involve thinking creatively. Here at Norwich Print Solutions we work with our clients to create design and print solutions to help you make the biggest impact. For example, our extra wide roller banners will ensure you stand out from your competitors. You can also give your prospects something they want to hang on to and remember you by with laminated and specialty print finished business cards.

4. Branding.

Make sure your stand is branded in your company colours, proudly featuring your logo. And why not take your branding a step further with our wide range of promotional gifts. This may be simply through promotional pens or bags, or perhaps something a bit different such as confectionery items and novelty gifts.

5. Don’t cram.

Open space is more inviting! And the idea of less is more also applies to your print. Avoid cramming roller banners with lots of text which people may not have time to read. Keep it clear and simple.

6. Dress smartly.

You can also increase brand awareness by wearing clothing that show off your business or reflect your company colours. We can provide a wide range of printed clothing and headwear.

7. Follow up.

So you’ve got there early, put together an impressive stand and wowed people with your striking business cards and roller banners. Now make sure you are prepared to follow up. How are you going to turn these leads into sales? In some cases this may just involve a friendly email. However why not send them an information pack or a booklet to introduce your business; this will give your potential customers something they will want to hang on to and remember you by.

In a growing digital age, why does the printed business card survive?

We believe its survival is due to the fact that unlike swapping information digitally, a business card can allow you to create personal connections and it leaves the recipient with a lasting impact.

So ensure that your business card is unforgettable by following these steps.

Quality

Does the quality of the card convey the quality of your business? It’s important to create a card that people will want to hold on to. Our specialty print finishes including velvet lamination, foil blocking and spot UV can help you to achieve an element of luxury that can really set you aside from your competitors.

Size

While anything other than standard might be seen as cool, you have to consider whether it is practical. A circular business card for example may be memorable, but if it doesn’t easily fit into a standard card folder or wallet, are your new connections going to hold on to it.

Colour

Printing using colours that reflect your brand is important as it can increase brand awareness. Remember that while it’s great to be eye catching, but make sure it is also easy to read

Text

Make sure that the fonts are clear and easy to read. Also be careful that the text isn’t too small.

Message

It is important that your business card doesn’t have people guessing what it is your company does. Without cramming information on to your card, make sure this is indicated so that your prospects don’t feel silly for asking.

Function

Whilst you’re putting together an eye catching business card, make sure not to forget about its primary purpose – to convey information about yourself and your company. There are the obvious contacts details such as telephone number, email, address and website, however why not consider social media icons if this is something you use? Whilst adding additional credibility to your business, social media icons can also give potentials clients another platform to communicate with you and encourage them to share your content to a wider network.

While print terminology is second nature to us, we are aware that to others it may be pretty alien. CMYK? DPI? GSM? While getting clued up will help allow communication to run smoother, it may also give you an advantage to your competitors by creating perfectly printed products first time round.

If you can’t find the term you’re looking for, please call us on 01603 430730 and we’ll be pleased to help.

Print:

Paper sizes

A0 841mm x 1189mm

A1 594mm x 841mm

A2 420mm x 594mm

A3 297mm x 420mm

A4 210mm x 297mm

A5 148mm x 210mm

A6 105mm x 148mm

A7 74mm x 105mm

GSM

Paper weight is measured in grams per square metre. For example a business card may be printed on to 400gsm whilst a flyer might be on 130gsm. For paper samples, get in contact.

Digital Printing

More cost effective than lithographic printing and allows for very short print runs. Although it is generally accepted that on the whole it is not yet to the standard of litho.

Lithographic Printing

Based on the principle of the natural aversion of water to grease. It is more cost effective for long run printing.

Imposition

Positioning pages in a press-ready form in order for them to be in the correct numerical sequence after folding.

Pagination

This describes the arrangement and number of pages. Remember: generally all books are made up of sections of 4 and the number of pages within a book must be divisible by 4. For example, 4pp cover and 16pp text. The exception is when there are throw-outs e.g. in some books you might have a 6 page cover where there is a fold out section. PUR, perfect bound and wiro bound books can work is 2 page sections as well however as they are bound using glue.

Self Cover

This is where the paper used inside a booklet is the same as that used for the cover.

Design:

Resolution

The resolution of a reproduction is determined by how many pixels are used digitally to recreate the images. The greater the number of pixels, the higher the resolution. When printing, it is important that all digital image files are of the correct resolution.

DPI

This refers to ‘dots per inch’, and is typically used when describing the resolution of the print. The higher the DPI, the higher the resolution and so the more accurate and detailed your print.

Where possible images should be placed within a digital document at 100% size.

Low resolution images tend to be between 72dpi – 120dpi at 100%.

High resolution images should be at least 300dpi at 100%

Full Colour Process

Reproduction of full-colour photographs, or art, with the four basic colours of ink (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Also known as 4 Colour Process.

CMYK

Stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black) (as above) which when combined together can be made to produce the full colour spectrum.

RGB

Stands for the primary colours: red, green and blue. As with CMYK, it is similarly blended to create an array of other colours.

Printing in one/two/three colour

Printing in 1 colour does what it says on the tin; for example printing just black or perhaps a spot colour. Printing in 2 or 3 colour however a longer process as the piece is printed on a second or third time in a difference colour once the first layer has dried.

Pantone©

This is a standardised colour matching system. It allows different manufacturers in different locations to all reference a Pantone numbered colour, making sure they match without direct contact with one another. See Spot Colour.

Spot Colour

A method of specifying and printing colours, in which each colour is printed with its own ink.

Four Colour Process

Uses four inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) to produce all other colours. Also known as ‘full colour’.

Bleed

Refers to when a printed image extends beyond the trim edge of a sheet or page. Allowing for this avoids white areas surrounding the image when cut.

Trims

Similarly it’s important not to have anything touching the trim line as paper can sometimes move on the press, so potentially allowing text and logos to be chopped off. It is therefore essential to leave space for your content in order to avoid this. When designing in creative Adobe programs, the trim will give you a true representation of what will be printed.

Typography

This refers to the fonts used. It covers the, spacing, font, and typesetting of your text. It is important to keep this consistent to ensure that the text ‘fits’ with your style or branding.

File Types:

JPEG

(Joint Photographic Electronic Group) is commonly used to compress image data.

PDF

(Portable Document Format) is a file format that has captured all the elements of a printed document as an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print, or forward to someone else. At Norwich Print Solutions, this is the format a document containing artwork for print is needed in. As it is a secure file, it is also generally used for proofing purposes.

EPS

An acronym for Encapsulated PostScript. This is a computer file format widely used by the printing and graphics industries.

Finishing:

Binding

Process of fastening papers together. Norwich Print Solutions offers a range of binding types including two wire saddle stitched and perfect binding. Take a look at some of our options.

Lamination

A process of applying a transparent plastic film to the surface of a printed sheet. This is used to make the final sheet more durable and less likely to mark or scratch. Different finishes include Matt, Gloss and Silk.

Collating

Gathering together sheets of paper from a brochure, book or magazine and placing them into the correct order.

Crease

To mechanically press a rule into heavy paper or board. This allows it to be folded without cracking.

Scanning

This is the process of converting a hard copy into digital data ready for editing and design. Here, the quality of the scan is dependent on the quality of the original (hard copy), the scanning equipment, software and also the experience of the operator.

Duplexing

Printed sheets are bonded together, each with its outward face able to received the print effect required to give you double thickness.

UV Varnish

This has a very high gloss finish and is applied by a roller in a thick layer and then dried very quickly under UV lights to give it its high finish.

Embossing

Relief printing or stamping in which dies are used to raise characters above the surface of the paper.

Debossing

Relief printing or stamping in which dies are used to raise the surface of the paper around the characters.

Foiling

Where an extremely find sheet of coloured film is applied to a blocked or embossed metal moulding. Normally metallic colours are used by any colour can be used.

Lamination

A process of applying a transpaper plastic film to the surface of the a printed sheet. This is used to make the final sheet more durable and less likely to mark or scratch. Laminates come in different types of finishes – matt, gloss, silk, crystal and soft touch; gloss being the most durable. There are also different makes of laminates e.g. OPP and Acetate.

Folding Types

Concertina fold

When paper is folded with each fold in the opposite direction to the other before it.

Roll fold

When each fold is in the same direction as the preceding one.

Gate fold

Where a sheet has folds which meet together

After taking the time to create a beautifully designed and well written brochure or booklet, it is important to consider how you want to bind the pages as this can largely affect the overall finish of the product. Norwich Print Solutions offers a range of different binding options such as saddle stitching, perfect binding, wire binding and metal screw binding.

Saddle Stitching

This is the most popular and cost effective option. Here a document is held together with small wire stables that run along the spine. It is often preferred for smaller brochures to achieve a professional finish.

Perfect Binding

A suitable option for thicker brochures as it provides a smooth and professional look that is sturdy and lasts. The process involves binding the document together using a strong adhesive along the spine.

Wire Binding

With this method, metal loops are used to bind the booklet together. The binding can be positioned across the top or down the left hand side of the document. Unlike other binding options, the technique can allow the document to fold fully around, making it the perfect option for training manuals, reference guides and note pads.

Metal Screw Binding

Here holes are drilled into the pages of the booklet and screws are inserted. This is ideal for smaller documents and creates a unique and eye catching element to the job.

Choosing the correct paper weight is a crucial step to creating professional print. With over 60 years’ experience in the print industry, here at Norwich Print Solutions we are on hand to help you find the best paper to suit your requirements.

Having paper too thick in a brochure or booklet can prevent the document from closing properly, while going for a thinner stock for flyers or business cards can create an unprofessional feel. We can help you to give your clients and prospects something they’ll want to hold on to.

The term GSM refers to the weight of paper and is an acronym for Grams per Square Metre. Therefore in most cases the higher the GSM, the thicker the paper. At a starting point, standard office paper is often around 80 to 100gsm.

Letterheads and Compliment Slips

Often printed on to 100gsm, however for a more luxurious feel you may opt for a 130gsm.

Flyers

As standard we would suggest a 130gsm stock, however for something a bit special, we would recommend 170gsm or 200gsm.

Posters

To create a long lasting poster we use a 200gsm stock.

Postcards

350gsm for a thick high quality finish.

Presentation Folders

For a thick and durable finish we recommend a 350gsm stock.

Brochures

For the pages inside a brochure we would often go for a stock somewhere between 130gsm and 170gsm. For a high quality finish we often opt for a thicker cover, somewhere around 200gsm to 250gsm.

Business Cards

Being an essential tool for any business, we can help you to create connections and leave a lasting impression with our thick and durable 400gsm stock. For a further element of luxury, we can also laminate and use specialty finishes to really make your business cards stand out.