Pantone Announces 2020 Color of the Year

Posted on December 4, 2019 Written by

Pantone, the leading authority in color, has announced their choice for color of the year in 2020: Classic Blue (PANTONE 19-4052)! A timeless and enduring blue hue is elegant in its simplicity and satisfies our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.

What Does Pantone Say?
According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, this color is the constancy and confidence needed for the New Year. “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith,” says Eiseman. “Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation.”

Eiseman also says that the 2020 color of the year is a boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.”

A Dependable and Stable Foundation in Design
Incorporating the color of the year into print and design is a great way to keep things focused and help bring clarity to your design, and “dependability” is the name of the game with this reflective blue tone. Its sense of peace and tranquility offers refuge to the human spirit.

If your customers want to pair Classic Blue with another color, they’re in luck. Pantone has a number of suggestions for color pairings when your customer is creating their print. From cool blue pairings and an array of warm and soothing shades to help induce a gently calming effect and feelings of peaceful tranquility to the human spirit.

Looking for a way to make Classic Blue even more special? Consider pairing it with a specialty stock or process! Consider pairing with Enhanced Finishes for another level of design.

A Color for All
Classic Blue is a great fit for many different industries, it’s a particularly natural fit for customers that need to convey dependability and stability in their business. From Healthcare to Banking and Finance the reassurance of Classic Blue will put their customer’s minds at ease.

What do you think of Pantone’s choice? Do you think your customers will want to use it in their print? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, Education, Marketing, Print Products, Resources

Freshen Up Your Dated Goods for the New Year

Posted on November 28, 2019 Written by

The New Year is rapidly approaching, so now is a good time to talk to your customers about refreshing their date stamps and embossers while they prepare to order other dated goods like calendars, planners, and appointment books.

Most businesses work with documents that must be dated. From checks and mailings to dated forms, a date stamp can save your customers time and formalize the documents they use every day. Our collection of date stamps has an option perfectly suited to your customer’s business.

Xstamper pre-inked date stamps can be used thousands of times before needing to be re-inked. Our 2000 PLUS Self-inking stamps are great for high-volume use and can also be used thousands of times before their built-in ink pad needs to be re-inked or replaced. Every dater we offer is guaranteed for the duration of its date band, so your customers are sure to enjoy their date stamp for years to come.

Does your customer need something a little more durable this year? We’ve expanded our line to include Comet and Pullman stock band stamps. These heavy-duty stamps bring together an industrial-grade body and a long-lasting band, making them a durable option for daily and repeated use.

Does your customer sell a product that has an expiration date? Dater stamps are one way to make sure that date is clearly marked. These stamps are ideal for small businesses that sell food, like independent bakeries or butcher shops.

The New Year is also a great time to ask about new notary stamps and embossers for your customers who are certified as a notary public. Because their stamps or embossers need to be updated periodically, checking in with these customers is a good way to make sure they are prepared for the new year.

For more information about the daters and embossers, you can offer your customers, take a look at the stamp and embosser sections on our website.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, Resources

Create a Winter Marketing Strategy that “Wins”

Posted on November 27, 2019 Written by

We’ve talked through marketing strategies for the rest of the year – now it’s time to plan for this winter! As the weather gets cold and, for many of us, snow becomes a constant topic of conversation, it provides an opportunity to start our planning with a blank canvas. Winter is the perfect time to regroup, set goals and much more. Here are our tips for creating a winter marketing strategy.

“Start Early!”
If your customers order print for a business that has seasonal services, this is the time to remind them that their marketing should start early. For example, if you work with customers in the lawn care industry, they should be laying the groundwork for new customer relationships before the first blades of grass peek through the snow. Talking to these customers about the necessity of starting early is a good way to boost your business and theirs.

“Be Visible!”
Step up your social media to reach out to more customers when the weather doesn’t allow you to get out as much as you’d like. Or simply give your customers a call. If things have slowed down due to the weather, consider giving a call to your customers.

Make Sure Your Emails are Polished
Consider updating your email signature to include your photo or company logo and using fonts that work well with your branding to add style to your everyday emails. You should also work to ensure that any promotional emails like newsletters look good, too—use photographs and be sure to show the best of what your business has to offer.

And speaking of digital promotions…

Online Options
One of the best ways to market to your customers is to give them a way to browse your product offering without having to brave the snow. One in-depth way to do this is to create a website that allows your customers to order online, but there are small ways to give them online options, too. PDFs of product flyers or customized digital catalogs can both be sent through email and ensure that information about your product offering is only a click away.

Want to get started on these simple online options? You’re in luck—Navitor offers free online flyers and digital catalogs. Visit Zoomcatalog to get started on personalizing your copy of the Navitor catalog or check out our free digital flyers for more information.

How do you promote your business when you’re snowed in? We’d love to see your winning winter marketing strategies in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, Print Products, Resources

Is it Time for Your Customers to Reorder?

Posted on November 21, 2019 Written by

The New Year is fast approaching, and that means it’s time for your customers to reorder the print pieces they rely on! Whether their print needs an update before 2020 or they want to freshen things up, it’s a great time for them to reorder the pieces they use every day. It’s also a good time for you to remind your customers of the products they might want before January. Here’s a checklist of the things your customers should consider reordering before the New Year.

Stamps and Embossers
Stamps and embossers are some of the most common products that need to be reordered before the New Year. From notary stamps and embossers that require updating to dater stamps that end in 2018, freshening up your customer’s stamps is a good way to ensure that they have everything they need on January 1st.

Business Cards
Whether your customer has updated their branding or just wants to ensure that they have enough on hand, the end of the year is a good time for them to place an order for updated business cards. It’s a good time for customers to update these business essentials with new job titles, updated photographs, and other important details.

Promotional Products
If your customer’s tradeshow schedule is anything like ours, they’ll probably try to start the year strong with event attendance. This means that it is an essential time to update their promotional products! Not only does this give them a chance to replenish their stock after holiday giving, but it will also give them the chance to consider new promotional products for 2020. And, speaking of promotional products…

Calendars
Whether your customer keeps branded calendars in the office or wants to create a promotional piece that will last throughout the year, calendars are a great option. Ordering soon will ensure that they will give 365 days of marketing impressions.

Awards
The end of the year is also a great time to update awards. If your customers have an employee of the month program (or are looking to start one), the end of the year is an ideal time for them to make sure they have personalized plates for all of this past year and a new plaque for next year. Navitor’s cherry finish perpetual plaques let your customers reward their best employees every month and encourage other employees to work hard, too.

More information about Navitor’s wide range of useful products can be found on the Help and Resources page of our website. There, you can view all of our updated catalogs and see the new options and old favorites we currently offer.

Is it time for your customer to reorder? What print pieces are a yearly must-buy? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Marketing, Print Products, Promotional Products, Resources

The Best Folder Experience

Posted on November 14, 2019 Written by

Are your customers looking for ways to increase their business success? Are you looking for a way to boost your bottom line? If so, FolderWorks™ has the answers to both of these questions!  We are confident that our products, solutions, and services will deliver success for both you and your customers and provide you with the Best Folder Experience.

Created for your Customers
Believe it or not, presentation folders are an effective tool for your customers to market and promote their business.  They present information in a professional and organized fashion to both employees and customers and are a great way for your customer to present the informational, educational, or promotional materials you are likely already providing for them.

A Boost for Your Business
Importantly, the average retail dollar value of one presentation folder order is almost $800.  If you aren’t selling folders, you are missing out on a product line with high sales (and income) potential!  And, if you aren’t using FolderWorks™, you are missing out on the Best Folder Experience in the industry!

Numbers Your Business Can Count On

  • Orders are produced On-time more than 98% of the time.
  • Customers rate our quality at 99% on orders purchased
  • We answer the phone within 5 seconds of your call.

The Best Folder Experience is our commitment to being fair and honest to all our customers. This is a significant differentiator among our competitors and key to providing high ticket/high profile products like presentation folders! We focus on the following key issues that impact your presentation folder business:

We don’t believe a +/- 10% over/under policy is fair to you. We send you the quantity you order. No shortages and no automatic additional charges if there happen to be extras.

We aren’t afraid to talk to you, in fact, we encourage it! We know presentation folders are high ticket and high profile products and we want to help you find the perfect folder for your customers!

We know your time is valuable! Our friendly and knowledgeable sales associates and customer service representatives strive to answer your call within 10 seconds. In fact, since 2017 our average speed to answer is 5 seconds!

We do NOT sell to your customers. We are your silent partner and you can trust that we will never contact your customers.

Want to know more about how FolderWorks™ is supporting you as a silent partner? Take a look at our non-branded materials that help you increase product awareness and help build your brand loyalty. Want to learn more about new market opportunities? We’ve created this flyer to help you. Or, if you’d rather call us, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call at (877) 294-5028 to ask your question and try us out!

Filed Under: Design, Education, Folders, Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources

Product Spotlight: Magnets

Posted on November 13, 2019 Written by

Are your customers looking for simple promotional products and will stick around? A fun way to promote events or a special occasion? Whether they want something as small as a business card or as large as a sign, magnets are a versatile canvas that are practical and flexible.

Full Color Magnets
Full color magnets are an ideal size for a wide variety of different uses. Printed with a sports schedule, they can make a great fundraiser for high school sports teams, take-home to keep parents and students organized, or “than you” gift for donors. Printed with essential phone numbers, they can be used by realtors looking to introduce homeowners to neighborhood restaurants or hotels wanting to keep contact information close for guests.

Full color magnets are available in three different sizes: 5 1/2” x 4 1/4”, 4” x 10”, 8” x 10”. These sizes are large enough to contain plenty of information, but small enough that they are easy to use as promotional pieces because consumers can place them on refrigerators, filing cabinets, and other household locations.

Magnetic Business Cards
You’ve probably seen plenty of magnetic business cards before, so I won’t spend too much time describing what they are. These business-card sized magnets are a classic promotional option for the service industry customers, tradeshows, and more. Traditionally, they are printed with contact information just like a business card: a phone number, an email address, and sometimes a physical address or an employee photo to make a more personal connection.

These business cards aren’t just business cards, however. Any information that can be printed on a business card can be printed on these magnets. They can be used as specialty drink menus for hotel room service, a “welcome” gift from realtors to new homeowners, “save the date” reminders for upcoming events, and to express a wide variety of other shorter messages.

Shaped Magnets
These full color magnets are available in five popular shapes that fit nearly every customer’s needs: House, Circle, Van, Square, Oval. Sized as the perfect giveaway at their next event to share company information. These magnets can be viewed in our catalog and ordered manually.

What makes all of these magnet options so versatile is that they are printed in full color, allowing your customers to personalize magnets large and small with their company logo, photographs, vibrant designs, and more.

Do your customers order magnets? Which size is their favorite? We’d love to hear more about it in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Print Products, Resources

Adding a Touch of Luxury to Announcements

Posted on November 6, 2019 Written by

A personalized announcement delivers more than an invitation to a big event, holiday greetings, or thanks. It elevates your customer’s message to a new level, whether your customer is looking for a traditional announcement for their grand opening or a luxurious specialty announcement for their biggest events. Here are our tips for adding a touch of luxury to your customer’s print order.

Capture the Look of Gold or Silver Leaf with Foil Stamping
Nothing says “luxury” quite like a metallic, and bringing that metallic to your customer’s design is a great way to give it a touch of luxury and to emphasize their message or their logo. Whether your customer wants the tried-and-true look of gold foil on an ivory or white stock, pairs the sheen of foil with muted colors for a vintage look, or is seeking the sophisticated and chic look of foil paired with darker hues like black or jewel tones, foil stamping is a great choice. It makes an especially big impact on Announcements, where it shows off that high end feel with every invitation delivered.

Add Depth With Enhanced Finishes
An alternative to traditional foil is the variety and luxury provided by Enhanced Finishes. Choose Spot Gloss to add a glossy finish, Raised Foil to add depth and shine, or Raised Spot Gloss to provide a tactile element to a spot gloss finish.

Choose a Heavyweight Stock for a More Substantial Feel
Sometimes, luxury is something you have to feel, and heavyweight stocks are one way to convey that luxury if your customer wants to use a full color image in their print. Extra thick stock can give business cards, announcements, or postcards a substantial feel that instantly makes an impression, and color core pairs that heavyweight feel with a vibrant colored core that shows along the edge of the print piece. Choose the color core stock that matches their design, or use a black core to add a sleek touch that matches any design.

Make Something Really Extraordinary! Consider our Crystal Glitter Stock
If your customer wants something completely unique and eyecatching, they should consider a design that takes advantage of the heavyweight thickness and unexpected pop of color that comes from color core stock with the sparkle of a glittered surface! The crystal white finish of our glitter stock is more than just sparkly. It has a subtle, iridescent look that adds depth and visual interest to the glitter finish. And we are pleased to note that the glitter stays put on the stock’s surface—this means that it won’t lose its sparkle before it’s been handed to the customer.

The glitter also adds a textured surface to any business card, announcement, or postcard that uses glitter stock, adding an extra touch of tactile appeal. This means that when a design features heavy ink coverage and the glitter itself is covered by that ink, there is an appealing textured surface on those areas. And because of the colored core, Crystal White Glitter Color Core stock will weigh in at an impressive 45pt. thickness that is sure to stand out from the crowd.

We are offering a special deal just in time for the holidays 25% off the new crystal white glitter color core and color core announcements and postcards from now until December 31st. Visit Navitor.com to save automatically through our online ordering tool.

How do you help your customers decide what print products and processes are best for them? Do you have any suggestions to share? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, Education, Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Introducing PackageWorks; a New Product Line from FolderWorks

Posted on October 30, 2019 Written by

PackageWorks™ specializes in short-run quantities for the fast-changing retail market where niche brands, regional product introductions, and burgeoning “micro” markets demand high-quality packaging in smaller quantities.

FolderWorks™ production capabilities are perfectly suited to satisfy the needs in this burgeoning marketplace (fueled by eCommerce specialization and niche marketing) of smaller companies and product lines/production runs for the kind of high quality, low quantity packaging that will set their products apart and enhance brand loyalty.

Niche product and marketing entrepreneurs are popping up in locations all over the country, especially with entrepreneurs in local communities. The need for short-run, high-quality packaging is booming for products in almost all vertical markets and product lines. The hot recent trends are:

  • The food and beverage industry with candies/confections and cookies/crackers
  • The beer, wine and spirits industry with specialty beers, wines and other specialty liquors
  • The pharmaceutical and Neutraceutical industry especially with Cannabis/CBD oil products

PackageWorks™ focuses on folding carton styles that suit a wide range of products for all niche products/markets. PackageWorks™ has access to state-of-the-art CAD design and prototyping equipment required for this type of custom package design/mock-ups. Also, PackageWorks™ has unique access to other related products that can help with packaging such as labels, inserts, bottle-neckers, and hang-tags for clothing and other items.

Moreover, PackageWorks™ can provide the specialized custom finishes and coatings that add pizzazz and pop to retail packaging on the small scale that micro products and niche marketers require to set their brands apart and build brand loyalty.

When you work with PackageWorks™ you can feel confident in knowing you are supported by a family of companies with many years of paper product and packaging production experience in a wide variety of industries.

It’s quick and easy to reach us! Give us a call at (866) 227-3725 or email packaging@folder-works.com  to get the process started. Now it’s easier than ever to open yourself up to capitalize on the fast-growing micro-product, niche marketing boom!

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources

6 Reasons to Check Out Holiday Greetings

Posted on October 25, 2019 Written by


There’s a lot to love on Navitor.com, and we are introducing new Holiday Greeting Card options! If your customers create greeting cards for their holiday mailings, they should consider these new products, available to Navitor dealers through our website. Here are six reasons your customer should check out holiday greetings this holiday season.

1. One Price, Many Options
Your customer can keep things simple with clear, readable black print if they choose, but special touches like envelope printing, personalized verses, and foil stamping are available at no additional cost. There are no additional fees for the special touches that make your customers’ holiday mailings merrier.

2. These Cards Make the Design Process Easy
If your customers are looking for a way to create stylish holiday mailings but want to simplify the design process, holiday greeting cards make it easy. Pre-designed cards and a selection of stock verses will give your customers a selection of high-quality design options to choose from, letting them get back to their busy holiday preparations.

This streamlined design process will also keep things simple for you, which can be a gift in the busy holiday season. Need something a little more custom we’ve got you covered.

3. Custom Messaging is Still an Option
If your customer wants to make their greeting a little more personal, they can create a custom message and pair it with their favorite pre-designed card image. This gives them plenty of personalization potential but allows them to use the ready-made designs.

4. Ready to Mail
An upgrade to Fastick envelopes is available with every order, and they can be printed with your customer’s return address free of charge. This means that your customers can check envelopes off their to-do list as well.

5. High-End Greetings Look Elegant
In addition to making your customers’ ordering process simple, these greeting cards are high-end pieces of print that add an elegant touch to your customer’s holiday mailing efforts with minimal effort. Your customer’s personalized text on the card and the envelope can be printed in their choice of ink colors or, for added flair, choose foil.

6. Ordering is Easy—For Both of You!
Holiday greetings make the ordering process simple. For your customer, they make the design process smoother—simply select one of the stock designs. For you, they allow you to create a card online with just a few clicks—simply log on to your Navitor.com account to order through our online ordering tool.

Are you ready to explore these new greeting card options? Click here to explore our new selection, and to place your order.

Do your customers send announcements or greeting cards in the holiday season? What details are their favorites? We’d love to hear more in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

3 Ways Custom Printed Post-it® Notes Will Drive Repeat Business, Solve Problems and Build Awareness

Posted on October 24, 2019 Written by

The holiday season is fast approaching—do your customers have the print they need? Not only is the holiday season a great time to order your customer’s tried-and-true favorites, it’s also a great time for them to get creative with their print orders. In that spirit of creativity, we wanted to share a few ways that customers have use Post-it® Notes to solve a challenge.

1. Pizza Chain Builds Repeat Business with Coupons
A well-known pizza chain was looking for a better way to deliver coupons to customers while ensuring that the coupons would stay visible until the next time their customer placed an order.

Needing a solution that could be applied at the time of purchase, then removed and reapplied to another surface limited the options available to them.

Unlike other products, Post-it® Notes are repositionable and have the added benefit of sticking to stainless steel finishes, like a refrigerator. What they found is that in many cases their coupon was the only thing on the front of the refrigerator, keeping their company top-of-mind for everyone in the household. When it came time for another purchase, their coupon was more likely to be used.

As a result, the franchise location was able to participate in a program that was affordable and allowed them to keep multiple coupon variations on hand.

2. Custom Printed Post-it® Notes streamline in-flight drink service
A benefit of engaging in your surroundings may just land you your next order! When a National Sales Representative was traveling on a business trip she noticed the flight attendants struggling to record drink requests.

Observing the process she asked the flight attendant if she had considered a better way to record orders. The flight attendant indicated that having a way to attach the drink requests to the back of the device used to charge credit cards would be ideal. The sales representative requested a sample of what was currently being used to help explore options to improve their process.

Custom Printed Post-it® Notes, displaying the PAX Seating Chart and other necessary form fields, was pitched to the airline and they were immediately interested in the solution. The flight attendants on the review panel recommended moving forward with the idea and are now able to take and deliver drink orders faster.

3. Regional Food Drive Increases Donations with Custom Printed Post-it® Notes
A youth organization that holds an annual food drive was experiencing a decline in annual donations. Previously the organization left custom printed plastic bags on doors throughout their community. The bags, which were previously donated, were imprinted with directions on how to donate. This year the organization needed to cover the cost of the bags and were looking for a more affordable alternative.

By utilizing Post-it® Notes the organization was able to adhere the information to the front door. The Post-it® Notes allowed the homeowner to take the note from the front door and reposition it on their refrigerator or cabinet; making it easier to locate and remember.

The use of Post-it® Notes resulted in a highly visible reminder of the food drive. The size of the reminder was perfect for transferring from the door to a calendar and then to a grocery bag for the donation. The organization’s feedback was the Post-it® Notes served as a wonderful reminder, kept their costs down and drove an increase in donations.

Do your customers get creative with Post-it® Notes? What’s their favorite use? We’d love to hear more about their favorite uses in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery
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