Perfect Print for Boutiques

Posted on September 5, 2019 Written by

Whether your customer creates the products for their own store or gathers the very best to offer consumers, boutiques are a market where print is one more chance to make things extraordinary. Print can help add branding and style to every angle of a boutique’s business, from personalizing the building to adding an extra special touch to every product. Here are our picks of print pieces perfect for boutiques.

From the Moment They Walk Through the Door
One of the first ways that consumers connect with your customer’s brand is in their storefront, from their window display to their signage. And that signage is an essential way to personalize storefronts of all sorts. For an unexpected touch, your customer should consider clear window clings or vinyl wall art to reinforce architectural signage; these decals can be used to show off brand imagery and colors, display store hours, and add a bit of extra style.

Badges and Signage Bring Branding Indoors
The consumer is in the door—now what? Signage can also be used to brand a store’s interior to keep that branding going. Wall art can add style to the décor, signage can help guide guests through the store or provide necessary instructions, and decals can be used to highlight new products or special buys in glass product cases.

And your customer should be sure to match their badges to that signage. Even when employees don’t wear uniforms, branded badges create a polished look and make them easy to find when a shopper needs assistance.

Business Cards Add Polish and Professionalism
Business cards are a classic piece that many businesses use to connect with customers and investors, and boutiques are no exception. For boutiques, however, your customer might want to add an extra special touch to their business cards to match their extraordinary product offering. Consider adding color core stock for an unexpected pop of color, glitter color core for sparkle, or pearlized stock for a subtle shimmer.

Labels and Tags for Products
Boutiques specialize in well-chosen products, and the right product labels and tags can help add a special touch to this hand-selected flair. Your customer should consider using labels to add a branded touch to boxes, brown paper bags, and other preexisting packaging.

Branding with Every Buy
Does your customer want to keep the branded appeal going when a purchase has been made? They should consider adding personalized plastic bags to their business. Not only do these bags give them the chance to create one more touch point for their brand, they add a polished advertisement to each additional person they pass by.

And keep an eye out for new products that your customers who own boutiques will love!

Do you do business with boutiques? What print pieces are their favorites? We’d love to see your feedback in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, Education, Labels, Marketing, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Stationery

5 Fall Events in need of Tickets

Posted on September 4, 2019 Written by

Event tickets are a versatile print piece. Does your customer want to host a raffle? They’re ready to go. Do they want to create stylish tickets for a gala? Event tickets are there. With so many opportunities, we wanted to highlight some of our seasonal favorites. Here are our picks for fall events in need of personalized printed tickets from your business!

  1. Outdoor Concerts
    The weather might be cooling down, but outdoor events are still going strong and personalized event tickets are a great way to keep track of attendees and manage entry. Tickets can be coordinated with event posters and décor to make the experience feel complete.
  2. Fundraisers
    As we mentioned before, event tickets are ready-made for raffles—they even feature perforated ends that are easy to separate for drawings. Full color print makes them a great canvas for nonprofit branding and messaging.
  3. Fall Commencement
    While spring is a more common time for graduations, if you work with customers in higher education you might want to mention tickets for fall commencements! While fewer students finish their college careers in the fall, these are still events in need of tickets. Even better, you can use this order to get your foot in the door for commencement events in the spring.
  4. Employee Appreciation Events
    Adding a ticket to an employee appreciation event can be an excellent way for your customers to add a bit of polish to employee appreciation events. A personalized event ticket makes the event feel more exclusive and more exciting. And with temperate fall weather, it’s the last chance many of your customers will have to take advantage of outdoor spaces before winter weather sets in.
  5. Pre-Holiday Previews
    Some businesses host previews of the new products they will be debuting for the holiday season, and while these previews already feel exclusive an event ticket can help add to that feeling. This will make the event—and by extension, the products on display—feel just that more important.

What fall events are your customers’ favorites? How do they use tickets to add polish to these special occasions? We’d love to see your suggestions in the comments below.

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

Speed Up with Faster Print Quotes

Posted on August 30, 2019 Written by

Sometimes your customers need their quote fast—what can you do to get your quotes faster? As it turns out, there are a few things you can do to help ensure that nothing gets in the way of your quoting process. Often, your quote will arrive faster if we have more information about your order. So, how can you get your quote faster? Here’s what we need to know.

Start With Your Name, Contact Information, and Account Number
Because we work exclusively with resellers, we need to know that you’ve signed up for a Navitor account. That’s why it’s a good idea to put your account number and contact information upfront; it means that we can confirm your account quickly and ensures that we don’t need to double-check your information before getting your quote.

For an additional boost of speed, put your account number in the subject line. It’s an easy way to ensure that we get right to pricing your print products. And speaking of those products…

Product Details in Detail
What do you know about the print piece your customer needs quoted? We can give you more accurate information when you include as much information as possible, and it will cut down on back-and-forth while we try to get the specifics of your order. What information should you include?

  • A basic description of the order. What products do your customers need? Do they need sales sheets? Are they looking for a custom-sized folder?
  • What quantity?
  • What is the finished size of the piece?
  • Does your customer want a stock from our standard selection, or are they looking for a custom-ordered stock?
  • What type of print do your customers need? Do they need spot color print? Full color? Are they looking for a specialty process like enhanced finishes?
  • Does your customer need bleeds?
  • Will the piece feature single-sided or double-sided print?
  • Does your customer want a proof? Will digital work best, or do they want a press proof?

This list can seem like a lot of information, but it really does allow us to create a better and more accurate quote.

Instant Quoting for the Truly Speedy
Our quoting department isn’t the only way for you to get a quote. We also offer our online price calculator for real-time pricing. Simply select your product line from the drop down list on our homepage and click “Go” to start. Once you’ve clicked, you can select your product category, subcategory, and then product details. The calculator will instantaneously calculate online pricing for your order and your order’s production time. You can even click a button to start immediately.

What suggestions do you have for print buyers looking for printing quotes? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.

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

4 Sales Call Mistakes Your Customers Have Probably Heard This Week

Posted on August 28, 2019 Written by

No matter who you are talking to, a sales call can be a challenge—especially if your customer has been the recipient of several sales calls recently. Not only are you trying to make sure that your customer knows the benefits of the print you offer, but you’re trying to stand out from the crowd. By avoiding these four sales call mistakes, you’ll stand out from the crowd in the best possible way.

1. Being Too Aggressive
Whether it’s talking about yourself too much or pushing your products even after your customer has said that they aren’t interested, being aggressive is one issue that your customers are familiar with and it probably loses your competitors sales. Instead of being very aggressive with your customers, make sure that you balance your confidence with creating a connection with them. Ask questions about their print needs, offer options, and remember that the final choice of what print to order ultimately belongs to your customers.

2. Using Jargon
Your customer probably has some experience in print, but that’s no reason to fill your call with as much jargon as possible. Many salespeople use jargon in an attempt to sound like an expert, but it can alienate customers and make the call take longer than it needs to be because the customer may need to ask questions later about what those terms mean. If you need to use a technical term—bleed, for example—make sure that you’re also defining the important term in your sales pitch.

Speaking of important information…

3. Lack of Information
Whether it’s fumbling to find important information or talking only about the business itself and not about the products, a lack of usable information can make your competitors seem like they don’t know what they’re doing. Remember that you are the expert—be sure to have the information you need at the ready to ensure that your expertise comes across to your customers. Have your supplier’s catalog bookmarked so you can find that product at a moment’s notice. Keep your notes about previous conversations on hand. Not only will this help the call go more smoothly, but it will also highlight your expertise.

4. Not Giving Your Call a Clear Call-to-Action
Imagine how your customer feels when a sales call ends and they don’t have a clear picture of what’s next. Will they be sent a digital copy of a catalog to browse? Will you be calling back with a quote? What phone number should they use to contact you if they have questions? If you can give a clear call to action—a clear next step to your customer—it makes the sales process easier for them and helps ensure that you’ll get that next call!

What do you consider a big sales call mistake? Did we miss the biggest mistake on your list? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, News, Print Products, Resources

4 Back-to-School Lessons You Can Use in Your Business

Posted on August 16, 2019 Written by

We talked a few weeks back about how you can go “back to school” to keep your business knowledge moving. Today we want you to think back to the lessons you learned when you were in school—and put them in practice in your business! Here are four of the classroom lessons that will help your business thrive every day.

1. Have the Right Supplies
Remember when you were getting ready for the return to the classroom and you got a shopping list of the things you would need that year? Business can sometimes be a lot like that—having the right tools on hand when you start the job is essential.

But what are the right tools? As a professional, unfortunately, you can’t simply pick up your checklist at your average big box store. However, you also have the benefit of experience and can make your own list. Does having a vertical market sales kit on hand for meetings help you make the sale? Make sure you have one of these kits on hand at the start of the next sales meeting. Does one of your customers respond to having a catalog laid out in front of them? Make sure you’ve got that catalog ready—or send them a personalized digital catalog like our zoomCatalog.

2. Take a Moment Every Day to Stay Organized
If your elementary school was anything like mine, you spent some time every day picking up after yourselves, and this is a great habit to build in your business, too! Take a few minutes every day to organize your files, get a few small tasks checked off your list, and straighten things up at your desk. This will help you stay organized, and you’ll find that doing a little every day is much simpler than doing all that organizing at one time.

3. Give Yourself a Break to Recharge
Whether it’s taking a lunchtime breather or getting outside for some “recess,” taking a moment to recharge can be just as helpful for you now as it was when you were in school. Taking that break can help you work more effectively and get more done in the long run.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask a Question
Do you need more information about a new product? Are you unsure how to go about placing an order? Do you just want to have a little more clarity? It can be easy to avoid asking these questions because you’re worried about whether you should already know this information—but don’t be afraid to raise your hand! Whether it’s asking a teacher for more information or asking your print provider for more information about a new product, asking a question is as great an idea in your business as it was in the classroom.

What schoolroom lessons do you still use in your day-to-day life? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Resources

Marketing: It’s Time to Shake Things Up!

Posted on August 9, 2019 Written by

alarm clock announcing that it's time to change your personalized print marketing

Whether you’re feeling stuck in a rut with your marketing efforts or you want to reach out to a new audience, sometimes you need to shake things up with your marketing efforts! If you’re looking to make a change, here are a few tips for shaking things up with your marketing strategy.

Shake Things Up on Social Media
Because it moves quickly and changes just as quickly, the social media world can be a great way to shake things up with your marketing strategy. First and foremost, if you don’t have an online presence for your business you should definitely create social media pages as a new way to connect with customers. Once you’ve created these pages, it’s time to get started!

If your marketing is a highly polished and conservative affair, consider using social media to show a more casual, more human face to your business. Depending on your customer base, you might also want to show off the visual flair of the print you provide by sharing photographs on social media. This gives you a chance to show a different side of your business and possibly appeal to a whole new market.

Experiment With Seasonal Marketing
With the holidays coming up, you might want to think about how you can create seasonal marketing for your business. Not only is embracing the holiday season a great way to shake up your marketing and give you the chance to try something new, it is also a great way to experiment with new things without dedicating your marketing strategy to them long term.

Talk to Your Customers
Are you looking for a lower-risk opportunity for change? Talk to your existing customers about what they love about your business and what they wish they had known when they first started to do business with you. You might find that you aren’t highlighting the best that you have to offer and have the opportunity to change your marketing for the better.

Reach Out to Find New Ideas
This isn’t just one way to shake up your marketing—it’s opening the door to potentially endless ways! By reading books or blogs and following social media accounts written by people outside your specific industry you might find inspiring new ideas. As print professionals, you have a lot of choices—read a book on marketing strategies from a professional marketer, read blog posts about the markets that you work with most often, or follow small business owners to learn about a variety of new topics.

How do you shake up your marketing efforts? We would love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, Misc, News

Personalized Stamps Help Teachers Make Their Mark

Posted on August 7, 2019 Written by

Imagine writing the same check mark or star twenty times on a page, then turning that page and needing to do it again. If you know any teachers, you know that this isn’t pure imagination—it’s a reality for many educators while they grade assignments. Then multiply the experience by the number of students in the class and by the number of classes that a teacher has to teach throughout the day.

With so many stars or check marks to draw, it’s easy to see why a stamp could be an ideal gift for many teachers.

Whether your customer is a school official looking to thank teachers for their hard work, a nonprofit looking for a way to liven up classrooms, or someone hoping to create a striking teacher gift, stamps are a great choice.

1. Saves Time for Busy Teachers
This is the biggest reason why teachers might want to have some stamps on hand in their classroom. Just like signature stamps, a classroom stamp can help them save time marking assignments and give them back more time in their day. And, as we mentioned before, teachers can grade many assignments every day, so that time savings can really add up throughout the year.

2. Personalization Potential
Every classroom is different, and a stamp is a fun way to personalize the grading process. Rather than using just a smiley face, a message of “Great Job!” or “100%”, your customer can choose to add the teacher’s name to the message for an extra, personal touch. Think of it like a signature stamp with a grading twist!

The design isn’t the only option for personalizing a stamp, however. The type of stamp can also be a great chance for personalization. If the recipient likes color, consider a traditional rubber stamp that can be used with a wide variety of different colored stamp pads. If they value neatness, a pre-inked or self-inking stamp can help them keep their desk neat while still enjoying the benefits of a stamp.

3. Have Fun!
One of the biggest reasons that teachers use stamps in the classroom is that they can be just plain fun! Charming designs, a bit of color, and a little creativity make stamps an enjoyable desktop addition that teachers won’t just use because they are practical—they’ll use because they make them smile.

Do your customers order stamps for gifts? Which stamps are their favorites? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Print Products

What Your Customers Say—And What it Really Means

Posted on August 2, 2019 Written by

When you talk to your customers, sometimes you need to decode what they’re asking for. Whether it’s a technical term that they aren’t familiar with or navigating their desire to be polite, talking to your customers can be like a lot like translating. Here are a few of the things you might hear your customers say—and what they really mean.

(And, remember, we love our customers, and we know you appreciate your customers, too. This is only for fun.)

1. What Customers Say: “I definitely need [product].”
What Customers Mean: “I’m pretty sure I need this product because I’ve used it in a similar situation before and I’m not ready to change.”

2. What Customers Say: “I want people to know that this is our brand.”
What Customers Mean: “Make the logo big.”

3. What Customers Say: “Could you make that logo a little bigger?”
What Customers Mean: “Could you make that logo a lot bigger?”

4. What Customers Say: “It’s a shame that you have to work on holidays/weekends.”
What Customers Mean: “This is probably a pain for you, but I’m really glad that you’re open because it’s the only day that I have to place this order.

5. What Customers Say: “Can you make it pop?”
What Customers Mean: “Make it shiny and colorful. Maybe add more detail. No, more colorful.”

6. What Customers Say: “I’m on a tight budget.”
What Customers Mean: “My wish list is much bigger than my budget. I’m probably going to look at your pricing quote and ask if you can adjust the pricing a bit.”

7. What Customers Say: “I like it, but…”
What Customers Mean: “I don’t actually like it at all, but I’m trying to be polite.”
What Customers Might Also Mean: “I’m realizing now that the more expensive thing you showed me before would have made me happier.”

8. What Customers Say: “I don’t have a budget in mind!”
What Customers Mean: “I’ve definitely got a budget in mind, but I haven’t put a number on it just yet.”

9. What Customers Say: “I’ll know what I want when I see it.”
What Customers Mean: “I don’t know what I want, and chances are I’ll want to see every sample you have before I know what I want.”

10. What Customers Say: “What’s the turn time on that?”
What Customers Mean: “I should have placed this order a few weeks ago, but time got away from me and now I need to get it fast.”

11. What Customers Say: “Let’s change it back to how it was before.”
What Customers Mean: “I know I had a lot of requests, but I’m starting to realize that they didn’t get this to look like I wanted it to and it’s easier not to change.”

Have you heard these customer comments? Are there others that you’ve had to decode? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, Misc, News

Coming Soon to Navitor.com: Glitter Stock!

Posted on August 1, 2019 Written by

Are your customers ready to try something new? Have they been looking for an eyecatching stock that will get them noticed? Do they want to add a touch of luxury to their print order?

Have we got news for you!

Coming soon to Navitor.com is Crystal White Glitter Color Core stock. This new addition pairs the heavyweight thickness and unexpected pop of color that comes from color core stock with the sparkle of a glittered surface! Here’s what you need to know about this new option for announcements, business cards, and postcards.

Get to Know the Sparkle: Crystal White Glitter
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.

We are debuting Crystal White Glitter as a color core stock, so not only will your customer’s print order include a striking touch of sparkle but it will also feature their choice of five colored cores. 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.

Truly New!
We understand that your customers want to stand out, and that’s why we’ve brought glitter stock into our offering! It’s truly new to the personalized print market and will make your customer’s business card, announcement, or postcard stand out even more because of that.

Want to know more? Before this new stock goes live on Navitor.com, you can click here to download a free PDF flyer for more information. Be sure to update your email subscriptions, too, so that you won’t miss out on the email when this new stock is available for purchase.

Are you excited about our new Crystal White Glitter Color Core stock? Do you have customers who have been looking for that bit of extra sparkle? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Education, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Back to School? 5 Tips for Improving Your Business Knowledge

Posted on July 31, 2019 Written by

back to school typography image on graph paper for a post on business knowledgeThe summer is nearly over, and soon students will be going back to school.

How long has it been since you were in a classroom?

You might be too old for school, but you’re never too old to learn something new! Whether you want to learn something specific or simply explore a new topic, improving your business knowledge is within your grasp. Here are five simple tips for improving your business knowledge.

Make a List of What You Want to Learn
Start with what you want to learn. Do you want to get better at running the books for your business? Do you want to explore new marketing strategies? Do you want to get better at your customer service skills? No matter what you want to learn, take some time to think about the details and make a list. Not only will this help you narrow your focus to the things you want to learn specifically but it also gives you the chance to look at your existing skills in a new way.

Make A Little Time Every Day
Take a look at your schedule—is there a small break during your day that could be used for learning? Whether it’s reading a book chapter over your coffee break or reading new blog articles after dinner, learning a little bit every day is easier than trying to learn it all in one go. And, when you make a little time every day, you can start building good habits that make it easier day by day to carve out that time.

Use Your Rest Time as Learning Time
If you’re having trouble making time to learn, consider the times when your ears are open! If you’re taking a road trip, consider listening to an audiobook or stocking your smartphone with podcasts so you can learn even while you’re driving. Are you taking a trip? Tuck a book on your bag for the plane.

Attend Professional Events
Local companies, business associations, and professional groups might be hosting seminars, forums, or workshops—be sure that you keep up with the events in your area! These events could give you great new insights into marketing strategies or business ideas, and that fresh perspective can be a great learning opportunity.

Take Professional Development Courses
Sometimes, learning might involve actually going back to school! Professional development courses can help you expand your professional skill set, learn something new, or even earn academic credit to put towards a degree. If you’re looking for something particularly affordable and flexible, online training courses are a great option. Traditional universities and training institutions could also be great resources for class availability.

No matter what class you take, be sure to do your homework. Take a look at the instructor’s biography, read reviews, check the syllabus, and do that bit of extra research before making the commitment to the class.

What are your favorite ways to learn something new for your business? We’d love to see your tips in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News
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