Print Marketing for Small Businesses

The most common small business print mistake is ordering materials from different vendors over time — a business card here, a flyer there, a banner from somewhere else. The result is a mismatched look that quietly undermines your credibility. Before you order anything, nail down your logo file, your brand colors, and your fonts. Use those same elements on every single piece you print, every time. Consistency is what makes a small business look established.

Most small businesses need the same three things to start: a business card, a postcard or flyer, and one promotional piece. The business card is your handshake. The postcard is your direct mail workhorse — promotions, new services, seasonal offers. The promotional piece could be a door hanger for local canvassing, a brochure for trade shows, or an EDDM mailer to reach your neighborhood. Get these three right and you have something to hand out, something to mail, and something to leave behind everywhere you go.

The businesses that get the most out of print marketing are the ones who plan ahead. Look at your year and identify your biggest revenue opportunities — the holidays, the seasonal rushes, the local events, the slow periods where you need to drive traffic. Then work backwards. Order your materials 2 – 3 weeks before you need them in hand. By the time your competition is scrambling to get something printed, you're already out the door with materials in people's hands.

One of the biggest advantages of working with an online printer is volume pricing. The difference in cost between 250 and 1,000 postcards is often less than you'd expect — but the per-piece price drops significantly. If you know you're going to mail 1,000 postcards over the next six months, order all 1,000 now and store the extras. You'll spend less per piece, save on future shipping, and always have materials ready when an opportunity comes up.