How to Design and Print Memorable Business Cards

08.08.2023

As summer break winds down, teachers everywhere are gearing up for another exciting chapter. While lesson planning and curriculum development take centre stage, it's equally important to create an environment that fosters creativity, organization, and inspiration. That’s where we have you covered. As the exclusive printing partner to several of Canada’s largest school boards, we're your go-to for creating a personalized classroom experience. So, we've put together a comprehensive checklist to help teachers elevate their space and head back to school in style. Here’s your step-by-step checklist to a killer September kick-off: Print your classroom course materialsCreate a personalized notebookDecorate your classroom Fuel your day with a personalized mugOrder a custom calendarCreate a custom teacher's tote1) Print Your Classroom Course Materials A successful school year begins with well-organized and engaging course materials. Instead of relying solely on generic handouts, consider the impact of personalized course materials – from custom worksheets to study guides – that reflect your unique approach to teaching. Plus, if you order your classroom materials from WCD before August 15, not only will you receive them by September 1—you'll also get a FREE personalized notebook. And on that note... 2) Create a Personalized Notebook Jot down lesson ideas, doodles, and reflections in a notebook that's as unique as your teaching approach. A teacher's desk is the heart of the classroom, where lesson plans come to life and creative ideas take shape. With a notebook made specially for you, you can make this space truly your own in a fun and functional way. Use our custom template made just for teachers, or create your own design that mirrors your personality and teaching philosophy! 3) Decorate the Classroom with Vibrant Posters Engage your students visually and foster a stimulating environment that encourages exploration and curiosity. A well-decorated classroom is a canvas for creativity and learning—and you can transform those beige walls into a vibrant educational masterpiece with just a few posters and prints. Whether it's motivational quotes, historical timelines, or scientific diagrams, you can bring life to any subject in creative ways. 4) Fuel Up with a Personalized Mug Energizing your day of teaching begins with a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea—and what better way to enjoy your favourite beverage than with a mug made just for you? Showcase your name, motivational quotes, or even subject-specific graphics as a fun way to sip and savour while creating conversation with students and fellow teachers. It’s a way to self-express, reminding you of your dedication to your students and your craft. 5) Manage Your Time with Customized Calendars Balancing lesson planning, grading, meetings, and personal life can be a juggling act. Stay organized and in control with a customized calendar made just for you. Tailor your calendar to include professional development days, to-do lists, and other special notes meaningful to your day. Whether it’s a miniature standing desk calendar or an oversized wall calendar, you'll navigate the school year with confidence and ease, ensuring that no important task slips through the cracks. 6) Get a Personalized Tote Bag for Teaching Essentials From textbooks and lesson materials to personal items, a teacher's tote bag is a lifeline throughout the day. Choose a design that resonates with you and add your name or a motivational slogan. Not only will you have a functional bag for all your essentials, but you'll also make a statement among students. Claim Your FREE Personalized Notebook! Teachers across Canada—we’ll send you a FREE personalized notebook for ordering course materials through WCD prior to August 15, 2023. To claim yours, simply submit your order online. For support, email clientservices@wcdconnect.com.

03.09.2023

Living in the era of digital overload, print marketing has made a significant comeback in recent years. Why? It’s all in the data. Research suggests that print marketing can have both higher recall and conversion rates than digital marketing, and is even more effective when combined with digital tactics as part of an integrated campaign. It’s no wonder 60% of CMOs are advocates for including print marketing in their budgets. But as print campaigns continue to increase in popularity, brand’s need to do more to stand out. By leveraging innovative print design techniques that dazzle, you can ensure your print piece not only gets noticed, but also incites action in your customers. Here are five ways you can make your next print campaign more impactful: Fluorescent & Metallic InksOversized FormatsMetallic Media Unique SubstratesPersonalize It!Print vs. Digital Design: Understanding the Differences > 1) Fluorescent & Metallic Inks Using a bright fluorescent or shimmery metallic ink in your print campaign is sure to catch your customer’s eye. Because fluorescent inks are semi transparent compared to conventional pigments, they should be printed on bright or white backgrounds to really pop on the page. Use fluorescence as an accent to draw attention to key features on your print piece, such as your audience’s call to action. Metallic ink, on the other hand, is a great alternative to traditional foil stamping. The colour options with metallic ink are endless, because it’s achieved by mixing ink with gold or silver metallic particles. We can already visualize these effects coming to life on vivid event materials, high-end menus, premium direct mailers and more! 2) Oversized Formats As the saying goes—go big or go home! Because paper is tangible and felt with our hands, opting for an oversized print piece is a sure way to stand out from your competitors. Using unique folding and finishing techniques, you can give your piece a compact appearance (good for functional purposes like mailing) that then expands and unfolds into a creative masterpiece. And with our new HP Indigo 15K, you can print bigger and better than ever with flat sizes up to 29.5 x 20.81”! 3) Metallic Media Metallic inks are one thing… but have you ever printed on metallic paper? Perfect for giving your print campaign a premium look and feel, metallic media is often used for event materials like menus, invitations, table place cards and more. The unique texture and sheen just feels high-end between your fingertips. Remember to always use darker colours for text when printing on metallics to ensure high contrast and readability. 4) Unique Substrates Simply put, a substrate is the material you’re printing on (like paper, for instance). With new and innovative print technology, you can now print small format campaigns on substrates ranging from canvas to wood, plastic, synthetic, metal and more! In fact, our brand new HP Indigo 15K has the widest substrate range in the industry with the ability to print on materials ranging from 70-600 micron media. The creative possibilities are virtually endless. 5) Personalize It! Are you more likely to throw out the flyers in your mailbox that aren’t personally addressed to you? Statistics show that you are—and 63% of marketers agree personalization increases customer interactions and conversion rates. With digital printing, it’s easy to personalize your print marketing campaigns to each recipient in a single print run. Using data and segmentation, you can personalize things like: Customer names Address informationImagesCopy and keywords Links and calls to action Colours, and so on! People will always pay closer attention to marketing materials that are curated specially to their needs and desires. That goes for print, too! Need some creative inspiration? Ask our Creative Services team! With expertise in designing for print, our in-house design agency is here to help you ideate and execute on print campaigns that will connect with and covert your customers.

03.02.2023

If you're a graphic designer that creates materials for print, you've learned that variables such as the medium, typography and layout of a product all influence the process of how the design is produced. One of the finishing factors that's typically decided early on in the design process is the printing method (whether your design will be produced using offset or digital printing). Differences Between Offset and Digital Printing Both offset and digital printing have their unique benefits and limitations—and the choice of printing method can have a significant impact on the final product. When deciding, designers often take into consideration factors including: Quantity — Generally, digital printing is more cost-effective for short runs and offset printing more cost-effective for long runs. Color accuracy — Offset printing has historically offered better colour accuracy and consistency, which can be a deciding factor for brands with strict colour-matching standards. Image quality — In the past, offset printing offered higher image quality and resolution (although digital presses have made strides in recent years).Customization — Digital printing allows for greater personalization through variable data printing, meaning each print can be unique, whereas offset is preferred for standardized materials. Weighing these pros and cons has long been a challenge for designers during the print process—but with new innovations in print technology, it's quickly become a problem of the past. New Innovations: Where Digital Meets Offset Introducing the HP Indigo 15K Digital Offset Press—a high-end digital printing press designed for commercial printing and packaging applications. This incredible innovation in print technology is marrying the best of both worlds and eliminating the need to choose between digital and offset. WCD is proud to own the first of its kind in Western Canada, and here's why:Superior Print Quality The Indigo 15K uses HP Indigo ElectroInk technology to achieve high print quality, with up to 7-colour printing and a resolution of up to 1600 dpi. This allows for sharp, vibrant and accurate images and text. We love a crisp image! Wider Substrate Ranges & Inks The HP Indigo 15K boasts the widest substrate range in the industry, from 70-600 micron media. Now, designers have creative freedom with the ability to print on virtually endless substrates including uncoated, black and coloured, synthetics, metalized materials and more. Plus, imagine the endless possibilities of printing using white, metallic, fluorescent and invisible specialty inks! Unprecedented Speed The Indigo 15K is designed for high-volume production (like that of offset), with a top speed of up to 137 pages per minute (ppm) in 4-colour mode, or up to 272 ppm in 2-colour mode. Printing an astonishing 4,600 sheets per hour, you’ll benefit from faster turnaround times so that you can achieve your campaign deadlines with ease. Streamlined Workflow & Automation The Indigo 15K is equipped with advanced automation tools to streamline production and reduce downtime, ensuring you get your finished product faster than ever. WCD is leveraging HP's tools including the PrintOS platform, which provides cloud-based management, analytics, and automated colour calibration. Sustainability-Forward The Indigo 15K is designed with sustainability in mind, using HP Indigo's "Green Flow" program to reduce waste, energy consumption and carbon footprint. The press uses a water-based ink system, eliminating the need for hazardous chemicals and reducing overall water usage. Need to see it for yourself? Take it for a test run! Let us print-proof your latest marketing campaign on the HP Indigo 15K and prove to you the sheer power of the "Yes Press"—the digital press that empowers you to say YES to any request.