Smart business owners take advantage of every marketing opportunity they can, just to get the word out to the most amount of people. One of the best ways to do this is to present a consistent brand over every print item your business deals with, from emails and web pages to business cards and letterheads. One addition to that list that can get surprising results is your business’ envelopes. The more familiar your brand is to the public, the more likely they are to visit your business when they need your type of service. Hair salon owner Jeffery found this out, and got some surprising results.

Organizing the Mail

I’m Jeffery, and I own a hair salon in the CBD. I know that one of the best ways to get repeat business is to gather a mailing list for direct mail campaigns. Customers who were happy with their hair before are even happier when they get a coupon in the mail for their next visit to our salon. I was mailing out coupons and those customers who did come in thought they were a very good offer. I just didn’t get very many responses, though. A conversation with one customer let me know what the problem was. I mailed out the coupons in plain white envelopes, with the return address stamped on in small letters. There was nothing special about the envelopes, and my customer said she nearly threw out the offer because she didn’t recognize the return address. My problem was that people who would have loved the offer had no way of knowing it was inside. That’s when I went to Spencer Minuteman Press for a solution.

The Perfect Envelope

The people at Spencer agreed that my envelope was likely a big part of my marketing problem, and we worked together to design a distinctive piece that represented my business the way I wanted it to. Their large variety of colour and shape options let me create exactly the piece I wanted. Once my final design was in place, they even offered to print matching pieces such as business cards and letterheads using the same branding and colours. They guaranteed that if I didn’t get the exact product I ordered they’d do the job all over again, so there was absolutely no risk of getting a poor quality product.
Spencer Minuteman Press truly cares about small business owners. Since I’m in the Melbourne CBD the delivered my order right to my shop for free. The price was well within my budget and the service was fantastic. And the best part is that my business is growing, including new customers who never even got a coupon it seems that when my envelope lands in an office or business mail, it’s interesting enough that people who see it want to check out my shop.
For custom envelopes or any other printing project, see the experts at Spencer Minuteman Press. They’re ready to design and create any of your printing needs.

Spencer Minuteman Press has been in the business of helping businesses for many years. When it comes to growing your client list, business cards are crucial. Your card is the first impression many people see, and is the one thing that sets a memory in their minds about you and your company. If you’re looking for a premium business card that clients won’t toss out or tuck away in a drawer, get in touch with our designers to create an unforgettable card of your own. Local interior designer Belinda came to us, and she’s glad she did. Here’s why:

Building a Business

I’m Belinda, and I own and operate an interior design firm. I’m proud of what I’ve done and the job I can do for my clients, but the business was stagnant after two years. I needed to set myself apart from the usual group of interior designers and let potential clients know about my unique and modern style. Part of my business plan was rebranding, and that’s why I went to Spencer Minuteman Press. I worked with their designers and we came up with a cutting-edge modern look that no one else even comes close to. Different from any other card I’ve seen, its rounded edges and edgy dark matte finish shout modern design at first glance. I couldn’t be happier with the design we created.

They Worked for Me

As anyone who owns their own business knows, time is at a premium. I didn’t have hours and hours to devote to this process, no matter how important it was to my business. The designers worked on my schedule, and we worked out a design in very little time. Their knowledge and experience helped the process, because there was very little trial-and-error needed. I needed cards very soon for a seminar I was attending, so Spencer rushed the order and started printing the cards that very same day. Even though the cards were printed in record time, I was impressed with the ultra-high quality of the cards. They were perfectly printed in the exact colour I chose, and the card stock felt heavy and rich, just like more expensive examples I’d seen elsewhere.

The final surprise I got was the price. Spencer offered me a price match guarantee. Not only did they do a fantastic job of creating my business cards, they guaranteed to charge the lowest price in town. If I got a lower quote for similar cards of the same quality, Spencer Minuteman Press vowed that they’d print my cards for the quoted price, plus give me an extra $100 printing as a gift! Their confidence was well founded. No one else could come near their prices.

If you have a need for quality, premium business cards to kick your business up to the next level, Spencer Minuteman Press is there to lend a hand.

Spencer Minuteman Press is known for being the premier printer in the CBD for all your business-printing needs. We may be the best at business cards and letterheads, but that’s not all we do. Our professional design staff is ready to work with you to create your dream wedding invitations. One young couple, Susan and Ray, came to us worried about getting the right invitation in time to send them to their overseas family members. Here’s what Susan had to say:

Great Timing

Ray and I both have family all around the world, so getting the right invitations done in plenty of time was a priority for me. We’ve been planning the perfect wedding for over a year and we didn’t want a small thing like invitations to upset our big day. When it comes to holding a destination wedding like ours, a long advance notice is crucial if you want most of your family to join you. We knew that six months wasn’t too much of a warning, just for people to save the date. Spencer Minuteman Press was sensitive to our timing needs, and worked with us to create a design we loved and delivered the premium wedding invitations on time.

Designing the Wedding Invitation

Your wedding invitations are the first time your guests will see how you, as a couple, will present yourself to the world. Are you a casual couple, or one who loves the formal touches? Modern or traditional? Not only will the invitations give your guests a clue about the feeling on your wedding day, it can also hint at the type of lifestyle you’re planning to lead once you’ve taken your vows. We knew the general style we wanted to portray, so it was easier for the Spencer designer to create our invitations, but they’re ready to start the process even if you don’t have a clue what you want your finished product to look like.

We love a simple and uncluttered look, and the designer at Spencer Minuteman Press was able to design a wedding invitation that was sleek and modern without being trendy. The elegant cards had hints of our wedding accent colours, and the interior was a clean looking page without too much extra information. It told the story we needed to tell without adding extra words that would make it look crowded. The entire process took a surprisingly short amount of time, and everyone at Spencer was so helpful it removed a lot of stress about making sure my wedding day would be perfect. The invitations were finished in plenty of time for us to mail them out, and were much more affordable than we ever expected them to be.

The secret to getting value out of your business cards is to be sure of what people will do with them once they leave your hands. If your card suffers the fate that most do, it will end up thrown away by the end of the day. The key to avoiding that is to make sure your card is unusual or unique, something that catches the eye and makes someone want to put it in their pocket or wallet. Your card can’t look like everyone else’s and still do the job. Ordering laminated business cards can do this, and Spencer Minuteman Press can handle this job easily. As the premier printer in the CBD, Spencer has the experience to give you a quality product you’ll be proud to share with potential customers.

My Carpentry Business

I’ve been a finish carpenter for 20 years, and I’ve honed my craft until I can make your room mouldings look like exquisite furniture. My business is in high-end renovations, and my clients know I give them the highest quality work. I need a card that tells people what I do, but also conveys the idea that I do only the finest work. I found that with my cards from Spencer Minuteman Press. The thick stock gives a hefty feel to the card, and the laminated coating makes the colours pop and the design stand out sharply. Instead of a simple card with a logo and address, mine looks like a substantial piece that people immediately put into their wallets and purses.

Creating my card was easy with Spencer’s free design tool. There are over a thousand different designs to choose from, and the process takes very little time from start to finish. Their graphics design experts were ready to answer any of my questions, and they helped me through some tricky design questions by giving helpful advice. My business cards are an important advertising tool, and Spencer Minuteman Press made sure I had a quality product.

Laminated Business Cards

Why hand out laminated business cards? Don’t they just cost extra? While quality laminated business cards may cost more than plain thin stock cards, they convey a sense of quality and stability to your business that cheaper cards won’t. Their thicker card stock means the cards are more substantial and longer lasting. They won’t bend as easily, and they’ll last longer. The laminating process gives a special brightness to the graphics on the card. Logos are sharper, colours pop, and printing is easier to read.

Any business that does quality or high-end work would do well to order laminated business cards. If your company breeds exclusive pets, makes divine wedding cakes, creates the best websites around, or does the absolute best advertising campaigns, you owe it to yourself to get business cards that make a statement whenever you hand them out.

Whatever digital printing services you’re looking for in Melbourne, we can help you. If you read our article on all the different mediums we work with, you know Spencer Minuteman Press believes in having comprehensive presentation materials. There are loads of scenarios that require a presentation folder, and today we’re highlighting a few situations where you would benefit. We’ll also mention the types of inserts you should include to make sure your presentation is a success.

Presentation Folder

School Project

Whether you’re a graduate student at uni or still in high school, your class presentation will definitely land top marks if you use a presentation folder. Start with your research question, your hypothesis or the topic of your presentation. This information should be brief: a paragraph overview is more than enough to help set the scene. Depending on the topic, you might want to include copies of your research notes or the actual report.

Anything with images—graphs, charts, tables—not only looks sharp in a presentation folder, but makes the information easier for your audience to comprehend. If appropriate, photographs of your process are very engaging, too. Lastly, include a list of resources you referenced throughout your report, or provide the audience with places they can find follow-up information.

Community Meeting

Sometimes, local communities are involved in consultations with businesses. If you’re a company hoping to build a new high-rise hotel or expand your restaurant, you’ll want to have community buy-in. Even if you’re not dependent on the community for a successful planning approval, you’ll still want their enthusiasm to bolster buzz and make your project a success! Hosting a community meeting and providing concerned citizens with a presentation folder will make a great impression.

Alternatively, you may find yourself presenting information at a community meeting or event. Perhaps your organisation wants to host a seminar on caring for ageing parents, or your animal shelter is offering a free obedience class for dogs and their owners. A presentation folder ensures your message will stay with the attendees.

For community meetings, presentation folders should be filled with relevant pamphlets, business cards and even brochures. The more colourful you can make it, the better. Include photographs, maps and mock-up images where appropriate. If you have sponsors helping to fund the event, make sure you include their information and a thank-you.

Client/Investor Meetings

This one should be obvious, but we want to mention it anyway. Any time your business is making a pitch—whether it’s to a client or investor—you should definitely use a presentation folder. This will allow you to call attention to important facts and figures.

Include your goal, mission and specific plan. The client or investor needs to know what they’ll get from you. Using a presentation folder will immediately communicate to them that you are professional, reliable, and thorough.

Spencer Minuteman Press is one of the most versatile printers in Melbourne, ready to help you create every insert as well as the presentation folder itself.

We love talking posters here at Spencer Minuteman Press, especially when they’re for a school or community group. The truth is, we do a lot of digital printing for businesses in Melbourne, and a school poster is a lovely bit of levity. We see schools and community groups creating posters for all sorts of events, from fundraisers to schedule changes. We’re feeling a bit dramatic today, though, so we’re sharing tips specific to a theatre production!

Riverside Hamlet Poster

The poster is mostly about the picture. First, you have to decide if you’re going to use a single image or a collage of pictures. A single image makes the poster easier on the eyes and helps readers immediately understand what your poster—and the play—is about. But if you have kids in your theatre production, they will love seeing themselves on a poster. In that case, a collage is a good choice.

Now, for a single image, you can use an illustration instead of a photograph. If your theatre production is a famous story associated with an iconic image, such as The Phantom of the Opera, The Great Gatsby or Hamlet (‘alas, poor Yorick!’), using it on your poster will make it instantly recognisable to viewers. If your play takes place in the 1950s or 60s, use an illustration that fits the vintage theme. Always pay attention to copyright when choosing an image.

If you go with a photograph instead, you can either use a still from the play or a posed picture. A still can convey so much emotion, and it gives the reader a sneak-peak of what to expect at the play. On the other hand, a posed picture makes it easy to identify the actors. If you have a local celebrity appearing in your theatre production, you’ll want to make sure their face is front and centre!

Make sure your text is visible. You have to consider the size, weight and colour. A lot of these decisions depend on your background; if you will be overlaying text and images, the font really needs to pop.

You can play around a bit with mixing and matching fonts, but it often looks cleaner to simply change up the size. You’ll want to make sure you have the name of your school or community organisation on the poster, too. That can be in a slightly smaller font than the name of the play, which should be the most obvious bit of text.

For the production information, such as the time, date, and location, consider using a text box. This makes it easier on the readers, and will increase the likelihood they’ll attend.

You’re now ready to create a poster, but you might also want to check out our tips on creating a banner. You can never advertise too much! If your school or community centre is looking for CBD printing services for your theatre production, try out Spencer Minuteman Press.

Like a good web designer, Spencer Minuteman Press is expert at working with clients to find a solution to fit every budget. We also have a talented team of graphic designers with keen eyes for the aesthetic. Simply put, we’re both creative and capital-minded, always working to make sure our clients are impressed with our work and get the most for their money. Today, we’re stepping into a role that’s a good fit for us: a web designer. Like our team, web designers have to do it all, combining artistic ideals with functionality to promote and enhance clients’ businesses. There are loads of business cards floating around in Melbourne, and it’s important to make yours stand out. Here’s an example of a premium business card that’s a good choice for web designers.

Web Designer Business Card

I’m a Web Designer, and This Is the Business Card I Chose

“As a web designer, I want a business card that has a little flash. This image is beautiful, surprising, and attention-grabbing. I’m confident that this card will get noticed and get me business!”

“Now, artsy people have a reputation for being a bit flighty, and web design is a creative profession. I want my web designer business card to convey that I’m a serious, reliable, hard-working professional. That’s why I opted for an image that includes a man wearing a suit. It shows that while I’m certainly a creative designer, I’m also a good investment. Hiring me to design your webpage will enhance your business. Anytime you’re dealing with money, you need to let the person who’s paying know they can trust you. I feel that this business card promotes trust.”

“As a web designer, I might accept all sorts of jobs, ranging from a kids summer camp to a church to a retail store. This business card is completely versatile. It doesn’t exclude or highlight any one industry, but instead focuses on a stunning graphic image. Anyone who looks at this card will be able to imagine how that artistic image might translate to a distinctive website for their organisation.”

Work With Minuteman Press Spencer Street

A web designer’s main job is to create a website that is user-friendly and aesthetically appealing: good for the user and therefore good for business. There are so many nuances that go into designing a website, including arrangement, links, copy, colour choices, font, layout, and interactivity. This business card is already subtly conveying that balance by showcasing an exciting image next to very easy-to-read contact information. I know that people are so busy in the CBD; if they have to spend one second looking for the right contact information, they’ll pitch the card straight into the bin. This layout maximises reader ease.

Are you ready to create your own premium business card? Explore our fun and completely free design-tool, which has thousands of templates for you to choose from. For a more personal touch, come on in and meet with our creative and technical teams!

As a well established Melbourne print shop, Spencer Minuteman Press knows how important business cards are when it comes to recruiting new clients. In fact, you can check out our article on choosing an electricians’ business card for some specific tips. Today, we’re sharing another way people in every trade can increase business: a promotional flyer.

Trustworthy Tradesmen

Flyers are Simple and Effective

Putting together an entire catalogue of the services you offer is time-consuming and overwhelming, and the truth is, you’re unlikely to get new business by mailing them out. In contrast, it takes less than an hour to create a flyer, the cost of printing and posting is minimal, and the pay-off can be major. Flyers are such a cinch to make, you can even produce them seasonally. For example, if you’re a landscaper, mail out flyers advertising the services that are essential to prep a garden for summer, and design another flyer to send out for winter, letting clients know what they should be thinking about doing at that time.

Think of your flyer not just as a way to get new clients, but as a way to get repeat customers. If you’re a plumber or electrician, hand one to each of your clients to promote some of the other services you offer. Any time you add a new product or option to the services you provide, send out a flyer. Maybe you’ve been tiling bathrooms for years, but recently started doing kitchen splashbacks and outdoor lanais. A flyer is a great way to make that announcement.

What to Include on Your Flyer

You’ll want to include some bold colours on your flyer, whether you opt to print it on bright paper or use an eye-catching colour for the font. This will make people notice the flyers, whether you decide to post them, leave them in businesses around town, or utilise community bulletin boards.

You don’t want too much text. The basics, of course, such as your name and contact information, are the most important. Make sure those are bolded and easy to see. The rest of the text should be kept very brief, about one to two sentences: ‘Now offering energy efficient lighting options!’, ‘Free on-site quote for all custom carpentry!’, and the like.

Lastly, you definitely want to include photographs of your work. Before/After shots are especially persuasive and work great on flyers, if applicable to your field. Letting your painting or roofing skills speak for themselves is a great way to recruit clients. Take the time to get good, well lit pictures of your projects; you might even ask some of your clients if they’d mind a quick visit from a photographer.

Don’t overthink your flyer. Make it brief, clear, and include some bright colours or images. When you’re ready to print, come see us in Melbourne’s CBD. We can’t wait to help you promote your business!

We know that email rules the communication world, but letterhead is still a must-have for almost all businesses. Letterhead is important for a variety of reasons, and with Spencer Minuteman Press offering the most competitive prices on printing in Melbourne’s CBD, there’s no reason for your small business to overlook it. Do you really need letterhead? The answer is ‘Yes, sometimes’. Here are a few situations that call for formal company letterhead.

Letterhead Designed by GraphBerry

Negotiable Instruments

The Commonwealth of Australia passed the Corporations Act in 2001, stipulating that companies must clearly publish their name on all public documents. Furthermore, any ‘negotiable instrument’ must also contain your company name. Every small businesses deal with negotiable instruments frequently; contracts and bills are two examples. If you’re looking to hire a third-party delivery company or a custodial crew, or you need to issue a bill, it legally must be printed on letterhead. Laws aside, it’s just a good idea to make it easy for people to know who to make their cheques out to!

Communications with Lenders or Stakeholders

Any time you send a letter to a bank or investor, it should be handled with the utmost formality, regardless of the message itself. Letterhead conveys professionalism and trustworthiness, two things that are essential for impressing lenders. Whenever you send stakeholders a quarterly report, a budget projection, or just even a thank-you note, make sure it’s printed on the best quality letterhead. To come across as a solid investment, make a small investment of your own—on professional-looking stationary.

Communications with Clients

If you’re bothering to mail a physical letter to clients, it really should be on letterhead. With all the rubbish filling up the post these days, letterhead conveys credibility and professionalism. It’s always a good idea to reduce the mental load on your clients, so make it obvious who sent that letter they’re holding.

(Note that this excludes newsletters and brochures, which require a whole different approach—we’ve discussed that in a previous article.)

Important Internal Notifications

Most internal memos get sent by email nowadays, and for good reason—it’s efficient. But if you need to notify staff of a policy change, put it on letterhead. We all know how easy it is to miss an email in our overflowing inboxes, but a memo about a dress code change or new vacation restrictions will definitely be noticed on letterhead. If you need to share a serious message with your small business staff, put it on letterhead so they’ll take it seriously.

Important announcements regarding staffing changes should also be printed on letterhead. Whether someone is retiring or got promoted, or a new position has been added, putting it on letterhead shows due respect and courtesy to everyone.

If you’re looking for the most professional Melbourne printers, get in touch with Spencer Minuteman Press. We’ll have your small business ready to impress with premium letterhead in no time!

Minuteman Press has been in the printing business for over 40 years, and in that time, we’ve had the pleasure of working with a diverse group of individuals and businesses. As you probably already know, Spencer Minuteman Press is especially well-known for our business card printing services. Today, we’re putting on a café owner’s hat to bring you tips for creating the perfect business card to represent you and your casual restaurant, café or coffeehouse.

Continue reading I’m a Cafe Owner, and This is the Business Card I Chose →