FAQ Archives - Cascade Print Media

Why Choose a Local Print Company vs. an Online Printer

It is easy to google what you are looking for and to find an online retailer who can accommodate your needs at a low cost and quick turn time, here are a few reasons this might not be your best bet!

Quality & Consistency

Most online print services are offered nationwide, allowing users to place their orders and the company to run hundreds of thousands of business cards, brochures or postcards at the same time. They will most likely only print using CMYK and on a very limited selection of stocks, allowing them to gang these orders together for a longer, more cost-efficient run on their end. They have less setup cost, less in cost in ink, paper and office administration duties like entering orders, speaking to clients and invoicing. Your online order is paid for online and is due at the time of service, and the odds of being able to call and talk to the same person more than once is almost impossible. Due to this high volume of production, there is less quality control, potentially leading to issues with registration, ink consistency, finishing and packaging.

When ordering from a local print company, your order is handled individually, you have better odds of speaking to the same person multiple times throughout your project, having questions answered, concerns are addresses and quality control is more manageable. Using a local print company also opens the possibility of a press check, may allow the option of using PMS inks, more variety in paper selection and better-quality control.

Reorder and Account History

Using a local print company also makes the reorder process easier, your orders are stored under your company’s personal account. This allows us to find previous orders, quote more efficiently and may allow us to bill your account using net terms.

Logistics

Using a local printing company most likely means it is local to your area. This allows you to meet with your sales team if needed, discuss projects, review samples or proofs in person, pick up and drop off if needed and faster delivery of your project.

Learn More

(253) 472-5500

3321 South Lawrence St.
Tacoma, WA 98409

info@cascadeprintmedia.com

What Is a Press Check

Direct Mail, Eco-Friendly, FAQ, Marketing, New, Print Marketing, Tips and Tricks

A press check is a service offered by print companies allowing you to come to a review your print project once it is on press. The pressman will get everything setup and print a few sheets for you to review before hitting the go button on the entire project. This step is important for various reasons to ensure your print project comes out exactly how you want it. Below are a few important things to look for during your press check.

1 – Low Resolution Images

Images used for marketing are often pulled from online sources or images taken with a phone, these images can and most likely will print at a low resolution, meaning that once printed on a substrate, they can become pixelated or blurry. The standard print resolution for a print file is 300 dpi, many images online or from your phone can be only half of that or less, making them impossible to print at a larger scale than what shows on your phone or computer screen. When reviewing your project at a press check, this will give you a proper representation of the print quality for those images.

Image of low vs high resolution image. One pixelated, the other more clear

2 – Ink Registration

Most offset printing is done in CMYK, a process of 4 colors printed in layers to create a specific color image or text. If these colors are not in registration, you will be left with a blurry and hard to read piece. It is important to make sure there is perfect registration. Pressman will have a tool called a loop at their press; this tool allows you to magnify the print allowing you to see the registration. If these colors are off the pressman can adjust to get them realigned.

Image of good registration vs bad registration on page

3 – Color consistency

This is the process to which the colors are consistent across the entire sheet. Color management profiles are used to ensure color consistency throughout the printing process. Review your press sheet thoroughly and make sure the entire sheet is equally vibrant without any dull areas. If there are any issues with consistency, your pressman and prepress department can review and adjust the print management system.

Image of Press sheet being checked for consistency and registration

4 – FPO

FPO means FOR POSITION ONLY, when creating your digital print file, you may use an FPO for things such as die lines, foil stamps, scoring, punching or folds. These are important during the prepress process so we know how your art should be laid out to avoid any of the processes listed above from impeding into your final print piece (nothing is worse than trying to read text that is on a fold.) Most of the time these FPO are created in a bright pink, but not always. It is important to make sure your FPO has been removed from the press ready files, so your FPO is not printed in your final piece. FPO should be created as a separate layer in your file so it can be turned off when plates are made for printing.

Image of large sheet showing where cuts and folds will be on finished product

5 – Check Your Mailing Panel

Mailing panels are tricky, USPS has a lot of rules for mailing panels, such as size, position and the ability to inkjet. If your print piece has a coating such as Aqueous, UV, Soft Touch or any other coating, be sure the pressman has created what is called a knockout, this is a process where they keep the coating from being applied in the mailing panel area. If that area is coated, USPS will most likely reject your pieces causing you to reprint.

6 – Pagination

If you are printing a booklet, with multiple pages on a press sheet, it is important to fold that press sheet to make sure your pages line up properly when folded and stitched. The prepress department has programs that will assist with correct pagination, but it’s always at idea to manually check this for accuracy. Also keep an eye out for alignment, making sure your page numbers land in the same place when the sheet is folded on the crop marks, and there is no art in or around the spine. One last thing to look for, make sure the creep has been accounted for. When you have a large book that has multiple sigs, when those sigs are folded and nested together the outer most sigs will need to be adjusted so the art has more room on the spine, or the inner most pages are not pushed out too far that they get cut off when the final trim is made.

6 – Pagination

Example of book pages creeping out of book due to folds

Interested in starting your next project but don’t know where to start? We can help! Get in touch today and we can walk you through the process, step by step.

Learn More

(253) 472-5500

3321 South Lawrence St.
Tacoma, WA 98409

info@cascadeprintmedia.com

Bleeds – What To Know About Bleeds In Printing

FAQ, Marketing, New, Tips and Tricks

If you’ve been looking at having goods printed or have dabbled as a graphic designer you’ve likely seen the term “bleed.” But what exactly is bleed and why is it essential for quality prints?

What Does Bleed Mean in Printing?

In printing, “bleed” refers to the area that extends beyond the trim edge of the piece. This extra area helps ensure that no unprinted edges appear on the final piece accommodating for any slight movement of the paper during the trimming operation. Cascade Print Media recommends 1/8^th of an inch or 3mm around all sides to every art file.

Benefits of Adding Bleeds

Adding bleeds to your designs offer several advantages:

Prevents White Edges: Even with quality industrial cutting machines the paper can shift slightly during the trimming cuts. Bleeds help ensure the graphic extends beyond the edge which avoids unsightly white edges on printed pieces.

Professional Finish: Bleeds help provide a high-quality look to your printed pieces.

Consistency: It maintains the integrity of the art across multiple prints. Helps ensure that each piece looks identical even if there are slight variations in the trimming process.

How to Create Bleed in Your Design

1: Setup Your Document With Bleeds

When creating a new document set the bleed area ahead of time. Most design tools such as InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop have options for setting and adding bleeds.

2: Extend the Background

Ensure that any background images, colors or patterns extend into the bleed area at the edges. This ensures those elements will still reach the edge when the paper is trimmed.

3: Keep Important Elements Inside the Safe Zone

While ensuring that the background extends into the bleed area also ensures that all critical elements stay within the safe zone. This is an area usually about ¼” of an inch inside that trim line. This prevents them from being accidentally trimmed off or into. Cascade Print Media also recommends avoiding using thin borders in this area as the natural trim variations will be more noticeable the thinner the border.

4: Use Guides

Most modern design software will allow you to see and add visual guides. Use the guides to accurately position the design elements.

5: Export with Bleed Enabled

When you’re ready to save and export your final file, ensure the bleed settings are included. Most software will include an option to “include bleed” in the export settings. This step is crucial to ensure the printer knows to account for bleeds when trimming down the stock. Bleed from Canva is added via file > view settings > show print bleed. If exporting as a PDF file type ensure “crop marks and bleeds” are selected.

Adding bleeds to your designs is a simple but crucial step to ensure high-quality and professional looking prints. By understanding and applying bleed correctly you can elevate the quality of your pieces and avoid common pitfalls such as white edges or inconsistent borders.

Ready to get started on your next project, but don’t know where to start? We can help! Get in touch and we will walk you through the process!

Learn More

(253) 472-5500

3321 South Lawrence St.
Tacoma, WA 98409

info@cascadeprintmedia.com

Promotional Products Return on Investment (ROI)

Eco-Friendly, FAQ, Marketing, New, Print Marketing, Promotional Products, Tips and Tricks

Promotional items

A study by the Advertising Specialty Institute found that “business promotional items are one of the most cost-effective advertising mediums for businesses.” The recall rate for promotional goods is around 89%, meaning that roughly 89% of customers can recall the advertiser on a promotional product they received within the past two years. A further 80% of people can also recall the messaging of the brand if they receive a promotional product from them. A physical item can also be much more effective than other types of campaigns. Promotional mugs and tumblers rank as more effective than radio/TV advertising. Studies report 57% of people can recall a brand’s advertising on a mug vs only 28% against recalling the advertiser on TV.

So why aren’t more businesses leveraging this growth opportunity?

One of the main reasons businesses may not be investing in corporate gifting or custom products is a perceived upfront cost. Certainly, depending on the products chosen, the upfront costs can look higher than expected. It’s important to consider more than just the raw cost when looking for promotional items.

Calculating ROI on promotional items

While not as easy to measure as a digital marketing campaign, this post challenges you to consider the ROI on promotional goods. The ROI is based on impressions – the number of people who are likely to see the branded product. When comparing investing into a marketing plan here’s a way to calculate the return on promo items.

No. of Items x Cost Per Item = Total Spend

Impressions per Product x No. of Items = Total Impressions

Total Spend / Total Impressions = Cost per Impression

Let’s break it down in a simple example using custom coffee mugs:

72 mugs x $10ea = $720

50 impressions ea x 72 = 3,600 views

$720 / 3,600 = $0.20 per impression

So, 72 mugs infrequently used only 50 times a year will get an estimated 3,600 impressions at an average cost of just $0.20 per impression. To put this in perspective the average CPC for Facebook advertising across all industries is roughly $2.00 per click.

With customers who consume coffee every day you could be looking at 72 x 365 or over 26,000 impressions a year. That takes the cost per view down to just $0.02 an impression. Those numbers don’t include others who might see the branding as well, which only drives down the impression costs even further.

Approx number of impressions

Clothing generates the most overall impressions over the expected lifetime of a product. The only exception being polo shirts, which can give the impression of a work uniform, making the wearers seem like employees and not casual users of the product. On average any product is expected to generate multiple hundreds if not thousands of impressions over its lifetime.

Know your target audience

Pick promotional products that your target audience will find useful or enjoy. Narrow in on products that are relevant to your business and will see use. Choosing well focused and quality products helps them stay around.

Approximately 87% of people keep promotional products for longer than a year while 4 out of 10 keep them for more than 5 years. That means people will continue to see your brand over and over, helping give you even more return on investment.

While at first glance promotional product expenses might seem more costly than alternative marketing options the actual cost per impression of promotional goods are extremely cheap. They provide long last lasting and consistent brand reminders to current and potential customers over a long lifespan.

Let Cascade Print Media help you grow your brand by offering solutions and options to stay in your customers’ minds while meeting your budgeting needs.

Sources: PPAI, ASI

Learn More

(253) 472-5500

3321 South Lawrence St.
Tacoma, WA 98409

info@cascadeprintmedia.com

The Evolution of Branding

FAQ, Marketing, Print Marketing

The Evolution of Branding

Branding has undergone significant transformation over the years. Originally, it was understood simply as a symbol or design used to connect consumers with a company’s products or services (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). Today, however, branding encompasses much more—it includes every element that shapes a company’s identity. This could be anything from the name, logo, and color palette, to the packaging, typography, and even the tone used in communication. These visual and emotional cues work together to convey what a company offers and what it stands for.

How Branding Influences Perception

The style of a company’s branding plays a crucial role in shaping how customers perceive its products and overall mission. Branding does more than identify a product—it projects the company’s values and personality. Take the automotive industry, for example, where companies use distinct branding strategies to appeal to different consumer desires.

Jeep: Adventure and Ruggedness

Jeep’s branding is a perfect example of how a company uses its visual identity to convey a sense of adventure and toughness. Their advertisements often feature vehicles navigating harsh, off-road terrains far from the safety of paved roads. The imagery invokes a spirit of exploration and resilience, while the tagline reinforces the brand’s association with adventure and rugged durability. This branding speaks to customers who are drawn to a lifestyle that embraces the unknown and thrives in challenging environments.

Subaru: Reliability and Responsibility

In contrast, Subaru’s branding focuses on dignity, reliability, and environmental consciousness. Subaru also features outdoor settings in its ads, but the tone is different. Instead of highlighting rugged off-roading, Subaru showcases vehicles responsibly driving on the street, underscoring a sense of dependability and care. Their tagline emphasizes a commitment to environmental causes, presenting the brand as a responsible choice for consumers who value sustainability and ethical considerations in their purchasing decisions.

The Impact of Branding on Reputation

While these examples may seem overt, it’s important to understand that branding shapes a company’s reputation far beyond the surface. Whether the message is positive, negative, or neutral, branding leaves a lasting impression on consumers. It can appeal to the mind or emotions, but it also operates on a more instinctual level, influencing decisions in a way that feels intuitive. Branding sets expectations, creating an emotional connection with consumers that guides their purchasing choices.

In essence, branding doesn’t just communicate what a company sells—it establishes what a consumer can expect from the brand, fostering a gut-level understanding of its values and impact. This instinctual connection plays a significant role in how a brand is perceived and how likely a customer is to choose it again in the future.

Looking to rev up your branding and marketing impact? Lets chat!

Learn More

(253) 472-5500

3321 South Lawrence St.
Tacoma, WA 98409

info@cascadeprintmedia.com

Why Cutting Corners Can Cost You More

Eco-Friendly, FAQ, Marketing

Why Cutting Corners Can Cost You More – The Hidden Cost of Low-Quality Products and Services

In a world where budgets are tight and speed is everything, it’s tempting to go with the cheapest option when ordering print materials, promotional products, branded apparel, or signage. But what seems like a good deal at first can quickly turn into a costly mistake. Low-quality products don’t just impact your brand—they hit your bottom line in ways you might not expect.

The Cost of Replacements and Reprints

Cheap products often lead to quick failures. Poorly printed brochures fade, flimsy promotional items break, and low-quality apparel shrinks or unravels after a few washes. When that happens, you’re forced to replace the items sooner than expected, effectively doubling your cost.

Example: You saved a few dollars by ordering low-end company T-shirts, but after just one event, they’re faded and falling apart. Now, you’re reordering from a better supplier—meaning you’ve spent twice as much.

Damage to Your Brand Reputation

Your branded materials represent your company. If your print looks unprofessional, your promo items feel cheap, or your signage is peeling, what does that say about your business?

Example: A potential client receives a flimsy, off-color business card or a promotional pen that breaks in their hand. It may seem minor, but those small details shape their perception of your company’s quality and reliability.

Lost Business and Missed Opportunities

Poor-quality products don’t just affect your existing customers—they can cost you future clients. Whether it’s an unreadable brochure, a faulty giveaway, or a poorly installed sign, low-quality materials fail to make the right impact.

Example: You invest in cheap promotional items for a trade show, but they don’t work as expected. Attendees toss them in the trash instead of keeping them, and you miss out on potential brand impressions and leads.

Increased Customer Complaints and Returns

Nothing frustrates customers more than receiving a subpar product. If your print materials have misaligned graphics, your apparel fades after one wash, or your promo items break instantly, you’ll hear about it—and not in a good way.

Example: You hand out branded tote bags at an event, but the stitching comes undone after just a few uses. Now, instead of spreading brand awareness, your customers associate your name with poor quality.

Wasted Time and Productivity

Every time you deal with a quality issue, you’re taking time away from other important business operations. Whether it’s handling complaints, reordering, or troubleshooting, low-quality products force you to spend more time fixing problems instead of growing your business.

Example: Your team spends hours dealing with a supplier over misprinted materials, delaying an important marketing campaign. The time lost is money lost.

No Direct Contact

In today’s digital world, it is tempting and easy to order signage, print, apparel and promotional products off a website offering a great price. Lower prices and faceless transactions often result in delayed shipments, low quality products and little to no contact when things go wrong.

Example: You buy a last minute apparel piece online for an important community event. The company you buy from fails to make the delivery and you have no company apparel for your team to wear to an important event.

Investing in Quality Saves You Money in the Long Run

The reality is, quality isn’t an expense—it’s an investment. When you choose high-quality print, promo, apparel, and signage, you get products that last longer, make a stronger impression, and save you money in the long run.

Better materials = fewer replacements
Professional branding = stronger reputation
Reliable products = happier customers
Fewer issues = more time to focus on growth

🚀 At Cascade Print Media, we believe in delivering high-quality solutions that make your brand shine—without the hidden costs. Let’s work together to create something that lasts.

📩 Ready to invest in quality for your next project? Let’s chat today!

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