Category Archives: Marketing

Guide to Card Sizes

Preparing handmade greeting cards or note cards can be tricky, especially if you want them to fit in standard sized envelopes. Here is a chart that will help you as you prepare your card stock and artwork. Protective sleeves are also a nice packaging touch, and can be purchased to fit only one card and envelope, or up to 8 cards and envelopes. Note that the A6-8 sleeve only holds about four A6 greeting cards and envelopes.

Use the charts below indicated standard U.S. sizes to assist in sizing when creating your own greeting cards.

The sample below shows how to position your artwork on 8 1/2″ x 11″ cardstock. If you are using electronic files, and you want the image to print right to the edge of the card (called a “bleed”), the image needs to be larger than the size of the card. The red lines below indicate the bleed position on an A7 vertical card. The bleed must hang over on three sides by a minimum of .125″.  Then, after you print your card you can trim it to the right size.

Spend your time creating—we’ll do the print work

greeting card assortment

Let us print your art on greeting cards of any size. All our prices include scoring, folding and envelopes. Colors are water-, scratch- and fade-resistent, unlike non-archival inkjet prints.

We also print bookmarks and print reproductions to 12 inches x 18 inches. Our high quality, low cost laser prints make a stunning presentation when matted and packaged as a print combo.

Westlake Village Art Guild  newsletters

We’ve been printing the Westlake Village Art Guild newsletter since 2005.

Does your art club print a newsletter? We can help. We specialize in printing everything for artists and crafters from newsletters and booklets to business cards, postcards and product tags.

Don’t see the print product you’re looking for on our website? Give us a call at 805-522-5475. We quote custom orders.

Cleveland Airport Layover

Dr. Gino

“Oh my, is he serious?”

As we approached our gate, I couldn’t help but be struck dumb by the goofy looking dentist in the billboard posted directly across from Gate 20C. Enough to stop me in my tracks, I read the headline, and grabbed my husband, Bob, by his shirtsleeve. “Is it just me?” I asked Bob. He saw the sign, and we looked at each other. After having a good chuckle, we took seats waiting at the gate, where I attempted to test my new camera equipment.

In all likelihood, as a graphic designer and teacher of design, I am not your typical observer, but I was a captive audience during a five-hour layover. Let’s just say I had a lot of time on my hands. The poor airport gate agents had to stare at Dr. Gino’s new ‘doo day after day.

“Uh, he’s not working on my teeth.”

One of the agents walked over to a small group of us who were being entertained by the reactions of the rushing travelers. “Do you think we should call him?” the agent asked the group. Several passengers gathered around the sign, and the three agents pondered over the dilemma. Should they, or shouldn’t they call Dr. Gino and warn him about the ruckus his sign is causing?

“Yes, but perhaps that was his intention? It could be a genius marketing plan,” a female agent suggested. “Look at all the people who are drawn to the ad and are talking about it.”

Passersby were surely gawking and talking about Dr. Gino. Maybe they’re still talking today.

“Honey, you’re not going to believe this.”

Airline passengers pass the time people-watching at a busy airport terminal where a billboard greeted arriving and departing travelers.

Young Wellesley entrepreneurs to sell greeting cards

While some store fronts stand empty in town center, a new cottage industry has sprung up in Wellesley this fall, and it’s run by sixth-grade social entrepreneurs.   Their product is recyclable greeting cards, and their manufacturing center is a couple of classrooms in Wellesley Middle School that constitute “House R.” Read more:

 

Free Decorative Elastic Stretch Loop with A2-1/2 Box Purchase

10-inch-metallic-copper-stretch-loop

Photography and note card design by Jon Seyster, Just Heavenly

Purchase any quantity A2-1/2 note card sized box and get a 10-inch elastic stretch loop absolutely free. For example: if you were to purchase 100 boxes, you would get 100 stretch loops in any of eleven different colors absolutely free, a $21 value. For the widest choice of 10-inch elastic stretch loop colors anywhere, choose from a metallic finish in Gold, Silver, Copper, Red, Green, Blue, and Purple. Elastic stretch loops also come in matte colors, Pink, Blue, Black and White.

A2-1/2 boxes are designed for note cards measuring 4.25 inches by 5.5 inches when folded and hold four to 10 note cards and matching A2 envelopes, which measure 4.375 inches by 5.75 inches.

Elastic stretch loops add a decorative element to dress up the greeting card box, and turn an ordinary box into a beautiful gift package. Stretch loops are an attractive marketing device that adds perceived value to the box of cards.

free-elastic-streetch-loop-popupTo get A2-1/2 boxes with free stretch loops, add the number of boxes you want to your shopping cart. Using the pop-up menu next to “Free Stretch Loops:”, choose any one of our eleven colors of the 10-inch loops. If you want multiple colors, say 50 silver and 50 gold, add 50 boxes choosing silver, continue shopping and choose another 50 boxes with gold stretch loops. Continue shopping to add any other products you want, and proceed to check out.

This valuable offer is good for a limited time only, while supplies last.

Giveaway Ends with a Bang!

Several days ago we challenged our customers to rack up a $100 order, and if their sales receipt displayed #10,000, we promised to refund the full amount of the order, up to $100.

Today we’re happy to announce that we gave away $67.43 to one lucky customer. It’s only fitting that yesterday, as the United States of America celebrated its independence with fireworks, Oak Creek Printworks hit order #10,000 goal, ending our giveaway with a bang!

Congratulations, C.G., South Lion, Michigan.

Order Number 10,000 – Compliments of the House

up to $100 FreeAs we at Oak Creek Printworks celebrate our eighth year in business, we are quickly approaching order number 10,000!† It’s truly an exciting milestone for us, and we want to thank each and every one of our customers for your support in our efforts to supply printing, packaging, presentation and display products for artists selling prints and greeting cards.

*Because we want to include our customers in our celebration of this achievement, we’re awarding the lucky customer who “scores” sales order #10,000 with a refund of $100 on orders over $100. If sales order #10,000 is under $100, it will be refunded in full. We’re not too fond of rules, so we only have this one: orders placed by the same customer within 48 hrs. of another order are ineligible for this offer, and the next eligible order will qualify for the award. Customer’s name, image and website link will be published in our blog only if requested.

As our gift to the recipient of order number 10,000, we can hardly wait to give $100 back to you!

†NOTE: Order #10,000 was placed on July 4th and Oak Creek Printworks awarded the customer a total of $67.43, officially ending the promotion.

Clear bags protect greeting cards and more

clear bags for mailingClear bags aren’t just for greeting cards and note cards. These crystal clear sleeves have all the benefits of double-sided full color envelopes at a fraction of the cost. Clear bags are suitable to send through the U.S. postal service,  provided you follow a few simple rules.

A clean, white label area on the inside or outside of the package, preferably, but not necessarily, with a bar code. Bulk postage, bar code and address information can be printed directly on the the mailer, while postage stamps must be canceled; therefore they must be affixed to the outside of the sleeve in the proper position. It’s always best to check your design, printing and mailing plans with your local post office to confirm current postal regulations.

Benefits of clear mailers are huge. There’s no question that we’re hooked and will open “The Printer’s Glove of Choice!”. There’s some depth to the package, so surely there are samples inside, and the Golden Arches help seal the deal. The Aflac mailer, like all of Kaplan Thaler’s (Aflac’s ad agency), advertising, is enticing and clever. Because the envelope is see-through, the duck’s layered feathers reveal a unique die cut brochure, different enough to catch anyone’s eye and encourage them to open the envelope.  Aflac’s mailer does not disappoint, unless, of course, you were expecting sound effects.

You can find clear mailing envelopes in a variety of size and seal styles by clicking on this link on the clear bags page.

Aflac ad opened

 

Pantone’s spring fashion colors fill out new tassel set

pms spring 2011 fashion color tasselsBookmark enthusiasts will find 10 each of 10 new spring fashion colors in this brand new tassel set. Save 20% by buying tassels in sets and be prepared to display your artwork or photos on bookmarks complemented by trendy colors.

In addition to artists, photographers and printers, bookmarks are an inexpensive and useful marketing tool for all sorts of businesses.

The designer has complete control over what’s printed or crafted on the fronts and back of the bookmarks. Customize or decorate the bookmark to make a great gift, a gift adornment, or a stocking stuffer.

Both the small and large vinyl bookmark sleeves are sold in the Oak Creek Printworks store, and have a hole punched at the end to string an adornment of beads, charms, or, to keep the price down, a 4-in chainette bookmark tassel.

Must-have business card sleeves for smart networkers

clear vinyl business card holderI’d been looking for an inexpensive giveaway to market my business at chamber and networking events, so when I ran across these clear vinyl business cards sleeves I realized that they are a ready-made promotional item for anyone who carries or collects business cards.

Not only will the holders help me promote my business, but they really are useful for the recipient, as well. I appreciate the fact that the card cases are inexpensive, and the more you buy, the less they cost. Because the vinyl is crystal clear, you can see easily see the card through the plastic so four faces are visible. The carrying case is sturdy, yet flexible enough to pack up to a couple of dozen cards, and folds to easily carry in a wallet, purse or pocket.

As it turned out, I wasn’t the only person who thought this was the best marketing tool for networking to come along since the calendar pen (I’ll save that one for another post). Now my fellow networkers are ordering these business card cases by the hundreds, so they can fill them with their cards to pass out to people they meet that might require their products or services. And, they especially love the fact that they can fill the case with any cards or message since no imprinting is required, making them extremely versatile when it comes to personalization. This card case is an inexpensive business marketing tool.