Print still performs many roles that online cannot
2nd November 2012
You can read a magazine online or a book on a mobile device, but you can’t use a website to decorate a lorry or package
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Digital Emboss
31st October 2012
Digital Embossing Digital Embossing is the new sensation. This fantastic innovation makes print positively three dimensional. From today ‘ordinary printing will simply leave you feeling
A 32% response rate on Direct Mail – Here’s How!
24th October 2012
I’ve just seen a very interesting video about a Canadian Porsche dealership – who with the help of an agency, created a PERSONALISED Direct Mail
Practicers of the dark arts still cast a spell
1st October 2012
Once respected as guardians of the written word, printers today have little or no responsibility for content proofing, but pride in print remains
Kindle book sales surpass print at Amazon.co.uk
28th September 2012
E-books are outselling printed books in the UK at Amazon just two years after it introduced the Kindle in this country. The online retailer said
Writing a Simple Press Release
26th September 2012
The basic framework for a press release is as follows: Headline Get your story across immediately. For example, ‘Local man celebrates 100th birthday’. Content Read
How to advertise your company for free
24th September 2012
For the thousands of small businesses, marketing has often been regarded as an unaffordable luxury. Even before the current economic struggles, buying advertising space in
The Games may yet get a thumbs up from printers: Olympics tenders
1st August 2012
There has been much grumbling about London 2012 from the print sector, but companies that saw the opportunties are reaping the benefits
The Sun in UK newspaper first with augmented reality poster
30th July 2012
The Sun distributed the UK’s first augmented reality poster associated with a national newspaper to mark the beginning of the Olympics.
P.I.Y. Print it Yourself
25th July 2012
Are you someone that prefers to print items yourself? Have you started in business and already run off a sheet of business cards on your
The History of Business Cards
23rd July 2012
Business Card History Usually business cards are an afterthought – something you pick up in your day to day life in business. What if someone
Did You Know…
13th July 2012
* An average person blinks 12 times per minute – about 10,000 blinks/day. * Human eyes are composed of more than 2 million working parts.
Advertising spend in UK printed press down 10% in Q1 of 2012
11th July 2012
The latest year-on-year figures reveal advertising in printed press showed the greatest decline compared to other mediums in the first quarter of 2012.
Don’t be a Square
9th July 2012
It would seem we have a run on radius corners – or cut business cards this month. We’ve already produced 5 sets of business cards
Nano What? Nanographic Printing or Nanography
29th May 2012
Nano what? Nanography™ is the science behind Benny Landa’s revolutionary digital printing technology. Nanographic Printing™ technology combines the performance of offset with the versatility of digital
Printing for London 2012 gone to America!
4th May 2012
The decision to grant the contract to Weldon, Williams & Lick of Fort Smith, Arkansas has sparked outrage among British businesses who have demanded to
Monitors – why you shouldn’t trust them!
2nd May 2012
A while back I can remember a story of a customer who had designed their printed item (lets call it a leaflet for the benefit
Monitors – why you shouldn’t trust them!
2nd May 2012
A while back I can remember a story of a customer who had designed their printed item (lets call it a leaflet for the benefit
PANTONE UNVEILS 336 NEW COLORS
30th April 2012
On Thursday 26th April, Pantone, the global authority on color announced the addition of 336 new shades to the Pantone Plus Series, bringing the grand total to 1,677
New System!
27th April 2012
It’s finally here. The launch of our great new system which integrates all our enquiries, estimating, purchase orders, delivery notes & invoices all in one
Is Your Print a Puzzle?
27th April 2012
How does your print look? Where do you place it? Is it with around 5 different suppliers…?
Customer Spotlight – M Weatherley & Son
25th April 2012
This month we’re taking a look at Northampton based M Weatherley & Son. M. Weatherley & Sons are a small, family run firm with over
Google Doodle – Gideon Sundback
24th April 2012
Great little Google Doodle today. Marking the Birthday of the inventor of the Zip (Gideon Sundback) is a giant zip down the middle of Google’s
What Is Print?
23rd April 2012
“It’s almost impossible to imagine a world without print. It’s all around us and plays a vital role in our daily lives.” Print is largely
Passing a Job on Press
18th April 2012
Or Press Passing as it’s known. It’s the method of checking a job while it’s being printed. We do this to ensure tight control to
Royal Mail price increase April 2012
16th April 2012
Royal Mail announces annual stamp price rise for April 2012 We know how hard it is for households and businesses when our economy is as
What your Mum never told you about Proofing & Printing
13th April 2012
So you’ve placed your job with a printer, you’ve given them your file and you’re ready for the next step – you’ll most likely want
What are Colour Bars…?
11th April 2012
So following on from the registration post I thought I’d sort some info on what the other items on a printed sheet are. Today we’ll
Registration
2nd April 2012
So just a quick post today on what the term Registration means in the world of print – loads of funny markings on a sheet
What IS all the difference between prices…?
28th March 2012
So you’ve been searching for the best quote you can find (naughty naughty, you shouldn’t be doing this… read here why!). You’ve got all these
Do YOU do cheap?…
26th March 2012
… It still surprises me that ‘cheap’ is a term most businesses aspire to when they describe themselves. In research and reading throughout my day
Socialising
23rd March 2012
Are you socialising in business yet? How about through social media? Especially through video? Social Media markets are expanding rapidly – and as they expand
Customer Spotlight – Jo Blackwell Photography
21st March 2012
This month we’re taking a look at Jo Blackwell Photography.Based in Northampton, Jo Blackwell is a storyteller. If you will allow her at some stage
Resolution
19th March 2012
This one always seems to have the last thought when producing print. It’s most likely down to the computers we work on as to why
Direct Mail
16th March 2012
Are you using it to build your business? One of direct mail’s biggest advantages is its ability to make personal one-to-one contact with your prospect.
Colour me Good!
14th March 2012
Colours are extremely important when you’re thinking of designing your printed items. Here we’ll look at a few colours.. what they mean and help you
Print Management vs Print Companies
13th March 2012
While it’s often the case in business that you want to cut out the middle man where you can, it just isn’t the case when
Such a Creep…
12th March 2012
… If the title had you wondering, then don’t worry – this Blog post is all about a print term called ‘creep’ or push out
The BIGGEST revelation in print…
9th March 2012
it’s not just ink on paper… that certainly got your attention didn’t it? Well it should. I wanted to talk today about the huge separation
QR Codes – Quick Overview
8th March 2012
• QR Code stands for Quick Response Code, it’s intended to allow it’s contents to be decoded at high speed. • A QR code is
Full Colour Printing (CMYK)
5th March 2012
You may be surprised to find out that when any photos or pictures are printed they’re printed out of 4 inks. CMYK. C for Cyan
Full-Colour Printing (CMYK)
5th March 2012
You may be surprised to find out that when any photos or pictures are commercially printed they’re printed out of 4 inks. CMYK. C for Cyan
Folding & Creasing
2nd March 2012
Often overlooked – an area of your print job that should always be considered is your finishing. The small details can sometimes make (or break)
Fancy a trim?
1st March 2012
Trimming is the process of cutting a document down to its finished size. Commerical printing presses cannot print to the very edge of a sheet
Lamination
29th February 2012
Laminate is a very thin sheet of clear plastic which is applied to one or both sides of a sheet of paper. It provides protection from
What Does Your Business Card Say About You?
28th February 2012
I want each of you now to reach into your back pocket – or your bag and pull out your business card. Take a
Customer Spotlight – Fong Spa
16th February 2012
This month we’re taking a look at Fong Day Spa in Northampton. Owned and run by Yin Jeune, Fong Spa is a haven of retreat from
Pantone Numbers – How they can help your brand
15th February 2012
Last month we talked about the Pantone System, a standardised colour reproduction system used by almost every printer to help create specific colours. When you think of
Digital Texture Printing
14th February 2012
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could feel your print as well as see it. Well with advances in digital printing – it’s now possible for
Roller Banners
6th February 2012
Some great new Roller Banners we’ve just produced for a customer of ours – these are 800 x 2000mm 210gsm Polyester Hybrid UV Cure printed,
Photo Book Gift
6th February 2012
It’s nice once and a while to get a completely bespoke piece of print. This book was created as a leaving gift for someone. Working
Pantone Numbers
6th February 2012
The Pantone Matching System is a standardised colour reproduction system. By Standardising the colours, different ink manufacturers in different locations can all refer to the Pantone System
Print Freedom
6th February 2012
What is Print Freedom I hear you shout! Well, Print Freedom is what everybody has the ability to achieve and can lead to some serious time savings
Customer Spotlight – The Art of Wood
18th January 2012
This month we look at Northampton-based The Art of Wood. The Art of Wood prides itself on providing a unique service, tailoring fitted and freestanding
Customer Spotlight
18th January 2012
In the coming months we’re launching a Customer Spotlight area of our website. This great new page will have some great stories from our customers. It will also
Pantone Colours
18th January 2012
The Pantone system also allows for many ‘special’ colours to be produced such as metallics and fluorescents. While most of the Pantone system colours are beyond the
The Power of the Printed Word – Newsletters
18th January 2012
“The single most effective tool you can use to build PROPER Relationships with your customers.” Nigel Botterill If you currently send out email marketing or similar. Is there anything stopping you
Print Freedom
18th January 2012
What is Print Freedom I hear you shout! Well, Print Freedom is what everybody has the ability to achieve and can lead to some serious time savings if done correctly. Think
What is Bleed?
15th December 2011
This is the most common area of artwork that is missed when supplying files.So we’ll take a quick look at what it is and why
Big Thanks!
15th December 2011
So as we near the end of 2011 and this will be our last newsletter of the year – it just leaves us to say
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Why January is the Best Month to Rebrand
January isn’t just the start of a new year—it’s the most strategic time to refresh your brand and marketing materials. Businesses that act early often see a 20–30% uplift in engagement throughout the year. Why? Because customers associate freshness with innovation. When you update your branding now, you position yourself as proactive and forward-thinking.
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Print Like a Pro: Tips and Tricks for Flawless Results
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to print like a pro! Whether you’re a small business owner, a marketing manager, or just someone who wants to ensure professional-looking print materials, this listicle is for you. We’ve compiled expert tips and tricks to help you achieve flawless results every time. From choosing the right paper to optimizing your design, we’ve got you covered. So let’s dive in and elevate your printing game!
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Spring into Action: Print Management Tips for a Productive Season
Spring is the season of renewal and growth, and there’s no better time to elevate your print management game with Blue Star Print Solutions. From efficient project management to uncompromising quality assurance, we’re committed to helping your business thrive. Contact us today and let’s spring into action together!