Over recent years we have had an increase in enquiries from SMEs who have been using online printing companies and have decided to leave those behind and work with our team at AB Print instead.
Using a bespoke local printing company such as AB Print often has many more benefits than using online companies, not just in terms of quality, but also in terms of customer service. After speaking to many customers about their experience with online printers, we have listed some of the advantages of choosing a local printing company.
One of the issues with using an online printer is that there isn’t a single point of contact, meaning queries and issues can be ignored or misunderstood. Having to wait weeks for a response can be extremely frustrating and mean time and money are wasted on a service which did not provide you with exactly what you wanted.
Local print companies don’t tend to have large teams operating from a call centre because we at AB Print believe that having a relationship with the customer matters. We will get to know you and your business so that every customer is dealt with on an individual basis. This means when you deal with a local printer like AB Print, you know you can speak to someone who knows about your order at any time and can expect frequent contact so that we can tailor our printing services to your needs and keep you informed.
Another reason customers have moved from online printers is because they have been let down on lead times and delivery dates. For many businesses, meeting deadlines is crucial, so when we work with any of our clients this is something that is always a priority. At AB Print we work to your deadlines, meaning our team go above and beyond to ensure these are met.
Due to the nature of online printing, clients don’t get to see the final product until it’s delivered to them. This can mean a lack of clarity over the quality of the print, such as the weight of the paper and how the finish and artwork might appear.
This can often lead to printing that doesn’t match expectations or requirements. With a bespoke local printer, customers can meet face-to-face with team members and physically see and choose which print materials and finishes they prefer before placing their order.
As well as managing the customer relationship, local printers can match your colours and designs printed on the same stock to ensure you get a consistent print finish every time. Due to the more personal service and keeping everything in-house, AB Print can also monitor the whole process to ensure consistent quality control of your print materials.
While online print providers often seem like the convenient option because customers can upload artwork directly when placing an order, you can still be hit with technical issues or uncertainty around file submissions. Local printing companies can help you prepare your artwork for print and will review your files to ensure the best possible end result.
Working with us also means we can manage print files and assets like your logo so we’ll have them ready for the next print job.
By being a fully serviced printing company, we can be a one-stop shop for all our clients printing which includes digital, litho, and large format printing. Our experienced team can create a variety of bespoke print materials such as business cards, flyers, leaflets and brochures, and for the retail sector we can even help with printed POS materials. No matter what quantity, AB Print can do it all and will always produce high quality print to your exact requirements.
To find out more about our services and how we can help you, feel free to call us on 01924 473481 or get in touch here.
Anything relating to the size, space, shape and appearance of the text of a publication is classed as typography. An easy way to remember it is through the word ‘type’, which is the verb used to describe how we make text appear on a screen.
Copy is a fundamental part of most print works. It is how most messages are communicated and with consideration in the typography of the text, designers can become even more creative. But what is typography and the terminology associated with it? As printing experts in Yorkshire, AB Print have broken down the basics of typography terminology:
This refers to the vertical space usually between the bottom of the characters of one line and the tip of the characters on the line below. The more leading between each line of text, the more space each line has to breathe individually. This can be useful for standalone sentences or words intended to give maximum impact.
This refers to the space in between each letter within a word. The greater the tracking, the more expanded the word will be.
Often confused with tracking, kerning refers to the spacing between a pair of letters, numerical characters or punctuation. In most common typefaces, capitalised letters AV often overlap with each other’s space.
Also known as PT, this is one many of you may have come across before. This is the smallest unit of measurement in typography and is used to measure point size, leading, and images on a printed page.
Many designs utilise white space to offer a clean aesthetic to the layout. Used correctly, it can emphasise imagery and copy. Creatively, it can even be used as ‘negative space’, where the space not used can create shapes and even words.
We hope this illustrated the fundamentals of typography and the terminology associated with it. Knowing these definitions can be helpful when negotiating artwork with printers for your designs. At AB Print, we work with many businesses to make sure their print work and artwork contain the correct dimensions and have the necessary copy.
If you would like to speak to us regarding our printing services, feel free to get in touch with us today.
POS displays, also known as Point of Sale displays have multiple purposes within any retail business that has products on show for customers to buy. These purposes vary from informing, to directing, and to advertising. The design, size, and content of your POS will also vary depending on the purpose. However, most displays share a common outcome which is to essentially boost sales and generate interest in a product, brand, or service.
Here, AB Print have outlined the fundamentals of what makes a good Point of Sale signage display so that it can carry out its job of informing, directing and advertising to your customers:
Signage that demands the attention of the eye has achieved the first necessity of good POS. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the display should be bombarded with multiple colours, as it may not match the brand identity of your business or the product/service you are promoting. Again, depending on the purpose, displays will vary in size; shelf talkers are narrower with room for one or two lines of text at a few words each, however an A5 sized POS at the till point has more room for text and imagery which can be used to generate attention and interest.
As previously mentioned, the size of the display will also have an influence on the number of words or images you have on the piece of signage. If the purpose of the sign is to inform customers of a new product, it may simply include an image of the product with a clever design around it to make it stand out. The text could be as simple as the name of the product and “In stores now.”
Having too many words is often a turn-off for customers as attention can be lost. Likewise, the size of the images can take up too much of the display, thus suffocating the design. Retaining the customer’s interest in your brand, product or service is potentially the most difficult aspect of any method of advertising, but once you have generated a desire, the last step is to inform customers of the next course of action you want them to take.
This can be as simple as instructing the customer to speak to a colleague for more information, or to add an item to their shopping trolley. The location of the POS will determine whether a call to action should be present or what it may say. For example, a sale sign in the front window may indicate which section of the store is discounted, but an item may just have a sale sticker attached to it indicating how much is knocked off the full price.
These are some of the basics to consider when designing the Point of Sale signage for your businesses. If this has helped you, and you are interested in setting up a POS campaign, contact AB Print on 01924 473481 or email enquiries@abprintgroup.com and we will be happy to help.
At AB Print we work with many exciting and high-profile clients with the aim of bringing their brands to life, and our latest project was no different. Working with SF Leisure, the UK’s leading supplier of night time and corporate event entertainment, we had the opportunity to create beautiful design and print work for the premium vodka brand, Cîroc. 
Working with SF Leisure throughout the entire design process, beginning with concepts and ideas all the way through to the completed project, meant that this was an exciting project involving a lot of time and detail to ensure that this unique event, which took place last month, represented the Cîroc brand.
When it came to creating the entrance to the event, we produced a stencil to reflect the Cîroc branding which we used to create the white and blue carpet walkway. Alongside the walkway, we also helped shape and print the Cîroc wording and logos onto the burners. It was important to create an eye catching and stylish entrance finished to a high quality which we believe we successfully achieved alongside the team at SF Leisure.
Inside the event, one of the central features was the extravagant glitter ball. This was a unique concept which we designed and created, starting with cutting out the materials and inserting lights into the inside of the ball, as well as printing the curved panel inside the ball promoting the Cîroc brand. This was cleverly made to display the Cîroc vodka bottles, glasses, and ice, which added a special touch.
The inside of the venue was also lit up beautifully, and another unique feature which contributed to this were the Cîroc logo projections on the walls. These were also made by ourselves by CAD cutting a 25mm Perspex disc before printing the wording on to be used by the projector.
Finally, for behind the scenes storage, we printed the Cîroc logo onto the carry cases using CAD Cut Vinyl Printing, leaving a high quality and clean looking design alongside the consistent branding throughout the event.
To see more of the event, check out this Video!
AB Print offers a fully comprehensive in-house service that produces excellent quality, value for money print work. For a print company offering a complete service in high quality printing, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01924 473481, or email us at enquiries@abprintgroup.com.
Choosing the right print company for your printing work is crucial to creating a good image for your business. We know there’s a vast choice of print companies, from the local print company offering low-cost, basic printing services, to the global online print company that will fulfil your order speedily from a distance. So what should you be looking out for to choose a good printing company?
To ensure your chosen print company will fulfil your expectations, we recommend you check the quality of their recent work. Look for case studies or projects and ensure the print looks clear and sharp, without smudging, and the colour across company branding is uniform.
Before you choose a print supplier, it’s also a good idea to check their environmental statement. It may be important for your business to connect with a company that chooses environmentally sustainable ways of working as AB Print does.
Check the reputation and customer references of your chosen print company, and its customer service structure. Look for reviews and testimonials from recent customers and ask questions about the values that are important to you.
AB Print is committed to an impressive level of customer service that sees your print job through in-house from start to finish.
We don’t just mean look for the cheapest option, but do check that your chosen print company will be using the most cost-effective and efficient method of printing for your job as this ensures you invest your printing budget effectively. Digital printing is good for low-cost, fast printing on 200 or fewer copies. For larger quantities, your print company should be steering you towards litho printing, which works out cheaper for larger quantities and produces a higher-quality print with the option for special print finishes or effects.
AB Printing offers the best of both worlds. Our Yorkshire print works allows us to offer a complete print service that can compete with online printers, but with a personal level of service that is second to none.
Our fully comprehensive in-house service produces excellent quality, value-for-money print work. For a print company offering a complete service in high-quality printing, get in touch with the print experts at AB Print.
Whatever type of event you are going to, you should always be prepared with marketing tools and props. You should use the opportunity to showcase your company and your brand, and this can be done with a range of printed materials. Regardless of what specific type of material you bring, the very fact that you have taken the time and initiative to invest in them shows signs of a well-prepared, well-structured business with a clear understanding of organisation and branding. All of which are traits that a future client can have confidence investing into.
A business card is essential for any business event as they have the potential to increase sales, expand your customer base, and extend your client portfolio. Business cards enable you to act on conversations with potential new clients and can be the kickstart the beginning of a lucrative business relationship. Also, it doesn’t matter what type of corporate event or exhibition you are at, business cards can be taken anywhere thanks to their size and portability.
Business cards are printed using digital printing, this type of printing is effective for quick turnarounds of large orders. It can print onto a range of card that range between 60gsm and 400gsm depending on how strong and durable you want your product to be.
Stationery is another effective marketing tool as they don’t get thrown away as often as business cards do. Instead, they can be used on a daily basis by your clients and therefore have the power to continue to market for you even after the event. Commercial stationery usually stays in business environments and cleverly capitalises on the fact companies will always need stationary close to their desks.
If you are exhibiting at an event or conference then a high-quality modular exhibition display is a great tool to have. If you produce a creative and attractive sign you can help your business stand apart from the competition. The benefits of investing in a display or sign are almost endless for a business if they are professionally designed and produced.
Printed materials are a great way of promoting your product, your service, your company and your brand. At AB Print all printing services including, Litho, Digital and screen printing are all done under the same roof. AB’s ability to print everything in-house means we can maintain control and quality throughout all its services. For more information, call 01924 473481 or get in touch here.
When designed properly, exhibition stand printed materials are a great way of promoting your business and communicating the service or product that you offer. In order to make sure your display fulfils its potential, we recommend bearing the following points in mind:
Although it may be tempting to include everything about your company, stick to a few key points rather than reams of text. This will mean that your message will be visible from a distance and easily digestible by attendees.
This might sound obvious but it’s important to include at least a phone number and email address so that potential clients can get in touch for more information at a later date.
Using high-quality, well-selected photos or illustrations can help to communicate what you are offering more effectively than lots of text. Make sure to choose ones that really convey your business and what it does.
The colours that you use also need to be chosen carefully. If you are an established company it is best to use these to maintain consistency. If you are new and really wanting to stand out from the crowd then bright, bold colours are an option.
When designing your display it’s really important to think about how it links to your brand and existing material in order to maintain consistency. As well as colours, think about using the same fonts and logos so that it fits with other printed products such as business cards or online information such as websites. Maintaining your brand image across these different mediums signals that your company is well-established and professional.
AB Print have more than 35 years of experience creating exhibition materials. Our state of the art printing systems means we are able to offer competitively priced display boards, hanging panels, leaflet dispensers and cubes and more. To discuss your company’s exhibition requirements in more detail please get in touch today on 01924 473481.
Whilst there’s no denying we’re living in an increasingly digital world, print media can still be a pivotal part of the marketing mix right now in 2024. Investing in print media can help your business to extend its reach to potential customers, gain exposure and, most importantly, engage your target audience in ways that cannot be achieved with digital alone. Here are eight reasons you should still be using print as part of your marketing mix.
Printed media can be tailored to your target market, both in terms of the style of design as well as in how you distribute the material; this means you can focus your marketing budget on reaching the audience you want and make the material relevant and appealing to them.
Another reason print media is important is because it creates credibility. Investing in printed material, signals to customers that you are serious about your business and that you offer a worthwhile product or service.
Printed materials can also create engagement between the customer and the brand. By providing interesting articles to read, special offers or amusing copy there is the opportunity to provide a connection between the reader and the product that can lead to brand awareness and sales.
Unlike web pages, print media has a longer lifespan. Rather than spending a few seconds on a site and then moving on, brochures and leaflets can be picked up and put down and referred, back to(delete) they can also be passed on to friends or colleagues, maximising the reach of your campaign; this gives print a real sense of authenticity.
Finally, print media offers the chance to link paper with online content, examples here include the use of a QR code or referral to a website for more information or to make an online order.
Print engages multiple senses; the feel of the paper, the smell of the ink, and the visual design all contribute to a deeper engagement, enhancing the impact of the content.
More and more companies rely on digital for their marketing needs; this makes print an excellent opportunity to really stand out and announce your brand.
According to research by Reuters (link here) the growing fake-news epidemic has led to a decline in the trustworthiness of digital media in general, this further reinforces the role of print in establishing a brands credibility and trustworthiness.
AB Print offer a wide range of print media services including brochures, leaflets, folders, business cards and stationery. To find out more about our printing and finishing or to request a quote, please get in contact today.
Advancements in the printing industry in recent years have revolutionised how we can print, with the options for commercial printing now incredibly vast and diverse. The range of printing services that we offer at AB Print’s Batley plant allows for a wide choice and an almost completely custom-made end product to suit your business.
The two main types of commercial printing are Litho and Digital. Here’s our guide to help you understand the difference:
Litho Printing is the most common type of printing for high-volume commercial services. The image is burned onto a metal plate with a laser, this is then loaded onto the printing press. The image is then transferred onto a rubber blanket and finally offset onto the surface. This process is ink free and can be offset onto a number of different surfaces.
Digital printing removes many of the mechanical steps used in conventional printing, including making the plates. Don’t get confused though, this is far from what it is like printing at home; the digital print presses used by professional printers are much more sophisticated.
Commercial Printing can be a complicated decision. It all very much depends on what you require. Whether it is a small amount of large and colourful products such as signs or banners or a large quantity of more basic products such as leaflets and filers.
AB Print offer a wide range of products and services to suit any and all of your commercial needs. Our printing services are all one under one roof so you can completely tailor your final product.
If you’d like to make an enquiry or need more information on how our commercial printing services can help you, contact the team today.
Wedding days are the most magical day of a couple’s life together. It is a symbol of all the love a pair have for each other. The average cost of a wedding day in the UK is an astonishing £20,000. No expense is spared for the perfect wedding day that most people dream and fantasise about all their life.
The wedding invitation is incredibly important because it doesn’t matter how much you spend if nobody knows to show up! As well as the obvious information, how a wedding invitation looks can say just as much about the day as the wedding cake.
You are going to want a very well-thought-out design for your invitation. The invitation itself should look sophisticated, classy and, obviously, inviting. Have the design, colour and fonts be as representative of your wedding as the decorations at the venue.
For the front of your invitation usually less is more with the information. You don’t want to overcrowd the card with words, but that being said, be sure you include everything needed. Most invitations are kept simple, with clear font, align the information down the centre of your card.
Be as short and clear with this part as possible. There is lots of necessary information that you need to pass on to your guests.
You can have the most beautiful-looking design of your invitation, but if this is printed on cheap paper that could all be a waste. The quality of the material you decide to print on is as valuable as the look itself.
AB Print have a wide range of high-quality and customisable event invitations, and with in-house finishing technologies such as die-cutting, embossing, glitter inks and foil blocking, we are able to create the perfect look for you.
AB Printing services can tailor to any requirement you might have to cater for your perfect day. For more information give us a call now on 01924 473481.
To find out more, please call, email or send our enquiry form. We look forward to speaking with you.
