Why Paper Stock is An Important Consideration in Business Printing

When reading a book, magazine, newspaper or any marketing piece, there’s a good chance that the reader doesn't give that much thought to the paper on which the material is printed. However, if you are business person who wants to achieve more than just putting words and pictures to paper and create excellent marketing materials, then the type and quality of the paper should be a major consideration to you. In business printing, the type of paper you use can enhance the appeal of the material you want to print. For instance, if you are printing brochures, you can achieve greater impact if you print it on a heavy paper stock with glossy finish. Why? Imagine printing on thin paper. Do you think the recipients of your brochures would give it a second look or at least keep it for perusal at a later time? That’s kind of doubtful. A brochure printed on low quality, thin paper feels flimsy and appears so amateurish that prospective customers won’t take it seriously. So when you discuss your paper options with the business printing provider, consider your audience, the message you are trying to communicate and your desired effect. If you are trying to make an impression on a potentially profitable customer, you may want to choose a heavyweight, glossy paper stock. However, in spite of aesthetic advantages of high quality paper, you must also take into account the practicality of such stock. Consider the actual content of your marketing piece and its intended life span. This is applicable if you are printing a flyer. Flyers are marketing materials that are less likely to be posted for long. Because of this, the business printer you hire may want recommend the use of a more economical paper. About finishes, the usual question is whether to make the material glossy or matte-finished. Again, you must consider the purpose, your message, audience and of course, the type of marketing material. Generally, photos appear better on glossy stocks. However, the shine could also obscure the text. As such, you need to decide on the elements that are most useful to the message you want to convey. Are you willing to favor style over substance? Would it be beneficial to your marketing strategy? It’s your choice to make but be very careful about it. The weight of the paper is an important factor in business printing. Thick paper stocks are typically more opaque. They are ideal for marketing materials that need to carry a lot of text. But if the material is going to be mailed out, your best choice is use a lighter stock for easy storage and reduced postage costs. If you are in the process of choosing the best Austin business printing service provider for your printing needs, make sure to factor in their ability to recommend the best type of paper for your project. A good business printer knows the ideal paper for every print job so feel free to ask any question regarding the subject.