Just like adding different spices and seasonings can create unique flavor profiles for a meal, using a specialty coating on your marketing piece can help communicate your distinct style or add a tactile reinforcement of your messaging.

But using spices and seasoning can be intimidating for an amateur cook who doesn't know the difference between cumin and nutmeg and how much of each to move a dish from good to great. In the same way, designers and marketers need to know how to use a coating to achieve a desired visual affect.

Consider the following advice as your "cookbook" for coatings:

Traditional and digital marketing do not have to be mutually-exclusive efforts. In a previous blog we shared 5 examples of how they have been used successfully together. Now I'd like to share some ideas specifically combining social media with print marketing.

When you are starting a printing project, there are a lot of decisions to make. One important decision is whether you should print using a digital press or a traditional offset press. There are many variables to consider so let's review your options here:

Designing for printed material, big and small, has requirements that don’t apply when you are designing for the web or social media. Here are some of the common mistakes printers see when files are submitted for printing:

Every year, we like to push the envelope with our holiday card, trying new techniques and showcasing our capabilities. With this in mind, our holiday card this year featured an accordion folded card with ten pockets, bound by a belly band, and shrink wrapped to create a self-mailing piece. Recipients were instructed to open one pocket per day, each contained a different marketing resolution idea for the new year. The exterior was made up of two pieces that were rotated 180 degrees to complete the card. Both halves of the exterior utilized a single die, which allowed it to run on a smaller press sheet, helping save on total cost. See a video of how it was made and get a sample of this piece here.

Since paper can be up to half of the costs associated with a printing project, choice of paper is a important consideration when planning any marketing campaign. The paper you choose can affect how your digital designs translate to the real world, but many marketers do not receive training about how to evaluate paper options. Here is a short guide for paper novices:

Are you sick of the boring tri-fold handout or stitched booklet brochure? If it's time to mix up your marketing collateral format, try one of these unique folding techniques to stand out from the competition.

Business cards are small, but they are mighty. In fact, they may be the most overlooked piece of marketing material at your disposal. But this small item is the one thing that represents you at your first introduction to a new potential prospect, partner or employee. What impression does it give of you and your company?

The pocket folder. It's a classic piece of marketing collateral that almost every company uses for representing their brand and distributing materials. But it can also be an overlooked area for differentiation for your business. Here are eight ideas for your next pocket folder design:

Marketing today is all about personalization. Immense amounts of data is collected every day about people and their lifestyles, habits and purchases. You can use this data to market to an individual so specifically it may be downright creepy.