Wilson Printing, Santa Barbara's Premier Printer - Your Full Service Print and Copy Shop

Annual Report Printing Time!

2012-01-27T15:04:00.001-08:00

One of the most important things we have learned during our 35 years of printing Annual Reports, is the importance of good binding! Low cost printers often use a low quality binding process that can result in loose pages.

Wilson Printing uses the Bourg BB 3002 Perfect Binding System - a high quality, hot glue binder to create state of the art, perfect bound books. Click here to see a video of the BB3002 in action and see why it is a superior binding machine.

Wilson Printing has been printing Annual Reports for over 35 years. We have a number of printing options to fit any size budget.

Make sure your Annual Reports make your organization look it's best and use Wilson Printing for your Annual Reports.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation 2011 Annual Report.

Eco-Friendly Ways to Promote Your Business or Event

2012-01-13T16:28:00.001-08:00

Looking for creative ways to promote your business or event? How about some eco-friendly promotional products!

Here's some very cool, eco-friendly items that our new Promotional Products service has that we can put your logo or message on.

Mini bamboo blossom kits.

Recycled paper USB flash drives.

Recyclable bamboo, paper barrel and wood clip pens.

Re-usable organic cotton canvas tote bags.

Re-usable BPA-free water bottles.

The prices on these are really cost-effective. To give you an idea, the blossom kits with your logo on the pot and the packaging are $2.28/each for 100.

Here's a link to our Promotional Products web site if you'd like to take a look at some other promotional items and their prices.

Give us a call if you're interested and we can get you details, or brainstorm some other promotional ideas with you!

As part of our continued effort to be eco-friendly, Wilson Printing offer a variety of recycled papers, we recycle all of our excess paper and trimmings, we use vegetable-based inks, we recycle materials from our print plates, and we use a waste handling service for our chemicals.

Nifty New Promotional Products

2012-01-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

Looking for some creative promotion ideas? The Joe Show is a great series of videos showing you examples of great promotional product ideas. What really makes the series helpful for businesses is that they show specific examples of promotional products for specific industries - realtors, health spas, clothing retailers, restaurants...

This video is on Nifty New Products. Wilson Printing can print your logo and message on any of the products you see in the series.

If you would like some ideas on how to promote your business with promotional products, give us a call! Wilson Printing has thousands of items that can have your logo and message imprinted on.

Get Creative With Your Promotions! Wilson Printing Announces New Promotional Products Printing Service!

2011-12-16T13:12:00.000-08:00

Wilson Printing is proud to announce a new service - Promotional Products Printing!

With thousands of items available to put your logo or message on - we can create a promotional item that is perfect for your needs. We have everything from low-cost pens to high-end commemorative pieces. We also have a large selection of Eco-conscious products!

Here's just a few of the promotional products that we can print your logo or message on:

Recycled paper and bamboo pens
Eco-conscious tote bags
Solar powered cell phone re-chargers
Water bottles
Mugs and cups
Mouse pads
USB memory sticks
Speaker systems
Portable DVD players
Key-chains
Lip balm
Luggage
Bulova watches
Waterford crystal

Need some ideas for your promotions? Click here to search our Promotional Product listing. Even if you don't know what you are looking for, enter a price range and we can provide you with some great ideas.

Or give us a call at 805-964-8875. We'll be glad to brainstorm some promotional ideas with you.

Get creative with your promotions with Wilson Printing!

Holiday Event - Santa Barbara Revels' The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice

2011-12-13T14:47:00.000-08:00

We are very proud here at Wilson Printing to be the printer of choice for many of Santa Barbara's finest holiday events.

One of these events is the Santa Barbara Revels' presentation of The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice. Wilson Printing is very proud that one of our own, Sales Rep Steve Jones, is a member of this great performance group.

Santa Barbara Revels Presents The Christmas Revels

Santa Barbara Revels' production of The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice celebrates the Yuletide with beloved music, lively dances, engrossing stories, and fascinating seasonal rituals drawn from times and places far and near. Journey to early 19th century Bavaria to explore the roots of modern Christmas that originate in Nordic/German traditions and come flavored with the spices of Europe. Gemütlichkeit abounds!

Dates and Location:

December 17th at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre, 33 East Canon Perdido.

December 18th at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre, 33 East Canon Perdido.

Please visit the Santa Barbara Revels web site for more information. Tickets are available through the Lobero Theatre box office.

Holiday Card Printing

2011-11-17T15:51:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year for Holiday Cards! The best advice is get them printed and mailed early!

If you have a design in pdf format, you can upload the image on our web site at http://wilprint.com/pages/upload.html. If you need help designing your card, give us a call at 805-964-8875.

Here is the Santa Barbara Zoo's 2011 Holiday Cards we recently printed.

For more info check out the Wilson Printing web site!

Facebook Check-In QR Codes

2011-10-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

One of the growing trends in social media marketing is the use of Facebook check-ins. People check-in to a location, for example a retail store, or to an event letting other people know that they are there.

People usually check-in using the Facebook application; however, they can also check-in by scanning a QR Code that activates the check-in. A poster with the check-in is a great reminder to people that they can check-in. The above QR Code initiates a check in to the Wilson Printing location - try it out!

An important thing to remember if you are going to make a poster with a Facebook check-in QR Code - make sure that people are actually able to scan it in! Make the image and poster big enough so people can read it. Don't make it too big so that the scanner can't read the entire image.

Wilson Printing can create your Facebook check-in QR Code and print the posters needed to promote the check-in. Simply give us a call at 805-964-8875 to get started!

Postcard Printing

2011-10-06T14:14:00.001-07:00

We recently printed these beautiful postcards for artist Valori Fussell.

Valori is an amazing artist specializing in portrait, figurative, open space, and animal paintings. She has exhibited her work in Italy and throughout the United States, is represented in museum collections, public foundations, corporate collections, and numerous private collections.

You can see more of Valori's work on her web site.

It is an honor to know that artists of the caliber of Valori Fussell choose Wilson Printing for their printing needs.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for Valori Fussell.

Newsletter Printing

2011-09-21T13:53:00.001-07:00

We recently printed the The Monarch Press, the City of Goleta Newsletter.

Newsletters are one of the best ways to reach an audience. Why? Direct mail is re-surfacing as the way to get through the clutter and get people's attention. Email in-boxes are getting filled with spam. Social networks are being filled with random information. Because there has been an over-all reduction in the amount of direct mail people receive, direct mail is now the way to get people's attention!

Wilson Printing has a number of affordable newsletter printing options. We can print in full color, black and white, or a combination of the two. We also have many paper options including eco-friendly papers!

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the City of Goleta.

Wilson Printing's Book Printing and Binding

2011-09-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Wilson Printing has complete book printing and binding services? Many of the books at University of California Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara City College are printed right here in Goleta!

We recently had the pleasure of printing the book Santa Barbara, Land of Dynamic Beauty: A Natural History. Written by Ed Keller, professor in the Department of Earth Science and Environmental Studies Program at UCSB, this is one of the most comprehensive books on Santa Barbara that you will find. The book covers everything from the geologic history to great places to see the natural history of our area.

Two of the more comprehensive chapters are on sustainability and natural hazards. The sustainability chapter has in-depth information about water, energy, waste, and global warming with information on how we can achieve sustainability in Santa Barbara. The natural hazards of Santa Barbara chapter covers earthquakes, floods, and tsunamis with recommendations on how to protect oneself.

You can get Santa Barbara, Land of Dynamic Beauty: A Natural History at the UCSB bookstore and other local bookstores.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of the book Santa Barbara, Land of Dynamic Beauty: A Natural History.

Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Brochure - Free Classes!

2011-09-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

We recently printed the Fall & Winter Recreation Programs for All Ages brochure for Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation!

The brochure lists a number of classes that you can attend for free during the week of September 12 - 17. The free classes are at the Carrillo Recreation Center, 100 East Carrillo Street.

The free classes include Zumba, Salsa, Argentine Tango, Beginner and Intermediate Ballroom, Pilates, and Yoga. To see a full list of the class schedule, please visit the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation web site.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation.

Wilson Printing - Printer of Choice for Fundraisers

2011-08-31T14:57:00.000-07:00

We are very aware of the cost control every company has with their printing needs. This is especially true for non-profits - which is why we are very proud to be the printer of choice for these organizations.

The Transition House
Help-a-Kid No-Ball
Instead of using fund-raising dollars to hold a big party, the Transition House decided to put all of the money towards helping children living in Transition House's emergency shelter. Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer for the fund-raising direct mail pieces for the Transition House.

Women to Women International
Ghana High School Project
This project is to help raise funds for the St. Anne's Secondary School for Girls in Ghana. The school is need of many capital improvements including a covered kitchen, dormitory space and fencing. Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer for the fund-raising brochures for Women to Women.
Please support these great organizations.

Integrated Marketing Tips and Examples

2011-08-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Integrated marketing is proving to provide a major boost to marketing ROI.

Deliver Magazine's recent issue has some great tips and examples of integrated marketing. The articles include examples in real estate, restaurants, schools, and car sales centers.

Marketing tips include:

Use a checklist to ensure direct mail is steering online traffic to you - Is your offer compelling? Is your call to action clear? Is there a deadline for action? Did you test various formats? Are you capturing contact information? Is your URL easy to type?

Use the rich data you receive in an integrated campaign to keep refining your mailing list - Not only start with a targeted mailing list, but be prepared to clean and refine that list throughout the duration of the campaign.

Use social media to promote your direct mail.

Let it showcase your brand personality.

Examples of integrated marketing campaigns include:

Riser Automotive Group uses an integrated radio and direct mail approach to increase showroom traffic and sales. The integrated marketing campaign uses radio during the commuting hours and follows-up with a direct mail piece - both using the same theme. Over a four-week period, 50,000 mailers are sent. The campaigns typically increase dealership traffic by 500 to 600, and result in an average of 35 additional vehicle sales, which translates into a 6-to-1 return on investment.

N’Tini’s New Orleans Steak & Martinis used direct mail, personalized URLs (PURLs), social media and e-mails with the common theme "“Let’s Meat Up for Lunch.” About 6,700 postcards measuring 6” x 9.5” were sent to customers within a three-mile radius of the restaurant. More than 450 people responded from the mail piece, activating their PURL and sharing the message with friends. That resulted in an additional 2,469 customers visiting the site for a total response of 2,949. Of those, 333 users shared the offer on Facebook and Twitter and through e-mail.

You can read more on integrated marketing at the Deliver Magazine web site.

Wilson Printing can help you with your integrated marketing projects. Give us a call and give your marketing a boost!

Design Inspiration - FoldFactory Videos of Interesting Folds

2011-08-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Looking for inspiration for your next folded piece? Look no further than the FoldFactory's YouTube Channel. The FoldFactory has put together a great series on interesting folds and die-cuts.

Check it out on the FoldFactory YouTube Channel.

Speaking of interesting folds - Wilson Printing is proud to be the winner of the Printing Industries of America Premier Print Award for printing of The Granada Season Brochure which included a very intricate fold and die-cut. The winning piece was featured in our August 2010 blog post.

How to Add Color to Your Business Cards

2011-08-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

COLOURlovers.com is a great web site where designers can share colors, palettes, and patterns, and discuss the latest trends in graphic design.

This article has some great examples of using color in business cards. They offer great tips such as creating a palette from corporate web site design and using designs that may it easy to find the information on the card.

If you need help with your business card design or are looking for a printer that can make your business look the best that it can - give Wilson Printing a call! We've been printing business cards, letterhead, envelopes and company brochures for over 35 years.

How Print is Coming Alive With New Technologies - Augmented Reality

2011-08-03T14:23:00.001-07:00

Augmented Reality (AR) displays - or projects - images to enhance, or augment, the surrounding reality. In some cases, GPS coordinates are used to determine the location and initiate a 3-D environment. With print, a graphic symbol is used that when scanned by a computer or smartphone's webcam, initiates a 3-D experience. For example, a product brochure can include AR symbols for each product allowing the viewer to interact with the product in 3-D (no glasses required!)

Mixed Reality Book
The book includes AR symbols that trigger 3-D images of layers of the earth, how they are discovered, how they are related, and their functions - making for a much more interactive learning experience.

Real Estate Modeling
This example shows how AR symbols can be used with real estate brochures to activate interactive 3-D images of the building's exterior and interior.

Interactive Print Ads
Using AR can also get the viewer to interact with the ad much longer than a static ad. This example shows how print ads can use both 3-D and video AR technology to completely immerse the viewer in the ad and with the product.

Wilson Printing is leading the way in showing you innovative ways to make your print more productive.

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Making Your Posters Interactive With QR Codes

2011-07-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

There are a number of ways you can make a poster interactive using QR Codes. Granted, most of these functions can be done manually, for example dialing a phone number or adding an event to a calendar. However, using QR Codes makes it easier for customers to interact with your event.

Here are a few examples that can be used for a poster promoting an event (in this case, the Leon Russell concert at The Granada):

Add Event Date: QR Code for the event's date so when the person scans the code, the event date is added to their phone's calendar.

QR Code to add concert date to phone's calendar.

Call Phone Number: QR Code to call the ticket office.

QR Code to call Granada ticket office.

See Location: QR Code to open Google map of event location.

QR Code to Google map of Granada location.

Go to Web Site: QR Code to go to the online ticket sales.

QR Code to go to Granada online ticket sales.

Go to Web Site 2: QR Code to go to the organization's web site.

QR Code to go to Granada web site.

Go to Web Site 3: QR Code to go to the artist's web site.

QR Code to go to Leon Russell web site.

If you need help creating QR Codes or have questions on how you could use QR Codes with your printed media, give us a call! We're here to answer your questions and help make your printed media more effective!

Wilson Printing

How YOU Can Use Personalized Printing

2011-07-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Personalized Printing - Not Just For Direct Mail

Most people have seen personalized printing used with direct mail pieces that include your name in the design, such as the example below:

Personalized postcard mailer with recipient's name and company name.

However, personalized printing can be used for much more, such as conference collateral, fund-raising solicitations, student enrollment packages, party invitations, insurance policy information packets, and even personalized books with customized character names and images!

Personalize the Whole Package
Going further, don't just think of personalizing one piece. Consider personalizing an entire event! An example is with collateral for a conference. Personalize the invitation and registration mailer, the onsite materials including name tags and table tents, and the conference welcoming packet to include information specific to each attendee.

Personalized Event Collateral

Loyola University personalized move-in pamphlet.

Personalized event collateral can really help to make a more organized event - from conferences to college dorm move-ins. This example is from Loyola University of Chicago's personalized move-in manual.

Personalizing to Provide Specific Information
Loyola created a personalized, 12-page, passport-sized move-in manual specific to each student. Nearly every page is customized to the individual student including their name, room assignment, move-in date and time, roommate information, residence hall-specific move-in details and map, and move-in/parking pass.

The pamphlet made for a much more organized move-in, hopefully starting the students off on the right foot.

Click here to see more about the Loyola University personalized move-in pamphlet.

Personalized Sales and Promotional Brochures

Club ABC Tours personalized brochure with
recipient's name(s) and a recommended travel
destination based on previous trips booked with the club.

An advantage of personalizing a sales or promotional brochure is something that every successful salesperson knows - you have more success when the pitch is specific to the customer. For example, highlighting products or services which that customer would be interested in from prior purchasing behavior. This example from Club ABC Tours shows how personalizing can be both more effective and less expensive.

A More Effective Sales Pitch Specific to the Customer
The Club ABC Tours brochure uses the customer's name and a recommended destination (based on previous trips) to immediately capture the customer's attention. Messaging throughout the piece was personalized, including special offers and additional trip recommendations based on previous trips.

Cost Savings
Not only were the personalized brochures more effective, they also cost less. The personalized brochures only included information specific to the recipient, so the cost per brochure was less than the previous full catalog of trip options.

The personalized campaign ended up bringing in over $400,000 in revenue within four weeks as a direct result of the mailing.

Personalized Fund-Raising

The Out-of-Door Academy personalized fund-raising
brochure - cover graphic, cover salutation,
inside graphic collage and text all personalized.

Personalizing a fund-raising pitch has shown to dramatically increase the response rate and amount raised. Here is an example from Out-of-Door Academy which used a personalized approach for their fund-raising effort, resulting in a large increase in funds donated.

Multiple Personalized Design Elements
The Out-of-Door's main donation request collateral design included more than a dozen items of personalized information in the body of the letter (for example children's names, nicknames, number of children enrolled at the school, grade level, and family giving history.) The body text also was personalized based on the family's giving history. If the family had previously donated, the message made a case for giving more; if there was no prior donations, the message explained how tuition alone did not cover the costs per student; and a third message version was used for families whose student was first year. The letterhead was also personalized to each recipient by including images specific to the particular campus the student was attending.

Adding a Personalized Emotional Appeal
What really added to the personalization and added an emotional appeal was that the design included quotes from the student's specific teachers and accommodated for multiple quotes if the family had more than one child attending.

Multiple Personalized Phases for Better Response
The campaign consisted of multiple phases: the initial personalized comprehensive package; a personalized postcard mailer thanking early donors and reminding others about the comprehensive package with a prompt to request a re-mailing if they had not received the comprehensive package; a follow-up personalized mailer about the fund-raising goals and why the school needed their financial support with a thank-you letter sent to donors.

The series of direct mailers was followed up with a Phone-A-Thon that included a personalized pre-call postcard that included the name of the person who would be calling, the time they would call, the Caller-ID that would appear, and a number to call to opt-out of the Phone-A-Thon.

The result was an amazing response participation rate of 82%, and the campaign beat the goal of $241,000 by raising $345,452!

Other Examples

Distributor Rewards Program
Building material wholesaler All Tile conducted a personalized campaign to promote their distributor rewards program. Previously the company had conducted web-based marketing, standard direct mail and sales calls to promote the program which had only achieved a .25% participation level. The personalized campaign consisted of a hard-copy personalized program statement that included accumulated reward points, personalized messages, special offers and promotions. The personalized campaign achieved 100% participation.

Re-Activate Inactive Customers
Footwear retailer Shoe Carnival conducted a personalized campaign to bring back inactive customers who had signed up for their customer loyalty program. The personalized postcard included the customer's name, ID number, loyalty reward balance, date of last visit, and number of points needed to reach next rewards level. The campaign achieved 26% response rate bringing in more than $200,000 in sales (after discounts) on a total project cost of $3,400.

Sell Specific Products
Knapp Shoes wanted to move-out overstock and specific shoe sizes from their inventory. They analyzed their customer database to identify customers meeting their criteria and created a mini, personalized catalog for each customer containing only the shoes and sizes they wanted to move. To break even, Knapp needed a 2.55% response rate with an average order size of $40. The personalized campaign achieved an 11% response rate with a $45 average order.

Wilson Printing

Video Series on Successful Direct Mail Campaigns

2011-06-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

The Direct Marketing IQ site has a great video series on successful direct mail campaigns. This week's example is the fund-raising campaign for the National WWII Museum.

• A perfect demonstration of how to use the celebrity endorsement
• A letter that employs the big copy drivers - patriotism, flattery, guilt - and more!
• With long copy (4-page letter), a lift letter, a colorful brochure, full-page reply, various premiums and yellow Business Reply Envelope.

For more information see the DirectMarketingIQ web site.

Wilson Printing

Save 3% on Postage With USPS Mobile Barcode Promotion

2011-06-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

Now may be the best time to do a direct mailing! You can save 3% on postage costs with the US Post Office's Mobile Barcode Promotion.

From July 1, 2011 through Agust 31, 2011, the U.S. Postal Service is offering business mailers an upfront 3% discount on First-Class Mail and Standard Mail letters and flats that include a mobile barcode (also called QR Codes.)

QR Codes provide a connection between print and the digital world. QR Codes are two-dimensional (2-D) images that can be read by smartphones that have a 2-D barcode application/reader. When scanned, QR Codes can motivate an otherwise passive consumer to take immediate action: make a purchase, register for an event, or download a coupon.

Increase Your Response Rates With Multitouch Campaigns

Email and SMS text messaging can also be integrated into multitouch marketing campaigns with QR Codes. For example, consumers receiving a direct mail piece that contains a QR Code could be immediately linked to a microsite. Then, shortly after the visiting the microsite, they receive an email or SMS text response thanking them for visiting the site. Based on information they chose to share while at the microsite, they may receive additional direct mail pieces, text or social media notifications following up on the products or services they expressed interest in.

Obtain More Marketing Data For Better Campaign Design

QR Codes can also help marketers track helpful information for their campaigns. Marketers can analyze which QR Codes are being scanned the most to determine what offers are working best. Marketers can also track which geographical area they are being scanned in. All of this information can help develop the next campaign.

Save Time and Money

Combining direct mail and QR codes can also save time and money. Rather than having to pay for business reply mail and waiting for the post office to return the information, marketers can direct customers to respond online in real time via smartphone.

Additionally, intelligent mail tracking available through the USPS’s CONFIRM enables marketers to electronically determine the progress of their mailings through the postal system. Delivery alerts then make it possible for a marketer to notify customers via email or a text message to expect a personalized package in the mail, sparking curiosity.

Here's a link to promotion details from the US Postal Service web site.

Contact Wilson Printing today - we can help design your direct mail piece including creating your QR Codes. Call us at 805-964-8875 or scan this QR Code to call us! (Please note that phones may have difficulty reading a QR Code on older, CRT style monitors. QR Codes work best on printed materials.)

Wilson Printing

Marketing Tips: Excellent web site source for all things paper, print and design

2011-05-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Ed by NewPage Corporation (paper manufacturer) has put together an amazing site of all things paper, print and design. It includes some great examples of interactive marketing campaigns.

A really great example is tip #14 Getting Personal - especially the story on the advertising campaign to promote the Olympus PEN digital camera. The campaign had interactive site - participants saw themselves onscreen with a 3-D Olympus PEN in their hands and could interact with camera!

Check it out at http://edliveshere.com

For more tips, follow Wilson Printing on Facebook and Twitter!

Marketing Tips: Cross Channel Marketing

2011-05-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

What Is Cross Channel Marketing?
Every successful business uses multichannel marketing, utilizing more than one channel in their marketing mix, for example direct mail, email, text messages, and online social networks. Cross channel marketing uses one or more marketing channels to promote a marketing initiative that uses another channel.

Increase Direct Mail Response and ROI Through Online Channels
A perfect example of using a cross channel marketing approach is pre-publicizing a direct mailing though online channels. Use your Facebook, Twitter, email and text messaging to tell people to look in the mail for the soon to be arriving piece. This method can be used to promote the mailing of a product catalog, season brochure, or donation request.

Timing is critical with integrated cross channel marketing; make sure that the online publicity is distributed before the direct mail piece is expected to arrive.

Increase Traffic to Your Online Content With Direct Mail
Conversely, one of the best ways to publicize your online content is using your printed marketing collateral. You may have people in your direct mail database that have not visited your web site, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter pages. Let them know about your online presence by giving them a link!

One way to accomplish this is by including a QR Code on your direct mail piece that links to your online content. QR Codes can link to not just your web site, but to any URL including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages.

You can track the number of times people go to the web page via the QR Code by using a service like bit.ly. Bit.ly shortens long URLs and tracks the number times people visit a link via the shortened URL. Using a shortened URL has the additional advantage of having less data so the QR Code image is easier to read by smartphones. Here is an example QR Code using a bit.ly shortened URL to Wilson Printing's Twitter page.

QR Code to Wilson Printing's Twitter page using a bit.ly shortened URL
http://bit.ly/ijWaoZ

A great example of using print marketing collateral to increase online traffic is in the Forms+Surfaces Architectural Surfaces catalog we profiled in our last newsletter. They included a QR Code on their Additional Resources page that links to a web page to sign up for their eNews.

Forms+Surfaces catalog with QR Code to web site.

Important! Make sure that the web page you are directing the customer's smartphone to is compatible with smartphones! When creating and testing QR Codes, smartphones have difficulty scanning a CRT monitor, so print the QR Code to test. Also, not everyone has access to a smartphone with a QR Code scanner application, so make sure you include the actual URL address wherever you use a QR Code in a printed piece and link the graphic if it is online.

For more marketing tips follow Wilson Printing on Facebook and Twitter.

Make Sure Your Documents Are Bound Perfectly!

2011-04-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

Are you responsible for your company's annual reports? Product brochures? Catalogs? Are you sure that they aren't losing pages?

Since opening 36 years ago, Wilson Printing has printed and bound thousands of annual reports, books, brochures, and catalogs. We recently purchased a new, hot glue, perfect binder - the Bourg BB3002. There is a great reason why we decided to purchase the Bourg BB 3002 - it provides superior binding.

What makes the Bourg BB3002 a superior binding machine and why should you use it?

3 cylinder gluing process provides superior binding. Binders with fewer gluing processes can result in loose pages.
Automated side glue rollers that adjust to every book, providing a cleaner and stronger bind.
Channel scoring which is far superior to older processes that rely on rotary scoring disks which have a tendency to skew, crack, or delaminate covers and can mis-align spine printing.
Low bundle follower insures that book block is perfectly gathered resulting in more consistent page lineup.
Cover nipping station with 4 quality assurance controls to achieve highest quality possible.
Soft reception conveyor design prevents damage to spine of finished books.

So next time you're looking for the best printing and binding service, give Wilson Printing a call!

For more marketing tips, follow Wilson Printing on Facebook and Twitter.

Upcoming Contest Deadlines

2011-04-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Winning an award for your design is a great way to gain that recognition you deserve. Last year, we won the Premier Print Award for Brochure Printing for the Granada's 2010/2011 Season Brochure!

If you would like to get recognition for your work, or just looking for some design inspiration, here are some links to upcoming contests. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to enter and win. Let us know if you do!

American Business Awards Recognizing Achievement in Every Facet of Work Life (2010 contest closes April 27, 2011)

American Design Awards (2011 Summer Design contest closes August 15, 2011 )

ARC Awards Honoring Excellence in Annual Reports (2011 contest closes May 5, 2011)

Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals MarCom Awards (2011 awards closes September 16, 2011)

HOW Magazine's In-HOWse Awards Giving Recognition to In-House Designers (current contest closes May 2, 2011)

The International Davey Awards Honoring the Creative Excellence of Smaller Agencies and Companies (7th Annual contest closes October 1, 2011)

League of American Communications Professionals Vision Awards Honoring Excellence in Annual Report Design (2010 design contest closes May 13, 2011)

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for many award winning designers, business professionals, and organizations. If you've won an award for your work, let us know! We'd love to let other people know about your excellent work!

Answers to Poster Printing FAQs!

2011-03-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

After over 36 years of printing, Wilson Printing has seen quite a bit of poster printing. We also have seen poster printing change - especially with recent integration of QR Codes making posters interactive. So we decided to put together some info on posters!

Answers to Poster FAQs:

What size posters can you print? We can print any size up to 41.5" in one direction. Some typical sizes include 16" x 24", 24" x 36", and 40" x 75".

Do you print high quality art prints? I would like to make a poster of a photo and have it framed. Yes, we can print very high quality art prints and also recommend the best papers for you to use. We recommend that if you plan on framing your print, you should buy the frame first and format your image size to fit the frame. If you have someone print first and it is an unusual size, custom framing can get very expensive.

We need small handouts and posters. What's a good size to design for? A good size for smaller sized handbills is 5.5" x 8.5" and 4.25" x 5.5", and flyers at 8.5" x 11". These sizes allow us to setup multiple copies of your piece on a single page, making it less expensive for you.

Can you print a low cost poster for us? Yes, we can print economical, good quality color posters up to 12" x 18" on our Docucolor color laser printer.

Can you mount posters on a hard backing? Yes, we can mount posters on either black or white foam board / foam core / Gator board / PVC board.

We need posters for outdoor use. Do you print UV resistant posters? Yes, we can print on either gloss stock or vinyl canvas (scrim vinyl) with UV resistant inks for durable outdoor signage our large format printers up to 42" on one length (effective print area is 41.5", the other length depending on length of roll.)

We need a large run of high quality color posters. How large of a poster can you print? We can print large runs of posters up to 19" x 27" in full color on our Lithrone press (offset process.)

Can you customize or personalize posters without us having to submit a design for each version? Yes, we can print customized or personalized posters up to 12" x 18" on our Indigo printer. For example, we can print one poster design and digitally modify each poster to have a different address, or image, or any other element that you would like to be personalized.

Can you print us a poster that will automatically call our ticket office? Yes, we can! (Well, not automatically. We can add QR Codes to your poster design that, when scanned, will call your ticket office.)

For all of your printing needs - posters, business cards, books, brochures, stationary... visit our web site or give Wilson Printing a call today at 805-964-8875!

Wilson Printing - Printer of Choice for Santa Barbara International Film Fest

2011-01-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the 26th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

In addition to printing the SBIFF brochures, posters and pocketguides - we also printed promotional cards for movies being shown at the SBIFF such as Benavides Born.

While The SBIFF is world re-known for the diversity of films, we recommend you check out some of the excellent Santa Barbara related movies (see list below.)

Benavides Born, directed by Amy Wendel, from Santa Barbara based production company Kapok Pictures:

Luz Garcia, a high school senior in a forgotten Texas town, wants something different than the options awaiting her after graduation. She's earned a ticket out with admission to the University of Texas at Austin, but she can't afford to go. Her one shot is a scholarship for winning the State Powerlifting Championship. It's all or nothing for Luz . . . until nothing stares her in the face.

Tuesday, Feb 1 - 7:20PM Metro 4

Wednesday, Feb 2 - 1:00PM Metro 4

Thursday, Feb 3 - 10:20PM Metro 4

All Alone, directed by Jon Cellini

An intense, character-driven suspense that examines trust, relationships, desperation, sex, and asks the question, 'how alone are we?' And most importantly 'who is getting out of the woods alive?'
Friday, Jan 28 - 10:00PM Lobero Theatre

Bringing King to China, directed by Kevin McKiernan. *World Premier

This film is a father's 'love letter' to his adult daughter, a young Santa Barbara woman struggling to bring Martin Luther King's dream of non-violence to China.

Sunday, Jan 30 - 7:45PM Lobero Theatre

Wednesday, Feb 2 - 4:00PM Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Destination Orcas, directed by Erik Hatch.
*World Premier.

A 16 day skateboard adventure from Santa Barbara, CA to Orcas Island, WA. Four of the most infamous skateboarders in Santa Barbara hop in a rental van and explore the US West Coast.

Saturday, Feb 5 - 9:30PM Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Killing Memories, directed by Pete Pepper.

The story of five men who served together in Vietnam who return to meet their enemies and confront their past.
Tuesday, Feb 1 - 7:00PM Lobero Theatre

Thursday, Feb 3 - 10:00AM Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Last Man in Paradise, directed by Michael James Love, Tina Love.
*World Premier

Filmed in Santa Barbara, a documentary about one man's quest to save a slice of history. An eccentric champion of the history of humble things faces bulldozers as he fights for his unique cabin off Paradise Road.
Monday, Jan 31 - 7:00PM Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Tuesday, Feb 1 - 10:00AM Santa Barbara Museum of Art

That Side of a Shadow, directed by Ricky Fosheim.
*World Premier

Two best friends must rob the gas station they work at in order to pay off a debt.
Sunday, Jan 30 - 7:00PM Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Tuesday, Feb 1 - 10:30PM Metro 4

To Be Friends, directed by Jim Eckhart.

Filmed in Santa Barbara County, this is a story of how unrequited love orchestrates one last chance for two lifelong friends to explore the boundaries and connections of their relationship, finally finding love just as it is lost forever.

Saturday, Jan 29 - 10:00PM Lobero Theatre

Sunday, Feb 6 - 5:00PM Metro 4

6 Generations: A Chumash Family History, directed by Paul Goldsmith.

The story of six generations of Chumash women from the Spanish mission days to the present.
Monday, Jan 31 - 7:00PM Lobero Theatre

Sunday, Feb 6 - 8:05AM Metro 4

Get Your FREE 2011 Desktop Calendar

2011-01-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

The famous Wilson Printing desktop calendar is now available! This is our large 17" x 22" format desk calendar with the fish images everyone seems to love. If you don't have a 2011 desk calendar yet, Wilson Printing still has a quantity on hand. Come by and pick up a free one, or call your Wilson Printing rep to bring you one.

Montecito School of Ballet Presents The Night Before Christmas and Les Patineurs

2010-12-09T10:40:00.000-08:00

Montecito School of Ballet Presents The Night Before Christmas and Les Patineurs - Friday, December 10 at 7:30pm and Sunday, December 12 at 2:00pm at the Lobero Theatre

The holiday season brings with it many performances by our local artists. A definite not to miss event is the Montecito School of Ballet performance of The Night Before Christmas and Les Patineurs at the Lobero Theatre. These wonderful ballets performed by some of the most talented, aspiring dancers in our area, are sure to bring joy to all. The ticket prices are also very affordable for this great night of entertainment for the entire family! For more information and to purchase tickets online, please visit the Lobero Theatre web site.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the Montecito School of Ballet.

Santa Barbara Revels Presents The Christmas Revels at the Lobero Theatre December 18th at 3 & 8 pm December 19th at 3 pm

2010-11-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

The Santa Barbara Revels will be presenting their fully staged, elaborately costumed, full-length theatrical production A Victorian Celebration of the Winter Solstice. What makes the Revels production unique and a must-attend event is their hallmark of audience participation: getting people out of their seats to sing and dance. The production truly is an event for all ages - the cast of more than 60 performers range in age from 9 to 79. Josef Woodard, Santa Barbara News-Press, wrote "[Revels] is best experienced as an 'experience', live and onstage and spilling into the audience."

For more information, please visit the Santa Barbara Revels web site. Tickets for the performances can also be ordered online at www.lobero.com.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the Santa Barbara Revels and the Lobero Theatre.

Santa Barbara Zoo Uses QR Codes to Integrate Print and Online Media

2010-11-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

The Santa Barbara Zoo recently used a QR code in their Zoo News newsletter to integrate their print and online media. The QR code directs the reader to a video on YouTube about Zoo Camp. The Zoo's Winter Zoo Camp is about to begin and using a video is a great way to show how fun the camps are for kids.

The Santa Barbara Zoo has also implemented QR codes in their exhibits - making for a whole new experience at the Zoo. When visitors scan the QR codes with their smartphones, the phone's browser opens to an informational and entertaining video about that particular animal.

"This technology allows us to deepen our guests' experience at the Zoo in an innovative, yet inexpensive way," says Zoo CEO Rich Block. "We've looked at many other options for handheld devices that were either too complicated, more costly or could be outdated as technology marches along. Using QR codes couldn't be easier for us and for our guests."

Try it for yourself! Scanning the QR code will direct your smartphone to the Santa Barbara Zoo Camp video.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the Santa Barbara Zoo.

Integrating Your Print and Online Media With QR Codes

2010-11-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

You probably have been seeing more images similar to the one on the left - it is a QR code, linked to a web page. To see what it does, you'll need a smart phone with a QR code reader or bar code reader. Scan the QR code and you're phone's browser should open to a web page on our site www.wilprint.com.

Integrating Print and Online Media
It seems like the ease of use - simply scanning the QR code with a phone rather than typing in a web address – is making this a very popular means of integrating media.

Marketers are coming up with many ways to use QR codes. A QR code can be linked to a web page, used as a Vcard with all of your contact info, used as a VCalendar card with info about an event, automatically dial a phone number or send an email.

Specific examples of QR codes:

1. Use QR code to link to a web page specific to an event – the QR code is placed in a printed piece promoting an event. The user scans QR code and their browser opens bringing them to the web page where they could register for the event or buy tickets to the event.

2. Use QR code as VCard – the QR code is printed on a business card. The user scans QR code and info is automatically entered into their address book on their phone.

3. Use QR code as VCalendar – the QR code is included on an event poster. The user scans QR code and the event info (event title, date, time, location, description) is automatically entered into their calendar on their phone.

Some Things to Keep in Mind:
As with any technology, it is important to test your QR codes. The more text you have, the more complex the QR code - which can result in poor user experience (their reader won't be able to decipher the code.) Certain characters, such as ":" and ";" also need special handling.

Creating QR Codes For Our Customers:
Wilson Printing now offers QR code creation - we can create QR codes linked to web pages, VCards, VCalendars - that we can insert into your printed piece. Give your sales rep a call to discuss how we can integrate your print and online media with QR codes.

www.wilprint.com

Send a Personalized Greeting With Custom Holiday Cards

2010-11-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

There is something special about getting a custom holiday card with a personalized picture from the sender.

Have you ever thought of doing a custom holiday card with a picture that says more about you than a generic store bought card? It's easy and not too expensive.

Check out our online Holiday Cards at www.wilsonprinting .ccholiday.com

Or give us a call for a quote!

Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center Chocolate de Vine Saturday, November 6

2010-10-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center is holding their 4th Annual Chocolate de Vine! This great fund-raising event helps raise money for SBRCC, which has served over 10,000 survivors of sexual assault in the last 35 years.

The event is being held at the swanky Hanger at 21 West Montecito Street in Santa Barbara. Guests of Chocolate de Vine will enjoy a sampling of delicious desserts, California wines, and appetizers. There will also be entertainment, a silent auction and a live auction - including some luxurious trips to Spain and Calistoga!

For more information, please visit the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center web site.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center.

Wilson Printing and The Granada Win Prestigious Printing Award

2010-08-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to The Granada and Wilson Printing for winning The Printing Industries of America Premier Print Award. The PIA Award is for the design and printing of The Granada Season Brochure.

The actual brochure really has to be seen to be appreciated. The gold accents and intricate design that unfolds into a beautiful landscape of images make this brochure a piece of art in itself.

"We're proud of our relationship with Wilson Printing," said Vince Coronado, Director of Marketing of The Granada. "I don't believe that the design ever stands on its own - it takes quality printing and know-how to amplify great design. Collectively, the elements of the campaign have allowed us to well-surpass our season sales goals and have put us in a very healthy position heading into our single-ticket sales push."

Celebracion de los Dignatarios

2010-08-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Fiesta is a time of parties and celebration in Santa Barbara - and one of the wildest parties is the Celebracion de los Dignatarios at the Santa Barbara Zoo. This event is a fundraiser for the Old Spanish Days and the Santa Barbara Zoo. The Celebracion de los Dignatarios features delicious food from local establishments and wine from local vintners. For more information on the fundraiser, please visit the Santa Barbara Zoo web site.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer for the Santa Barbara Zoo and the Celebracion de los Dignatarios invitation.

Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation's Stables Fandango

2010-06-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

Wilson Printing recently printed this beautiful invitation for the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation's (SBTHP) upcoming Stables Fandango. The piece was printed on Sundance Felt paper stock, which not only has a texture that adds to the event's "stables" theme, but is also a Green Seal Certified paper.

SBTHP works to protect preserve, restore, and interpret historic sites in Santa Barbara County. Please support this great organization and attend the Stables Fandango this Friday, June 11. For more information, go to www.sbthp.org

Santa Barbara Downtown Organization's 1st Thursday Passport

2010-05-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

On the first Thursday of every month the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization (SBDO) holds their spectacular event 1st Thursday. The event is a combination of art, music and theatre - where galleries and cultural art venues open their doors to the public offering free entertainment.

Some of the events at the upcoming 1st Thursday, June 3, include:

The Granada hosting the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative performing surprise vignettes and mini performances throughout the theatre
The Paseo Nuevo and the Pandora store hosting musicians Randy Tico and Chris Judge, with hoopdance artist Sara Munro, aka The Flame Fatale
The Casa De La Guerra presenting the great revolutionary muralist Alfredo Zalce with traditional music by SONando
The Contemporary Arts Forum hosting a multimedia interactive installation by John Williams who will convert the gallery into one giant kinetic sculpture

So get out, enjoy a beautiful evening strolling around the streets of Santa Barbara, taking in the free entertainment.

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of choice for the SBDO and their 1st Thursday Passport!

Wilson Printing TV Ad - Promoting Our Local Businesses and Organizations

2010-04-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the new Wilson Printing TV ads?

We recently had a number of TV ads produced by Cox TV that began airing this month.

Even though we provide print solutions to businesses and organizations nationwide, we decided to showcase some of the work we have printed for the local Santa Barbara and Goleta community.

The TV spots include our print work for The Granada, Santa Barbara County Bar Association, Crane Country Day School, UCSB Athletics, The Santa Barbara Zoo, Goleta, The Lobero, Santa Barbara Trolleys, and Santa Barbara Parks. We are proud to be the printer for these organizations who produce some very eye catching pieces.

Please support your local businesses and organizations!

Go see Macbeth by the Opera of Santa Barbara at the beautiful, newly renovated Granada!

Go see the Santa Barbara Youth Ensemble Theatre performance at the historic Lobero!

Support the Crane Country School by going to their "All You Need Is Love" Auction!

Go to a game and cheer on the UCSB Gauchos!

Go to the Santa Barbara Zoo for their Zoo Brew event and check out the new Masai giraffes!

Taste some of the freshest lemon pie you'll ever have at the Goleta Lemon Festival!

Take a ride down State Street on the famous Santa Barbara Trolleys!

Visit one of our beautiful Santa Barbara parks!

Join the Santa Barbara County Bar Association (if you happen to be a lawyer!)

For more about Wilson Printing visit our new web site at www.wilprint.com!

Santa Barbara Wine Country "Sideways" Map

2010-04-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

Your organization has a tight budget - you'd like to attract two audiences with one marketing piece. Can it be done? Of course it can!

The Sideways Map is a great example of one marketing piece attracting two audiences - movie fans and wine country tourists. The Sideways map is a map of the Santa Barbara Wine Country that also describes locations used in the film "Sideways".

The map design is another example of a "take-away" - visitors keep the map as a souvenir.

Wilson Printing is Santa Barbara's source for printing maps, brochures, rack cards... everything you need to attract more visitors to your business. We can help you design collateral that is cost effective and make a lasting impression with your customers.

For more printing solutions visit the Wilson Printing website at www.wilprint.com

Santa Ynez Winery Map - Drawing Thousands to the Santa Ynez Wineries

2010-04-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

How do you get customers to drive over mountains to reach your business? And how do you get them to leave with your sales brochure?

With a beautiful - and cost effective - full color map and business guide.

The Santa Ynez Valley is home to some of the finest vineyards and wineries. The problem is that Santa Ynez is on the other side of the mountains from Santa Barbara and other major populations - very hard to get to. The solution is a beautiful one-sheet map and business information guide.

While being very inexpensive to produce, these slick one-sheets with their vibrant colors, draw thousands to the wineries of Santa Ynez every year. In addition, the maps become a sales tool long after their initial use. The high quality of Wilson Printing make these maps a keeper - many people hold on to their Santa Ynez Winery Map after their visit - inspiring many return trips and purchases!

Wilson Printing is proud to be the printer of the Santa Ynez Winery Map. We design, we print, and we deliver the brochures you need to help drive more traffic to your business.

For more about Wilson Printing visit our website www.wilprint.com.

Santa Barbara Zoo Rack Card - Helping Tourists Find Your Business

2010-04-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

The Santa Barbara Zoo is an amazing place to visit - with all the penguins, condors, elephants, gibbons, giraffes, gorillas, otters, snow leapards... but it is a hidden treasure in Santa Barbara, tucked away behind East Beach. How do you reach someone who may be in town for just a few days? Rack cards!

Rack cards are a very inexpensive and effective way to reach tourists of Santa Barbara. The Zoo uses rack cards to publicize the Zoo to tourists. The cards are distributed to hotels and restaurants - the places that tourists are - and are going to be looking for things to do while in Santa Barbara.

Wilson Printing's high quality print, paper and coatings result in a great looking piece that attracts more tourists to the Zoo. Call Wilson Printing to see how we can attract more customers to your business too!

For more about Wilson Printing visit www.wilprint.com.

2010 Goleta Magazine - Promoting the Beauty of Goleta

2010-04-07T16:19:00.000-07:00

Wilson Printing recently printed the 2010 Goleta Magazine. The project is a full color, 56 page, saddle-stitched magazine. The 2010 edition includes stories on ATK Space, Computers for Families, Girsh Park, The Lemon Festival and much more!

Our pressmen continuously make sure that the colors match the job - resulting in a perfectly printed piece - helping make Goleta look the best that it is.

If your organization or company needs a magazine printed, contact Wilson Printing today. We can handle any size job - from newsletters to magazines - we will make sure you look your best.

For more about Wilson Printing visit www.wilprint.com.

35 Years of Printing for Santa Barbara's Top Companies

2010-04-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Wilson Printing's blog!

For over 35 years, Wilson Printing has been the printer for Santa Barbara county's businesses, government, non-profits, and area schools including UCSB and Santa Barbara City College.

Why do successful Santa Barbara businesses come to Wilson Printing for their printing needs? Because they know Wilson will get the job done right and deliver it on time - all at an affordable price.

www.wilprint.com