Latest Posts

Posted on March 14, 2019, by Progressive Printing Team

Starting a plumbing business is probably easier than finding a slab leak and much more rewarding. You get to make your own decisions, decide what kind of jobs to do and you get to delegate who cleans out the clogged pipes! It’s a dirty job but someone else can do it!

However, when you’re the boss you are now responsible for every aspect of the business. Failure depends on how well you’re able to plan ahead, your understanding of finances and laws, ability to market yourself and your skills and experiences.

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Posted on , by Progressive Printing Team

Opening a new business is stressful. You’ve probably already checked off some very important things to do before starting your business like find an office location or mulling over your business plan at least a hundred times.

There are so many little details to gather before you open your doors. But what about those small but very important printed materials that are essential in day to day operations? Forgetting you needed a specific invoice or something as important as business envelopes could add unnecessary stress.

Before you open your doors, there are 4 things to get printed before opening a contracting business:

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Posted on , by Progressive Printing Team

Being business owners ourselves, we want to take time to help our customers get the most out of their work experience. Printit4less is a leading source of HVAC forms, maintenance contracts, business card & printed supplies. As a result of years of working & helping HVAC contractors, we have gained some valuable experience that we would like to share with you.

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Posted on September 24, 2018, by Progressive Printing Team

Starting an electrical contracting business from the ground up takes bravery, passion, money and a message you want to deliver. No matter what industry it is, you’re probably branching out on your own because you see a need for something and you feel you have the answer clients are seeking.

Whatever that need is, it’s probably also got a lot to do with being your own boss. Creating your own business is going to take a lot of focus and whether or not you fail will depend on your business ethics.

Starting an electrical business requires a license and training, learning about permits, insurance, tools of the trade and a business plan.

Obtaining a Electrician’s License

If you’re thinking about starting an electrical business, odds are you already have a license and the years of experience and apprenticeship required. If not, then now is the time to start working toward your license. Licensed electricians are required to know how to read blueprints, install electrical wiring and fixtures, using specialized equipment, and knowing building codes and the proper safety protocol.

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Posted on August 24, 2018, by Progressive Printing Team

Starting your own business is a life changing decision that doesn’t happen overnight. This process will take time, money, dedication, commitment and a strong will to succeed. There are many things to consider and many more steps to take once you have a good foothold. Lets take a look at a few things you should think about before starting a business.

1. Choosing the right profession
2. Education and Training
3. Where will your office be?
4. Create a business plan
5. Get a lawyer’s advice

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Posted on June 26, 2018, by Progressive Printing Team

Work uniforms aren’t just t-shirts. They project a professional image and, quite effortlessly, promote your company at the same time. At PrintIT4less.com, our work t-shirts are designed with your specific needs in mind, made with the highest quality of screen printing standards. Why? Because we believe every employee deserves to feel comfortable, and your business deserves to stand out. What makes work uniforms so special, you ask? Read on!

1. Professional Image: As mentioned above, work uniforms aren’t just pieces of fabric–they’re also a first impression. Much like handing out a business card, work uniforms tell a lot about your company. From the color and design, to the wording you choose to include, it all makes a difference at first glance. Selecting the appropriate uniform for your employees can help in establishing a professional business look. The best part? You get to decide what goes on your work t-shirt. Your logo, your slogan, and any design you feel best reflects your brand!

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Posted on May 29, 2018, by Progressive Printing Team

With media consumption at an all-time high, it is no surprise that businesses are in high demand of not only office supplies, but marketing materials that help keep their brands alive. Competitive pressures continue to rise, forcing the printing industry to adapt its methods to achieve superior efficacy. Workflow automation has proven highly effective to printing companies catering to the needs of a diverse clientele.

What is workflow automation exactly? It refers to a process (automation software) that replaces manual and paper-based processes by incorporating automated tools to help with repetitive tasks–such as digital or content output. Essentially, it gives humans a break. Workflow automation is not just about replacing manual labor, it’s also faster, cheaper, and increases efficiency by reducing errors.

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Posted on April 25, 2018, by Progressive Printing Team

With continuous advances in technology, industries of all kinds are working hard to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in order to remain a top contender. More so than ever before, businesses are using digital marketing techniques to promote their brand–and while the printing industry may seem like an ancient concept, according to recent reports, print is not only coming back with a bang, it’s also trending.

A 2017 article published by PrintingImpressions stated that Idealliance is anticipating that commercial printing industry sales will grow 1.5% to 3.0% in 2018. Why the sudden increase in sales? For one, successful marketing (in this day and age) is largely equated with how well a company can advertise through personalization and visualization. In fact, the marketing realm relies heavily on visually communicating with the customer. More and more businesses are coming up with creative ways to use digital media to spread their message and raise brand awareness. With the revival of print, you don’t only have to stand out online, there’s an entire offline world ready to be explored. Equipped with some pointers from our fellow Vistaprint Corporate, and thorough research of our own, we’re here to tell you what your company can do to not get lost in the digital crowd.

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Posted on April 18, 2018, by Progressive Printing Team

We live in a world that is inundated with visuals. Everywhere we look, there is a billboard, a sign, an ad, or a commercial. It almost seems like you just can’t escape. With technological advancements and companies constantly competing to unveil the latest, trendiest apps, we have unlimited access to visuals–right from screens of our cell phones. Over the years it has become evident, especially in sales and marketing, that the more visual, the more powerful the message. Companies are increasingly using all kinds of visuals and image-based platforms to set their brands apart.

Social media sites such as Pinterest, Etsy, Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook, and many more are all about visuals. In a way, visual marketing is an entire language on its own–a universe of colors and images that elicit emotion, action, and communication. So, how do visuals actually affect the consumer? Is there a part of our human brains that are wired to be drawn to aesthetics? There are certainly studies to back this theory. From color psychology to emotional design–there are undoubtedly factors that influence how a consumer views a product. Have you ever been in a store and wanted to buy a product that you don’t really need, but feel compelled to because it’s just “so pretty”? Have you ever watched a food channel and drooled over the presentation of certain meals? You can’t actually smell or taste it–but you can visualize how delicious it must be.

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Posted on April 5, 2018, by Progressive Printing Team

The printing industry has not been known to have a friendly relationship with our environment. For decades, paper has come from the demolition of nature’s very own trees–among other materials. While the damage to our environment may have seemed inevitable, in recent years printing companies have taken measures to ensure they minimize the harm on our surroundings. At PrintIT4Less.com, we are proud to be one of the companies that tries to lessen the effects printing has on our environment.

What exactly is paper and how did it become a mass industry product?

 In our early days of school, we were taught that paper comes from trees. However, from the beginning of time, ancient civilizations used a variety of materials for writing and inscriptions–from cotton and bamboo to silk. The word “paper” is actually derived from the term papyrus, which is the Ancient Greek word for the Cyperus papyrus plant. Papyrus is a thick, paper-like material produced from the Cyperus papyrus plant. This writing material was widely used by the Ancient Egyptians and early Mediterranean societies. Interestingly enough, the first paper-making process was recorded in China during the Eastern Han period. In the 8th century, paper-making had spread from China to the Islamic nations, where pulp mills and paper mills were used to make what most of the world is after today: money. When the 11th century came around, paper making was introduced to medieval Europe, where it received an upgrade by using paper mills with waterwheels. Yet, it was up to the Western World to improve the paper making process in the 19th century when we invented wood-based products, using the fibers from wood pulp.

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Posted on December 7, 2017, by Progressive Printing Team

Why you need a logo design

Marketing has never been easier with the introduction of social media advertising and with the use of smart phones that advertising is constantly at your fingertips. Logos are the way the new generation relates to your company because business logos are now virtually everywhere in advertisements, online listings, and social media. In order to compete, you’re going to need a logo.

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Posted on November 2, 2017, by Progressive Printing Team

The above HVAC Repair Checklist form features everything you need for HVAC repair! The form lists up to 4 HVAC units, repair recommendations, description of work, total summary, and has an extensive checklist. This form is available for customizing on our website but what if you wanted to take complete control over your own HVAC repair form? Doing it yourself gives you the creative freedom to place information where you want it without having to go through a third party.

Today I will be re-designing the above form using Excel 2016.

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Posted on September 28, 2017, by Progressive Printing Team

The bigger your wide format project is, the bigger your file size. Trying to work with a 100MB file can be a hair pulling experience. Large files tend to make programs run slow and even crash. And forget about trying to email them.

So before you begin creating your design, here are some things to keep in mind:

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Posted on September 21, 2017, by Progressive Printing Team

Wide format printing is a term used in reference to printing banners, posters, wall stickers, and other large print projects. Wide format signs and banners are perfect for advertising. Capture your audience’s attention with large print and stunning colors and designs. The room for creative design is almost limitless when working with large format. You pick the size. Then create your artwork.

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Posted on July 6, 2017, by Progressive Printing Team

Reply envelopes are pre-printed with your company address, a place for a stamp and three lines for your client’s return address. These envelopes are a marketing strategy used when expecting return mail. This return mail can be anything from donations, payment, feedback and signed forms.

Creating the artwork for your own reply envelopes gives you the artistic freedom over fonts and logo arrangement. It’s a simple product to design so why not take the time and make sure that this small piece of marketing material stays true to your brand image? No one knows your brand image better than you, after all!

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Posted on April 27, 2017, by Progressive Printing Team

Job work order forms are a written contract between you and a client for services or materials. The most common elements found on a work order include customer’s billing and shipping address, customer’s name, ordered by, order taken by, description of work, materials, and an authorized signature. The order form may also include employee time spent on the job.

What goes on your work order depends on your industry and how you run your business. The best part of designing your own form is that you have complete control over layout and design. You can leave out the parts you don’t need in favor of expanding the areas that need the most space.

To help you get started, let’s take a look at creating a simple work order form using Microsoft Word. For this business, we will focus the most on creating a large area for materials and job description.

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Posted on April 6, 2017, by Progressive Printing Team

Custom work order forms designed around your work flow can help your business run more efficiently. You should choose only the information your company will be using. Eliminating unused boxes will save time when filling out forms and makes for easier record keeping.

The layout will depend heavily on your own unique business needs. The purpose of this post is to walk through some of the most commonly used elements found on work order forms. Take your time to review these common elements before sitting down to create your own work order form.

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Posted on May 26, 2016, by Progressive Printing Team

Obtaining a business license plays a significant role in the life of an entrepreneur. Those numbers following your business name provides not only security for your business but for those that use your services. Being a licensed business owner should be something to take pride in and there’s no reason to hide your license number on any printed material. Unless of course, you have something to hide!

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Posted on February 25, 2016, by Progressive Printing Team

Licensed contractors are required by the State of Texas to provide specific information on all printed materials. These specifications can change on a regular basis and it is up to the contractor to stay informed. Back in 2012, we posted a publication to help Electricians and HVAC contractors find information about form requirements for the State of Texas but since then some of the information has become outdated. Today, we will be covering some of the changes we’ve discovered concerning invoice requirements in the State of Texas.

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Posted on November 20, 2015, by Progressive Printing Team

Full color business forms refers to one or more ink colors being printed on a single form. The cost for full color is significantly higher than one-color but there are some extra benefits. Company colors can be represented throughout the form, colorful headers divide the form into sections, and important information can stand out.

Before spending money on full color forms, it’s best to determine if the extra cost will be beneficial to your company.

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Posted on October 2, 2015, by Progressive Printing Team

Designing a business card with PowerPoint might not be the most conventional method but some people may find it easier than Microsoft Word. While Word handles typed documents and letters, PowerPoint is a design program used most often for graphs and presentations. So why not apply the same concepts to designing your own business card?

Creating your own marketing products can be very rewarding and give you a sense of control over your company brand. By following this simple guide, you will be on your way to using PowerPoint for your very own business card.

Today I will be creating a Fiat Business Card using PowerPoint 2013.

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Posted on November 17, 2014, by Progressive Printing Team

Designing a custom cash receipt gives you the freedom to add elements that are specific to your daily work flow. Proper planning will aid you in creating forms that will reduce accounting errors and boost productivity. You can easily create a cash receipt in Microsoft Word, Excel or any other publishing program.

Today I will be setting up a small cash receipt using Microsoft Word.

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Posted on September 5, 2014, by Progressive Printing Team

This tutorial shows you step by step how to create a unique design for a 9×12 envelope. These envelopes are typically printed with just the customer’s logo and address on the top left corner. However, these large envelopes have a ton of space that can be utilized to create a stunning first impression.

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Posted on April 25, 2014, by Progressive Printing Team

Today I will be using Microsoft Excel 2013 to design a lawn care services work order. The purpose of this tutorial is to help landscapers create a custom form based solely on their business needs. I will be using our lawn care services work order form as a base to work off of but will be transforming it into a layout that can be recreated in Excel or other spreadsheet programs.

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Posted on March 31, 2014, by Progressive Printing Team

Printing professional pictures on business cards is beneficial for services where a friendly face can make an impact and aide in gaining the trust of potential clients. Adding your picture to your business card will allow your customers to get to know you before they take the next step in acquiring your services. Connecting a face with a company makes the business more approachable and memorable.

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Posted on March 7, 2014, by Progressive Printing Team

Converting your full color logos to grayscale allows you to have more control over how your image will look once printed. The process is rather simple and in most programs you can do it with a click of a button. However, there are times when the automatic conversion produces unsatisfactory results. Below are some simple tips on what you can do to achieve what you’re looking for in a grayscale logo.

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Posted on February 14, 2014, by Progressive Printing Team

For companies looking to create their own business forms, Microsoft Office is an invaluable resource. The Microsoft library offers a variety of pre-made forms that can be used as a base to create invoices that fit your business. These tweaks are easy to do and this tutorial will offer tips on how to quickly make edits to Microsoft’s Purchase Order Invoices.

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Posted on December 16, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

For the purpose of this tutorial, I will be setting up this business card for print using Adobe InDesign. The artwork has been created in a separate program and will be imported in. While InDesign is great for page set up, creating original artwork is best left to vector drawing programs like Illustrator.

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Posted on December 6, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

When ordering invoice forms for your business, you are offered the choice of receiving your order loose-leaf or having your forms bound into books. At Printit4Less, books are made by stapling 50 sets of perforated forms into a manila covered booklet. If you decide against the books, your forms arrive loose-leaf.

While books do cost a little extra, over time they will save you money.

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Posted on November 25, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

Photoshop is usually not the recommended program for creating business forms. But if you’re wanting to design your own business form and Photoshop is all you have, you can still create a nice form without having to buy more expensive programs. The end result will essentially be the same; a professional form you can fully customize to fit what you’re looking for.

Creating custom business forms in Photoshop is easy as it only requires three main tools: lines and shapes, inserting text, and placing images. Because we are using basic tools, if you have another photo editing program other than Photoshop, you could probably follow along using that instead.

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Posted on November 8, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

Numbering forms means that numbers will be printed in consecutive order on your forms. For example, if your starting number is 0001 and you’ve ordered 500 forms, then your forms will be numbered from 0001-0501 in ascending order. This reference number is usually located at the top right and printed in red ink. However, it can be printed on any side of the form as long as there is room for the printer to print the numbers.

Other printed material, like valet tickets, can also have sequential numbering.

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Posted on October 14, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

How many people are guilty of skimming legal agreements? The terms are often long and filled with legal jargon that only lawyers and a select few others can understand. So if few people take the time to read the terms and conditions, are they really that important to have on your form?

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Posted on October 7, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

Annual Vehicle Inspection Reports are used when a motor vehicle undergoes inspection to ensure that it meets government regulated safety and emissions standards. These inspections can be required when a title is transferred, before renewing a license plate, or as part of a periodic motor vehicle inspection. The purpose of these inspections are to ensure that every vehicle is road safe.

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Posted on September 3, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

Printing a full-color logo on a business form will visually engage your customers and the more they are exposed to your logo, the more memorable your logo becomes.

But what happens when you print that full color image on NCR paper? The image comes out brilliant on the white sheet but what about the pink and yellow sheets?

Here is an example of what happens:
Only the white page is printed in full color because of the change you see above. Gradients disappear almost completely and the colors become dull. The pink and yellow pages should be printed in grayscale. You can chance printing your full-color image on all three parts but it isn’t recommended.

At Printit4Less we offer our customers the option of printing their custom forms in full-color. However, we will print your full-color image on the top sheet. The pink and yellow sheets will be printed in grayscale to ensure that they can be read and that they look professional.

Posted on August 20, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

There are so many choices to make when it comes to marketing. Mailers, newspaper ads, billboards, commercials, social media and now door hangers have been thrown into the mix. But how good of a marketing tool is a door hanger?

For local businesses, door hangers could be a customer gold mine.

Mailers are easier but more expensive and most of them go from the mailbox straight to the trashcan. Consumers rarely open mailers. The biggest challenge is getting them to open that plain white envelope. Door hangers, however, are right at the consumer’s fingertips. A potential customer has to remove your door hanger from their door but by that time they’ve already seen your eye-catching advertisement without needing to remove it from an envelope.

Many of the same marketing tips that apply to mailers and ads also apply to door hangers:

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Posted on August 12, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

What are Bill of Lading forms?

A bill of lading is a formal contract between a shipper and a carrier detailing the transportation of goods.

What are other terms for Bill of Lading?

• BOL
• B/L
• Waybill

Who uses bill of lading forms?

Companies that ship any kind of goods or merchandise should issue a bill of lading to a carrier. Carriers that need a BOL are typically trucks, trains, air freights and ships.

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Posted on July 26, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

In the graphics’ world, resolution can make or break your day. It’s very important to have images that are high resolution because it determines the quality of your picture. But what is resolution?

Resolution is how much detail one image holds. It’s measured by how many pixels there are per inch (ppi). The higher the ppi the better quality of the image.

For printing, it’s best to have images no less than 300ppi. Otherwise, there is a chance that your images will print pixelated and grainy.

How can you find the resolution of your image?

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Posted on July 17, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

What is a purchase order form?

A purchase order form is considered to be an official contract between a buyer and a seller for the purchase of goods. The form keeps a history of previous purchases and vendor contact information for future purposes. Purchase order forms are useful alongside an inventory system for ordering materials on time and reducing shortages or loss of items. They also create a standardized procedure for purchasing items, payment, and ensuring a fair price trade.

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Posted on June 13, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

A form can make or break your business. Forms that lack essential information can lead to inventory head aches, jobs done wrong, and loss of income. The goal of this tutorial is to lessen the head ache that comes from designing a form and get you started in the right direction.

Service Type:

Think about the customers you have or the customers you would like to have. Will they be a one time job or more consistent? Think about the services you offer and how often these services need to be implemented. For example, you wont fertilize more than twice a year but you might do a pest control spray on the lawn monthly. How will you mark this on the form so that you know what services your customers have ordered and when you need to show up? Having a checklist that looks like the above will make life easier for you.

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Posted on May 31, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

Designing your first form for your landscaping business can be overwhelming. Many questions will go through your head about what you need or don’t need on your forms. Or maybe you have a form but it’s not working for you?

The goal of this tutorial is to help you make an informed decision on what kind of Landscaping Form will best fit the needs of your business.

First thing to remember is that you can never have too much information. Having all the details in front of you will save you time and money and will allow you to bill your customers more efficiently.

Dates/Seasonal information:
As you probably know, it’s very important to keep a record of dates. Start dates and finish dates should be recorded so that both parties are aware of when the service will start and when it will end. If most of your business is seasonal, you’ll want to make sure there is a place to mark it on your form.

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Posted on May 17, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

Business cards are a valuable way of keeping customers connected with your business. In a way, handing out business cards is another form of networking and has been around longer than Google, Facebook or Twitter. Along with that Rolodex full of favorite businesses, we now have sites to follow these companies on where their info is just a click away.

Networking

You might expect something more bizarre from the CEO of Google but his first business card was simple and straightforward:

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Posted on April 19, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

A logo is probably the first step any business, organization, group, etc takes to brand themselves. When we say brand, we’re talking about how someone turns what they do into a marketable tool that is easy to recognize and unique to them.

Your logo is the first thing that your customers are going to look for. It’s how the public identifies you.

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Posted on April 11, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

There are many file types to choose from and it can be overwhelming when trying to

decide what the best option is for your purposes. In this article, we’re going to discuss the major types: JPEG, PNG, PDF and TIFF and how to convert them.

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Posted on April 3, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

Making a simple, yet professional, business card doesn’t have to be a chore. It can take as little or as much time as you want. The purpose of this tutorial is to get you set up and in the right direction. And to show you that you do not have to be a Photoshop expert to make a nice, effective, business card.

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Posted on February 12, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

You probably would not think of Photoshop as your first choice to design invoice forms. However, in this step by step tutorial we will show you that Photoshop is more than a picture editing software. You can easily create an invoice form for your company while you learn some basic features of Photoshop Elements. Step by step instructions with visual aids are provided here to help you create many other forms you may need in the future. You will notice in this tutorial that creating lines, copying and pasting, inserting texts are the main features used. Whether you are new to Photoshop, or an expert at other programs you will find this easy to follow tutorial convenient and helpful to get started.

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Posted on January 28, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

You’ve chosen the template that best suits you, sent your company’s information to us and we’ve created your completely customized invoice proof from our template, complete with your company name, address, logo and slogan, €”now what? The invoice-proofing process can be confusing the first time around. What do I look for? Are there any changes I should make?

To help you out through this process we’ve put together a list of things to look at, and approve, on your custom-made invoice proof. So look over the PDF proof we sent you and examine these 5 elements:

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Posted on January 21, 2013, by Progressive Printing Team

In today’s competitive business environment where everyone can launch a website and be in business in a matter of minutes; sometimes the only difference between a legitimate business and a fly-by-night operation is the details in accuracy or flaws of the website or printed material of each company.

Have you ever read an article and came across a spelling or a grammatical error and thought, how did this obvious mistake not get caught by the author? Didn’t anyone proof read this? Did you at that instance lose interest in the article or the writer’s credibility? Most readers do!

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Posted on December 20, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

So what’s the best way to scan a document for custom printing? Well, scanning a document has to do with: What is being scanned? & How is the scanned file being used?

When scanning a document, what you are doing is creating a 2nd generation copy of that document. As a general rule, your scanned copy will never be as good as the original.  You will always lose quality, clarity and color scans will end up with saturated colors as well as lose of sharpness and detail.

There are ways to scan a document which will help minimize some of these negative outcomes.

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Posted on December 11, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

One of the most effective and readily available tools at any business’ disposal is their business cards.  As every business person knows, the best referral is one that is given to you by someone else.

This type of referral reinforces the confidence and basically qualifying you and your business.

A well designed business card is the most important marking tool. It’s compact, it can be visually compelling, has all your contact information, it can contain coupons, it’s low cost and it is tangible. Unlike an email, you can touch a business card, put it in your pocket and retrieve it without use of a computer.

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Posted on October 31, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Today, most business computers are equipped with Microsoft Office which includes useful programs such as Word and Excel. If you are in need of a custom invoice form for your business, you already have the program that you need to design such a form. You may be a little surprised to learn that Microsoft Excel is a great tool for designing your own forms. If you think of it, most forms are simply composed of rows and columns that create boxes that can be filled in. Since Excel is a spreadsheet program, it can be relatively easy to set up the boxes needed to create your own form. Follow this thorough tutorial to learn the ins and outs of designing an invoice form from scratch. You may need a form that is a very basic or you may need a really complex form. Our goal is that by supplying this tutorial, you will get started in the right direction.

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Posted on October 22, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Are you a licensed contractor in the State of Texas? If so, you need to provide important information on all of your business forms whether they are proposals, invoices or written contracts.

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Posted on October 18, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Are you in the market for an auto repair form for your shop operated in the State of Florida? Are you considering designing your own? Before you take one step further, you should continue reading. Your auto repair forms must contain certain components required by Florida’s Division of Consumer Services. This is to protect both parties: the consumer and your shop. When a customer needs work done on their vehicle, you are required to provide a written estimate if the repair work will cost more than $100. Make sure that the following information is included on any estimate forms or invoice forms that you give to your customers.

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Posted on October 15, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Looking for repair forms for your auto repair shop operated in the State of California? Before you design or pick out your forms from any print shop, you should be aware of the requirements set forth by the State of California.

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Posted on October 12, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Are you tired of handwriting your return address on envelopes? Look professional when sending out your mail using envelopes printed with your return address and logo. This tutorial will guide you in using Microsoft Word as a tool for setting up the design for your pre-printed #10 envelopes. You will then be able to print the envelopes with your own printer or you can send the file to a commercial printer for printing.

If you follow this tutorial for #10 envelopes, your design will comply with United States Postal Service regulations.

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Posted on October 5, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Sales Invoice Forms are very important documents for businesses that rely on selling merchandise. This form documents what is being sold and to whom. Like many business forms, invoice forms can come in a variety of sizes; just choose the size appropriate for your business. Half sheet invoice forms (8.5″ x 5.5″) are perfect for businesses that need to fill out invoices on-the-go or if you typically have smaller orders. A slightly bigger form that may work for your business is the 8.5″ x 8.5″ size; it offers a little more room to include more items sold. If your sales are usually large or you need a lot of room for details, then the 8.5″ x 11″ form will be perfect for your business. This larger form will accommodate additional legal verbiage such as return policies and warranties. Regardless of the size that you decide to purchase or design for you company, most Sales Invoice Forms are composed of the same elements.

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Posted on October 1, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

If you run and operate an auto service shop, you know how detailed the work can get. When you need to purchase Auto Service Forms or design your own to run your business properly and efficiently there are elements every service invoice should have. Below you will find a list of what you need to look for and include when you are picking out or designing your form.

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Posted on September 25, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Running a business certainly has its own challenges. Creating a form to document your transactions shouldn’t be one of them. There are many different types of forms that businesses can use. You can certainly find a lot of templates, pre-printed forms and fully custom forms available on the internet. One of these forms may almost be perfect for what you need or you may have an idea of the form that you want. Instead of hiring someone to design a form for you, you can do it yourself.

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Posted on September 11, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Whether you are looking to build your own HVAC form or you are going to purchase a ready to print form from a printing company, there are important elements that HVAC forms should have. HVAC forms can be quite complicated, as there is a lot involved when it comes to servicing any HVAC equipment. Below is a list of items that you should consider including in your form. Some items are very necessary, while others can be optional.

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Posted on September 4, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Business Card Template Tutorial

Whether you are just starting a new business or have been in business for a while, you will need to have business cards printed. Sure there are various websites out there that offer hundreds of business card templates for you to choose from, but you may not have the time to sift through them all. You need something simple and custom, a business card with your most important information and possibly your company’s logo. To save time and money, you should have them printed through a professional printer, but you want to stay in control of the final design. This tutorial is the solution to your business card woes. Most businesses have access to Microsoft’s Office Suite which includes Microsoft Word. You do not need an expensive graphics program to design your own business card. Just follow this step-by-step tutorial and you will have a complete business card design in no time.

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Posted on August 27, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

I would like to have an invoice form customized for my business. However, I don’t know where to begin.

Invoice forms can be quite difficult to design, especially if you have never done it before. As a business owner, you can take many routes to having personalized invoice forms produced for your company. You could hire a professional designer to create a form tailored to meet your business needs, but this may not be your most economical option. You may be able to find a printing company that offers templates, but they are not exactly what you are looking for. Your final option, create a custom designed invoice yourself. It is possible and you may already have the tool that you need to design your own invoice form. If you have Microsoft Word, then this tutorial will get you started in the right direction to create your own custom invoice template.

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Posted on , by Progressive Printing Team

Green Design is currently a hot topic. In today’s ever changing world, concerns regarding sustainability are at the forefront of public attention. An increasing number of people want to be associated with the green movement so that they can be seen as ecologically responsible. We all know that we should be reducing, reusing and recycling; unfortunately, many companies do not know how to implement these changes to their daily business activities. On a personal level, the local government and municipalities have made recycling easy by providing recycling bins and access to recycling centers to the public. However, transferring this practice from the personal level to the business level may appear to be a more daunting task.

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Posted on August 21, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

I need a business card, but I want to design my own. Where do I start?

If you have access to Adobe Illustrator, then we have a tutorial that is perfect for you. This tutorial will guide you through setting up a template for business cards In Illustrator. This will help you to learn some of the basics of this program, then you can either print your newly designed business card on your own printer or upload your file to a professional printer.

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Posted on August 15, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

Business cards are perhaps some of the most common print advertising. They earned their popularity mostly by convenience. They are easy to carry, distribute and impress prospective clients when done right. The anatomy of a great business card lends to this success.

Business cards need not only to be informational, but they need to be great marketing as well. A great business card will effectively convey the message, demeanor and purpose of your business…. In a very small, highly portable amount of space.

Studies have shown that two thirds of people don’t look at business cards handed to them because they don’t find them engaging. While studies have shown than many do not look at the cards, over 80% say they keep them. Your business card needs to be “dressed for success”.

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Posted on August 14, 2012, by Progressive Printing Team

We are asked all the time, what is the best method of marketing with postcards. As a printer of custom postcards we might be the best source for this answer. Printers know exactly who is ordering and reordering these products. Businesses would not be spending good money year after year on a marketing method that does not work.

Keeping the message and the custom design of the postcard simple with clean graphics, simple language and an offer that will interest your target audience is key. Always give a reason for your new clients to pick up the phone or visit your website to find out more about you and your postcard offer. As far as we know the best reason anyone would take time to contact you is if they are offered a valuable discount, free deal or helpful tip. The trick to marketing in this way is similar to website marketing in that you do not get to talk or look at the potential lead. This is best overcome by making certain the reader knows and trusts you, your company and your standing as an “authority” or “leader” in your business.

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