Printed Services
Pinnacle Graphic Communications is a full service printer, which means we can do just about anything. In addition to printing, we provide the following services to help you complete your project.
Graphic Design
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Logo design
Create a lasting image of your business that will make your brand unique and memorable.Brochure layout and design
Make sure your printed collateral looks professional, and represents the quality of your product or service.Business card and stationery design
Your business card or letterhead is often the first impression your customers and prospects have of your business. Make sure you lead with your best!Large format design
Do your trade show graphics represent who you are and what you do? Does your Point-of-Purchase display give visitors the right impression? Can you display your posters and banners with confidence? Our professional design service will let you answer yes to all these questions.
Bindery & Finishing Services
Copiers can collate automatically, but did you know that we can quickly and efficiently collate other items, too? Our high-speed collating equipment can bring together all the elements of your project, saving you the time it would take to hand-collate the project. The next time you have a big project that requires collating, keep us in mind - we make it so easy, you'll never want to hand-collate again.
We can provide unlimited quantities of folded materials for your special printed projects.
Here's an interesting note: Did you know studies have shown that people tend to save printed items longer if they are three-hole drilled? Marketing experts think that subconsciously we tend to feel like we need to put a three-hole drilled sheet into a ring binder or save it for future reference.
Next time you want to add a little something extra to your printing, let us laminate your printed projects for you!
We can number a variety of papers and sheet sizes. Choose from black or red ink, as well as descending or ascending numbers on most printed projects.
Our commercial paper cutters feature high-pressure hydraulic clamps to prevent paper shifting and razor-sharp carbon steel blades to guarantee the most precise cuts.
Our wide variety of perforating blades gives you flexibility when designing pieces that need to separate effortlessly. We can also design pieces that can stand up to the rigors of post office mailing equipment without pulling apart.
Our highly trained and knowledgeable staff will happily offer suggestions and solutions for your perforating needs.
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Collating
Collating is the process of gathering individual sheets and other elements of your printing project and assembling those elements into a final product.Copiers can collate automatically, but did you know that we can quickly and efficiently collate other items, too? Our high-speed collating equipment can bring together all the elements of your project, saving you the time it would take to hand-collate the project. The next time you have a big project that requires collating, keep us in mind - we make it so easy, you'll never want to hand-collate again.
Folding
When you need high-speed folding, you've come to the right place. Our bindery/finishing department provides many different options for folding. Our high-speed folding machines can fold at speeds exceeding 5,000 sheets per hour. Many different folding formats are available, and for more unique folding jobs, we also offer several hand-folding options.We can provide unlimited quantities of folded materials for your special printed projects.
Hand Work
Do you have a special project that needs a unique touch? We do gluing, tying, folding, labeling, collating, stamping, inserting, sealing, product attachment, kitting, packing—and just about anything else you can imagine. Our bindery services department is fully capable of handling all your labor-intensive needs.Hole Drilling
It sounds a little funny, but we're experts at drilling holes. We have powerful hydraulic paper drilling machines that feature many different sizes of paper drills and enable us to position the hole just about anywhere on the sheet of paper. Just remember to allow 1/2 an inch of extra margin for three-hole drilling along the side of the sheet of paper.Here's an interesting note: Did you know studies have shown that people tend to save printed items longer if they are three-hole drilled? Marketing experts think that subconsciously we tend to feel like we need to put a three-hole drilled sheet into a ring binder or save it for future reference.
Laminating
Simply put, laminating prolongs the life of your printed projects. How?- Increases durability
- Preserves colors
- Enables your projects to withstand moisture
- And protects your projects from fingerprints, abrasions, and smudges.
Next time you want to add a little something extra to your printing, let us laminate your printed projects for you!
Numbering
Many carbonless forms and invoices require sequential numbering. Numbering is an inexpensive and effective way to maintain accurate records and improve organization.We can number a variety of papers and sheet sizes. Choose from black or red ink, as well as descending or ascending numbers on most printed projects.
Paper Cutting
We have very sophisticated, computerized, digital paper cutters that are extremely fast and accurate.Our commercial paper cutters feature high-pressure hydraulic clamps to prevent paper shifting and razor-sharp carbon steel blades to guarantee the most precise cuts.
Perforating
Perforating a printed form can create an easy-to-remove response card, coupon, or customer feedback form.Our wide variety of perforating blades gives you flexibility when designing pieces that need to separate effortlessly. We can also design pieces that can stand up to the rigors of post office mailing equipment without pulling apart.
Our highly trained and knowledgeable staff will happily offer suggestions and solutions for your perforating needs.
Stitching
Did you know that "stitching" is another word for stapling? The only difference is that the phrase stapling is generally used when you're trying to bind together no more than 40 pages. Stapling is done with lightweight desktop equipment. Stitching generally requires an industrial-sized, floor-mounted piece of equipment. At our printing firm, we have a variety of stapling and stitching machines that can handle any type of book or printed project you need to assemble.
Mailing Services
Our advanced mail presort technology lets us barcode and presort your mail according to 3 and 5 digit ZIP code. Presorted mail is easier and faster for the USPS to process. The ease of processing allows the Postal Service to charge us, and you, less postage. Whether it's first-class or standard mail, we get you the best possible postage rates. In order to accurately process mail and integrate it into the mail stream, we use high-speed sorting machines and recognition systems that are very similar to the ones used by the Postal Service. We can CASS certify your mail, spray barcodes (if necessary), and sort mail into the most accurate 'final destination' ZIP code. Once sorted by ZIP, the mail is put into trays and presented to the USPS for mailing at a discounted rate on your behalf.
Our mailing services department uses the latest CASS certification technology (in-house) to help our customers keep the cost of their mailings as low as possible and to ensure a high percentage of delivery success.
Prefer address labels instead? We can do that, too. We can even barcode and live stamp your pieces as they're being addressed, saving time and ensuring better accuracy. Our equipment can print on virtually any surface, including coated papers designed to withstand the wear-and-tear of automated Postal Service sorting equipment. It's just one of the many services our mailing department provides to ensure better results for you.
When you work with a mailing services specialist at our printing firm, you can be sure you'll receive the lowest postage rate and the best possible delivery times.
Unlike traditional mailing houses, we're unique because we have the ability to take your mailing piece from design through delivery to the post office. We specialize in mailing services project management. Why would you want to have your mailing project designed at one place, printed at another, and then mailed at a third place? We can save you significant time—and hassles—when you let us manage the entire print and mail process for you.
Qualifying for discounts
To qualify for mailing discounts, your mailer must meet certain guidelines set by the USPS. Generally speaking, your piece must meet size restrictions (length, width, and thickness), weight restrictions, and design/layout requirements.
Nonprofit mail
A qualified nonprofit organization is entitled to significant mailing discounts over standard mailing rates.
Presorting - DPBC (Delivery Point Barcode)
Presorted mail that is sorted by ZIP code and imprinted with a barcode prior to delivery to the post office can save you money. The USPS gives discounts to companies who participate in their "revenue sharing program" (that's really what they call it). In order to receive these discounts, your mail must be CASS certified, sorted, trayed, tagged, sleeved, and strapped... all services we provide.
To learn more about postage discounts and designing an effective mailer, visit the USPS's helpful Business Mail 101 resource page.
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Postal Presorting
Our mail presorting services save you money on postage and speed delivery time.Our advanced mail presort technology lets us barcode and presort your mail according to 3 and 5 digit ZIP code. Presorted mail is easier and faster for the USPS to process. The ease of processing allows the Postal Service to charge us, and you, less postage. Whether it's first-class or standard mail, we get you the best possible postage rates. In order to accurately process mail and integrate it into the mail stream, we use high-speed sorting machines and recognition systems that are very similar to the ones used by the Postal Service. We can CASS certify your mail, spray barcodes (if necessary), and sort mail into the most accurate 'final destination' ZIP code. Once sorted by ZIP, the mail is put into trays and presented to the USPS for mailing at a discounted rate on your behalf.
CASS Certification
CASS is a United States Postal Service (USPS) acronym for Coding Accuracy Support System. The term CASS is widely used by the USPS when they refer to the verification status of an address list. In order for an address list to receive CASS certification, it must be checked against the USPS Address Matching System (AMS) CD-ROM, and the 11-digit delivery point ZIP code and corresponding barcode must be added. Only addresses with the delivery point ZIP code and barcode are eligible for "automation" bulk mailing rates. A mailing list must undergo address verification every six months (every three months for carrier route mailings) and is particularly important to mailers because of the difference between the "automation" and "non-automation" mailing rates, which is about $.05 per piece. For a 10,000 piece mailing, CASS certification of the address list could save the mailer approximately $500.Our mailing services department uses the latest CASS certification technology (in-house) to help our customers keep the cost of their mailings as low as possible and to ensure a high percentage of delivery success.
Database Management
Keeping your mailing list organized and up-to-date can be challenging. Let us manage and maintain it for you. We'll store your customer data securely in our database—updating it, weeding out bad addresses, and ensuring its accuracy every time. Our database management solution is designed to optimize delivery and ensure the best rate possible for all your mailings. It also makes it easy to personalize your materials and target your mailings based on predefined criteria. So before you try to go it alone with your mailings, give us a call. We're here to help.INKJET address
Personalization can play a key role in the success of your direct mail marketing campaigns. Even something as simple as a personalized headline or greeting can have a significant impact on response. That's where our state-of-the-art inkjet address service comes into play. Once we print your mailer, we can personalize it as we address it, all in one easy step. Choose any font you'd like, any size, and any ink color. Our equipment can even add a personalized or static headline or ad line anywhere on the mailer at the same time it's applying the address.Prefer address labels instead? We can do that, too. We can even barcode and live stamp your pieces as they're being addressed, saving time and ensuring better accuracy. Our equipment can print on virtually any surface, including coated papers designed to withstand the wear-and-tear of automated Postal Service sorting equipment. It's just one of the many services our mailing department provides to ensure better results for you.
Inserting
Whether a simple, one-page sales letter in an envelope or a multi-piece marketing kit (letter, several brochures, training CD, reply form, etc.), our printing firm can put it all together for you accurately and fast. Our high-speed automatic inserters allow us to handle very large mailings. We've also perfected a fast and accurate method of hand insertion for those projects which cannot be done by machine.Post Office Delivery
When your mailing is completed, you are welcome to pick it up at our office, or we can deliver it directly to the post office for you. We are experts at completing USPS paperwork (which is often complicated and confusing), and we have a lot of experience working with the bulk mail department at the post office. We strongly suggest you allow us to work with the post office on your behalf. There is a small cost for our service, but we can save you a lot of time and possible frustration. Allowing us to handle your mailing project from concept to post office delivery is a smooth, one-step process that saves you time, money, and stress.Postage Discounts
The United States Postal Service (USPS) offers significant discounts for volume business mailings and nonprofit organizations. These discounts apply to basically all types of business mail and can significantly reduce the cost of postage at your company.When you work with a mailing services specialist at our printing firm, you can be sure you'll receive the lowest postage rate and the best possible delivery times.
Unlike traditional mailing houses, we're unique because we have the ability to take your mailing piece from design through delivery to the post office. We specialize in mailing services project management. Why would you want to have your mailing project designed at one place, printed at another, and then mailed at a third place? We can save you significant time—and hassles—when you let us manage the entire print and mail process for you.
Qualifying for discounts
To qualify for mailing discounts, your mailer must meet certain guidelines set by the USPS. Generally speaking, your piece must meet size restrictions (length, width, and thickness), weight restrictions, and design/layout requirements.
Nonprofit mail
A qualified nonprofit organization is entitled to significant mailing discounts over standard mailing rates.
Presorting - DPBC (Delivery Point Barcode)
Presorted mail that is sorted by ZIP code and imprinted with a barcode prior to delivery to the post office can save you money. The USPS gives discounts to companies who participate in their "revenue sharing program" (that's really what they call it). In order to receive these discounts, your mail must be CASS certified, sorted, trayed, tagged, sleeved, and strapped... all services we provide.
To learn more about postage discounts and designing an effective mailer, visit the USPS's helpful Business Mail 101 resource page.
Print-Then-Distribute
Ever feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do? You're busy enough already. The last thing you need to worry about is finding the time to swing by your printer, pick up your mail pieces, and deliver them to the post office for distribution. Let us handle that for you. The folks in our mailing services department work closely with the Postal Service. We know all the ins-and-outs and can make sure your materials go out when you want them to... without any hassles, headaches, or delays. So relax. We have you covered.Tab Sealing
Tabs, sometimes called wafer seals, are a USPS requirement that must be applied to all self-mailers. Tabs prevent the open edge of your mailer from jamming the Postal Service's high-speed processing equipment. Our mailing services department can apply one or two tab seals easily as part of our inline mail processing capabilities. Choose clear plastic, paper, or customized tabs to complement the design of your mailing piece.X-date Fulfillment
Need your mailer to go out on a specific date? Just let us know, and we'll make sure it gets printed in time, then work with the Postal Service to ensure it's distributed on the date you request.
Marketing Services Provider
And why not? Done properly, direct mail marketing can deepen customer loyalty and increase front-of-mind awareness for a company and its brand.
When you're ready to launch a direct mail campaign, we can help. We're experts at creating super-successful direct mail materials that "wow" customers and prospects alike.
From creative concepting and eye-catching design, to expert production, mailing list curation, and efficient, effective distribution, we can manage your direct mail project every step of the way. Whatever the goal, we'll help you get the word out and succeed.
Email
Think email marketing is little more than spam? Think again. A 2011 study by MarketingSherpa found that B2C marketers average a 256% return on investment with their email marketing campaigns. Another study from Yahoo! shows that U.S. adult Internet users subscribe to an average of three daily or weekly shopping emails or newsletters.
If you're considering email marketing for your company—or have tried email marketing before—we can help you plan and execute successful email campaigns. Our proprietary email management software makes it easy to:
When it comes to email marketing, we have you covered.
Our marketing support team provides the services and expertise you need to make a positive impact (and impression). From printed postcards, product literature, PURLs, and media kits to complete multichannel marketing campaigns, we'll get you started on the right foot and lead your journey every step of the way.
One-to-one marketing can take different forms, depending on the medium involved.
Whatever the case, we can help with all your one-to-one marketing needs—from gathering pertinent customer information and storing it efficiently, to designing highly targeted marketing campaigns that put that data to its most effective use. Give us a call. We're here, just for you.
The premise is fairly simple. When you add a PURL to a print or email marketing campaign, each recipient will receive their own unique website link, associated with their specific account or contact information. On a print piece, such as a postcard, flyer, or newsletter, the PURL will appear as a printed website address, somewhere on the page. For an email campaign, it will be a clickable link. In both cases, the address is unique to each recipient, so no two are the same.
When the customer clicks the PURL (in an email message) or types that PURL (from a direct mail piece) into the address bar on their favorite browser, the website they are linking to will use that PURL to identify the visitor and deliver personalized content targeted specifically to them.
PURLs are an effective way to connect with customers on a very personal level. As such, they're good for verifying and updating customer information, presenting highly targeted offers, and eliciting feedback. They're also great for tracking click-throughs and measuring the effectiveness of a marketing campaign.
Top brands use PURLs all the time—and you can, too—without spending a fortune and without the need for an advanced degree in computer science (or even a basic understanding of web technology). Want to learn more? We'd be happy to help.
Variable data printing enables you to be more intentional about your marketing strategy by providing a way to personalize any printed piece. However, moving personalized information from a database to paper can be a difficult task, especially when the database is large or complex. We can help.
We would be happy to partner with you in exploring the world of variable data printing. Call our print shop today for more information about how you can incorporate variable data printing into your company's marketing strategy.
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Direct Mail Marketing
Newer technologies and distribution channels have made some people question the effectiveness of direct mail marketing in today's business world. But smart marketers continue to find success using direct mail. A recent study from MarketingSherpa found that 79% of more than 1000 marketing professionals questioned still consider direct mail to be effective or very effective marketing.And why not? Done properly, direct mail marketing can deepen customer loyalty and increase front-of-mind awareness for a company and its brand.
When you're ready to launch a direct mail campaign, we can help. We're experts at creating super-successful direct mail materials that "wow" customers and prospects alike.
From creative concepting and eye-catching design, to expert production, mailing list curation, and efficient, effective distribution, we can manage your direct mail project every step of the way. Whatever the goal, we'll help you get the word out and succeed.
If you're considering email marketing for your company—or have tried email marketing before—we can help you plan and execute successful email campaigns. Our proprietary email management software makes it easy to:
- Create beautiful, eye-catching, professional mailers that will make a positive impression on your customers. Use any of our built-in templates, create your own, or have us design a piece for you.
- Preview your mailings to make sure they look great across all the major email services and programs.
- Spam-check your messages to ensure compliance and increase the chance they'll get through to your subscribers' email boxes.
- Segment your mailing lists so you can target specific groups.
- Track delivery, opens, click-throughs, and other key metrics to ensure you're getting the best return for your dollars spent.
When it comes to email marketing, we have you covered.
Mailing Services
When your printed project is finished, we can also manage your mailing services to save you time and energy. We offer a full-service, turn-key mailing solution. To learn more, follow the links in the Mailing section above.New Product Launch
Say you're launching a new product and want to give it a competitive edge. Or perhaps you're ready to introduce your services to a new market or to a new segment of prospects who have previously gone untapped. Whatever the case, you want to make a big splash, but you also want to make sure it's the right kind of splash (think Olympic diver vs. cannonball or belly flop). That's where we come in.Our marketing support team provides the services and expertise you need to make a positive impact (and impression). From printed postcards, product literature, PURLs, and media kits to complete multichannel marketing campaigns, we'll get you started on the right foot and lead your journey every step of the way.
One-to-One
All business is personal, whether we realize it or not. The fact is, companies don't do business. People do. Understanding the personal nature of business is what one-to-one marketing is all about.One-to-one marketing can take different forms, depending on the medium involved.
- In email marketing it may mean a personalized message, tailored to a person's specific interests or tastes, with a PURL that takes the person to an offer, again tailored specifically to them.
- For direct mail, it might mean a postcard, flyer, or brochure using variable data to make the recipient feel more appreciated and less like just "postal patron" number 48927.
- For website visitors, it could be anything from a personalized greeting on the homepage and content selected based on personal preferences to an ad delivered based on geography and other demographic data.
Whatever the case, we can help with all your one-to-one marketing needs—from gathering pertinent customer information and storing it efficiently, to designing highly targeted marketing campaigns that put that data to its most effective use. Give us a call. We're here, just for you.
Personalizing
Personalizing occurs when each of the printed pieces includes the name of the person who's receiving it. Instead of saying "Dear Occupant" or "Dear Sir or Madam," the mailer would say, “Hi Tom, here's a special offer for you!"PURLs
Personalized URLs (or PURLs) are custom website addresses set up to deliver highly specialized content to your customers and prospects based on their individual preferences and tastes.The premise is fairly simple. When you add a PURL to a print or email marketing campaign, each recipient will receive their own unique website link, associated with their specific account or contact information. On a print piece, such as a postcard, flyer, or newsletter, the PURL will appear as a printed website address, somewhere on the page. For an email campaign, it will be a clickable link. In both cases, the address is unique to each recipient, so no two are the same.
When the customer clicks the PURL (in an email message) or types that PURL (from a direct mail piece) into the address bar on their favorite browser, the website they are linking to will use that PURL to identify the visitor and deliver personalized content targeted specifically to them.
PURLs are an effective way to connect with customers on a very personal level. As such, they're good for verifying and updating customer information, presenting highly targeted offers, and eliciting feedback. They're also great for tracking click-throughs and measuring the effectiveness of a marketing campaign.
Top brands use PURLs all the time—and you can, too—without spending a fortune and without the need for an advanced degree in computer science (or even a basic understanding of web technology). Want to learn more? We'd be happy to help.
Variable Data
Have you ever received something that you know is bulk mail, but yet you read it because it is personalized with your name? It's amazing how seeing your name in print can raise the level of curiosity you have about the contents of a mail piece. Your customers and prospects will have the same reaction when they receive a mail piece that has been personalized using variable data printing.Variable data printing enables you to be more intentional about your marketing strategy by providing a way to personalize any printed piece. However, moving personalized information from a database to paper can be a difficult task, especially when the database is large or complex. We can help.
We would be happy to partner with you in exploring the world of variable data printing. Call our print shop today for more information about how you can incorporate variable data printing into your company's marketing strategy.
Booklet Making
Here are some of the more popular binding products and services we offer.
Saddle-stitching is a sturdy, durable, and attractive binding option. The number of pages our saddle-stitching equipment can bind together varies depending on the weight of the paper used, but the results are the same every time: nice, clean, and professional.
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Booklet Binding
We have many, many options to choose from when you need to bind your booklets, manuals, or catalogs.Here are some of the more popular binding products and services we offer.
- Our booklet making machine - A truly amazing piece of equipment that collates, staples, and folds loose sheets into very nice and professional looking booklets.
- Comb binding - The classic round plastic bindings that require nineteen little square holes in each sheet of paper. This process can be used for books up to 400 pages. Pages can be added or removed easily. And the finished book lies flat when opened.
- Tape bindings - Known for its strength and durability, tape binding is frequently the choice of librarians and graduate school professors. Works best with documents up to 300 pages.
- We also provide printed or plain covers, clear acetate covers, and other types of bindings for specialty projects.
Coil Binding
Coil binding, also known as spiral binding, is a commonly used bookbinding style for creating documents, reports, presentations, and proposals. This binding style is known by a number of names, including spiral coil, color coil, ez-coil, plastic coil, spiral binding, plastikoil and coilbind. Documents bound with spiral coil have the ability to open flat on the desk or table and offer 360° rotation for easier note-taking. Durable and strong, this binding method is often used for documents that need to be mailed. Spiral-coil-bound spines are available in more colors and sizes than other binding styles. Please call us to learn about the many options we have available.Comb Binding
Comb binding is one of the many ways to secure pages together into a book. This method utilizes round plastic spines, 19 rings, and a hole puncher that makes rectangular holes. Comb binding is sometimes referred to as plastic-comb binding or spiral-comb binding, too. Our printing firm has a large variety of different-sized comb bindings, ranging from 3/16 of an inch (for 10 sheets of 20# paper) up to 2 inches (for 400 sheets of 20 pound paper). We can also provide a variety of different colors to enhance the appearance of your project.Perfect Binding
Perfect binding provides a result similar to that of a paperback book. The phone directory on your desktop is a common example. National Geographic would be another. At our printing firm, we get many requests to bind software manuals, instruction manuals, and many varieties of soft-covered books using perfect binding. We print the heavy-duty covers separately and attach them at the spine with a strong, flexible glue. We then trim the books on three sides to make them look clean and professional.Stapling
Stapling is one of the simplest – and most effective – methods of binding used today. In addition to stapling loose sheets together through the front of the page, we can saddle-stitch (staple through the spine) magazines and other multi-page items such as catalogs, annual reports, and newsletters.Saddle-stitching is a sturdy, durable, and attractive binding option. The number of pages our saddle-stitching equipment can bind together varies depending on the weight of the paper used, but the results are the same every time: nice, clean, and professional.
