Until recent years, the average small business owner often found himself between a rock and a hard place. With prohibitive printing costs, high overhead and cost/benefit issues, a small business owner's ideal banner was only a pipe dream. Brilliant or not, the average entrepreneur didn't have the opportunity to compete with the big dogs. Cheap banners were inaccessible. Many start-ups were doomed at the outset, remaining second class in advertising potential.
Banner Printing Expense
Costs were highly prohibitive and production was very complicated. Instead of today's normal low-cost per square foot, banner printing meant a screen-printing production process and outlandish set-up costs. Only 20 years ago, quality cheap banners were nowhere nearly as cheap as today's cheap banner prices. In short, most beginners couldn't afford to get his or her feet wet with such a high start-up investment.
Digital Printing Capabilities
Nowadays, digital print technology enables just about anyone to have their normal or intricate logo beautifully printed up at a fraction of the original cost only 20 years ago. In addition to banner printing, you can use custom wall decals, vinyl signs and business or personalized signs that show your company's logo in its best light.
How it Was
In the early 1990s, size limitations, color splicing and other difficulties made a quality but cheap banner nearly impossible. Screen printing or offset printing was used which was both timely and inconvenient. Few even considered digital printing as a feasible option.
4 CP Digital Print Revolution
The digital printing revolution changed everything. Overnight, in the early 2000s, full color printing became available and affordable, unlike a short ten years earlier. This was due to large format printers and full color options, not just a color or two, in the 4 CP full menu fashion.
Cheap banners... what do they really cost?
If a banner company quotes an ultra low production cost of less than a dollar per square foot, it should raise your eyebrows a bit. What are you getting for your money? The new one size fits all banner processing may not result in the type of quality which reflects your company's strengths and assets. In fact, it could cost you much more than meets the eye in customer perception and reputation.
Cloth Banner Basics
Fabric banners using a dye-subliminal effect are truly astoundingly attractive and qualitative. Cheap fabric banners, while costing more than cheap vinyl banners, can result in a product that lasts and lasts, continually displaying your wares in the best possible light.
Cost effective dye sublimation banners
Even though the initial cost may seem more expensive at first, the result of your investment may surprise you. They are, in fact, for what you are getting, a cheap printing option, and look a lot better than vinyl banners.
A little history
The vinyl plotter had revolutionized the printing industry in the late 20th century, but technology went even further onwards. Instead of having to painstakingly print set customer banners as had always been traditionally done, the average Joe was now in a position to produce his own sign using one of a few computer software banner programs and a vinyl plotter. This alone brought the cost of printing down, not nearly so expensive as they were before. Wide format digital printing also made a huge difference in lowering the cost of producing good quality, cheap banners.
How does Dye Sublimation Printing work?
The digital printing of banners using dye sublimation fuses fabric and dye together to make a photo-like image imprint upon your fabric background, utilizing ink dot technology for the lifelike image.
The fabric of choice
Heavy knit polyester fabric is used which creates an effective presentation. The poly knit material may or may not have stretch properties, allowing the conformability to eliminate wrinkles and make your image as lifelike as possible. These banners are often hung from the ceilings as larger than life displays at first class retail stores and at displays, conventions and fairs.
When to use them?
Dye Sublimation banners look classy, but because they are fabric based, need to be used in an environment where they will be kept relatively clean. A warehouse or home improvement type display may be better off using a vinyl sign, although on a short-term basis, fabric banners look great; they're also washable. Vinyl signs tend to look economical, which is often perceived as being of lesser quality. If you are selling a quality product with a value added perception, Dye Sublimation processing for a win-win presentation could be the answer for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Barry K. Brown has been in the Sign, Banner, Decal and Display Business for over 20 years. It isn't what he thought he'd do with his life, but he says he knows too much now to do anything else!
He has been marketing these products online since 1998, and the company he was general manager of in 1998 was the first sign company to be listed on Yahoo!
He invites you to check this page for custom printing of large format banners at cheaper pricing.
