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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in small business

Bad Byrons Butt Rub - Barbeque Seasoning - Manuel Chavez PhotographyOur small business spotlight for the month of May is on one of our favorite local entrepreneurs Byron Chism, the creator of Bad Byron Butt Rub as well as many other great products.

He created Butt Rub in the Spring of 1997, shortly after moving from Texas to the Florida Panhandle. At the time, Byron had just graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and was cooking professionally. Butt Rub was first sold at Cocoon's Fine Foods in Seagrove Beach, Florida on May 31, 1997.

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Warrior Beach Retreat - Wounded Warrior Tribute - Spring 2014 - Panama City Beach, FloridaSteve, Sheila and the Creative Team are honored once again, to be a part of The Warrior Beach Retreat. Twice a year Wounded Warriors and their families from all across our country are brought to Panama City Beach to enjoy a week long retreat. This is all made possible by the many generous donations from the Northwest Florida community. We hope you join us to honor our troops tomorrow, by lining the streets with flags along the Welcome route below.

Welcome Route: The warriors will be passing by the following locations on Thurs, April 24th, starting at the Laketown Wharf Resort at 4:15pm and ending at the First Baptist Church around 5:15-5:20pm. You can show your support by lining the streets of the route with signs and flags.

Opening Ceremony: Thursday, April 24th at 5:45 pm. Location – First Baptist Church, 640 Grace Ave, Panama City, Florida. The public is invited to attend – please come and show your support for the Warriors!

Parade Route - Warrior Beach Retreat - Panama City Beach, Florida

Image courtesy of Warrior Beach Retreat 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The Warrior Beach Retreat is not affiliated with Wounded Warrior Project.

Our son, Sgt. Joshua Cope (retired) and his wife, Erica... are our Hero’s. They have turned a tragedy into a triumph. It hasn’t been an easy journey... they have chosen to preserve amidst unimaginable hardships...their lives are an inspiration to us all.

On November 12, 2006 Joshua was severely wounded by an IED blast in Baghdad, Iraq. He lost both of his legs above the knee and both hands were injured. We have witnessed first hand, the tenacity of the American Soldier. We’ve also witnessed firsthand, the love and compassion of a soldier’s wife through Erica.

When a soldier goes to war, a family goes to war... Lest we forget!

Let us all come together and bring hope and healing to so many heroes and their families. We all have something to give. We can make a difference... together.

Linda Cope, Founder & President

Warrior Beach Retreat - Spring 2014 - Panama City Beach, Florida

 

If you would like to donate to help the Warrior Beach Retreat click here. Any donations are greatly appreciated. Are you interested in being one of the honored participants for a future Warrior Beach Retreat? Find out more information here.

We are absolutely honored to be a part of the 2014 Warrior Beach Retreat. We understand the importance of our soldiers and the huge sacrifices they make for our freedoms and want to do anything we can to help our men and their families. It was a pleasure working with the Cope family and we thank them for all they do with and for the soldiers and their families. We hope our great community does their best to show their support to these great men by donating to the retreat or just come and show your support on parade day. A list of activities, how to donate, and the parade route/time are all on the Warrior Beach Retreat website.

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Just in time for Spring Cleaning our small business spotlight for this month is Carpet Care Specialist and sister company Disaster Response Team. Both companies are locally owned and operated.

Carpet Care Specialist / Disaster Response Team -  Invoices - Pocket Folders - Flyers - Brochures

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We all have thought about writing a book at some point or another. Whether it is a biography, novel, children’s book, the thought has crossed your mind at least once.  Creative Printing of Bay County will publish your books for you. We can even create designs for your book. Below are some book ideas to help you get started.  
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Books Printed at Creative

  

Children’s Books   

  • Moral Lessons
  • Introduction Stories
  • Travel and Adventure Stories
  • Personal Experiences
  • A Child’s Perspective
  • Fantasy
  • Animals
  • Rewriting
  • Fiction/Nonfiction
  • Poetry
  • Picture Books
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More examples of books we have printed for customers

    


Biographies

  • Biography
  • Autobiography
  • Memoir
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More examples of what we can do


 

    

Educational

  • History
  • Math
  • Language Arts
  • Science
  • Technology

  

Mystery

Travel and Adventure 

   Romance Novel 

 Cook Books 

 Dance books

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Dance books we have designed and printed
 
Creative Printing offers Self-publishing for individuals or businesses that want to publish their own book. Self-publishing is where an author pays for their own editing, formatting, or cover design of their work, the printing process, distribution and marketing. We will gladly design the cover for your book and inside images as well. If you use a publishing company we can design the graphics for your book and send them to your via email or straight to the publishing company.  Come on in and let us help you get started writing that book you have always dreamed of writing! 
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Are you looking for a banner to promote your business or event? Here at Creative Printing of Bay County we have a NEW Wide Format Printer that can print banners up to 3 feet wide by 12 feet long. We offer a variety of banners sure to meet your needs. From your standard hanging banner complete with grommets to retractable banners perfect for carrying to events. Our banners are weather resistant and can be used both indoors or out! Need your banner in a hurry? No problem, We offer quick turnarounds!

Most of our banners are printed right here in the shop using high quality 15mil scrim vinyl. We use the highest quality inks and check to make sure your images are of the highest quality before we print. If something is wrong, we will let you know right away!

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Summer is the top season for births in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. In August 2010, 362,798 babies were born. That is a lot of babies!  
There is not a more precious moment than when your baby is born. You want to share this special moment with our family and friends. That’s why birth announcements are so wonderful!  You can choose your background, color, use pictures, choose the wording, and the perfect font to show off your little miracle.

Examples of Custom Creative Birth Announcements:

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At Creative Printing we offer Custom birth announcements! Let our design team help you share this special moment with your family and friends. Contact us today so we can help you spread the joy of your little one or little ones!
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Did you know that Creative Printing offers FREE Delivery Service? That’s right; they will deliver right to your office. Delivery is on a customer to customer basis; however they will try and deliver to anyone who requests.
Creative Printing of Bay County - Delivery Services
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If you’re a business owner, you use some type of business form. Whether you have them printed or have a digital form in which you later print, they are a Creative Printing of Bay County - Custom formsnecessity when running an effective business.  Business forms are most often printed so that they can be handwritten and are usually in a set format. You can record almost every type of business information on these forms.

Each business is different and does not need the same type of forms. This is why Creative Printing offers, fully Customizable Forms to meet individual business needs. Let us share with you some of the types of Custom Forms we design and print.

Non Carbon Required (NCR) Forms – are forms that were developed to eliminate the problems associated with using carbon paper. These forms are great for office or commercial documents that come in multiple copies without the use of any electronics. Each copy in the NCR forms are coated with special dye and reactive clay that are sensitive to pressure.

 
 
 
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Creative Printing of Bay County - how color makes you feelDo you ever wonder why you feel calmer in a brown room? On a cloudy, rainy day, do you want to wear comfortable pants and a sweatshirt? Gloomy days tend to make us want to lie around and not be motivated. Could this be due to the color?
 
As we previously discussed there is psychology behind color and how it makes you feel. Let’s take a look at a variety of different colors and find out how they make you feel.
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Its spring and many of you are thinking about that perfect spring or summer wedding. Did you know that June is the most popular month to get married, followed by August, September and October? The average number of wedding guests is 178. Whether you’re planning a small or large wedding, now is the time to begin thinking about getting Creative with custom wedding invitations.
 
Remember, custom designs are limitless!  Whether you decide to go black & white, 1 color, 2 color, 3 color, or full color, we can help design exactly what you are looking for. 

Below are only a few of our New Custom Designs.


 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Wedding Invitation - One-Sided - Black
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Have you seen the NAJU Boarding & Grooming Shuttle around town?
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - NAJU Boarding & Grooming Shuttle
 
If so, you have probably been curious and want to know more. NAJU is a local business that is family owned and operated. This thriving business was originally started on the property of Biff Hunt’s parents in the 60’s and 70’s where they were breeding American Foxhounds and show dogs. The property was an old dairy farm which still had the runs and covered facilities out back. This was used for the dogs. People loved their setup and how clean and consistent the facility was. This then led to the conversion to a public facility in 1975.
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Do you ever wonder what type of paper you should use for your CREATIVE PRINT PROJECTS? Often people do not realize how many choices they have available. Then when it is time to choose, the many varieties of paper can be overwhelming. What color? What finish? What style? Paper selection can make a huge impact on your print project whether it is for yourself, your family, or your business.
 
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Creative Paper Projects
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Whether you are a business professionals or an individual, we have all had to make copies at some point or another, but have you ever thought about the wear and tear on your printer? If you are coping large quantities in house, then it typically more cost effective to go to your local print shop. It’s important to take into consideration employee time, the amount of toner/ink you’re using, and paper. Many businesses don’t realize how the cost adds up over time when coping in house.

So what kinds of copies are people making these days? Let’s take a look.

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Do you ever look at a sign going down the road and think, “That is too much”? The key to designing signs, business cards, etc. is to make them stand out and not look too busy.

The less you use in designing the better. You want people to read your signs and cards.
 
Let's take a look at some Tips to show how less is more in Graphic Design.
 
  1. Often people think that every area of white space has to be filled. This is not the case. White space is okay!
  2. Don’t use too many effects. This will take away from the message you are trying to give.
  3. Avoid using more than 3 fonts per design. This will make your design look unprofessional and busy.
  4. Don’t choose a font just because you think it is cool. Be sure it goes with the theme and is the right height so that it is visible.

     

    Letter Height Visibility Chart

    Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - How Less is More in Graphic Design - Font Size Chart

     

  5. Avoid using too much information. If there is too much, potential customers will skip it all together. The less that is on your card or sign the more it attracts attention to your main points.
  6. When using graphics or pictures, make sure they look professional and only use one or two. Too many will make your design too busy.
  7. It’s important to have a focal point, something that draws your eye and then everything should flow out from there. You want your eyes to move to all parts of your design.
  8. When aligning your text, don’t feel like it has to be centered. Left or right justified looks more professional.
  9. Remember when choosing your colors, that different colors affect the way you feel.
  10. The best way to ensure that your text will be clear at a long distance is to use a high contrast color, such as White on Black.  Blue on Green is more difficult to see from a distance.

    Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - How Less is More in Graphic Design - High Contrast Colors

     11.   When choosing colors for your company logo or any design project, it's important to look at the color wheel. You don't want to choose colors that are beside each other. Choose colors that are across from one another, so that they stand out and better.


Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - How Less is More in Graphic Design - Color Wheel
 
     12.    One more important tip to remember is to trust your graphic designer! Their skills and experience will bring your images to reality. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
 
As you see there are many factors to consider when designing your company logo, business cards, signs and more.
 
At Creative Printing our friendly design team is here to help you! So when you’re ready to begin your design, come on in and let us help you Get Creative.

 

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Company Newsletters are important to keep in touch and create loyal relationships with your customers. Plus, it’s a cost effective and simple way of marketing. You can’t beat that! 

What to include in your newsletter … a great, catchy name. To get your customers attention, focus on quality content. For instance, you want articles to be relevant and informative. Try not to focus solely on your business and sales goals. By this we mean, remember the 80/20 rule: 80% education and entertainment and 20% sales. Use your customers and include testimonials. Including a call to action is important.  So remember to link to your website and social media sites! Don't forget your contact information like your address, phone number and website. Believe it or not, many businesses often leave their contact information out.

CreativePrintingofBayCounty--PanamaCity--Florida--Company Newsletter
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If there's one thing we know how to do at Creative Printing (besides, you know, creative printing), it's get down and spooky for Halloween! For years, we've been dressing up as our favorite monsters and villains, ghosts and ghouls, and just having fun.

We wish you a safe and happy Halloween this year and invite you to take a sneak peak at some of our favorite Halloween photos from over the years!

 

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Is there a high school senior in your life? 

Chances are, they've already been given information about ordering expensive graduation announcements through their school. They might have a few options to choose from but one thing is certain: those announcements will look an awful lot like the announcements all their classmates will be sending out.

Why not make your senior's graduation truly special and get them a completely custom graduation announcement that not only shares the news of their graduation, but also includes their photo?

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Custom Graduation Announcements
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It's been a busy summer around the office at Creative Printing. Of course, we've been busy printing your business cards, letterhead, postcards and party invitations, but there's more! We've been busy implementing a ton of exciting new equipment with the help of our technology partner Garner IT Consulting. We're so excited about it that we couldn't wait any longer to share the changes with you! 
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - New Technology
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Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Proof Print Jobs - ProofreadingYou've worked on a design with your graphic artist. You've decided whether your business cards should be matte or glossy. You've settled on the quantity of new brochures to order for your small business.
 
What's left?

Once the design and layout of your print job are finalized, you'll be asked to review a proof. A proof is a document or image that will show you exactly what your item will look like when it's printed. This is your last opportunity to change your mind about design elements and to check all the details to ensure there are no mistakes.
 
Here is what to look for when you review a printing proof:

  1. Check the colors. Make sure the colors you see are what you expected. Do the font and background colors coordinate with your company logo?
  2. Check the graphics. Make sure the correct, current version of your company logo is being used. If you've been thinking about redesigning your logo, consider doing that before ordering new print supplies that will soon be outdated.
  3. Check the text--including phone numbers and addresses. Your print professionals can help with colors and graphics, but they might not realize that your office phone number ends in 2354 rather than 2345. Check and double-check these important details.
  4. Take a step back and review the overall print job. Is it generally pleasing to the eye, interesting, and easy to read? Remember, this is your last chance to make any changes, so if you have reservations, now is the time to speak up.
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Print Jobs - Proofreading

What happens if there is an error or change needed on your printing proof?

Don't worry! We'll make the changes and create a new proof for your review. You'll have to sign off on all the changes and approve the proof before we proceed with the print job, giving you final control over what we print.

We understand budgets and deadlines. A careful review of your printing proof can save you both money and time, important resources for any small business.

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Custom party invitations are growing in popularity and they're a great, easy way to add personal touches to your special event or celebration.
 
It's no mystery that a lot of folks are scheduling special events later this year on a noteworthy date. November 11, 2011 -- aka 11/11/11 -- will be a memorable day for many. If you're planning an 11/11/11 event, now's the time to start thinking about making your event even more special with custom invitations.
 
No matter when your event date lands on the calendar, you don't have to be a design whiz to get custom invitations, or even know exactly what you want. We can build custom invitations around your event's theme and help you choose a design that represents you. We know what questions to ask, and we understand how to listen to your answers, work with your goals and budget, and develop a solution that meets all your needs.
 Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Custom Party Invitations - Announcements
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Business cards are the most important marketing tool that your company uses. They are often the first representative of your business and easily the one that sticks around the longest. How can you make sure that your business cards are doing everything they can to promote your business in a positive way?
 
Here's what you need to know:

1. Go with the pros. Running a small business on a budget--or starting a new business from scratch--might require some creative financial planning, but don't skimp on business cards. DIY cards look cheap and make your potential clients think you don't care about the details. Hire a professional printing company to print your business cards, and show your clients that you're serious about your business.

Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Need to know
 
 
2. Short and sweet. Don't try to write a novel on your business cards. Only include the information that is actually pertinent, such as company name, your name, basic contact information including your e-mail address and website.
 
3. Don't be cute. Every small business owner wants their business cards to be memorable, to stand out from the crowd. Don't try to do this by being cutesy with your business cards. This means no knock-knock jokes and no cartoon characters (unless you happen to be in the cartoon business). Instead, stand out by using a sharp design and textured paper. Or, if you're really feeling adventurous, consider something really out-of-the-box like a structural aspect, like this business card with tear-tabs: 
 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Tear Tabs

Or these clear plastic business cards: 
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Clear Plastic

4. Use a smart design. The design of your business cards should be appropriate for your business. If you run a landscaping business, don't put wine glasses on your business cards. Choose graphics and layouts because they represent your business, not because they're your favorite color or because they remind you of your favorite vacation spot.
 
5. Catch the typos. Handing out typo-ridden business cards is a death sentence for your marketing efforts. Be sure to check and double-check spelling of names and especially addresses and phone numbers. And if you get a new number or your website URL changes, it's time to get new cardsand toss your old ones in the recycling bin.
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City - Florida - Business Cards - Toss old
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In our first blog post (of many!), we didn't want to start off with the same old boring marketing lingo. We're not here to toot our own horn, push our services on you or anything like that.
 
We just want to get to know our neighbors.
 
We're also ridiculously excited to start this blog and to get connected with more of you in internet-land. As a matter of introduction, we thought we'd invite you to take a stroll through our print production facility. We're located in Bay County, Florida, and we love working on print jobs for small businesses as well as individuals.
 
Come on in!
Creative Printing of Bay County - Panama City, Florida - Welcome to the Print Shop - Front Desk - Carol
Carol at the front desk    
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