GCC Printing and Graphics

Marketing tends to slow down when it gets complicated. The more options businesses feel they need to consider, the longer decisions take and the harder it becomes to stay consistent. That’s one reason postcards continue to earn their place in modern marketing. They remove friction, shorten timelines, and make it easier to stay visible without overthinking every move. Postcards aren’t about doing more. They’re about doing what works, faster. Speed Matters More Than Ever One of the biggest advantages of postcards is how quickly they move from idea to mailbox. There’s no envelope to design, no multi-page layout to review, and no long approval cycle. That speed matters when timing is important, whether you’re promoting a seasonal offer, reminding customers you’re still there, or responding to a change in the market. For example, a local restaurant announcing updated hours or a limited-time menu doesn’t need a long-form piece. A simple, w...

One thing we’ve learned after producing thousands of mail pieces is this: Mail still works, and it works especially well when it’s planned with intention. Some pieces get picked up immediately. Others barely get a glance. The difference usually isn’t the budget. It’s not luck either. It’s a series of smart decisions made before the piece ever goes to print. If you want your next mail piece to earn attention in a busy mailbox, these five principles make the biggest difference. 1. Decide What the Piece Is Doing Before You Design It Strong mail always has a job. Is this piece meant to: Drive a call Bring people into a store Reintroduce your business Remind past customers you’re still there Problems start when one piece tries to do all of that at once. When the goal is unclear, the message gets cluttered, and the reader doesn’t know where to focus. The most effective mail pieces are built around one outcome. Once that’s...

If you’ve ever opened a brochure and thought, “Wait… haven’t I seen this before?” there’s a good chance you have. Generic templates get around. They’re the social butterflies of the design world: everywhere, with everyone, all at once. They’re convenient, sure. But they also create the kind of déjà vu that makes your brand blend right into the background. So, let’s talk about those templates you’ve been using “just until we have time to update this.” (Spoiler: it’s been three years.) Templates Were Designed to Be Easy, Not Unique There’s no shame in starting with a template. They’re fast. They’re accessible. They make you feel like a design wizard in minutes. But here’s the catch: templates were built to work for anyone. Which means they usually end up working for everyone. That postcard you like? Someone else likes it, too. Actually… a few thousand someone elses. ...

If you’ve ever opened a brochure and thought, “Wait… haven’t I seen this before?” there’s a good chance you have. Generic templates get around. They’re the social butterflies of the design world: everywhere, with everyone, all at once. They’re convenient, sure. But they also create the kind of déjà vu that makes your brand blend right into the background. So, let’s talk about those templates you’ve been using “just until we have time to update this.” (Spoiler: it’s been three years.) Templates Were Designed to Be Easy, Not Unique There’s no shame in starting with a template. They’re fast. They’re accessible. They make you feel like a design wizard in minutes. But here’s the catch: templates were built to work for anyone. Which means they usually end up working for everyone. That postcard you like? Someone else likes it, too. Actually… a few thousand someone elses. ...

Every custom print project starts with an idea. Maybe it’s a card you want to feel more personal, a new envelope layout you’ve been delaying, or a folder that needs to look sharp for an upcoming event. Whatever the piece is, there’s always that first spark of excitement, a spark that lasts right up until the moment the details appear. Specs. Files. Proofs. Deadlines. Suddenly, the excitement gives way to pressure. Here’s the thing most people never hear: a print project doesn’t need a perfect starting point. It needs partnership. Collaboration takes a project that feels heavy and makes it feel manageable. And most importantly, it makes the final piece better. Here’s a better way to work with your printer that removes friction and brings your creative idea to life without the headaches. Bring the idea. The blueprint can come later. Some customers hesitate to reach out until they’ve polished every detail. But projects rarely start wi...

Open the drawer in any office (the one where printed materials tend to collect) and you’ll often find the truth about a brand. A small stack of envelopes from last year. A notecard someone redesigned on their own. A form with multiple versions tucked into the same folder. A letterhead template that doesn’t match anything else in circulation. Most businesses don’t realize how much of their identity lives in these everyday pieces until they stop and take a look. A brand is never more honest than the stack of paper it hands a customer. So for 2026, imagine walking through your printed communication with fresh eyes, the same way a customer might experience it. Start at the Mail Stack The envelopes and letters customers receive are often the first physical representation of your brand. Some pieces feel clean and current. Others look like they belong to a previous version of your business. When digital branding evolves but print stays behind, that gap becomes n...

For years, businesses have been told the future is paperless. It sounded innovative. Efficient. Modern. But here we are in 2026, and not only has the shift stalled, but customers are also paying more attention to printed materials than they were a decade ago. Why? Because digital didn’t simplify communication. It saturated it. Inbox filters got stricter. Notifications multiplied. Messages stacked faster than anyone could read them. Digital got faster, but it didn’t get calmer. And that “paperless world” everyone talked about? It was more myth than reality. The Problem With a Digital-Only Mindset Businesses rushed toward digital because it promised convenience. Send faster. Store easier. Communicate instantly. But instant communication also made every message feel the same. In a browser tab, your brand sits beside dozens of others. The icons blur. The messages blend. The experience flattens. Print never had that problem. A printed piece (a card...

A new year brings a sense of momentum. Many businesses channel that energy into updating their brand: a refreshed logo, a new color palette, maybe a redesigned website. Those pieces matter, but they’re only the beginning. A rebrand doesn’t feel real until customers see it in print. That’s where the identity either comes together… or starts to fall apart. A beautiful new logo can’t carry the weight of outdated envelopes, old folders, mismatched forms, or packaging from three years ago. When the supporting materials don’t align, the rebrand feels unfinished. And customers notice the gap long before you expect them to. Where Rebrands Quietly Lose Their Power Picture this: a business proudly launches a new visual identity online. Everything looks polished until a customer receives an invoice with the old logo. Or meets a sales rep still handing out outdated brochures. Or opens an envelope that doesn’t match anything on the website. Non...

Have you ever sent an email you thought was clear, only to receive a flood of follow-up questions from customers? Or watched an inbox reminder get ignored, even when the information seemed impossible to miss? Many businesses run into this quiet frustration. When people feel overloaded, digital messages (no matter how carefully written) tend to get skimmed, skipped, or forgotten. That’s exactly what happened to a small clinic facing repeated confusion from new patients. The team sent detailed emails, bolded important lines, added reminders, and tried new formats. Nothing seemed to stick. Then the clinic mailed a simple printed “What to Expect” card in a small branded envelope. Patients read it. They held onto it. Some even brought it with them. And that tiny shift, from digital to tangible, changed the entire experience. Why Print Changes How People Feel Digital communication travels fast, but it also disappears fast. It’s surrounded by alerts, a...

Printed communication feels routine for most businesses until a customer sees something that doesn’t match. A form with an old logo. A letterhead that eats half the page. An envelope that looks like it came from a different company. These small signals add up quickly. Let’s clear up what’s true (and what isn’t) about how print affects customer perception. Myth #1: “Customers don’t really notice how our printed materials look.” Fact: They notice immediately, and they connect those details to professionalism. It’s the little things that catch their attention: A logo that looks stretched A color that doesn’t match the website A crowded header that squeezes the message A generic envelope paired with branded stationery Customers may not comment, but they do form opinions. When your materials look aligned, customers assume the rest of your business is, too. Myth #2: “Print quality doesn’t influence trust...

Some letterhead looks impressive at first glance. It has the right colors, an elegant header, maybe even a subtle graphic in the background. But then someone in the office opens the file to write a letter, and the real story comes out. The margins are too tight. The background suddenly feels overpowering. The footer climbs halfway up the page. And now your “professional” letterhead has become a daily frustration. Letterhead doesn’t get a lot of attention, but it deserves thoughtful design. Not because it needs to be fancy, but because it gets used constantly. The success of a letterhead design has far more to do with how well it performs on an ordinary Tuesday than how good it looks in a portfolio. Where Most Letterhead Goes Wrong If you’ve ever seen a letter whose message had to squeeze around decorative elements, you’ve seen the classic problem: the design tried too hard. A designer adds a heavy header because it looks bold. Or a soft graphi...

The first week of January feels like a reset for nearly every business. People tidy their desks, clean out inboxes, map out goals, and, knowingly or not, make quick judgments about the companies they plan to work with this year. That’s why your first printed piece of the year carries more weight than most people realize. It’s not just paper. It’s your reputation, your readiness, and your professionalism arriving in someone else’s hands. And it shows up before you ever get the chance to explain yourself. A First Impression You Can’t Undo Research shows that first impressions are incredibly sticky, and people often form them faster than they think. One study highlighted by LiveScience explains why these early perceptions are so hard to reverse. A strong first impression becomes the lens customers use to interpret everything else you do. That’s exactly why the first printed piece you send, whether it’s a postcard, brochure, welcome l...

It’s that magical week between Christmas and New Year’s, the one where no one knows what day it is, leftovers count as a balanced meal, and office email replies are set to “see you next year.” So instead of talking about goals or marketing plans, we thought we’d end the year with something better: A few laughs. Grab a cup of cocoa, take a break from those resolutions, and enjoy some humor to help you coast happily into 2026. Home for the Holidays Struggling to get your family’s attention? Simply sit down and look comfortable. That should do the trick. Job Market Realities Interviewer: You’re asking for a pretty high salary for someone without any real experience. Interviewee: Well, that’s because this job is going to be super hard since I don’t know what I’m doing. (Somehow, this feels like every first week at a new job ever.) Say It with Flowers (or Don’t) A man stops by his local florist to buy flo...

The holidays are more than a season of giving. They serve as a reminder of how much we’ve already received. The customers who trust us. The coworkers who make long days lighter. The partners and neighbors who believe in what we do. It’s easy to move quickly through December, checking boxes and meeting deadlines, but taking the time to say thank you changes the tone of the season —and sometimes even the year ahead. Here are 10 ways to express genuine gratitude, no discount codes or “special offers” required. 1. Create a Wall (or Table) of Gratitude Whether you run a business, nonprofit, or classroom, create a space for people to share what they’re thankful for. It could be a physical bulletin board, a wall of sticky notes, or a printed tabletop display where team members, customers, or visitors can add their own words of appreciation. When people see gratitude displayed, it spreads. 2. Celebrate Your Team The end of the year can feel ...

Ordering print should feel exciting, not stressful. But with so many details to consider (paper type, file setup, proofing, and deadlines), even experienced print buyers can stumble. The good news? Most print-ordering mistakes are easy to avoid once you know where they come from. Here are the five most common ones, along with simple ways to ensure your next print job runs smoothly from start to finish. 1. Waiting Too Long to Place Your Order It’s the mistake everyone makes at least once: waiting until the week of an event or promotion to order materials. Printing involves more than just running paper through a press. There’s time for proofing, trimming, folding, and delivery, and during busy seasons (like year-end), production schedules fill up fast. How to avoid it: Build extra time into your plan. For most projects, place your order at least one to two weeks before you need it. If you’re unsure about the timeline to expect, ask us early. We’ll hel...

In a world that moves too fast, print asks us to pause. To notice. To remember. While digital messages rush past, print stays: holding stories, memories, and meaning in its quiet, tangible way. It’s how we mark moments, share gratitude, and remind each other that connection isn’t measured in clicks, but in care. A Shared Experience in a Fast-Paced World When was the last time you watched someone open a piece of mail and genuinely react? There’s something about a physical message that brings people together. A letter passed around an office. A community newsletter left on a coffee shop counter. A poster that draws people to an event. Unlike digital messages that vanish as soon as they’re read, print becomes part of our environment. It hangs on walls, sits on desks, and shows up in moments that matter, reminding people they’re part of something bigger than themselves. Print doesn’t just reach people. It roots them. The Power of Touch Tou...

At the end of every year, it's inspiring to take a look back at the creative print ideas that made us smile, pause, and say, “That’s clever.” From heartfelt community campaigns to packaging that turned heads, this year was full of reminders that print still has a magic all its own. Here are a few favorite ideas from the past year, projects that brightened spirits and showcased the creativity of print. A Welcome Kit with Heart More businesses and nonprofits are rethinking how they introduce themselves this year, and we love it. Instead of sending a generic brochure, some created full welcome kits with branded folders, handwritten notes, and small keepsakes. Others used mini booklets with team photos and a short “who we are” story. These weren’t sales pieces; they were relationship builders. They turned what could have been a transaction into a connection. Sometimes your first impression shouldn’t say, “Here’s what we do....

Did you know that acquiring new customers costs five times more than keeping the ones you already have ? That makes retention one of the smartest marketing investments you can make and one of the easiest to overlook. Building loyalty doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through consistent, personal touchpoints that show people they matter. And when it comes to creating those touchpoints, print remains one of the most trusted and effective tools you can use. Here’s how to turn this year’s customers into next year’s loyal fans using smart, strategic print marketing. 1. Start with Gratitude Before planning your next big campaign, take a moment to thank the customers, clients, or donors who made this year a success. A printed thank-you card or postcard makes that gratitude tangible. Unlike an email that disappears in a crowded inbox, a printed note sits on a desk, a bulletin board, or a fridge as a daily reminder that your organization values the rela...

When someone picks up your brochure, flips through your event program, or browses your booklet, they’re not just gathering information; they’re forming opinions. From the texture of the paper to the clarity of the layout, every design decision sends a message about your organization’s credibility, attention to detail, and values. In short: your print is your brand. And research proves it. 75% of people who receive printed materials recall the brand easily , compared to only 44% for digital ads. The Psychology of First Impressions Before a reader ever processes your content, their brain makes subconscious judgments about your professionalism and trustworthiness. A person’s impression of a product comes from its physical context: what it looks and feels like before they even engage with it. That’s the silent power of print. A program printed on heavy, matte stock communicates care and stability; a glossy brochure with clean folds suggests energy...