Biz card question

[bbinnsitters]

Quick question: Why don't you guys use your local printers?.

I have a friend in the printing business and his price was way too high and he was "giving me a deal". Vistaprint prices can't be beat! Most printers are used by big companies I believe - not us little peons!
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I have to chime in here because I personally feel that vistaprint is way too expensive for their paid work. For the free stuff they are fine but, if you are ordering your own business cards, rack cards or postcards in numbers greater then the free quantity, they are double to triple the cost of some of the other print sites. We have been using printplace and are very happy with the quality. Let me give you some quick numbers.
Business cards
500 4-color both sides
vistaprint : $64.97 plus $6.15 shipping
printplace : $23.00 plus $7.18 (to my location) shipping
Savings of $40.94
Postcards
1000 4-color both sides
vistaprint : $159.98 plus $24.77 shipping
printplace : $71.50 plus $8.32 (to my location) shipping
Savings of $104.93
This is typical of what I have seen with some of the other print sites versus vistaprint. It really pays to shop your job around and price it on several sites. Price your next job on both sites and see what you get.
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Well, I am always looking for the deal so will one day check out Printplace, but this is what my last order with Vistaprint looked like:
100 return address labels, 1 small and 1 large car door magnet, 25 business card magnets, 2 t-shirts, 500 (4 color front, 2 color back) business cards - all for $72.25
That $72.25 was with s&h included so maybe I got the deal of the century, but I was happy!

 

[wendydk]

I am sorry that networking doesn't seem to work for so many of you. We have a lot of referrals that maybe due to no chains of any kind in our 1500 people town. We need each other and we know it. I don't know why it works here and not elsewhere. Is it possible that the C of Cs here in this area are more engaged?
Oh oh...this was threadjacking at it's finest. Back to business cards before someone finds out .

I am sorry that networking doesn't seem to work for so many of you. We have a lot of referrals that maybe due to no chains of any kind in our 1500 people town.

I wonder if it has to do with the type of lodging that you are? I would guess that locals consider you to be more of a hotel than a B&B, and thus think of you first when referring (especially since your sign says "motel" on it). I wonder what local referrals the Stonewall Inn and other B&B's in your area see?
Further, since you DO NOT have online reservations capability (or links from any major sites that I could find), your only online presence is from your local CVB and chamber. So of course, almost all of your business comes from those two local venues. Where else are people going to find you?
Sorry for the hijack........

 

[Iris]

I am sorry that networking doesn't seem to work for so many of you. We have a lot of referrals that maybe due to no chains of any kind in our 1500 people town. We need each other and we know it. I don't know why it works here and not elsewhere. Is it possible that the C of Cs here in this area are more engaged?
Oh oh...this was threadjacking at it's finest. Back to business cards before someone finds out .

I am sorry that networking doesn't seem to work for so many of you. We have a lot of referrals that maybe due to no chains of any kind in our 1500 people town.

I wonder if it has to do with the type of lodging that you are? I would guess that locals consider you to be more of a hotel than a B&B, and thus think of you first when referring (especially since your sign says "motel" on it). I wonder what local referrals the Stonewall Inn and other B&B's in your area see?
Further, since you DO NOT have online reservations capability (or links from any major sites that I could find), your only online presence is from your local CVB and chamber. So of course, almost all of your business comes from those two local venues. Where else are people going to find you?
Sorry for the hijack........
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You crack me up

. I know that my not doing the online reservation thing is getting to you. I want you to know I am looking into it BECAUSE of your recommendation but I really don't need it, I am busy. I am linked with every local website, am a member of our two chambers and one CVB and I network like crazy. Word of mouth is my bigges contributor to being busy though.
And now we really need to get back to the business cards question.
p.s. It says Motel on my sign because it lets "drive bys' know that they can come in for the night if they wish and if I have availability. The locals know this place because it's been here since 1921

 

[Samster]

I was just asking because I am always looking to keep all of my business local, even if it means that I have to pay more, rather than send it out of town. I have to say though that if the service at my print shop wasn't good or took too long, I would go and look for other sources a little further out of town..

Price, service, and convenience. Local friend with a local business and I both went to a local printer. The cost was extemely high and it took them 3 tries to get both our cards correct! So, we had to go back and forth 3 times. Ordering online can be much easier for busy innkeepers. Sad, but true....

 

[Suzie Q]

what local printer out in the sticks of maine? went to vistaprint because i found them online. they gave me quality and a low price. if a local printer was around, i found no website for them/him/her. nothing in the (old) local phone book i had. i found a couple places not too far away by googling. one had a price that was too high for me. one place i called (three times) never called me back. not a good sign.
can't shop at a place i don't know exists or that doesn't offer online service if they are too busy to get back to me. kind of sad really.
editing out my attitude here..

Did you notice that probably 10% of local businesses in Maine have a website? I can't find anything! And the phone books are a joke. I have about 8 different phone books that cover an odd asst of towns and I can never find anything.
If I try to use Yellow Pages online I get places in MA. So don't get me started on the online phone book either!
Give me the old phone books we used to have from ONE source with ALL the phone numbers in it for a region. Not this 2 towns in this book, 3 towns in that book, businesses for some of those towns in another book. Arrrrgh!
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We have a practically non-existent phone book for our area too. They combine it with the larger town close to us. Maybe 50% of the local businesses show up.
I use 1-800-goog-411 VERY FREQUENTLY! It only works for businesses, not personal listings. It is FREE!
As well, when I like a business or plan to do business with them in the future, I collect their business card. I have a business card holder, perhaps 5"x 3" that holds about 60 business cards. 3-4 cards on one side of the page. Put cards on each side of the pocket. Got it at Office Depot several years ago, but haven't seen it lately. It only cost $1.

 

[Suzie Q]

I was just asking because I am always looking to keep all of my business local, even if it means that I have to pay more, rather than send it out of town. I have to say though that if the service at my print shop wasn't good or took too long, I would go and look for other sources a little further out of town..

If you can't stay local, you might think of a green online printer as an alternative. I like greenerprinter.com. Their work is very good and the quality of papers/inks available is just fabulous. They cost more but, to me, it's worth it.
That said, if I had a local option still available in my immediate area, I'd try giving them the business first.
The extra money comes back to you. Local money stays local and supports all of the businesses that your guests rely upon during their stay. IMHO, giving your business to your nearest neighbors whenever you can, is the smartest thing you can do.
Besides, if you're in a relatively remote area, each and every one of those local businesses will at some point have the opportunity to send you some business.
As many times as I have used Vistaprint, I could just about guarantee you that they've never sent me any business.
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As many times as I have used Vistaprint, I could just about guarantee you that they've never sent me any business.
And do you know for sure that your local one has. We rarely had a local refer anyone to us.
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Oh my god, the number of local referrals I've gotten has been astounding. Especially given the number of alternatives!
Yes, I'm sure the local printer sent me guests. Same for the local gas station, the local bakeries, the local deli, the local bookstore, the local saloon, and all the local restaurants.
All local businesses are potential goldmines for referrals.
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Our local winery does good for us. They talk about us, have a link to us on their website and post our business cards.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

I was just asking because I am always looking to keep all of my business local, even if it means that I have to pay more, rather than send it out of town. I have to say though that if the service at my print shop wasn't good or took too long, I would go and look for other sources a little further out of town..

If you can't stay local, you might think of a green online printer as an alternative. I like greenerprinter.com. Their work is very good and the quality of papers/inks available is just fabulous. They cost more but, to me, it's worth it.
That said, if I had a local option still available in my immediate area, I'd try giving them the business first.
The extra money comes back to you. Local money stays local and supports all of the businesses that your guests rely upon during their stay. IMHO, giving your business to your nearest neighbors whenever you can, is the smartest thing you can do.
Besides, if you're in a relatively remote area, each and every one of those local businesses will at some point have the opportunity to send you some business.
As many times as I have used Vistaprint, I could just about guarantee you that they've never sent me any business.
.

As many times as I have used Vistaprint, I could just about guarantee you that they've never sent me any business.
And do you know for sure that your local one has. We rarely had a local refer anyone to us.
.

Oh my god, the number of local referrals I've gotten has been astounding. Especially given the number of alternatives!
Yes, I'm sure the local printer sent me guests. Same for the local gas station, the local bakeries, the local deli, the local bookstore, the local saloon, and all the local restaurants.
All local businesses are potential goldmines for referrals.
.

Our local winery does good for us. They talk about us, have a link to us on their website and post our business cards.
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I'm always happy to hear about a community that really supports its own. I'm sure you send them lots of business, too, so it just makes sense that they would want to see you thrive.