The hospitality industry is burgeoning from an ongoing upswell in the U.S. economy! In fact, studies show that the hospitality industry is on its 10th consecutive year of growth.
What does this mean for you? As more people stay in hotels, the demand for printed hotel goods—like branded notepads and guest guides—increases.
Likewise, every restaurant has a distinct brand they want to communicate to customers. Printed materials used in restaurants, such as menus, business cards, and place settings, are all vital tools that help promote a restaurant’s brand.
What hospitality printing services should you use? What kind of hospitality marketing services should you invest in? And where can you get the products you need at affordable prices?
This article is your complete guide to on-demand hospitality printing services! You will learn about:
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On-Demand Hospitality Printing for Business Growth
What is On-Demand Printing?
Print on demand is a printing technique that utilizes a digital printing press. Instead of printing and shipping thousands of copies of the product at once, the printing company saves a file of your product and make prints when you need them.
As a result, you don’t have to pay for storage, destruction or changes to obsolete printed materials. In effect, if you need to make a change to one of the files, you don’t have to pay any destruction charges for canceling.
On-demand printing is risk-free and flexible, so you can get the prints you need when you need them. Because of this, on-demand printing is cost-effective, flexible, and even healthy for the environment.
Therefore, if you need a continuous supply of business cards, stationery, collateral or other short-run printed materials, on-demand printing is the best option for you.
Benefits of On-Demand Printing for Hotels
The decision to make the transition to on-demand printing is simple when you consider all of the advantages!
To start, printing on demand is better for the environment. The Print Authority, for instance, saved at least $24,000 per year in charges related to obsolete printed materials for one client by changing the process to use print-on-demand services.
But what does this mean for you? It lowers costs! Even more, printing on demand reduces backorder issues because items are printed on an as-needed basis for immediate distribution.
As discussed above, you also have more flexibility with on-demand printing. For example, some printing fulfillment companies will charge you a hefty destruction fee for discarding obsolete printed materials. But say you found a typo in one of your printed pieces or need to update some of the information on that piece? With on-demand printing, you don’t have to pay any destruction charges. This reduces waste, lowers costs, and eliminates the risk of purchasing bulk orders of printed materials.
So what does this all mean for your hospitality business? In the end, you increase profitability, reduce the number of backorders, and protect the environment.
Interestingly, there are many things hotels need to print. Keep reading to learn about those products and services that can be fulfilled through on-demand hospitality marketing.
Types of On-Demand Hospitality Marketing Services
Hospitality printing services are essential factors in restaurant and hotel marketing. Not only do they advertise your business, but they also provide your guests with printed materials that represent your brand. Below is a list of the main types of on-demand hospitality printing services and their uses.
Restaurants
Virtually every restaurant has hospitality printing services that advertise its brand and give the restaurant itself a distinct ambiance. While printing services may seem like a subtle marketing strategy, if done poorly, the restaurant’s brand won’t be represented well. Below are some of the major restaurant printing services that will help create a distinct brand for your establishment.
Menus
One of the most notable restaurant printing services is menus. Every restaurant needs them. However, it isn’t as simple as writing up and printing a menu. You have to design it, choose fonts, and determine what kind of paper you want to use.
In addition to your main menu, you may want to create takeout menus and table tents. Table tents showcase featured items on your menu, advertise seasonal dishes, and promote any discounts or deals you have at the time. Overall, these restaurant printing services help create a brand for your restaurant and advertise your food.
If you are already an established restaurant, it may be advantageous to make changes to your menu. You can add or take away items and even create a new design that better represents your brand.
Business Cards
Restaurant business cards don’t just advertise your business. They provide a number to make a reservation, the location so customers can easily get there, and more, depending on the design of your card.
There are many creative ways to design your restaurant business card. For example, you could make it a punch card. By using the card, when a customer buys ten meals, s/he gets a free dessert. Not only does it encourage customers to return, but it also encourages them to keep your business card with them. Similarly, doubling the card as a coupon is a great way to get new customers.
On the other hand, you could put a map on the back of the card, showing customers how to get there. To advertise your best dishes, put a mini menu on it. The possibilities are endless!
To attract new customers, consider placing the restaurant business cards in the doors of local neighborhoods or handing them out in public areas.
Table Cloths and Placements
Depending on the style of your restaurant, you may want custom placements or tablecloths. Restaurant table cloths, for example, will give your restaurant an upscale look. Additionally, they will protect your tables from getting damaged and are easily replaced if damaged.
On the other hand, placements are usually made of paper, making them reusable and disposable. You often have more freedom with the design, and you don’t have to worry about washing them. However, placements are typically for less fancy restaurants.
No matter which you choose, both options are highly customizable and will help give your restaurant style.
Guest Checks
Restaurant guest checks are a great way to customize your guests’ experience further. Your brand should be incorporated in most aspects of your business, such as in the menu, staff uniforms, and decorations. Why not add that brand to your guest checks?
Furthermore, having guest checks will ensure customers’ orders are placed correctly and efficiently, improving customers’ overall experience at your restaurant.
Restaurant Training Materials
Training manuals, server cards, and other training materials will help you train your team, help them be more effective and assist them in conveying the uniqueness of your restaurant to patrons.
It is critical that all team members, from dishwashers to greeters to servers and managers, understand their role properly and work together as a team. Proper training should also help keep your team motivated and happy!
The Print Authority has decades of experience in producing and distributing restaurant training manuals and other training materials.
Hotels
Below are some collateral options for hotels to ensure your guests enjoy a hotel stay and remember it long after, as well.
Business Cards
For most companies, hospitality business cards are placed at the front desk. Hotel business cards, for example, are an excellent form of hospitality marketing. Guests can take them at their leisure, and the cards will leave subtle, positive impressions on them.
It’s important, however, to create attractive cards that people will want to take. For example, some necessary design decisions involve choosing between glossy and matte business cards, fonts, and overall layout.
To increase the number of business cards people will take, consider making the card into a magnet or voucher. Creating a unique business card will encourage guests to not only take a hotel business card but also to keep it for a long time.
Hotel Stationery
Stationery includes pens, pencils, envelopes, notepads, and paper with printed letterhead. While some hotels have stopped using it, business stationery is still common in many luxury hotels.
In the end, hotel stationery is a great hospitality marketing tool. First, it creates a level of exposure for your brand. When guests use the stationery or send letters to family or friends, it advertises your hotel. Second, it adds a level of high-end professionalism. When you provide hotel guests with complimentary services and tools, they are left with a better impression of your business.
Hotel Collateral
Hotel collateral can include printed items such as menus, water bottle tags, package ID labels, lost and found tags, and more. Collateral can set a distinctive brand for your hotel. Virtually every hotel room has some collateral in each room, but not every guest will use it. Therefore, printing collateral on an as-needed basis is an excellent option for hotel services.
Hotel Comment Cards
Feedback cards are a great way to address guest concerns or complaints. When problems are solved, guests are more likely to return even if their experience was less than satisfactory.
The point? Hotel comment cards are a motivator of guest satisfaction! In the same vein, guests who provide positive feedback are more likely to tell others about their experiences.
So, in the end, hotel comment cards are strategic marketing tools.
Menus
Hotels that provide in-room meal service typically supply each room with a menu. Additionally, if you have a restaurant in your hotel, consider placing a take out menu for the hotel restaurant in the room. This way, you can advertise other aspects of your hotel.
In the end, you must choose the right paper, font, and overall layout of your menus. This way, you can successfully advertise your room service and food.
Local Guides
Many hotels provide guests with guest guides. These guides can highlight local restaurants, attractions, or events.
Not only can guides help guests engage with the local area, but it also showcases all the exciting things happening near your hotel. This can entice guests to return to your hotel to experience more of the exciting attractions in the area.
Graphic Design
All of these products will need graphic design services. It’s important to know what you must include in the graphic design for your hotel prints. The typography, color, and layout should all carefully represent your brand and appear attractive. The more eye-catching a printed product is, the more likely a guest will use it.
The Print Authority’s On-Demand Hospitality Printing Services
Here at The Print Authority, we offer many hotel printing services, including, but not limited to the products mentioned above.
The Print Authority has worked in the hospitality industry since 1991, providing customized, high quality printed materials for numerous hotels. Our easy to use, intuitive custom web portals make printing fast and straightforward. With digital printing, we can produce up to 14,400 black and white prints and up to 11,400 color prints per hour! That means we can ship your on-demand printing orders quickly after receiving your order.
Additionally, The Print Authority offers customers a wide array of graphic design services. These include concept development, creation, branding, logo design, and printing services. Our technology is up to date and we are ready to create modern designs for your hospitality marketing needs. If you have any questions about graphic design, give us a call at (615) 468-2679.
Moreover, we know your core focus is your hospitality business, not printing. That’s why we offer a wide variety of printing and finishing services in house.
The Print Authority On-Demand Printing Products (Click for more information)
- Postcards
- Flyers
- Posters
- Brochures
- Door hangers
- Rack cards
- Notepads
- Vouchers
- Coupons
- Gift certificates
- Tear Sheets
- Specialty labels
- Embossing
- Plastic name badges
- Table cloths
- Post-it-notes
- Custom printed pens
- Business card magnets
- Stationery
- And more!
Don’t see a product on this list? There’s a chance we still offer it. Give us a call to learn more!
Contact The Print Authority Today!
Here at The Print Authority, we value our relationships with customers. With us, you are guaranteed outstanding printing services paired with exceptional service.
To learn more about how you can place a custom order with the print authority, fill out our contact form. There, you can ask for more information or request a quote. Make sure to be as detailed as possible about your inquiry. That way, we can provide you with a fast, accurate response to get you started on your printing endeavors!
