Die Cuts Are Worth the Investment

Die cuts are one of the most powerful ways to boost response, but the costs associated with die cuts are prohibitive to many companies. Why would they spend more money to end up with less physical collateral? The answer is a secret that marketing pros have known for years: die cuts attract immediate attention, lend credibility and get results. Were this not true, they would not be employed as a printing and design technique by some of the most successful companies in the world. Affordable die-cuts are worth the investment. "Investment" is the operative word - the saying goes that you have to spend money to make money, but that doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money to make a lot of money. Die cuts are an investment intended to increase your return, so that you yield a higher profit margin from your promotions.

Branding with die cuts

Custom die cuts are the best way to brand your company, and custom dies can be created for you by online printing companies such as PsPrint. Another alternative is to use pre-formatted dies, hundreds of which are also available at PsPrint. Pre-formatted die templates can be had for as little as $50 to $100, a small investment for a big return. Let's look at an example: You can print 500 full-color business cards on 14-point gloss stock for around $55. You can get the same business card with a stylish die-cut for around $95, just $40 more. In many industries, if that $40 investment makes your business card memorable enough to lead to one additional sale, it is worth it. Chances are it will perform much better than that.

Die-cut ideas

So how should you have your marketing materials die cut? Die cuts range from the subtle to the sensational and everything in between. You could print with an animal- or tool-shaped die cut or simply include a rounded corner or two. You could have your business cards die cut into parallelograms or trace the outline of your logo in the upper half of your brochures. Perhaps you'd like to create a punch-out or use a die cut in combination with a foil stamp to really make your promo packs pop. No matter what type of die cut you choose, you can rest assured that it will attract attention and be memorable and thus increase your chance of earning new business. Die cuts are affordable, and because they offer a return on investment, they are profitable. Instead of viewing die cuts as an extra expense, you should view them as investments in your future. After all, marketing investments ultimately cost nothing if they yield a return.