Vinyl Banner Ordering Tips

Few marketing strategies send as powerful a message as large-format vinyl banners. Draped on building walls, suspended over streets and hung from poles, custom vinyl banners command attention for sheer size and position; so using banners to market your business is an astute marketing strategy that can pay huge dividends with minimal investment. Not all custom vinyl banners are created equal, however, so it behooves you to pay close attention to the following vinyl banner ordering tips.

Get a free template

First and foremost - even before you begin your design - you should download a free custom vinyl banner layout template. Your template will include safe area guidelines so you know where your design should be positioned, cutlines so you know where the banner will be cut or folded over, and bleed lines so you know how far your background should stretch to ensure total coverage. These templates are pre-formatted in the proper size, color mode and resolution as well - so you save time in file setup and practically guarantee that your print job will go off without a hitch.

Choose the right material

Custom vinyl banners must be bright, clean, and durable in order to showcase your designed message time and again. Ordering a custom vinyl banner that lasts maximizes your return on investment, since you can deploy a one-time purchase time and again. There are two main types of custom vinyl banner material to consider: 13-ounce white vinyl with a matte frontlit finish, and 9-ounce white mesh vinyl with a rugged finish. Both materials are well-suited for indoor and outdoor use, yet each as unique advantages over the other in certain specific applications. The matte material is flame-resistant with a PVC coating that makes it a good choice for most applications; however it will not hold up as well in harsh weather as the mesh material, which has miniature holes that cut down on wind resistance and improve banner longevity. In addition, these same holes make it possible to see through the mesh banners from the backside, which makes them ideal for outdoor concerts and other stage scenarios.

Go green with eco-friendly inks

Going green is no longer an eco-friendly fad but a business and lifestyle philosophy that is not only embraced by consumers, but expected. The most successful companies in the world have committed to going green, an indication that your company should jump on board (if you haven't already). Eco-friendly soy-based custom vinyl banner inks are not only good for the environment, they are more vivid than traditional inks so you can protect Mother Earth without sacrificing quality. Best of all, eco-friendly inks do not cost a penny more than traditional inks, so there's no excuse not to go green with custom vinyl banner printing.

Finishing

Finally, you'll have to know how your custom vinyl banners will be deployed before you go to press so you can tell your printer how to finish them. Hem and grommet finishes are good for all-purpose banners that will be draped over walls and stages, while top/bottom or left/right pole pocket finishes are best for use with poles so you can hang your vinyl banners anywhere.