06 Aug

How to Mount Your Canvas Prints

So you have yourself an amazing photo printed on seal-coated archival canvas which has been wrapped onto a wooden frame. Now its time to mount it on your wall.

Here’s how to mount your canvas onto your wall:

Step 1

Open the provided package of hardware which comes with your purchase of a Canvas Print from Hucul Printing Ltd. There is an instruction sheet inside that details the exact steps we are showing here, which should be read and followed.

Step 2

After you take inventory of the mounting hardware, you must prepare to fasten the hangers onto your frame.

Measure 1/3 one third from the the top of the frame. (Quick math: [Height of frame/3])

Step 3

With a pencil, mark the frame at the spot where you measured to be 1/3. Repeat on the other side.

Step 4

Place the hangers on the line. The bottom of the hanger should sit on the top of the line.

Now you’re ready to fasten them on to the frame.

Step 5

Screw in the hangers to the frame using provided screws. Note the orientation of the hangers: The thinner part of the hole is pointing towards the top of the frame.

Step 6

Locate the plastic (dimple markers/wall mounts) pieces as shown above.

Insert them into the hangers and twist 90 degrees to lock. Note the dimple maker facing out; this will mark the wall with a dimple so you know precisely where to put the wall mounts.

Step 7

Next, attach the provided bubble level to the top of the canvas using the double sided tape provided. Warning: Do not press the tape too hard into the top of the canvas because the tape is quite strong and could peel off the top layer of canvas when you remove it.

Step 8

Now its time to find a home for the new canvas!

Find the place where you would like to put the canvas and ensure it is level by using both the bubble level and your eyesight to find the perfect placement. Once you have found the placement, carefully and firmly push the frame into the wall so that the plastic dimples create dimples in the wall.

Note that the attached dimple makers are the key to this step.

Step 9

Remove the dimple markers from the hangers and place them into the dimples you just made. Put the provided nails in the hole in each wall mount so that the nail is pointing downwards.

Nail them in!

Now you have two wall mounts perfectly placed and ready to accept the canvas!

Step 10

Almost done!

Locate the spacer piece as shown above. Remove the tape covering.

Measure out the bottom stay and place a the spacer exactly halfway on the bottom frame.

Final Step

Slide the Canvas’ frame hangers into the wall mounts and your are done!

Jordan Pack on Google+

09 Jul

How to Find a Colour Scheme for Your Business

A common source of consideration and thought is how you can make your business look good and be memorable, when it comes to starting a new business, or if you are updating your look.

Find a consistent Colour Theme

One of the best ways to do this is to find a brand that follows a consistent colour theme, will project well and will also be appealing to your customers.

If your company is a conservative business such as Law or Accounting firm, you wouldn’t want to use lime green, or any of the neon colours, as your business colours. Those bright colours would be better suited to a Child’s Day Care, or a Toy Store!

Hucul Printing’s colours created on Kuler

So how do you come up with your business’s colour scheme? There is a fantastic website that Adobe has created called “Kuler” where people can develop professional colour schemes and post them publicly to share. Each colour scheme comes complete with downloadable colour pallets for your designer to use with popular design software programs.

Each colour scheme comes with a universally recognizable colour code which can be typed into most software programs. This means you don’t have to go clicking around to find the colour that is just close enough.

Further more, you can tweak the colour schemes you find and save them to your favourites for future referral. Its a great service!

Here are some examples of colour schemes I pulled from the site so you can see what I am talking about.

The first example, I randomly found, is called Historic Neighbourhood. It has a muted and sophisticated pallet which would be appropriate for a business with an historical and welcoming or friendly feel. Depending on the image you wish to portray, these colours might be excellent for a photography shop, or a museum, or gallery.

“Historic Neighborhood”

The next example is called Toy Store. As you can see, it is bright, colourful and playful. This would definitely be suited for… a Toy Store!

“Toy Store”

This next example is called Lawyer; it has the professional blue as the base colour with highlights of steadying, complimentary browns.

“Lawyer”

This sample, I found by searching the key words *Health food*. This was the top result. The example contains an earthy and green feeling and is called Health Food Store. I’d feel comfortable if these colours were in my Health Food Store!

“Health Food Store”

By choosing a professionally developed colour pallet from sites like Kuler, your business brand will look professional.

With a tool like this, you can forge ahead by generating ideas and get a good feel for how you would like your business to look.

And…when you realize that there is more to branding your business than surfing the internet (which is true), you can come to us and we can help develop an overall look for your business.

Jordan Pack on Google+

14 May

So you Started a Business … Now what?

Entrepreneurs often seek us out at Hucul Printing when they want to order an assortment of printed supplies for their new business operations.

Many new business owners are confused about which products would serve their needs the best. We can help them sort out what would be necessary in their starting out phases.

The Essentials

There are a few essential items that every business needs. After that, the needs vary widely depending on the nature of the business.

Business Cards

First business cards 🙂 by Sarah Choukah

The humble business card is the first printing service we would recommend for you. Business cards are the customer, partner and supplier gateways into your business.

Even the lawn boy needs business cards for those looking to buy his service.

The business card should have only the essential information. Name, contact information, email and website. A business card is not a pamphlet.

If people want to learn more about you, your product, or your services, they should have the ease of going to your website, (provided on your business card).

With the more detailed nature of your pamphlet, rack card, or brochure…your customer can reach for them and take a little more time to read about your business.

Pamphlets, Rack Cards, Brochures

Brochures! by Antonio Bonanno

These three: Pamphlets, Rack Cards, Brochures, are really tiny billboards, also used as sales advertisements . They are a quick and effective way to get your valued presentation of your company descriptions & products, across to your prospective business

Even business to business service companies should have this kind of printed product (if not, a comprehensive Presentation Folder, for sure).

Every business has something to sell; you should have an effective way of selling it in a physical printed form.

Even Google, … the ubiquitous online Giant, has printed pamphlets for it’s customers.

Letterhead, Invoices, Receipts

Next you need to sell our business attributes through your correspondence with your customers and clients. This is where each business begins to vary between their individual needs and the exact nature of your printed product depends on the business needs.

For bills, invoices and receipts, your accounting software might be able to imprint your logo and information on the paper for you. However, sometimes you need pre-printed letterhead to feed into your printer for a consistent and professional appearance.

Woodheads Stationery by Nigel Lamb

If you are a business on the road, you may need to hand write your quotes, invoices and receipts, in which case you would need books of carbonless, printed invoices that include your businesses logo and information already printed and available. This would provide your customer with a copy, and would leave you a copy for your records. In some cases, you might need 3 copies, depending on how your company is structured. Numbering on these quotes, invoices, receipts … etc, might be necessary to be done on the Pressman’s Numbering machines in the pressroom.

Regardless of how you correspond with your customers, you need to have your logo and contact information attached to those touch points ….the items you need to have printed

Beyond the Basics

Depending on your business system, you may need to develop specialized and additional printed products to help organize and streamline your unique business’s day-to-day work flow. You may need internal NCR (carbonless) forms for work orders, order forms, receipts and messages. You might also need job dockets and file folders printed, if this is how your office procedure dictates. All of these need special attention to detail and design to make sure that all of the details of your work can be useful to you and your company.

When you start to get serious about your business, this is where custom printing becomes a major component of your operations. This is where you are at an advantage by making a commercial printer, as a working partner, in business.

Are you starting a business?

Come down to Hucul Printing and get us in the loop. You will see that we only wish to help you succeed and become long term partners with you. Our low pressure office environment will help you confidently make sound decisions that are right for you and the good of your business.

Contact us here or stop on by!

Jordan Pack on Google+

16 Apr

Do you like the History of Salmon Arm? So do we!

If you are interested in the history of Salmon Arm and the Shuswap, then you are just like us.

If you have been to Hucul Printing then you have either met Bernie or Gary Hucul, the owners of Hucul Printing.

Both of these brothers, having been born and raised in Salmon Arm, have a strong interest in the local history. They have collected hundreds of photographs from the early 1900s to present, which showcase how Salmon Arm used to be.

They have scanned in so many images that its hard to navigate your way through their collection.

Luckily, we have started a Flickr Page that showcases some of the best and most interesting of their collection. They are continually building it for the public’s perusal and I recommend you check it out!

Every one of the photos on the site are available in printed format and we highly recommend you go with a canvas option if you choose to get one for your house.

If you are a history buff like them, then stop by Hucul Printing and start up a conversation with one of the brothers and find out more. Also, if you have some old photos, bring them so we can see!

Jordan Pack on Google+

02 Apr

Committed to your business? Why you should hire a Professional Printer

Let’s face the truth.

There are plenty of printing options available to you.

You can order online or from a big -box store. You can even purchase a desktop printer to print your product at home, however, your well meaning efforts will probably result in a ‘homemade looking product’, not really reflecting your professional brand.

So, what are the reasons for hiring a local ’boutique printing’ company like Hucul Printing in a small town like Salmon Arm?

It all comes down to service.

We have been working with our clients for a long time and have established a rapport with them. We have also built a reputation locally and this keeps our customers coming back.

Why is that?

Our clients feel that we make the “design to printing process” easier for them.

Having developed relationships with our customers, they regard us as friends and trusted advisers.

This is what we do.

We provide peace of mind about your printing goals, which is something only professional printers can do.

Sure, you can save a few dollars on business cards from an online printer, or an impersonal, ‘one-stop shop’ box store, but they do not have a full understanding of your company’s business needs, including its challenges, like we do.

Are you serious about your company’s success?

If you plan on growing and building your business, planning for the long term, you can approach us just like you would your Accountant, or your Doctor.

Ask us for our opinion & ideas, talk to us about your options. Let us know what you envision and we will tell you what we know.

That’s the difference.

Are you ready to take your business to the next level?

Come and see us.

Speak with Bernie and start your plan.

You will see the benefits of adding a commercial printer to your businesses team.

Jordan Pack on Google+

19 Mar

You Can Become a Self-published Author!

Printing books is a mysterious process to most people.

Publishing Houses are often inaccessible and indifferent to budding authors, making them unsure about submitting their life’s work for publication.

I don’t blame them, and I would probably hesitate to submit my own manuscript to a Publishing House too.

Photo by Walt Stoneburner

This is probably because my family owns the printing company, Hucul Printing, in Salmon Arm and I would opt to self-publish my book through them. I’ve watched them print books for others over the years. They know how to design attractive book covers, choose appropriate and readable fonts, design and format text (taken from a Microsoft Word, or a similar computer software program), paginate (page numbering), select paper stock, print page signatures, ensure ISBN and bar coding is included on the back cover and choose the style of binding to complete the book. This makes it easy for the author to end up with the finished product of their own printed book.

In fact, there are several local authors who have had their books printed at Hucul Printing; you might have heard of some of them:

Fleeting Images of Old Salmon Arm, by Denis Marshall
Photographic Memory, by Denis Marshall
Sawdust Caesars, by Denis Marshall
Salmon Arm’s Historic Roots, by Denis Marshall
Life is What Happens, by Alli Graham
Calluses, Blisters and Near Misses, by Ernie Graffunder
Tales of an Old Bold Pilot, by Jack McCallum
A Collection of Short Stories for All Ages, by Marion Williams
Oranges - A Novella for Puppets, by Alexander Forbes
Hot Lead and Tender Hearts, by Robin Burgess
Ulu - A Tale of Terror on the Tundra, by Robin Burgess
Small Town Boy - Memoirs, by Bob Priest
The Leading Edge, by Jack G. Barker
A Raven in My Heart, by Kay McCracken
Stalking the Wild Heart, by Deanna Kawatski

If it weren’t for the ability to self-publish, these books probably would have gone through a lengthy process of repeated submissions, being forced to go from publisher to publisher to “find a buyer”. It might have taken years (or never) to find a publisher who would agree to publish your manuscript. And if they agreed to publish your book, it would then have been under the control of that company and distributed in a way they saw fit. This would take away your creative license and your power to make decisions independently about your own book.

Now, book production is relatively easy. Even getting a USBN number with bar coding is a simple process for Hucul Printing.

As a writer, you can have your manuscript printed and displayed in the manner you want, and later you can print additional copies as required.

With the use of the internet these days, you are able to market your own books, if you want to! I know that you can get your book onto Amazon fairly easily … and even sell your book in an E-book format, if that suits your fancy.

The bottom line is that you do not need a publisher to produce a book. You can print your book right here in Salmon Arm.

We can help you fulfill your life long dream, or side project. We also have someone on staff available to edit your manuscript, if needed.

Feel free to come to Hucul Printing and speak with us about how you can get this ball rolling; you just might end up being an author with a self-published book!

Jordan Pack on Google+

05 Mar

How to Use Business Cards at Networking Events

Every business has business cards (and if you don’t, you should), and in the day-to-day grind in your shop their place is usually sitting at the front counter, dormant and inactive.

Photo by Robert Scoble

This is a good place to keep them when your customers are in the context of being in your shop.

But what about that situation where you are outside your business, one-on-one, at a networking event?

How do you actually use your business cards? When is it appropriate to exchange them?

Let me tell you.

Business cards are not a deck of cards

When it comes to social business settings, business cards should be handed out with care. You should consider them as an option, if you are asked for it.

If you have a stimulating conversation about your business and the person you are speaking with is genuinely interested in your services, then they will ASK for it.

You should not wander around the room dealing out your deck of business cards like a Black Jack dealer in Vegas.

How annoying would it be if someone jammed a business card in your hand and then just quickly walked away and onto the next guy?

You would feel awkward and annoyed…wondering, ‘ What do I do with this?!’

Don’t hand out your card when you should ask for theirs

If you meet somebody who’s services you want to use, the best thing you could do would be to ask them for their contact information.

That is polite and it will allow you to make the next call. It would not be polite to offer up your card and ask them to contact you!

That puts an unwanted obligation on them and they are as busy as you.

Also, if you do this, you have no control over whether or not you connect in the future.

It’s not Halloween and Business Cards are not candy

Photo by Sean Narvasa

I know it’s a really easy way to end a conversation by asking for a business card, however do your best to avoid collecting cards from people you have no intention of contacting later.

Collecting cards may seem productive at the time, however your purpose in a networking event is to make personal connections with potential business partners, not to collect people’s info. If you wanted to collect people’s info, save yourself the hassle and go to LinkedIn. It’s easier to find people on that platform than randomly at an event.

Make you conversations count!

Remember business cards in networking events serve as a convenient way to respond to a request for your contact information, not as a tool to promote yourself to everyone you meet.

Jordan Pack on Google+