Marketing Tips Articles » checks

Customized Business Checks Expand Your Brand

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:49:20 +0000

Every day, all sorts of people interact with your business including employees, customers, clients and vendors. Part of creating a successful business is to project an image that will keep customers coming back and employees and vendors happy when working with you. In order to keep up a consistently professional, reliable and confident face for your business, you have to pay attention to the details and not just look at the big picture. Take every opportunity available to display your business’s brand identity and to market your business. Business checks are a perfect example of something small that can make a big difference.

The obvious way to market your business with checks is to choose a design that fits your business’s [personality. While you might think the kittens-playing-with-yarn checks are adorable or that the tiger print checks reflect your personal go-get-‘em attitude, they might not accurately reflect your business’s industry or image. When choosing your design, think about the impression you want to make on your customers and the people you work with. Do you want to be perceived as lighthearted or serious, radical or conservative? If you’re still not sure what to choose, think about your industry and consider choosing a design that literally represents what your business does.

While the design of your business checks is important, it’s not the only element that contributes to the development of your brand. Here are three more ways to make your business checks work for you:

1) Add a Personal or Business Message

Reinforce your business’s message by including your company slogan, a guarantee or a fact about your business on your checks. Whenever possible, you want to partner your business name with your tagline or a short phrase about your business. This will help people remember you and will also help them associate your business with your services or guarantee.

2) Add a Monogram

Do you want to portray your business as classic, conservative or elegant? Then consider adding a monogram to your business checks. Choose from up to eight monogram options for each letter of the alphabet. Each monogram comes in a different font and style, providing you with plenty of variety.

3) Add an Icon

Maybe you think the more elaborate check designs are too overwhelming for your business identity, but the more basic-looking checks are too plain. How do you find a happy medium? Icons can be a subtle, yet effective way of sprucing up a business check with a simple design. Choose from over a hundred options, spanning a variety of industries. Whether you are going for cute and fun, modern and geometric or elegant and conservative, you’ll be sure to find the icon you’re looking for.

With so many different ways to customize your business checks, you should have no problem creating an image that reflects the essence of your business. Now, put those checks to work as marketing materials for your business!

Three Types of Checks for Your Business Needs

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:30:38 +0000

Every business, large or small, has all sorts of different expenses that need to be taken care of for all types of situations – whether it’s purchasing supplies, paying employees or maintaining your workspace. That’s why having a variety of different checks can help make managing expenses easier and keep your business running smoothly. Whether you want professionally designed wallet checks or are looking for a convenient way to keep track of your spending with your accounting software, it’s easy to find the right solution. Vistaprint offers three types of checks to help you stay organized and on top of your expenses.

Wallet Checks

Need to make a single purchase or a quick payment? Wallet checks are just what you need. Wallet checks come in a variety of designs, allowing you to choose a style that fits with your brand identity. It may not seem like an effective way to advertise your business, but even your business checks can make an impression on the people you work with. For additional impact, add a monogram, icon, your company’s tagline or a message. Best of all, you don’t have to spend a lot to project a professional image.

Three-to-a-Page Checks

If your business uses checks on a regular basis, three-to-a-page checks could be the solution for you. These general purpose checks make bookkeeping easy. They’re perfect for paying invoices involving discount calculations. The single-stub journal on the left side of your checks can help you balance your checkbook, keep track of payments and stay on top of your expenses. The standard size of these business checks fits most binders, allowing you to keep all your checks, stubs and records in one convenient place. Checks come in blue, green, gray, pink or yellow. Continue to develop your business’s image by choosing a color for your checks that matches your logo or reflects your brand personality.

Computer Checks

Print checks directly from your computer to avoid the hassle and inconvenience of having to keep track of your payments. Avoid the frustration of having to enter your payment information into your accounting software manually. With computer checks you can sync your checks directly with your accounting software, saving you time. Vistaprint’s computer checks are compatible with Intuit, Microsoft Money and Peachtree accounting software. Computer checks can be printed and fit in double window envelopes, which are available in blue, green, tan, maroon and purple. These business checks are perfect for a growing business.

With so many different types of business checks to choose from, you’ll have no problem managing all the various expenses businesses of all sizes deal with on a regular basis. Now you can easily stay organized, make your payments in a timely fashion and keep track of your expenses.

Complete Your Business Identity: The Power of Custom Business Checks

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:45:34 +0000

If you’re a savvy small business owner, you most certainly understand the power of marketing and what it can do for your business. Maybe you’ve already invested in quality business cards, brochures, postcards, flyers and other brand-building essentials. You may have even taken your business identity to the next level with a website and the occasional email marketing campaign. But what could your marketing arsenal be missing?

The answer is simple: business checks! You may have overlooked these bookkeeping tools because they’re generally used to keep your finances in order. But you should keep this simple fact in mind: every one of your company materials sends a message about your business. Customizable business checks work double-duty to balance your budget and build your brand identity. Imagine the impression you’ll make when you pass custom checks on to vendors, customers or employees! Keep reading to discover three reasons why business checks are just what you need to complete your business identity.

1) You’ll Send the Right Message. It’s no secret that customers patronize businesses they can trust. And building loyalty amongst your customer base requires that you communicate with consistency. Traditional businesses should remain true to their identity and select a conservative design. You can even add a monogram and tagline to reinforce that classic look and your business message. Non-traditional businesses on the other side of the spectrum can have more fun with the designs they choose. Add interesting accent images to mirror the whimsical tone of your business.

2) There Are So Many Options. Whatever your business size, there’s a business check option for you. Standard business wallet checks are ideal for the traditional small business – you’ll get that professional look with little hassle. Custom three-to-a-page checks are perfect for larger businesses – you can compute difficult calculations and a single-stub journal helps keep track of payments. If your accounting needs are more demanding, print checks from your computer! Computer checks work with several popular accounting programs, so your finances will be completely organized.

3) It’s Never Been Easier. Ordering business checks may have been a hassle in the past – but today you can order them online! No more time-consuming forms or waiting for your checks to arrive in the mail. Vistaprint allows you to create and customize your business wallet checks in minutes. You can even have them at your door in as little as three days. And all of this is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption, which keeps your information safe and protected.

Now that you discovered the missing link – it’s time to get started customizing your own business checks. Whatever your need, there’s sure to be a check to suit your business.

Ordering Your Business Checks Online Saves Time & Money

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:10:06 +0000

Do you ever wish there were a hassle-free, simple and secure way to order your checks without having to deal with the bureaucratic bank? You’re in luck! Ordering business checks just got easier – just go online.

Long gone are the days when you had to go to your bank, pay a ridiculous amount of money and then wait for a week to ten days to receive your checks. With online ordering, you can get your business checks just as safely and securely as if you were ordering from the bank, but for a lot cheaper and in much less time. Online ordering saves you the hassle of contacting your bank and waiting for your business checks to arrive. Instead of trying to fit your schedule into the bank’s work hours, you can order any time and receive your checks in as few as three days.

If the convenience and quick turnaround time doesn’t do more than spark curiosity, the price difference will be enough to get you to switch to online ordering. Banks typically charge anywhere from $10.00 to $20.00 for business checks – and don’t think about personalizing them for a reasonable cost either. You can find checks for a fraction of the cost online, and you can add an icon or monogram to enhance your professional look. You can also order a low volume of checks (just 25 to a checkbook) whereas at the bank you’ll have to order checks in large amounts. If your business uses checks infrequently, then the smaller check amount could be a great cost-saving option for you.

Online ordering also provides you with a variety of options that you don’t get when ordering at your bank. You can design your checks from scratch in a matter of minutes. View the various design options, choose a font that matches the tone of your business, enter in your personal information and see how it all looks before you order. Furthermore, you can solidify your business’ brand identity by adding an icon or monogram that reflects your business’s personality. Whether you have a conservative, fun or elegant look, you’ll be able to choose from hundreds of options. Make as many adjustments as you want – when you shop online, there’s no customer service representative breathing down your neck, waiting impatiently for you to finish.

Once you’ve decided on the design that’s best for your business, all you need to do is place your order. If you’ve never ordered business checks online before, you might wonder how secure the process is. There’s no need to fret – online check ordering at Vistaprint is very safe. Sensitive information (such as your checking account number) is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. When you are on a secure page, look for the lock icon at the bottom of a web page to ensure your information is safe. Furthermore, your checks will only be mailed to the address that you place on your checks ensuring that they’ll come directly to you.

Ordering your business checks online can help save your business money and time while reinforcing your professional look. With convenient ordering, hundreds of customization options and low prices, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start ordering your checks online sooner!

The Know-How on Ordering Personal Checks Safely & Securely

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:08:23 +0000

Though ordering checks directly from your bank may seem like the safest way to make your purchase, buying your personal checks online can be just as secure – and far more convenient and cost-effective. Shopping for your checks online can take just a few minutes and can be done on your schedule rather than the bank’s. You’ll also save quite a bit of money, and you’ll finally be able to get those checks with the beautiful floral design or mountain scene you always wanted without feeling guilty about your spending. But most importantly, placing your order is an entirely secure process.

When you order personal checks at Vistaprint, you can rest assured that your purchase is entirely safe. Numerous security standards and precautions are implemented to protect your information. Sensitive information (such as your checking account number) is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption, which is designed to prevent eavesdropping and forgery and to provide a secure place for confidential communication. When you are on a secure page, look for the lock icon at the bottom of a web page to make sure your information is safe.

Now that you know your information is secure, you can have fun creating your checks. Choose your favorite design, font, icon or monogram, and test out the various combinations until you find the one that’s right for you. You can even match your design to other printed products like note cards, note pads and more. Spend as much or as little time designing as you want, but just make sure you include the following information on your checks:

• Your name and address

• The 9-digit routing/transit number that identifies the financial institution where your checking account is located

• Your checking account number

• Your next check starting number

• The fraction number, which is an abbreviated version of the routing number

Having a current check on hand can help speed up the process because you’ll already have all the necessary data in one place. Phone numbers, email addresses and other forms of contact information are optional. To keep your personal checks as secure as possible, do not include information like your social security number, driver’s license number, passport number or any other unnecessary personal information. Leaving off such information can help prevent identity theft.

Once you place your order, your personal checks will be validated to ensure that all information on them is correct. Your checks are then printed at a secure location to provide you with the utmost privacy. To further protect your personal and financial information, your checks are only shipped to the address that you entered on the check. This guarantees that the checks reach the intended recipient and don’t fall into the wrong hands. With all these safety measures in place, you can now reap the benefits of ordering your personal checks online. Relax and enjoy fast ordering, quick delivery, hundreds of design options and low prices. No matter where you are in the shopping process, your information is guaranteed to be secure!

Show Your Creative Side With Artistic Checks

admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:33:34 +0000

Are there any options for artistic checks?

You have an artistic personality and you enjoy showing that creative side of yourself to the world whenever possible. In fact, while you have a ten year old wallet sized photo of the kids that you carry around, you update the photos of your artwork almost weekly. Hey, it isn’t like you are obsessed by art, though. When you saw that you could order a set of artistic checks, you waited a whole three seconds to start the ordering process.

Now, you’ve started thinking that it would be even better if the checks could have more artistic flair. While you can’t upload your own art to use on them, you can add an image that lets people know you are creative.

Look for designs that say “Available With Accent Image” under the sample check image.
Select the check you like most. You will then need to decide on a monogram or an accent image. Choose the accent image option.
Press the accent image button to view the available options. The geometric and whimsical designs are more artistic, but there are quite a few other designs, as well. Choose the option you want and make sure you like the final effect.
If you don’t like the way the check looks, you can replace or remove the image with the click of a button.

Make Your Discount Checks Stand Out With Logos

admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:33:02 +0000

How can I make my discount checks special?

You looked around this morning and realized that the store looks like a mix of a frat house after a big blowout and a high society tea. The place is a wreck, but not for long. Youre changing to a pared down, simple approach to everything, from store displays to stationary. Since the first thing on your to do list was ordering more checks, you’re choosing some standard discount checks, which have a clean, classic design you’d like to carry over to the whole shop. However, you dont want to sacrifice your signature flair in your attempt to get things in order and you wish the checks were just a bit more exciting. What can you do to make them stand out while still looking sophisticated? The answer is simple. Just add a logo.

Logos can turn ordinary checks into checks that reflect the style and tone of your business. You can upload a logo that you already use or you can create one in just a few minutes using a handy do it yourself logo design service.

If you already designed a logo for another item, such as your business cards, using the design service, then adding it to the checks is even easier. Simply sign into your account to access your saved logo design.

Order Checks for a Low Volume Business

admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:32:46 +0000

Can I order checks in small quantities?

You only write three or four checks a month, but you want to present the professional appearance that a business checking account offers. You are hesitant to order a huge number of checks, as your bank is discussing a merger option and you know you won’t be using them up before you need to switch to a new account number at the new bank. Ordering hundreds of checks and then throwing away all but eight or so seems like such a waste, but you do have vendors that you want to impress with your professionalism. Before you decide not to place your order or you opt to go with a large check order, take a look at a flexible solution for people who only want to order checks in small quantities.

With this low cost solution, you can order as few as 25 wallet checks at a time or 54 three to a page checks. However, even though you are only ordering a few checks, take the time now to create a design you are pleased with. This way, you can save your design in your account. This enables you to access it in your design portfolio, where you can customize it quickly if you need to make sudden changes before placing your next order.