Physical products with your business logo printed on them is a fantastic way of promoting your company.
Whether it be staff members wearing printed apparel as they work, product package giveaways, or printed materials such as banners and business cards, promotional products are at the heart of any business marketing campaign.
However, which printing service should small businesses use when looking to purchase promotional items? There’s a wide range of options available and the ability to order what you need online means the service can be completely location independent.
To answer this question we have reviewed and rated 5 of the best promotional product printing services currently available. For our findings at a glance, just head to the table below. For a detailed promo item buyer’s guide, plus full reviews of each of our selected services, keep on reading.
Best promotional product printing services
BEST ALL-ROUND | BEST FOR HARDWARE | BEST VALUE | ||
 |  |  |  |  |
PRINT PAPA | ePromos | PGPrint.com | National Pen | Ace Pens |
6-color screen print | Stationery, drinkware, | Full stationary printing | stationery, drinkware, | Dedicated to |
Table of Contents
Custom promotional products – The Reviews
There are many promotional product printing firms. These firms can be rated based on their quality of service, turnaround time, the scope of services offered, and attention paid to design instructions as well as customer support.
5 of these firms have been identified for review, with the best one among them being crowned the best promotional printing company.
1. TOP PICK: PrintPapa Promotional Product Printing Service
PrintPapa is our number one pick promotional product printing service for a number of reasons; affordability, a wide range of services, and high-quality delivery being chief among them.
The California-based company specializes in printing and graphic design. It prioritizes using the latest technology to deliver high-quality printing, with the founders, Paul Nag and Shawn Nag, showing the way by using their software skills to enhance the quality of print production.
It has gained a reputation for providing high-quality short-run printing for up to 10,000 items. They have a well-designed website, which allows potential customers to review the services offered.
They offer a wide range of printing services from customized printing to printing using a preset template.
The availability of preset templates allows customers to get an idea of which design is best for their businesses based on the template layout and choice of color schemes.
It also allows customers to exercise their creativity and innovativeness to modify the preset templates so as to create an intuitive promotional design using the company logo, logo color schemes, and company emblem.
The promotional printing services offered by PrintPapa are categorized into 5 groups:
- apparel printing,
- brochures,
- signage,
- greeting cards,
- and finally decals, labels, and stickers.
It uses full-color printing technology to achieve high work output with low minimum orders, so the number of materials required are kept at a minimum.
Its website provides a login portal that allows one to place orders. The customer can also call the company, or visit their offices in Santa Clara, California, and then place the order. PrintPapa is an accredited business with a BBB rating of A+.
The apparel printing services offered to prioritize full-color digital printing using the latest ink-jet technology for DTG (Direct to Garment) printing.
It also provides 6-color screen printing. It can print T-shirts, polo shirts, bibs, sweatshirts, aprons, shirts, and pants for men, women, children, and toddlers.
It can also print marketing messages on customized items such as bandannas and tote bags. Even so, the customer must provide the apparel as the firm only focuses on printing.
This can be challenging for customers who are unaware of the best apparel to carry the company logo, brand name, and marketing message; and the choice of the wrong apparel can disadvantage the marketing campaign.
The brochure printing services cater for different brochure sizes and can handle both folded and unfolded brochures, with folding services being offered by the firm.
It can also print full-color greeting cards and invitations of different sizes using different paper options. It can produce customized flat invitations, folded invitations, metallic paper invitations, luxury invitation cards, RSVP cards, Kraft paper invitations, and Save-the-Date cards.
PrintPapa also offers full-color printing for labels and stickers, which are processed into durable and water-proof products that can have either a glossy finish or an uncoated finish.
Their shapes can also vary from rectangle, oblong, round, and square among other shapes. The common types of printed products include rectangle paper labels, common-shaped stickers, rectangle vinyl labels, sticker sheets, kiss-cut vinyl; stickers, transfer stickers, bumper stickers, wall stickers, window decals, floor stickers, and vehicle decals.
The full-color sign printing services allow one to have a long-lasting sign with a rectangular or contoured frame.
Some of the products produced are yard signs, sidewalk signs, A-frame signs, window signs, vehicle signs, magnetic signs, POP(point of service) signs, and signs on rigid substrates such as PVC, gator, corrugated plastic, Di-bond, and foam core.
- Can handle bulk orders.
- High-quality, full-color printing services.
- Offers apparel printing.
- Offers paper printing in form of brochures, decals, greeting cards, labels, and stickers.
- Offers signage services.
- Offers customized printing services.
- Offers both digital and screen printing services.
- Fast turnaround.
- BBB rating of A+.
- Superb customer service.
- The customer must source the apparel to be printed on
Bottom-line
PrintPapa is a reliable printing and graphic design company that uses the latest technology to deliver high-quality and affordable promotional printing services.
With a range of services including apparel printing and customized printing of brochures, signage, greeting cards, decals, labels, and stickers, any small business will be in good hands using PrintPapa for the promotional printing needs.
All in, the fast turnaround, superior printing quality, superb customer service, customization services, and a BBB rating of A+ for PrintPapa makes it, in our opinion, the best promotional printing service currently available online.
2. National Pen Promotional Product Printing Service
National Pen is a reputable provider of customized marketing solutions that provides high-value promotional products at competitive direct-factory pricing.
Since its founding in 1966, it has worked to manufacture, assemble, and print high-quality promotional products for its clients, with priority placed on the quality of workmanship as well as the quality and value of the end product.
Unlike PrintPapa, the National Pen focuses on printing marketing messages on stationery, bags, and drinkware.
National Pen has an easy-to-use website that allows potential clients to review the services offered. The current headquarters for the National Pen is in San Diego, California.
The promotional printing services offered by the National Pen are categorized into 4 groups: pens, drinkware, bags, and stationery.
Like PrintPapa, it uses full-color printing technology to achieve high work output with low minimums. Likewise, its website features a login portal that allows one to place orders.
Moreover, the customer can call the company, or visit any of their offices in the U.S.A, France, Ireland, United Kingdom, and Canada, and place the order.
The National Pen prides itself in creating customized, brand-enhancing promotional products for its clients using highly-creative designs and intuitive color schemes.
It uses a 4-color design for products in order to maximize the impact of the promotion in the market.
The client also benefits from having to choose from a diverse selection of high-value promotional products whose minimum order quantities are kept low, and the ordering process is also being kept simple and streamlined.
The pen printings services prioritize on 7 types of pens; Alpha, Colorama, Contour, Cirrus, Squiggle, Dynagrip, and Paragon pens.
These pens can come in plastic or metallic makes, and in a retractable or non-retractable form. Other related items that can be customized are highlighters, markers, and pencils, including standard, golf, and mechanical pencils.
The bag printing services cover promotional printing on business bags (such as briefcases and laptop bags), backpacks, travel bags, Duffle bags, Drawstring bags, plastic bags, canvas bags, paper bags, tote bags, and golf bags.
The drinkware printing services cover promotional printing on coffee mugs, water bottles, travel mugs, coasters, thermos, stadium cups, sports bottles, tumblers, beverage holders, bottle openers, and glassware.
The stationery printing services cover promotional printing on stationery, calendars, and holiday cards. The stationery includes sticky notes, note pads, presentation folders, padfolios, document holders, flag sets, and business cardholders.
The calendars that can be used include wall calendars, stick-up, magnetic, and desk calendars, alongside planners and diaries.
- Can handle bulk orders.
- High-quality, color printing services.
- Offers pen printing.
- Offers stationery printing.
- Offers drinkware services.
- Offers customized printing services.
- Offers bag printing services.
- Fast turnaround.
- Good customer service.
- Material provided by customer may not be appropriate for the desired printing task.
Bottom-line
National Pen is a veteran provider of customized marketing solutions; the company is a very reliable choice for any small business needing access to high-value promotional products at competitive direct-factory pricing.
Since its founding, it has worked to manufacture, assemble, and print high-quality promotional products for its clients, with priority placed on the quality of workmanship as well as the quality and value of the end product. It mainly focuses its printing services to pens, drinkware, bags, and stationery.
If your company requires promotional items of this nature, National Pen should be the go-to choice.
3. BEST VALUE: PGPrint Promotional Product Printing Service
PGPrint is another reliable online print production company that specializes in promotional printing and graphic design.
It prioritizes color quality and design consistency in its promotional printing and is currently a one-stop-shop for sourcing high-quality, high-value online promotional printing.
PGPrint has gained a reputation for proving high-quality short-run printing for bulk orders. It has a well-designed, easy-to-navigate website, which allows potential customers to review the services offered as well as place orders.
It offers a broad range of printing services from customized printing to printing from a preset template. Customers can exercise their creativity and innovativeness by modifying and personalizing the preset templates so as to create an intuitive promotional design that features the company logo, company emblem, and logo color schemes.
PGPrint principal focus is on offering paper-based promotional printing services.
It uses full-color printing technology to achieve high work output with low minimums. Apart from using the website to place orders, the customer can also call the company, or visit their offices and place the orders.
Its brochure printing services cater for different brochure sizes, color schemes, and paper qualities; and can handle both folded and unfolded brochures.
It can also print full-color greeting cards, booklets, invitation cards, business cards, letterhead, calendars, newsletters, envelopes, postcards, flyers, postcards, rack cards, notepads, sales sheets, and event tickets. It also prints memo pads, stickers, and hang tags.
Among the printing services done on non-paper-based substrates include printing banners, magnets, sleeves, coasters, CD/DVD sleeves, and door hangers.
If requested, PGPrint can also print marketing messages on customized items such as bandannas and tote bags. Even so, the customer must provide apparel as the firm.
As mentioned earlier, this presents a challenge for the customer who is unaware of best apparel to convey the marketing message.
- Can handle bulk orders.
- High-quality, full-color printing services.
- Offers high-value paper printing.
- Offers customized printing services.
- Uses latest computerized printing technology.
- Fast turnaround.
- Superb customer service.
- Material provided by customer may not be appropriate for the desired printing task.
Bottom-line
PGPrint is a reputable online print production company that specializes in promotional printing and graphic design. It prioritizes color quality and design consistency.
Lacking slightly in the range of product items it provides printing services for, the company is best used by those that require a high-quality paper-based design and printing.
4. ACE Pens Promotional Product Printing Service
ACE Pens is a manufacturer of writing instruments that offer promotional printing services for personalized pens.
It was founded in 1925 as ACE Rosa Pen Corporation and is currently headquartered in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. Its promotional printing allows it to customize pens according to the design specifications and finish quality of the client. This also allows it to provide high-value promotional products at competitive direct-factory prices.
Its quality of workmanship allows it to manufacture valuable, high-quality, and durable end products. It also owns a minimalist, easy-to-navigate website that allows potential clients to review the services offered and get the contact details.
However, this website does not provide a login portal for clients to place orders.
The promotional printing services offered by ACE pens focus exclusively on pen printing. Even so, this offers a unique advantage to the client as the pen materials are provided by the company, which also manufactures and designs the pen according to the set instructions.
This means that the customer cannot use the wrong material for marketing. Regarding its minimalist website, it does not provide a login portal for clients, and clients are forced to use the cart out feature for placing orders.
The pens to be printed are categorized into 2 groups: imprinted promotional pens, and factory-designed standard pens.
The factory-designed standard pens include party favor pens, lollipop pens, retractable pens, birth announcement pens, stick pens, desk pens, holiday pens, goose quill pens, balloon clown pens, and over-the-hill pens.
These standard pens can be imprinted post-manufacture (after they have been made in the factory) if the client is satisfied with the building design of the pen.
Likewise, the client can request for the Onyx pen set and 2-in-1 pens to be redesigned to feature the desired company logo, product brand name, or business emblem.
ACE Pens uses full-color printing technology to achieve high work output with low minimums. It also prides itself on creating customized, brand-enhancing promotional products for its clients using highly-creative designs and intuitive color schemes.
It usually uses a multi-color palette design during imprinting so as to create products with a maximal marketing impact. The client also benefits from having to choose from a diverse selection of high-value promotional pens using a streamlined, simple, and straightforward ordering process.
- Can handle bulk orders.
- High-quality, color printing services.
- Offers pen printing.
- Offers customized printing services.
- Provides product for printing.
- Fast turnaround.
- Good customer service.
- Services limited only to pens.
- No online portal for users
Bottom-line
ACE Pens is a reputable manufacturer of writing instruments that also offers promotional printing services for personalized pens.
Its promotional printing allows it to customize pens according to the design specifications and finish quality of the client.
This also allows it to provide high-value promotional products at competitive direct-factory prices. Moreover, its quality of workmanship allows it to manufacture valuable, high-quality, and durable end products.
5. BEST FOR HARDWARE: ePromos Promotional Products Printing Services
EPromos is a well-established and trusted online print production company that specializes in providing customizable promotional services, principally promotional printing and graphic design. It is headquartered in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
The company has received many different awards including Promotional Products Association International(PPAI) awards (in 2012, 2013, and 2014), the Advertising Specialty Institute(ASI) award (2010, 2011, and 2012), and the 2012 Multichannel Merchant(MCM) Award.
Unlike the other 4 companies reviewed above, ePromos offers promotional printing services for technological hardware such as USB sticks, power banks, charging adapters, cellphones, chargers, headphones, screen cleaners, speakers, earbuds, and radio.
It places much emphasis on creating designs with high color quality and image consistency.
It has attained a good reputation for its provision of high-quality printing services for bulk orders. Its well-designed, easy-to-navigate website, serves as a full-fledged virtual shop outlet as it allows potential customers to review the services offered, in addition to placing orders.
It offers a broad range of printing services across different material types. These services range from customized printing to printing from preset templates.
The ePromos company categorizes its promotional printing services into 5 groups; bags, technology, drinkware, apparel, and pens. The technology group has been described above.
The apparel printing services prioritize on full-color digital printing using the latest ink-jet technology for printing. It also provides multi-color screen printing.
It can print T-shirts, polo shirts, outwear, sweatshirts, footwear, aprons, shorts, medical uniforms, pants, workwear, and team uniforms. As expected, the customer must provide apparel as the firm only focuses on printing.
The pen printings services prioritize on 5 types of pens; promotional pens, multi-functional stylus pens, executive pens, gel pens, and novelty bubble pens. Some related items that can be customized are highlighters, markers, and pencils, including standard, golf, and mechanical pencils.
The drinkware printing services cover promotional printing on coffee mugs, Koozies, water bottles, shaker bottles, travel mugs, stadium cups, coasters, thermos, sports bottles, tumblers, beverage holders, and glassware.
The bag printing services cover promotional printing on briefcases, laptop bags, backpacks, travel bags, Duffle bags, Drawstring bags, plastic bags, canvas bags, paper bags, tote bags, and golf bags.
- Can handle bulk orders.
- High-quality, full-color printing services.
- Offers apparel printing.
- Offers paper printing in form of brochures, decals, greeting cards, labels, and stickers.
- Offers signage services.
- Offers customized printing services.
- Offers both digital and screen printing services.
- Fast turnaround.
- BBB rating of A+.
- Superb customer service.
- Apparel must be sourced by the customer
Bottom-line
The ePromos is an excellent online print production company that specializes in providing customizable promotional services, chiefly promotional printing and graphic design.
It has received many different awards including PPAI awards, ASI awards, and the 2012 MCM awards. It also offers promotional printing services for technological hardware.
If you want to create promotional items such as USB sticks and headphones, ePromos is the company to use.
Custom Promotional Products – A buyer’s Guide
Businesses are for-profit entities that rely entirely on customers or consumers to keep them afloat and profitable. This is because businesses are subject to the supply and demand market forces that determine the viability of the business.
One of the ways that a business can increase the demand for its products is by expanding its customer base. This achievable feat can be attained through advertisements, that is, a business that prudently advertises itself is assured of increasing its customer base.
A larger customer base allows the business to remain profitable even if the products are sold at a razor-thin profit margin, as the bulk (or volume) of sales will generate viable profit ultimately.
Best promotional merchandise
One of the most effective marketing strategies for any business is the use of printed promotional products.
This form of hybrid advertisement combined the use of the traditional print advertisement with promotions to market the business.
The items of advertisement are promotional merchandise, which can come in various forms including printed apparel, consumables, and giveaways such as Biro pens, notebooks, pencils, and erasers. For a business to acquire promotional products tailored to their needs, they need to use the services of a promotional printing company.
Promotional printing is a hybrid product-driven business that combines product printing services with specialized graphic design services.
The end product being sold to clients is usually a customized promotional product, which comes in different forms, including business cards, brochures, printed T-shirts, caps, shopping bags, USB sticks, pens, and coffee mugs. These promotional products are designed to help the clients to promote and advertise their businesses.
Targeted Advertising
Generally, promotional printing is a form of targeted advertisement as it aims to reach a specific target market. The promotional products serve to promote the presence of the business in the market by making consumers aware of its identity including name, logo, and brands.
Cheap promotional items
The promotional items are usually printed in 3 material types; paper, apparel fabric, and plastics.
Likewise, promotional products such as pullover fleece or work uniforms emblazoned with corporate colors can serve to motivate employees wearing them to always behave well even after working hours so as to guard or enhance the reputation of the company.
Moreover, promotional items can be given to employees as incentives, and this can improve the employee retention rate of a company.
Any disadvantages of promotional product items?
So are there any disadvantages to using promotional products? The key disadvantage relates to the choice of promotional item.
The space that can be used for printing the marketing message is limited in some printed items, such as key chains and chains.
Another related, though indirect, the disadvantage is poor market reception because the staff is not distributing the items, or the promotional product chosen was inappropriate for the target audience.
Best promotional items for business
The choice of which item to use for product promotion is an ever-present challenge to businesses considering the use of promotional printing to create promotional merchandise.
Fortunately, a competent promotional printing firm offers a wide range of printing options which allows a business to choose more than one item for carrying the promotional message.
There are different companies that offer promotional product printing services. Each company uses a different technique or unique approach to their printing process.
This means that the services offered vary from firm to firm. This also requires one to check them out so as to choose the one which could produce the best promotional products.
Fortunately, some of these companies have a website portal that allows customers to request their promotional product printing services, as well as choose the right products to be printed with the marketing message based on the itinerary list of printing services offered (by the printing firm).
This allows one to choose the best promotional items to be printed.
Best place to buy promotional products
The main considerations that businesses should consider when selecting the right promotional product printing firm are pricing and the scope of services offered.
Also, the duration required for creating the finished product, and the quality of printing should also be considered. Regarding the scope of services, it is recommended that one choose a firm that can print the marketing message on different material types, if possible, can print it on paper, apparel, and plastic products.
Such a firm is the best place to buy promotional products, as one can customize the promotional item as required without the need to change the provider of printing services. Moreover, such a firm can help one choose the right promotional item based on your market needs and target audience.
Even so, if one requires specialist printing on only a specific promotional item, let’s say, pens only, then it is recommended that they choose a specialist printing firm. Ultimately, one needs to balance between the available budget, choice of promotional items, and need for specialized services.
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