New business launch print checklist, in buying order
New businesses tend to order everything at once, or nothing until they need it in a hurry. The efficient path is a short day-one list, then a second wave once the brand has met real customers.
Day one essentials
Keep the first order small and useful. These are the items you will regret not having in the first fortnight of trading.
- Business cards - modest quantity, details you are certain about
- An A5 leaflet explaining what you do and how to buy
- Signage or a poster at the premises if you have one
- Something branded for the first customers to take away
What can wait until month two
Brochures, folders, promotional items and large banners. All of them are better bought once you know which services people actually ask about and how you describe yourself in conversation.
Get the brand assets right before volume
A logo in a print-suitable vector format, a defined colour palette in CMYK, and two typefaces. Ordering 5,000 leaflets before those exist is how a business ends up with three slightly different versions of itself in circulation.
The launch drop
For a local business, a leaflet drop into the streets around your premises is the fastest way to tell your actual catchment you exist. Plan it for opening week and repeat it a few weeks later, when recognition has something to build on.
Frequently asked
How many business cards should a new business order?
Enough for realistic 12-month use. Details change quickly in year one, and an outdated box is not a saving.
Do I need a designer to start?
Not for everything, but getting the logo and colour palette set up correctly for print at the start prevents costly inconsistency later.
Can you handle everything in one order?
Yes - cards, leaflets, posters and the launch distribution can be quoted and produced together, which also keeps the branding identical across them.
Launching soon?
Send us your opening date and we will build a print list that fits the budget and the deadline.