Plenty of local businesses in Oakville, Mississauga and Burlington grow on word of mouth, and printed pieces make that word easier to spread. The trick is to start small, match each piece to a job and be consistent. Here is a practical way to build a starter kit.
Start with the goal, not the product
Before choosing anything, write down what you want people to do. Call you? Visit a shop? Book an estimate? Show up to an event? The answer shapes what you print.
| If your goal is | Consider |
|---|---|
| People remember you after meeting | Business cards |
| A promotion or announcement reaches many homes | Flyers or postcards |
| Passersby notice you | Signs, window graphics, a banner |
| Your vehicle becomes a moving ad | Decals or magnets |
| You stand out at an event | A roll-up banner and handouts |
The starter kit
Business cards
Still the most useful piece for anyone who meets customers in person. Keep them clean: name, role, phone, email, web address and a short line on what you do. Our business cards page lists the choices we can quote.
Flyers or postcards
A flyer is flexible and good for a single message, such as a seasonal offer or an open house. A postcard is sturdier, feels more personal and is easy to hand over or drop through a door. See our flyer sizes and paper guide to pick a format.
Signage
A coroplast sign out front, a window decal showing your hours and name, or a vinyl banner above the door tells people who you are every day. Pick one place where your customers will actually look.
Vehicle decals or magnets
If you drive to jobs, your vehicle is already out there. A simple name, logo and phone number, readable from a distance, can be enough.
A roll-up banner
Portable and quick to set up, a banner turns any table into a booth at a market, school fair or trade event. It also doubles as a backdrop for photos.
Keep your branding consistent
People trust what looks familiar. Use the same logo, colours, fonts and tone on every piece. Print them from the same artwork files so that your card, flyer and banner clearly belong together. A small set of consistent pieces looks more professional than a large set that does not match.
Local distribution ideas
Keep it general and think about where your customers already go.
- Community boards at libraries, rec centres and grocery stores, where posting is allowed
- Neighbourhood drops in areas you want to serve, with respect for any no-flyer notices
- Local events, markets and fairs, where a banner and handouts work together
- Partnerships, such as leaving cards with a complementary business that is happy to share them
- Hand-outs at the end of each job or sale, so customers can pass your name along
Ask permission where it is required, and take a look at local rules before you post anything in a public place.
Track response simply
You do not need a complicated system. Use a different offer code or phone extension on each piece, for example 'mention the spring flyer' or a short code on a card. Add a simple tally in a notebook each time someone uses one. After a few weeks you will see which pieces get attention and which do not, and you can adjust your next order. A QR code that goes to a particular page works the same way.
Order smart
Start with modest quantities, check how they perform and reorder. Plan for deadlines by asking about timing in your request, and read our guide on choosing a printing company in Oakville to compare your options. Events deserve their own preparation, and our trade show printing checklist is a good reference.
Working with a local printer
PrintEh is a local, family-owned print shop in Oakville. Tell us what you want to achieve and who you want to reach, and we will suggest a starter kit and quote it. You can write to us through the quote form, and we ship across Canada and the USA as well.
What should a small business print first?
Business cards, plus one flexible piece such as a flyer or postcard. Add signage and a banner once you know where your customers find you.
How do I know whether a flyer worked?
Include an offer code or a line such as 'mention this flyer', and count how often it is used.