5 THINGS EVERY STARTUP SHOULD PRINT FIRST
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Look real. Get noticed. Win work. And maybe even a compliment from your mom.
Starting a business is kind of like building a spaceship in your garage — thrilling, terrifying, and no one’s totally sure if it’s going to fly. But while you’re duct-taping the engine together, there’s one part that matters more than most new business owners realize:
How you look.
People judge — not in a mean way (usually), but in a “do I trust this?” way. Your print materials are your suit and tie, your storefront, your “Hi, I’m the real deal!” handshake — even if you’re still figuring out where to put the coffee machine.
So let’s talk about the five things every startup should print first — the essentials that say “Yep, I know what I’m doing.”
1. Business Cards (Tiny rectangles. Big energy.)
Why it matters:
Still undefeated as the champion of first impressions. They’re easy to carry, hand out, and leave behind — like little wingmen who do the talking for you, and drastically better than saying "uhh.... google me?"
📊 Stat check: 72% of people judge a business based on the quality of its business card. (Source: Statistic Brain Research Institute)
Story time:
Tony, a contractor with golden hands and paper-thin cards, upgraded to thick, matte-finished cards with a clean logo and QR code. Suddenly, clients weren’t just taking his card — they were calling him. One even said, “Your card looked so nice, I assumed you knew what you were doing.” Wild, but true.
Quick tip:
Don’t overstuff it. Name, number, what you do — boom. Clean design, legible text, and no clipart from 2003. (Unless you’re starting a retro Y2K brand, in which case… we need to talk.)
2. Half-Page Flyers (aka: The Hero Flyer™)
Why it matters:
This is the scrappy underdog of marketing tools. It’s small, mighty, and can be deployed anywhere. On windshields. In mailboxes. On job sites. In coffee shops. Folded into origami cranes. (Okay, maybe not that last one, that would be time consuming.)
📊 Stat check: 48% of people respond to printed flyers or postcards by checking out the business. (Source: Direct Marketing Association)
Story time:
A roofer we'll call Ray started handing out flyers while working on a client’s home. His flyer said:
“You’ll see us around for the next few weeks while we fix our client’s roof. If you need anything, stop by and ask for Ray!”
Guess what? Five calls in two days. People trust a name they see on their street. And bonus points if it comes with a smile and a clipboard.
Quick tip:
Make your flyers are friendly, and not salesy. Include your face if you’re comfy with it. Add a little personality — “Ask for Ray” hits way harder than “Call now for roofing solutions.” You're no longer a no one, you're Ray from ABC Roofing fixing my neighbours roof.
3. Branded Estimates, Invoices, or Work Orders (a.k.a. Paper That Makes You Look Legit)
Why it matters:
When you send a quote or an invoice, it shouldn’t look like it came from a random Google Doc. A well-designed, branded document says, “Hey, this isn’t my first rodeo.”
📊 Stat check: 82% of small business owners say consistent branding builds trust. (Source: Lucidpress / Marq Brand Consistency Report)
Story time:
One of our clients — let’s call her Jess — is a general contractor. She used to text estimates. Then she started sending them as branded PDFs with her logo and business info. One client said, “You looked so professional, I didn’t even call the other guy.” That’s a win, especially when your competitors don't make that extra invest.
Quick tip:
Add your logo, website, phone number, and a nice little thank-you. It shows you’re not just good at your work — you’re good at running a business.
4. A Sign (Seriously — this is a big one.)
Why it matters:
If you’ve got a shop, an office, or a van, people need to see you. Your sign is your flag in the ground. Your “I’m here and open for business!” announcement to the world. It is so important, and I cannot tell you how many clients spend their entire budget and think of their sign LAST.
📊 Stat check: 76% of consumers have entered a store just because of the sign. (Source: FedEx Office “What’s Your Sign?” Survey)
Story time:
A small bakery opened downtown with zero signage. No one knew they were there. We made them a bold sidewalk sign that said:
“YES, we’re open. YES, there’s fresh bread. YES, we have cookies.”
Foot traffic doubled in a week. Moral of the story: cookies help, but only if people know they exist.
Quick tip:
Keep it short, bold, and easy to read from across the street. Bonus if it makes people smile, and if it's the name on the building, spend the money to make it look nice. Think about the places you shop and what their signage is like. There is a reason :)
5. A Leave-Behind (because staying top-of-mind = more work later)
Why it matters:
After you finish a job, leave something behind — a thank-you card, magnet, or small flyer. It’s like planting a reminder: “Hey, remember me when you need help again.”
📊 Stat check: Repeat customers spend 67% more than new ones. (Source: Bain & Company)
Story time:
Jake the electrician started leaving lightbulb-shaped magnets with “Need help? Call Jake.” A year later, someone called and said, “I kept your magnet just in case.” That job turned into five more through referrals. All from a $0.60 magnet.
Quick tip:
Make it useful or fun — not just a piece of paper. Magnets, notepads, or even “thank-you for choosing us” cards show you care and want to stick around. It matters more than you think.
✅ The Quick-Print Starter Kit for Your Business
If you’re just getting started, these are the five things that help you look professional and get results:
- Business Cards – for handshakes and networking
- Half-Page Flyers – to spread the word anywhere
- Branded Estimates/Invoices – for that “real business” feel
- A Sign – to get seen (and found!)
- A Leave-Behind – to turn one job into many
Let’s Make You Look Amazing (Without Spending a Fortune)
At Econoprint, we’re here to help you launch right. We’ll help you choose the right materials, design them to match your brand, and print them fast — so you can get back to doing what you do best: running your business.
📞 Ready to start? Let’s print your first five and make your business look as good as it is.