The Print Guide to Reopening During COVID-19

Practice social distancing poster

Last updated on May 16th, 2023 at 03:01 pm

Across the country, stay-at-home orders have been in place since late March 2020 due to Coronavirus. This has caused millions of “non-essential” small businesses to temporarily close. However, recently many states have been gradually reopening “non-essential” business, but with modifications for the health and safety of customers and employees. Whether your company is one that is allowed to open now or in the coming months, you need to be prepared. You need to have clear communication with your team and customers about what the new policies will be. Reach the most amount of people by hanging signs, installing banners, or having simple flyers. We have created a quick guide to what print products and customizations that will help your business smoothly reopen.

Products and What To Print

Color Copies

The easiest way to reach an individual customer is to pass out flyers or folded brochures. Color copies are the most versatile printed product due to the numerous dimensions and paper types that are offered. Because of the many different uses of color copies, we are breaking them down into two categories: disposable and reusable.

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Many governors have discussed restaurants and other small businesses will have to use disposable menus when they reopen. Before the Coronavirus outbreak in America, a business would reuse menus and clean them when there was time. Only throwing them away when the products and services changed.

Since each menu can only be used once, you will need to include menus in your daily budget. 1000 double-sided 8.5” x 11” color copies are as low as $0.15 a sheet, which can easily fit into your budget. Just because the color copies are low cost, that doesn’t mean that they have to look cheap. Choose one of the coated paper options that will instantly give your menus a boost in appearance. Add folding to your color copy to improve the look of your disposable menu in an inexpensive way. For businesses that will see heavy traffic, disposable will be the safest way to ensure germs are not spread between customers and employees.

Upgrade Your Color Copy

Another option for menus and other print pieces that will be passed around is to choose a product that can be cleaned and disinfected after each use. Normal paper is not able to accept water, let alone cleaning alcohol. When ordering under the menu section on the Printivity website, choose 15 mil synthetic paper. This unique plastic-like paper that is waterproof, tear-resistant, and disinfectable. This material accepts alcohol without distorting the sheet, so you will be able to disinfect after each use. Synthetic paper is the easiest way to keep a professional appearance while protecting customers and employees from Coronavirus. This alternative paper type is perfect if your menu stays the same or to easily elevate the appearance of your menu.

Mini Posters

Attract and inform potential customers by hanging mini posters on windows and walls. Use mini posters to inform customers of your new temporary hours, senior hours for grocery stores, and new processes. Since the start of Coronavirus, many restaurants and other essential businesses have had curbside pickup and free deliveries available. Letting people know of your new services will also let less informed customers know that your business is open. 

In addition to using mini posters to promote business, you will also need to inform walk-in customers and employees of your new health guidelines. Post mini posters to remind people to stay 6 feet away and wear a mask throughout the office, store, warehouse, and wherever multiple people could be congregating. The CDC offers free printable downloads for you to place around the office as mini posters and color copies. Choose and download a design that best fits your business, then contact a professional printing company to print the mini posters at the desired size. 

CDC guidelines for COVID symptoms

Banners

Being the largest print option available, banners have the widest potential reach. Banners have the ability to reach foot traffic as well as passing cars. Because cars will pass by quickly, be sure to keep your message short and simple. Your company name should be clearly visible and your secondary message should be the largest. Your secondary message could be: “We’re Open”, “Now Offering Delivery and Curb-Side Pickup”, or “Now Rescheduling Appointments”. Don’t forget to include the best way to contact your business. Include your company phone numbers and website at the bottom of the banner for the customers walking passed. Whatever you are trying to accomplish with this banner, make your message and call-to-action clear to anyone who sees your banner.

COVID has affected every person in the country, whether it is through quarantining, social distancing, wearing a mask in public, or being an essential worker. Use banners to show that your company cares about its’ community. Create a banner with a simple message saying “We’re all in this together”. Thank healthcare workers, essential workers, and everyone else who has been keeping your community safe during these trying times. 

Banner hanging on a fence thanking key workers and staff

Stickers

Delivery and contactless pickups have become more common in order to keep some small businesses open since the beginning of Coronavirus. A quick and affordable way to spread your brand is to include stickers with every order. It is an additional gift that your already loyal customers will appreciate while reminding them about your business every time they see it. 

Make your social distancing rules clear for in-store customers by placing floor stickers 6 feet apart. These will ease any anxiety that your customers may feel now that they are allowed to re-enter businesses. Floor decals are easy to apply and easy to remove without damaging your floors.

Woman standing on a floor decal sticker to encourage social distancing

Additional Services

Lamination and UV Coating

Once your business reopens during the Coronavirus pandemic, you will need to decide how to change policies based on the new health and safety regulations while sticking to your budget. Depending on the amount of foot traffic that your business will experience, thousands of disposable menus or polyester paper may not fit for your business. An affordable alternative is to add lamination or UV Coating to your print products to extend the use of your new signs and menus.  

UV coating is the most affordable protective coating that Printivity offers. The liquid coating is applied to the printed sheet then cured under an ultraviolet light that gives off a glossier finish. Add UV coating to mini posters that will be exposed to sunlight. This will will slow down the sun damage and maximize the use.

Lamination can come in many forms and finishes. We recommend adding lamination to menus, price lists, or other forms of color copies. Gloss and matte lamination accepts cleaning alcohols and disinfectants which allow you to safely use your product for multiple uses. The thickness of lamination can range from 1.3mil to 10mil, 10 being the thickest. Some forms of lamination are available with a flushed (lamination is trimmed even with the edge of the sheet of paper) or sealed edge (lamination extends passed the sheet) that can add extra protection from outside elements. 

Whether you choose UV coating or Lamination, you are protecting your products and safely extending their time of use. 

Design Services

We understand that not every small business that has been affected by Covid has a skilled graphic designer available to them. Printivity wants to support our customers and their businesses by offering design services. Our team can help improve your design and make sure it is print-ready. We can also help create a design from scratch based on your unique vision. To have Printivity start helping your business reopen, contact us at service@Printivity.com!

When You Open, Be Prepared

We’re all eager to reopen and acclimate to the additional regulations that come with the “new normal”. Integrate the uses of color copies, mini posters, banners, and stickers to inform customers of the rules for a smooth transition.  Take advantage of our design services to relieve the stress of creating brand new printable content. Printivity is a reliable printing company that is dedicated to helping you reopen!

Please remember to practice social distancing, wash your hands, and wear a mask. 

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