I have compiled a list of local Las Vegas printing companies for your consideration in your business printing needs.  There are numerous in Las Vegas, however, here are a list of printing companies that print business cards, stationery, letterhead, envelopes, brochures, labels, marketing collateral, banners, packaging, tradeshow materials, and much more:

• A&B Printing
• Las Vegas Printing Experts
• Rapid Color
• Creel Printing
• Jackpot Printing
• Royal Printing
• Franklin Documents (recommended)
• Spectrum Color Printing
• Creative Impact Printing
• Quality Impressions Printing
• Las Vegas Printing Press
• WOW Printing Las Vegas
• Dynamic Lithographics
• Valley Press of Las Vegas
• FedEx Kinkos Las Vegas
• International Minute Press

Starting a new business in Las Vegas can seem like an overwhelming process, especially if your starting a business for the very first time.  In this economy especially, it’s imperative to think everything through before you start the process. I’ve compiled some articles, resources, tips and tricks that can help you through the process.

Things you will need:

• Business Plan – You will need a business plan if you are looking for investors. Your business plan should be well though out and include revenue projections.  The public library is a great place to find books to assist you.
• Marketing Plan – From the business plan should come a Marketing Plan for your new business. The Marketing Plan should includes a lot of key information that will help you lay out the plans for reaching your target marketing.
• Incorporation - You should incorporate your company to be on the up-and-up and you’ll need to to obtain a federal tax ID as well.
• Business Licenses – You will need the appropriate business licenses for the City of Las Vegas and Clark County.
• Insurance – You should have the necessary insurance coverages based on what type of business you are opening.  Contact your insurance agent and they can help.
• Legal Advice – Ideally, you should consult with an attorney to review your Agreements, any claims you are making with your products and services, and to review any copy you write for your website, including privacy information and disclaimers.
• Marketing Materials – Of course you need marketing materials to promote your business – logo, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, a website design, brochures, and PowerPoint presentations and key.
• Website – Not just any web site, you will need a professionally architected and designed web site that a reputable company should help you to strategize and build (see perkolate.com).

Happy New Year to all Las Vegas businesses and here’s to your continued success in 2010!

A new year is also a great time to step back from your Las Vegas business and assess all of your current online and offline marketing materials. Have you added products and services? Is it time to refresh your brochure, business cards or logos? Is your website up to date?

This is a great time to readjust things that might not have worked for your business in 2009. Consider polishing your corporate identity and developing new marketing materials. Consider advertising online to promote your website. Consider building partnerships with companies that offer complimentary products and services.

This is a good time to commit yourself to getting out into the Las Vegas community and meeting other business professionals in Las Vegas. You’ll have the time to hear about other companies and businesses and perhaps learn from what they are doing and what has worked for them. It’s also an opportunity to promote your own businesses products and services.

Any way you look at it, you should take the time this week to write down 10 new marketing and business goals and execute one each month of the new year! 2010 should become your year to grow!

Starting a Business in Las Vegas? Here’s a “To-Do” List For You to Follow

Great – you’re going to start your own business. Going into business for yourself is a great adventure. You’re going to have to put in a lot of time and effort up front, and when your business is successful you’re going realize that all that work was well worth it.

No matter what kind of business you’re starting – sales, consulting, manufacturing – you’re going to have to work your way through a “To-Do” list that can be a full time job in itself. Here are some items you’ve got to think about.

Decide on a name for your business. Make sure it is not being used by someone else. Most states will have a website where you can check this out and register your business name.

Business licenses and registration. These requirements can vary from state to state, city to city. Make sure you’ve completed all the required applications and registrations.

Business taxes. You’ll have to register your business with the IRS to get a tax number. If you’re going to be buying items for resale, check out your state’s requirements to get a tax exempt number.

Attorneys and accountants. You need these. They will help you make sure you’ve set up your business properly to avoid problems later.

Bank accounts. Get a business account as soon as you can. While you can use a personal account to pay some of the start up expenses, you’ll want to get a separate account to make your accounting simpler. Consider a bank account that will give you a debit card for business purposes, or apply for a small business credit card.

Mailing address/Telephone. Get a business mailing address. You probably don’t want your personal address used, so either get a regular or a private post office box. Get a separate telephone line or cell phone for your business.

Business cards/brochures. You have several choices here. You can do the cards and brochures yourself using stock purchased at an office supply store, or you can have a service do them for you. Either way, it’s important that you get them done as quickly as possible.

Web sites. You’ve got choices here, too. Once you register a URL, there is software available that will let you do this yourself, or you can use a Las Vegas marketing company to assist you.

This is a long list, but every item on it is important.

Starting and building your own business takes time and effort. It is, however, the best way to build security for yourself and find the freedom to do more of what you want.

There are many things to consider when starting a new business or company in Las Vegas and many things to consider if you want your business to be successful.  Business licenses, insurance, legal services, sourcing an office space, hiring and last but certainly not least, marketing materials to help market your new business.  Marketing is often an important factor that the beginning business person tends to overlook. Be aware that if you aren’t thinking about marketing from the beginning, your competitors throughout town already are.

Professionally designed and well-thought out marketing materials will give you instant credibility when searching for new customers and clients. Remember, your marketing materials are most likely a potential customers first impression for your new Las Vegas business, and as you know, first impressions are EVERYTHING.

Marketing Materials Your New Business Must Have:

Business Cards
A professionally designed business card, printed well, will be hugely important in helping establish credibility and market your company. Leave some sort of white space on the front or back of the card and make sure you can write on it with a pen without it smearing as potential customers sometimes write notes on your business card after meeting you.

Website
Many Las Vegas businesses often overlook the importance of a professional looking website, well written, well maintained. A website is as critical as having a business card. Potential clients will visit your website in researching your company. The key is to have it look and sound as professional as possible.

Stationery
Again, when corresponding with potential clients, a professional stationery including letterhead, envelopes and labels can really help your business credibility.

Brochure or Flyer
You also need some type of printed leave-behind when meeting with prospective clients. Some sort of trifold brochure or flyer that describes your company’s products and services and why they need to hire you to help them. Of course, they should be professionally designed.

All of the above marketing materials should be designed so that they all look like the come from the same company. This is known as corporate identity. A consistency across the board in using the same logo, fonts, colors and images creates a polished and professional corporate identity for your new Las Vegas business.

For more information or assistance with creating the above marketing materials, visit www.perkolate.com, my company’s website:

• Las Vegas Web Design Services
• Las Vegas Graphic Design Services
• Las Vegas Website Hosting and Domain Registration
• Las Vegas Marketing Services
• Las Vegas Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A logo can make or break your new business.

A logo is most often the single most identifiable representation of your business and in Las Vegas, creditiblity is key. Your logo appears on your business cards, stationery, letterhead, envelopes, forms, collateral, website, email signature, maybe even on trucks and signage. It represents everything your company stands for, the tone, your products and services, your professionalism.

Many smaller companies make the mistake of not having a solid professionally designed logo for their business. Or worse, they use different logos for different marketing materials, or change the colors, fonts, styles, and more. This creates an inconsistent image in your customer’s and potential customer’s minds. It detracts from your professional identity. 

With this in mind, you should ask yourself the following when evaluating your current company logo:

• Is your logo professionally designed and used consistently across any and all marketing materials?
• Does the look and feel of your logo represent your company in the best possible manner?
• Do you feel that your logo separates you from your competition?
• Does your logo provide that invaluable “first impression”?
• Does your logo speak directly to your target market?
• Do you feel that your logo makes you look more established and bigger than your competitors?