Sticker printing and label printing are two terms that are often used interchangeably, particularly in the business world. Despite being very similar products, stickers and generally have very different uses.

Stickers are most commonly used as promotional giveaways or for pricing, discounts, bundles etc. Labels, on the other hand, are a part of the product’s branding – ever present and (hopefully) instantly recognisable.

Another major difference is that labels are usually printed on rolls, particularly when used in large scale manufacturing, whereas stickers are usually printed on sheets, so that they can be manually applied.

Because of the similarities in how stickers and labels are produced you will find companies who print both but you could equally have a specialist sticker printing company or a printer that will only provide adhesive labels for branding. Either way, both labels and stickers can play an important role in your marketing plan so it’s important to find a supplier who delivers the quality you’re looking for at a price you’re happy to pay

We’ve put together a few guidelines that can help in selecting the right sticker printing company, label provider or both:

  1. Make sure to always find a supplier that has a wide range of materials and printing options available to you. The fewer limitations you have, the more creative you’re able to be with your designs
  2. Future proofs you. If you work with a supplier that can only provide small print runs, you’ll have to go through the whole process of finding a new supplier again when your needs change. Either that or the extended lead times to deliver your labels/stickers could interfere with your schedule
  3. As always the service you receive is going to impact on the relationship you have with your supplier. There are often unforseen circumstances in business that can mean last minute changes to production runs, artowrk etc. and having a supplier that is fleible and ameniable will make such situations a lot less stressful
  4. Find a supplier who proactively gives you advice. If they’re a specialist printer working with an array of clients, chances are they’ve worked with your industry before and have some insight into what works and what doesn’t. When you’re starting out in business every little bit of help counts, and having an experienced printed giving you guidance could be invaluable.

In a nutshell, don’t just opt for the first printer you find or the one that’s round the corner. Delivery costs are coming down so it can be just as convenient working with a supplier remotely than one you can visit face-to-face.  If possible pay them a visit once you’ve established that they could be a good fit – putting a face to a voice on the phone can help to cement a relationship.

Check out what other people say about the company in their reviews. There will always be one or two negative submissions but if the sentiment is overwhelmingly positive and there are a good number of reviews, that’s a good sign.

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