Print jobs in Coventry tend to start with a practical question rather than a design idea: how do I get my name through the letterboxes of a few hundred homes, or how do I get people to my stall at a summer festival? So this page works through four typical jobs in turn, with the decisions each one involves, and then covers the file and proof checks that apply to all of them. FabricForge arranges flyers, cards, posters and banners through production houses in major UK cities. Orders are quoted personally on WhatsApp, by phone or by email, with no minimum order, and a proof comes first.
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Job one: a local trade wanting more work nearby
Imagine a self-employed plumber, a mobile car valeter or a cleaner who wants more jobs within a few miles of home. The most useful printed items are a business card and a simple leaflet, and the leaflet is the one that does the heavy lifting.
Decide these before you design anything:
1. The area. Pick streets rather than whole postcodes. A neat, tight patch you can cover properly beats a thin scatter across the city.
2. The one reason to call. Maybe you are local, maybe you offer a particular service, maybe you answer the phone yourself. Choose one.
3. The size. A5 gives room for a short list of services; A6 or DL fits a letterbox neatly and is lighter to carry on a long round.
4. The keepable extra. A fridge-friendly layout with a phone number in large type, or a tear-off strip, makes the leaflet last beyond the doormat.
5. The count. Work out how many doors you will really do, then tell us. Do not guess high; leaflets sitting in a boot help nobody.
On the leaflet itself, put the phone number at both the top and the bottom. Say where you work in plain words. Leave out long lists, since a reader decides in a few seconds.
Choosing between a leaflet round and a card
Cards and leaflets do different work, and many people print the wrong one first. A leaflet goes to people who did not ask for it, so it must explain quickly why they should care. A card goes to people who have already met you, so it only needs to be easy to keep and easy to act on. If you are new to an area, start with leaflets and keep a few cards in your pocket for the conversations that follow. If your work already comes by recommendation, cards matter more, and a thicker, better-looking one makes a quiet statement about how you work.
It also helps to keep a simple note of where each batch went. Put a slightly different phone line, email address or offer wording on each design, and you will see over a few weeks which streets and which message brought enquiries. That way the next print run is based on what you saw rather than a hunch.
Job two: a stall at the Godiva Festival or a park event
The Godiva Festival is held in the War Memorial Park, usually in July. It began in 1997 as a one-day event, grew to three days in 1998, and is run by Coventry City Council as a not-for-profit event. It is named after Lady Godiva, the figure associated with the city. Big park events like this bring families, groups of friends and plenty of passing trade for stalls, charities and local groups, though the exact rules for traders and promotion are set by the organisers, so check them before you print anything.
For an outdoor stall, think about print in three layers:
- Distance layer. A banner or sign that can be read from the path. One word or short phrase, big letters, strong contrast. Tell us the height and how it will be fixed.
- Counter layer. A poster or sign at eye level that says what you do and what people can ask for.
- Pocket layer. A card or small flyer that people can take away with a web address, social handle or date for next time.
Sunshine, wind and rain are real factors outdoors. If your banner will be up for a whole weekend, say so, because the choice of material and finishing depends on exposure, and we would rather suggest something sturdy than let you discover a problem on the day.
Job three: a student society or club night
Coventry University and the University of Warwick sit in different parts of the area, and societies at both are competing for the same audience at the start of the academic year. A flyer for a first meeting has a narrow job: get the right person to the right room.
- Put the day, time and room in the biggest text after the name.
- Add a QR code to a sign-up form and test it on two different phones before you print.
- Use one image that tells people what the society does at a glance.
- Print on both sides only if the back has a purpose, such as a term calendar.
- Keep the logo rules of your students' union or institution in mind and ask permission before using a crest.
If the same group also wants matching clothes, such as society hoodies or committee tops, our DTF printing on garments is built for small runs; see how to order custom printed clothing.
Job four: a church, school or community event
Fetes, quiz nights, coffee mornings and fundraising days work best with a small set of consistent items rather than one big poster.
- A poster for windows and noticeboards, with what, when and where in large type.
- A smaller flyer for school bags and local shops, with the same artwork shrunk down.
- Tickets or raffle slips, if you need them, with a clear space for numbers.
- A sign for the day so people can find the entrance.
Use the same colours and headline on every item. People often need to see a message three times before it registers, and a matching look makes each sighting count towards the same event.
Coventry also has a recent story that organisers still draw on: it was the UK City of Culture in 2021, and the habit of local festivals, public art and community events has carried on since. If your event has a cultural or creative angle, say so on the poster, because it helps people understand quickly what kind of event it is.
Checks that apply to every job
- Proof reading. Read every phone number aloud, digit by digit. Check dates against a calendar.
- Files. Send a print-ready PDF if you can. Images saved from social media are usually too small, so ask for the originals.
- Edges. Keep text and logos about 5 mm inside the cut. Let backgrounds run about 3 mm past it.
- Contrast. View the design at arm's length. If you cannot read it, a stranger walking past will not either.
- Order early. Give your deadline in your first message and leave room for a correction round. We do not make delivery promises, so planning ahead is the safest approach.
- More guidance. Our artwork and file preparation page goes into the technical detail.
Coventry print questions
Can I order a small batch of cards to test a design?
Yes. There is no minimum order, so you can start with a small number and adjust the design later.
Can you quote for several items together?
Yes. Send the list, such as a card, a leaflet and a banner, and each will be quoted in one reply.
What happens if I spot a mistake on the proof?
Tell us. Corrections are made before printing, which is exactly the point of the proof. The time to catch a wrong digit is at that stage.
Do you print on T-shirts and workwear too?
Yes. Our own specialism is DTF printing on garments, including T-shirts, hoodies, polos and workwear. A discount applies on 5 or more items.
How do I ask for a quote?
Message us on WhatsApp, call or email with the item, quantity, size and your deadline. You will get a personal reply.
Need a quote? We reply personally