6 Components to Consider When Creating a Custom Calendar

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

When was the last time you glanced at a printed calendar? You may or may not remember, but we can bet you were prompted to look at one now. This humble print product is a highly underrated marketing tool considering how often we look at a calendar throughout the day. In this article, we share the basics of designing your own custom calendar and turn it into another sharp tool in your bag of marketing tricks.

1. Calendar Type and Size

Calendars come in different types and sizes. Before designing your calendar, it is crucial to determine its size and shape as they significantly impact the cost of your order. Therefore, finalizing these details beforehand is important. Here’s a list of the options available at UPrinting to help you picture the calendar you’d like to create.

Wall Calendar. Wall calendars are designed to be hung on the wall and you can opt to have the pages pre-drilled with a hole of your preferred size. The bigger sizes give you great opportunities to turn your wall calendars into visual centerpieces, while the smaller ones allow you to get creative while saving space.

• Landscape 8.5” x 11”
• Landscape 8.5” x 5.5”
• Square 12” x 12”
• Square 6” x 6”

Poster Calendar. Wall calendars are designed to be hung on the wall and you can opt to have the pages pre-drilled with a hole of your preferred size. The bigger sizes give you great opportunities to turn your wall calendars into visual centerpieces, while the smaller ones allow you to get creative while saving space.

• 8.5” x 11”
• 11” x 17”
• 18” x 24”
• 19” x 27”
• 24” x 36”
• 27” x 39”

You can also customize the poster calendar’s size by choosing from our preset dimensions, which you will find in the online design tool menu.

Desk Pad Calendars. If you cater to office workers or customers who organize with zeal, then desk calendars may be the best way you can remain accessible to them. Our desk pads are printed in full color, and the 22” x 17” dimensions allow you plenty of ad space. They also come with colored vinyl corners to keep the calendar sheets tucked neatly.

Card Calendars. Although many of us rely heavily on our electronic devices to keep track of time and dates nowadays, having a physical card calendar nearby can make it easier to store it in your journal, work notebook, or on your desk for quick reference. Use card calendars to print your brand name, logo, and products or services on one side and the dates on the other.

• 2” x 3.5” – the size of a standard business card which can fit in most wallets
• 4” x 6”
• 5” x 7”
• 5.5” x 8.5”
• 6” x 9”

Custom sizes are also available for card calendars. Simply click “Custom” from the Size dropdown menu found on the online design tool and choose from any of the preset dimensions in the listed options.

Magnetic Calendars. The perfect accessory refrigerator and filing cabinet accessory, magnetic calendars don’t just tell you what day it is. They can also be used to tuck important notes on metal surfaces.

• 2” x 3.5”
• 3”x 4”
• 3.5”x 3.5”
• 4”x 6”
• 4”x 8”

If you wish to customize your magnetic calendar’s dimensions, you can use our online design tool to find your preferred size.

These are just some of our bestselling custom calendars, but we have more for you to choose from. You can view our complete calendar catalog here.

2. Calendar Binding

Wall calendars require binding, and you can choose between the two binding methods we offer: saddle-stitch and Wire-O.

Saddle-stitch binding involves stapling the pages of your calendar and gives it a classic look. Wire-O binding, on the other hand, entails punching holes at the top side of the calendar and then weaving them together using a twin-loop wire spine. It gives your calendar a more polished look and it also makes it easier to tear off the pages when the month is over.

3. Cardstock and Paper Stock

Paper and cardstock lend character to your calendar, and while variants built with gloss or matte coatings are often perceived as premium, the tactile asset of uncoated paper can also give your calendar a vintage feel.

We list down the various paper and cardstock options you can choose from when customizing your wall calendar, poster calendar, or card calendar followed by the characteristics of each one.

Cardstock/Paper Stock	Wall Calendar	Poster Calendar	Card Calendar
70 lb. Paper Uncoated	✅ (inner pages only)	—	—
80 lb. Paper Gloss	✅ (inner pages only)	—	—
100 lb. Paper Gloss	✅ (inner pages only)	✅	—
10 pt. Cardstock Gloss	✅ (cover only)	✅	✅
10 pt. Cardstock Matte	—	✅	✅
14 pt Cardstock Gloss	—	—	✅
14 pt. Cardstock Matte	—	—	✅
14 pt. Cardstock High Gloss UV	—	—	✅
16 pt. Cardstock Gloss	—	—	✅
17 pt. Cardstock Uncoated	—	—	✅

• 70 lb. Paper Uncoated - Uncoated surface that's great for writability and printability
• 80 lb. Paper Gloss - Thick paper with a gloss finish that keeps color vibrant; writable with permanent marker
• 100 lb. Paper Gloss - Thicker paper with a gloss finish that gives it sheen; writable with permanent marker
• 100 lb. Paper Matte - Thicker paper with a non-reflective matte finish; its non-glossy surface works best with permanent marker
• 10 pt. Cardstock Gloss - Lightweight cardstock with a glossy sheen
• 10 pt. Cardstock Matte - Lightweight cardstock with a non-reflective matte finish
• 14 pt Cardstock Gloss - Stiff and thick cardstock with a gloss sheen; its aqueous coating resists scratches and scuffs
• 14 pt. Cardstock Matte - Stiff and thick cardstock with elegant matte finish; its aqueous coating resists scratches and scuffs
• 14 pt. Cardstock High Gloss UV - Stiff and thick cardstock with mirror-like finish; resistant to scratches and scuffs
• 16 pt. Cardstock Gloss - Extra thick and rigid cardstock with a reflective shine
• 17 pt. Cardstock Uncoated - Ultra thick uncoated cardstock with a premium paper texture and excellent writability

4. Calendar Theme

While seasons change throughout the year, creating a theme gives your calendar a cohesive look and increases its visual appeal. And when done right, themes can help you tell a story and establish an emotional connection with your customers. A beautiful calendar also makes for a perfect gift that you’d be proud to give customers as the year ends.

To simplify the process of selecting a theme, it is important to stick to one main idea. This will make the selection process easier and more streamlined. Let’s say, you’d like to highlight your brand’s sustainability efforts. You can use imagery and colors that depict nature, use action photos taken during your eco-friendly activities, or commission an artist to help you illustrate your vision. Your design can easily be uploaded to our website with the help of our online design tool.

At UPrinting, you also have the choice to use any of our premade themes for some wall calendar and desk calendar products. The American Splendor Desk Calendar, for instance, is a desk calendar that with dimensions 6” x 4.5” and features 12 high-quality photos of scenic countryside, one for each month. It’s also bound using Wire-O.

5. Calendar Content

A custom calendar is the perfect opportunity to help your customers keep tabs on the most important dates for your brand, be it an anniversary sale, holiday promos, or major events you’ll be hosting. Aside from sale-related events, you can use your custom calendar to train the spotlight on happy clients. Share customer stories through testimonials or curate user-generated content, such as images clients submit when they send their reviews. Remember to request their permission before publishing them on your calendar to avoid copyright issues.

Another direction you can take is by using the ad space on your calendar as an information hub. You can list the locations of your branches and contact numbers so that customers can reach you easily when they want to make reservations, book an appointment, or inquire about product availability. Make it even more user-friendly by leaving room for their personal reminders, lists, and AHA moments!

6. Customer Engagement

If you’re feeling extra creative, devise a way to gamify your calendar so customers will have something to look forward to every month. Use images and illustrations to create games for your customers or set up discount coupons that they can use at your store or website.

Speaking of websites, maximize branding and advertising on your printed calendar by connecting it to your online spaces using QR codes. Use a QR code to redirect your customers to the default SALE page on your e-commerce site where they can follow all the promos throughout the year. Alternatively, you can link the QR code to your social media pages and get people to share their experience throughout the seasons.

Make a Date With a Reliable Printer

At UPrinting, we’re eager to help you bring your ideas to life, which means you’ll get access to abundant design resources, premium materials and inks, and a thorough printing process that will give you precise print products. Just call us at 888-888-4211 anytime between Monday and Friday or from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT on Saturdays and Sundays. Our Live Chat is also available if you want to touch base. Talk to you soon!

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