Sporting clubs, school committees and volunteer groups run on tight budgets, and every dollar spent on print is a dollar not spent on the thing the group exists for. The trick is to spend on pieces that work for years and keep everything else simple.
Here is how we approach community group printing with the clubs and committees we work with: what to reuse, where a better material pays for itself, and where to save.
Corflute signs for events and directions
Corflute signs are the most cost-effective outdoor signage for community groups. Use them for directional signs on event days, sponsor boards, site markers and temporary displays. They are light, reusable and affordable enough to replace each season if you need to.
Order generic versions that work for every event: arrows, "Parking", "Entry", "Toilets", "Canteen". A set of those gets used every weekend for years.
Quick tip: leave dates off anything you want to reuse. Put the date on a small separate panel or a sticker, and the same board serves every event.
A vinyl banner on the fence
A vinyl banner on the club fence or at the ground entrance works year-round. Registration drives, upcoming events, sponsor thanks: one banner can carry a message for a whole season, which makes it one of the best value advertising pieces a club can have.
Write it so it lasts. "Registrations open, visit our website" stays true all pre-season; a specific date means a new banner next year. If you are unsure of size, see what size sign or banner do we actually need.
Team and volunteer shirts on a budget
Full colour prints on apparel are made with DTF transfers, which suit small runs, so you can order club shirts without committing to hundreds. A run of 15 to 20 shirts for a committee or volunteer team is very doable.
Choose a good blank in your club colours, like the classic tee, and keep the print simple: logo and club name. For canteen and barbecue volunteers, printed aprons look organised and last for seasons. Our guide to ordering club shirts without losing your weekend covers collecting sizes and names.
Stickers for fundraising and membership
Die-cut stickers work as fundraising items, membership giveaways or simply a way to build pride in the club. They are affordable enough to give away and people actually use them, on drink bottles, cars, laptops and school books. A sticker in every new member's pack costs very little and puts your logo on dozens of cars around town.
A pull-up banner for expos and presentations
If your group goes to expos, information nights or community days, a pull-up banner gives you a professional display that sets up in moments and lasts for years. One banner with the group's name, purpose and contact details creates an instant presence anywhere. Keep the message general so it works at every event, not just the next one.
What else is worth printing?
A few other pieces earn their place for most clubs and committees:
Certificates for presentation nights, volunteer thanks and milestones. Set up once as a template and you only change the names each year.
Booklets and programs for season launches, concerts and presentation nights.
Flyers for fundraisers and open days, handed out at the ground or left at local businesses.
For school and club events in particular, what to print for school events, fundraisers and open days goes into more detail.
Where should a community group save and where should it spend?
Save on quantity. Order what you need, not what looks like a good deal per unit. Boxes of leftover flyers are money the group did not need to spend.
Spend on material for anything that lasts. A sign used every season should be made to last every season.
Plan ahead. Allow time for design and proof rounds and order early for events, so you never pay extra to rush.
Let sponsors carry some of it. Sponsor boards and banners can be part of what a sponsorship package includes, which helps cover the cost.
Rule of thumb: once-off event? Keep it simple. Used every season? Spend on the better material and a design that does not date.
Make it look like one club
When the banner, the shirts, the certificates and the flyers all use the same logo and colours, the club looks organised, and that helps with sponsors, parents and new members alike. Keep your logo files in one place and send the same ones every time. Our guide on making school and club printing look professional has more on this.
Common questions
What is the cheapest outdoor sign for a club?
Corflute signs are usually the most affordable outdoor option, and they are light and reusable. Check live pricing on the product page for your sizes and quantities.
Can we order a small number of club shirts?
Yes. DTF transfers suit small runs, so a committee or volunteer team of 15 to 20 is very doable.
Can we reuse signs from one event to the next?
Yes, as long as you leave dates and one-off details off them. Put anything that changes on a separate small panel or sticker.
Can you help if we do not have a designer?
Yes. Send us your logo, or even a rough idea, and we will design it and check every proof with you before anything is made.
Tell us what your group needs
Send us a list of what your group needs this season and we will help find the most cost-effective way to get it done. Start with our print range, where every product has live pricing on its page.
