Informative Blog

When it comes to marketing for your company, direct mail can be a powerful tool. It helps you to increase brand awareness, connect with potential customers, advertise new products or special promotions, and stay in touch with existing customers.

73% of American consumers say they prefer brands to contact them via direct mail rather than online advertisements. Clearly, direct mail can be a useful channel, and it’s important that you learn more about how to make the most of your direct mail campaigns.

Incorporating various finishing techniques can be pivotal to ensure your mail grabs attention. Among the most common are glossy and matte finishes, each possessing distinct attributes that warrant consideration before determining the ideal choice for your next endeavor.

The Basics of Glossy vs. Matte Finishing

Glossy Finish

A glossy finish is your best option if your vision for the piece is vivid colors and sharply defined images.

The smooth, shiny finish will give the product a characteristic shine, creating a polished and modern look. A glossy finish also has the added benefit of durability since the coating prevents scratches or scuffs in transit.

The physical texture of a print with a glossy finish will be smooth and slick to the touch. A glossy finish works well for any materials that include photos or important graphics, magazines, brochures, postcards, and most other marketing pieces.

Although it varies depending on the specific product, a glossy finish will typically have a higher cost than a matte finish since more coating is used to achieve the high-gloss effect.

Overall, a glossy finish is typically more popular for promotional pieces or marketing materials due to the eye-catching effect of the vivid colors and high-shine finish.

Matte Finish

A matte finish is the right option for you if you’re looking for a soft, muted, elegant, or classic feel for your piece. A product with a matte finish will have a physical texture that is almost velvety and more natural.

It is important to note that matte finishing typically has less durability than glossy finish. However, two benefits of using a matte finish are that products with matte finishes have reduced glare and are less prone to being smudged by fingerprints. Also, matte finishing will typically be a more affordable alternative than glossy finishing for most print projects.

Matte finishing is popular for high-end catalogs, more elegant or formal-looking marketing pieces (such as invitations), posters or art prints, business cards, and more.

Keep these things in mind when deciding which finish to use for your next printing project. Visit our website today for high-quality printing services to help you achieve your printing goals!

Print marketing plays a crucial role in effectively communicating with your current and potential customers. Author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, “If you just communicate, you can get by. But if you communicate skillfully, you can work miracles,” highlighting the importance of connecting well with your customers.

Every business aims to enhance customer service and engagement, but where do you start? What’s the secret to success? Print marketing is a critical factor in improving customer service and engagement. From door hangers, brochures, and catalogs to business cards, direct mail, and postcards, print marketing offers a versatile and effective way to communicate with your customers, fostering a personal connection and building trust.  

Print Marketing: A Trusted Choice

Printed materials are increasingly seen as trustworthy and reliable in an era of digital overload.

82% of consumers trust print advertisements the most when making purchase decisions, with 56% considering print the most trustworthy form of marketing. Building trust is essential for growing a business; investing in quality print marketing can help establish that trust. 

Tell Your Story

Print marketing is also an excellent method of telling your company’s story.

Whether sharing your origin story, highlighting team members, or showcasing leadership bios, print materials offer a tangible and engaging way to connect with your audience. In a 2018 survey of consumer preferences, 65% of respondents believe they understand a story more deeply when reading in print. Engage with customers by sharing your story on quality print marketing materials.

Increase Engagement

Reading printed materials has also been shown to boost customer attention and retention of information. 

Studies show that people scan a website for about 15 seconds on average. This small window of time is crucial in making a great impression. But you have people’s attention for longer when they’re reading print. People read slower when reading text on paper than when reading a web page, leading to increased recall and retention rates. This improved memory of what they read about your business transfers to brand recognition, interest, and potential sales.

When customers interact with print marketing materials, they engage their senses, including sight, touch, sound, and smell. This multi-sensory experience creates a lasting impression and enhances brand recognition and recall. By investing in quality print marketing materials, you can create a memorable and engaging experience for your customers, helping your business stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

Connect with our print marketing experts today to improve your engagement and customer satisfaction through printed marketing materials. Our team is committed to helping your business grow and succeed through effective and efficient print marketing strategies.

People love to receive physical mail.

In fact, 70% of people said mail, rather than email, gave them a better impression of the company that sent it. Monthly mailings are an engaging, unique, and thoughtful way to reach new and loyal customers. From stories about your company and special offers to gifts, let the customer get to know and appreciate your business to build trust and loyalty.

Three Monthly Mailing Ideas to Connect with Your Audience

Direct mailings don’t have to be boring or mundane. Get creative and thoughtful with our experienced print marketing experts to craft one of these monthly mailings.

1. Newsletter

Newsletters are an excellent method to inform your customers of what is new in your business.

Customers love to stay informed and in the know of the companies they are loyal to. Share exciting updates, expansions, new products, new management or team members, and other updates like the following: 

• History. People connect best with stories, so what better way than by describing your company’s own origin story? Expanding on the roots of your company can grow customer appreciation for where you’ve come from as a business.
• About Us. A fun and unique item to add to your newsletter is a section with mini-biographies of your employees and management. Customers enjoy getting to know the company they are supporting on a personal level. Giving little excerpts about your employees creates a connection with customers and spotlights exceptional staff who have earned positive recognition.
• Growth. Showcase your business’s growth, whether physical growth, such as opening new stores or locations, financial growth, employee growth, or product growth. Seize the opportunity to compliment your business’s positive growth and remind customers that your business is strong.
• Sales. Upcoming sales are an excellent feature to add to your monthly newsletters. Customers are looking for great deals to make their money stretch further. Incentivize coming into your store or logging into your website with information about upcoming sales and discounts. 

2. Postcards with Special Offers

People love a good deal. 

86% of online shoppers are more likely to try a new business if they have a coupon, which is why special offers are an excellent way to incentivize new customers to try your business. 

Limited-time promotions are a unique but simple method to attract sales. Shortening the time window when a special offer or price is available grows excitement and anticipation in purchasing. Focus on your sales in a specific timeframe and publicize it.

Including birthday or anniversary discounts in your monthly rotation is a thoughtful way to encourage sales growth while building a personal connection with customers. Receiving a mailer with a discount from your business is a definite cause for celebration!

3. Welcome New Customers with a Series of Content 

Over five or six months, send out mailings that provide value to new customers.

Start with a personalized welcome letter and follow it up with something else each month, like a brochure detailing your offerings, tips, and tricks related to your products or services, industry insights, or a discount coupon or small gift.

Be remembered and thought of frequently by mailing out gifts like:

• Fridge magnets: Compact and economical, fridge magnets have a natural place in the home. Be present in the kitchen and available for reference in a flash by sending out magnets.
• Reusable shopping bags: Not only will customers appreciate the environmentally conscious effort your business puts into sending out reusable bags, but these gifts are also useful.
• Sticky notes: Create a memorable and practical sticky pad for customers to enjoy and reference your company’s information. 

Ensure customers are excited to see your name in the mailbox by regularly connecting and engaging with your audience. Contact our local print professionals today to begin your company’s journey to craft any of these monthly mailings for your growing business!

Many may overlook the power of printed sales collateral in today’s digital world. However, print materials remain crucial in closing deals and converting leads into customers. 

In fact, according to a study by MarketingSherpa, 82% of consumers trust print collateral more than digital advertisements when purchasing.

So, how can you create effective sales collateral to help close deals? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Understanding Your Audience

To create effective marketing materials, it’s crucial to understand your target audience so that you can customize your messaging and design to better connect with them.

Identify Your Audience

The first step in creating any marketing material is understanding your target audience. 

Who are you trying to reach with your print materials? What are their pain points, needs, and preferences? 

By understanding your audience, you can tailor your messaging and design to resonate with them and increase the chances of converting them into customers.

Focus on Advantages over Features

While listing all the features of your product or service may be tempting, this approach can be overwhelming for potential customers.

Instead, highlight the benefits of what you offer and how it can solve their problems or make their lives easier. This will help them see the value in your offer and increase the likelihood of closing a deal.

Incorporate Personalization

Personalized content can be more impactful and memorable for potential customers.

Consider including personalized messages, such as their name or specific pain points, in your print materials to make a stronger connection with your audience.

Creating Compelling Content

Compelling content that is visually appealing, easy to understand, and relevant to the audience’s needs and preferences increases the chances of engaging potential customers.

Keep It Simple

When it comes to print materials, less is often more.

You want your collateral to be visually appealing and easy to understand at a glance. Avoid overcrowding the page with too much text or images that may distract from your main message.

Stick to a clean and simple design that will make it easy for your audience to focus on the key points.

Use High-Quality Images

Visuals can be powerful tools in sales collateral.

Use high-quality images relevant to your message and resonate with your target audience. These images can help break up text and add visual interest, making your collateral more engaging and memorable.

Stay Consistent with Branding

Your sales collateral should align with your brand’s overall messaging, design, and tone.

This consistency will promote brand recognition and trust with potential customers. 

Stay Up to Date

Updating your sales collateral is essential as your products, services, or target audience changes.

This will ensure that your materials remain relevant and effective in closing deals.

Effective Implementation

Implementing your sales collateral effectively is crucial for achieving your marketing goals.

Include a Call to Action

Don’t forget to include a clear call to action in your sales collateral.

This could be anything from “Contact us for a free consultation” to “Visit our website for more information.” Whatever it may be, make sure it is clear and compelling so potential customers know exactly what you want them to do next.

Utilize Different Kinds of Print Materials

When it comes to sales collateral, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

Consider using various print materials, such as brochures, flyers, and business cards, to reach different audiences and convey your message differently.

Don’t Forget About Distribution

Creating effective sales collateral is essential, but so is getting it into the hands of your target audience.

Ensure a strategic plan for distributing your materials and reaching potential customers.

Keep Track of Results

Don’t forget to track and measure the success of your print materials.

This will help you understand what is working and what may need to be improved in future campaigns.

Print is still a powerful marketing tool, so don’t underestimate its potential for helping you reach and convert customers. Contact us today to see how our print materials can help you close more deals. 

Print marketing offers a tangible experience that digital advertising can’t replicate. By combining eye-catching design and compelling copy, print ads can create a lasting impression on potential customers.

But how do you ensure that your print ad stands out amongst the noise of other ads?

The answer lies in effective copywriting techniques.

Know Your Audience

As with any form of marketing, understanding your audience is crucial for effective copywriting for print.

Before you start crafting your message, take some time to research and define your target audience. Consider their demographics, interests, pain points, and values. This information will guide the tone, language, and messaging of your print marketing materials.

By tailoring your copy to resonate with your audience, you’ll be more likely to capture their attention and encourage them to take action.

Highlight Benefits, Not Features

When selling a product or service, many marketers make the mistake of focusing on features rather than benefits. While features may be important, the benefits speak to customers and drive conversions.

Show your audience how your offering will solve their problems or make their lives easier. This approach is much more persuasive and can lead to a higher conversion rate.

Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines

In a world where people are bombarded with information and advertisements, it’s essential to have a headline that stands out and grabs attention.

A strong headline is your audience’s first impression of your print marketing material, so it needs to be compelling. To create an attention-grabbing headline, use powerful language, ask a thought-provoking question, or make a bold statement. Just be sure to keep it relevant to your audience and the message you want to convey.

Create Clear and Concise Copy

In print marketing, you have limited space to work with, so making every word count is crucial. Cluttered or confusing copy can be a major turn-off for readers and may cause them to lose interest in your message.

To avoid this, aim for clear and concise copy. Use short sentences and paragraphs, and get straight to the point. Avoid jargon and overly complex language that may be difficult for your target audience to understand.

Include a Strong Call to Action

Your print marketing materials should always include a clear and compelling call to action (CTA).

The CTA is the step you want your audience to take after reading your copy, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a service, or visiting your website.

To make your CTA effective, be specific about what you want your audience to do and why they should do it. Use action-oriented language and create a sense of urgency to encourage immediate action.

Test and Refine Your Copy

As with any marketing strategy, testing and refining your print marketing copy is essential to ensure its effectiveness.

A/B testing can be a valuable tool in this process, allowing you to compare different versions of your copy with a target audience and see which performs better.

Effective copywriting is a crucial aspect of any successful print marketing campaign. With the right approach, print marketing can be a highly effective tool for reaching and converting your target audience.

Are you looking for more from your print marketing efforts? Let us help you create impactful, persuasive messaging that will make a lasting impression on your audience.

Birds chirp louder, the sun lingers longer, and colors shine brighter.

Ahhhh . . . spring. There’s nothing like spring to bring pep in the step and joy to the heart. Capitalize on this natural momentum with fun and energetic designs!

Use these ideas to put some color in your next print marketing campaign!

1. St. Patrick’s Day: March 17

If you ever needed an excuse to be silly, St. Patrick’s Day is it.

Make your customers smile by using phrases like these in your sales promos, posters, and more:

“Save some GREEN at our 20% off sale!”

“There’s gold at the end of this rainbow. Subscribe by March 17 to receive a free month of _____.”

“Today is your LUCKY DAY to book!”

“Feeling lucky? Check out our Sham-ROCKIN rewards.”

2. Tax Day or Earth Day: April 15 & 22

Everyone can get on board with saving cash or saving the planet!

Have fun with these holidays by building promotions that help people conserve or celebrate. Playful retailers might pitch a “Use Your Refund” sale, while planet-loving entrepreneurs might try a cause-marketing “give back” strategy.

Here are several phrases to jumpstart your creativity:

“Tax Day got you stressed? We’ve got relief! Enjoy one free _____ on April 15.”

“Taxes done? You deserve a treat! Check out our BOGO ____ from April 15-20.”

“Celebrate Earth Day with naturally effective ______ care.”

“Go GREEN with our eco-friendly _______.”

“LOVE THE PLANET Earth Day Incentive: For every ______ purchased, we’re partnering with _____ to plant one tree.”

3. Spring Sales Events

After a gray or cold winter, people are ready for rejuvenation.

Work this reality into your sales strategies as you accentuate themes like spring cleaning, fresh ideas, warm weather, new opportunities, or new life.

Offer spring sales events and pair them with engaging content like spring-themed quizzes, vibrant visuals, green or floral motifs, or DIY projects linked to your business. Help customers shake the blues with experiential opportunities like workshops, sidewalk displays, contests, and taste-testing opportunities. Find inspiration from the National Days 2024 calendar, then grab a wacky spring theme and run with it!

4. Spring-ify Your Brand

As you sweep out cobwebs from your inventory, add vibrancy to your print marketing.

Brand consistency is essential, but don’t be afraid to color outside the lines sometimes. Swap out a company color, add a flower to the brand logo, or contrast muted backdrops with vibrant spring fonts.

Spring is a season of rejuvenation, renewal, and growth. Position your brand and its offerings as a breath of fresh air in the coming months!

Contact us today to get one or more of these ideas in the hopper for more spring sales!

Humans process unfathomable quantities of information through sight alone.

Consider this crazy statistic: The human brain processes images in just 13 milliseconds, with the eyes shifting gaze three times per second. People can recognize and comprehend dozens of pictures in a fraction of a second!

This pace is something verbal communication could never match. That’s one reason design is sometimes called the “visual language” that shapes our world.

3 Design Principles to Strengthen Your Marketing Materials

If you want to grab attention, evoke emotions, and make complex ideas simple, design is king. Here are three tips for communicating strong ideas in seconds.

1. Differentiate Your Brand

Is your brand chic, silly, sophisticated, classic, or dependable?

A clear identity distinguishes your company and builds confidence in your target customers. Are your marketing pieces connected through cohesive brand elements? If you removed the business name from your designs, could viewers distinguish you from the competition?

Find ideas that encapsulate your brand and communicate this core identity through typography, colors, and images that are streamlined across every medium.

2. Define a Focal Point

Like writers use a hook to grab readers, visual focal points attract viewers and pull them in.

Begin each design with one question: what is the first piece of information I need people to know? Emphasis draws attention to an area or object as the focal point. Whether it’s a bold black headline or a lonely child peering out of a brochure, emphasis is the door through which viewers enter your composition.

Here are three design examples:

Images. The biggest image on a page will naturally command attention, but the most compelling images include faces, flavorful foods, bold geometric patterns, gorgeous nature scenes, and humorous photos.

Colors. Pinks and reds scream for attention, but color contrasts can create powerful focal points too. Brighter colors intensify, and cooler colors recede, so on a dark blue banner, a bright yellow headline will leap forward.

Contrast. Equally weighted objects on a page force competition among them, which confuses readers. Instead, allow for plenty of white space around your focal point. Reduce sizing and color of less important objects or use selective grouping to set key elements apart.

3. Delight Viewers with Perfect (and Imperfect!) Proportions

Proportion helps you group your design into sections using grids or patterns as an anchor.

Whether it’s margins on a page, sidebars on a poster, or pull quotes in a newsletter, proportion communicates importance and helps the brain decode information. When designing from scratch, build a visual map to sketch your basic layout. Here is one helpful margin guide to get you started.

Proportion is rarely noticed until something is out of proportion, so have fun making rules—and then breaking them. Four equal text columns are pleasing, but one narrow column near a graphic splashing across three grids is compelling. An enormous Snickers bar is tantalizing, but a Butterfinger carried by four tiny ants is downright provocative!

Want help making your layouts shine? From design to printing, we’re here to help. Reach out today!

Did you know that as of early 2023, the share of companies’ revenue spent on marketing in the US reached 10.9 percent – a result significantly above the global figure?

Why do companies choose to invest so much of their budget and resources into marketing? Because a strong marketing strategy is essential for a successful business!

Help your business thrive by looking at five areas of marketing strategy that are key to business success.

Pay Attention to These 5 Factors in Your Marketing Strategy

1. Lead Generation

One of the most pertinent roles of marketing within a business is to find leads and work towards hooking them in as new customers.

Collecting qualified leads takes effort, so it’s essential to approach it strategically. Research your competitors and other trends within your field to keep your marketing tactics fresh and exciting for customers. Additionally, use tools to measure the response rate of different marketing products on your customers to determine which ideas resonate the best with them.

2. Customer Retention

Once you’ve successfully converted a lead into a customer, marketing has the power to keep that customer loyal to your company’s products or services. 

To foster lasting relationships with existing customers, focus on strategies like creating unique mail pieces for pre-existing customers, offering discounts on a second purchase, or sending out follow-up emails to make your current customers feel appreciated and noticed.

3. Branding Consistency

Consistency is critical to your branding efforts. 

Creating a style guide is one way to avoid inconsistency within your marketing materials. The guide should include the preferred language style and tone of voice used in the company, the brand’s signature acceptable fonts, certain ways the logo should and should not appear, and more. 

In addition to creating and using a style guide, ample communication between all team members and departments is essential to ensure that the messaging and appearance of your marketing materials are consistent and recognizable to customers. 

4. Strategic Risks

While sticking to proven strategies may feel safe, avoiding calculated risks can stifle growth and innovation in your marketing endeavors.

Embrace a culture of experimentation by exploring new marketing techniques and approaches.

You don’t have to go all in all at once. You can try some moderate risk-taking by researching and monitoring trends in your field, slowly implementing a few new ideas alongside your current strategies, and measuring the results to see which campaigns are most effective. 

5. Employee Retention

Your marketing team’s expertise and knowledge are invaluable assets. However, high employee turnover can disrupt productivity and drain resources.

Prioritize employee retention by offering competitive wages, attractive benefits packages, and opportunities for professional growth. Streamline the training process to minimize disruptions and empower team members to focus on their core responsibilities. You can cultivate a cohesive and effective marketing team by fostering a supportive and nurturing work environment.

With these things in mind, your marketing strategies will flourish and continue to increase the company’s success. Contact our company for more advice and assistance with your marketing needs!

It’s no secret that despite how digitized our world is, direct mail is still a powerful tool that can garner a significant return on investment.

Direct mail has a higher response rate than email. Yet, households in the United States only received, on average, 368 pieces of regular marketing direct mail in 2022.

So, how can you ensure that your company’s direct mail stands out? One way to distinguish your mail and add extra polish is through lamination and coating.

Read on to learn more about the different types of coating that you can use for your mail pieces!

3 Essentials When It Comes to Lamination and Coating

1. Protective Properties

Lamination on direct mail pieces will protect them and increase their durability as they travel through the mail system.

Customers will be less impressed with a mail piece that arrives damaged, scratched, or scuffed. Using lamination is an excellent choice to help protect the mail piece from water damage, sun fading, and wear and tear.

2. Different Types of Coating

It’s important to know that three types of coatings can be used for direct mail: UV, Aqueous, and Varnish.

UV Coatings

UV coatings create one of the most glossy finishes for a mail piece.

UV coating works through the unique process of exposure to ultraviolet light, which causes the coating to dry and harden on the paper. The two challenges to remember for UV coating are that ink will not dry on top of the coating once it has been sealed and that it can crack if the mail piece is folded, like a brochure.

Aqueous Coatings

Aqueous coatings offer a few more options than UV coatings do.

You can select either a high-gloss or matte finish. Aqueous coatings are nearly entirely clear, deriving their name from the water-based formula. This type of coating is also more eco-friendly than other types.

Varnish Coatings

Varnish coatings offer the most options, allowing you to choose between a gloss, satin, or matte finish.

However, similarly to UV coatings, you cannot print additional ink on top of a varnish coating.

3. Timing is Everything

If you choose to laminate some of your print materials, you must factor in extra time for the production process.

The ink on your printed materials will need to dry and cure completely before you can laminate them over the top of the paper.

Additionally, it’s wise to allow the print to rest at room temperature for 24 hours after it has been laminated before moving or mailing the mail pieces to ensure that the lamination is set and will not separate from the paper.

Incorporate some of these lamination and coating tips into your next direct mail campaign, and enjoy the outstanding results that will follow!

Our company is here to help you with all of your direct mail printing needs. Contact us today to get more information!

The adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” still rings true today. Images, or pictures, are crucial for your flyers and brochures.

Whether you are looking to wow, spark interest, create empathy, or make someone chuckle, images are a powerful tool to harness in your marketing venture.

Start today by collaborating with our print marketing specialists to strategize your next golden idea. Local, professional, and personable, our visual marketing expert team will impress and complement your business’s desire to be seen and grow.

Tips for Attention-Grabbing Flyer and Brochure Images

Keep It Simple

There is no need to completely fill your next flyer or brochure with images and text.

Keep things clean and simple so that the most important things stand out.

Stay Relevant

Stick to the main message.

If you are going for one specific theme, stay with it. Do not try to do too much on one flyer or brochure. Relevance with your theme will ensure your message is not lost in translation.

Capture the Mood

Do you want your target audience to feel inspired, amused, or inspired? Choose an image or two that will evoke an emotional response.

Images that include people are great for creating an emotional connection with your audience. Eye contact through portraits connects people to your marketing image, creating a bond that will grow brand recognition and retention.

Balance

Ensure a balance between the images, spacing, white space (also called negative space), and the focal points.

Have you heard of the Rule of Thirds?

The Rule of Thirds is a composition guideline that suggests the ideal placement of an image so that you do not overcrowd your page, which is to have the photo or focal point take up only one-third of the overall page.

Pictures are powerful tools to utilize in your print marketing. Nothing quite captures the human eye or evokes emotions like an image. Choosing your pictures intentionally can make or break your next ad campaign. 

Our team is ready to begin crafting your upcoming print marketing products to ensure everything from flyers to brochures is eye-catching, aligns with your company, and is economical for your budget. Contact us today to get started!