Printhink Blog

Marketing specialists are not short on tips for boosting direct mail response rates. A quick online search turns up such ideas as effective copywriting, targeted or one-to-one marketing, data mining, list management and so on. While these are valuable ideas, marketers tend to give short shrift to the physical aspects of the printed piece itself. One especially underutilized technique is the creative use of postpress or finishing options to add additional decorative enhancements to a printed piece. Think of finishing as the icing on the cake.

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You may not have thought much about grades since you left school and your quest for that elusive "A." But it pays to think about grades when you are selecting paper for a project. The grade of paper you select affects how the ink appears in your printed piece. Paper grade actually is a general term that depends on context. It may refer to the category, class, rating, or finish of the paper.

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What goes up must come down. Like everything else, the economy is cyclical, but no matter what the current economic conditions might be, it’s important to keep marketing your business. In fact, a little glimpse at history shows that even during the Great Depression, some companies thrived. While other companies were cutting spending, a few businesses, such as Camel and Chevrolet took the opportunity to use aggressive marketing tactics to grab market share from their competitors. It’s proof that the key to long-term success in any economy is to get in front of your target audience and stay there.

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Whether you’re creating flyers, brochures, or direct mail, at some point, you’ll need to fold something. When you do, it’s easy to default to the basic half-fold or letter fold, but customers see those folds all the time. They don’t stand out. Why go vanilla? Spice it up with some unusual folds that spark interest and make people want to reach out and handle the piece.

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Technology is cool. It opens up a whole new world of marketing opportunities—email blasts, pURLs, PDA pushdowns, RSS feeds, tweets. But what happens to your message when the BlackBerry battery is drained, or your format isn’t compatible with your prospect’s device?

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Critics say corporate brochures are glossy, brag-and-boast budget suckers that virtually no one reads. Under the old rules of corporate brochure design, that was often true. Today, however, the corporate brochure has evolved from a stand-alone, one-way promotional piece into an integrated, interactive conversation starter.

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When you look through paper samples, one of the first things you probably notice is whether the sample is coated or uncoated. Coated papers feel smooth to the touch because they have a coating of clay and other substances. This coating causes the paper to reflect light more and absorb ink less than uncoated papers.

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Marketers who are thinking of digital production only in terms of production are missing tremendous opportunities. Do you think of digital printing as an output technology or a marketing model? This is an important question, especially in today’s challenging business environment— because it’s both. If you don’t think of digital printing this way, maybe you need to rethink digital print.

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Are you planning a redesign of your marketing collateral in the near future? How about your statements and invoices? If so, this is a perfect opportunity to incorporate new elements, such as customization, segmentation and 1:1 personalization to increase the effectiveness of these documents. You’ll also gain other bottom-line benefits, such as increasing customer loyalty, reducing calls to calls centers and speeding up payments.

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If you’re noticing that your competitors seem to be producing more print and marketing materials than they used to be, you’re probably right. According to Target Marketing's 2011 Annual Media Usage Forecast survey, marketers’ budgets have stabilized and they are starting to spend again. That means they’re updating marketing collateral, adding QR codes to posters and displays, printing more sell sheets, and ramping up their volume of direct mail. How will you respond?

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Because tailor-made marketing messages are on the cutting edge

More and more, we are hearing about 1:1 printing or “print personalization” (using printed pieces, often with four-color text and graphics, to talk directly to recipients based on name, gender, past purchase history or other information) to achieve higher response rates and better return on investment (ROI).

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In the graphic arts, the color “black” isn’t quite so black-and-white, and being unaware of the “shades of black” can lead to printing problems.

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The topic of colour seems simple until you find yourself in charge of a print campaign with thousands of Pantone colours to choose from. That’s when you realize that colour selection requires specific knowledge, context, and imagination.

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Are you leaving opportunity on the table? There are many inexpensive finishing techniques that can set your projects apart. Use them to make people want to pick up the piece. Create a lasting brand image. Really make a powerful first impression.

For example, instead of tucking product cards into a traditional envelope, why not try a folded die-cut self-mailer instead? In a plain white envelope, your open house invitation might easily be overlooked. But send a die-cut mailer in the shape of an automobile or piece of sporting equipment and you are pretty much guaranteed it will get opened. Or want to make photos really pop? Try spot varnish over the photos with a dull varnish everywhere else. Suddenly, the photos leap off the page!

Here are some great finishing techniques that can really make a difference.

UV coating. A high-gloss, very protective finish that creates a lot of pop and durability.

Soft-touch aqueous coating. A fast drying, water-based coating that has a soft, velvety feel that people notice immediately. You’ll see them saying, “Oh, wow!” and turning the piece over and over because it’s so pleasant to the touch. Use it to draw customers into a clothing catalog, coffee table book, or children’s book. Anything where physical touch increases the appeal.

Spot coating. Coat or varnish only to specific areas of the piece. You might highlight the logo or add gloss to photos. A new technique called strike-through coating allows you to create the look of spot coating with an inline process without the expense of additional plates and blankets.

Embossing. Embossing uses heat and pressure to create a raised impression on the paper. (Think “notarizing.”) People tend to associate embossing with highvalue documents, so you might want to use this technique to convey the idea of quality and permanence. Emboss on plain paper (blind embossing) or combine it with ink, images, or foil for an extra special effect.

Foil stamping. The process of applying decorative foil to the paper to create brilliant metallic effects not possible with ink. Foil stamping can be combined with embossing to create a more striking three-dimensional image. Try embossing on book and report covers, branded documents, even logos.

Die-cutting. Use die-cuts to create unusual shapes, windows, and crazy foldouts. Instead of sending the same old, same old mailer, create jagged edges, peep doors, accordion-style pulls. Give them something that really stands out.

Thermography. Produces an engravinglike effect using powder and ink. The powder is added to the ink printed on the paper, then the printed piece is heated and the powder/ink mixture dries to form a raised effect. Use it on invitations, business cards, and letterhead. Combine it with a die-cut to invite people to an open house or booth at your trade show.

Adding these little effects can make your piece really stand out and be remembered. They make recipients say “Wow!” They make them want to pick up the piece and interact with it. It doesn’t cost that much more to have an impact. Let us help you get creative!

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When you design a piece that will be printed in colour, you have to make decisions on the colours to use. Rather than just selecting the first colour swatch your mouse happens to click upon, it pays to think about the impact your colour choices have on the end product. According to the Institute for Color Research, “all human beings make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment or item within 90 seconds of initial viewing and between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on colour alone.” Clearly, the impact of the colours you select is considerable so you want to put some thought into your choices.

Unfortunately, people’s perceptions of colour vary and their views on colours are quite subjective. However, some factors are reasonably consistent. For example, if you’ve ever walked into a Target store and heard children screaming, consider all those red walls. Red is a strong, bold colour that is energizing. (The kids in Target are certainly wound up in any case.)

Although red might not be the greatest choice for store walls, it can be effective in marketing materials because it adds a lot of punch. When it comes to your printed pieces, the addition of a bold, exciting colour can be a good thing because it gets noticed.

The old saw that says “a picture is worth a thousands words” applies to colour. The addition of colour makes an impression on people. Studies have shown that people read and remember colour ads more than black-and-white ones because the colour holds their attention longer.

Because colours appear in nature, many times you can evoke a mood or idea just with colour. For example, blue appears in the sea and sky making it a good choice for anything having to do with water or air, such as a logo for an air conditioning, airline or aquatic company. In much the same way, because green is associated with nature and plants, you might use it for projects having to do with landscaping, nutrition or ecology.

Be sure to consider your colour choices in the context of the other colours in your marketing materials. At the most basic level, black text on a white piece of paper is always going to have the highest contrast. White text on a black background can be somewhat more difficult to read, but still has a lot of contrast. The situation gets much more complicated when you add colour into the equation because a colour can look completely different, depending the colours near it.

For example, if you place red on a black background, it appears brighter and larger than it does on a white background. If you place red on a reddish or orangey background, that same brilliant red can fade out. And if you place the red on the wrong background, such as blue, it can almost appear to vibrate.

In your printed materials, it’s a good idea to use colour to direct the reader’s eye to the most important areas of the page. More is not necessarily better when it comes to colour. The old adage holds true that when you try to emphasize everything, often you emphasize nothing. A brochure is supposed to be read, therefore you should use colour judiciously as a tool to help the reader comprehend your message.

A whole rainbow of colours is available to you. With a little common sense, it’s easy to use colour effectively to enhance your marketing materials. Choose your colours wisely and you’ll be rewarded with powerful brochures and collateral materials that get your ideas across.

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Communicate your needs in advance and achieve low-cost, high-return print marketing.

You can achieve great results with a smaller investment when your print marketing campaign is smart and well crafted.

Take time to communicate with us about the obvious issues, like your budget and deadlines; but also explain the more interpretive elements so we can discuss any challenges we foresee in giving you the effect you want. By understanding the scope of your campaign from the outset, we can incorporate creative and resourceful strategies to save you money at every stage of your printing project.

If you and your account representative have communicated your choices from the very beginning of your project, your print job will be uneventful once it hits the pressroom. Trust us to use our expertise to solve any last minute issues. We are committed to delivering your high impact marketing pieces on time and within your budget.

Combine your jobs
One common money-saving technique is to gang your print jobs. By placing many projects on the same sheet, or piggybacking on an unused portion of a sheet, we can reduce manpower, plates and prep time. This also results in reduced paper waste, which is important because paper can account for 30%–50% of your printing costs.

Paper expenses can be reduced even further, if you . . .

• Reduce the size and number of pages. By slicing a little off each side of the page, you not only save paper costs, but the change in dimensions may also lower your mailing costs.
• Use thinner paper. Changing the weight of the paper can save 10%–15% of your paper costs. For important documents, use a heavier cover to create the look and feel you want, but use a more affordable paper inside.
• Make subtle changes to brightness. Generally speaking, the brighter the paper, the better the contrast between the paper and ink—and the higher the cost. But few people will notice a slight change in the brightness of your paper, especially if it’s mostly covered with ink.
• Consider coloured papers instead of bleeds. If you need color at the edge of the page, you may be able to create the effect you want less expensively with coloured paper instead of ink.
• Opt for the house paper. Paper prices fluctuate often, but you can save time and money by using papers we purchase in high volume. Ask us for samples.

Think less ink
Inks present another savings opportunity. The more colours you use in traditional offset printing, the higher your cost will be. If you choose to print in full colour, choose four-colour process versus full-colour plus specific PMS colours. Unless you must preserve the integrity of a colour for branding purposes (think McDonald’s yellow or Tiffany blue), convert your PMS colours to their CMYK equivalents.

Eliminate changes
Changes become more expensive the further along you are in the print job. Everyone who needs to approve your files should do so before you submit them for printing. Make sure your copy has been proofread multiple times. Confirm that you’ve prepared your digital files properly, keeping in mind that the resolution of digital files varies greatly. What you provide to us to start with has the greatest impact on what you’ll get back.

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The marketing arena is changing thanks to the advent of electronic communications, social media, email and all the other fantastic new technology that we have access to. We're great believers in using new technology here at Printhink, however we also focus on print for a reason - actually, at least 10 reasons. Here's 10 reasons why we think that print should still be a core component of your marketing success:

 

1. Print Gets Delivered

Studies have shown that even requested e-mail marketing is not delivered as much as one-fourth of the time by ISPs’ spamblocking filters. Yet the Post Office—so called “snail mail”—boasts 99% deliverability. Imagine: the marketing campaigns you have worked so hard on can actually be delivered!

 

2. Print Can Generate Higher ROI

Studies conducted by the Direct Marketing Association and the Wharton Economic Forecasting Associates have found that advertisers spend $167 per person on direct mail marketing and sell $2,095 worth of goods per person. That’s an ROI of 13 to 1. And an RIT study found that 67% of respondents said they liked receiving printed mail about products from companies with whom they do business.

 

3. Print Drives Other Media

Studies have repeatedly found that customers who receive a printed catalog from a given retailer are nearly twice as likely to go to that retailer’s Web site and make a purchase. Print’s role in “multichannel marketing” is a crucial one.

4. Print Is Credible

Print takes time, skill and money to produce. This imparts a sense of importance and credibility to printed messages that electronic media lack. Anyone with a computer can send e-mail; it takes effort to produce a print mailing.

 

5. Print Is User-Friendly

No one has ever received an error message trying to read a catalog. No one has ever needed to consult a help file to figure out how to use a postcard. Print is the ultimate in user-friendliness.

 

6. Print Is Permanent

Batteries die, computer screens go black, e-mail gets deleted and disk drives fail. Electronic files are ephemeral, but print endures.

 

7. Print Is Portable

No one needs a special device or application to use print. Print never suffers from file or platform incompatibility. Flyers, catalogs and brochures are the ultimate in “grab and go” and can be consumed anywhere at any time. And when the power goes out, print will still work.

 

8. Print Respects Privacy

Print never interrupts someone’s dinner. “Do not call” lists have reduced the effectiveness of telemarketing, and government regulations have made “cold e-mailing” difficult. Print is the perfect medium to open the door to other media, introducing a potential caller or e-mailer. Customers can specify the best time to call, or indicate that they don’t mind receiving e-mail. This “respect for the customer” leads to a more meaningful relationship—and a sale.

 

9. Print Is Personal

Customized publications and personalized printing can give customers exactly what they’re looking for. Research has found that 66% of people surveyed read custom publications and 80% agree that custom publications contain “useful information.” And the average response rate for customized color direct mail campaigns is 21%, rising to a high of 75%. Customized, personalized printing is not just for digital presses either. Offset printing is often used to produce effective and higher quality, customized materials.

 

10. Print Is Pretty

The beauty of print has never been in doubt. At heart, printers are craftsmen, and advances in software, presses, inks and substrates, and printers’ skills have made printed materials even more attractive, appealing and effective. High-quality imagery and typography and special effects enhance the beauty of print, which in turn enhances the customer’s message.

 

These are 10 compelling reasons, but the 11th and most important reason is simply that print works.

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Check out this great idea: A Print Handbook for Designers.

While I'm sure that there's many other guidebooks out there that publish similar material, we don't think that many would do it with such pizazz in a stylish and classy exterior. While it's EU focused (written in Great Britain - hey, that rhymes!) there seem to be a bunch of useful little tips that it takes many folks years to pick up on, such as:

• Rich blacks and when to use them
• Skin tones
• Glyphs (not those used by Egyptians)

...and a bunch more I can't be bothered typing.

We think it's cool. Check it out: a print handbook for designers. Only $10 delivered!

(via Design Crush)

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