Friday 31 January 2014

Print IS Better Than Online Marketing

So the debate rumbles on:


Do I promote my business online with Google Adwords, Social media and email marketing?
Or, do I use the tried and tested method of marketing – print?

The answer is fairly simple really – you do whatever works for your business and gives you additional revenue and greater ROI.
So that’s that debate resolved – right? Unfortunately not because too many businesses seem to be going with the “latest trends” to market their business and are forgetting about a medium that has been a success for over 2000 years. Print can add value to your business and aid those other marketing media.
In today’s fast-paced world we all want information at our finger tips, hence the rise electronic gadgetry and smart phones for web browsing. Every time we browse the internet we are bombarded with advertising. Our email inboxes are overflowing with information and adverts – oh yes, and spam!
I don’t know about you, but I generally ignore most online advertising and almost all advertising emails that arrive in my inbox are deleted before I even open them!
But if I receive a printed item through my letter box (even if I know it is an advert for something I don’t want) I at least look at it and read the headline. If it takes me 10 seconds to get to the recycle bin to throw it away, that is 10 seconds longer than the equivalent email.

Print has the power to influence
 
With modern digital printing methods, personalised unique messages promoting the same product or service are easily achieved with the right data and they actually work. But personalisation is not just adding a name and address. If I am selling cars and know that Customer A has shown an interest in Model Y in dark blue then I want to send him the latest brochure showing Model Y in dark blue – not last year’s Model Y in white! 


So, what can be personalised?
 
The answer to that one is simple – EVERYTHING on the printed page!

If I am Customer A and I received a generic email about my Model Y from Dealership 1 and a nicely printed brochure personalised to me with photos of “My Model Y in Dark Blue” from Dealership 2, which one am I more likely to call first?
Social media marketing, email marketing and online advertising have their place and, indeed, cross platform marketing must be considered by marketing managers. But the power of print should never be underestimated and must be utilised!
But don’t just take our word for it – here are the facts:
1. A massive 80% of households read or scan the advertising mail they receive.
2. 39% of customers tried a business for the first time because of direct mail advertising, while 70% of customers renewed a business relationship because of a direct mail promotion.
3. A study showed that direct mail advertising gives businesses a remarkable 13 to 1 return on their investment (“ROI”) and printed catalogues have been shown to provide a 7 to 1 ROI.
4. 60% of consumers surveyed make purchases via printed catalogues at least four times each year.
5. 67% of online searches are driven by offline messages, with 39% ultimately making a purchase. Shoppers who receive a direct mail piece directing them to an online site spend on average 13% more than those who do not receive the printed piece. Printed catalogues associated with online sites have been shown to boost online spending by 28%.

Print can build your brand and influence decision makers. Try to be creative with it and don’t ignore the power of printing.
____________________________________________________
Sources
1. United States Postal Service - Household Diary Study
2. Direct Marketing Association (DMA) / Pitney Bowes Direct Mail Survey
3. DMA, The Power of Direct Marketing, 2008-09
4. Art Technology Group, Cross-Channel Commerce: The Consumer View (2010)
5. Prospect Offline Channel Influence on Online Search Behaviour Study


http://www.print4london.com/print-vs-online-marketing

Tell us what you think?

Print Tip of the Day

When creating a direct mail piece, personalize a couple of areas on the printed piece and watch your response rate rise  

Hash Tags of the Day

#directmailraleigh #telepathicgraphics


Thursday 30 January 2014

What is the future of print? - Neenah Survey

What is the future of print?

On this question, our generally confident audience was less surefooted. As you will see, there are at least four schools of thought reflected in the survey comments. First, print design will continue to prosper because designers are increasingly adept at utilizing print in ways that complement and enhance integrated marketing programs. Second, print’s role will diminish because the technological, cultural and generational digital wave will relegate it to a backwater option. Yet a third school contends that the future of print will be cyclical: print and paper will, periodically, rise and fall, be ignored and rediscovered, be disdained as old-fashion and be revealed anew as fresh and powerful. And a fourth strain of thought: I can’t even decide what to have for lunch, so I’m not going to speculate about 50 years from now! One point clearly has achieved a consensus across the board: in the future, printed pieces will stand out ‒ they’ll be appreciated and valued ‒ because they will be more rare. This will imbue in them heightened potential and power for sophisticated and important messaging that requires emotional connection, authenticity and permanence.

http://www.gdusa.com/issue_2013/may/print_survey_future_print.php

Print Tip of the Day

Try a new type of paper or mix and match complimentary paper types to make your printed piece stand out. Experiment to deliver something unique.

Hash Tag of the Day

#printingraleigh #telepathicgraphics

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Dignity - Hold Your Head Up High

No matter how difficult or obscure things become, always maintain your dignity and self respect. Don't be disappointed by someone else's behavior because in the end you know it's all about them, right, and when it comes right down to it, it's all about me, myself and I. No matter how many times I am surprised whether it be in business or on a personal level, I still believe in the greater good. We are all so inter connected and tied together that all of my success is dependent on your success, so I wish you well my friend, may the best person win, but only by a little.

'When you walk, through a storm, hold your head up high and don't be afraid of the dark', Gerry and the Pacemakers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV5_LQArLa0


Dignity is a term used in moral, ethical, legal, and political discussions to signify that a being has an innate right to be valued and receive ethical treatment. It is an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inalienable rights. Dignity is often used in proscriptive and cautionary ways: for example in politics it is usually used to critique the treatment of oppressed and vulnerable groups and peoples, but it has also been extended to apply to cultures and sub-cultures, religious beliefs and ideals, animals used for food or research, and plants. Dignity also has descriptive meanings pertaining to human worth, although there is no exact or agreed upon definition of this worth. In general, the term has various functions and meanings depending on how the term is used and on the context.
The English word "dignity" comes from Latin dignitas by way of French dignité.[1] In ordinary usage it denotes respect and status, and it is often used to suggest that someone is not receiving a proper degree of respect, or even that they are failing to treat themselves with proper self-respect. There is also a long history of special philosophical use of this term. However, it is rarely defined outright in political, legal, and scientific discussions. International proclamations have thus far left dignity undefined,[2][3] and scientific commentators, such as those arguing against genetic research and algeny, cite dignity as a reason but are ambiguous about its application.

Print Tip of the Day

Small mistakes can be very, very expensive, please proof read like you would drive a brand new car, very carefully

Hash Tag of the Day

#printraleigh #telepathicgraphics 

Monday 27 January 2014

Breaking Print Traditions - One Myth At A Time

The print industry has taken the proverbial beating over the last few years, with the rallying cry of ' Change or Die ' ringing loudly in the ears of some of the most dyed in the wool old fools. A printing press can chug along with band aids and rubber bands for many years and just like an old dog it will get there eventually. One of the greatest myths that has prevailed in recent years is that as long as the cylinders are turning we must be making a profit. Or if the presses don't run, we'll be out of business quicker than you can say, 'how much do you want me to print that for?' Sadly the bargaining power in a buyer's market leads to the print owner to blink first. It is hard enough to find customers in the first place, work with them on specifications and costs, only to find the company down the road will print it for half the cost. As you scratch your head and try to figure out the economics of it you realize there is no profit in that and wish them good luck. As you re-think your whole business strategy and costing model break with another tradition and strike down the myth that the customer is always right and if they need to buy it below cost, that will be a problem going forward. As you negotiate your next contract read the fine print, most buying entities now have a sustainability clause, that allows for you to maintain a healthy profit. I use the analergy of a customer going into Walmart or the Post Office and negotiating the price on every item they buy. When you give a customer the postage price on a mailer they do not argue, when you give them the price to print, they say 'how much'? Think about why this is, for years printers tried to up charge for everything, the buying market got wise and now what ever price you set is too much. Set your prices in the low to medium range and build a trust with your customer base, the more consistent you are, the more loyal your customers will be. People still have a personal relationship with their printers, it is a matter of trust and oh, you could throw in some honesty as well

Print Tip of the Day

When designing a direct mail piece the Post Office now have on line resources to guide you, they also have human beings and classes to help. Yes, real human beings.

Hash Tags of the Day

#directmailraleigh #telepathicgraphics

Thursday 23 January 2014

7 Reasons Why Print Is Critical To Your Marketing Mix

7 Reasons Why Print Is Critical To Your Marketing Mix

Putting the media mix together  
There are lot's of ways to get your message to your customers, be it email, advertising, social media, video, etc. But as consumers are assaulted with more and more digital advertising and marketing mediums companies are seeing better results through print media.  All companies must walk a fine line of making sure that their media mix incorporates both print and digital, but in our digitally dominated world more companies are finding that consumers are responding more to their print advertising - ultimately resulting in more sales. Here are some interesting things for your business to consider as you plan for your upcoming marketing strategies. 

1.) Feel the difference
There are as many benefits to print as pages in a magazine. Perhaps the most important is tangibility. With all good publications there's a feeling of substance, of stimulating the senses. New studies indicate that hapatics or tactile sensory marketing is one of the most important and under utilized ways to effectively reach customers. Among the reasons why many people prefer print is to do with the feel of the paper, the way they can fold a leaflet, or cut out and keep vouchers for easy use. The quality of the paper and the high image resolution also play their part, as well as the ability to be put down and picked up again easily. Reading print demands the full attention of the reader and provides the means to escape today's 'always-on' culture. The lack of distractions when reading print allows the reader to focus fully on the editorial and advertising content, the ultimate print moment coming when the reader is fully engrossed in a substantial article in a newspaper or magazine. Let's not overlook the power of direct mail, postcards, flyers, newsletters and brochures either. These are important take-away pieces that consumers tend to hold onto, as opposed to online digital marketing where just hitting the "Delete" button on email is much more common.

2.) Add print, add power
In many ways, print is the ideal marketing medium. It's available in both large and small numbers, can be accessed easily, is engaging, versatile and creative. Each type of print media has its own unique quality and role in their readers' lives. For newspapers, they become part of their readers' day as they educate and inform with credibility and trust, while consumer and customer magazines create engagement through entertaining content. Direct mail uses its ability to gain access to people's homes and lives to deliver a targeted sales message, while door drops have an enviable reach and ROI. Finally, catalogues provide inspiration for customers before leading them online to make the purchase. On their own, each channel fulfils a vital marketing role. When combined with other media, they are a highly effective force for any campaign, for any brand.

3.) Making the connection
The key to successful marketing is engagement, drawing your customer in through attention grabbing content before rewarding them with a worthwhile offer or service. Print media works because it understands the needs of the customer. By picking up the print medium, they're investing time and attention, actively seeking entertainment and information rather than allowing it to wash over them. Print media offers a host of content areas: news, information, education, inspiration, special offers and entertainment, all of which generate engagement between the reader and the advertised brands. Whether it's a retailer in a door-drop leaflet, an art auction in a catalogue, spring fashion in a consumer magazine, a car advertisement in a newspaper, or an article about energy savings in a customer magazine, all branded content is print-appropriate and gives a boost to any campaign.

4.) The concentration gap
Recent neurological research has identified differences in ways people process information presented in print and on screen. These studies have found that readers of print maintain their capacity to read longer articles since the reading situation doesn't offer so many distractions. This capacity - called deep reading - also cultivates deep thinking. On the digital side, it's also argued that people who read a lot of online material become used to bite-sized pieces of information and are distracted easily, losing the capacity to focus for a long period on a single subject.

5.) Building the relationship
Print media has a close relationship with its readers. Indeed, print is often called the 'me-medium', as it can become an integral part of its reader's world. But this relationship extends beyond the initial read-through. Because print is easily put down and picked up, it sticks around in the household or workplace, read again and again by others that come across it. People also have certain reading rituals, so they will return to a publication a number of times to take in all the information it has, information that's both authoritative and reliable. Whether lean-back or lean-forward, print has the capability to build a relationship with the reader because of its content. This content is planned and created by experiencededitors, who provide information and features that are both relevant and interesting for readers.

6.) Mass and one-to-one contact
Print media exists in many forms: from mass media (hundreds to millions of copies) to one-to-one (the personalized version). Modern digital presses offer marketers, media and advertising professionals the ability to print entire publications based on the profile and needs of their consumers. The ability to personalize print collateral also adds to the effectiveness of the medium as consumers prefer a tailor-made approach to the generic. Such flexibility and adaptability allows the marketer and brand owner to choose exactly the right print media for their brand.

7.) Media-mix integration
An effective marketing campaign works best when print is used with other media as one element of an integrated solution. Adding magazines to a mix of TV and internet increases brand favorability by 44% and purchase intention by 15%. (Dynamic Logic, 2009). The combination of online and newspapers also increases effectiveness, with brand engagement 26% higher than using just print or online (FT, 2011). Print media can now offer quick and simple ways to access digital content using 'bridging technologies' such as QR codes, Augmented Reality and near-field communication. These innovations form a bridge between print media and a brand's online space, inviting consumer reaction, feedback and purchase, all via a Smartphone. Such innovations increase the effectiveness of print media, as well as enhancing the consumer experience. Newspapers are still the number one medium for shaping public opinion. Their credibility, knowledge, values and information-gathering skills remain a formidable force on the high street, and with titles now separated into sections with more lifestyle content, their potential for brands has increased further - online and offline. 

Print marketing gives you the opportunity to "touch" your clients in ways you may not have thought about before. So as you develop your marketing campaign for the year, remember to incorporate print into your mix!

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Telepathic Graphics offers solutions for all of your print, large format, mailing, creative and promotional product needs. Contact us today to see how we can help you.


(919) 342-4603

Wednesday 22 January 2014

The Great Mistakes

History is littered with Great Mistake refugees, hindsight is always 20/20. In the heat of the moment and you have seconds or minutes to choose a path, that will have a great impact on your customers and employees, you have to make a decision, right or wrong, because you are the owner or the boss, you are live, people are watching you, you can't take it back, the proverbial camera is rolling, events have conspired against you, your back up plan failed, what would you do? You procrastinated long enough hoping for some clarity, you made previous decisions based on the best information you had, some information was true, some was a lie, shame on you for trusting those around you, they let you down. Now it's on your plate, firmly, the customer, the employees, the shareholders, the bank want answers, the rubber is well and truly meeting the road. The software did not perform, the shipment did not make it on time, the employees want to be paid, the vendors and the bank are screaming, your livelihood is on the line, you can feel the sweat beading on the back of your neck and boom there it is, clear as day, a three legged dog passes by the front of the office, doing the best that it can, just being a dog, like it didn't know it was supposed to have 4 legs. Happy to participate in anything that's going on around it, just wants to be. Some things just are and we find a way, some beds we make for ourselves, in perspective, we compound great mistakes, and when it's all over, we look back and wonder, how the hell did that happen?

Print Tip of the Day

If it does not look good on your screen when you design it, there is no magic fairy dust that's going to help it from that point on.

Hash Tag of the Day

#printraleigh #telepathicgraphics

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Pipe in the Laughing Gas

Here we go again! Number 1 buys Number 2. The print industry is bracing itself for another round of competition as the big boys start to flex their muscles. The lean manufacturing guys are salivating at the chance to flex their Sigma 6 muscles and relieve the remainder of the humor from the last human emotion left on the shop floor. Don't get me wrong, I think there is a tremendous need to be efficient and be profitable, but is the human cost becoming too high? After recently touring a large shop in Chicago, America's print home, I was surprised at the lack of self depreciating humor that usually accompanies a visit. A little bit of mischief, a prank or even a smile would be more welcoming than the Void. Is it fatigue? Is it stress? Or just the amount of details the average print worker has to process? Or were they just clones from FutureWorld, one of the worst movies ever made, there's a couple of hours I will never get back. I feel for the folks on the shop floor, change is very difficult, but change and fear even more so. Be very afraid! Seriously though, as we create new types of jobs in manufacturing, we want the reliability of a robot without the drama of a human being. As we create these new efficiencies, oh and they are coming, do we need to pipe in the laughing gas? Will we be able to retain our sense of humor, as we deskill the task at hand and become shepherds and custodians of the machine? There is something very soothing in repetitive, manual work, it gives you good muscle tone and a sense of pride. Job done! As my old Auntie used to say, 'I don't know what I am laughing at but it was funny' Somebody pipe in the laughing gas...................

Print Tip of the Day

Imagine your design in multiple formats, whether it be web, print or banner, before you commit to it. It is much easier to be proactive, instead of reactive.

Hash Tag of the Day

#printraleigh #telepathicgraphics

Friday 17 January 2014

Fortunes Are Waiting For You

If you look at the quality of your daily interactions, whether it be with family, friends or those with a common interest [ work ], you have a fortune sitting in your hands. You have an opportunity with a little bit of humor, to make a small difference in everyone lives. Considering you spend one third of your life with people you work with, how much effort would it take to make their job a little easier, be a little more supportive, a little more humorous, a little less jealous. The isolating environs we now allow ourselves to be put into, headphones, closed offices, or making it known you are not approachable has a knock on effect and almost feeds on itself. If you recognize yourself here you might be missing out on a richness, an opportunity to change your fortunes, to free your mind to do some fantastic or very ordinary things, that will enhance the quality of your life. Imagine being relaxed and in tune with the people you spend the vast majority of your time with. It is a struggle, you do not have to crush your competition, be competitive but be aware of the effect you are having on those around you. It is a skill, develop it, nurture it and reap the fortunes that are waiting for you. Happy Friday.

Print Tip of the Day

Spell check is a free tool in all software programs, please use it, then read what you have written to see if it makes sense.

Hash Tag of the Day

#directmailraleigh #telepathicgraphics

Thursday 16 January 2014

The Ghosts Return

The are times when I feel like I am watching a movie, where I know all the characters intimately, because I have seen the movie at least ten times, either at the movies, on an airplane or as a re-run during an afternoon nap. What surprises me the most is I am willing the characters to do something different, even though I know they won't. In the last couple of years, I have seen a cast of characters who left the printing industry, some through age, some through health and some through circumstances beyond their control. Even after almost 30 years of the Print Industry, I must admit I am still fascinated by the daily grind and repetitiveness of the process, I find it almost soothing. I also enjoy the people who almost have a unique sense of humor that is hard to find in other industries, something will make you laugh from left field, everyday. The rumor mill is my favorite, The Gossip, like old ladies hanging out their laundry. Thanks to Mark Twain we have a phrase that suits the situation, rumors of my demise [ death ] have been greatly exaggerated. I will be here for a while. I take my hat off to all those who have left the industry and were rewarded handsomely. I welcome back all those who have returned in recent years, for another round of punishment and also those who are thinking about it. Like watching the movie re-run, I wish the ending was going to be something different, but I know it's not going to be!

Print Tip of the Day

Focus on the quality of your design and be critical and objective before you let someone else see it, they will let you know soon enough

Hash Tag of the Day

#theghostsreturn #printraleigh #telepathicgraphics

Thursday 9 January 2014

The Art Of A Party

The human need to gather, whether it be in a pub, stadium, church, community center or round at someone's house, has been part of the fabric of life for as long as anyone can remember. The isolation of electronic devices has given new impetus for the need to be around other human beings. On line communities are a great way to interact with other people's minds and through mobile devices, it has taken the awkwardness out of travel, coffee shops and folks who are obviously alone or lonely. The need to celebrate together is more important than ever, as social skills are diminishing quicker than a My Space stock [ good recovery, by the way ] and the idea of what makes the world go round, is going to change any time soon. The more disconnected people are becoming through their mobile devices from the people around them, the more connected they are becoming through supply chains, food chains and need chains. I want it my way and I want it now, is a slick marketing trick that has woven it's way into the next generations mindset. You are in my space, is a common theme that permeates, with a delusional set of circumstances, that have no bearing on reality. Somebody still has to do the jobs that no one else wants to do, to facilitate the pristine world in which we are becoming very accustomed to. Only when natural disasters or plane crashes occur do we get a sense that the world is a much tougher place than what we live in on a day to day basis. The Art of the Party is to gather as many people from all walks of life, cultures, races and celebrate the hell out of the fact that we are all different, but so inter dependent and connected in the strangest type of way. Cheers!

Print Tip of the Day

If you can not afford to do a complex, multi part job with specialty papers, coatings and finishing, do not design it that way, Get a print specialist involved from the beginning.

Hash Tags of the Day

#postersraleigh #posterschapelhill #postersdurham #telepathicgraphics

Wednesday 8 January 2014

One to One - Time is Free

The irony of technology is that, it is more efficient, and in theory should give you more time to pay attention to the things that matter to your customers. The ease a which we can now move huge amounts of data, on a razor thin deadline and the technology does not complain one bit and the reliability in most cases is staggering. As you begin to take the technology for granted, I wonder how much that spills over to how you treat your customers, and if they held you to the same standard as the technology, could you perform at that level, day in and day out without complaint? I think not. Take a few minutes in this New Year to focus on the person and re-engage on a one to one basis, see if you recognize the area where technology is giving you an uncompetitive advantage. The nameless, the faceless, the interpretation of the toneless email, are they happy, upset or just indifferent? A phone call may seem like an invasion of privacy these days but you may discover that a human touch and the appearance of only having time available for them, may win you a new customer base, solidify the existing customer base and spread a viral message that you do indeed have time to make it personal. Behind all great systems, are great people and for the most part they want to do a good job and satisfy the needs of their customers, but also remember that humans will blame technology for their own failings, the technology documents, does not lie, and does not hide stuff. You have to look behind the curtain and remember that human beings have a great ability to fail but they also have an enormous capacity to do great things with feelings and if you make it personal, you will be disappointed from time to time but for the most part you will feel fabulous and that somebody really, really cares. Time is free, use it wisely.

Print Tip of the Day


When selecting a font, use one that is stylish and conveys your message, make sure you can read it when it comes to the fine print!

Hash Tags of the Day

#bannersraleigh #bannersdurham #bannerschapelhill #telepathicgraphics

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Pride - Got To Love It

If you have ever worked with someone who takes pride in their job and wants to be the best at what they do and inspire those around them, serve their customers and those who help them, give them a pat on the back. You often hear these days that the American worker has lost their way and really does not care about any of the things that made a country, although that may have been true over the last 10 years, I can certainly feel the winds of change coming. The fightback is on and the sense of urgency to compete once again, locally, nationally and around the world, but I also feel this is happening in a more community based, sustainable way. Rising ships have always had better outcomes than trying to crush the competition. Your neighbors are also your customers! The level of innovation and the speed at which it's coming is refreshing, providing hope that we may have a model that takes out the bubbles, where a few benefit and everyone else ends up paying for it for years to come. Please be vigilant, the reckless are always hovering, waiting to profit and take advantage. Sustainable capitalism may sound like an oxy moron but after a few more ambulance chasing lawyers shake down some of our more brutal corporations, I think we may get more into balance. So take a look around you this morning and admire those who have regained their sense of pride, and encourage those who are still wavering. Could it be possible that we are on the verge of sustainable growth or will we shoot ourselves in the foot again. Got to love it!

Print Tip of the Day

Color palettes are made to keep things in balance, if you use them wisely, you can have stunning without being tacky.

Hash Tags of the Day

#digitalprintingraleigh #digitalprintingdurham #digitalprintingchapelhill #telepathicgraphics

Monday 6 January 2014

Automation - Enhancing Your Work Life

The amount of time spent finding news ways of doing things these days, almost outweighs the doing itself. I will almost take it as a compliment, which I will clarify later,  as we started trying automate the oldest and most skilled part of our workforce - The Bindery. They do a variety of jobs, including,  die cutting, punching, scoring, creasing, folding, counting of all the printed products we offer. The skepticism ran high as we brought in a few new pieces of equipment. We trained them extensively and gave them plenty of time to play with the buttons and figure out what all the new machines could do. We did not offer them a copy of Who Moved My Cheese but we alerted them a couple of months in advance that change was coming and to be fair they are pretty used to things changing on a regular basis, because we are always trying to improve. There was plenty of head scratching and the customary thumb and forefinger on the chin as the trainer put the new machines through it's paces, he came back for several days until everyone was comfortable in their understanding of what all the machines should be able to do on a regular basis. They also felt comfortable enough to show a few others what it could do as if to say I got it and it's going to work. Change is hard, new technology is difficult for an older generation, but if you give them time and be patient, you can get some old dogs to do new tricks and almost get a wry smile from them. I guess the biggest compliment you can get as an owner is when one of your dyed in the wool employees stand back for a minute, when you ask them what they think and their response is : That's pretty good, well I guess you are getting somewhere

Print Tip of the Day

If you need it on a hard deadline, please plan the job a little earlier, all printers are willing to pull you out of a jam, once in a while, but the serial deadliners are just not as well organized

Hash Tags of the Day

#printraleigh #postersdurham #directmailchapelhill #telepathicgraphics

Friday 3 January 2014

Print What You Need

With a little bit of foresight and understanding scale you can cut your print budget significantly, while increasing the effectiveness of your effort to attract the right people to your organization or cause. As an example of this, say you are inviting or targeting 300 people to a particular event or trade show, you would begin by creating a direct mail piece that would work both physically and electronically. Your printed dollars would go toward the folks you absolutely want to be there, while your electronic dollars would be spent on the maybes or maybe not. Your information packet, whether it be in brochure form or booklet form would flow from the overall design concept, as well as the banners, signage and directional information at the event or trade show. The question then becomes how many to print and understanding the digital on demand parameters, that over the years, have expanded greatly. Designing something to scale with enough resolution is still challenging to some but the quality of the file submission has increased greatly, now is the time to understand it's value and where to put your design dollars. Most print files will flow to the web, and look stunning as the web requires a minimum of 72 dpi, print requires a minimum of 300 dpi. A good designer should be able to create vector based files that are scalable and kb small, these make it easy to email and transport electronically. So if you have 300 people attending, on average, about 2/3 will want a printed version of the promotional material, with 1/3 opting for the electronic version, imagine how smart you will look by printing the right amount and having a small enough file to email to your potential clients.

Print Tip of the Day

Creating vector based art will solve a lot of transport and resolution based problems. It takes a little more planning and patience but the results can be stunning

Hash Tags of the Day

#directmailraleigh #directmaildurham #directmailchapelhill #telepathicgraphics

Thursday 2 January 2014

Optimistic

Starting off a new year can be challenging for many, new resolutions and reflections can often lead to a sense of optimism that historically fades by the 7th week. The gyms start to empty out, fast food places start to fill up again and the joggers trade in their running shoes for a spot on the couch. Many have asked over the years why New Year's Day is such a big deal, I think the answer is fairly obvious, that everyone needs a marker or a checkpoint to figure out where you are at. Everyone enjoys the holidays, bar a few, and it is a time to reflect, energize and commit to changing a few things in your life. I think after a few years of trying to change many things, I concentrate on one or two and have a good sense of accomplishment if I can muster the energy and the will to stick with it. One thing I have always found about new year is the sense of optimism that prevails in all cultures and countries around the world, as the fireworks fade, the energy level seems to increase for a few weeks and there seems to be a endless barrel of hope. As people begin to filter back to work, let's see if we can harness some of that positive energy and really make a difference in our own, but more importantly other people's lives.

Print Tip of the Day

When designing with pms colors, pick the ones that convert in 4 color process, well, this will save you money when you want a short run digital job

Hash Tags of the Day

#printraleigh #printdurham #printchapelhill #telepathicgraphics