The “U” vs the “C”
We’ve all become very reliant on our computers for concept, ideas, design and communication. But do you use your computer’s software program as an ink palette? Unless you calibrate your computer’s monitor OFTEN, chances are your color choices displayed will not accurately reflect the actual Pantone Matching System colors or the PMS inks from the actual ink cans. So, do you double-check the choices you made on your monitor to the PMS ink colors in your PMS book? And lastly, are you making sure you are using the right PMS book, Coated or Uncoated? Yes, this last point can make a big difference.
Lately, we’ve been seeing PMS inks specified with the “C” (meaning it will look this way on a coated sheet) except that job is printing on uncoated paper. So, compound the color selection on the computer monitor with trying to match a PMS color that is not selected for the correct paper type and disappointment is just around the corner unless the printer happens to catch the error.
If you’re looking for accurate reproduction of a PMS color, remember that ink right out of the PMS can will look different on coated vs. uncoated papers. It helps to take a moment to compare some PMS colors in your different Pantone books. Don’t have PMS books or need a new set? Like the Pinterest Pin, or send an email to info@usseryprinting.com by May 31, 2013 and we will enter your name in a drawing for a new set of coated and uncoated Pantone books.
Go ahead, try it!
By Cathy Lawrimore and Fran Ussery
Print & Online Marketing, Still Go Hand In Hand
If you’re a marketer, or an entrepreneur, chances are you have experience in online advertising through banner ads, blog postings, and keyword-targeted content. All these things are effective and do have their place in your marketing mix. However, don’t leave out one other extremely effective tool at your fingertips—print marketing. While print marketing may not be on the top of your mind, there are many ways to use print marketing to best benefit your company and advance branding efforts. Digital Marketing has its place but looks at some of the ways Print Marketing shines.
Localized Appeal
1. Use Your Local Advantage – With today’s emphasis on supporting local businesses, this is a great time to show that support. Print marketing, using post cards, brochures, posters, flyers, and catalogs gives makes your presence known in your own neighborhood, town or city. Many, if not most consumers like going someplace with a physical storefront. Print marking can sometimes open you up to a whole new demographic.
A Personalized Approach
2. Give Your Customers Personal Attention – Sending your customers and prospects, both old and new, something is the mail, that is personalized, makes them feel special. Remind them how much your appreciate them and let them know of news about you are your business. Don’t go overboard though. Send enough to keep yourself, and your company, Top-Of-Mind but not so much that it comes across as spam. Birthdays, holidays, events are all good reasons to get something out in the mail.
Boldly Go Into New Areas
3. Direct Mail lets you get into areas sometimes impenetrable by digital marketing. Go into brand new markets. You can use Printed Material to introduce yourself in these new markets with techniques that allow you to continue further conversations via digital marketing. So, it is a good idea to think about combining the use of digital and print marketing and get the best of both worlds.
Know What Works Best In Each Situation
You will find companies like Google, Facebook and even LinkedIn using a blend of media to reach out to their clients and new business. Do not shut yourself off into just one or the other.
How The Internet Made The Power Of Printing Measurable
Many harked the demise of the printing industry as the internet became more pervasive in the lives of most Americans. However Ussery Printing, and other savvy printers, have realized that the internet has perhaps saved the printing industry. By combining the targeted precision that printing allows, with the measurable feedback capabilities of the internet, Marketers now can use the advantages that both bring to the table.
Cormac Reynolds recently wrote an article on‘How To Track The ROI Of Print Marketing’ and points out how now it is easier than ever before to track the results of your print campaigns. Here are a few of the suggestions:
Response
A response mechanism can be added to brochures, flyers, posters and other promotional materials.
In-store sales and Phone Orders
Tracking the source of the orders thus allowing you to identify the success rate of each form of off-line marketing medium and the value of each to your business.
This is the simplest to track as users simply fill out the form and send it back, or respond online.
On-site
Users should be given a specified URL on the offline medium and a specific code that they can enter to complete the transaction. Making the source trackable.
QR Codes
Users simply scan the code and then they are linked to a specific landing page dedicated to the offline material and offer. Conversions can then be easily tracked from here on in.
We’ll be happy to discuss these, and other, ways print can have a big impact on the success of your company.
Printing and Social Media…They Actually Like Each Other
Printing and Social Media make a great combination when used together. Each plays off the strength of the other. For instance, mail can still get to very targeted places, whereas internet mediums work extremely well when you need to cast a large net.
Here are 5 very effective ways to blend social media in with your printing and vice versa.
- Use print to drive people to your social media channels. Printing is an excellent way to promote your social channels. Handouts with clickable QR-codes at events or direct mail pieces remind people to find your Social sites.
- Tell the ‘rest of the story’ on social media. Engage your audience with your story using printed media, but then encourage them to go online for further information.
- Promote online content. So you have a blog, eBook, webinar, and other online content? to share this helpful content with your audience. Use printing to promote each of these. Both Google and Facebook regularly send out direct mail to encourage small and medium sized business to use the business side of their platforms.
- Answer back with a nice printed piece. with traditional media. If a customer, or prospective customer takes the time to praise, or even complain about, your company use this as a chance impress them with a nice printed response. This shows that you take their comments, both good or bad, very seriously.
- Drive event participation with offline and online media. We recently held our 10th Chili Cook-off and used postcards, Facebook, Twitter, and Eventbrite to get the word out and handle the RSVPs. Each time we send out postcards we see an almost immediate bump in our Social Media traffic.You may see some printers who take a negative view of anything ‘internet related’ since they may see it as the competition. At Ussery we have embraced technology and see it as one more tool that can help our clients reach their goals.
Contact us for more information.
Sometimes A Mistake Can Be Positive
Years ago, a customer engaged a printing company to help with a small direct mail project. The printer was asked to handle the printing, envelope-stuffing, and mailing. A few weeks later, the printer discovered that an intern had sorted the list incorrectly, resulting in 500 letters being addressed and sent to the wrong businesses. Interestingly, the mailing produced an unusually high response rate. When investigated, it appeared that most letters were opened and read due to the irresistible temptation of reading another company’s mail. Of course there are better ways to get attention. On our Facebook page today we shared a inexpensive box direct mail piece that is a perfect example of something that will grab the recipient’s attention. Oscar Wilde once said, “I can resist everything except temptation.” Contact Ussery Printing to discuss intriguing marketing materials that will be too tempting to resist.Has Marketing Changed?
Many may think they are seeing marketing change right before their eyes. But don’t make the mistake of thinking the essence of marketing has changed. Sure, the ways to communicate have expanded, with Social Media and other channels that have evolved. And businesses now have more information, than ever before, about who their customers are and how they behave. However, the basics of marketing remain the same. Five years ago Adam Gershenbaum came up with this definition of Marketing:
Marketing is learning, anticipating, listening, engaging, contributing, compelling, submersing, innovating, capturing, captivating, motivating, inspiring, responding, adapting, personifying, influencing, converting, conversing, differentiating, through various methods, vehicles and mediums. Marketing is learning, anticipating, listening, engaging, contributing, compelling, submersing, innovating, capturing, captivating, motivating, inspiring, responding, adapting, personifying, influencing, converting, conversing, differentiating, through various methods, vehicles and mediums.
This definition still applies today and probably always will. Use a mix of the best channels to communicate. For instance, Google is a big user of Direct Mail to reach Small and Medium Sized Business owners. This segment does not have time to be online and emails are rarely effective as the initial way to contact them. A unique mail piece can cut through all the barriers and land right in the hands of the specific person you want to reach. After that point you can then followup with other forms of dialog.
Here are 4 tips that Grant A Johnson gives if you make Mail part of your 2013 Integrated Marketing Plan.
1.) It’s still all about the data. If you have a good, accurate list, you are more likely to succeed. If your list is bad, it does not matter how great your communication is—it will fail to resonate and therefore not be relevant. Spend a disproportionate amount of time on your data/lists. It will pay you back handsomely.
2.) Think in terms of niches. Effective direct mail is rarely homogeneous. Thus, you have to vary your copy and design based on the segments that emerge from your database analysis.
3.) Test your offers and messaging. Most marketers ignore this directive, and their results suffer. Remember, direct mail is a copy-driven medium. Copy that the target audiences can relate to will be the most effective.
4.) Evaluate what your competitors are doing and take note. Again, many marketers seem to operate in a vacuum and ignore what is working and what is not from a competitive intelligence vantage point. Understand, to the best of your ability, what differentiates you from your competitors and then exploit your Unique Selling Proposition.
Ussery’s 10th Annual Chili Cook off
Our 10th Annual Chili Cook off will be Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 (click on photo to RSVP)
