Thursday, November 15, 2012

Maximize Your Marketing Dollars with a Wide Selection of Digital Paper


As time goes on, more and more companies are discovering how digital printing can help them build relationships with customers while improving their bottom lines. Now, an expanding selection of digital paper choices allows companies to maximize their marketing dollars even further. Minneapolis digital printing company Matreks Printing offers its clients a large array of digital paper to meet any type of print marketing need.

What Is Digital Paper?

Many companies may not realize that all printing papers are not created equally, and what is a good choice for offset printing is not the best fit for digital printing. Fortunately, paper companies have developed a variety of different paper types that are digitally optimized to meet the demands of any print marketing campaign.

Most digital papers are freesheet papers, meaning that chemicals are used to reduce the wood pulp to fibers. The chemical process creates a stronger and whiter paper than a mechanical grinding process, which leaves impurities in the paper that makes it brittle and gives it a tendency to yellow.

The Importance of Paper Grain in Digital Printing

All paper can be classified as long grain or short grain. In long grain paper, the grain runs along the long side of the paper, while the grain in short grain paper runs along the short side. Since toner may flake off if the paper is folded against the grain, and digital printing uses toner to transfer a digital image to the paper, it is important that printers pay special attention to the grain of the paper they use. Most papers used with printers that use toner are long-grain papers.

Digital Paper Stock, Grade, Weight and Finish

Digital paper may also be classified by stock, grade, weight and finish. Digital paper may be coated stock or uncoated stock. Coated stock has been treated to block the paper’s absorbency and increase its smoothness, while uncoated paper has not. Antique-looking papers or woven-look papers are often uncoated, while coated papers can be matte or glossy.

Digital papers are also classified by their grade, or quality. Digital papers are usually labeled laser, ink-jet or multipurpose. Digital paper weight is also an important consideration. Papers are weighed in pounds per 500 sheets of paper. The thicker the paper is, the higher its weight will be.

Lastly, digital papers may be categorized by their finish. Finish is an aesthetic choice for companies. For example, does the company want its direct mail campaign to be printed on smooth, glossy paper or rough, matte paper? Often, the theme and style of the marketing campaign will determine a company’s finish choice.

The ever-increasing variety of digital paper available to companies can help them maximize their marketing dollars. To learn more about your digital paper choices, call Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.

Friday, November 2, 2012

How Variable Data Printing Can Help Minnesota Companies Increase Clients



Most companies understand the value of direct mail marketing, but many may not realize that there is a way to improve the performance of direct mail and other print marketing campaigns. Variable data printing is reshaping the way companies connect with their businesses. Contact Matreks, your Twin Cities printer, today to see how this type of printing can help you land more customers.

What Is Variable Data Printing?

Variable data printing, or VDP, is a printing technique that allows projects to be highly customizable. With VDP, companies can customize their direct mail messages to each individual recipient rather than create one boilerplate message that is mass-produced and sent to thousands. VDP creates a stronger relationship between company and recipient, increasing the chance that recipients will convert to customers.

There are many ways to design a VDP project. Some jobs may only involve changing text, while graphics remain the same for all recipients. Others may change the text and graphics for each recipient depending on their age, gender and other demographic data. It is also possible to create a template for a direct mail project, like a newsletter, and change the content for each recipient so it is relevant for each individual.

What Types of Projects Can Be Printed Using VDP?

Variable data printing can be used for a variety of projects, including direct mail marketing and general business correspondence. VDP projects can include:

· Brochures
· Newsletters
· Promotional materials
· Catalogs
· Proposals
· Company policies
· Bills and invoices
· Purchase orders

How Does VDP Improve My Bottom Line?


There are several financial benefits gained from using VDP in marketing and other business correspondence. Companies often see a good return-on-investment on VDP marketing projects since personalized marketing can increase sales while reducing the cost of the printing compared to traditional printing techniques. In fact, some experts believe that personalized marketing campaigns like those created with VDP increase revenues and profits 31 percent more than general marketing campaigns.

Variable data printing can be a cost-effective way to increase customer conversion and connect more deeply with existing clients. To find out how variable data printing may benefit your business, call Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.