Monday, July 15, 2013

Why You Need Digital Printing for Your Next Direct Mail Campaign


Digital printing is a natural fit for most direct mail campaigns. With highly customizable and efficient digital printing, Twin Cities companies can complete their marketing projects quickly and digital printing is an excellent fit for your next direct mail campaign.

Variable Data Printing

One of the most impressive advantages digital printing has over offset printing for direct mail campaigns is variable data printing. With digital printing, copies are printed from digital files. This means companies simply need to provide a pdf or other type of file to their printers to produce their direct mail projects.

Variable data printing allows companies to change the text and even the graphics of a direct mail campaign mid-run to fully customize their projects for recipients. Companies simply need to include a spreadsheet of recipients’ names, addresses, and demographic information used to customize the message. Then, the printer integrates this data into the direct mail project, creating a fully customized final product.

Little or No Set-Up Time

Digital printing can be the best friend of a procrastinating business owner. Offset printing requires substantial lead time to create a physical master copy of a project, and then extra time for press checks as the project is run. Digital printers, however, need little or no time to prepare their presses for a direct mail project. The quick set-up time leads to a quick turnaround time for business owners.

Full-Color, Little Paper Waste

With digital printing, companies can take advantage of a full range of color options to attract the attention of their direct mail recipients. Digital printing is no longer limited to a few standard colors; instead, printers can offer their clients a full spectrum of hues for a vibrant final product.

Digital printing emphasizes quality over quantity. Often, customers of offset printers must order more copies of their direct mailers than they need to make the project cost-effective. With digital printing, every copy is an original of the digital file, so it is an economical choice for short-run projects or small business owners who have a recipient list of 1,000 names or less.

Consider digital printing with Matreks for your next printing project. To learn how Matreks can save you money and increase the quality of your direct mail campaign, contact the printer today at 952-746-4010.
cost-effectively. Here are a few reasons why

Monday, July 1, 2013

Spiff Up Your Print Project with These Font Tips

When designing a new advertising piece, most companies focus on crafting a targeted message and creating a vibrant, eye-catching design. However, the real impact of an advertising piece is lost when the target audience finds it difficult to read.

That’s why it is important to choose a font that is not only easy to read, but helps tie the design of a print project together. Here are a few tips business owners can follow to get the most out their print marketing projects.

Serif Versus Sans Serif

A serif is a short line attached to the ends of letters in certain fonts, such as Times New Roman. Serifs make text easier to read because they help the eye tell the difference between letters in a large section of text. Use serif fonts for projects where there is a paragraph or more of text, such as a welcome letter or brochure.

Sans serif fonts are fonts where no serifs are used on the ends of letters, such as Arial. While they can be difficult and tiring to read in longer bodies of writing, sans serif fonts are visually bold and are good choices for headlines, logos, and other text that needs to catch readers’ eyes.

Just One to Three Fonts Will Do

Using too many fonts can crowd an advertising design and turn people off from reading it. Most effective print pieces employ only one to three fonts. Choosing one font is simple and helps tie an advertising piece together, while using two or three fonts can help build contrast between different kinds of text, such as headlines and call-out quotes.

Color and Contrast

The color of the text and the contrast this color creates with the background hue are also important considerations. Black and white are obvious choices for the best contrast. Black text on white background is a traditional choice, while white text on a black background is actually easier to read for those who struggle with sight.

Other colors can be incorporated into text under certain circumstances. Colored text is not the best choice for the main text of an advertising piece because it can be difficult to read; instead, companies should stick with black text. Colored fonts can be used to highlight certain text, such as a headline or call-out.

Font Size

Lastly, companies should carefully consider the size of the text on their marketing materials. For projects like a postcard, flyer, or brochure, text should be at least 16 pt and ideally 18 pt. While these sizes may seem large to those used to the standard 12 pt used in word processing documents, the larger font helps ensure that all recipients will be able to easily read marketing messaging.

After following these simple tips, send your marketing project to Matreks, your Twin Cities digital printer. Matreks meets all of your paper, color, and graphic needs to produce a stunning end-product. To learn more, contact Matreks today at 952-746-4010.