Make the Most of 2014’s Marketing Dollars with Print and Online Marketing

Many Minnesota business owners welcome the New Year as an opportunity to get the most out of their marketing dollars. Some people believe they have to choose between print marketing and online marketing. However, integrating print and online marketing efforts can give business owners the most bang for their buck.

Integrate Your Print and Online Marketing

When used together, print marketing and online marketing can help you build better customer relationships and increase sales. Print marketing can direct recipients to a company’s website, while online marketing can encourage website visitors to request print marketing materials.

For example, print marketing can include a QR code that recipients can scan to direct them to a company’s 

website. A postcard advertising an in-store special offer or sale can encourage recipients to also shop online with a special code. Or, print materials could direct recipients to an online survey or the conversations happening on a company’s social media pages.

Likewise, online marketing can encourage website visitors to request print materials, such as a catalog, brochure, or other informational materials. Not only does this give businesses an opportunity to educate recipients about their services and products, it is an opportunity to add online visitors to their contact lists for future print campaigns.

Maintain a Good List

To effectively market to customers, businesses need to understand their customers’ needs and show them how a product or service may fill these needs. Business owners need to maintain their lists of contacts and include personal or demographic information so they can personalize marketing materials to recipients. The quality of your list can make or break your marketing campaign.

Depending on your industry, demographic information that may be helpful in a marketing campaign are age and gender of recipients, marital status, and whether or not your recipients have children. For businesses that cater to both residential and commercial clients, be sure to indicate whether a contact is a business or residential customer.

Are you ready to make the most of your marketing dollars this year? Learn more about how to get your print marketing campaign started. Contact Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.

Adam Johnston

CEO

Matreks Printing

Mentor Your Customers to Increase Print Sales

Savvy marketers know that educating customers is a great way to build value and strengthen customer relationships. Printers can take a cue from marketing professionals and educate their clients on the variety of

high-quality products available. Doing so will build the printer-customer relationship and make the printer a resource, not just a merchant. It will also likely lead to increased print sales.

The Benefits of Print

Print marketing has a number of benefits, even as online marketing continues to grow. First, companies can use print marketing in tandem with online marketing tools. For example, postcards and flyers can include a QR code that directs recipients to a website or social media page. Store signs and point-of-sale materials can integrate with apps like Layar that offer customers more information when they scan the advertising.

Print advertising is permanent and tangible. People hang on to print marketing materials much longer than an ad flickers on a website. Postcards with coupons are put on the fridge door and catalogs are stashed in a basket next to the couch. With proper branding, companies can stay top-of-mind with customers every time they spot the postcard on the fridge or rifle through the catalog.

Digital printing is a cost-effective, eco-friendly choice for companies. In digital printing, each copy of a marketing piece is an original from a digital file. Unlike offset printing, which gets cheaper the larger the run is and encourages businesses to over-order to become cost-effective, companies can print only what they need with digital printing. The inks and papers used in digital printing are better for the environment and often made from recycled materials.

Building Customer Relationships

Use these benefits as talking points with your customers and help them see the value of printing with your company. Turn yourself into a resource for customers and help guide them toward the print products that will work best for their projects. Doing so will not only provide customers with a superior product, it will help you increase sales.

Build your reputation as a resource by targeting a few of your best clients and offer to give them a complimentary seminar at a time that’s convenient for them. Focus your presentation on the products or services for which you’d like to increase sales, but would provide clear advantages for your customers, too.

If you’re ready to learn what digital printing can do for your and your company, contact Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.

Are Your Point-of-Sale Materials Ready for the Holiday Season?

If Thanksgiving is a time to relax and enjoy good food and good company, Black Friday is the time shoppers take to work off that meal, arm themselves with coupons, and head to the stores. It also marks the start of the weeks-long holiday shopping season. Don’t miss out on the opportunity by forgetting to invest in eye-catching point-of-sale materials.

According to the National Retail Federation, United States retailers usually make 20 to 40 percent of their annual sales between Black Friday and Christmas. That’s a lot of revenue in just a few short weeks. While consumers are increasingly moving their shopping searches online, 70 percent of all purchasing decisions are still made in a store. That is why effective point-of-sale materials are still necessary, especially during the holiday shopping season.

Point-of-Sale Signage Tips

Changing a product’s signage can increase the sales of that item five percent. Adding a new sign increases sales about the same. Take advantage of the holiday shopping season to change or add signage at your store. Use holiday graphics or color schemes to direct shoppers’ attention to special holiday deals.

When designing point-of-sale materials, a little information goes a long way. You want to invest in signs that are clear, use white space effectively, and direct shoppers to the correct product. To do so, you need a firm understanding of what your shoppers desire and need to know.

For example, sale prices and regular prices should be clearly marked to show shoppers the deals they are getting. If your store offers coupons on some items and not others, your point-of-sale materials should highlight when coupons can be used.

Look Up for Effective Point-of-Sale Signage

If your store has a large retail floor, maximize the ceiling space to help direct shoppers. Many department retailers already do this to show shoppers where the home section is, for example, but the same concept can be used to direct shoppers to your best deals.

If you use ceiling-mounted point-of-sale signage, be sure that the message is clear and readable from afar. Use arrows or other graphics to help point shoppers in the right direction. Then, add point-of-sale materials on the shelves so shoppers know they have come to the right place.

It’s not too late to design and print your holiday shopping season point-of-sale materials. Contact Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010 to learn more about your options and make this holiday season your best yet.

Digital Printing Increasingly Considered Better than Offset Printing

For years, digital printing has been playing a game of catch-up to its more established, traditional cousin, offset printing. However, print industry experts are starting to rate the quality of digital printing higher than that of offset. Digital printing is a high-quality choice for companies with print projects in the Twin Cities.

Print Industry Survey

A survey of 400 print industry experts in Europe and the United States found that respondents believed digital printing provides higher-quality images and better cost value than offset printing. In fact, over 43 percent of respondents had already made the switch from offset printing presses to digital ones in their own businesses.

Respondents rated several examples of digital and offset printing projects from poor quality to excellent quality. Though experts in Germany believed offset printing to be best, those in the United Kingdom and United States consistently rated various digital printing samples the highest.

For example, those in the UK thought the liquid ink digital piece was the highest quality sample, followed by toner digital and then inkjet. They rated offset worst in terms of quality. Similarly, those in the United States rated toner digital printing the highest quality of all print samples.

Use Digital Printing for Your Next Project

Digital printing offers substantial benefits to companies running advertising projects, billing and invoicing jobs, and countless other print projects. While offset printing does offer a quality product, it is very expensive to proof projects on offset printing presses. For this reason, offset is a less economical choice for short print runs than digital printing, which requires no proof since every copy is an original created from a digital file.

A major advantage digital printing has over offset printing is variable data printing. Since digital printing produces originals from a digital file, companies have the freedom to change information in their project mid-run. This is a great for advertising projects, since businesses are able to tailor their messages and personalize marketing to each recipient.

The next time you need to print a flyer, brochure, postcard, or batch of invoices, consider digital printing with Matreks. To learn more about the benefits digital printing, contact Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.

It’s Not Too Early to Start Thinking About Your Business’s Holiday Card

It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Don’t wait until Turkey Day rolls around to start thinking about your company’s holiday card. Plan ahead and save money—and your sanity.

Though it may seem a bit old-fashioned, sending holiday cards to clients can benefit Twin Cities companies. Receiving a card with a thoughtful message and hand-written greeting impresses clients and vendors and can help build those relationships. Companies can use holiday cards internally, too. Recognize a top sales representative’s efforts with a handwritten message or send a personalized note to the whole team.

Holiday Card Tips

Ordering holiday cards early in the season helps you get them out on time. It also helps you avoid a mad scramble to get the cards signed. As you’re considering a design and message, try to keep it non-specific. Remember that your recipients practice a variety of religions, so a Christmas or Hanukkah-specific card may not be appropriate. The possible exception to this rule is if your company or organization is religiously affiliated.

Thinking about your business’s holiday card before Thanksgiving also gives you ample time to think about the design and message of your card. A professional printer can help you create a vibrant design that incorporates your company’s colors, logo, and even its motto. Avoid skimping on paper quality. A flimsy card immediately looks cheap to recipients. Instead, invest in a heavier, higher-quality paper.

You may also consider adding an insert to your greeting cards. While it may be wise to avoid advertising or promotions in your holiday card, it may be appropriate to include a recap of company milestones or events from the past year. Clients, vendors, and employees may find this information interesting.

Now is a great time to be thinking about your company’s holiday card. Enlist the help of a professional digital printer to help you with the design and production of your greetings. To get your holiday card project rolling, contact Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.

Is Paper-Free Really Better for the Environment?

“Go Paperless!” How many statements have you received from your bank, utility provider, or credit card company with this message? Many companies are trying to convince their customers to switch to online or “e-statements” in the name of environmentalism. However, are e-statements really greener than paper ones?

Greenwashing and Paperless Statements

Greenwashing occurs when a company tells customers that they are making changes to policies in the name of becoming a greener company, when in fact these changes are financially or otherwise motivated.

While going paperless may seem like a green initiative on its face, could a company’s paperless statement crusade be an example of greenwashing? Paper is a renewable, highly recyclable resource. In the last 50 years, forests in the United States have stabilized or even increased. In fact, the country has about 49 percent more wood resources now than it did in the 1960s.

How Green are E-Statements?

If that’s the case, why are companies going paperless in an attempt to go green? In a recent survey, 84 percent of respondents believe that the true motive behind many companies’ paperless campaigns is cost savings, not environmental concerns. Another survey found that 80 percent of consumers do not think it’s appropriate for companies to cite environmental reasons for going paperless when they are not the true motive.

Though paper is a renewable, highly recyclable resource, many of the materials and energy required to receive e-statements are not. Computers and servers require a sizeable amount of energy and give off a lot of heat. Rare minerals must be pulled from the Earth to create computers, tablets, and smartphones. Though paperless statements may save a company the cost of a stamp, they may not do the environment a whole lot of good.

Digital Printing a Green Choice

For companies trying to make a true difference to the environment, digital printing is an effective choice. Digital printing presses do not emit the harmful chemicals their offset counterparts do. Not only does that mean less harmful chemicals being released into the atmosphere, it also means digital presses require less energy to ventilate. Digital printing presses also use low VOC-ink and mild solvents, which are much better for air quality than inks used in offset printing.

Companies can make their digital printing projects even greener by choosing sustainable paper products. Digital presses can accommodate recycled papers and SFI/FSC-certified paper. SFI/FSC certifications tell consumers that the paper in question was harvested sustainably from a renewable source.

Before you opt for e-statements, consider the true impact of electronic media versus renewable paper resources. To learn more, contact Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.

Avoid the Sting of a Possible Postage Rate Hike with Postcards

Recently, the United States Postal Service proposed a postage rate increase for letters and postcards. If enacted, the cost of a first-class stamp would increase three cents to $.49, while a postcard stamp would go up one cent to $.34. While a three-cent increase does not sound like much, when applied across 30,000 letters, it equates to a $900 increase in the cost of advertising.

Though postcard postage may also experience a rate increase, a one-cent hike only increases costs for 30,000 postcards by $300. This difference makes postcards a cost-effective choice in the face of potentially higher postage rates. With the help of a Twin Cities professional digital printer, small businesses can design and mail engaging and powerful advertising pieces.

Making the Most of an Advertising Postcard

A postcard is like a letter that is already open, immediately engaging recipients with its message. It’s easy to customize a postcard with a recipient’s personal information, including their names. Personalization helps your postcard have a powerful impact with recipients.

To create an engaging and effective postcard, first come up with a specific purpose for the mailing. Postcards are great ways to promote a coupon or sale, send a gift certificate, announce a new location, or send a reminder. Adding a deadline or expiration date in the postcard’s message helps create a sense of urgency.

The postcard’s text should be simple, brief, and give the recipient a reason to give the business a call or visit. Marketing experts suggest that a postcard include no less than three repetitions of a call-to-action to stir recipients into picking up the phone.

Pro Tips for Printing Postcards

After companies develop the text for their postcards, they should work with a digital printer to create vibrant and eye-catching lay-outs. Invest in high-quality images and color printing on glossy paper to make the largest impact with recipients.

To maximize advertising dollars, consider personalizing postcards to each recipient. As mentioned before, using a recipient’s name within a postcard’s message is an effective way to get recipients to take action. It is also possible to change the graphics on a postcard according to recipients’ demographic information or interests.

With a possible increase in postage rates, postcards continue to be a cost-effective choice for companies using direct mail to advertise their products and services. To get started on your next postcard project, contact Matreks Printing today at 952-746-4010.