Best Buy at Crossgates Mall in 2009

More than 150 million Americans are planning to swarm the stores on Friday to get their hands on deals that are out of reach the other 364 days of the year.

And when it comes to holiday deals, the primary source for sales information is still the printed advertising circulars.

More than half of shoppers polled by the National Retail Federation said that’s how they keep up on the latest offers.

Another third said they use retailers’ holiday commercials. Online deal sites and social media were also popular, according to the NRF.

We reached out to several large companies to see exactly how many circulars they print this time of year, but were told that information was either not available or not disclosed.

You can guesstimate the math yourself though. Think one flyer for ever newspaper circulated and you’re easily talking 10s of millions.

Need help getting your store’s deals out there? Talk to the pros at imPress Printing.

But saying you want a “calendar” to a printing company is like walking into a car lot and saying you want a new car. The possibilities are endless!

How big do you want it?

Do you want a huge desk calendar, a medium-size wall calendar or a smaller promo calendar or a small magnet?

Calendars are a great way to help your clients keep you at the top of their mind and make your contact information easily found.

Here’s a magnetic calendar that holds your business card at top.

This calendar has a cardboard stand so clients can keep it on their desk.

If you’re looking to get extra creative, you can order a calendar with your own photos and customize what your customers hang on their wall.

If you want a large desk or wall calendar, you can customize a nice header so no matter the month, you’re right there.

Looking for something specific? Our imPress Printing experts have endless options to make an awesome calendar to keep your customers talking.

Source: Russell Herder

Whether you know what they are or not, QR codes are everywhere.

But just because someone sees them doesn’t mean they know what they are, or, more importantly, how to use them.

Not surprising, younger people (especially 18- to 34-year-old men) and those with smart phones are more likely to know what they are, according to a study by Russell Herder.

What was surprising was that only 31 percent of those surveyed said the outcome of their QR code was worth the effort – especially if they had to re-scan.

The study also offers some advice for marketers [read it here].

In general, know who your audience is and who you are targeting. Are they ready for or already using QR codes?

Really think about where your codes are going and put yourself in the mindset of an audience member who might be interested in scanning. Is it possible? Are there time limitations? Will they have their phone with them? What will they get in return for scanning? Is it worthwhile?

Also, how is your QR code standing out? Are people overlooking the codes on your printed material?

If you need some help figuring out how to make QR codes work for you, ask the experts here at imPress Printing.

Don’t just tell something to your audience, show them — through text, charts, images, video, etc.

Part of the planning for your mailer, flier or website needs to be focused on what message you want your images to bring.

If you’re targeting eight different audiences, why not vary your imagery according to audience?

For instance, if you’re a theme park going after teens, you’ll want to show teens having a blast at your park. If you’re targeting grandparents in other material, show some seniors holding a young child’s hand. Have you investigated targeted mailing so the proper material gets into the right hands?

A picture is not worth a thousand words

So how many words is a picture worth? About 84, according to one study. So make the best of them.

The size and subject of your images say a lot about you. Are you showing actual customers or employees? Is your image file large enough and of high-enough quality to make larger? Is it large enough on your mailer or website? Are you being clear in illustrating your product or service? Do you need multiple images to show a series of steps?

Make sure to ask about getting the most out of your images – both print and online. The experts here at imPress Printing are here to help.

Today’s technology can break down your recipients into very specific interest groups (aka potential customers) by location, geographic range, household income, education or retirement status, whether they own a home and much more.

So how does this apply to social media?

Consider this: Direct mailing >> Social media fan >> Customer

Incentivize your potential customers to join your social media networks. Once you have them hooked, you can keep them informed and engaged.

If you’re about to stop reading because your target isn’t what you’d consider a ‘social media user’ – think again!

Statistics year after year have shown a significant up-tick in social media use by all age groups.

That means you can send specific targeted mailers customized with names and even links to personalized website landing pages all leading to your social media.

You’ll wow your customers with how with-the-times you are and likely you’ll also get them to talk about their experience and get even more customers.

Just be very clear in the steps someone must take or your awesome idea could flop.

Need some advice before your next mailing? Let the experts at imPress printing help!

Logos that are really old work because they’re so incredibly recognizable. They can evolve over time, sure, but some larger companies keep the originals because they are the brand.

But that’s likely not you.

Here are some telltale signs it’s time to change your logo or at least investigate punching it up:

• You haven’t thought about your logo since 1995
• You haven’t thought about your logo since 2000
• You made your logo in Microsoft Word (or better yet WordPerfect) or Paint
• You use clip art you found on your computer in 1998
• The colors of the logo have faded because you’ve copied it so many times
• Your logo colors vary depending on who’s using it
• You forget why you used a pine tree in the background
• Your logo varies between your business cards, letterhead and e-mails
• Your logo only reflects only one division of your company
• You forget what your logo looks like
• You don’t have a “logo” per say

If you said “yes” to any (or all) of the items above, don’t feel bad. It’s actually very common.

While you’ve been focusing on growing your business, the marketing world has grown, too. And designs and tastes, just like fashion, have dramatically changed. And just because you can design a logo in Paint, doesn’t mean you should.

Many times the politics of a company, even a smaller one, can affect its marketing plans. If the boss or board of an organization has some attachment to an old logo or marketing plan, it can be hard to change direction.

Do you think your logo needs some refreshing? Does your manager need some convincing? Let our logo experts here at imPress help!

The answer is you don’t appeal to every demographic collectively, you appeal to each individually.

Today’s targeted mailing lists and amazing printing technology, combined with decades of experience here at imPress, can ensure a high return on investment.

First off, what are the goals of your piece? If you’re looking to raise money, for example, you don’t want to look like you spent a ton of money on your printing design with flashy colors on fancy paper.

You really have to know your audience. If you are an environmental group, you should use real recycled paper, soy-based ink and possibly have the piece produced with wind technology.

Perhaps you’re doing printed pieces that need to go to consumers that speak several languages? Why not do the same piece in multiple languages?

Targeting your audience

Technology has dramatically changed the level of accuracy you can employ to target your audience. imPress can help you increase your ROI by hyper-targeting your audience, tailoring the message and making sure your product is appealing to each potential customer on their own terms.

Say you’re selling pools. Our mailing lists can target the proper income level and age and even put your materials in the mailboxes of families with a certain number of children.

If you’re a real estate company, why blanket the entire region when you can send materials to targets that are broken down by how many years someone has spent in their house? Maybe you want to target retirees looking to downsize. We can do that, too!

Talk to imPress and we’ll help you spend those coveted marketing dollars wisely.

QR, or quick response, codes are a perfect example of how traditional print is marrying with web development to keep businesses progressing (or at least make them seem like they’re part of this century).

For some of you, QR codes may be old news, but don’t worry if you’ve never heard of them before. That’s why we’re here! The principle is similar to the bar codes you find on your supermarket items (remember how much fun the self-scan can be?). This time, though, the scanner is your smartphone.

Here are some ideas (remember imPress can help you set your own QR code (they’re free) and add them to all your printed materials):

A sign can only say so much. Perhaps you’re selling a home. How much can you write on a flyer or brochure without making someone’s eyes cross? Use a QR code and those who want to know more will scan the code and learn everything they ever wanted from a related website.

Trade show with a punch. Add some pizzazz to your trade show table or booth. Instead of overwhelming potential clients, show them how savvy you are with a QR code. They see your awesome printed material and when they want to know more, they are sent directly to your awesome site! (You do have an awesome site, right? If not, check out IntelliSites Web Design.)

Promo items that jump off the table. If you want to be noticed, add a QR code to your promo item. Entice clients to see more or link them to a web page with a contest. The possibilities are endless. It’s a great conversation starter, too.

Grow your Facebook fan base. Looking to add more friends to your Facebook page? Instead of just saying you have a Facebook page, link your potential clients directly to your page. They’ve already taken the first step so they’re that much more likely to become a fan since they’re already on the page!

Want to try something but need some advice? Let imPress help!

Like Tropicana, for instance. You may remember a few years back when Tropicana opted to ditch their classic “straw in an orange” look in favor of a “nondescript glass of orange juice” look. Sales went down, people were outraged, and ultimately Tropicana reverted back to their old packaging. This article from Business Insider shows the old and new Tropicana packages and tells the stories of this and some other unfortunate rebranding attempts. 

Even though it didn’t work out for Tropicana, rebranding does wonders for many companies. Here’s the thing – it really works best if there is a good reason to go ahead and do it. Let’s say you’re trying to reach a new market. Revamping your brand so it caters to that new market would make sense, right? Or let’s say your company’s mission and daily operations have drastically changed since you developed your original marketing materials. Shouldn’t your marketing match what’s really going on at your business? Rebranding should be much less about a new style and much more about an accurate feel or message.

Rebranding for a Reason

Take the recent rebranding that Keds has done. Most people thought of Keds as shoes that were meant to be sported by middle aged women, but the company wanted to introduce their brand to a younger generation. Their solution was the “How Do You Do?” campaign, which incorporates style, artist designs, a cross-country tour of college campuses, and the ability to create your own shoes. The Keds brand does seem more modern and fresh now, but these updates weren’t made just for the heck of it…they were made with a new market in mind.

Or look at Starbucks. Their recent changeover to a new logo might not have been popular with everybody at first, but it’s likely to be successful in the long run because the logic behind their decision to rebrand makes a lot of sense. The old logo, which incorporated the words “Starbucks Coffee,” did not accurately represent the company that Starbucks is becoming now that coffee is just one of many menu items. By making a subtle logo change, Starbucks is able to show that they’re more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee.

So rebranding is really nothing to be afraid of…if it’s for the right reasons. If the way your company runs is changing or if your targets are changing, then so should your brand.  Have a chat with the crew at imPress Printing, and we’ll help you align your brand with your business.

Now, mind you, we’ve got all kinds of love for well-designed websites, and we can’t say we don’t enjoy a well-crafted email. But even though lots of people are using those internet-based marketing techniques to get their names out there, we can’t help but see the advantages that printed mailers have over web marketing strategies – especially when you’re trying to bring somebody in for the first time.

Introduce Yourself With Print Marketing

Websites and e-mails have got nothing on print when it comes to reaching out to new clients.

Let’s be honest…your clients have to actively try to end up at your website. The computer user is running the show when he’s surfing the web. So if he’s not searching for, say, a website that sells bubble bath for dogs, there’s no way he can end up on such a site. You could have the best dog bubble bath website on the world wide web, but you’ll have no visitors if no one takes the time to look for it.

And as far as e-mail marketing goes, we guess it’s possible to send unsolicited e-mails to random addresses. It’s just not very effective. That delete button gets a workout whenever people receive e-mails from addresses they don’t know…and those people tend to get a little skeeved out that a company somehow uncovered their addresses. Not to mention that there can even be less than thrilling legal ramifications of sending out such e-mails. In a nutshell, it’s just not the best plan.

Mailing addresses are another story, however. They’re a matter of public record, so people are more open to receiving communications they don’t expect when they’re delivered to their actual mailboxes. And unlike an e-mail, the recipient can’t press delete. Most people do at least a quick scan of their snail mail before deciding whether to junk it or keep it. So a mailer with the right design has a decent shot at sharing its message – at least when compared to an unsolicited e-mail.

Now, we’re definitely not saying that this direct mail should be the end of your communications with them. We’re just saying it should be the first. After you get their attention with a super stylish mailer, we do recommend referring them on to your website. And once they’re there, feel free to legitimately collect their e-mail addresses and continue the marketing via e-mail. After all, websites and e-mails are groovy things. They just have trouble starting the dialogue.

So let print handle the introductions, and let imPress handle the printing.