If your response rates from your print marketing campaign are not where you would like them, it may be time to shake things up a bit. People tire of the same old ads, delivered in the same boring manner. Trying a different and novel approach could see a dramatic increase in your sales from your print marketing campaign.

Are you still sending your letters in tired plain envelopes? Are your postcards dismally sad? Instead of using plain envelopes to send our sales letters, try extra large ones, which are certain to grab the recipient’s attention. The use of bright colors and large typeface can also enhance the chances of your mailers being read, and not tossed in the shredder.

What do people like to get in the mail? Besides free samples of some male enhancement pill, the answer is packages. Use a box or tube to mail your next promotional letter in. You can put all sorts of print on a box, and the customer will feel like it is their birthday. You are almost certain to make it past the receptionist with a package, since it seems important.

When you mail your sales letter, why not throw in a key chain, pen, can cooler, or other freebie? Embossed with your company’s logo of course. People love getting free stuff. Especially items that they can put to good use. This can be rather costly though, so make sure you have the budget for it before you begin.

Keeping all promotional mailers consistent with your brand is crucial. You want people to remember you by the color scheme and logo that you have created uniquely for your company. Be sure to put your return address on the box or tube, as bomb scares are rampant these days. Bombs are generally not considered good business practice. That creates quite a quandary for people who make explosive devices like dynamite however. I am sure they have their own strategies. I mean it’s not as if they can send clients a little fake dynamite stick in the mail, saying, “I’m just exploding for your business!” Anyway, that is not your problem. Unless you are an explosives salesperson, and if that is the case, you might want to find another avenue to pursue in marketing your product.

Don’t forget about the follow up call after the package has been received. Your call will probably be much appreciated, since you have already pre sold your product. If you are an explosives maker, you may find suits knocking at your door. Please don’t send out free samples of your product if this is the case.

Although using dimensional mailers to send to prospective clients can be quite costly, the returns on the number of customers you can get from them are worth it. Make yourself memorable, and people are more likely to buy from you.

You have a business, and you just put up your website.  This makes you ready to sell to the public right?  Not yet.  While you may be able to take orders, and interact with questions over the Internet, you still are missing the possibility of future sales.  Anyone in business for any length of time will tell you that repeat sales and referrals are the backbone to survival.  While email responders and newsletters do work to generate sales, nothing works as well after the sale as printed material sent to the customer either with their order or after their order.

The use of printed material in coordination with sales has been in effect since the birth of direct marketing, or mail order sales.  The theory behind this combination is that when a customer orders a product, you are given the chance to sell another product to them.  This is done by the print material sent along with the completed order.  When the customer opens their package, they see their item, along with a gracious thank you letter, and an offer to buy from you again.  Giants such as Sears, Roebuck & Co and L.L. Bean perfected this method of sales.  Internet sales are simply the modern method of direct sales.

How would printed material complement Internet sales?  The answer would be that they would act in similar manner to how such material helped direct sales before the dawn of the Internet.  When a customer buys an item from you, you would send them the purchased item.  You also want to send along information about your company, a thank you letter, and information about other products you have to offer, along with any discounts or sales.  Let’s look at this in a little more detail.

Letters of thanks accomplish a few things.  First, they show your appreciation for the customer, which will be a memorable act.  Next they show that your customers have value to your business and are not just seen as dollars.  Thank-you letters also show a human side to your business which can be a huge marketing value in a world of faceless corporations.  Personalized letters go even farther in this area.

Sending further information about your company in printed material helps build trust and recognition with your business.  People will choose to buy from a recognized and trusted company before any unknown seller of the same product.  This also allows you to personalize your business with the customer even more.  Customers will regard you more as a trusted associate or friend rather than a cold stone office or warehouse.

Using orders to send along further information about other products is the most efficient and cost effective way to get repeat customers or referrals.  Each new order provides an opportunity for your business to sell complementary items or accessories.  A good example of this is Amazon.com; this online giant always sends along information about sales, products related to your purchase, or what other customers like you have bought recently.  This method not only cuts down advertising costs, but it also helps in customer retention.

If you don’t have a physical product, then what?  You should still try to find a way to get material into the hands of your customers.  Even with no physical product, you should still attempt to incorporate the methods mentioned above.  The reasons apply to every business and every situation where a sale takes place.

It is commonplace for businesses to design their collateral (brochures, magazines, postcards) on the fly, or whenever they require it. Rarely is it ever less expensive and time consuming to plan and organize this way.

You can save money on printing brochures by assessing your businesses needs. Will you be using brochures and envelopes on a daily basis, or only when the trade fairs and convention shows come to town? By taking a look into your needs over the next several months, you can estimate exactly how many you need to print.

Secondly, you´ll want to control your press runs. Many companies work with graphic design agencies and firms that work together to produce design materials, such as letterhead and brochures, that could be printed at the same time. The printing of these materials could benefit from using the same colors and paper stock in one press run, saving time and resources. In the printing industry, its well-known that the bigger the order, the less each piece will cost. Printing in batches of 500 5 times a year is less cost effective than printing 1 batch of 3000. Additionally, you want to reuse material from previous orders at the printing press, making planning ahead even more important.

Finally, another thing is to consider is whether to use digital or offset printing. Both are effective methods with their own pros and cons. Digital printing in small quantities is cost effective, even in full color ranges printing no more than 500. Plus, its on-demand and can be personalized easier. If you are not certain about quantity, digital printing allows for an initial printing without breaking the bank.

All in all, planning ahead and deciding between digital printing for smaller quantities or offset printing for larger quantities keeps your costs down.

Although in this digital age, almost everything is done via fax or email, a sharp and eye- catching letterhead can grab a potential customers attention. The letterhead your business displays is many times the first thing that is seen by clients. Having a letterhead that is professional and aesthetically pleasing can do more than you think to enhance your business.

To give your business a style all its own, as well as show the world that you are a solid business, then sending out quality letterhead is a must. By sending out formal proposals on high quality paper with an awe inspiring letterhead, your clients will see you as a total professional in your field. It can go a long way to enhancing your company’s image.

Paper, Anyone?

The thought of the type of paper you will use to send out proposals and other business related tasks is something that usually doesn’t receive much attention. It should however, since the better your paper looks, the better your business will appear to others. The use of heavyweight paper, that is ivory or white is the norm for businesses. You don’t want to have paper that distracts from the words on the page, or makes the type too difficult to read.

The type of finish you choose is a personal decision. Oftentimes, high quality paper will either have a smooth or textured finish. You can choose which type you believe will work to make your business really come to the forefront.

To give your letterhead the greatest security, adding a watermark to your pages is an excellent choice. This will make it very difficult for anyone to copy your pages, and offer you peace of mind. Adding a watermark also makes your business look even more professional, and you can’t go wrong with that.

Letterhead Design

You have your paper, you know what color you want to use, but now you must decide on the design for your letterhead, that will best suit your business. You need a design that tells the world that you mean business. Literally. Get creative, and don’t be afraid to spend money. First impressions are most important, and you want your customers and potential customers to see who you are and what your business is about. That means a letterhead design that will put you where you should be, among all of the other businesses out there, at the top.

Whether you’re an advertising company with regular publishing needs or a self-employed business person with a one-time need for business cards, a printing house ultimately delivers a product that will affect how your company is viewed by the public. You must find a reliable source for your printing needs.

First, just because you’ll be filling out a work order, doesn’t mean taking care of your print needs means more work-quite the opposite. Finding one reliable printing source should reduce work for you. A proper print vendor should provide you with useful information, ranging from helpful hints on brochure coloring all the way through page economy, saving you time and money.

The print source that is most likely to be willing to help you save time and money is one that you’ve built an ongoing business relationship with. They’re the ones who are going to provide favorable pricing and be the friendliest to your budget; without you having to haggle or beg for it every time. Securing a reliable print vendor means they’re going to do what it takes to keep you a satisfied customer-much more than an invoice number.

The ideal, reliable printing source will do more than save you time, they’ll make sure you’re on time. Deadlines can make or break lucrative deals for you or ruin important projects. With a reliable print source, they’ll make sure your materials go to print when they say they will, delivering what you asked for at the time you asked for it. Your personal or business affairs will be much smoother when you’re able to truly trust that your print needs will be taken care of.

Finding the proper, reliable print source, one you can completely trust, can be difficult, often requiring some trial and error in your print vendor selections. Try asking around to your fellow business associates and friends for first-hand accounts or testimonials of their printing experiences. You can also try checking online to search for reviews or additional information about your prospective print sources. You should also take care not to necessarily go for the lowest price or quote. The “get what you pay for” caveat can apply here. And remember, paying a little extra for reliability can actually save or even make you money in the long run.