Print marketing campaigns are more than the designs of the materials themselves (although the graphic design is important as well).  Your campaign has to be unique, with a strategy for not only producing your materials but for distributing them as well.  Attractive, informative advertising also needs to be displayed and delivered to the appropriate customers at the most opportune times.

 
1.  Testimonials – Potential voters or donators or customers love hearing good things from people that have worked with you in the past.  These testimonials are especially vital for service-related charities.  For example,a blood collection service, for example, can only present so many visuals or figures in the process of trying to gain donor trust.  A donor who discusses some of the "feel-good" factors of giving will go a long way.  An online printing company like Conquest Graphics can add these testimonials onto just about any print marketing material in a way that will be attractive and professional.
 
2.  Brochure printing – Brochure printing in general is a very important, often overlooked tool for many organizations.  Customers still like having information and images they can literally hold in their hands and examine.  Research shows that Americans retain 23% more information if it’s printed instead of posted electronically; take advantage of this!  Explain and describe your service in a brochure and distribute them anywhere your client base may frequent.
 
3.  Postcard printing – Postcard printing is another important marketing tool for businesses—and for certain businesses in particular.  The fashion industry, food service, and real estate are three examples that benefit from postcard printing in direct mail marketing.  A snapshot of a delicious meal, a photo of a gorgeous outfit, or an image of a beautiful home with immaculate landscaping is the best way to market each respective product.  Plus postcards are relatively inexpensive and easy to mail.

4.  Business cards – Business card printing is very common, but it is also very common for them to be distributed poorly.  The most obvious distribution method is person-to-person, whether during a casual introduction with a friend or a professional meeting.  While these are helpful, many businesses limit  themselves to this method.  You can also tack them onto community boards, submit them in  restaurant and bar contests, include them with your products and your other literature, and even target specific areas to street canvas.
 
5.  Linking URLs to print – One important direct mail marketing campaign is to link any electronic resources to your print materials.  The best strategies incorporate both traditional advertising to modern tools, like email listings, QR codes, and interactive websites.  Fortunately, by selecting a web URL that is simple to remember and is very short, you can tack the URL itself onto just about any print materials you order; brochures, banners, posters, business cards, etc.  
 

Groups and organizations should always remember that good campaign techniques not only require that you select cost-effective, well-designed marketing materials, but that you also make smart, strategic distribution decisions.  Make sure that your beautiful and informative postcards and trifolds reach the intended audience so that they never go to waste!  Planning how best to advertise your product or service extends well beyond the moment when your direct mail marketing supplies show up on your doorstep in a package

For more information and resources for all of your printing, graphic design or mailing needs, please visit www.conquestgraphics.com

Effective postcard printing strategies for your direct mail marketing require smart use of space and enough color and visual appeal to draw the eye.  You only have a few seconds to capture the customers’ attention so sharp graphics, a strong headline and vivid colors are important. 

The benefit to postcard printing is that it tends to jump out at the home owner with striking pictures and bold text.  You can send your marketing message to your target audience at little cost.  And consumers love the straightforward nature of postcard printing.

Graphic design – It’s a good idea to include some sort of image on your postcard printing that easily conveys what your business is selling.  This doesn’t have to mean the image monopolizes one side of the postcard, but it should stand out as an accent to your text.  The text itself should use color when possible to jump out from the paper and do be sure to add gloss to your postcard printing.  Gloss makes a more attractive postcard and protects it through the mail process.  When you choose an online company with competitive pricing and high quality products, such as Conquest Graphics, extras like gloss are affordable ways to set your advertising apart.
 
Multi-purpose possibilities – One of the fun things about postcard printing is that the postcards themselves can often double as other advertising items—like raffle tickets, game cards, or invitations.  If your business finds creative ways to give consumers reasons to hold onto your direct mail marketing, whether temporarily or long-term, you are getting so much more mileage out of the printing itself.
 
Emphasize the hook – With postcards it is vital that you put the hook (or offer) front and center.  Are you pushing a 30% off sale?  A buy-one-get-one?  A new property listing or new flavor of soft drink?  Tell consumers immediately what you’re offering with that particular piece of advertising because they will only scan it for an average of a few seconds before putting it down.  You don’t have the usual time to intrigue them to make a sale and there is no opportunity for a slow build—you need to be clear on what you are offering.

Clear and concise contact information – This may seem to be common sense but it is amazing how many companies neglect one of the most important aspects of the direct mail marketing materials—the contact information!  Include as many ways as possible for consumers to contact you because there are always a wide variety of preferred methods.  Some customers prefer phone, some by mail, and others will only respond online.  If you hit all potential groups with one fell swoop then you increase the mileage of your advertising and further ensure consumer interest.

Utilize both sides – Not only are postcards two sides, but customers expect both sides to have good information on them.  Unlike letters or business cards, which are generally blank on one side, (although ideally this shouldn’t be the case) recipients are accustomed to the notion of a postcard with a picture on one side and text-based information on the reverse.  Take advantage of the idea that they will flip your postcard printing over at least once to explore the possibility of either a picture to accompany the text, or some information to give context to the image.  Check with the postal service also because the address panel can be much smaller than in the past because machines are reading the address (not humans).  So you can use more space to send your message. 

For more information and resources for all of your printing needs and mailing needs, please visit www.conquestgraphics.com.

Getting ready to print a direct mail campaign?  Here are 5 mistakes to avoid in order to make your direct mail efforts a success.  Rather than put your focus only on the graphic design aspects of direct mail marketing,  be sure to pay attention to the basics of direct mail as an advertising strategy.  While it is true that we now have the ability to create bright, colorful, interactive and exciting print materials for consumers to enjoy and value, this should not be at the expense of these common errors:

1.  Saving the strongest piece of the sales pitch for last:  Research shows that consumers will review a piece of advertising for less than 10 seconds before committing to the rest or tossing it away.  It is vital that your direct mail marketing start out strong—remember, this isn’t a sales pitch in person and you don’t have their individual attention.  Your direct mail is arriving in a pile of other pieces of direct mail that they can easily elect to read through or deposit directly in a junk drawer.  Grab their immediate attention if you want to hold onto it!
 
2.  Copy errors:  The absolute easiest way to turn off potential customers is to present sloppy, error-filled copy that appears unprofessional and unreliable.  Consumers trust businesses that appear educated and careful enough to make sure to represent themselves well in their direct mail marketing.  If your direct mail includes typographical errors, factual errors, or other mistakes then you place yourself in such a position that even if the offer sounds reasonable and the product or service is exciting, recipients will not trust the professionalism of your business.
 
3.  Mismatched mailing list:  Many companies have access to a variety of databases for determining which direct mail marketing strategies will be the most effective with different demographics.  Make sure that you are not advertising baby food to the elderly, retirement plans to teens, or birth control research to men—otherwise you are essentially throwing away your sales pitches directly into the junk drawer.
 
4.  Humor:  Advertisers love using humor to reach consumers because it appeals to such a broad base of individuals.  Of course, the downside to this is that print marketing is a lot more difficult to use as a platform for communicating jokes.  Television and radio have the benefit of video and audio to supplement their strategies and direct mail marketing lacks both.  Another downside to humor as a tool is that it can potentially marginalize any potential customers who either doesn’t relate to the joke or finds it offensive in some way.  Postcard printing can use a funny image to attract attention and make people laugh but always be sure that the humor is general and family friendly.
 
5.  Not utilizing variable imaging:  Now that businesses have access to online printing companies with competitive prices, such as Conquest Graphics, they can use digital printing to send out variable data—or personalized direct mail—to individually connect with customers.  It is important to take advantage of this direct mail strategy whenever possible as it’s been shown to dramatically increase advertising success.

After you have put all the time and effort into creating a great design, make sure you have the direct mail piece printed by a high-quality commercial printer.  Conquest Graphics is one such company that can give you an excellent quality piece on heavy card stock that will stand up to the rigors of the mail process - and their prices are very affordable.  You can order with them on-line and they offer you mailing services so you can complete the job in just a couple of click.  For more information, go to www.conquestgraphics.com