Thursday, December 17, 2015

Are QR Codes Your Best Fundraising Tool?

Okay, QR Codes probably aren’t your best fundraising tool, but they certainly can be a critical part of the mix. Adding QR Codes to your fundraising letters, in-store displays, and other fundraising materials can increase your donations significantly. Why? QR Codes make donating easy and immediate. They take advantage of the spontaneous desire to give.
According to the Razoo Foundation, an IRS-recognized public charity that manages donations for other charities, scanning QR Codes is one of the most popular ways to donate money. Razoo recommends four ways for donors to “scan to give.”
1. QR Code links to PayPal. By using PayPal, donors don’t have to manually enter their credit card information. PayPal is simple, secure, and a known quantity. By posting QR Codes at the registers of its stores, for example, Cinnabon was able to raise $3,800 for Share Our Strength, an anti-hunger organization.
2) QR Code links to a merchant account. The donor scans a QR Code and enters his or her credit card information. Anyone with a credit card can make a donation immediately.
3) Text-to-Give. Donors scan a QR Code and charge the donation to their cellphone account. Most cellphone users are familiar with this method of payment and have a comfort level with it.
4) QR Code triggers a cash or in-kind donation. Instead of donating money, individuals can support the organization by scanning a QR Code on printed pieces or in-store displays. For each QR Code scanned, participating businesses will donate cash or product to the nonprofit. For example, Heinz ran a fundraising campaign in which diners were invited to scan bottles of Heinz ketchup. For each scan, Heinz donated $1 to the Wounded Warriors Project.
There are multiple ways to use QR Codes to tap into spontaneous generosity. Which one will work best for you? Give us a call and let us make it easy for people to support your cause.

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Better Branding in Print

Print marketing does more than communicate a message about your products and services. It communicates about your brand. The elements of your printed pieces send a strong message whether you realize it or not. Here are five tips for communicating the right brand messages:
1. Have a consistent brand message across channels. From piece to piece and across channels (print, email, in-store displays), make sure your brand is consistent. Use the same color palettes, the same (or similar) imagery, and a tightly controlled logo. Create a similar look and feel, even if the design isn’t identical. All communications from your company should send an identifiable brand message.
2. Tell a story. Print is a great storyteller. Say you are selling fried chicken and wings. Instead of promoting “Wings 25% off this Friday only!” why not try something different? “It’s kick-off time and what’s for dinner? Not pizza AGAIN! Spice it up with our hot wings instead!”
3. Identify and target thought leaders. There are people out there talking about your brand. Find them and target them with brand-building messages. This builds word of mouth, which (when positive) is the most valuable marketing you can get. In the world of consumer marketing, these people are often called “instigators.” Find out who they are and create targeted messaging just for them.
4. Use testimonials. Whether it’s in print, online, or social media, people believe testimonials over traditional messaging. Begin collecting testimonials and add snippets to your postcards, direct mail letters, in-store signage, and other print marketing materials.
5. Don’t skimp on quality. Sure, you could print out those brochures on your in-house inkjet printer, but quality is part of your brand message. Having professionally produced print materials is a sign of a trustworthy business. Printing on the cheap sends the wrong message.

Every print document you send or display sends a brand message. Make sure you’re sending the right ones. 

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Make Your Direct Mail Stand Out

Every day, postcards, flyers, and other direct pieces and other printed material bombard us. How do you ensure that yours stands out in the crowd? Here are four highly effective methods for designing printed material.
1. Grab Their Eyes: People can’t read your message if they don’t see it. The first thing you must do is grab their attention. There are two complimentary techniques for doing this:
  • Pick the perfect images. People are hard-wired to respond to images. Bright, vibrant, compelling imagery will hook your audience every time.
  • Tweak the design to appeal to your specific audience. For example, if the audience is young and hip, give them a more edgy typeface that angles off the page. If they are more upscale and sophisticated, let white space and elegance be your guide.
2. Change the Shape: Interesting shapes stand out and make people want to touch your design. Shape the piece to convey your message or intrigue your audience. Shapes that follow the contours of an image or that contain different angles make your piece more appealing.
3. Add Texture: Choose paper that includes a texture, add an emboss or deboss to your design, or try a contrasting spot varnish. If the piece is on glossy paper, use a matte finish or vice versa. These tricks add both texture and visual appeal.
4. Fold It: An innovative panel or a fold that goes in the “wrong” direction adds mystery and interest to your piece. Try adding slotted folding panels or multiple folds to increase the uniqueness of your design.
Ask Us

We have other ideas and examples to show you, and we can help you build your file to accommodate these tricks easily. Intrigued? 

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Thinking Direct Mail? Think Timing

When we think about the benefits of direct mail, we think of tangibility, message retention, and breaking through the clutter. But when GrayHair Software thinks about direct mail, it thinks about timing.
In a recent e-book, GrayHair, which provides software for postal tracking and multichannel marketing services, described multiple benefits of direct mail in a multichannel marketing strategy based on the timing benefits direct mail provides. Let’s look at three of them.    
1) Gain control and greater visibility.
Direct mail tracking allows you to determine the precise time that your mailer arrives at the target destination. This can provide you with critical insights.
Let’s say you mail out a postcard intended to drive traffic for your weekend sale. Most of the customers arrive on Saturday, which is day two of the sale. Did they arrive on Saturday because the extra hot weather on Friday kept them away from the stores or because your mailer simply did not arrive on time? Mail tracking helps you figure it out.  
2) Boost response with timed email delivery.
If you know what date the direct mail offer hits, you can time an email follow-up for the next day or the following day to reinforce the message and spur recipients to action.
3) Determine the best channel for delivery.
Using A/B testing across both print and digital channels, you can test the effectiveness of marketing channels the same way you test offers, messaging, and other marketing components. Don’t assume you know which channel your customers will best respond to. Test it!

With mail tracking, you can think about direct mail in a whole new — and testable — way. Want to see how postal tracking and tighter channel integration can benefit your marketing campaigns? Let us help!

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Does Your Marketing Content Sound Human?

Whether you are writing text for direct mail, email, blog posts, or any other type of marketing material, ask yourself, “Does my content sound human? Does it sound like something a person might actually want to read?”
When competition is fierce, it’s tempting to throw in every feature and benefit to make your positioning clear. But readers are still people first. You have to catch their attention and draw them in.  You won’t do that with copy that reads like a spec sheet.
Effective marketing copy should sound human, and it should speak to real needs, priorities, and challenges. It should sound like it’s written by a real person for a real person.
When it comes time to write your next direct mail piece or e-newsletter, keep the following in mind:
1. Use natural language. Instead of “Helps you optimize efficiency and maximize organizational control,” say “Helps you get done faster—and done right.”
2. Use humor. Target audiences don’t have a sense of humor. People do. If you’re a car dealer promoting the newest models, rather than talking about trim options and leather interiors, try something like, “Your new car will look so good that you’ll have to remodel your garage!”
3. Speak to personalities, not demographics. As blogging expert Jeff Bullas has written, “Demographics have ages, an assigned gender and even a college degree. [People] have personalities, they have fears, wants and passions.”

Next time you sit down to write marketing copy, be real. Be relatable, and you’ll find yourself with an audience that is more highly engaged. 

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Snatch Customers Before Your Competitors Do!

Investing in direct mail for customer acquisition? Your competitors are! As their efforts become more proactive and strategic, how do you plan to attract those same customers before your competitors do? Here are three proven strategies for grabbing attention in the mailbox.
1. Use dimensional mail.
In a stack of envelopes, a padded envelope, a package, or some other three-dimensional mailer gets attention. Usually, these are opened first. While dimensional mailers cost more than flat mailers, they get response rates that can make your mouth water. According to the Direct Marketing Association, dimensional mailers receive response rates 200% – 300% higher than flat mailers. So when your marketing ideas take shape, make it a literal shape!
2. Try out unusual finishes, folds, and bindings.
Tangible elements are what make the print channel stand out. Consider using some of the many spot coatings, textured coatings, die cuts, pop-outs, and foldouts that your customers don’t see every day. If you have been meaning to investigate fresh new options and still haven’t had an excuse to do it, now you do.
3. Try new mailing formats.
Not all mailing formats are created equal. There are many different formats available: postcards, folded mailers, mailers placed into envelopes, envelopes that are personalized, envelopes that are not personalized, window envelopes, and more. Envelopes and mailers can be different sizes, thicknesses, and colors. Experiment with colored substrates, clear envelopes, and on-envelope personalization. 

It’s time to get noticed! If you need some ideas or want to test new formats, substrates, and finishing options, just ask. 

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

What Do Your Mailings Say About You?

Remember the old phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”? That’s true in marketing, too. What do your marketing campaigns say about you?
Let’s look at two different approaches.
Dear homeowner,
We’re having a big sale! Come into our showroom this weekend and check out our wide variety of merchandise. You’re sure to find something you can’t resist! Take advantage of big discounts all day!
In the eyes of the recipient, what does this say about the company sending it? It tells her that the company wants to cast a wide net. It just wants to get people in the door as inexpensively as possible.
Now let’s look at another approach.
Dear Michael,
Thanks for being one of our best customers. We’re thrilled that you’ve chosen us for your golfing needs. On Thursday, we’re having an exclusive sale on sporting equipment for our top customers only. Bring in this coupon and get a 25% discount.
What underlying marketing message does this send? It tells the customer that the retailer is interested in him individually and values his long-term customer loyalty. It tells him that the company values his business enough to make an investment in him, by understanding his preferences and needs (through collected data), and by sending him a high-quality communication.

When you send out marketing communications, you are really sending two messages: your written marketing message and a subtle, unspoken message about the recipient’s value to you. Are you sending the right messages?

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Want More Sales? Drip It


What is drip marketing? It is a powerful form of marketing in which marketers gradually “drip” content out to customers and prospects over time. Drip marketing includes a wide variety of channels, including direct mail, email, newsletters, and social media. It can be used for brand building, product introduction, cross-sells, and a variety of other marketing goals.
Let’s look at how one marketer used drip marketing with direct mail to get 1400% ROI.

Phase #1: Step one was sending an eye-catching, high-gloss trifold mailer that grabbed instant attention inside the mailbox. Once the mailer was opened, recipients were greeted with name personalization, relevant text, and a personalized URL that allowed them to enter an email address and download a free, high-value white paper. They were also encouraged to fill out an optional survey to provide the marketer with more insight into their individual needs.

Phase #2: Step two was a follow-up mailing to nonresponders. This mailing built on the name recognition built by the first mailing, but it was tweaked to differentiate the two. The piece also included a personalized URL.
After the second mailing, the marketer was swamped with responses — so much so that the third mailing was delayed for several weeks so that the response team could keep up.

Phase #3: The third mailing went to people who had not responded to the first two mailings. The marketer used an invitation-style A7 envelope with full-color brochure insert, personalized note, and personalized URL. To sweeten the pot, respondents were offered the chance to win a sporting package or high-end coffee brewing system.
The results? The company exceeded its sales goals by 400% and achieved more than 1400% ROI!
What made this program such a success? The marketer understood that sometimes it takes more than one contact to build name recognition and trust. In a drip campaign, each piece builds upon the next, and in the end, you gain results not possible with a single marketing touch.


Want to tap into the power of drip marketing? 
Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.