Make Your Print Faster to Read

Who has time to read marketing communications these days? Consumers love print, but they have less and less time to read. You have to hook them fast—and keep them engaged. The solution? Make your printed pieces faster and easier to read.  Here are five ways to freshen things up and make your printed pieces “sticky."

1. Make your pieces scannable.

Most people scan their printed materials. They don’t read them. So make your projects scannable. If your messaging tends to be text heavy, try saying the same thing in fewer words. In fact, why not try cutting the number of words in half?

2. Use more white space.

Use more white space and give your design breathing room. Choose typography that is easy to read. Tight kerning and condensed fonts let you pack in more information, but they can also result in communications that feel cramped.

3. Replace text with images and graphics.

People absorb visual information more quickly than text, so ditch the text and tap into the power of graphics and icons, images, and data points.

4. Go big!

Have you noticed that most postcards these days are oversized? It’s not unusual to see letter-sized pieces printed on card stock that is 6” x 9” or 11.375” x 6”. While you can still be successful with traditional-sized mailers, over-sized projects stand out. They won’t disappear as easily between the utility bill and the catalogs. But oversized or not, the “less is more” rule still applies.

5. Target your messaging.

Segment your mailings by key demographics and customize the content to speak to the interests of the people receiving them. This means more than just swapping out demographically appropriate imagery. It includes changing up the tone and the messaging to reflect the unique “personality” of each target audience.

Want to hook and engage today’s consumers? Get creative. Give them pieces they can read quickly and can’t resist. 

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
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The Empowerment of Personalization

Every now and then, data points jump out at you. Here are two data points about personalization that jumped out at us recently:

• 35% of Amazon's revenue is generated by its recommendation engine.
• 75% of consumers are more likely to buy from a retailer that recognizes them by name, recommends options based on past purchases, or knows their purchase history. (Accenture)

We live in a world in which we have access to more information than ever. This can be both empowering and paralyzing. When consumers have too many choices, they can get overwhelmed and end up not choosing anything at all.

That’s why personalization is so important. Done right, it helps consumers navigate and simplify the maze of choices and take the stress out of making a decision. With personalization, brands are essentially saying, “We know you. We know what you like. Let’s make this easy.”

Personalized recommendations are just one way data-driven communications can be highly effective, however. Other types of personalization, such as triggered direct mail, demographically targeted email, and personalized cross-sells and upsells are highly effective, as well.

Are you tapping the power of personalization? Do you know what your customers like, when they buy, and what motivates them to buy? If not, you’re missing critical opportunities to connect with them and guide them into smart purchases—yours!

Need help? 

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


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5 Reasons Print Stubbornly Refuses to Be Replaced

No matter how frequently marketing gurus prophesy the demise of print, and no matter how loudly and publicly they do it, print marketing remains the bedrock of any successful multichannel marketing program. Let’s look at five reasons why print is here to stay. 

1. It’s just prettier. It doesn't matter how gorgeous your JPGs are; a beautifully printed piece will blow away your screen graphics every time.

2. You can’t avoid it. When you communicate by email, recipients can't see beyond the subject line until they open the message. With clear envelopes, windows, and exterior envelope printing, you start communicating your print message as soon as the piece arrives in the mailbox.  

3. Print is one of many touchpoints. Today's complex marketing environment requires multiple touch points. According to the Online Marketing Institute, it takes six to eight marketing touches to generate a viable sales lead. Repetition is critical, and print is a critical channel in the mix.

4. Print influences buying decisions. Marketers once thought that with the growth of e-commerce, printed catalogs would fade away. History indicates otherwise. Surveys find that consumers who receive printed catalogs are more likely (in one study, twice as likely) to make online purchases at the retailer’s website as those who do not.

5. Consumers trust print more. Open your e-mail. How much junk email do you receive? Unless it comes from a known brand, people are skeptical of claims made by email alone. Print carries greater weight and authenticity than digital marketing. People continue to trust messages communicated in print.

Print remains irreplaceable in today’s “what’s in it for me?” world. While e-marketing is a necessary component in any multichannel marketing campaign, print carries benefits that online channels just can’t touch.

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

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