Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Where to Spot Color Trends


Color is critical in marketing. It’s not just about making your products look great. Color helps to tell your story, too. It stirs your customers’ emotions. It reflects your brand. Just like fashion, however, trends in color change, so it’s important to stay current. To stay on top of what’s happening, here are five color “hot spots” to watch:
1. Runways. When we think of color, we think of fashion. Most recently, models have been strutting their stuff in very bright colors—intense blues, vibrant oranges, and shocking yellows. We also see a secondary trend of softer, more muted tones, such as dusty pink, lilac, and coral.
2. Home design. Interior design is another harbinger of the shifting trends in color. Trendy new colors show up on appliances, upholstery, walls, and even kitchen gadgets. Paint companies often publish color forecasts and make them available at no charge.
3. “Car stuff.”  The car you drive can be as much a fashion statement as a belt or a scarf. While the dominant colors in the auto market have long been black and gray, the trendier colors are brighter and more vibrant. These include lava orange, lime green, and popping yellow.   
4. High-tech gadgets. Just as in the world of fashion, we see strong, bright colors on our technology. Metallic green on iPods, teal on laptop cases, and royal purple on the iTunes icon. These are all colors we’ve seen on the runway, too.
5. World of entertainment and celebrity. What are the stars wearing on the red carpet? How are they dressed for their appearances on talk shows? What colors are used for their set design?
Every market has slightly different color influences, so the trends will not be identical from one to the other. However, by staying current in each of these areas, you can develop a keen sense of where to take your design next.

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Can Paper Have Personality? Yours Can!

Paper is more than a substrate on which to print. It has personality. It can be warm or cool. Bright or mellow. Earthy or blingy. Let’s look at some key factors that impact the personality of your paper:
1. Lighter and brighter? Brightness refers to the amount of light that is reflected from the paper. Brightness is measured on a scale of 1 to 100. The brighter the paper (or the closer the measurement to 100), the more your colors will pop. Papers with lower brightness will soften your colors, especially when the paper is uncoated.
2. Warm shades or cool? Paper comes in a variety of shades. The bluer the shade, the “cooler” the feel. Paper with yellow undertones will have a warmer feel. Think blue tones for the annual report. Warm shades for the invitations to your company’s summer picnic.
3. Impact of texture. Textured papers can elicit strong emotional reactions. Linen communicates elegance. Cotton conveys high quality and official communication. Recycled sheets, especially if they contain imperfections, are perfect for environmentally conscious clients. Smooth, high-gloss papers carry a corporate feel.
4. Shine it up! Gloss, matte, satin, and uncoated sheets all take ink differently. Uncoated sheets allow the ink to soak in and create a more subtle look. High-gloss sheets cause colors to jump out and grab attention. 
5. Time to gain weight? Papers are also classified by weight. The heavier the sheet, the more gravitas the communication has. Want to communicate a premier or elite feel? Use a heavier stock. The heavier paper also conveys durability and permanence. 
Your choice of substrate is like a flashy smile or a warm glance that sets the tone for the rest of the conversation. Ask us to show you samples of how different paper styles impact the conversations you are having. 

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Do You “Do” Relationships? Your Customers Do!


People like to buy from people, so the more you can develop relationships with your customers, the more effective your marketing will be. This is where relationship marketing comes in.
Relationship marketing is a broad term that focuses on customer loyalty, retention, and satisfaction rather than primarily on sales. Instead of saying, for example, “Don, we know that you’ll really love our new product,” you relate to your customers as you would to a friend, based on who they are.
What might this look like in action? Let’s say you own a small shop selling running gear. Any time a customer purchases a product, you ask if they would like to be on your mailing list. If so, you collect their name, address, e-mail address, age, and typical length of run. Based on your sales receipts, you know their shoe size and other buying habits.
Once a month, you send out a customer newsletter incorporating this information. In the base newsletter, you might provide running tips, healthy eating suggestions, and information on local races. In terms of sales, you might weave in appropriate cross-sells and upsells based on the length and type (road, trail) your customer runs. In the winter, you might offer distance runners special “wicking” gear that moves moisture away from the body, keeping them warmer. In the summer, you might offer them sport bottles, electrolyte tablets, and compression socks.
The intent here is to communicate: “We know you.” Occasionally, you might do a customer survey or ask for feedback, too. This deepens the customer’s feeling of being valued and, if there are problems, you can address them. You can gather ideas, such as suggestions for new products, too. Surveys also give you more information to further personalize future mailings.
When contrasted with traditional push marketing, if you were your company’s customer, which type of marketing would you be more likely to respond to?

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