Thinking About Cutting Back On Your Marketing Spend?

It's official. The recession, that is. Check out why putting the brakes on during this recession may be the worst marketing strategy for you business.
The ‘R’ Word | Deliver Magazine

Good Ideas for a Bad Economy

Personally, I'm tired of all the predictions of economic gloom and doom...especially the ones that we hear over and over on the network evening news. You can practically hear the snapping shut of business' and consumers' wallets as the broadcasts lead off with yet another horror story -- all of which only fuel the flames of hysteria that, ultimately, will prolong the downturn.

So let's share some good news and good ideas! We'd like to hear some positive stories from businesses that are thriving despite the turbulence in our economy.

Priced Right Print Receives "Best Printer" Award

PRP Recognized for Marketing Success

WASHINGTON D.C., October 29, 2008 -- PricedRightPrint.com has been selected for the 2008 Best of Royal Oak (Michigan) Award in the "Printers" category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses throughout the U.S.

Commercial Printing News & Marketing Tips Delivered to Your Mailbox

Get special offers, commercial printing information and marketing tips by signing up at the Priced Right Print homepage. There you'll also find instant quotes on the marketing materials you need to create the results you want.

Commercial Printing: How to Reduce Your Print Project's Environmental Impact

When it comes to commercial printing, a few small steps can go a long way toward minimizing the impact your printed piece has on the environment:

• Whenever possible, choose papers that are certified for sustainability. Your printer can help you identify options that are right for your project, right for your budget and right for the environment.

• Go with an aqueous coating instead of one of the traditional UV coatings or laminates. Water-based aqueous coatings provide the same resistance against scratches as other coatings, but without the harmful impact on the environment.

• Ask for a "soft proof" instead of a traditional proof. You'll save yourself time and money while reducing the use of energy and materials used to create a hard proof.

• Recycle outdated and unused print materials, and encourage your audience and associates to do so, too.

Looking for Marketing and Printing Blogs?

If you'd like more opportunities to blog about printing, marketing, graphic design and other related topics, check out http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/business/marketing. There you'll find a complete directory of blogs on nearly every subject imaginable.

Print Marketing Materials Musts: Identify Your Goal, Audience & Desired Outcome

Don't write...don't design...and definitely don't print your marketing materials until you carefully consider who you want to reach, what message you want to deliver and what action you want the recipient to take. Do this work upfront -- even if it takes extra time -- and you will have taken the first steps toward ensuring your printed piece's success.

Know Your Audience and Set a Goal
Whether you’re introducing a new product, promoting an idea or simply creating awareness of your organization, start with a thorough understanding of your target audience, and a clear picture of what you want that audience to do.

For example, do you want recipients to:

• Visit your store?
• Order a promotional item?
• Sign up for your mailing list?
• Refer your company to a friend?

Ask Your Readers to Take Action
Be sure that your message is clear and that it is written with your readers’ interests and needs in mind. When appropriate, include a clear “call to action.” This is a simple statement that tells readers exactly what you’d like them to do, and how they will benefit from performing the desired action.

For example:

• “Call now and get a free....”
• “Attend the conference to learn strategies for....”
• "Order now and become eligible to win...”

Use Good Design to Promote Readability & Reinforce Your Message
Once you’ve developed a strong message, one with a benefit and a call to action, use well-thought-out graphic design to help set the tone for your message, and make it easy to understand.

Professional design strikes a delicate balance between text, artwork and white space. Without that balance, you can confuse your reader and turn out a marketing piece that fails to do its job. Whether you design your marketing collateral yourself, or hire someone to do it for you, keep in mind these simple guidelines:

• The typography you select helps set the tone for your piece, and its size and color create an information hierarchy that lets the reader know what's most and least important.
• Imagery, whether it's photos or illustrations, should do more than decorate; it should pull the reader into the piece and convey information that supports your copy.
• White space is a good thing; use it generously. Let your printed materials breathe, so as to not suffocate the recipient with information overload.
• Never compromise on photo quality. A picture is only worth 1,000 words if it’s a good one. Quality, commercial printing helps your photos look great and lets you stay true to that premise. For more about images and resolution, see PRP's Design Tips.

To learn more about how to create successful print marketing materials, or to get instant quotes on commercial, offset printing, check out pricedrightprint.com.