Reduce Your Print Project's Envrionmental Impact: It's Easy and It Will Make You Feel Good

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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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 Recycle outdated and unused print materials, and encourage your audience and associates to do so, too.

For more about printing and the envionment, visit Priced Right Print.

Reinventing the Wheel (The Color Wheel, That Is)

If you're fascinated by color (like we are) check out Pantone's blog, which features an article from IMPRINT magazine.  Titled “The Wonderful Color Wheel Part 1 and Part 2,” it traces the development of the color wheel and other color organizational systems over the past 200 years.

Sound too weighty?  At least take a peek at the amazing pictures! 

The images are representations of the thinking and the technology of their times, illustrating an intertwining of art and science, of inspiration and mathematics. We're showing you one here; to see the rest go to Pantone's blog.

Green Marketing: How Well Are We Really Doing?

After years of being hailed as the next big trend, green marketing has moved well beyond consideration as some sort of newfangled fad and become a cornerstone in best practices for a growing number of brands.

According to Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president for government affairs for the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), "Marketers are doing a better job in reducing the number of mailings that are duplicates and/or undeliverable as addressed. In addition, an increasing number have begun to reduce the amount of paper used in packaging."

Learn more about the state of green marketing.  And, see what we've done to make our business greener.  Then, (and this is the important part) please tell us...what is your company doing to make its marketing activities more eco-friendly?

Where Did John Doe Go?

When the U.S. Census Bureau released its 2010 results, the data validated what many of us already knew: that the notion of an “average American” is just that...a notion.

According to demographic analyst Peter Francese, key population changes are forcing marketers to re-think how they do business.  In a report commissioned by Advertising Age, Francese highlighted these transformational trends:

• There’s no longer an “average American.” Previously, marketers focused on what was widely accepted as an even society; one in which the majority of people had the same needs for the same consumer products and services.   
• We’re now a multi-segmented nation and a multi-generational society. In our 10 largest cities and four states — California, Texas, New Mexico and Hawaii — no race or ethnicity is a majority anymore.
• The multi-cultural shift is driven by immigration, and the fact that the non-minority part of the population — white non-Hispanics — is aging very rapidly. This is in contrast to the past decades during which well over two-thirds of U.S. births were white non-Hispanics.
• More than ever before, marketers will need to treat each generation or age segment as independent entities. It will be essential to address the multi-dimensional nature of our society today, and to use greater precision in identifying customers and developing messages.
• Despite the tremendous growth in digital media, tools that reach people in their homes and in their own languages will continue to produce strong results.  Direct mail, especially when combined with QR (Quick Response) codes, is expected to be among the most effective in this category.

See the Advertising Age white paper for specifics on population trends, and check out our site for more information about direct mail and other targeted marketing tools.  Then, let us know what you're doing (or what you've seen) that responds to the latest population shifts.

Social Media Set to Transform Our Lives

Erik Qualman, the author of Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business, compiled these astounding statistics. Watch the video for his complete list and tell us what you think the future holds.

1. Over 50% of the world’s population is under 30-years-old

2. 96% of them have joined a social network

3. Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S.

4. Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web

5. 1 out of 8 couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media

6. iPhone applications hit 1 billion in 9 months

7. If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s 3rd largest ahead of the United States and only behind China and India

8. The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55-65 year-old females

9. Generation Y and Z consider e-mail passé – some universities have stopped distributing e-mail accounts

10. The ROI of social media is that your business will still exist in 5 years

Marketing Budgets Holding Ground

Ready for some good news? According to a recent survey by Zoomerang and GrowBiz Media, small businesses owners are planning to maintain their marketing spending in the year ahead, with increases in a few key areas.

Within overall budgets, owners expect to put more of their resources toward website development, direct mail, email marketing and social media.

According to the survey's creators, "The results show an evolution of the technology and tools used in small business marketing. Email and social media marketing continue to grow in popularity, whereas many forms of print marketing remain strong."

Hot Color Trends for 2010 -- Color Marketing Group Weighs In

A color that used to be strictly for fashion is the Group's pick, set to be the year's biggest star for everything else. What is it? The leading international organization of color design professionals says its GRAPE.

Officially called "Mardi Grape," it is "a sophisticated crossover between purple, brown and gray. It comes from fashion and has European roots."

According to CMG's president, James Martin, "Purple has been with us for awhile now, but the big story is that we're seeing purple as a neutral for the very first time. The purple is browner and grayer, a neutral we can love long-term."

CMG also predicts these trends:

Red - Strong with pink intuition; bright and clean with energy and excitement -- a clean pop to go with neutrals.

Orange - A rich, sophisticated color that moves away from earth-based colors to an optimistic orange, seasoned with a touch of gray.

Yellow - A greener, more natural yellow, softened with gray.

Green - Optimistic and uplifting, a clear and bright accent green with a slight shift toward blue.

Blue - A saturated blue with gray influences; rich without being too luxe.

Beige-Brown - A true chameleon to complement darker hues, it can be either matte or metallic.

Neutral/Gray - Gray with a touch of purple, drawing inspiration from mineral, concrete and steel.

The Color Marketing Group, the leading international non-profit association of color design professionals, has been accurately predicting color trends for more than 45 years.

Learn more about our printing services at http://www.pricedrightprint.com/.

Online Printing Estimated to Grow 24% This Year

"Online print is a trend that will only continue to expand," said Barb Pellow, group director at InfoTrends. In 2007, print jobs that moved through the Internet made up 14 percent of the total U.S. printing market; since then online printing has grown at an average rate of 24 percent per year.

According to InfoTrends, the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the document technology industry, the surging interest in online print is dramatically changing the relationship between print buyers and print service providers.

"Consumers understand the benefits associated with online printing, including lower printing costs, shorter turnaround times, better tracking, less unnecessary printing, and better brand management," Pellow added.

New Newsletter: Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Print Materials

Sign up to receive the first in our newsletter series, this one featuring copywriting tips and ideas to help make your print projects greener. Also, learn how to save big on the print projects you need to produce the results you want.

Put me on the list now.

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The Ultimate Business Tune-up for Times Like These

Want insight from some of the nation's leading entrepreneurs?

See Inc. Magazine's list of "23 things you can do right now" to energize your employees, wow your customers, and get your business back on track."

Simple Steps for Good Graphic Design

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 printing helps your photos look great and lets you stay true to that premise. For more about images and resolution, see Design Tips.

How to Create Copy That Sells

All great marketing materials start with a sound editorial concept and well-written copy. Make your printed pieces as effective as possible by following these basic copywriting guidelines:

• Consider the audience you are trying to attract; "get inside their heads"

• Focus on benefits, not features; show why whatever you are promoting is the right choice for your reader

• Write headlines that command attention

• Use strong leads that will “hook” the reader

• Keep it short; be sensitive to the fact that people are busy

• Write in an active voice. Correct: The man called the dog. Incorrect: The dog was called by the man.

• Use a conversational tone with simple language anybody can understand

• Stay away from industry jargon and too many “buzz” words

• Include a call to action, such as “buy now,” “visit our website to order,” “get a free sample”

• Make sure your marketing piece is “skim-able,” meaning there should be plenty of white space, brief-yet-informative headlines and subheads, bullet points, etc. People are looking for "nuggets" of information, not the great American novel.

If you've got tips of your own, please comment and I'll include them in future entries.

Purple is Hot and Blue is the New Green

Graphic designers, fashionistas and design gurus in every field already know that The Color Marketing Group has picked purple as the must-have color of the year. For those of us to whom the news trickles more slowly, check this out http://www.colormarketing.org/Media.aspx?id=1095 and find out which colors lead the pack in "challenging economic times," and which ones convey the optimism we all crave.

Recycling Quiz: How Much?

Despite all of the talk about recycling, a relatively small percentage of all catalogs, direct mail, magazines, envelopes and copy/printer paper are being recycled.

What's your best guess? 50 percent? 40 percent?

According to the Direct Marketing Association, only 30 percent of the most common printed pieces are being recycled. And, these materials could be used to make new newspapers, notebook paper, tissue paper, grocery bags and other paper products.

We think there's room for improvement...don't you?

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.

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.