Inside the Envelope

There’s nothing better than the feel of a well-constructed catalog, brochure, or invite. After all, no one wants to be handed a pamphlet that crumples because the paper quality is not up to par. This is why choosing the right paper for your print marketing projects is more important than you might think. Choosing Your Paper Type There are many different kinds of paper to choose from for your print projects. These vary in composition, design, weight, and thickness. Gloss vs. Matte Choosing whether to use gloss or matte paper is one of the most common choices when picking out paper. Gloss paper has an incredibly high shine that enhances color. Matte , on the other hand, has a muted surface that refracts light and reduces glare. It has a textured, soft feel compared to a gloss, which has a sleek and almost sticky feel. Uncoated vs. Coated If you’re looking to achieve enhanced colors and a matte or glossy finish, coated paper would be a paper choice for you. C...

Direct mail offers results that other channels just can't match. According to a recent study, direct mail has a response rate as high as 9% . However, there are always ways to engage your audience better and improve your mailers' effectiveness. These methods below catch your recipents' attention and increase the chances that they'll read and respond to your direct mail piece.  6 Winning Direct Mail Campaigns 1. Instill Curiosity with a Quiz Do you worry your direct mail envelopes are going in the trash unread? Take a page from Harvard Medical School's playbook. In a recent mailing to woo subscribers for their Harvard Heart Letter newsletter, they put a heart health quiz on the front. The answers to the three-question quiz were inside the mailer, giving recipients a reason to open. 2. Benefits, Not Features As marketers, it's so easy to get caught up in promoting all the neat features of your product. Your readers, however, don't care about th...

Have you ever heard the expression, “a picture paints a thousand words?” It’s true. While words can limit our ability to effectively communicate ideas, even a split-second glance at an image can convey volumes of information. Whether you’re a marketer or design specialist, it is important to employ tactics that add power and clarity to your communication. Creating Dynamic Images with a Singular Focus Experienced graphic artists have many tricks of the trade. Some like to blur the background of an image to draw central focus to one element. Others add texture to flat graphics by adding bevels, text shadows, or blended layers. But on an even more conceptual level, you can communicate boldly and clearly with signs and symbols. Looking to simplify – while adding complexity? Here three techniques you can experiment with in print marketing to amplify your visual messages: Signs On a basic level, signs are the combination of a word and a picture to cre...

When you want to flaunt your finest, large-format printing can make an oversized impact! Large-format printing includes products printed at a length of 18-100 inches with a minimum width of 60 inches. Some of the most popular items include posters, window graphics, yard signs, vehicle wraps, vinyl banners, media backdrops, and more. While large-scale graphics are stunning, these projects require special preparation, so these images remain vibrant and sharp when stretched to larger-than-life proportions. If you plan to go BIG, here are some factors to consider. Communicate from the Start When diving in on a large-scale printing, create a detailed brief and use this to speak to your printer as early as possible. Try to include everything from the size, design, materials, and deadlines. Your printer will work with you to be sure your ideas are achievable, and the timeline is realistic. Set Appropriate Image Specifications As you connect with a printer, be sure your images ...

Do you ever find pleasure in the chiming of a grandfather clock or in honking geese as they migrate for the winter? Repetition is therapeutic. Rituals provide structure and something to hold on to, and they free us from the tyranny of choices and chaos. Repetition can help complicated pieces of music, movies, or books reveal the depths of their richness. And repetition in design adds consistency, beauty, and unity. Strong designs repeat some aspect or element throughout the entire piece. The recurring element may be a bold font, a thick line, a snappy bullet icon, a repeating color or page layout, or anything that a reader will visually recognize. From business cards to complex multi-page booklets, subtle repetition is a visual cue that ties every piece together. Want to be more intentional in your repetitive elements? Here are some options to try: Headlines and Subheads All text starts somewhere, and text banners are a perfect way to add graphic unity. Are all the headli...

Imagine a college campus on a warm fall day, as freshmen are moving into the dorms for the first time. There are loads of students buzzing around and getting settled. As they unpack and get their bearings in a new community, many realize they’ve forgotten a lamp or shelf to make their dorm room a bit cozier. No problem! A strategic, targeted digital ad whisks across their screen on move-in day. Two days later, a mailed piece is sent featuring lamps, rugs, and closet accessories. This venue's campaign (a combination of digital and print marketing) snags interest in a fleeting moment then follows this digital hook with a more robust mailed piece. The Successful Marriage of Digital and Print Print marketing is powerful. Digital marketing is powerful. When you combine them... well, the result is dynamic.   Want to create a more strategic relationship between your print and digital marketing efforts? Here are four strategies to build momentum: 1. Create Distinct Online...

Trust builds confidence. That is why a strong corporate brand identity can make or break a business. Brand identity is more than key values or approved color palettes; it is the collection of all elements that a company creates to portray the right image to its consumer. Here is one helpful way to describe it: Brand identity is the image or character of your business as people relate to it. For example, the BMW image of elite luxury has grown naturally from customers’ repeated exposure to BMW’s ads, endorsements, and products. Brand imagery is the aesthetic appearance of your brand’s core identity and messaging. This results from all the visuals (from billboards, print ads, or product packaging) that represent your brand’s identity. When a company has a strong brand, it is easily recognized, which grows people’s trust. Trust builds confidence, and confidence begets loyalty. When a business has built superiority in a particular niche, repeat custom...