Now, is that any way to do a mailer?

I received a mailer recently that impressed me – not with its creativity or call to action, but at how poorly it was planned out and conceived. I shared this on my personal Facebook page, and one of my print colleagues urged to turn it into a blog post. I’ve been absent from my blog for a while due to health and personal reasons, so I was inspired to take up the pen (or pull out the keyboard) and write.

This mailer was a survey done by the Orange County (CA) Supervisor Andrew Do.  A tri-fold mailer with a perf where you could tear off the survey and return it. But as I started to fill it out, I noticed three major errors in the planning and execution of this mailer, and I wish to share them here to enlighten those who may be planning a return mailer.

• Problem: It was printed on coated cover stock.  How many times have you had something on a coated stock, which made it damn near impossible to write on it with ink or the newer gel ink pens?  You have to use a Sharpie, and how many people have those lying around? And if they do, they’re probably the regular Sharpies, not fine tip Sharpies that you can write with.  (As you can see from the image above, I did start to fill it out using a Sharpie, but stopped when I wondered if there was a website I could go to and do the same thing).
• Solution: print on uncoated cover stock, or use a pencil-receptive aqueous coating. Yes, coated sheets have a better “look” than an uncoated, but you’ve made the whole piece a challenge for a recipient to fill out.

• Problem: you have to mail it back and affix a first-class stamp to it.
• Solution: really, the solution was to make it a postage-paid return piece, if you really want the recipient to return it. Several people (including myself) these days do not purchase stamps, because we do most if not all of our bill-paying online.

• Problem: there is no link provided to a website that would allow us to fill out this survey, and, for the senders, capture data.
• Solution: create a site or a landing page on a site where the recipients of the mailer can go and fill out the survey, providing their name, phone and address as well. You will probably get a greater response, and you can capture the data.

Now, granted, this is more of a rant, but it does bring up some obvious points, and spell out some things that could have been executed better by both the office that ordered the printing, and the printer who provided it. Of course, there may have been budgetary restraints that may have removed some of the many items that I have pointed out here that could have improved the piece.

Mailings with thought behind them, and with the means to respond to a call-to-action via an online portal, allow for better engagement of the recipient. As a print buyer, you need to think about the complete process from the print until it ends up in the recipient’s hands, and as a printer, you should be advising your clients on the best ways to produce a printed piece.

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How print saved Christmas….

OK.  That does sound like a title for yet another Holiday-themed movie. But in a way, print did save Christmas – or at least helped create the Christmas traditions that we enjoy today.

During the 1600’s, England was under an extreme religious fervor that included banning of religious observations: this fervor was based on a strict interpretation of The Bible. Even if Christmas was an event IN The Bible, the celebration of it was not, so observing Christmas was banned.

By the time Dickens was writing in the 1840’s, England had not only returned to being a more celebratory nation, it was examining and exploring and embracing long-dormant Christmas traditions. By writing “A Christmas Carol”, Dickens defined many of the traditions that we enjoy celebrating today. “New” traditions like carol singing, decorating, and giving & receiving of gifts – all these became popular and established as Christmas traditions, due in the most part to Dickens’ beloved book.

So, that’s how Print Saved Christmas!

So, Merry Christmas – Merry Printmas – to all!

A Family Tradition

My family had a long-standing tradition of designing and printing our own Christmas cards. Starting shortly after my parents married in the early 50’s, they would yearly create a unique Christmas card that was mailed out to all the family and friends. Often, these cards were anticipated, as in “What will Cliff and Shirley come up with THIS year?” I have come across long-time family friends that have told me that they or their parents kept the cards, due to the creative and uniqueness of each one.

Of course, having parents that were both artists (my dad was a graphic artist and illustrator, and my mom was a fine artist, painting and doing crafts) made the whole process easy. Often the concept was hashed out around my dad’s birthday in early November, and by early December, sketches were done, “approved” by my mom, and then my dad would hand draw, and often hand-letter, the art. They were printed locally, usually on colored card stock, folded, and mailed.

Sometimes, my brothers and I were part of the creative process, even contributing to the artwork.  And often, even after the card was printed, my mom and dad would add something a little extra to the card to make it even more unique.

One year, the card was printed in brown ink on a green card stock, and as part of the design (and this was pre-planned), my mom and dad took white poster paint, and added the outline of a Christmas tree. This made the card “pop” a little more, and added the element of the tree “shape”, with very little effort.

Another year, the design was a 3-sided drawing of a gift box. To add to the effect, they took
a length of pink cord (I think it was actually a pink shoelace), tied a “bow” into it, and then hand-glued the “ribbon” in place on each card. It turned it into a Christmas gift, with a very simple message.

Of course, with all the technology we have these days, it’s easy to make unique and individual Christmas cards, and there is a whole industry that allows you to pick templates and customize them as you wish. But every-once-in-a-while, I do see a card that was carefully and creatively done, and it takes me back to the nearly 50-year tradition started by my parents.

Wishing you a Happy and Creative Holiday Time!

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Catalogs – the way to a Christmas shopper’s heart….

When I was a kid, the highlight of my year was the arrival of the Sears “Wish Book” – the catalog to end all catalogs. I’d eagerly scour the toy section (always at the front) to create my wish list of gifts. Of course, I’d list 15-20 items, knowing that Santa did not have enough space on his sleigh to bring EVERYTHING (that’s what my parents told me), so I wanted to give him a broad selection.

While we mourn the passing of print in some of its forms, catalogs are making a comeback, along with direct mail. Why? Because retailers are discovering that without a catalog, there is less web traffic and online purchasing. Check out this article from CBS News about JC Penney resurrecting its catalog.

In just the last few days, I’ve received a few catalogs, two of which are targeted to me. They are both wine catalogs, most likely being driven by my activity on liquor.com. But it’s shrewd marketing: send to a specific demographic a catalog that is within that person’s field of interest. And with catalogs, I can browse easily, then go to the site to make my purchase. Even though a print catalog may not have all the product in it you find online, it can spur someone to research deeper into the retailer’s site, and perhaps generate a sale.

Another thing is direct mail, and in this case, a piece from one of our local malls. It’s simple, mailed as an EDDM piece. But it also could have been driven by the fact that I purchased a pair of shoes at a store in this mall, and they could have easily farmed that list. It’s well-designed, not cluttered. And it displays a selection of stores that would interest most people who are shopping for fine apparel or unique gifts.

So, do not discount catalogs or direct mail. They can both be very powerful tools in your arsenal.

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

He’s at it again!

Photo by DREW A. KELLEY, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Oh, no.  Not ANOTHER concert!

Yes, my print blog is delayed this week for yet another commitment to my passion for choral music. This Sunday, the Pacific Chorale is singing the Brahms’ German Requiem, one of the Chorale’s favorite pieces, both for the singers and patrons. So, I ask that your bear with me as we rehearse and perform this choral and orchestral masterwork.

If you’re in the Southern California area, and wish to attend, go to the Pacific Chorale’s website, and order tickets!

Why do I need sales training?

It’s nothing new when I say that, having been in the print industry for over 30 years, there is one thing I see as an axiom: most print sales reps do not like change. Nor do they like to be challenged. However, training, particularly ongoing training, is vital if a print sales rep wishes to grow, wishes to remain relevant to his or her clients, and wishes to be able to adapt to an ever changing environment in the print industry. So let’s take a look at what I perceive to be the top 3 reasons print sales reps do not enhance their value by taking training courses:

I KNOW IT ALL ALREADY

This may sound extremely arrogant, and truly, it is. And this may be something you’d hear from a more seasoned and experienced rep, who’s been in the field for years or decades, maybe ran a press or even was a production manager themselves. Granted, I think most print sales reps might never say this, but deep down inside, they may think it. The problem with this statement is that printing is evolving at an exponential rate, and how our clients think about print changes rapidly too. To not avail yourself of training opportunities – whether it be how to incorporate social media into your mix of touch-points, or understanding mailing better, does both you and your evolving clients a disservice.

I HAVE AN ESTABLISHED CLIENT BASE

This is a dangerous statement, because I have experienced first hand when a major client takes their business to a competitor, or reduces the amount of print they purchase. Suddenly, an experienced rep is bringing in half of the sales and revenue that they used to. Not only does that mean a reduction in your commission (and income), but your sales manager or company owner now might see you as a liability, not an asset. So, how do you prospect? How do you get new leads? How do you TALK to the “new” print buyer? All of these things are part of a well-established sales training program, and if  you spend time every week in some form of training, it can keep you fresh and alive.

I SELL PRINT

This could be interpreted in a few ways, but basically, it states that “I don’t need to learn anything new because I sell print, not anything else.” This is actually pretty archaic, and illustrates a rep that is out of touch with how print sales is changing. I will confess myself that even just a few years ago I was resistant to printing anything that didn’t go on one of our litho presses. The trap with this is that print now encompasses so much more than just “ink on paper”: large or grand format; apparel; mailing; even digital marketing – all these tie into print in some shape or form, or lead BACK to print. So taking the time to educate yourself on alternative print processes only makes you more valuable to your clients, and to your employers.

 SO, WHAT CAN I DO?

Simple. Get into some kind of training program that gives  you multiple levels of access. For example, I followed two great training programs, both online, and both with a “free” level of access that used YouTube videos and podcasts. If you chose to go deeper into training, these sources offered courses ranging in price from $45 to $600 (dependent on the course length and scope). I gained valuable insight from the free content, but I knew that I’d receive in better insight and one-on-one coaching from these sources with their paid courses. So, here’s a listing of the three top print sales coaches/trainers that I’d recommend:

• Bill Farquharson – Bill produces twice-weekly videos on YouTube, plus has a great sales training course that establishes a weekly accountability call between you and him, along with a comprehensive plan to boost  your sales by giving  you challenges to overcome.  Check out his site at The Sales Challenge.
• Paul Castain – Paul is a very energetic and extremely creative source of ideas to sell better. His courses are not print sales specific, but he used to sell print for one of the “big guys” (he never reveals who, but I’m guessing Quad Graphics), so to me, everything he says can be applied to print sales. He does twice weekly podcasts, and offers one-time courses to full weeks long courses. You can find Paul at Your Sales Playbook.
• Matthew Parker – Matthew is different, in that he comes from the print buyer’s perspective, so his content is geared more on how to approach the prospect or client. He offers training courses that you get online, ranging from $50 all the way to $300. He’s based in the United Kingdom, but he’s very available via email or Skype. His programs can focus both on individual reps, or entire sales staffs. You can find him on Facebook, LinkedIn or on his Profitable Print Relationships site.

So, take advantage of what these great sales coaches can offer you, and take the step to improving your sales, your commission and your income! Not to mention your value to your clients.

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

You mean you do something other than printing?

I know that my posts are pretty much exclusively about print, but honestly, I do have a life outside of ink ‘n’ paper.

I sing.

I have the great pleasure and honor to sing with The Pacific Chorale, which is one of the top professional choirs in the country. And this week we’re neck deep in singing the famous Beethoven 9th Symphony (“Ode to Joy”) as part of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra’s 2015-16 Season Opener. We have 3 consecutive nights of rehearsal, followed by 4 consecutive evening performances. Basically, life goes on hold during a concert cycle like this.

So, if you don’t mind, I’m going to take a break for a week or two while I indulge in one of my passions.  I have a guest blogger that I’m going to highlight soon, and I’m excited about the content she’s going to share.  In the meantime, if you’re in the Southern California area, and would like to hear our concert, go to the Pacific Symphony website, and get your tickets there.

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Why do we still need business cards?

Does anyone remember a smartphone application from just a few years ago called Bump? With this application, the idea was that you would “bump” another person’s smartphone (if they also had Bump) and it would exchange contact information. I remember someone saying “no need for business cards anymore.” Well, what happened to Bump, or the countless other applications that are meant to transfer information from someone’s business card straight into your phone’s contacts. That sounds cool, but you know what? It STARTS from a business card.

My job requires that I set up templates for online business card orders. And that is something that does not seem to be going away. In fact, most of our clients start as inventory fulfillment only, and then branch into the other print-on-demand services we offer, starting with business cards. But why do we still need business cards in this digital age of smartphones and Google contacts?

WHY WE STILL NEED BUSINESS CARDS

Now, do I think business cards will be around for another 50 or even 100 years? Yes, but most likely in a diminished capacity. And the business cards of the future will incorporate more augmented reality, and ways to get you to engage with your handheld device. But here in the early 21st century, business cards do two things very well, and they do them much better than a smartphone application or Google contact list:

• They convey your brand – business cards, married with other branded materials such as note card, letterhead, presentation folders, and marketing materials, are the focus of your entire brand. Think of the business card as the narrow part of an hourglass. You can have wonderful branded marketing materials or stationery items, and they may bring larger messages of your brand. But it’s the business card that has to convey all that in a brief moment.
• They give more than just contact information – sure, your name, number, address, and everything else is on there, but there might be more to it. There might be something like a quote or a QR code that can engage the recipient into investigating you and your company more.

WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE SURE THE PERSON I GIVE MY CARD TO KEEPS IT?

Let’s face it, what do YOU do when you get someone’s business card? If you’re like me, you enter the contact info into Outlook or Google contacts, and then – unless card is memorable – you toss it. So, how do you make your card memorable? Let’s look at some quick ideas:

• Make it square – sure, it won’t fit into your standard business card holder booklet you buy at Staples, but it will stand out, and the recipient may even keep it out, simply because of the size and the uniqueness. Another option is make it portrait format, instead of the usual landscape format.
  
• Try different paper –  most cards are done on 12 pt of 14 pt board, and if they’re digitally imaged, they have a UV applied to it. BORING! Unless the design itself is interesting, those cards are tossed out. But what if you print the card on say 130# double-thick cover, with a nice texture? Or maybe a textured sheet like a linen or something like Classic Columns. Maybe something that has color with some interesting characteristics like the Neenah Environment line. Avoid the usual gloss cover stock, and try for something unique.
• Post-press finishing – with letterpress having a resurgence, maybe have your embossed or debossed, or with a foil applied, or both. Combine it with a thick stock and it will have a very dynamic impact. Perhaps having a bit of a die-cut element as well, like an angled corner. Try anything to make the card different.
• Personalize them – instead of 250 of the same card, change something about them so if you’re going to hand them out, every 3rd or 4th card is different. Mix it up, and it will become both memorable and a keepsake. Also, make sure your social media information is included.

So, business cards are not going away, but it’s how you have your cards printed that can ensure that your card will not be trashed – instead, it will be kept as an example, and keep your name and your brand in front of your target audience.

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How do YOU define good customer service?

Sometimes, a trip to the grocery store can lead to an idea for a blog post. I like where I do our grocery shopping: the store is clean, always well-stocked, and the clerks are friendly. The young man bagging our groceries this morning was polite, wishing my teenage son and I a nice day. And that inspired me to share with my son the value of good customer service, and where I learned that.

CLEANUP ON AISLE FIVE!

My first (and third) job was bagging groceries. Both times I worked at the same store. The manager was a long-time company man, and former Navy. The first time I was there I really didn’t try very hard. But the second time, I did. And I learned some great lessons from Leon Riley about taking care of customers:

• Always talk to the customer, and do NOT talk to the clerk unless it’s a 3-way conversation with the customer.
• Mop the floors correctly.
• Make sure the shopping carts are brought in and the cart area is full.
• Bag with the cans at the bottom.
• Always have someone bagging groceries on the express lane.

Leon had a simple rule, and all of these rules pointed to it: keep the customer happy.

CAN YOU PLEASE…….

Leon, being ex-Navy, taught me how to “swab” the tile floors. When I’d get the call at 4 AM that the custodian had called in sick and would I come in and clean BEFORE I did my regular shift, I would. But if I had another takeaway from all of this was the little fragile lady that none of the others baggers wanted to help. She was very insistent that we bag her groceries ONLY in the small paper bags, and ONLY putting in one layer of cans at the bottom, nothing else. She would always request this of each of us by saying “Can you please….” For a while, I too thought she was a persnickety old woman. Then I decided one day to do it the way she requested. And not only that, I went beyond that, always making sure that if I was on duty and I saw her that I bagged her groceries. Soon, this persnickety old woman started to smile, and make light conversation, and was pleasant. She even insisted on tipping me (we weren’t allowed to take tips). But what was important to me was that she was being taken care of as she expected to be. The reward was that she was happy. And, that made Leon happy. And more than once he pulled me aside to thank me for taking care of her.

HAVE A NICE DAY!

The bottom line is that good customer service is not always a natural thing, but can be taught. The reward for it is happy customers. And happy customers become loyal customers. They become customers that will forgive hiccups along the way. They become customers that refer you to someone else. Yes, we can give lip-service to customer service, or do it JUST ENOUGH to get by. But when you go beyond, and really take care of the client, the client rewards you by staying.

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Tips for a successful print job

When I began this blog, my primary intent was to be a voice from within the printing industry (the “print trenches” as I have in my header) to readers who are clients, prospective clients, designers, or anyone that has an interest in printing. Therefore, I tend to focus most of my posts to an audience that might need information, whether it’s about file prep, or paper, or even printing vocabulary. And today, I wish to take my readers on tips that I believe will make your print project – and you – successful.

DETAILS

First and foremost, the devil is in the details. Long ago I learned that when a client gives a printer specs for a pending job, they are in the conceptual stage – and quite possibly, they don’t have files or an idea of the final specs of the piece. And that’s OK. It’s OK to get your printer to work up a quote or quotes based on concepts so you can get a general idea of what the budget may need to be. But, to insure that your project stays on budget, whenever you change the specifications of the job, make sure that is communicated to the printer. They can work up a new quote based on your revised specs, and that can be the new “budget” amount. Or, it can help you and your team determine that your initial concept – which might be less expensive – is better for the budget.

Also, make sure that you communicate clearly your specifications to the printer. Make sure the page count is correct (and remember, a sheet of paper has 2 pages on it, one page on each side), what the flat and finished size is, and ink colors. Be as precise as possible, and if the printers asks questions, recognize that they are the experts, and there is information missing that will prevent them from giving you an accurate quote. And finally, that quote letter is really an estimate, based on your specs, and if the files come in and they are different from the estimate, you will receive a new and updated price.

FILE SET UP

This is also an area that can make or break the budget. Thankfully, Adobe has really made
the preparation of files for printing very easy. You can export InDesign files out to a print-ready PDF, maybe even have a special profile that is set up for the printer that it is going to, with specific attributes that they prefer. But here are the biggies that you must do every time:

• Make sure that when you collect the file for output that you have the setting selected to insure that all your links are collected in a folder, and all the fonts are collected in a separate folder. Most printers want all links in CMYK, but there are times (with digital printing) that RGB is preferred. It doesn’t hurt to call your printer and ask that question.
• Make sure all your fonts are embedded in the PDF.
• Export the PDF out to include 1/8″ bleeds (.125″ or 9 points), and printer’s crop marks. You don’t need all the other crop mark definitions. Just so the printer knows where to trim it.
• Finally, even if you DO export out a PDF with bleeds, crop marks, embedded fonts and graphics, also submit the source file with all support files in a zipped or stuffed folder. This allows the prepress team to correct anything if they need to, or re-export the file if you missed the bleeds, or fonts were not embedded.

ROLL WITH IT, BABY!

Finally, printing is a science and a craft, and is done by humans on machines, which sometimes break down. Or you might find your 1 PM press check at 5 PM because the client on press before you made several color shifts, taking their 20 minutes for each press check and turning into 45 minutes. Or your printer may be unable to make the delivery date, but is offering to do partials. Things happen. And on the rare occasions when something on your print project goes bad, just take a deep breath and listen to the solution your printer offers up (and printers SHOULD and MUST have a solution or solutions ready to share with you!) Presses go down. Paper doesn’t show up. Issue with the plates. A post-press finishing vendor is slammed. All these things can impact your project. Learning to roll with it, and finding solutions with your printer, will enhance your relationship with them, and make you a favored client.

So, remember these few tips, apply them, and you’ll have a better track record when it comes to successful print projects.

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Connect with John on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.