Bring Video to your Print Successfully

A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that creates automatic links to multi-media and text-files like websites. To assess the information, one scans the QR codes using a smartphone camera. The QR codes have enabled authors, publishers and businesses to make the printed material become more attractive. The Quick Response codes allow one to transform a lifeless paper into an exciting sensory material. The Anti-QR codes came up in a bid to fight piracy. The QR codes were seen as a threat to the music and movie industry as they promoted piracy.

Brands that placed QR codes on the products to prove their validity and originality claimed that the codes are open-sourced. That made the names readily available to anyone as the counterfeiters could copy the pages quickly after copying the codes. The QR codes are beneficial only to brands that would like to make their products readily available like pharmaceuticals, beauty companies and nutritional firms. The consumers’ can then scan the codes to confirm if the selected products are genuine. The QR codes can however be secured by creating a complex backend server to secure the system. Secondly, the codes can be placed inside the product where they are unreachable. The counterfeiters will therefore find it hard to interfere with the codes.

Most anti-QR organizations claim that the QR codes have encouraged people to use their phones to unlock images and the real world for an instantaneous static action. The firms also state that the word QR in itself is ugly and nerdy, not suitable enough for a tech world and dampens consumer interest. The anti-bring video to your print aims for a more interactive way of dealing with clients. QR codes are believed to be dying since they are a one-dimensional web link and are not a patented product hence prone to misuse by consumers.

Why its important for businesses to utilize multi-channel marketing (including printers)

Multichannel marketing has become essential because it creates a diverse way for a business to generate profit and create shareholder value. Most customers deal with multi-channel marketing because of the different experiences and individual tastes and ways of interaction. Clients exhibit different responses depending on the channel used to market a product. The sales of products also depend widely on the efficiency of the channel. Marketing products online often appeals to people depending on their lifestyles. Those who surf the Internet and carry out online jobs tend to get more appeal from the online adverts than the people who prefer reading the ads in newspapers. Research has however shown that using multimedia tends to increase the profitability of the marketing firm as different people in different areas and scenarios get access to the products.

Multichannel marketing gives a company the ability to reach multiple segments and provide flexibility for customers and also build a vast database of purchase information. A company can diversify its store-based business to include an active catalog, an online channel and even printers to create posters for marketing. The most successful consumer product company’s communication involves mass marketing approaches that diversify the whole promotion process. Adverts that are in the form of printed ads are as useful as broadcast ads because one may not watch the show on television, but the printed ads may get his attention. Printers are therefore quite relevant to this multichannel marketing era.

Online ads, viral marketing, blogs and social networking, printed adverts are effective when used as multichannel because of the audience they get. Major television and print advertising are effective ways of carrying out broad marketing for a firm. The fragmentation of the media has also made it possible for entrepreneurs to increase their marketing strategies and promote their products more. Multi-channel marketing is also important because they help ease the traffic in social media hence that is when the printers become active. More importantly, the social media can provide a company with a significant customer base when effectively used.

How to Maximize Your Direct Mail Campaign’s Response Rates

Make your marketing campaign unique

If you use the same old worn out campaign along with the same ideas, designs and psychological ‘appeal’ as everyone else, then your scheme will lack and be treated just like everyone else’s work in that mode – thrown in the trash.

Make your purpose concise

Don’t veer off the subject of what your product does or what you are trying to sell. People have short attention spans and won’t pay any more attention than they have to. Be sure everything you want them to do (and see), your product details, what the product can do for them, contact information, and etc. is all on one page. Sending them on a horse chase will keep them from the original plan – purchasing your product.

Make responding easy

Provide a way for clients to reach you. Nothing is more annoying to mature adults who want to buy a product and can’t reach the company because there is no phone contact. The same goes for the upbeat, young moderns who wants to purchase online but can’t because there is not e-commerce available. Provide your mailing address, web address, telephone contact and email in the mail and there is no excuse for them not to reach you.

Test your marketing plan

The look of your design, its color, the people in it, the type of logo; all these components have an impact on prospective buyers. Showing people what they need to see to influence sales depends on the effectiveness of your campaign. Make certain what you put out there works.

Include a call to action

Information alone never induces people to act. Telling people to call reminds them of the need to purchase your product right away. Persuade them to act.

Print And Mobile Marketing – What’s The Connection?

Marketing is a difficult thing to understand for even those that are well versed. That being said, with new developments like mobile marketing it is now more important than ever to understand how these new marketing strategies sync up with older marketing practices. Print has long been the standard when it comes to advertising, but it is now more important than ever that marketers understand that mobile marketing can improve traditional print campaign response rates when they are utilized together.

There are a few different ways that print and mobile marketing can come together to make for a very useful and effective marketing campaign. With new inventions like QR codes, we can now add mobile marketing and print marketing into one another. With QR codes that can be scanned by your smart phone, you can now make your print ad part of your mobile marketing. That is not the only progress that has been made, it is now possible to add elements to the print ad that can again link back up to the mobile ads.

With mobile marketing on the rise, there are other ways that mobile and print marketing can be one in the same. More and more people are using print ads to help lead customers to the online and mobile marketing. Print ads are most likely not going to be the only means of marketing in any campaign and they are often used in sync with mobile marketing to reach as many customers as possible. A print ad can be somewhat complete to serve the needs of the older crowd but it can also have additional content with mobile marketing. Mobile marketing is growing and is far more popular than ever before and it is certain to rise and continue to grow in popularity.

Tips For Success With Direct Mail Marketing

Segment your mailing list where it will earn you revenue:

Satisfied, regular customers are the best persons to contact for additional customers. If you presently have a list of all of your clients you are half way there. The people you send mail to is what makes the process so successful. Remember, 60% of the success comes from your contacts, 30% from the benefits offered and 10% depends on the ingenuity of the design.

Keep your list up to date:

Statistics show that one of every five Americans move to another area every year. If you have a list consisting of only 40 of the original 100 people you conducted business with, then it is quite obvious you won’t get the sales you expected. For a small fee you can request your post office to make address corrections for at least one mailing per year.

Make your headline design a priority:

You headline must be strong enough to give you instant results. It must capture – and hold – the attention of prospective clients deeply enough for them to pursue what they have read and be excited enough to make a purchase. If your headline lacks then, eventually, so will your income.

Push benefits, not features:

The sales pitch here is to show readers why they need your product and also why it’s best to purchase from you. Being realistic, anyone can offer the same product you do, the benefits come in when you make your clients an offer they can’t refuse.

Compel clients to act:

If you advertise to the hilt, then leave your customers hanging without the ‘call now’ punch line all your efforts will filter right out of the window. Impel them to contact you; tell them to telephone or visit your website.

Targeting Millennials With Your Marketing Efforts

Say what you want about the Millennial Generation, there is no denying they are emerging as a dominant demographic. They are also the most diverse and smart generation the world has ever seen. Exciting data, yes, but that also means they are the most critical-thinking. Marketers must step up their game if they hope to woo today’s youthful majority. So, what do the Millennials look for in a company? Three things: Customization, Intimacy, and Responsibility.

 

Indulge creativity.

Call it self-confidence or narcissism, this generation is big on making everything custom-fit to their individual tastes. Smart marketing goes beyond implying a product is special, they prove it. Young consumers look for variety in color, design, and features tailored to their sensibilities. The more choice you give them, the more likely they are to buy, and better yet, recommend your product to others.

 

Get personal.

Decades ago it was accepted, and even expected, that a company would set itself apart from the pack as a sign of superiority. This generation is a different, more socialized breed. As such, they look to companies with genuine approachableness that they can relate to. These days the most successful marketing campaigns are ones that showcase real, honest people and situations. That doesn’t mean everything has to be serious, though. Humor is also a big seller, so long as it isn’t overly cheesy or patronizing.

 

Be responsible.

Do more than you say and Millennials will see you as a worthy brand. For many young consumers, social responsibility is the most important factor when they shop. It’s more than promising you support some charity or that you are eco-friendly: You must show it through action. Remember: It’s okay to acknowledge your own efforts to give back to the community, just don’t brag too much about it. Today’s critical-thinkers will know when a company uses responsible actions just to make themselves look good. Do it out of a genuine sense of heart, however, and they’ll respect your company for years to come.

The Print Industry’s Powerful Presence

Print by the Numbers
In the age of ever-increasing digital content, the print industry can seem an outdated and dying industry. However, this perception could not be more wrong.
Print industry statistics illustrate that the print industry greatly surpasses the auto-industry in terms of profits and scale; it is a $640 billion business with the auto industry only $432 billion. With 45 trillion pages printed annually, the print industry affects nearly every world market.

Advantages of Print 
Although reaching out through social media and emails can be effective, print stands out to customers as a result of its personal, tangible qualities. Just as a hand-written letter or personal thank you note from a friend means so much more than an email, so does a print flyer or brochure to the customer. For example, direct mail brings in 78% of total non-profit donations.
Print is used in conjunction with online industries; many companies sell print online or reach their audience with both an online and print presence.

The New Printing Industry
Although thriving, the print industry has not escaped the effects of the digital revolution. The days of meticulously preparing for the printing stage are gone. With the ability to print content formatted and designed online, printing has become more colorful, personalized, and faster than ever before.

Ken Custer of Advertising and Marketing Review examines the new printing industry by interviewing various print shops in his home-state of Colorado. Jeannette McMurty, Vice President of G.A. Wright Marketing, is excited about the changes in the print industry: “Printing has always been a part of marketing and it’s an exciting transition as we move away from traditional to personalized marketing…you have to build a relationship and printing is a big part of that.”
Printing, an ever-evolving media, is here to stay.

3 Tips For Succeeding With Direct Mail

When using direct mailers to entice consumers to purchase your wares or services, you will want to make sure they are done in a way that is pleasing to the eye. Make sure to use large, bold fonts that are easy to read. Adding a splash of color and some photos on the mailer will help attract attention, as well. Do not clutter the mailer with information that is not needed. Making it easy to read is key and having excess on a mailer will only make someone throw it in the trash.

Using personalized mailers will make a difference when a customer takes a look at the information. If they see their name in bold print, they will feel as if the company is speaking directly to them instead of anyone that may have opened the mail. Using the name of the intended recipient will make them feel important. They are more inclined to call your company if they feel like they are already known.

Using contests on direct mailers can help boost your customer base. You can have a scratch off game on the mailer which needs to be scratched in the presence of an employee of your company. This will bring customers to your establishment to see if they have won a prize. You can give out gifts or have money off of your products or services as the reward for bringing in the mailer. If you have the mailer personalized, you would be able to see which potential customers were interested in the mailers to help you get a better idea of the demographics of the customer base you would want to send to during the next mailing.

Cross-Selling Your Marketing Campaigns

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When it comes to increasing the bottom line of your business, cross-selling is one of the first places to look. It’s commonly accepted that it’s far more expensive to win new customers than to retain existing ones – up to 7x more expensive, according to Kiss Metrics – and so getting your current customers to spend more becomes an attractive alternative.

To persuade people who already do business with you to buy more of what you sell, certain marketing considerations need to be taken into account to make the most of the opportunity.

Learn Where Cross-Selling Works: Not all of your products or services will be suitable to suggest associated items that the customer might also want. Take care to market only those that make sense as a combination, and be sure to test those assumptions against actual sales figures.

Pick Your Channels Carefully: Some marketing channels lend themselves more to cross-selling than others, depending on your brand and the industry you serve. Try them all, but only keep those that you can prove drive a bigger spend.

Target to the Correct Customers: There are some customers who simply aren’t a good fit for broader sales. Certain types of returning customer can actually cause you to lose money, so it’s important to target only the right ones, as this Harvard Business Review article explains.

Don’t Ignore the Data: If your sales figures say that certain campaigns aren’t working, don’t be afraid to pull the plug. Your efforts are better spent on those that spike your sales, and ineffective cross-selling runs the risk of alienating customers.

 

Done well, cross-selling can be the perfect antidote to a slow sales period. Just make sure you’ve targeted correctly and keep testing to prove your tactics are truly working.

Best practices for incorporating direct mail into a multi-channel marketing strategy

Businesses that employ a multi-channel marketing strategy should make consistent use of direct mail. The multi-channel approach is quite effective at reaching potential customers and engaging them in content. Out of the multitude of typical marketing channels, the best is direct mail. Let’s take a look how it can be an integral part of a multi-channel marketing strategy.

Direct mail has many distinct advantages over other marketing channels. A direct mail campaign should initially be incorporated with a test message. Don’t commit to a single message right off the bat. Direct mail affords you the flexibility to test a variety of messages to see which approach works the best. While other marketing channels can be quite costly to produce, direct mail is very affordable in comparison. If your initial test message doesn’t produce the desired results, you can still afford to tweak it until you’ve found something that works.

Another clear advantage of a direct mail campaign is that it enables a business to strive for several different goals. With direct mail, your customers are more likely to keep your advertisement around and they might consult it more than once. This means that it is the ideal platform to tout your company’s other marketing efforts on different channels. Use direct mail campaigns to inform potential customers about these efforts. Tell them all about your company’s website and social media presence on Twitter, Facebook etc.

Simply put, a direct mail campaign has the potential to do more than inform customers about your products and services. It has the potential to reinforce other aspects of the business, including its diverse marketing efforts.

Direct mail also allows a business to alter its message based on the time of the year. Other more expensive marketing channels don’t permit such flexibility. Direct mail campaigns can be timed with precision to capitalize on seasonal changes, economic changes and just about any other current event in order to maximize response rates.