We recently reproduced this clients’ presentation materials. Covers are printed on Royal Sundance Linen 110# Cover, Emerald Green. Gold Satin Foil stamping and embossed.
Here is a short video during production: I simply love the “whoosh” of this Heidelberg Windmill Press.
We are very fortunate to have been chosen by The National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology and Science: ( iWiTTS for short ), to produce and manage the distibution of a series of promotional POSTERS. The good folks at iWiTTS are helping educators close the gender gap for women in technology.
Here is a short promotional video the team at FG composed from raw video taken on my iPhone of this project on press. Although I am no longer with that firm, the video is great.
iWiTTS originally came to me for help with their distribution process. It seems the posters were arriving at their destination in less that desirable condition. At the time I was brokering print and they were very comfortable with their printing vendor in Southern CA who was close to their distribution house. I worked closely with Donna Milgram, Executive Director to identify problems with paper and shipping tubes and developed a solution that allowed their existing vendors to consistently deliver high quality product to iWiTTS clients.
I was able to deliver the aggressive pricing along with the quality and trust of a local printer, (including the ability to do live press checks), that allowed them to make the move to a local printer. We built into the project costs extra precautions for shipping to their distribution house in San Diego, CA, including insurance to cover any liability along the way. I know they are very happy with the results!
I had been working for Vision Hispana Newspaper for several years. They produce a bi-weekly newspaper targeted to the Latino Community in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. The feature article is always bi-lingual and you can check out their online presence at the link above.
I was able to capture a recent edition “hot off the presses”, in the video below. You can even see their distributor pacing about in the background waiting to take the papers to market!!!
I have noticed an marked upswing the request for and production of Higher-End Business Cards. Do you remember back in the early 2000’s, before the dot-com meltdown, when it seemed most of the really trendy companies had heavy weight business cards, with a full color “paint job” on the back, multiple colors front, and rounded corners? You know, the whole nine yards treatment.
I came to associate that with a healthy economy, as business owners really understood the value of making a great first impression when leaving their calling card. Once the ‘bubble” burst, those cards seemed few and far between, and since the mortgage-lending crisis of ’08, not a ONE.
But, in the last 6 months I have produced 4 or 5 cards like this and have fielded several other requests for the same. To me that sounds like the bell weather of a recovering economy, where business people are confident in investing in a higher end calling card to differentiate them from their competitors and make that great first (and lasting) impression.
I am including a short video of just such a project we recently completed.
Karima Cammell at Castle in the Air in Berkeley, CA recently came to us to have her cards reprinted. If you ever have the opportunity, drop by her shop or at least visit the website, its so much FUN….. at any rate Karima is a true Renaissance woman, and has a real eye for “old school” quality, especially with books and other printed matter. We produced these fabulous calling cards on heavy 19 point card stock (130# Mohawk Loop Smooth Cover .0195) printed on the backs with her classic duo-tone of a dreamy fog shrouded castle by the sea.To top it off we letter-pressed the front of the cards, delivering that luxurious textured/indented tactile experience to the hand of every recipient.
If you really want to set your self and your business apart, this is a great way to establish that unique-ness. I have many examples within a variety of business classes to share, so don’t be shy, drop me a line, and let’s talk about it!
When it comes to print specifications, The Devil is in the Details.
While searching today for other print project manager blogs, I found an amazing job offer. It made me realize how urgently other businesses need the skill set I have.
There are literally hundreds of details to manage when it comes to print. In fact, back in “the day” when print was analog, I used to say “the normal printing project has 101 details, mess one up and it goes in the trash”. With the advent of digital technology in the world of print, the number has doubled or tripled. In other words “the average print project has 300 plus details, mess one up and it’s in the trash”.
A good analogy might be that of an upcoming airline flight. We want to know that our pilot and crew has massive experience in successfully delivering the passengers to their destinations. We want to travel with an airline that has systems in place that pretty much guarantee our safe arrival. And the details are everything.
Therefore it is appropriate that in our industry that all print files that arrive to our production facility go through a “pre-flight” checklist. But the details begin far ahead of the arrival of the digital print files. They begin in the estimating process.
Paper weight and finish, ink colors, page numbers, sections, tabs, tables of content, binding method, foil stamping, quantity, trim size, delivery, mailing, packaging and countless other details go into the average printing estimate.
It is humorous to me how many requests I receive that are missing basic details such as colors, or number of pages, or quantity. To assist you with getting all the details in your original request for quotation (RFQ) I have included an PDF example of the detailed specification sheet that I use to submit and RFQ for a recent case bound book we produced. You can use most of the line items in this document for even the most simple request, as more detail is always better than less when it comes to providing an accurate estimate.
Digital or Traditional?
When it comes to print these days we are often faced with an early decision. Should I print this digitally or should this go on a traditional offset printing press? I have found there are several factors to take into consideration, and that even drive the decision making process.
Run Length. Generally speaking, print runs under the 500 quantity would be good candidates for the digital process. But, the finished size of the piece has to be considered here. Most Xerox type printers have a maximum sheet size of about 12 x 18 inches. So if your postcard announcing your upcoming event is 8.5 x 5.5 or smaller you could run 4 or more on a press sheet. It really is the number of press sheets that makes the biggest impact. Why? Because digital presses generally bill out at a static “click” rate and there is no economy of scale as volume increases.
Quality / Appearance. As of this writing, many digital print devices produce what I call “pleasing color”, in other words, most untrained eyes cannot tell the difference between a Xerox color copy and a traditionally printed page. However, to the disconcerting eye there are vast differences. Most digital presses use toner, a polymer that is fused to the paper with heat, leaving the appearance of plastic sitting on top of the paper. Traditional offset printing uses soy based inks which are pressed into the paper with pressure, the ink actually impregnates the paper, and once dry the surface appears flat with the surface of the paper.
Turn Around / Deadline. Generally speaking turn around times are much quicker in the digital realm. This is because there is little to no make ready, no plates to make and mount, etc. I often have requests with 24 – 48 hour turns that simply have to go on the digital press or the deadline could not be met. If quality is really important to you, and in particular if the run length exceeds 500 – 1000 a little pre planning will yield you a far superior result at less expense.
Finished Size. As I mentioned above, most digital print devices are limited to 12 x 18 inches, although I have heard about a new device in the market that prints 23 x 29, however I have been unable to locate such a device in my local market to date. So, if your item is larger that 12 x 18 then you must print on the traditional device no matter what the run length is.
Personalization. One of the most fascinating features of digital printing is the ability to customize each individual piece, information such as names or locations, as well as the ability to swap images appropriate to your target demographic make digital printing very attractive to marketers. Personalization on direct mail using the traditional print process is done post press and adds expense.
Finding a company that values relationship is one of the most important factors in establishing a long term ongoing business relationship. There are many factors that contribute to a solid business relationship. One of the most important is having your print partner on the same side of the table with you when it comes to marketing your business. In other words, most printers are happy with producing a quality printed piece in a timely fashion at a competitive price.
But how many printers actually are invested in the results precipitated by that marketing effort?The sad reality is that the only reason you might hear from your printing vendor again will be so see when the next project is coming up, not how successful the recent campaign was.
Here at Colorprint, we offer an integrated, multi-channel marketing program that generates measurable results, YES you heard rightly, we can tell you exactly how many of your direct mailers were actually recieved, how many of those responded to the offer, and just how deeply they might have explored your website, or your call to respond.In Fact, when we sit down at the table with our client on projects of this nature, we start with the intended objective, and work from there. Questions like, who is your intended target, and why would they want the product or service you offer. What connection can we make to their existing desires, values and dreams that will have them take the next step and reply to your offer?
If you would like to learn more about producing a beautiful case bound book, I suggest you read on!
Folger Graphics received a Grand Award for the production of this title
One of my most satisfying projects is the recently produced Pirate & Hoopoe. Karima Cammell commissioned me to help her mastermind this incredible book. Her team successfully raised $15K on www.Kickstarter.com to help finance the project. Take a peek at her site to see great video and visuals and the saga of how one woman took her passion and produced an amazing book! Karima has been an inspiration to me, and I was totally honored to be at the controls on all production details.
Why Should I consider marketing with Direct Mail?
With the advent of email marketing, direct mail has taken a back seat over the last decade or more, but I believe direct mail is on the increase. There are sound reasons for this. In response to aggressive telemarketing techniques, telemarketing firms must honor “do not call” lists. Likewise, our email software has learned to identify SPAM, the nasty twin of telemarketing. That has left businesses with the good old mailbox as an avenue to promote their goods and services and win the hearts and minds of their prospects.
Assorted Direct Mailers
Direct Mail develops brand recognition for your company, reinforces your networking efforts, differentiates you from the competition, and drives customers to your business.
A few statistics: Direct Mail increased company sales by 702 Billion in 2010, and US advertisers cumulatively spent $167 per person on direct mail to yield $2095 in sales, a 1300% return on investment. Direct Mail brings in 78% of revenues for Non-Profit Organizations.
Should you decide that Direct Mail is a viable vehicle to promote your business what are some of the details you should know? First and foremost, understand your market, know why your customer comes to you and what their hot buttons are. Secondly, understand the elements of a well designed mailer. Have a clear call to action. Stick to one main thrust of your mailer, do not try to cover all bases thereby clouding your message with too much information. I once heard it said that if a person threw you three balls at once you were likely to catch none of them, whereas one ball thrown on target gets caught every time! Part of a great call to action is presenting your recipient with a free offer, or significant discount.
Integrated Marketing: Ideally you want to drive people to your website to redeem this gift or free offer and obtain their permission to email market to them with items like your monthly e-newsletter. There are very cost effective tools on the market to embed into your website that provide metrics and auto responders, (some with video) to welcome your new contacts to your opt in list, while advising you that you have a new subscriber.
Size Matters – the size of your direct mailer is important. The US Postal Service has regulations on the size of your mailer, and the postal rate varies on weight and size. I like to recommend the maximum letter rate size of 6.125 x 11.5, It tends to stand out from the rest of the mail and gives extra room for those eye catching graphics and brand elements you have developed with your design team.
Your Mail House: there is significant value in working with a qualified mail house. Not only will you get personal service, but tips and marketing experience from a team that does this on a daily basis. Acquisition of mailing lists, determining the demographics of your target audience, and weighing the differences between targeted marketing (sharpshooter) vs. blanket marketing (shotgun approach) are important details. Professional Mail Houses work closely with the USPS to obtain the very best postal rate for their customers, and since postage can often be the most costly component of any direct mail program it is paramount to obtain the best postal rate.
How Often? I believe it is important to have a system of repeated contact with your prospects and existing customers. Multiple exposures build brand recognition and touching them every couple of months is a great way to insure that they will find your information handy when they are ready to buy.
Follow Up: the most effective direct mail campaigns have a follow up system, this can be electronic, or via telephone. But most preferable is the personal contact to make that human connection to your customer. With all of the electronic/robotic responders these days, talking to a real human being is tremendously refreshing.
Our Heidelberg 5 color with Coater