The Case for Personalization in Marketing 

Technology and data make it possible to personalize marketing. Tailoring your messaging to the consumer preferences of individuals can help boost revenue while developing a more loyal consumer base. Personalization in marketing is a great way to tailor both digital ads as well as print advertising. Consumers in the 21st century—across multiple demographics—respond favorably to personalization. Statistics support this notion, too. The following facts make a compelling case for personalization.  

What is personalized marketing? 

Personalized marketing involves making a brand’s messaging specific to an individual consumer’s needs and wants. This approach appeals to a unique value a product or service can provide a customer to meet their needs. Effective personalization occurs when a brand aggregates data and consumer habits that accurately reflects the tastes and desires of a specific individual. For personalized marketing to work, brands must draw on quality data. Without data, personalization simply is not possible.  

Personalization in Marketing: The Future of Brand Messaging 

In the Spring of 2021, the International Data Corporation (IDC) published a white paper on how consumers respond to personalized marketing as well as personalization’s place in the future of marketing. This report is a worthwhile read for businesses looking to freshen up their advertising initiatives and to gain a leg up on their competition.  

Some highlights and takeaways from the IDC’s white paper: 

  • Personalization in marketing is an input/output (I/O) process. Messaging from brands should take care to not overstep their bounds. Overly personalized and downright intrusive brand messaging based on data could drive consumers away. This is why it is important to be transparent about your data collection and storage practices. Consumers should feel like participants whose information is protected. With personalization comes a big responsibility for brands. If your business is embarking on personalized messaging for the first time, we highly recommend that you work with seasoned professionals.  
  • Data collection and analysis is a great opportunity for consumer-based businesses to tap into the needs of their consumers. When brand messaging aligns with a consumer’s actual wants, buyers will see more value in your products and services, which eliminates the likelihood of buyer’s remorse and helps establish a long-term relationship with customers.  
  • In today’s fiercely competitive business climate, well-executed personalized marketing can help brands thrive.  

Personalized Marketing Facts You Should Know About 

  • 98% of professional marketers promote the use of personalization because they believe it forges consumer loyalty.  
  • Smart engines analyze consumer intent. Identifying the level of intent behind consumer interactions with a brand can increase profits by 15%.  
  • About 87% of consumers believe that personalized messaging makes a positive impact on their perception of a product, service, or brand.  
  • Roughly 92% of digital shoppers will finalize a purchase in response to personalized recommendations on a website.  
  • According to Startup Bonsai, 80% of consumers are more likely to make purchases when a brand creates a personalized experience.  
  • About 70% of consumers believe a business understanding their needs has a direct effect on their loyalty to a brand.  

Executing personalized marketing involves collecting and analyzing data along with automation. Pel Hughes offers data services, which utilizes advanced algorithms and analytical software to help you create brand messages that resonate with the individual. We also provide campaign automation, which helps reach out to customers who showed intent to purchase (such as placing items in a digital shopping cart) or with those who haven’t made a purchase in some time. Our team of direct marketing experts can help you embrace the power of personalized messaging through cross media marketing, direct mail retargeting, and more. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 or request a quote online to get started.  

Non-Profit Marketing: Direct Mail & Donor Relationships

In the non-profit sector, developing great donor relationships plays a large role in the success of any cause-based organization. Research has shown that long-time, recurring donors can make or break the impact a non-profit has on the community they serve. When it comes to non-profit marketing, the best approach is one that nurtures its contributors and expresses gratitude for their support. If you’re looking for tried-and-true methods to improve your non-profit’s donor relationships, consider implementing these four tactics.  

Quarterly Newsletters 

While e-mail newsletters are certainly effective, print pieces can go a long way with expressing thanks to your donors. A newsletter is the perfect opportunity to report outcomes from donors and for highlighting the positive effect your organization has on your donation recipients. When drafting newsletters, it’s wise to center the work your organization is doing, how it is helping the specific community you serve, and how without your donors, this impact would not exist. Newsletters are also a great opportunity to make direct appeals for contributions from your network of donors.  

Print newsletters can also repurpose content from your website, social media posts, and blogs. Information and transparency go a long way when improving donor relationships. 

“Thank You” Notes 

More than likely, your donors receive receipts after their contributions but that’s not the same as a proper “thank you” note. Automatically mailing a printed “thank you” note can help develop a long-term relationship with a contributor. These notes can be short and simple, and even handwritten. If producing handwritten letters requires more labor than your organization can handle, handwritten elements like signatures and personalized PS messages on typed “thank you” letters conveys authentic gratitude.  

Stewardship Mail for Recurring Donors 

Recurring contributors like monthly donors are the lifeblood of any non-profit organization. Long-time, recurring contributors can sometimes be forgotten—particularly when their donations are received via automated drafts. One of the best ways to nurture these donor relationships is to provide a VIP experience for them. Stewardship mail is a form of non-profit marketing that could include photos of the impact your organization generates, decals and stickers, and other branded merchandise. This tactic is a great way to nurture relationships with recurring donors. This approach can also increase the donation rates of existing contributors, which can help your organization expand its efforts in the long run.  

Increase Donations by “Priming the Pump” 

Only communicating with your network of donors when it’s time to ask for contributions can be quite off-putting. In fact, a study titled “Learning to Say Thank You: The Role of Donor Acknowledgements” conducted numerous experiments with “thank you” notes and appeals for contributions. These experiments demonstrated that sending notes of gratitude, which referenced previous contributions prior to appeals for additional donations, increased future contributions. For example, one experiment involved sending “thank you” letters before another call for contributions to half of an organization’s donor network. This organization saw a 67% increase in giving from the donors who received “thank you” notes over the other half who did not receive these notes.  

One easy way to implement this approach is to send notes of gratitude a couple of weeks before mailing out an end-of-year appeal for donations. A simple focus on previous contributions and gratitude can help your organization reach and exceed its goals.  

Pel Hughes is a woman-owned, full-service printing company in New Orleans, Louisiana. We provide non-profit marketing support including database services, campaign automation, direct mail, and graphic design to a number of organizations. Give our friendly experts a call at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.  

 

Customer Retention Strategies That Work 

Businesses today face unique challenges. One of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs is competition. While competition has always existed in commerce, today’s competitive climate now includes the prominent rise in e-commerce. Now that nearly any business can reach consumers across the globe with digital sales, it’s even more difficult to stand out from the crowd. These facts make customer retention more important than ever. Fortunately, the folks at Pel Hughes can help you retain customers with tried-and-true tactics like direct mail marketing, digital newsletters, and promotional gifts.  

Direct Mail Marketing is a Great Customer Retention Tool 

According to research conducted by the USPS and independent researchers, direct mail marketing is a powerful print advertising method that resonates across demographics, including younger folks. Direct mail sees higher response rates and sales conversions than newer forms of marketing. When it comes to customer retention, direct mail can help you reach out to existing customers such as those who signed up for loyalty programs or those who haven’t made a purchase recently. You can also integrate digital monitoring tools like QR codes to track response rates to your campaigns. The best way to spurn action from your customers is to offer an incentive to purchase such as a discount or a BOGO offer.  

E-mail Marketing and Newsletters 

E-mail marketing and digital newsletters are great ways to touch base with your customers and clients. Digital campaigns are easy to produce (you can even repurpose social media content) with platforms like Mail Chimp and Emma. E-mail blasts and newsletters are effective ways to announce sales, closeouts, BOGO deals, or even push sales on overstocked items.  

E-mail marketing has a place beyond retail, too. Accounting firms, dental practices, law offices, and service-based business can benefit from sending newsletters and e-mail blasts. A great way for service-oriented business to utilize e-mail marketing is to offer expert tips for clients. For instance, a residential cleaning company can offer helpful hints on home organization while a local CPA can offer tax-saving insights. Providing value with your content can go a long way when it comes to retaining existing clients/customers.  

Promotional Gifts 

Rewarding loyal customers works wonders. Consider giving end-of-year gifts to your top customers or providing some promotional gifts to new clients. When selecting promotional gifts, we recommend choosing items that serve a purpose in everyday life. Whether that’s a reusable grocery bag, an insulated beverage container, or a t-shirt, items that almost anyone will enjoy can make a splash with your revenue-generating customers. Pel Hughes offers an assortment of promotional items like apparel, computer and phone accessories, bags, hats, and more that can be customized to beautifully represent your brand.  

Customer retention is essential to a business’ survival. That’s why our team of experts work tirelessly to ensure that our clients have access to innovative tools that integrate print advertising with digital marketing. Our full-service printing company can assist with everything from database services, graphic design, high-tech printing, and fulfillment. If you’re interested in direct mail campaigns and cross media marketing, give the team at Pel Hughes a call at (504) 486-8646 or fill out our convenient contact form.  

4 Reasons to Consider Promotional Apparel from Pel Hughes 

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Did you know that in addition to full-service printing, graphic design, and database services, Pel Hughes offers promotional apparel? Today’s business world is more competitive than ever. Getting a leg up on the competition can be a daunting task. One way to inch above the competition is to add promotional apparel to your branding efforts.  

Branded apparel can be beneficial to enterprises in a number of industries. From mom-and-pop bistros to dental practices, most business owners can benefit from making space in their marketing budgets for promotional apparel.

Below you’ll find four reasons to consider branded apparel for your business.

#1 Foster a Team-Like Atmosphere Among Employees

Providing employees with branded polos, t-shirts, and hats can go a long way with your staff. From providing branded shirts to new employees to gifting current employees with apparel for achieving milestones, promotional apparel helps create a sense of belonging amongst your employees. As an added benefit, your staff wearing these items in public can generate interest in your business.

#2 Develop Loyalty with Your Clientele

Promotional apparel can be used to develop relationships with your customers. Gifting branded merchandize as holiday gifts or tokens of appreciation for new customers can help foster positive associations with your business. Fostering loyalty with your clients/customers is always good for business.

#3 Cost-Effective Marketing

Compared to magazine advertisements and some digital marketing campaigns, implementing promotional apparel into your advertising strategy is cost-effective. A branded t-shirt worn by a customer or employee could easily be seen by hundreds of people in a few months. Each of these impressions with your brand is a frugal way to reach more people without breaking the bank.

#4 Boost Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is powerful. The more people see your unique logo, the more likely they are to do business with you. Exposure to your brand through promotional apparel adds legitimacy to your enterprise, too. The more impressions you can make in your community, the more likely you are to expand your customer base.

If adding promotional apparel to your marketing repertoire interests you, look no further than Pel Hughes. We offer an expansive assortment of common items like short and long sleeve t-shirts, polo shirts, hats, visors, jackets, hoodies, and more. These items are available in numerous colors, have fashion-forward style elements, and can be customized with your current logo. Our team of graphic designers is here to help you ensure that your promotional apparel is on-point with your brand’s unique image. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 or visit our website www.pelpromo.com for more information.

Marketing with QR Codes 

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Did you know that over 11 million households in the United States scan QR codes at least once a year? Now that most smartphones have built-in technology to read QR codes, more businesses are implementing these codes into their marketing strategy—particularly if a business engages in omnichannel marketing. A QR code is a great method to merge in-person advertising with digital marketing. Following are five ways you can capitalize on marketing with QR codes. 

#1 Include QR Codes on Your Direct Mail

Direct mail—whether it’s a promotional offer or a postcard announcing a grand opening—is a great place to implement QR code marketing. Placing a QR code in the corner of a mailed piece is great for driving traffic to your website or your social media channels. Driving consumers to your digital properties helps establish brand recognition and promotes frequent engagement with your client base. 

#2 Use QR Codes to Promote a Sale or Coupon

Placing a QR code on signage in your store, on your website, and on social media posts with links to promotional sales and coupons can help you boost sales and move inventory. Deals with buy-one-get-one offers are wonderful ways to unload stagnant inventory, too. 

Pro Tip: Offer promotions, coupons, and discounts after a consumer has filled out a contact form that includes their e-mail. This can help you build up your database for future marketing campaigns. 

#3 Generate a QR Code to Make a Restaurant Menu

QR codes can route customers to digital menus. This is especially beneficial for those phoning in orders for take-out or delivery or for those ordering from food trucks. Many restaurants have adopted QR codes for their menus because it is contactless. Living through a pandemic has made people hypervigilant of what they make contact with and justifiably so. 

#4 Add QR Codes to Packaging to Encourage Repeat Purchases

If you run a business that sells consumer goods, particularly items that involve repeat purchases like skincare creams or vitamins, you could benefit from having QR codes printed on packaging. These custom QR codes can encourage repeat purchases by generating the same product and quantity into a digital shopping cart. This practice makes it easy for your customers to order the same thing on a residual basis with very little effort. 

#5 Use QR Codes to Encourage App Downloads

QR codes can generate more than links to social media and websites. They can be used to route consumers or clients directly to the iTunes or Google Play store where your business’ app can be downloaded. Marketing with QR codes in this way is especially beneficial for service-based businesses or those in the retail industry. 

Marketing with QR codes doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it’s best to implement QR codes in instances where this technology makes your clients’ or customers’ lives easier. 

Pel Hughes is a woman-owned enterprise that offers full-service printing to business throughout the US. We provide support for database management, campaign automation, direct mail, and graphic design. Fill out our contact form on our website or call (504) 486-8646 to request a quote. 

Copywriting Tips for Compelling Direct Mail 

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Developing a persuasive and effective direct mail campaign is an involved process. Not only should your design, font, and graphics look enticing, your copy should spurn action and reflect the value your business has to offer. Truth be told, your direct mail campaigns may require numerous revisions but the end result is worth it. Copywriting is an artform and there’s a multitude of ways you can help engage your potential customers. Whenever possible, it’s always a good idea to work with a professional writer to ensure that your copy is free of errors and awkward phrasing. Having error-free copy isn’t enough, though. Your copy should generate consumer interest and action. Following are insider copywriting tips that can help you convert direct mail recipients into your customers.

3 Easy-to-Implement Copywriting Tips for Direct Mail

#1 Focus on Benefits Instead of Features

It might seem like drafting copy detailing the features of your product or service is a great way to reach potential customers. While the features of your offerings are certainly important, it’s often easier to win over potential customers when you develop copy that is benefits-forward. 

Let’s say you own a power washing company. You may be tempted to lead with the features of the state-of-the-art equipment you use. While these features may really resonate with you because you are an industry insider, these features may not pique consumer interest from folks outside of your industry. Leading with the benefits your services provide, however, can resonate with almost anyone reading your direct mail. Your copy should reflect how power washing can improve the appearance of many exterior surfaces, including sidewalks, driveways, decks, and exterior siding. Pepper in some striking before and after photos to accompany your copy and you could have your phone ringing off the hook with inquiries. 

#2 Address Common Objections

Before you send out a direct mail campaign, it’s a good idea to make a list of common objections you hear when trying to sell your product or service. Objections such as “I don’t have enough money for this service” or “I tried a similar product and it didn’t work for me” can be addressed in your copy. One trick marketers use is to break down costs into smaller increments. For instance, a supplement may cost $60 a month, which may turn people away if they know there is a comparable product for a lesser price. Your copy, however, could break down this cost into a more palatable number by stating “Improve your energy levels for just $2 a day”. Anticipating objections and addressing them with facts goes a long way with hesitant consumers.

#3 Identify and Acknowledge Your Potential Customer’s Frustrations

Your product or service could enhance a person’s life by eliminating or reducing some type of stress. A house cleaning company, for example, would want to lead with copy that acknowledges how time-consuming and laborious it can be to maintain a clean and orderly home. Identifying your customer’s frustrations is a powerful tool. Following up with something like “Imagine what it feels like to come home to an immaculate house after a long day at work” provides a tangible and enticing solution to their problem. 

Deploying a compelling direct mail campaign is a daunting task. Fortunately, these copywriting tips can help you get started. If you are feeling overwhelmed, reach out to the experts at Pel Hughes. We offer in-house printing and fulfillment, graphic design, campaign automation, and world-class client service. Call our friendly team today at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote. 

Flyers and Brochures: Everything Businesses Need to Know 

Despite what digital marketers would have you believe, print advertising is not dead. In fact, there are still very real needs for print. Two forms of print advertising that drives sales are flyers and brochures. If you’re new to the world of print advertising, you may want to consider implementing flyers and brochures into your marketing strategy.  

Following is helpful information on both. 

Flyers vs. Brochures: What’s the difference? 

A flyer is a one-sided piece that advertises products, services, or events. Typically disseminated or passed out unfolded, a flyer is sometimes called a leaflet, circular, or insert. Flyers are great for announcing grand openings, advertising a promotional sale, or for alerting communities to upcoming events. Flyers can be cost-effective because they only require printing on one side and typically use lighter, cheaper stock.  

Brochures are more substantial than flyers and normally contain graphics and text on both sides of the paper. Often times, a brochure is folded to create panels of information. The stock used for brochures is typically heavier than the stock used for flyers, too. Many organizations and companies provide brochures for their salespeople to showcase their services and products. Brochures may also be delivered to residents in a community, which is a typical practice of restaurants and other service-based enterprises.  

Design Tips for Flyers and Brochures 

As with other forms of print advertising, you only get once chance to make a first impression. If your brochures and flyers are poorly-made, you may leave a bad impression on your potential clientele. Well-executed materials, however, can help build brand awareness and increase sales.  

If your enterprise doesn’t have an in-house graphic design team, consider consulting with a designer at Pel Hughes or commissioning the expertise of a freelancer. Graphic designers can help ensure that your copy is legible, your graphics are crisp and well-placed, and your color selection is on point with your brand’s image. Busy graphics and poor color choice can turn customers away. Consulting with an experienced graphic designer ensures that your brand comes across as professional and legitimate.  

Working with a copywriter can help, too. Issues with sentence construction, verbose and effusive language, and subpar grammar tend to result in a cold reception among clients or customers. A copywriter will help you utilize powerful, concise, and professional verbiage that sets a professional tone for your brand.  

Sometimes, knowing what not to do can help you determine your expectations with your print materials. Some of the most common faux paus we see with flyers and brochures include: 

  • Busy and illegible fonts 
  • Too many graphics 
  • Distracting and disjointed color selection
  • Cheap stock 
  • Blurry images and graphics 
  • Poor spelling and grammar 

If you’re wondering what elements make for great brochures and flyers, it is important to understand consumer interests and their psychology. People are busy; they have limited time and energy to read anything. For this reason, the contents of your print materials should be broken up into small, digestible sections of text. This is why great advertising copy is punchy and to the point. A brochure may benefit from bulleted lists, too, which can help recipients determine what makes your brand different from your competition.  

Well-executed brochures and flyers should also be informative. Your contact information such as your company’s address, website, and phone number should be easy to find. Your print materials should also have a call to action. A call to action can be as simple as calling your business for a quote or visiting your website to shop for products.  

Pel Hughes is a woman-owned enterprise serving businesses of all kinds. We offer in-house printing and graphic design. From brochures and flyers to catalogues and postcards, our team of experts can help you execute beautiful print materials that resonate with your potential customers. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to speak with a knowledgeable member of our staff.  

5 Reasons Direct Mail is Worth Sending 

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Businesses of all sizes have to operate under strict budgets and many times, it can be difficult to discern where to allocate your marketing funds. While some might wince at print advertising because we live in a world dominated by digital marketing, there are compelling reasons to invest in direct mail.  

Following are five reasons you should consider developing a great direct mail campaign with Pel Hughes.  

#1 People Enjoy Checking the Mail 

Most people actually enjoy a trip to the mailbox—particularly now more than ever because folks rely on the mail to receive consumer goods in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the USPS, even young people enjoy opening mail. A survey found that 88% of millennials (who command over $600 billion in purchasing power) respond favorably to advertising via mail.  

#2 People are Overloaded with Digital Advertising 

People are inundated with digital advertising every day. From their e-mail inboxes to ads on search engines and social media, a daily stream of digital advertising is wearing down consumers of all ages. Fortunately, people don’t have the same reaction to direct mail. These ad campaigns are seen as trustworthy by all demographics. Utilizing great promotional offers like buy-one-get-one-free deals or discount codes can help your campaign have a warm reception from your recipients.  

#3 Direct Mail Boosts Brand Recognition 

Circulating branded materials to your community helps consumers develop brand recognition with your products and services. When your mail is designed with well-placed graphics and great copy along with your logo, you can help raise awareness for your products and services. Brand recognition is a key component to outperforming your competition.  

#4 Direct Mail Receives Higher Response Rates than Digital  

Did you know that the ROI on direct mail is higher than digital advertising? It’s true. According to the Small Business Administration, homeowners make five times more purchases with mail than they do with digital advertising.  

Moreover, mail advertising is more likely to be opened and considered when compared to sponsored posts, digital ads, and e-mail marketing. In fact, more people are utilizing ad blockers and spam blockers than ever before.  

#5 Direct Mail Can Boost Digital Marketing Efforts 

Direct mail doesn’t have to compete with digital marketing. Many businesses use omnichannel marketing where direct mail actually drives consumers to your digital presence. You can use mailings to incentivize people to follow you on social media and visit your website by offering deals and discounts that are exclusively used online.  

How Pel Hughes Can Help 

Our team of printing pros and graphic designers can help you develop effective direct mail campaigns tailor made to your brand’s message. We help businesses, non-profits, and community organizations deploy direct mail that resonates with consumers.  

Pel Hughes is a family-owned enterprise that offers the latest in campaign automation and management, printing technology, and in-house fulfillment with a focus on delivering world-class client service.  

Fill out our convenient form online or call our office at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.  

How an Online Management System Can Make Marketing Easier 

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Marketing is the lifeblood for many businesses. The problem, however, is that managing marketing and advertising campaigns takes serious effort and time. Fortunately, technology has made producing marketing and advertising materials much easier with digital management systems. Our team at Pel Hughes offers Storefront—a management system that can increase efficiency and reduce your costs when it comes to handling your marketing campaigns.  

Following are four ways that Storefront can help your business.  

#1 A Convenient Hub for All Your Print Materials 

You can liken Storefront to a digital library. This system can store all your campaigns and other materials like tags and logos in one central location. Let’s say you need to update a franchise restaurant menu or edit existing materials like personalized business cards; you can do so with just a few clicks. Then, you can send these materials to the printer with ease.  

Beyond saving you time and money, Storefront can also set permissions for your account’s users. This is especially beneficial to enterprises with multiple locations or franchises. You can also enable customization for your users. This can be advantageous if you offer different services or prices from different locations. 

#2 Monitor Your Marketing Inventory & Order On-Demand 

Storefront allows for easy reporting. This is helpful for evaluating your marketing budgets or determining which materials are ordered most frequently. Automated reporting helps decision makers understand which materials are most effective and most used. It can also help ensure that your business stays within budget. 

Ordering on-demand also reduces wait times when collaborating with printing companies, marketing agencies, and freelancers. Having your materials in one convenient, secure location accelerates the deployment of your marketing and advertising campaigns.  

#3 Protect Your Brand’s Identity 

Sometimes, businesses with multiple locations and franchises can see inconsistent branding when local managers are left to their own devices. Maintaining a cohesive brand image is crucial to any enterprise’s marketing and advertising efforts. 

 Inconsistent brand messaging can produce a series of hiccups and unintended complications. With Storefront, company leaders can ensure that only approved materials are utilized. Since each user’s permissions are set by their superiors, you can eliminate the threat of inconsistent, unapproved campaigns. Decision makers can also add approval settings to each user’s profile, which adds additional protection in maintaining a cohesive brand identity.  

#4 Easy Payment Methods 

Storefront makes paying for and billing your marketing materials much easier. The interface accepts payments from PayPal and major credit/debit cards. It also allows for invoicing and purchase orders for businesses with multiple locations and franchises.  

Storefront takes a lot of the hassle out of maintaining and ordering advertising and marketing materials. With Storefront, you can protect the brand you worked so hard to develop while increasing your efficiency and reducing your marketing costs.  

If you’re interested in utilizing an online management system, we encourage you to give our helpful team at Pel Hughes a call. Pel Hughes is a woman-owned enterprise that serves businesses of all sizes in both private and non-profit sectors. We offer in-house printing and fulfillment as well as graphic design services. Visit our website or call us at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.  

10 Tips for Businesses New to Print Advertising

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Even in today’s highly digitized world, print is still a necessity. Well-executed print can increase your sales, develop interest in your brand, and reach target customers. If you’re new to print, however, the myriad of services available to you can feel overwhelming. Our team of printing pros can help. Here’s 10 tips to mull over when considering print marketing and advertising. 

10 Tips for Print Advertising and Marketing

 

#1 Learn About Your Audience

Do you know who your ideal customer is? Have you given much thought to what types of materials your target demographic responds to? Understanding your audience, their preferences, and their consumer habits can help you make wise decisions about how to utilize print advertising. 

#2 Determine What Sets Your Business Apart from the Competition

More than likely, there’s a handful (or more) of businesses offering similar services or products. Before you allocate your marketing and advertising budget toward print, you need to determine what makes your business unique to your competition. Knowing what sets you apart from similar businesses can help identify key points that should be addressed in your marketing and advertising. Perhaps you have lower prices or processes that make your customer experiences superior. Whatever makes your businesses stand out should be a focal point in your print materials. 

#3 Stick to Consistent Branding

Say the logos and colors used on your website differ from direct mail pieces and store signage. These inconsistencies can make it difficult for your business to develop brand recognition. When it comes to print materials, the imagery, font, and color selection should match your digital and in-store branding. Cohesiveness fosters brand recognition and ultimately, brand loyalty among consumers. 

#4 Know that Practicality Matters

As with other areas of life, being practical has its benefits. Whatever funds you allocate to print advertising should be well spent. It’s important to think in terms of “what yields the best results for the least amount of money?” 

#5 Understand Basic Elements of Great Print Execution

You don’t need to become an expert in print advertising but it is important to understand some basic elements of what makes printed materials eye-catching and effective. Important factors to great print execution include clean and crisp design, quality stock, and well-placed images. Working with a graphic designer and a printing professional can do wonders for your business.

#6 Know the Importance of Quality

Sometimes, quality is more important than quantity in the printing world. Low quality printed materials like direct mail and door hangers may end up in the trash with little consideration from potential customers. Eye-catching design, purchase incentives, and quality paper, however, can lead to increased sales. 

#7 Listen to the Experts

It’s impossible to be an expert at everything. When you’re developing print materials, listening to the experts will likely work in your favor. Printing professionals and graphic designers are masters of their craft. They know what works and what doesn’t. Besides, tapping into their expertise reduces your workload. 

#8 Use a Response System 

Print advertising can help grow your business but it’s important to develop a response system to find out what specific campaigns are producing the best results. A simple line of “How did you hear about us?” on your website, a contact form, or when new customers call or visit your business can help you determine what specific initiatives are resonating with your customers. 

#9 Utilize a Call to Action

All print advertising should have a strong call to action. Consumers need to know how to follow-up with you if they are interested in your products or services. Calls to action can include encouraging visits to your business, calls to inquire about your services, or for consumers to visit your website. 

#10 Welcome Creativity

The process to developing great print advertising involves welcoming creativity. Whether you’re conducting a survey to incorporate the perspectives of your employees or collaborating with a graphic designer, leaving room for creativity can help take your advertising to the next level. Welcoming creativity and collaboration can ensure that no stone is left unturned in developing materials that strike a chord with your customers. 

Pel Hughes is a woman-owned enterprise serving businesses in a number of industries. We offer in-house graphic design, printing, and fulfillment. We can also assist with developing omnichannel marketing. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.