Contrary to popular misconceptions, print advertising certainly contributes to a robust client/customer base, brand awareness, and healthier revenue. The trick with print ads is to utilize strategic tactics suited to your industry and business goals. Following are four helpful tips for print ads.  

Four Easy Tips for Print Ads 

Tip #1: Integrate Print Ads with Digital 

In today’s business climate, a brand’s survival hinges on maintaining a presence in both the digital world and the physical one. Print ads should make interacting with your brand or business online very simple. One great way to drive traffic to your social media pages and websites is to embed QR codes on all print ads, including direct mail campaigns. You can incentivize QR code scans by including enticing promotions and discounts, too.  

Shortened links and simplified social media handles, which are listed on print ads will also help drive recipients to your website and social media accounts.  

Tip #2: Place Strategic Ads in Trade Magazines, Local Papers, and Scientific Journals 

For many businesses, it doesn’t make much sense to run print ads in widely circulated national magazines or journals. One of the best tips for print ads, however, is to target a niche audience. For example, a specialty grocer can place print ads in local papers that serve specific communities or companies producing medical equipment or technology can run ads in scientific journals or medical trade magazines. Targeting a niche audience with print is a strategic move that can save money and build worthwhile exposure to your brand.  

Tip #3: Optimize the Consumer Journey with Direct Mail Retargeting  

Pel Hughes provides direct mail retargeting to help you cultivate thoughtful and productive communication with your existing customers as well as potential new ones. Direct mail retargeting works well when campaigns are tailored to specific stages of the customer journey. Retargeting to specific stages can help sway customers in your favor over your competition—especially when attractive incentives like BOGO offers or digital coupon codes are provided.  

Tip #4: Send Direct Mail to New Residents 

If you provide local goods or services, targeting new residents of a community with direct mail is a great way to tap into the power of print ads. Service-based businesses from dental and legal practices to housecleaning, landscaping/lawn care, and dry cleaners can benefit from welcoming newcomers. Boutiques, cafes, and other locally oriented businesses are also great candidates for this type of advertising. Offering specials or discounts to welcome new customers along with helpful information like a list of services or menus make for great direct mail content.  

These tips for print ads are a wonderful starting point for delving into the world of traditional advertising. Pel Hughes is a one-stop-shop for direct mail, graphic design, campaign automation, database services, and cross media marketing. Give our team a call at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.  

Generational marketing is becoming an increasingly important trend—especially with the rise of personalized messaging. Each generation has unique wants and needs in their respective seasons of their lives and Baby Boomers are no different. If you’ve ever wondered about print response by generation, read on to learn more about how Boomers respond to direct mail.  

The Scoop on Baby Boomers 

Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964—meaning that most are retired or will retire soon. A quite successful generation, Baby Boomers hold about 70% of the nation’s disposable income. There’s also roughly 74 million people (about twice the population of California) who belong to the Boomer demographic. The economic power and size of the Boomer generation deserves special attention from marketers. Due to their age, Boomers have lived through momentous and compelling events including rapid advancements in technology and space exploration, lengthy wars, and several cycles of economic downturns. Boomers are an intriguing generation who appreciate the past but are fully capable of embracing the future.  

Print Response with Boomers 

Of all generations, Boomers are the most comfortable with direct mail. Many Baby Boomers continue to receive their bills, bank statements, and other important correspondence through their mailbox as opposed to electronic statements and e-mail. Since Boomers regularly visit their mailboxes, it makes sense to interact with them through physical mail pieces.  

Boomers perceive direct mail as a comfortable means of exploring their options for goods and services. Of all age groups, this generation is most likely to respond to promotional offers like BOGO deals and coupons. They’re also more likely to trust direct mail over all other forms of advertising.  

Personalized Direct Mail for Baby Boomers 

Personalizing direct mail to Boomers is one of the most effective ways to enjoy high response rates. Understanding the wants and needs of this demographic along with personalized messaging can take your campaigns to the next level. Effective personalization involves collecting and analyzing data with sophisticated software. Data from consumer indexes, demographic information, and purchase history can go a long way in developing messaging seen as intuitive and helpful by Boomers.  

A significant portion of this demographic use digital platforms like e-mail and social media (particularly Facebook). They also do shop online quite frequently—which makes it easier than marketers might think to harness the power of data for more compelling messaging within this generation.  

Beyond personalized direct mail, marketers should deploy cross media marketing techniques for maximum effectiveness. The pros at Pel Hughes recommend using PURLs (personalized URLs) and QR codes on direct mail along with e-mail marketing for a seamless consumer experience.  

Pro Tips for Effective Messaging to Boomers 

Your messaging should be welcoming and inclusive to Boomers that are aligned with their social preferences and tastes. Following are a few helpful tips for putting your best foot forward with this age group.  

  • Avoid slang. While Millennials and Gen Z prefer more informal and curt language, Boomers tend to view the use of slang in commerce as unprofessional and unappealing. When writing copy for Boomers, use impeccable grammar and a more formal tone.  
  • Sell your product or service by illustrating the helpful benefits of your offering. A great method for explaining why your product/service is superior to the competition is to use short, bulleted lists. 
  • Avoid using identifiers like “elderly”. While Boomers are a mature age group, they tend to be young at heart and enjoy long life expectancies thanks to advancements in public health and medical technology.  
  • Understand that details matter to this generation. While Millennials and Gen Z enjoy very short content, Boomers tend to appreciate nuance and detail more.  

The pros at Pel Hughes can help you boost your print response with personalized direct mail. We offer a suite of services including cross media marketing, direct mail retargeting, graphic design, and campaign automation to help you market to specific demographics. Give our helpful experts a call at (504) 486-8646 to launch your next campaign.  

Have you ever wondered about print response with direct mail for Gen X? While Gen X regularly uses digital mediums to shop and communicate, this generation responds favorably to direct mail. Tailoring your messaging to Gen X’s tastes and needs can go a long way with your direct mail campaigns. The printing pros at Pel Hughes offer some useful insight into this oft-forgotten generation.

What Marketers Need to Know About Gen X

Compared to Baby Boomers, Gen x is a small generation. They also hold far less wealth than Boomers. That’s not to say that Gen X doesn’t wield significant purchasing power; they do. When it comes to Gen X and their print response with direct mail, it’s essential that marketers understand this generation’s unique needs and consumer behavior.

The most important thing for marketers to understand about Gen X is that this generation of people is busy. Not only are most Gen X at the apex of their careers, they are also dedicated parents and caregivers. Millions of Gen Xers are grappling with long working hours, significant commutes, increased cost of living, and the dual obligation to care for their children and their aging parents. Brand messaging that focuses on simplifying one’s life and products that offer convenience are very appealing to Gen X people.

Gen Xers are quite socially conscious—especially when compared to Baby Boomers. While this generation is practical, they will pay more for goods and services from brands that operate with socially conscious business practices.

Key Facts about Gen X: 

  • People born between 1965 and 1980 are considered Gen X

  • Gen X is fiercely independent

  • This generation spends nearly $400 billion each year

  • Gen X tends to feel overlooked and forgotten when it comes to media and corporate attention

  • People who belong to Gen X tend to be skeptical and cautious. This is likely due to this generation living through multiple economic recessions and stagnant wage growth

  • Being skeptical by nature, this generation conducts more pre-purchase research on goods and services than other age groups

  • Gen X tends to be quite loyal to brands with products and services they like

Gen X’s Print Response with Direct Mail

Although most Gen Xers have a social media profile or two and regularly shop online, they tend to respond very favorably to direct mail. Since Gen X is sandwiched right between the Digital Age and the Pre-Digital Age, receiving physical mail pieces can have a comforting and nostalgic effect on this demographic.

The following statistics regarding mail and Gen X might surprise you:

  • Roughly 86% of this demographic checks their mail on a daily basis

  • About 72% of Gen Xers continue to receive paper copies of their bills and bank statements

  • Nearly 70% of this generation uses coupons on direct mail pieces

Appealing to Gen X isn’t impossible when marketers understand this age group’s circumstances and consumer behavior. When it comes to print response with direct mail, the best campaigns target Gen X directly with thoughtful copy, helpful discounts/coupons, and a basic understanding of what the average Gen Xer’s life entails.

Hype and flashiness tend to not go over well with this generation. Gen Xers prefer factual content, their own independent research, and practical solutions to their problems when making purchases. Transparency and authenticity go a long way with this generation. Presenting tangible value and practicality along with acknowledgement and respect is a great way to reach the heart of the typical Gen X consumer.

Cross media marketing is a great way for brands to connect with this generation. All direct mailpieces should have URLs, e-mail addresses, and/or QR codes to drive this age group to digital channels. Direct mail should also be personalized to make a bigger impact on these practical consumers. Purchasing incentives like BOGO offers, coupons, and discount codes also helps win over Gen Xers.

If you’re looking to increase your print response with direct mail, give the experts at Pel Hughes a call at (504) 486-8646. We also offer campaign automation and database services to help you harness the power of technology to your advantage.

Working with online printers can be tempting—after all, some do offer lower prices. Often times, working with online printing companies instead of traditional printers can leave a lot to be desired. While lower prices might be tempting, the downsides of online printing companies can end up costing more money in the long run because their service and products may be inferior to a client-oriented traditional printing business.  

The Pitfalls of Online Printing Companies 

Although some online printing companies may be able to complete very simple printing jobs on a one-off basis, there are a number of ways their service can be lackluster. One major pitfall with online printing companies is their access to quality substrates. For instance, a conventional printing company develops relationships with paper suppliers and manufacturers who operate transparent businesses and have immeasurable knowledge of what makes quality paper. An online printing company, on the other hand, may be sourcing their materials in bulk from several vendors with little oversight on quality. There’s typically limited selection of materials and stocks with online vendors, too as they tend to work with a narrow selection of product to keep costs low. This can be a problem for more complex printing jobs or for businesses looking for unique direct mail campaigns, signage, corporate materials, and banners.  

One reason online printing companies offer lower prices is that they operate with less labor. Most of the time, these companies have predesigned templates and minimal customer service employees. This can be limiting or downright frustrating for business owners in need of expert printing guidance. 

Benefits of Working with Traditional Printers 

Well-respected traditional printers offer innumerable benefits to businesses and organizations in need of print materials. For instance, Pel Hughes is a one-stop-shop for all your printing needs including graphic design, campaign automation, and database services. Reputable printers can source a variety of substrates and printing materials to ensure that your printing needs reflect your vision and professionalism. Working with a traditional printer also gives you access to experienced professionals who can guide you through the printing process from start to finish. Consulting with printing pros can ensure that your project is of the utmost quality and accurately represents your business.   

Traditional printers offer a level of customization such as unique printing treatments like foils, spot UV, and raised varnishes that online printing companies cannot match. They can also use technology such as variable data printing to produce a level of personalization that your customers can appreciate.  

Working with a traditional printer isn’t just for large multinational corporations. Businesses and organizations of all sizes can benefit from the one-on-one personal attentional a traditional printer provides. We work with medical and dental clinics, restaurants, law practices, service-based businesses, retailers, higher education institutions, and a number of non-profit organizations.  

How Pel Hughes Can Help 

Pel Hughes pairs advanced printing technology with first-rate client service. From offset and digital printing and displays to full-service finishing/bindery, our dedicated experts have you covered. In addition to our printing services, we offer cross media marketing, promotional products and apparel, and fulfillment. Give our team a call at (504) 486-8646 or fill out a contact form to request a quote.  

Your walls, floor, windows, and business vehicles are a blank canvas with which you can improve your marketing efforts. Marketing with large graphics is ideal for brick-and-mortar locations including salons, cafes, boutiques, health and dental clinics, and automotive shops. This form of marketing is also great for higher education institutions and non-profit organizations like nature preserve centers and animal shelters. Marketing with large graphics can serve two purposes: these graphics can educate consumers and patrons about your offerings and services while also maximizing all your business’ space for advertising.  

Pel Hughes offers large graphic printing services to help you make the most of your business or organization’s brand messaging and marketing. Below are some helpful insights into how marketing with large graphics can benefit your enterprise.  

Large Graphics Marketing for Health and Dental Clinics 

Health and dental clinics as well as chiropractic practices and pharmacies can benefit from large graphic marketing. Examination rooms, walls, windows, and lobbies can feature calming scenery with branded messaging along with information that offers patient education. Large graphics can also enhance privacy for patients in treatment areas and examination areas without sacrificing a clinic’s aesthetic.  

When using large graphics in clinical settings, we recommend selecting calming and serene color schemes, fonts, and stock photos. It is important that your large graphics enhance your patient’s experience. Avoid using aggressive colors and fonts or images that may be disturbing to some people who are uneasy in medical situations.  

Marketing with Large Graphics for Retail and Restaurants 

Retail spaces and eateries have a lot to gain when marketing with large graphics. For example, clothing stores and boutiques can feature large graphics on dressing rooms, windows, and even on flooring. These graphics can showcase seasonal fashion trends and popular products. Cafes and restaurants, on the other hand, can highlight popular and tantalizing menu items with their large graphics. Imagine the power of a professionally photographed, mouthwatering dish featured on the entrance windows of an establishment. When it comes to marketing with large graphics in eateries, we recommend showcasing popular and permanent menu items rather than specials or dishes with seasonal ingredients.  

Large Graphic Marketing for Higher Education 

Colleges and universities are great places for large graphics marketing. Student centers, bookstores, libraries, and lobbies in various buildings are perfect places for large printed graphics. These graphics can highlight historic milestones at your institution, announce specific services and amenities, and welcome visitors. Large graphics can also double as wayfinding signage, which improves visitor and student experiences on your campus.  

Before developing a large graphics marketing campaign, we recommend consulting with the printing pros at Pel Hughes. We offer graphic design services and an array of printing techniques to help your graphics stand out from the crowd without clashing with your established brand image. Give our friendly experts a call at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.  

Print marketing and advertising can be more sustainable than many people think. Pel Hughes offers an array of resources to help you develop sustainable print marketing and advertising campaigns. From our digital interface, Storefront, which allows for seamless ordering to our cross media marketing services and consumer databases, you can ensure that your enterprise operates as eco-friendly as possible.  

While digital marketing and advertising is a necessity in today’s tough business climate, it’s not as eco-friendly as it may seem. Take for example, the precious resources necessary to create devices like smartphones, computers, and tablets. The batteries of these devices alone require the mining of finite minerals. Another great example of how digital isn’t always more environmentally conscious than print is with currencies. In recent years, we’ve learned that mining digital currency like Bitcoin can cause serious drains on the power grid, require gargantuan amounts of server space, and contribute quite a lot to non-biodegradable waste. The same is true when comparing print marketing and advertising to digital.  

If you’re looking for more sustainable print marketing and advertising solutions, consider the following.  

Sustainable Print Marketing Solutions from Pel Hughes 

Focus on Quality over Quantity 

In the not-so-distant past, it was a common practice to send large volumes of direct mail to every address in a zip code. Today, however, technology makes it possible to curate great mailing lists, maintain large up-to-date databases, and rely on more accurate consumer data. Pel Hughes utilizes software that makes focusing on quality rather than quantity much easier. From consumer databases that make targeting your ideal consumer a breeze to database services that manage your mailing lists so that your mailers aren’t sent to duplicate or inactive addresses, Pel Hughes can help you cut down on waste for more sustainable and cost-effective marketing campaigns.  

Leverage Personalization for a Reduced Carbon Footprint 

Personalization is key component to grabbing a modern consumer’s attention. Not only is personalization effective, but it is also popular. Consumers are more likely to become repeat customers to your brand or service when they receive personalized marketing messages. In fact, about 71% of consumers expect personalized messaging.  

It’s a given that personalization is essential to increasing sales, attracting new customers, and retaining existing clientele but what might surprise you is that personalization can make your print and digital marketing efforts more sustainable. Personalized campaigns across both print and digital channels can reduce the volume of printed materials your company uses. By making each campaign more effective, you can reduce the amount of campaigns you do send, which can lower your business’ carbon footprint. 

The pros at Pel Hughes can help you deploy personalized marketing campaigns with e-mail marketing software, variable data printing, QR codes, and PURLs.   

Use Pel Hughes’ Storefront 

Our full-service printing company offers Storefront—an advanced digital library that makes online ordering a breeze. Your business’ digital library can house all your brand-approved messaging including direct mail campaigns, signage, and corporate materials. Rather than printing and storing large volumes of printed materials (that may or may not be used in the future) you can order exactly what you need when you need it. This sustainable tool helps cut down on physical waste while also making your enterprise more efficient and budget conscious.  

Our printing experts are here to help your business transition to more sustainable print marketing and advertising. We offer cross media marketing, online ordering through Storefront, graphic design, campaign automation, database services, and much more. To learn more or request a quote, call Pel Hughes at (504) 486-8646.  

 

 

 

Did you know that the brain is far more likely to remember text on printed materials than from a digital source? According to the Scientific American, print is far more memorable than words on a screen. Additionally, print offers a sensory experience through touch, sight, and smell that the digital realm cannot replicate. These facts make an excellent case for using print media for branding.

Why Every Business Needs Printed Materials

It might be tempting to assume that with the rise of digital advertising and marketing, print materials are no longer necessary. This false notion could hurt your business. The truth is that printed media is still a very relevant aspect to building your business’ brand. The type of print media you utilize, however, can vary. 

 The key to using print media for branding is to select print materials that will perform well for your specific industry and region. For example, if you engage in a lot of B2B sales, you will likely need pamphlets, presentation folders, and business cards to pass out at seminars, trade shows, and sales events. Similarly, if you are opening up a dry cleaning store, sending a direct mail campaign announcing your grand opening to specific neighborhoods in your service area can yield excellent results. If you’re looking to develop print advertising campaigns, we recommend purchasing ads in niche papers or trade magazines to stretch your budget further.

If you’re new to using print for your business, we recommend consulting with seasoned printing professionals who can help you develop a customized approach that suits your unique needs. Our team at Pel Hughes offers full-service printing, graphic design, and helpful tools like digital libraries to automate campaigns and reorder supplies like business cards.

Benefits of Using Print Media for Branding

Print media offers unique benefits to entrepreneurs looking to build a robust brand identity and forge long-term relationships with their audience. Following are some notable advantages to implementing print into your branding strategy.

Print Boosts Credibility 

Print tends to evoke feelings of trustworthiness and credibility across all demographics. A great example of this is the fact that a person will likely see a well-written magazine article as a more reliable source of information than a forum on the internet. Since print is a physical representation of your brand, it demonstrates that your business is a real enterprise with staying power—not a fly-by-night retailer looking to unload surplus product through a digital storefront.

Print Media is More Likely to Be Read 

Due to the annoying and prolific nature of digital ads, humans are conditioned to discredit them at a rapid rate. Digital ads are rarely clicked on much less read. If an ad-blocker didn’t filter it, a person will quickly click the exit icon to peruse whatever it is they are searching for online. Print ads, however, don’t strike as much aversion nor are there ad-blockers to contend with. The likelihood that a print advertisement will be read is significantly higher when you consider the fact that more than 200 million people use ad blockers online.

Print is Less Competitive than Digital 

Digital branding and advertising are oversaturated and consumers take notice. The proliferation of digital clutter has led to consumers becoming very adept at scanning past brand messaging. Print, however, is less competitive. Whether that’s developing great signage and merchandising, easy-to-digest pamphlets, and attractive catalogues, it is easier to make a positive impression with print media than digital.

Building a respected, recognizable brand is an important aspect of staying afloat in today’s tough business climate. If you’re considering using print media for branding, give Pel Hughes a call at (504) 486-8646. We provide full-service printing including business cards, presentation folders, pamphlets, and catalogues in addition to direct mail, campaign automation, and database services.

Marketing with print newsletters is a powerful form of conventional advertising that could boost your sales, develop long-term relationships with your clientele, and add authenticity to your business or organization. While digital marketers may tell you that “print is dead”, a wealth of research indicates otherwise. The experts at Pel Hughes believe that merging print and digital marketing is how businesses can gain an edge in today’s competitive business climate.

Benefits of Marketing with Print Newsletters

According to a recent article in Entrepreneur, print newsletters pack a punch with consumers for a number of reasons. The article’s author, Kim Walsh Phillips believes that print newsletters bring high value clientele because they show your consumer base that you are investing time and money into your communication with them. Print newsletters convey a level of authenticity and dedication to your clientele beyond what you can demonstrate through digital mediums. Moreover, newsletters take a more passive approach to promoting your business. Rather than sales-heavy copy and self-promoting content of products and services, print newsletters give entrepreneurs an outlet to humanize their enterprise. Print newsletters that incorporate information about community-oriented contributions and charitable work are especially powerful. Today’s consumers are quite conscientious and enjoy spending their money with cause-conscious companies. 

With a newsletter, you can discuss exciting goals you’ve met, how your business is providing jobs, discuss industry-related topics, and highlight upcoming projects that showcase growth and success. A print newsletter is also a wonderful way to incorporate customer testimonials, which can help your clientele make wise purchasing decisions. 

One major advantage to marketing with print newsletters is that you can see a considerably higher ROI with this mode of communication. This is often because your newsletter, when delivered to a mailbox, is more likely to be read by its recipient than a digital newsletter. Since a physical mailbox doesn’t have to contend with spam filters and algorithms and because printed materials facilitate a tactile experience, the likelihood that your audience will peruse your newsletter is higher. Print invokes the senses in a way that digital communication can’t. 

Tips for Great Newsletters

The experts at Pel Hughes work with businesses and organizations in a number of industries for their print materials. We have helped countless clients deploy print newsletter campaigns for decades. Some tips for best practices include:

  • Determine the frequency of your newsletter. Consistency is important and your long-time customers will take notice. Some organizations and businesses send newsletters on a monthly basis while others choose to send theirs quarterly or annually. The frequency of your newsletters will likely depend on your specific industry and what you have to offer.
  • Ensure that your newsletter’s copy takes an informative tone. Newsletters are a great time to provide education to your clientele. For instance, if your business provides accounting services, a newsletter can add value to your clients by discussing tax planning, changes in legislation, and other informative topics related to accounting services.
  • Take the opportunity to celebrate your company or organization’s successes. Newsletters are a great time to discuss the addition of new employees to your team and the expansion of your business’ new offerings and services. 
  • Utilize professional copywriting and graphic design. Your newsletter should have well-executed format, professional photos, and error-free copy. Consumers will appreciate your attention to detail. 

Pel Hughes offers cross media marketing, direct mail, and promotional apparel. If you need help kicking off a print newsletter campaign, give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to learn more. 

 

Our team at Pel Hughes is thrilled to announce a new addition to our arsenal of next-generation printing technology. We recently acquired the Canon ProStream 1800, which will provide unparalleled speed and quality to our valued clients. Purchasing the Canon ProStream required careful consideration. Our experts have been evaluating ink jet technology for the past ten years. Our goal was to select a high-volume printer that could produce lightning fast, high-volume runs without sacrificing the quality our clients deserve and expect.

Canon ProStream Features

The Canon ProStream is chock-full of advanced features that will provide excellent value to the businesses, institutions, and organizations we serve throughout the United States.

A State-of-the-Art Drying System

Canon’s ProStream offers a unique drying system that makes large-scale printing jobs much faster than conventional ink-drying methods.

Remarkable Inkjet Quality

Inkjet technology is what provides true-to-life color for realistic and clean printed materials.

Seamless Workflow Integration 

Printers can manage workflow with PRISMAcontrol, Canon’s digital front-end interface. PRISMAcontrol makes it possible to ensure maximum efficiency on large printing projects. This translates to getting our clients their print campaigns in record time without sacrificing the level of quality they are used to.

How Our Clients Benefit from the Canon ProStream

Adding the Canon ProStream to our arsenal will provide tremendous value to our clients in both quality and efficiency. From catalogues to postcards and circulars, the ProStream can produce stunning and professional print materials in a fraction of the time other printers require. The ProStream is G7-certified, which means that printed materials will help our clients maintain consistent and cohesive brand imagery.

Following are just some of the ProStream’s benefits that our clients can enjoy:

  • Incredibly sharp, clean images
  • Reduced wait times for print campaigns because the ProStream can print up to 436 feet per minute
  • Consistent appearance across large-scale projects
  • Full-color variable data printing
  • Superior resolution (1,200 dpi x 1,200 dpi)

Our mission at Pel Hughes is to utilize the latest technology—from next-generation printers to state-of-the-art database management software—to deliver world-class client service. The addition of the Canon ProStream to our existing offerings will help us deliver an even higher level of quality and efficiency to our clients.

For questions about direct mail campaigns, omnichannel marketing, and print advertising, we invite you to give our team a call at (504) 486-8646.

Working with a printing company and/or database agency can help you expand your consumer base and boost your ROI on your marketing efforts. When your business outsources its advertising and marketing, it’s critical to develop a good relationship with your printing provider and database agency for optimal results. If you’ve ever wondered how to get the most from collaborating with other enterprises, we recommended implementing the following tips.  

Foster a Collaborative Environment 

Collaboration—from the team within your organization to the staff of agencies you work with is a key factor in maintaining an efficient, motivated environment. Developing rapport between your internal team and the collaborators with whom they work out-of-house can help streamline communication and nurture an environment ripe for productivity.  

Communicate Openly and Transparently 

Keeping your printing company and/or database agency in the know is a wise use of your time. Voicing concerns with production and deliverables along with budgetary issues can help your agency respond to your unique needs as quickly as possible. Open and transparent communication sets the stage for problem solving and managing expectations. It’s best to implement an open communication policy from the get-go. Before the work starts, schedule a meeting with your agency and your internal team so that you can discuss expectations, budgets, and project timeframes well in advance.  

Solicit Opinions 

If you want to bring a fresh perspective to your efforts, soliciting opinions from within your organization and from printing companies can help revitalize your marketing campaigns. Asking questions like “what could we do differently?” or “how do your other clients approach this obstacle?” can help you gain useful insight from industry experts.  

Know that Context Matters 

Your enterprise likely has its own unique challenges. Your needs may not be the same as your competitors. When you inquire about production, budget concerns, or other issues, providing context can help your agency find solutions that meet your specific needs. Providing the “why” behind your query can help your agency best serve you. 

Limit Communication Confusion 

When a database agency or printing company is working with your team, it’s important to reduce the possibility of confusion. If multiple people from your team are providing input to your agency of choice, be sure to inform your agency who the ultimate decision makers are. While collaborative input is certainly helpful, confusion can occur when multiple parties provide input—particularly to outside agencies.  

Be Forthright with Your Goals and Objectives 

Giving an agency a window into your long-term goals and objectives beyond a specific campaign can help outsiders see the bigger picture. Providing information on your specific goals such as customer retention, expansion, or value-added products can help your agency make the most of your short-term campaigns that align with your future goals.

Streamline Internal Communication

Streamlining your internal communications and ultimately the signing off of projects can help reduce confusion or superfluous conversation between your team and your agency. Having set procedures for your internal staff can eliminate hiccups in production and excessive rounds of feedback, which reduces labor costs and ensures that your projects stay on track.  

Pel Hughes provides database services and printing to businesses and organizations in a range of industries. Our mission is to deliver high-quality support with excellent client service. We offer direct mail, campaign automation, graphic design, and cross media marketing. You can request a quote by clicking here or call (504) 486-8646 to speak with one of our experts.