How die cutting can set you apart

At Pel Hughes, we understand how hard it is to stand out on a desk or in a mailbox, so we offer services that will help your brand shine!

One of those services is die cutting.

But what exactly is “die cutting?”

Definitively, “die cutting” refers to the cutting of a thin, flat material into a shape or pattern using a piece of steel. These shapes are typically used as a decoration to make your piece pop and appear to be three dimensional.

Basically, die cutting is used to make pretty cut outs and borders that make your materials much more interesting than a simple flat surface.

If you think die cutting might be something your brand’s marketing materials could benefit from, we’re glad to hear it!

But there is something you should think about..

The first step with any project is identifying your budget. Die cutting will set you apart, but there is a reason: it can get costly at low quantities.

Which is why we recommend die cutting for projects requiring quantities over 1,000. At this number, you can get more “bang for your buck” !

We have definitely seen the amazing things diecutting can do for a brand, and we’re happy we’ve been the ones to create such distinctive pieces – from catering company business cards that look like a plate, to a real estate company with postcards in the shape of a house.

Ready to hear some of our ideas? We’re ready to share! Contact us today.

Image and Video Personalization

Personalizing your brand’s marketing materials is more important now than ever before; people are overwhelmed with irrelevant junk messaging, and they’re understandably quite sick of it.

So what’s the answer to getting in front of your audience and NOT making them want to punch your brand in the metaphorical face?

Personalization.

According to Hubspot, almost three-fourths (74%) of online consumers become frustrated with websites when their content (including offers, ads, promotions, etc.) has nothing to do with their them – their interests, needs, etc.

This information should have you thinking about the huge opportunity this poses for your business if you can just…

  1. a) reach out only to those who will find your message to be relevant to their life or business

AND

  1. b) make impressive, personalized content

THEN

You will reach your customer in a meaningful way, increasing your chances of establishing a profitable business relationship.

So what can Pel Hughes do to help?

As it turns out, we’re kind of really really ridiculously good at personalizing things. Crazy coincidence, right?

First up, we’ve got personalized images…

Our goal with these little guys is to place a name on an image so flawlessly that you can’t tell if the cake really said “Andrew” in real life or not…

We want to get the head scratches going.

We want them wondering why we went to the trouble of making an entire pizza.

At Pel Hughes, we will design and produce images just like the examples above for print, digital, or both. Clients who really want to take advantage of the power of personalization will have the option of choosing between our pre-built image templates or recruiting our design team to create a custom image to meet your needs.

 

Next up, personalized videos…

Personalized video content is another fantastic opportunity to stand out to your audience and make a long-lasting impression.

How do we do it?

We can use any and all information that you have on your customers. That means information from sign up forms, customer lists, social media connections, and more can be seamlessly captured and included in a video format.

Basically, we have a video skeleton, and we fill in the blanks with your consumer – photos, video, audio, you name it.

Check out an example by clicking the link.

And why should you try out personalized video?

In short, it’s because we’re all a little bit obsessed with ourselves.

Honestly – remember those Elf Yourself?? The little video app that lets you stick your face in an elf costume and send dancing videos to your friends? Those are fantastic proof that people are much more likely to share something (and promote YOU and your brand) when their face is plastered all over it.

 

So there you have it. Image personalization and customization in a nutshell.

Want to try it out? Give us a call or shoot us an email today!

 

The difference between offset and digital printing

When you think about it, it’s pretty funny how often we ponder the printing process.

Because we never really do.

Honestly, when was the last time you pulled a lovely catalogue out of your mailbox and said “Wow! I wonder what kind of printing device made this image possible?! Was it digital?? Offset?”

Probably never.

I mean, we do over here at Pel Hughes, but we’re a little bit obsessed with all the ink and media jazz – as a printing company should be!

But in the spirit of education and celebrating the craft we love, we want to introduce you to the two main methods of printing in use today, the way they work, and how they’re different from one another.

Understanding the two might just help you choose the best option for your next printing job, or you might just be funny like us and think printers are cool.

Drumroll, please!

In general, there are two main methods of printing: digital and offset.

The method used for a printing job is chosen based on the volume and consistency a job demands.

Offset Printing

Offset printing (also known as “offset lithography”) dates back to 1875 and is clearly the older of the two methods. It involves the transfer of an image using several large cylinders and ink. The first cylinder holds a metal plate with the image for printing etched into it. The metal plate then is pressed into a rubber or plastic sheet on the next cylinder. This cylinder is then covered with ink and pressed onto the final media – whether that be paper, wood, cloth, etc.

Offset printing is fantastic for large printing jobs (like newspapers and books) because it produces consistent, high quality print. This consistent quality is partially due to the fact that the metal plate never comes into contact with the ink or print media, meaning that it maintains its quality for longer.

Though the process of setting up the offset printer for a job is more time consuming than digital printing, the cost of offset printing actually results in a lower cost per page than digital printing if the job is big enough.

Digital Printing

Digital printing is the newer but no less impressive method of printing.

Put simply, digital printing takes out the middleman: an image is sent directly from a file to the printer. There is no need to transfer the image from the file to a rubber or metal plate – the toner is sprayed directly onto the print media and bound to the paper with heat to create the desired image.

Because digital printing does not require the creation of a plate, it greatly reduces the time needed to print – meaning saved time and money for you!

And because of the lower cost, digital printing is great for small jobs.

 

Not sure which one to pick?

That’s just fine! That’s our job.

Give us a call at 504-486-8646 or shoot us an email to find out how we can help you pick the highest quality, most cost efficient option for all of your printing needs.

How can your company benefit from creative graphic design?

Read more

Ask An Expert: How to Prepare Your File for Printing

Read more

Printing with Pel Hughes: Conventions and Trade Shows

We all know that tourists come from all over the place to vacation in New Orleans, but did you ever realize just how much business is done here in the Big Easy?

It might seem strange, given the…vibe..of the city, but believe it or not, we are home to the country’s 6th largest convention center: The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. This giant building (1.1 million square feet, to be exact) of convention space is also ranked in the country’s top ten facilities holding the most conventions and trade shows annually.

So if you run in the convention circle, chances are pretty good that you’ll find your way down to New Orleans – bummer, right?

Only if you have to lug all of your booth and display materials down here yourself.

Lucky for you, Pel Hughes is a quick four miles from the convention center and ready to print beautiful, high quality materials you need to make a fantastic impression. When you order from us, your prints and displays will be waiting here for you upon your arrival, ready to be delivered wherever is most convenient for you – the hotel, the convention center, you name it.

Oh, and that part is free. You like saving money, right?

To get an idea of what we can print for you, check out this extensive (but not comprehensive) list of common requests:

  • Convention Programs
  • Attendee Directories
  • Intelligent Credentials/ Name Badges
  • Agendas, Sell Sheets
  • Brochures
  • Flyers & Manuals
  • Wide Format Signage/Posters
  • Presentation Folders
  • Order Forms
  • Show Dailies

 

Forget something? Don’t sweat it. We know how to rush an order when there’s a timeline to keep, so you can rest easy knowing we’ve got your back.

Does saving big money and losing the headache sound good to you?

We thought it might.

Contact us for a free quote today:

Phone: (800) 253-0249

Email: jjles@pelhughes.com

 

Why is Brand Consistency So Important?

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a “name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”

Consistency is just something that is invariable, like your coffee habit.

And just like your coffee habit, brand consistency is completely necessary for the success of your business. There are endless reasons for this, but at the end of the day, it comes down to trust.

It comes down to your ability to satisfy your customer’s need to feel safe in their decision to choose you over someone else, and the only way to feel safe in that decision is to know that they will get the same product or service every single time.

Every. Single. Time.

Beside the obvious practice of delivering that same end product every single time, you need to signal that consistency through brand elements that are predictable and consistent.

What are brand elements?

  • Name
  • Logo
  • Symbol
  • Package design
  • Characters
  • Spokespeople
  • Signage
  • Jingles
  • Slogans

Clearly, there are a few different brand elements, but they are generally those characteristics that people see, hear, touch, smell (basically experience in any sensory way) in relation to a brand. Their transferability and memorability play a huge role in how well people remember the product or service they represent, but their consistency is even more vital.

When a product has inconsistent brand elements, the consumer is left confused. Maybe the colors on two separate products or service advertisements were close but not the same. Or maybe the logo has too many variations in color and size for the consumer to be able to look at the product or service and say, “ah yes. That’s brand X! They do great work.”

That’s called strong brand recall, and businesses need it.

Instead, your potential customer will be uncertain and go for a safer option, even if your product or service is better.

Consider some of the brands that have maintained the strongest brand leadership in the past 50 years: Disney, McDonald’s, Mercedes-Benz, and others. Think about Cinderella’s castle, the golden arches, and the three-point star.

 

What are your immediate thoughts? Do you know which brand they represent? Do strong mental associations come to mind

The strength and immediacy of your thoughts are proportionate to the consistency of the brand.

Brand Consistency – Get it With Pel Hughes

Pel Hughes knows the importance of keeping your branding consistent, and that’s why we offer the ability to print all of your marketing materials in house.

That’s right. We do it all right here, and that’s after we’ve examined what you’re already doing to diagnose what’s working and what isn’t. Then it’s time to print.

And what better way to keep things consistent than to have the same team on the job for each new marketing venture?

We’ll even monitor your online materials to make sure everything aligns. And when everything aligns, customer recall skyrockets, and so does your business.

Check out what Pel Hughes can do for your brand today.

5 tips to get the best response on your direct mail

Direct mail gets a bad rap, and we all know it. In an ever-evolving world of technology and marketing, there seem to be hundreds of more “glamorous” tools to connect customers with your brand, but businesses still integrate this old school method in their efforts.

Why?

Because direct mail is not dead.

According to a 2016 study by the Data and Marketing Association, the amount of direct mail sent out has decreased, but the engagement it drives has increased by 23 percent. Not only that, but according to the Direct Mail Association, 65 percent of consumers of all ages have bought something as a result of receiving a piece of direct mail. This doesn’t mean people love all direct mail, but they are reacting to better targeting and aesthetically pleasing pieces.

So the question is this: how can you make sure your business gets a slice of that 23 percent?

Here are five tips to keep in mind while forming your direct mail campaign:

  • Know your objective

As with literally any strategy, you have to know what your objective is, and it must be crystal clear. Think of the objective as a guiding light. Without it, you will wander around bumping into things and never really getting anywhere.

An objective is a focused goal. It could be to…

  • Increase sales among _____
  • Improve brand awareness among _____
  • Introduce new products or services
  • Grow market share

Once you know exactly what you are trying to accomplish, you will have a pointed focus. This will result in a piece of direct mail that is purposeful, clear, and cost effective.

Many times, are tempted to target a huge group of people due to a fear of alienating other potential consumers.

But the truth is that without a clear, targeted objective, you are wasting your money by sending out a piece of mail that won’t resonate with anyone.

  • Have a good list

Gone are the days of “send it to as many humans as possible – somebody will bite,” for two main reasons.

  1. They won’t just “bite”
  2. It’s too expensive

If the message and offering is a watered-down blip that will “appeal to everyone” and is then sent to everyone, you will probably appeal to no one.

Instead, use your customer demographic statistics and consumer preference research to whittle down the list of people who will find your offering worthwhile.

To gather the addresses of those who might show interest in your product or service, consider using a direct mail list vendor or broker who has been curating lists of consumers for decades.

If the targeted group you hope to find has not yet been targeted by a previous list, work on developing your own list from people who have bought your product or service before.

  • Have a clear call to action

You can create the most beautiful piece of mail to send to the doorsteps of the most finely groomed mailing list recipients, but if you offer no call to action, you’ve wasted your time.

So think about what it is exactly that you want your customer to do. Do you want them to follow you on social media? To sign up for an email list? To redeem a promotional offer? Figure out what you want their next step to be, and make it clear as day.

If you offer multiple actions, your customer could be confused and do nothing.

Some examples of great CTAs are:

  • “Discover your design style! Find decorating ideas, entertainment tips and help for you next project. Follow Us!”
  • “Like Free Prizes? Like us on Facebook!”
  • “Scan the code with your smartphone for a special coupon download”

    Know your competition

“Keep your friends close but your enemies closer” applies to the direct mail world as well. Take the time to study what your competitors are doing and if it’s working. Avoiding their mistakes and capitalizing on their successes means less wasted time and money for you.  

  • Look good

And here’s where we shine…

If you want people to like what you’ve got to offer, you have to look good. It’s a little vain and superficial, but that’s the deal. A cheesy looking direct mailer will most likely travel right from the mailbox into the recycle bin, but you can do your best to grab the recipient’s attention before this happens.

At Pel Hughes, we offer amazing digital and offset printing services, knowledge of how to manage a direct mail campaign, and so much more. If you don’t believe us, check out what we did for N’tinis and let us know what we can do to help your business today.

Why Direct Mail is (Still) Important for B2B marketing

Our world has gone digital. We receive important notifications by email or text, banking and buying are done mostly online and many prefer talking to friends via social media instead of in-person. That doesn’t mean direct mail is any less effective in a digital age. All forms of print marketing maintain relevancy in our world today. Here is why your company should still implement B2B marketing via direct mail.

Marketing that stands out

Work emails are flooded with spam and inquiries, sent from a mix of legitimate and illegitimate sources. Sifting through them is something businesses often have to do but never want to. Sending direct mail to the right person means they are significantly more likely to receive and read it, as opposed to just hitting “delete” on an email. Sending direct mail with the person’s name on it straight to their mail slot means much more than a quick email blast, and will continue to hold its usefulness for years to come. Also as a bonus, your direct mail won’t get caught in a spam filter the way an email can.

Some marketing doesn’t reach the right people

Any smart marketing campaign begins with knowing exactly who you need to market to. Unfortunately, certain people can’t be reached via email. This could be a higher-up at a company whose email is unlisted or you could be sending an email to a person who already left the company. Sending direct mail can reach these potential clients in a way email never will. Even if the person who left the company never got the mail, their replacement will, and notice you as a provider of something they need.

Easy to track results

Marketing through social media or email makes for difficulty in tracking results due to fighting spam filters, ad blockers, returned emails and many other factors. It’s nearly impossible to tell who was truly engaged in your advertisement. Direct mail makes tracking conversions easy — just offer a special rate or code only through direct mail.

Direct mail continues to be money well spent on marketing. If you know your target demographic and send personalized mail, results will follow.

 

http://technologyadvice.com/blog/marketing/direct-marketing-still-relevant-b2b/

Three Creative Outdoor Marketing Campaign Examples

In an ultra-competitive business world, companies have to do all they can to get and maintain customers. One medium that is often overlooked is outdoor advertising, though this is a mistake given how many people companies can reach with a single billboard or sign that is properly placed and has a great message. Keep in mind that a picture or slogan that people see when just walking or driving down the street can stick in their minds when they hit the grocery store, or begin their online shopping. They might also talk to their friends about it, or share great outdoor marketing on social media. In the latter case, these brilliant campaigns have the potential to reach millions of people.  These examples provided by Business Insider give us a glimpse into effective outdoor messaging.

Tourism Ireland

Taking advantage of the huge popularity of “Game of Thrones”, Tourism Ireland placed signs pointing the way to several areas in the country where the show is filmed to encourage visitors to go there. The signs had a fantastic aged look, and some sported ominous black crows.

Uber

In order to promote their services, Uber placed an ad featuring a real breathalyzer in Toronto. If people who used the device blew over the legal limit, Uber offered them a free ride home. This is not only a brilliant way to get people to remember your brand, it’s a great public service.

Oreo

People are fascinated by the very rare solar eclipse. Oreo place an ad at Piccadilly Circus showing the top half and bottom half of their cookie moving at the same pace as the earth and sun during one of these events.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/creative-outdoor-campaigns-in-2015-2015-5