Print is Not Dead

In a conversation this morning, The Pressman was reminded of the fact that the printed word is not dead. Here in Dallas alone there are signs like:

• The Advocate Magazine is delivered door-to-door to thousands of East and Central Dallas residents.
• The New York Times, Dallas Morning News, and USA Today are sold daily at hundreds of Starbucks locations in North Texas--and being read.
• Magazine bins are a regular feature by the doors of most restaurants in the Metro area.
• "Briefing" is published and delivered to Metro area homes by the DMN four times a week.
• Direct mail postcards show up daily in our mailboxes.
• Nordstrom still relies on catalog sales from the books delivered to its card holder's mailboxes.
• The same Starbucks still uses direct mail postcards to ask its gold card holders to come in for a free drink on their birthdays.

The printed word being alive means we are still reading as a society. It means many printers, writers, designers, postal workers, delivery people, fulfillment workers and others have work because of this vibrant industry.

Take a look around and take note.

The Executive Pressman

www.executivepress.com

Small Businesses and Printers

How can a small business or start up use a printer?

Let's make a list of simple start-up ideas:

1. Design your logo
2. Help you with the rest of your brand
   
3. Print business cards and letterhead
4. Run a direct-mail campaign
5. Print and distribute a brochure about your company
6. Publish a catalog of your products
7. Help you with a newsletter
8. Print flyers for local distribution
9. Print any internal, specialized forms you may need to run your business
10. Connect you with other people in your business

Hmmm....that last one is interesting. You, mean network with people? Oh, yeah, connect me with people either in my same business or potential customers. Maybe a partner or supplier. Yes, your printer probably belongs to chambers of commerce and other networking groups and most likely, is a small business themselves.

Not a bad list.

The Executive Pressman

www.executivepress.com

Five Direct-Mail Terms to Know

Direct-mail marketing is alive and well. In the interest of helping you understand how it can work for you, here are five terms from this business that help make clear what makes this marketing option work.

1. Compiled list .Names and addresses taken from directories, newspapers, public records. People who have something in common. Compiled lists are usually the least useful or responsive for direct marketing. Response lists are better.
2. Control Group .Every database promotion should include a control group of customers who are not exposed to the promotion. The success of the promotion is measured by the difference in response of the promoted group compared to the control group (after subtracting the cost of the promotion).
3. Conversion rate. The percentage of responders who become customers.
4. Database Marketing. Collecting data on customers and using it to provide recognition and services to customers, resulting in increased customer loyalty and repeat sales.
5. Direct Response. Advertising or promotion that seeks not just to provide information, but to generate an inquiry, order or visit.

We'll bring up more terms in future posts. In the meantime, this will help you understand what makes this interesting business tick.

The Executive Pressman

www.executivepress.com

(some content courtesy of the Database Marketing Institute, www.dbmarketing.com)

Five Printing Terms You Need to Know

Remember vocabulary tests in school? While this won't be a test, it is importnat in business to have a broad and varied vocabulary. It helps you communicate.

A good person to be communicating with clearly is your print service provider. So today we are talking about print terminology that is valuable to know.

Let's pick five terms to become familiar with:

1. PDF
2. Digital printing
3. Offset printing
4. Press proof
5. Green printing

A PDF is a software program/product developed by Adobe that allows for a piece that is to be printed to be packaged for ease of production. Most desktop computers have the program and many printers can work directly from these files to finished printed product easily.

Digital printing is imaging done by a printing machine (press) using laser, inkjet or solid-ink technology to make the images. Xerography is a form of digital printing.

Offset printing is traditional printing that is done on a printing press and uses plates and image-transfer processes. Used primarily for large run jobs and specialty projects (catalogs, for example).

A press proof is a review of the printed project as it comes off the press during it's initial run. Ink color and density and image quality can all be judged at this time and corrections made.

Green printing is a broad term that encompasses what a printing service provider does in terms of using environmentally safe products and processes. Soy inks, recycled papers and careful recovery and use of solvents are all a part of being a green printer.

For more information, please visit www.executivepress.com. Or call us at 214-217-7000.

The Executive Pressman