More on QR Codes

More and more of our clients are using QR codes as a way to communicate with their customers. We are seeing codes used in these ways:

• On the backs of business cards to either bring up a website or contact information.
• At the bottom of a brochure or fact sheet as a way to link to deeper information or a longer form type of content.
• In a technical manual (which, by the way, have gotten really small) to take you to the in-depth version of what you are trying to fix/adjust/replace.
• On equipment to give more information of how to operate that equipment.
• In flyers or single-page ads that allow for more information to be shared--including photos and videos.

The list keeps getting longer and more useful by the day. Consider the code. Here are some links to software that both creates and reads codes.

• Kaywa
• QR Stuff.com
• Smartytags
  

Then bring the code to us and we'll include it in your printed piece.

The Executive Pressman

Executive Press Appreciates Labor-Saving Features of New Suprasetter

Running cleaner and greener is a long-term goal of Executive Press. Since we replaced a violet Platesetter with a Suprastter A75 thermal computer-to-plate device from Heidelberg we have been both.

Used to image Heidelberg Saphira Chemfree plates for the company’s four offset presses, including a 6-color Speedmaster SM 74 and 4-color Printmaster GTO, the new Suprasetter “fell right in line with our workflow,” said General Manager David Allen. Most impressive to Allen and his team is the automatic top-loading capability of the new platesetter, which provides fully automated plate loading and slip sheet removal that permits mostly unattended operation of the unit.

Executive Press has a longstanding commitment to green printing. Accordingly, the company has converted to soy-based inks and prints on post-consumer waste recycled or FSC-certified paper, unless our customers specify otherwise. The company has implemented proven systems in its production area to reduce energy usage while recycling all paper and aluminum plates used in the printing process.

The new Suprasetter contributes to this effort with its own set of environmental credentials. Consuming 0.7 kilowatts per hour, the Suprasetter A75 platesetter draws around five times less power and generates around five times less waste heat than comparable models from other manufacturers.

“Heidelberg equipment is simply the best there is, and their service technicians are well-trained, knowledgeable and persistent,” Allen said. “There’s none better.”

Approaching a quarter-century in business, $2.5 million Executive Press currently employs a staff of 12, and serves real estate and building clients and a variety of associations doing business in North Texas.

The Executive Pressman

Choosing a Valued Marketing Partner: Ovation Health & Life Services

We are very fortunate to have the clients we have. We appreciate them for choosing to do business with us and we appreciate their challenges as well.

Daniel LaBroad, President, Ovation Health & Life Services, Inc., is one of our key customers. When Daniel was in the process of branding his company, he was looking for just the right partner to help.

“A company is only as good as it’s brand. Ovation has spent lots of time and money creating and managing our image," Daniel said.

Ovation Health & Life Services provides and manages benefit programs for businesses and public sector groups.

"Recently, our media firm created a high-quality print piece that is now the center of our marketing," Daniel continued. "After several interviews, we chose Executive Press to handle the printing of our marketing collateral."

"This was a large expense for us, and I was nervous, Daniel said. "Executive Press did an outstanding job throughout the entire process by communicating constantly, offering suggestions, and giving us a high quality product. They put all my concerns at ease."

Ovation now uses Executive Press for all of their printing needs including their client benefit books and event fliers.

"Executive Press is a great business partner. We highly recommend them," Daniel said.
The Executive Pressman

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 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

Direct Mail Ideas

Now that you have decided to use direct mail as a marketing tool, how can you ensure the campaign's success?

Here's a list of a few things to consider:

• Provide a coupon or some other incentive and give it a time limit. For example, so many cents off until the end of the month.
• Participate in a co-op mailing. Is there a valued partner you can team with to make sure teh mail gets attention?
• Test the program. Try sending the initial mailer and offer to a smaller sample than you plan just to see the response.
• Use the mailer to drive traffic to your website. There they will find teh rich content they are looking for to make a buying decision.
• Use a catchy headline. Underlined copy or colored blocks also help draw attention to what needs to be read.

There are more. These are some basic ideas to start with.

The Executive Pressman

Gift Giving and the Holidays

With the holiday season officially started with Thanksgiving tomorrow, we thought it a good idea to pass along a few ideas on gift giving for your clients and hosts.

Here's a short list of what and how to give:

• If you go to a dinner party or holiday part, consider bringing a bottle of wine. If your host isn't a drinker, opt for a simple fruit basket.
• Company gift exchanges usually have rules on dollar amounts and types of gifts. Neutral gifts such as artwork, desk accessories or a clock work in these instances.
• Annual gifts to clients or prospects can vary depending on how many you have and your budget. From elaborate gift baskets to gifts such as warming blankets, choose carefully.
• Thank you cards after you've attended an event are an excellent idea, when done sincerely, to keep you and your host in each others' thoughts.

Happy Holidays and have a great Thanksgiving.

The Executive Pressman

Choosing an Appropriate Printing Partner

In today's economy, we all have to be more and more discerning about how and who we choose as partners to help us with our business challenges.

Do you know what to look for in a printing vendor?

We all need printed communication. From letterhead and business cards to catalogs and instruction manuals, the printing needs of a business are myriad. Here is a short list of what to look for in a potential printing partner/supplier:

• What is the range of their capabilities?
• Do they offer design services as well as printing?
• Do they offer both offset as well as digital printing?
• Can they bind or package your final product?
• Are there limitations on size of the final product or number of finished pieces?
• Do they offer mailing services?
• Do they deliver or ship?
• Do other people you know do business with them?
• What is their reputation in the community and their industry?
• Is their pricing competitive?
• What do they know about your industry?
• Do they ask questions?
• Do you know anyone at the company?

These are just "getting started questions" but we all have to start somewhere. Maybe you want to give them a trial job before you choose to give them all of your business. Be discerning, choosy and careful--but also be fair.

The Executive Pressman

Christmas Cards

It is almost the end-of-the-year holiday season. Time to be thinking about Christmas Cards.

Whether you send out customized or off-the-shelf cards, send them to business associates or friends or family, cards mean a lot at this time of year. In business, they help you keep in touch with your clients and prospects by letting them know you are thinking about them.

Some rules of thumb when it comes to cards:

• Consider a custom card. Your contacts are less likely to find it in a store or receive it from someone else. You are more likely to be remembered as well.
• Sign your cards personally. If you have a large number of cards, this could be an issue. You might consider dividing up the list between your colleagues in the office to make it more manageable as personal.
• Do it in a timely fashion. Aim to have them arrive two weeks to 10 days before the actual holiday so that they can enjoy the card as well as be able to respond. Cards that arrive in January will be remembered but for possibly the wrong reasons.

The Executive Pressman

Business Cards

Let's talk today about one of the first elements of your brand identity that gets seen by your clients, prospects, partners and competitors.

It's your business card.

These days everybody has a business card, even those between opportunities. You must have the basics of how people can reach you:

• Name
• Address
• Phone
• E-mail

Then consider other things:

• A logo and or tagline
• A website or blog or LinkedIn address

Now that people can find you, consider appearance:

• The type of paper stock--weight, color, coated?
• Printed both sides or just one side?
• Standard shape or a dye cut shape?
• Printed horizontally or vertically?

It is the first line, but it is alos something that speaks after you are gone. Choose wisely.

ThExecutive Pressman

Digital Press

The final piece of a printing capability in any effective print shop operation is a digital press.

Take for example our digital press, this Canon machine.

"With this machine we can do 4-color quantities of your project as small as one copy," Tom Sadler said. Tom is President and an owner of Executive Press.

"This press adds just the right element to our mix of machines and capabilities,"Tom continued.

The machine was added to the operation at the request of a client who did a large-volume, product manual printing on a regular basis. Since then, Tom said, its capabilities have been applied to work done for other clients.

"Short run, long run and specialized digital work really shines on this machine, Tom added.

When shopping for a printing look to see the breadth of their capabilities and if digital is a part of the mix.

The Executive Pressman

Recycling and your print supplier

Being green takes effort. In some cases, not a lot, but it does take effort.

For example, recycling the waste paper in a print shop.

This extra effort of recycling paper, ink and plates results in some good things for all concerned:

• Less waste in the environment
• FSC certification for the printer
• A cleaner work space

Recycling paper is just one aspect of the paper part of this equation. Buying paper stock made from recycled and waste stock is also green.

FSC certification is recognition that a printer is really doing their part. Look for this designation when you choose your next print supplier. It means they use recycled paper and also practice recycling of used materials and supplies.

A cleaner work space means higher-quality work and a reflection of their attention to detail.

Another good thing to look for in your print supplier.

The Executive

Primer on Paper

Paper is a basic ingredient in anything printed. But there is more to it. Here is a basic primer on paper. There is more to paper than what you will read here, so our intention here is to share some basics to get you started.

Paper is comprised of ingredients like all things. Most papers include paper pulp, cotton, postconsumer waste fiber, millwaste fiber, calcium carbonate, dyes and colorings, optical brighteners, fillers, sizings and coatings.

When choosing paper, consider:

• "Hand"
• Grade
• Weight

"Hand" is the way paper feels to the fingertips. It will be the first impression a reader or viewer gets of your brochure, book, catalog or other printed piece.

Grade refers to the quality and type (application) of paper. Grades include:

• Opaque
• Offset
• Coated
• Writing (bond)
• Text
• Cover

Ways to measure paper start with weight, but also include:

• Caliper (the thickness)
• M weight (the weight of 1000 sheets)
• Basis weight (weight of 500 sheets in a specific size)
• GSM (grams per square inch, a metric measure which standardizes weight regardless of size)

This should get you started and prepare you for that discussion with your designer and printer. For more information visit us at Executive Press (www.executivepress.com)

The Executive

Source material for this post came from www.mohawkpaper.com