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In a world where online marketing is becoming ubiquitous and, for many consumers, overwhelming, marketers can stand out from the crowd using direct mail.

But what is direct mail? And is it applicable to all stages of the marketing funnel?

Direct mail is a “physical printed piece that is sent via USPS directly to recipients’ mailboxes,” says Kristi Eby, a National Account Executive at Printing for Less. It can take the form of written letters, catalogs and brochures, coupon books, surveys, and more. The advantage of a physical form of marketing like this is that it enables brands to connect with their existing and prospective customer base in ways that go beyond just written communication.

With open rates from 57.5%-85% and an average return of $4.09 for every $1.27 spent, it’s no wonder that direct mail marketing remains a powerful tool for businesses. As we’ll see, direct mail marketing can drive results at every stage of the customer lifecycle.

Stage One: Awareness

The first step in any marketing campaign is to identify the target customer. This can be done using approaches such as look-alike analysis, which builds a picture of the target customer based on the characteristics of the existing customer base. Alternatively, a large group of people can be targeted, perhaps in a particular geography, quickly and easily by purchasing a mailing list or by mailing to an entire zip code.

Once this target audience has been identified, direct mail can quickly establish brand awareness with a wide base.

“At the beginning of the customer lifecycle, companies will use direct mail to raise awareness of the brand and inform them of their business,” says Kristi. “These are usually sent to larger quantities to spread that awareness as far as possible.”

It pays to think carefully about the messaging of this initial outreach. This is the first impression that prospective customers will have of a new brand, so it better be a good one!

Stage Two: Consideration

As all marketers know, the first contact often gets the worst results. Awareness mail is about ensuring that your logo and offering will look a little more familiar and hold attention a little bit longer the next time it appears in your prospects’ mailbox.

When that happens, it’s time to get prospects to consider the offering in more detail. There are lots of ways that direct mail can help achieve this. Content that demonstrates the value of a product via case studies or testimonies can build the audience’s understanding of the value proposition. Similarly, sending a catalog makes prospects aware of what they could purchase.

Direct mailing doesn’t have to ignore more technological approaches. Including a unique URL or a QR code in a second round of direct mail can enable tracking of which, and how many, prospects respond at this stage of the campaign. As well as monitoring of middle-of-the-funnel metrics, this can provide information on the most engaged prospects for retargeting in future campaigns.

Ambre Zachmann, Ecommerce Marketing Specialist at Printing for Less, recommends exploiting the physical characteristics of direct mail to make messaging stand out during the mid-funnel stages of a campaign. For example, a “uniquely folded mailer [will] allow yourself more real estate to sell your company while providing a fun, engaging experience.” Similarly, oversized postcards, envelope mailers, or anything of an abnormal size will stand out in the mail and encourage more viewing time.

Being more informative than competitors’ efforts will make your direct mail stand out. “Significantly change the paradigm of the ‘company newsletter,’” urges Wes Kirk, Printing for Less Mailing Expert. “Make it have value, purpose, and meaning.”

The consideration stage is your opportunity to convince prospects of your product’s value compared to that of competitors. Take full advantage; be as informative and educational as possible, and communicate how your offering addresses its specific pain point.

Stage Three: Conversion

The next stage of the marketing funnel is all about pushing interested prospects over the line and converting them into paying customers.

One obvious way that direct mail can help here is via coupons or limited-time offers. Like a unique URL or QR code, sending coupons enables measurement of a campaign’s effectiveness by quantifying uptake.

Coupons also help convince prospects that now is a good time to try out your product. Limited-time offers (which can be combined with coupons) also create a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out on a bargain.

A slick, catchy call to action is crucial when attempting to convert prospects. Give careful consideration to this when crafting conversion-focused direct mail campaigns.

Stage Four: Loyalty

While direct mail can lead new prospects to your shopfront, it’s unlikely to be worth the investment just for a round of one-off purchases. To truly unlock its value, direct mail can be used to turn first-time buyers into loyal, repeat customers.

There are various ways in which this can be achieved. Integrating a physical thank-you note or a feedback form into the CRM process means that a first-time buyer will receive a message from you shortly after their first purchase. If written well, this has the potential to delight the customer, make them more likely to return the next time they are buying, and (in the case of feedback forms) provide vital information on what has worked well and what can be improved about the customer journey so far.

As during the conversion stage, sending out coupons can encourage audiences to make a repeat purchase. Establishing this pattern early offers the best shot of forming a habit where new customers select your brand to address their needs.

Depending on how much information you’ve collected about prospects during the preceding phases, you may also be able to add a personal touch with a birthday card during their birthday month. Approaches like this are the cornerstone of true brand loyalty and create a close, authentic relationship between you and your customers.

Stage Five: Advocacy

Achieving this level of brand loyalty with customers lays the groundwork for them to start doing your next round of marketing for you. Which can be fostered, and rewarded, through direct mail.

For example, later rounds of direct mail campaigns can offer incentives for your customers to refer their friends, family, and colleagues. Referrals can be rewarded with gifts or coupons, again sent through the mail. When contacts at B2B clients change companies, consider congratulating them with a welcome gift to their new office; this is a really natural way to lead into a prospecting call with their new employer.

Your most dedicated brand advocates can even be rewarded with free samples of new lines, or advanced notice to order them. With customers like these, it really pays to get creative and think of all the ways possible that delightful customer experiences can arrive unexpectedly in their mailbox.

The key is to ensure that you always remain in your most dedicated customers’ thoughts. “Stay top of mind with valuable information your customers would benefit from,” says Ambre.

At any stage of the customer lifecycle, direct mail marketing has the potential to enhance marketing efforts. It can increase open rates and conversions, and greatly improve customer loyalty.

During an era in which the vast majority of marketing emails are deleted without being opened, consider the impact that a well-designed, creative direct mail campaign could have on your marketing efforts.

The power of color in marketing is hard to understate. It’s not just about looking good, different hues and palettes can actually evoke certain feelings and convey different meanings. Colors are therefore integral to a brand’s identity and play a huge role in influencing how consumers see and experience brands and products. That’s why it’s important that brands think about their marketing colors mindfully. Our guide to seasonal color palettes can help you find the right hues and tones for your brand based on season. 

Why Incorporate Seasonal Colors Into Your Marketing?

The idea that colors can influence our mood and perception is rooted in human psychology.  In Ancient Egypt, people used colorful rooms as a form of therapy. More recently during the 20th century, color psychology was formally explored by scientists using brain activity and heart rate measurements to understand how people respond to different colors..

Seasonal color theory builds on the foundations of color psychology and integrates the four seasons. In the context of branding, seasonal color theory suggests that shifting color pallets with the seasons and holidays can trigger different emotions.

Think about it, who doesn’t love the holiday season? Printing for Less’ Director of Sales Katie Younge expresses her excitement for all things Christmas saying, “I feel like it [holiday branding] gets you in the spirit. Personally, I love Christmas. It’s my favorite. So when things are really Christmassy and festive, I’m like “yeah, I wanna go Christmas shopping.” Ultimately using holiday color schemes can remind your customer’s the holidays are coming and get them thinking about shopping for gifts for their loved ones.

Christmas isn’t the only time brands can utilize seasonal vibes to give their marketing a refresh. Use updated color palettes year round to keep customers engaged with your advertising campaigns no matter the season. 

The Four Seasonal Color Palettes

Spring Color Palette

Spring, the season of blossoms and renewal, is associated with bright, light colors that have a degree of richness.If your businesses is thinking of doing a new spring time campaign, go for vibrant greens, corals, rose reds, bright teals, and yellows. Spring is an easy one to keep aligned with your brand because you can always use your original branded colors and dim them down into pastels, keeping them on brand, but still refreshing.

Summer Color Palette

The summer season color palette is all about contrasting with the heat of the weather. Cool, muted tones—like grays, dusty pinks, watery blues, and greens—convey calmness and often feel rejuvenating. Consider a 4th of July campaign or just a beginning of summer campaign and lighten up your color palette. Everyone looks forward the start of summer and having a summer campaign can help get costumers ready for (arguably) the best time of the year.

Autumn Color Palette

Warm, earthy tones that bring us a sense of coziness are a signature of the autumn color palette. You only have to look out your window in the fall to get a sense of the season’s colors: natural oranges, reds, and golden yellows, as well as rich greens and browns. Getting your color palette a little moody for the fall evokes feelings of nostalgia that can make customers more inclined to shop.

Winter Color Palette

The winter season color palette is all about strong cool hues, like highly saturated reds, blues, greens, purples, and yellows. Winter is arguably the easiest (and best) time to switch up your color palette since customers are eager to do a little holiday shopping.. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Boxing Day, Ōmisoka, or just the cold weather, there are plenty of reasons to feel festive and tons of color hues to choose from.

How To Incorporate Seasonal Color Palettes

Like any marketing strategy, there are best practices when integrating a seasonal color palette. Let’s take a look:

Make Sure the Colors Align With Your Brand

The first and most important step in incorporating a seasonal color palette into your marketing is to make sure the colors align with your brand’s identity and message. Yes, it can be fun to switch it up for the seasons, but be sure not to steer too far away from what your business represents.

Use Secondary Color Palettes

Once you’ve established your brand’s central color palette, you can start to think about a secondary color palette. Secondary color palettes are a great way to change up your marketing, particularly at certain times of year like the holidays. These colors should feel like an extension of your brand’s classic palette, not a departure. Ambre Zachmann, Printing for Less’ eCommerce Marketing Specialist, sums it up by saying: “Brands should include a seasonal palette, but it has to be on brand and look cohesive.” We recommend trying different hues from the same color scheme for your secondary color palette.

Refer To a Designer

If you’re still unsure about what seasonal color palette is right for you, or what specific colors to integrate into your branding and marketing, it’s never a bad idea to speak to a professional. Designers have a deep knowledge of color theory and can help you find seasonal colors that look great together while still aligning with your brand’s personality.

Request Free Proofs

You can spend weeks choosing the perfect color palette for your brand only to find out that they look different when printed out. That’s why we always recommend requesting a printed proof early on. “Blues and purples can be particularly hard when printing, because the tiniest shift in magenta levels can make blues look more purple and vice versa,” Ambre explains. Printing for Less offers free proofs so that brands can ensure that their palette will match on screen and in print

No Matter The Season, We’re Here to Help

A successful brand is one that understands itself well and knows how to flawlessly convey its message and offerings, through logos, slogans, designs, and—of course—color. At Printing for Less, we are here to help your brand come to life with posters, brochures, business cards, and more. Our team is dedicated to recreating your brand’s unique color palette—no matter the season—across all printed materials. Reach out to an expert today and start planning your next seasonal campaign.

Spread Joy to your Customers, Vendors, and Employees this Season! 

The holidays are a’coming, and so is the mail. In the steady stream of bills, a customer, vendor or employee receiving a custom holiday card will feel appreciated by your organization.  

Holiday season is prime time to check in with customers and employees and show your appreciation and share your gratitude. It’s why big-name companies still send holiday cards, and why local businesses will continue to send holiday cards well into the days when our streets look like something out of Blade Runner. 

Still, putting together the perfect holiday cards for your corporation or business is no easy feat. That’s why we’ve decided to put on our holiday hats at Printing for Less and share our festive insights, best practices and tips for spreading some holiday cheer with a holiday card.

Why Send Holiday Cards? 

Sending a small memento reminds people they’re cared about. Holiday cards aren’t just a gimmick; they can be a sincere token of appreciation to show customers that you value them. Just think about the times that you’ve gotten a card in the mail; it probably made you smile or added a snippet of cheer to your day. 

Holiday cards also make good business sense. Emotions play a big part in decision making. By spreading some joy to your customers, they’re more likely to remember your brand and associate positive feelings with it. That association is a strong step toward conversions. Likewise, sending a holiday card is a powerful way to stand out against competitors: it’s a chance to showcase your brand’s personality, build deeper brand loyalty, and highlight your human side. 

As a side note, holiday cards have been making a comeback. Millennials are increasingly purchasing and sending holiday cards, embracing the personal touch they carry. Don’t assume then, that if you’re targeting a younger audience, they won’t be interested – holiday cards are in fact, cool. 

Holiday Card Customization Tips 

You need to ensure time and thought goes into the holiday card customization process if you want customers to respond well to your greeting card. Below are a few business holiday card tips from our paper professionals about how to make sure your holiday cards are signed, sealed, and delivered with love. 

Personalize your Holiday Cards! 

A personalized touch makes your business or corporation’s holiday greeting more meaningful and cherished by the recipient whether a partner, customer, vendor, or an employee.

”Personalization is essential for a holiday card campaign”, says our E-commerce Demand Generation Manager, Laura Phillips Laura. Customers should feel like their card was uniquely designed for them, not just sent out to the masses. How? Well, Printing for Less offers variable data printing, where businesses can change a postcard to say “Hello (name)” and address the person. “We can be incredibly specific with the variable data,” says Laura, “you could include a product someone purchased last year or even state your closest store to someone’s address.” 

Be Prompt  

Sending your business holiday cards promptly is crucial to making a lasting impression. It showcases your genuine interest and appreciation for your relationships. It can be tempting to leave your holiday cards to the last minute but doing so can be risky.  

In the United States alone, nearly 1.3 billion cards are sent every year. The flurry of the holiday season means supply chains can get backed up and deliveries often take longer. To guarantee that your cards arrive in a timely manner, prepare your campaign at least a few months before November. 

Patrick Trembley, Sales Manager at Printing for Less, comments that “the earlier you start your campaign, the better. And, you can always call us to ask about the timelines of production and shipping to clarify dates.”   

Be Inclusive  

Whatever aesthetic you use in your holiday card, remember to be inclusive. The text, images, and overall appearance should speak to everyone. Not all people celebrate in the same way during the holiday season, so select elements that are generally appealing and neutral. A good example is a card that reads “Happy Holidays” or “Wishing you joy.” 

Add a Unique or Festive Touch 

Stand out amidst the sea of traditional greetings. Uniqueness grabs attention and makes a memorable impression on recipients, demonstrating your creativity and thoughtfulness. A distinctive card conveys that you’ve put extra effort into making the recipient feel special, reinforcing the significance of your relationship. 

Laura recommends utilizing different mailer sizes or choose a specialty mailer, like one that includes hot chocolate or cider. “We’re used to seeing typical sizes for promotions and mailers, but by using a larger sized postcard, or adding a special treat, you can make your message stand out more.”  

For holiday marketing mailers, she suggests adding a QR code, allowing customers to scan the code and immediately access your website promotion. Elsewhere, James Casey, our Account Executive, says that a simple foil stamp can do wonders for holiday cards, as it brings some sparkle and feels expensive in customers’ hands. He also stresses the importance of having a holiday-themed call-to-action. “Include something like ‘Find your gifts here’ or ‘Get your holiday shopping started here’ and then point to a street address or a QR code,” James adds. 

Some Examples We Love  

The abundance of holiday cards means there is no shortage of inspiration for your masterpiece.  

Brooke Seidel, Sales Manager at Printing for Less, recalls a card that had the family’s photo outline printed in shiny material with a foil trim. “Behind the family photo, the rest of the postcard was a matte print, making the family focus really obvious.” This attention to detail and strategic placement of the photo is what made the card seem extra personalized, and while you probably won’t have photos of your recipients on file, you can highlight things that you know matter to them in the same style. 

Laura also notes that self-mailers can strike a particular chord with people around the holidays. “It’s a card that’s folded together, and you can include something inside the mailer like a peppermint hot chocolate.” Any additional gift will go a long way with audiences, especially if it relates to the season and has a certain coziness to it. 

There it is, the holiday card code, cracked. Whatever design and campaign you choose, keep it authentic, true to your brand tone, and be considerate of the diverse ways people spend the holidays.  

If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help you spread holiday cheer to your customers, browse our holiday collection or send us an email at info@printingforless.com. We’d love to connect. 

Tear-off tabs have huge potential: micro-perforations in print media add a degree of interactivity and can even result in dual-purpose marketing materials. Despite these benefits, however, many brands overlook this print effect in their marketing strategies, limiting their use to coupons. In this article, we want to showcase some less popular (but still highly effective) tearable print ideas, from reply cards to business cards, and beyond.

Why use tear-off tabs? 

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: adding an interactive element to your print marketing is a great way to engage with customers. Tickets, coupons, rip cards: all these things give consumers something tactile to engage with, while simultaneously promoting your brand through special deals or advertisements.

Tear-off tabs—particularly coupons—are a fantastic way to promote in-store shopping. “If you’re trying to move more foot traffic to your store, or if you’re trying to move inventory at your brick and mortar, then giving away tear-off coupons that can be redeemed in person rather than online is advantageous,” explains Printing for Less’ Nathan Garner. 

More than just coupons 

Tear-off tabs are typically associated with coupons, but they have enormous potential beyond this application. Here are some of our favorite nontraditional tear-off tab flyer ideas.

Reply cards

You’ve likely come across these before, possibly while leafing through a magazine. Reply cards, or business reply cards, are essentially pre-stamped postcards that your clients or prospects can use to get in touch with your business directly. All they have to do is fill in their name, contact details and send it back in the mail. Reply cards are ideal tear-off prints as they can be placed in magazines, flyers, or coupon books. And there’s no single purpose for reply cards: they can be used to gather information about customers through simple survey questions or to drive subscriptions. Reply cards can also be included alongside event invitations. Invitees simply have to make their RSVP choice, tear off the card from the invite, and drop it in the mailbox. Easy peasy.

Tickets

Tear-off tabs have traditionally been used for tickets. When you buy a concert or movie ticket—at least the non-digital kind—ushers will tear off a portion of the ticket, leaving you with a stub. Brands can use this approach in their marketing by creating event tickets or even raffle tickets that feature a promotion or advertisement on them. With raffle tickets especially, participants will hold on to their ticket stub at least until the raffle winners have been announced. A cleverly placed advertisement could therefore end up catching their attention as they’ll have the ticket in hand. Moreover, a well-designed raffle ticket with a catchy graphic could encourage ticket sales and boost raffle earnings.

Interactive pages

Tear-off pages also present a unique opportunity for interactivity. You can easily add a puzzle page or coloring page to a catalog or booklet that customers can tear out and give to their children or fill in themselves. James Casey, Printing for Less Customer Advocate, describes a print job he is working on: “it’s a catalog with one spread that’s uncoated and perforated so that kids can tear it out and color it in.” Adding a touch of play to print marketing is a great way to get audiences to engage with your brand—and maybe even get it displayed on the fridge at home.

Gifting tags 

We’ve all been there: digging through drawers for a black pen to hastily scribble over the price on a gift. It’s not ideal, but the alternative is removing the tag entirely (no more gift exchange) or leaving the price visible (a big no-no). Fortunately, there is another option: tear-off gifting tags. This type of tag, which is becoming increasingly common, consists of a two-part tag that lets customers easily tear off the price of a product without damaging the tag. “I’m working on a gifting tag project for a charcuterie board kit,” says Brooke Seidel, Quad Lead at Printing for Less. “It has the artwork and barcode on it, and then the price is on a tear-off tab so it can be ripped off if the customer wants to gift it.”

Business cards

If you’re looking for a dynamic way to distribute your business cards in a particular community, consider designing a rack card or door hanger with a tear-off business card attached. It’s effectively a two-for-one print: you can share details about your business’ latest products or services in the main part of the ad, while giving your audience the option to tear off a business card that they can slip in their wallet for future reference. This strategy is common in real estate, where agents can feature recent listings and distribute their business cards simultaneously. Ultimately, it gives prospects a direct invitation to get in contact with your business if the ad catches their interest.

Get in touch today 

There are countless creative ways to integrate tear-off tabs in print marketing, and Printing for Less can accommodate your vision. We can perforate many types of paper and card stock, as well as apply a wide range of print finishes, like die cuts, or Spot UV. Get in touch with a member of our team today to discuss the best rip card options for your brand or campaign.

When it comes to print marketing, it’s all about grabbing people’s attention and standing out. You don’t want your brochure to be forgotten among the masses and you certainly don’t want your business card to end up at the bottom of the stack. That’s why it’s important to get creative with your print marketing—with design, and with print finishes. Extra touches that can grab someone’s attention for even a second longer will make a difference and make your brand unforgettable. Here are our favorite print finishes and some tips on how to make the most of them.

Foil Stamping

Foil stamping is a great way to make your print marketing materials stand out. The process uses a heated metal die and a foil stamping machine to add a metallic finish to your print. Gold and silver lettering or line art provide a hint of glamor, while holographic foil has a fun and futuristic appeal. We recommend using foil stamping for crisp lines—like lettering—and for larger design elements rather than small details. Printing for Less’s eCommerce Marketing Specialist Ambre Zachmann recommends, “using a red foil around the QR code or a metallic arrow pointing to the QR code” to make it pop. Check out some more design tips for foil stamping here.

Embossing 

Many people think of print marketing as a two-dimensional medium, but it doesn’t have to be. Embossing is a century-old technique that uses a pair of dies to create raised design elements, or reliefs on a sheet of paper. The three-dimensional effect is most often used for professional print media, including business cards, stationery, and certificates. However, it can also add texture—not to mention a hint of class—to postcards, invitations, brochures, and more. Our embossing services are versatile: you can choose from several different edge effects, including straight, curved, or sloped edges, and can even integrate multiple embossed layers in a single design. Moreover, you can combine embossing with foil stamping for added visual and tactile intrigue.

Die Cuts 

While it may sound rather technical, die cutting is really just like using a cookie cutter for paper. Using custom-shaped blades, we can cut virtually any shape into your print materials for some added dimension and, in some cases, function. You can die cut the outline of your logo on a brochure and overlay it on a contrasting page to make it distinctive; you can cut out a shape on your business card to make it more tactile; you can create an interactive slide and reveal card; or you can make functional cuts for door hangers. There are countless options at your disposal. Ultimately, integrating a custom die cut will help set your print media apart from the competition and help make your brand more memorable to those who encounter it. 

Custom Folds 

When we talk about folding in print marketing, there are the obvious go-tos, like tri-fold brochures and folded cards. Don’t get us wrong, these are great, but there are also countless other ways to fold paper to enhance your marketing materials. Custom folds are a low-cost way to add dimension and even interactivity to your prints. For example, you can strategically integrate folds to create a reveal effect for the reader, you can also create expandable or 3D shapes. As Ambre says, “I think the best print finishes are actually foldout interactive pages. Invite your reader to unlock a secret by unfolding your piece. Or I’ve also seen a custom mailer that could be unfolded into a huge poster for kids to color in.” 

Lamination 

If you’re looking for a consistent, professional print finish that adds durability to your print materials look no further than lamination. Specifically, liquid laminate. Also known as UV coating, liquid laminate consists of a transparent liquid coating that is applied to paper and cured, forming a thin durable coating. Not only does lamination protect your print materials from fingerprints, scratches, and scuffing, it also makes them moisture and sun resistant. In terms of a visual effect, you can choose either a high gloss or matte finish, both of which enhance the color and quality of your design and add a soft feel. Lamination is great for high-touch prints, like business cards, brochures, and menus, as well as posters and signs that require durability.

Soft Touch 

Take your print marketing to the next level with a Soft Touch® coating. Like liquid lamination, this print finish increases the durability of your prints, making them resistant to fingerprints and scuffing. But the real value of Soft Touch® is its tactile appeal. Best paired with high gloss paper, Soft Touch® adds a rich, velvety texture to your prints that will make customers’ fingers linger for a moment longer. It can also enhance visual aspects, particularly dark colors, which become more luxurious with the velvet-like coating. Soft Touch® can be applied to your entire print—whether it’s a business card, postcard, brochure, or catalog—or selectively to create dynamic visual and tactile contrasts on the page.

Spot UV 

There’s a reason Spot UV is one of the most popular print finishes available today. The quick-drying (and eco-friendly!) coating imparts glossy details onto your print, resulting in a stunning contrast as well as unique light-catching effects. “If you have a really bright image on the front of your print, you could add Spot UV to it so it stands out even more and catches people’s eye,” explains Printing for Less Account Executive Kristi Eby. There are many ways to use Spot UV to your advantage. We recommend using the glossy print finish with matte paper for the greatest contrast, or combining it with Soft Touch for higher impact.

Finding the Right Print Finish

If you’re still unsure which of these print finishes is the best for your marketing campaign or brand materials, the Printing for Less team is more than happy to help. Give us a call to chat about your needs and we’ll explain which of our print finish options can best benefit you.