Catalog and Direct-Mail Challenges in 2008: “Postage Increases – Working With USPS’ Initiatives”

In addition to paper and freight cost increases, direct-marketers have also been hit with the most substantial cost yet: postage increases. The most recent postage increases are intended to have their customers automate their mail as much as possible or pay the cost for them to handle less-automated mail.

One of their proposed solutions is a “letter class rate”, which is a lower postage rate for mail that is essentially “machine-ready” mail. The basic requirements for letter class rate are:
1.) is not larger than a final size of 6-1/8” X 11-1/2” and not smaller than 3-1/2” X 5”.
2.) must have an outer stock (i.e. the cover) no lighter than 50# text.
3.) must have the address running along the longest side (i.e. along the 11-1/2”).
4.) must have two tab closures.
5.) cannot weigh more than 3.0 ounces.

Anything weighing between 3.0 and 3.3 ounces, but meets the other letter-class specifications will receive a non-automated letter-class postage, which will be slightly higher than letter-class, but lower than flat-class. For anyone who doesn’t want to compromise the specifications of their catalog, there is another solution: co-mailing.

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the past five years, in some shape or form, you’ve heard the terms “co-mailing” or “co-mingling”. Co-mailing or co-mingling is the combination of multiple catalogs/magazines with other “titles” in a single process, that are ink-jetted, sorted, and bundled together to achieve a significant pre-sort postage discount.

In addition to a huge postage discount, co-mailing also insures a higher quality and timelier in-home delivery. And while a few major long-run printers used to be the only providers who could provide this service, this service can be achieved via “off-line” co-mailing.

When analyzing a mailing, take into consideration all of the costs associated to the job, as all costs play a major factor in choosing the most optimal printing/mailing solution for you. Such relevant costs are:

1.) Pre-press, printing, and production,

2.) Any necessary freight to outside vendors or your location,

3.) All mail prep costs,

4.) Approximate postage,

5.) Any in-bound freight charges.

Looking at the full-picture is truly the best way to manage your costs.

Catalog and Direct-Mail Challenges in 2008: “Sustainable Printing – Hindrance to Some; Revenue Center to Others”

If you’re anything like me, you too feel the concerns over being more environmentally aware. We recycle everything we can: paper, plastic bags, bottles and containers; we try to manage and improve our resources (e.g. $4-a-gallon gas, our food supply, the air we breathe, the protection of our ozone, etc.); what we can’t recycle, we dispose of properly to keep our environment as unaffected as possible. Though I (just like everyone) could be better; but we do the best we can.

Groups like Forest Ethics try to manage the consumption of endangered forests by first kindly asking, and then second, if need be, forcing via public humiliation (which for some large catalogers turned ugly very quickly). Though, many catalogers and direct-marketers look at the growing concern not as a hindrance, but as an opportunity to capitalize on their market. An article entitled “How Green Are Your Consumers” by Laurie Banks (The Portland Press Herald, Friday, April 27, 2007), defines three segments of eco-concerned consumers as:
1.) “9 percent are True Blue Greens - defined as most interested and typically an influencer of others; highly educated with higher incomes.”
2.) “6 percent are Greenback Greens - these people vote with their pocketbook. They are interested in environmental issues but not always willing to spend that extra cash. They are unwilling to sacrifice comfort and convenience.”
3.) “31 percent are Sprouts - a marketer's dream, these environmental fence-sitters are undecided consumers. They evaluate environmental issues one at a time and are willing to listen and compare each purchase to their personal benefits or costs.”

So not only does sustainable printing help you sleep easier at night, but it also has marketability! So with that being said, here are a handful of goals that will help make your project more environmentally sustainable.
1.) Forest Stewardship Council or FSC certification: this initiative is a chain-of-custody certification in which a paper is logged, milled, and manufactured to insure total protection of the wildlife habitats and forests. This certification is highly recognized and regarded by the Rainforest Alliance and the World Wildlife Fund.
2.) Sustainable Forestry Initiative or SFI certification: this initiative is a chain-of-custody certification that protects the best interest of sustaining the forests and wildlife, while also maintaining the best interest of the forest land-owners and loggers.
3.) Green energy or Green-E: The paper is manufactured utilizing a number of sustainable energy methods (e.g. wind-power).
4.) Bleaching: “ECF” or “Elemental Chlorine Free Bleaching” uses a chlorine compound, most often chlorine dioxide that significantly reduces dioxins but does not eliminate them. ECF bleaching is considered middle ground for environmental bleaching. “PCF” or “Process Chlorine Free Bleaching” uses totally chlorine free processing and includes recycled content and is considered the “greenest” method of bleaching.
5.) Paper recycled content: The recycled content refers to the percentage of the paper that contains recycled fibers. Additionally, many paper stocks contain post-consumer waste (PCW). This waste is paper that is recycled by consumers. So, for example, if a paper contains 60% recycled content and 40% PCW, this means that 20% of the paper is pre-consumer waste (any paper that does not reach the consumer) and 40% is post-consumer waste.
6.) Soy-based inks: These inks are manufactured with a soy-base and not a petroleum base. The benefit of soy-based inks is that their VOC, or volatile organic compound, content is very low. VOC content has become a very important discussion point, as the concern is that something that biodegrades releases VOCs into our soils and waterways and can potentially poison our generations to come.

If your printing rep’s concern aligns with environmental sustainability, they will be able to provide economically feasible solutions. Many of these initiatives may be accomplished with out additional cost to the job! So align yourself with a rep who can provide you with these types of solutions (**ahem…over here…cough, cough…yes, this is an expertise of mine**)

Catalog and Direct-Mail Challenges in 2008: “Do Not Mail Legislation – Fight or Flight”

It’s August; it’s time to begin preparing for the holiday season. If you’re a cataloger or direct-mailer, you have the same concerns this year as we do. In the next few blogs, I plan to address these concerns facing you and how to turn them into successful profit-centers for your business.

Catalog and Direct-Mail Challenges in 2008: “Do Not Mail Legislation – Fight or Flight”

Every time I pick up a new printing or marketing magazine, there’s at least a small mention of “Do Not Mail Legislation” which essentially will establish a “Do Not Mail” registry that consumers can add their mailing information into. And as it is believed, this proposed legislation will produce another major hindrance to the success of direct marketers.

Direct marketers are worried that prospective customer volumes will drop-off. Likewise, list-service providers, printers, and mailers believe that their business will be directly correlated to this. It’s time for a “Plan B”.

Plan B should begin by re-evaluating your marketing strategy. For many up to this point, you’ve been utilizing the “spray-and-pray” marketing strategy (meaning, “send a ton of direct mail/catalogs out and hope that you can turn a 3% response rate”). Now while direct-mail continues to be the most effective catalyst to the sales cycle, let’s take a more tactical approach to attracting high-quality prospective-customers.

Consider spending more of your marketing budget on your best prospective customers. Most likely, your best prospective customers are divided into two major groups:
1.) Those customers that currently purchase your products, and
2.) Those customers who don’t currently purchase from you, but demographically are the most likely to.
Focus on producing higher quality print and mail communications for these customers.

Some ideas to begin your thought process:
1.) Don’t send your customers “throw-aways” send them “coffe-table mail”. Meaning, mail your customers pieces that aren’t perceived as marketing tools…or “junk mail”; mail them print pieces that will have a long-shelf life, and a high-quality perception! Be creative; have you ever received a direct-mailer that you showed to co-workers, friends, and family. I have! FYI – The level of quality in a piece of print sub-consciously triggers a perception about the quality of the products/services that are being marketed and the company being represented.
2.) Drive your customers with print promotions. Coupons, freebies, rewards-programs, rebates…regardless of its name, promotions can drive your best customers into your “customer community”. This produces long-term customer loyalty.
3.) Harness the available technology and your data. Have you considered using the data you have on your customers and available data on prospective customers to its fullest extent? Personalized communications and variable data (whether it is as simple as ink-jetting codes or as complex as personalized 4-color graphics and messages) are a way to drive response rates. You have mere seconds to capture a new customer’s attention, so you’d better hit them with something good while you’ve got their eye.
4.) Shock the end recipients’ expectations by changing the look and feel of your piece. Got the “5 X 7 direct-mailer blues”? How about the “8-1/2 X 10-7/8 catalog blues”? Change the size, throw in some die-cutting, use a new stock or coating, try some varnishing techniques…whatever floats your boat! Try something…ANYTHING…new to increase the mere seconds you have capture the recipient’s attention.

I will speak to this further in a future blog called “Overstuffed Mailboxes? Take the JUNK Out of Junk-Mail!” It’s really up to you to begin changing your thought-process with the evolving times. Focus more upon your highest quality customers and your ROI will benefit.

Paper or plastic bags?

Hello respected friends and colleagues,

I was forwarded this link by a client and I thought that I'd pass it along as it really struck me.

http://tinyurl.com/6ghx85

You used to hear it all the time when you went grocery shopping: "paper or plastic bags"? This decision USED TO BE one of the most meaningless decisions you made all day.

Now, it has a particular poignance. Now, it drastically affects our global environment, our quality of life, and our economy.

Please take a look at the quick slideshow to understand why this decision has become so important.

Yours Truly,

Adam Trull

--Big changes are made up of small decisions.

Is Print An Economically Viable Marketing Media?

Well, naturally, I’m a little biased on this. As businesses begin to tighten their purse-strings, marketing is one of the foremost areas that companies look to reduce overhead. Oddly, I’ve recently been reading more statistical evidence and having more discussions about the dire importance that print continues to play in the marketing-media-mix.

An article titled "The Future of Print In Marketing Communications", written by PressTek’s Director of Marketing and Communications discusses exactly the role that print has played and will continue to play in the media-mix. Simply put, "print is the igniter for the other media in the integrated marketing campaign". Why do you ask, is this the case, well because:

1.) Print is more sensory that TV, radio, Internet, word-of-mouth, etc.,
2.) Print is there when the consumer needs it…and when it’s there when the consumer doesn’t need it, it is tucked away…or hung on the fridge….or kept on your desk…etc.,
3.) Print is easier for the consumer to be communicated to…consumers receive marketing communications at completely different pace…I may review print (or any marketing communications), at a different pace than someone 50 years my senior.
4.) Print is trust worthy. Internet communications could be coming from any fly-by-night company…or for that matter, some creep looking to swipe your credit-card number.

Here’s a couple of cool facts for you:
-"According to Mintel Comperemedia, a media monitoring service, direct mail offers sent in 2007 to companies' current customers increased 17 percent from 2006." --www.printinthemix.rit.edu
-"A recent Pitney Bowes/International Communications Research study found that 73 percent of consumers prefer to receive product announcements and offers via US mail from companies they do business with." The Future of Print In Marketing Communications
-"Among the various advertising media in 2006, direct mail was the top choice of advertisers followed by newspapers and television." United States Postal Service (2006). Household Diary Study. www.printinthemix.rit.edu

Hey marketers, check out "The Future of Print In Marketing Communications" on www.whattheythink.com.

Files du Jour…Proofs a la Carte – How to Manage the Costs and Time of Your Pre-Press

How important is it really, to know how files are arriving and what types of proofs to utilize during estimating and production? Actually, it's extremely important. File type/delivery and proofing is a major factor in determining cost and time necessary for pre-press (especially on high-page count projects). So when determining an estimated cost and schedule for a project it’s crucial for us to know these factors.

Files
The most typical ways for files to arrive are:

1. CTP or high-resolution print-ready PDFs (least amount of pre-press time needed). An important note, when providing CTP files, it’s always of benefit to provide a source file JUST IN CASE, a last minute change needs to be made to the file.
2. Images are high-res and in position.
3. Images are not in position, and page assembly is required (most amount of pre-press time needed).

Proofs
Your proofs are determined by your needs. The following are typical proofs:
1. Iris…or digital dylux...or dummy proof. These proofs are intended to show only how the pages will be collated, how the project will be finished, and is utilized to check copy. We produce a digital dylux on every project as a QA measure.
2. PDF Proof and/or “Dialogue” remote proofing. Before I begin, at a bare minimum on a job that has more than one-color, I absolutely recommend at least producing a set of Epson proofs so that we have something to match on press. With my disclaimer out of the way, PDF proofs are just as they sound: a high-res PDF that is really only intended to show that we made something like a type-change, added an image, etc. Taking that a step further, we offer a service called Dialogue, which allows for online collaborative proofing. The interface, which is similar to Photoshop, allows remote users to log in and do such tasks as check color builds of an image and review other user’s comments and leave your own. This is immensely valuable for clients (for example) who have many team-members involved, but are not within the same geographic proximity. Ask for a “test-drive” of this value-added service if you are interested.
3. Epson approval proof. Epson proofs are also utilized for approving color, but are faster to produce and significantly less in cost. I recommend Epson proofs for projects that are going to be produced on a gloss sheet, are not absolutely color critical (though you may not be able to tell the difference between an Epson and a Kodak), and/or a very high page-count project.
OR…
4. Kodak approval...or job-stock proof. These proofs are intended to show 100% accurate color on job-stock. These proofs typically cost the most and are the slowest, but are necessary for projects that do not require a gloss coated #3 domestic stock. This is because our Epson proofs are proofed on a stock similar to a gloss coated #3 domestic sheet.

As always, pre-press and proofing can be a huge time and cost expenditure. Be as explicit as possible so that we can help supply you with an accurate estimate and schedule.

Who Is The MATLET Group, Acme's Parent Company?

So, you may know A LOT about Acme Printing, but how much do you know about the other sister plants that we can cross sell into? Check out more at: http://www.thematletgroup.com/.

Central Florida Press
Capabilities
· Three six color-40” Sheetfed presses
· Two Web presses with 24.8 and 23.526 cutoffs
· Full in-house bindery
· Mailing label ink jetting
· Pick and Pack Fulfillment
· Custom Data Solutions
· Production Automation

NOVA Marketing Services
Assembly Services
· Kit and folder assembly
· Shrink-wrapping
· Collating, inserting, packing
Pick and Pack/Inventory Management
Real time, web order processing and inventory management
Direct Mail
· Three-dimensional, highly personalized packaging and mailing services
· Data and mail preparation, laser printing and ink jetting services
Organization
· In fulfillment business for 24 years
· 98,000 sq ft production facility with 100,000 sq ft bulk storage facility
· 2-Shift operation
· On-premise temporary agency to support large production requirements of up to 150 temps per day

Packaging Graphics
Printed Packaging Products
· Blister Cards, Insert Cards, Stretch Pak Cards, Folding Cartons w/ window
Thermoforming Products
· Blisters, Clamshells, Trays,Tri-folds, Multiple substrates
· both virgin and recycled films
· ranging from 7.5 – 62.5 gauge.
· Other In house Process Capabilities
· Full in house pre-press department
· Consigned raw material program
· Various equipment capabilities

The MATLET Group’s Strengths
1. Diverse manufacturing platform
Products and services that encompasses the whole print supply chain -- from prepress through fulfillment and distribution
2. Broad geographic scope with four plants in the U.S.
With multiple locations in the United States, we are able to provide printing and distribution services in more than one region
3. Recapitalization to expand technological infrastructure
The MATLET Group believes in investing in state-of-the-art equipment and technology that’s continually updated to offer the latest industry advancements
4. Long-standing customers
We are trusted by some of the nation’s largest companies
5. Nation’s largest minority-owned printer
We can help your company reach its supplier diversity goals, while working with a supplier that has a track record of success in meeting and exceeding customer expectations. The MATLET Group is a Corporate Plus® member of the NMSDC.
6. Stewards of the Environment
The MATLET Group holds FSC, SFI and ISO 14001 certifications