Print

Elevate Your Print Quality

When it comes to direct mail, not all printers are created equal. In fact, many companies that use direct mail often struggle with errors and inconsistent print quality.

Why? The key lies in the choice of printer (or network of printers) they work with.

With over 30 years of industry experience, we’ve found that partnering with a direct mail provider that has in-house printing capabilities—rather than outsourcing to a network of printers—offers superior control, customization, turnaround, confidentiality, and cost efficiency, making it the preferred choice for delivering high-quality results.

Total Control & Unmatched Consistency

By working with a direct mail provider that manages printing internally, you eliminate the middleman, granting complete control over every stage of the process. Unlike batch printing, commonly used by large printer networks that manage multiple orders simultaneously, in-house production typically works on a job-by-job basis. This approach ensures consistent quality, as dedicated team members can monitor each project’s color consistency, scuffs, and data accuracy. They can even scan QR codes to verify correctness when needed.

A recent direct mail industry report indicates that 50% of consumers believe low-quality presentation is likely to create a negative first impression. Opting for in-house production provides the advantage of thorough inspections and immediate adjustments, reducing errors and ensuring that every piece of mail meets the highest quality standards.

Tailored Customization & Flexible Solutions

In-house printing also offers unparalleled customization and flexibility, particularly for time-sensitive projects. It allows up to a 1-3 day quicker turnaround on custom requests and changes compared to outsourced printing, which often faces delays due to multiple points of contact. Being able to directly communicate with an account manager who has direct access to the production floor ensures immediate adjustments, while outsourced services require navigating through layers of representatives without achieving the actual desired outcome.

Furthermore, with internal printing capabilities, you can make precise color adjustments, specifically color matching, and change paper stock to meet your exact requirements. This level of customization is crucial for brands that need to keep a consistent image across all printed materials. And, given that in-house teams are often more familiar with their equipment and materials, they can offer expert advice and innovative solutions tailored to your specific needs.

Speedy Turnarounds That Keep You Ahead

Let’s talk about turnaround times! Working with a provider that manages its production internally significantly reduces production times compared to outsourced services. Close management and efficient workflows can be crucial for meeting tight deadlines and ensuring prompt delivery, especially around holidays or seasonal activities.

The streamlined processes and direct oversight of in-house printing allow for a quicker project initiation and completion, avoiding delays associated with coordinating multiple external vendors.

Cost Efficiency Without Compromise

Switching to a provider with in-house production can save upwards of 40% on production costs compared to outsourcing. This is thanks to reduced vendor fees, lower transportation costs, and employee costs. Eliminating the intermediary also removes markup fees, with some facilities offering bulk discount options and in-house storage after job completion.

Additionally, in-house printing also ensures price expectations are met at an affordable rate, with a primary focus on customer satisfaction and building trust in services. By managing the entire process internally, companies can better control costs and allocate resources more effectively. This cost efficiency, combined with the high quality and reliability of in-house printing, makes it an attractive choice for businesses looking to maximize their return on investment.

After all, ease of mind is worth every penny.

Trust & Security

Finally, in-house printing also offers a higher level of service and trust. For instance, in-house printing providers typically require clients to approve live PDF data proofs before printing, ensuring accuracy and alignment with client expectations. In-house teams are also equipped to provide guidance, offer eco-friendly options that align with company values, and handle confidential materials for highly regulated industries like healthcare and finance with the utmost care.

Overall, the direct relationship with in-house printing teams fosters better collaboration and a deeper understanding of client needs and enables the anticipation and proactive resolution of any potential issue prior to it happening, leading to a smoother process and higher-quality outcomes.

Final Thoughts

At Strata, managing our print production internally allows us to maintain strict quality control by checking each step of the process. This ensures every order, whether placed today or years later, keeps the same high-quality standard. Our experts immediately address and resolve any issues using our robust system to check each print throughout the job, ensuring superior and reliable quality.

Are you ready to consider in-house options for your printing needs to avoid inconsistent results and achieve reliable, high-quality printing? Contact us today to learn more.

How Variable Data Printing Can Transform Your Marketing Campaigns

In the age of digital communication, where every message competes for attention, the key to making an impact lies in personalization. Whether it’s a marketing campaign or a heartfelt message, the more tailored and relevant it is to the recipient, the greater its resonance. This is where variable data printing (VDP) enters the chat, standing tall as a true game-changer in the world of direct mail marketing.

What is Variable Data Printing?

Variable data printing has revolutionized the landscape of direct mail marketing by dynamically incorporating personalized elements into once static templates. Imagine receiving a postcard that not only addresses you by name but also showcases products tailored to your current preferences. That’s the magic of VDP in action.

At its core, VDP works by pulling dynamically generated headlines, addresses, personal names, offers, graphics, or maps from a file and seamlessly inserts them into a templated design to match the unique requirements of the specific mailer. This means that each predetermined mailer will be printed specifically for the intended recipient, enhancing the relevance and impact of the message.

While the concept of variable data printing has been around for more than a decade, its adoption was initially hindered by its slow and expensive nature, making it challenging to use for large volume direct mail campaigns. But with advancements in technology, especially in digital printing (hello HP Indigo), VDP has become more accessible and cost-effective than ever before. Now, marketers can harness the power of VDP to personalize every aspect of their direct mail campaigns, ensuring that each recipient receives a message tailored precisely to their preferences and needs, maximizing engagement, response rates, and overall ROI.

The Effectiveness and Benefits of VDP

The effectiveness and benefits of VDP extend far beyond mere personalization. With automated systems streamlining bulk mailing processes, VDP makes managing large-scale campaigns significantly more manageable. By eliminating manual processes, businesses can sidestep unnecessary errors, resulting in significantly lower returned mail rates. This not only saves time and marketing spend but also enhances the overall success of the campaign.

Personalizing direct mail can increase response rates by up to 135%, a remarkable increase that highlights the power of VDP in capturing the attention and engagement of target audiences. This ultimately drives higher conversion rates and ROI for businesses, potentially doubling to 15 times the ROI when using VDP. Most importantly, VDP allows for tailored messaging that resonates more deeply with recipients, fostering stronger customer relationships and brand loyalty.

Additionally, the data-driven approach of VDP, with personalized response mechanisms like PURLs and variable QR codes, allows for better tracking and analysis of campaign performance. This enables continuous optimization and more informed decision-making for future marketing strategies, further enhancing the effectiveness and benefits of VDP.

Best Practices to Consider

When maximizing the effectiveness of VDP in direct mail campaigns, implementing best practices is crucial. Firstly, conducting test runs allows marketers to fine-tune their campaigns and identify any potential issues before launching on a larger scale. Testing formatting can ensure that things like layout and design elements are optimized for readability, visual appeal, and action.

Also, testing demographic data, such as age, marital status, income, and stage of life, can help you tailor messaging and offers to specific audience segments. For example, targeting millennials with different content than empty nesters can significantly impact the campaign’s success.

Additionally, including geographic data adds another layer of personalization by customizing mailers based on the recipient’s location. Whether it’s imagery relevant to the region, location-specific text, or special offers from local businesses, leveraging geographic data can make direct mail campaigns highly personalized and resonate more deeply with recipients.

Final Thoughts

Overall, variable data printing offers unparalleled opportunities for tangible personalization in an increasingly digital world. With that said, if you’re not a variable printing expert, it’s crucial to partner with a qualified printer capable of meeting the demands of VDP, particularly for large quantities and high-definition color printing. At Strata, we specialize in VDP processes and utilizing personalization to increase response rates and ensure campaign success. From creative concept to postal logistics, we assist our clients at every step of the direct mail process, ensuring the success of their data-fueled marketing campaigns.

At the end of the day, VDP goes beyond mere personalization; it’s about leveraging data insights to drive engagement and ROI. Contact a Strata expert today to learn how we can help elevate your direct mail marketing efforts to the next level.

Laying Out the Pros and Cons

We know it can be a long process to research, find, and decide on a marketing solutions company that achieves your objectives. We also know that the full package – good data, quality design, excellent messaging, great customer service, mailing and fulfillment, and quantifiable results – is the goal, but not always the outcome. Since we get asked about it from time to time, in this blog, we’re going to cover why you may want to choose to work with a marketing company over a CRM services company who also happens to strategize and launch campaigns. Before you make your decision, give this a quick read. 

Not Always the “Path of Least Resistance” 

First and foremost, although it may appear “easier” to partner with a CRM service to launch your campaigns (because they have access to CRM) – they don’t always have immediate access to other capabilities. For example, they likely don’t have in-house creative design, printing, fulfillment, and mailing, and if they do have some of them – they likely don’t have all of them to execute a turnkey campaign. The main focus of a CRM company is usually just that – customer relationship management. Their key offering is their ability to compile and supply lists – which they may be excellent at doing, but what will they provide in terms of other areas of expertise? 

Because of the outsourced services they use (such as those listed above), CRM companies can’t always make campaign changes on the fly. They’re usually unable to print on-demand, have their artist make quick modifications, make last-minute changes to the mailing process, or most importantly, optimize the campaign based on results, midstream. 

The Marketing Differentiators

So, what’s the alternative? Partnering with a marketing solutions company that offers expertise in everything from implementation to optimization. Marketing companies are often also connected directly to the list compiler, and even more than that, they’re usually more closely if not directly connected to everything else you’ll need and use during the campaign production process – from strategy to printing. Since many if not all of their services are in-house (including design, print production, fulfillment, and mailing), you can always make changes and improvements mid-stream and at rapid speed. They can simply call on their marketing team of strategists, artists, print production associates, and others to change gears, swiftly improving the efficiency of the program while it’s in progress and effectively increasing campaign ROI. 

Additionally, marketing companies focus solely on marketing strategy and production, and the more years of experience under their belts of doing so – the better. Marketing execution is not an add-on to marketing companies. It’s what they do, day in and day out. And the right marketing company will be able to simultaneously execute concurrent campaigns, whether single-touch or many, with corresponding digital to (targeted, specified) customers and prospects. If you’re lucky or do your research, you’ll find a marketing company that also incorporates backend fulfillment, seamless management, granular personalization, and attribution, and will be a team of dedicated experts, creators, innovators, and most importantly, marketers. You get the picture we’re painting. It’s important for a marketer or marketing team to also value and provide quality execution and customer care to every client, and ensure you have the reporting, understanding, and peace of mind you need, with 1:1 attribution, automated data exchange, and a detailed dashboard. 

Next time you’re debating, think through this blog first. Do you just need a simple marketing campaign with CRM first, or do you need a multi-touch, well-focused marketing campaign with accurate, up-to-date lists and quality attribution? 

The 9 Most Unique Ways to Use Print in Your Marketing

Over the past two weeks, if you’ve been keeping up with our blog, you’ve gotten the chance to hear about the true power print holds. We’ve shared why print is still so powerful in today’s marketing world, as well as tips and tricks on how to improve your current print marketing practices. Print is trustworthy, cost-effective, results-driven, and sticks with customers, and we’re here to show just that. For our final blog of The Power of Print series, we’re taking you through the 9 most unique (and powerful) ways your company can use print marketing.

1. Letters & Postcards

“Letters and postcards” can really mean a variety of things. From packages to flyers – to dimensional mailers, sending these to customers and prospects gives you a chance to include personalized messages, catered services, tailored specials and more to gain their brand loyalty and trust while breaking through the digital noise. They won’t go to waste, as 44% of customers visit a brand’s website after receiving direct mail marketing.

2. Newsletters & Updates

You may already be sending out an e-newsletter or monthly updates to your customers to keep them in the know, advertise new products and services, and send upcoming company and event information. Why not switch it up and give them a surprise with a printed version every so often? For printed newsletters or update materials, you can choose from a wide range of materials, layouts, shapes, and sizes to share your company’s news in a fun, eye-catching, and creative way. 

3. Business Cards

Business cards have been around for years, and there’s a reason they’re still used currently, despite all of the digital options available. Not only do business cards share your contact information quickly and effectively with others, but with all of the print options of today, they give you a chance to further show your brand’s quality and creativity. Unique and eye-catching business cards will always be great tools at networking events and social gatherings, and are a great way to stay on the minds of potential customers.

4. Loyalty Cards

This simple yet powerful tool will keep your customers coming back and get them excited to do so. Using loyalty program pieces or punch cards with your logo and brand is a great way to advertise and market your business, its products, and its services. Even better – make these cards super quick and easy to use by including a QR code that tracks customer purchases. Studies have shown that up to 64% of small businesses that have implemented a customer loyalty program have found that the program earns the business more money than it took to create – so get the most bang for your buck with this simple and effective print marketing piece.

5. Posters, Flags, & Banners

Posters, flags, and banners are physical marketing pieces that are so large that you can’t really ignore them. These are great advertising options because of their scale, cost effectiveness, and longevity. Use them in store, hang them in your windows, post them around town, hang them up at a tradeshow – over and over again. Spend a bit more on print quality, and you can use them for years to come.

6. Promotional Products

These non-paper items are a great print option that not everyone always thinks about. Almost every household in America has at least one magnet on their refrigerator – so, let’s make sure that one magnet promotes YOUR business. Or, place your logo and a unique design on a sticker to go on a laptop, water bottle, or phone case. Whatever makes the most sense for your audience, print it. If they like it enough and use it, you’ll get some free marketing promotion as they sport your company t-shirt, use your branded water bottle, or share your logoed hand sanitizer. Hand out these promotional items at trade shows and events, send them in the mail, or give them out as a parting gift after face-to-face meetings.

7. Calendars

Printed, branded calendars are a great opportunity to showcase your brand or products – for 365 days of the year. Offering these to clients and potential customers is a great relationship starter, and since calendars are usually front and center on desks and office walls, your company’s name has a higher chance of being remembered.

8. Brochures

Probably one of the most well-known ways to share company information, a brochure is a quick and traditional piece to remind customers of what you represent and what you have to offer. 48% of people retain direct mail for future reference – so sending them a brochure ensures that they can go back to your company information any time they’d like. Furthermore, brochures are versatile. They can be sent out, placed in establishments, or handed out at events. There are endless places and ways to get brochures circulating to share your brand and offerings.

9. Catalogs

The catalog has come a long way, and in today’s digital world, it’s much easier to design and print. The catalog is an extremely budget friendly way to share your products, and, like other print materials, it’s a great way to show your company’s quality and care by using thoughtful paper, color, and texture choices. It’s also a unique way to stand out among your competitors, and again, break through the digital noise of today.

Looking for ways to incorporate the power of unique print into your next marketing campaign? At Strata, we’re print experts (it’s in our DNA) and we’re ready to help! Contact us today to start brainstorming your next eye-catching print project.