Look in to your office store cupboard; we’re willing to bet that there is some unused print collateral in there; anything from dusty, out-of-date brochures, through to unused stationery with the wrong address on it. Take heart, you’re not alone in having a surplus of unused print collateral. Not only is unused print costly it’s also wasteful and impractical - what else could you be storing instead?
So what if you could avoid a surplus of print in the first place? Here are Pepper’s top 5 tips to better print management:
1. Think Direct
How about if your print never even found its way to your office, but went directly to your customers and prospects? A well-managed mailing list can be invaluable in helping you target your customers, know exactly what quantities to print and manage the timing of a campaign. Next time you print, think that a well planned direct mail or direct print campaign could be the answer.
2. Piggy back
If a direct campaign won’t work for you consider using other distribution and fulfillment methods to spread your message to the widest possible audience. How about inserting print in to magazines or newspapers, or simply distributing handouts on foot or at a trade exhibition?
3. Use your staff and set targets
Make sure your staff are well equipped with brochures and that they know how to use them. Set a target to distribute a set number of brochures within a certain amount of time. Before you order your print be realistic about how your field staff may be able to use it and consult with them to establish what will be most useful.
4. Beware the stock cupboard
You know the old cliche; if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Don’t order print with a store cupboard in mind - it’ll simply stay in there. Think about print in terms of fulfilling set objectives over a fixed period of time.
5. Find the balance
Simple economics dictate that it’s cost-effective to print in larger quantities, right? Well, certainly, printing too few and relying on re-prints will probably mean you pay more in the long run, but it’s also a costly exercise to print in huge quantities and have a lot of surplus. You’ve probably got the idea now; plan your print to ensure that you get the quantities spot-on.
Tell us what you think; what have been your most successful print campaigns and what has spectacularly failed for you?
